The 2023 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards entries open on October 1, and organisers of the regional programmes began preparing to deliver more than 48 events and numerous judging days at the recent annual conference.
“Our conference was an opportunity for the many volunteers from around the country to come together after a busy winter season,” says general manager Robin Congdon.
“It was a busy few days, ensuring everyone knows what’s required to deliver the dynamic programme and bring them up to speed on this year’s changes made to the Share Farmer category judging process.
“The executive has reviewed extensive feedback on last year’s changes to the Dairy Manager and Dairy Trainee categories, which was overwhelmingly positive. They are making changes to streamline the judging process and to align the Share Farmer category into the same format for this season, which will make the process less daunting and timeconsuming for Share Farmer entrants to prepare for.
“The conference was also a chance for personal development and for committee members to meet other regional committee members and share ideas and information, and to finalise their regional launch events, which provide an opportunity for prospective
entrants to find out more information about the awards and which category people are eligible to enter.”
Robin says the regional launch events are typically a lot of fun and provide an opportunity to meet other potential entrants, organisers and sponsors and to learn about the awards from past entrants.
“The functions are very social, with no charge, and are at a time that makes it easy for farmers to attend.”
The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian and Ravensdown, along with partners DairyNZ and MediaWorks.
More information on regional committees and launch events are available at dairyindustryawards.co.nz/ regions, and on regional Facebook pages.
Entries in the New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year categories will be accepted online at dairyindustryawards. co.nz from Monday, October 1 2022.
Robin Congdon, New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards general manager
Young people across the country are being encouraged to consider the food and fibre industry as a future career through the Inspiring Food and Fibre Futures in Schools programme.
The Tertiary Education Commission’s careers initiative Inspiring the Future Aotearoa, NZ Young Farmers, GoHort and the Ministry for Primary Industries have teamed up to help inspire the next generation of food and fibre superstars.
The programme kicked off on September 20 in Christchurch to show students the range of exciting work in our food and fibre sector. It will also run in Auckland in November. The initiative broadens students’ career horizons by connecting volunteer role models with schools.
“The events will connect students with sector role models who will talk about their jobs, including what excites and inspires them, and why the food and fibre sectors are so vital,” says MPI director investment skills and performance Cheyne Gillooly.
“We have a range of amazing role models who’ve volunteered to speak with the students, and we are really grateful for their time and support of the programme.”
The initiative features a line-up of inspirational role models from across the food and fibre sector. It includes question and answer sessions, interactive discussions and the opportunity to get experience farm activities.
“NZ Young Farmers is proud to be leading the Inspiring Food and Fibre Futures in Schools programme,” says manager — special projects at NZ Young Farmers, Trevor McIntyre.
“Our young people will play a significant role in the future success of our food and fibre sector. It is important they are aware of the breadth of roles available. The experiences and knowledge they gain now will help to guide their subject choices, and even lead them to long and successful careers in the sector.”
Horticulture New Zealand Engagement and Extension manager, Kate Longman says: “The food and fibre sector offers young people an exceptionally wide range of stimulating and rewarding careers.
“Initiatives such as Inspiring the Future Aotearoa and GoHort, a Horticulture New Zealand career development programme, are key to encouraging young people into our vibrant, ever-evolving sector.”
The Inspiring the Future Aotearoa programme is informed by the 2020 Drawing the Future report that shows most young people have a very limited range of career aspirations. More than half of those surveyed see themselves in only nine jobs.
“There is a huge range of careers available across Aotearoa, and it can often be confusing for our young people to understand their options,” says chief executive of the Tertiary Education Commission, Tim Fowler.
“Inspiring Food and Fibre Futures in Schools will help to broaden their horizons by showing them first-hand some of the amazing career options available in the food and fibre sector and pathways to get there.”
Cheyne Gillooly, MPI director Investment Skills and Performance
BY PAUL CAMPBELL
As a result, a trans-Tasman initiative is underway to re-staff the woolsheds and New Zealand company Elite Wool Industry Training has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two of Australia’s major players in the industry — wool grower-owned Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Australia’s largest shearing and wool handling training organisation, SCAA Shearer Wool Handler Training.
For the next three years, Australian wool growers will invest more than $10 million into shearer and wool handler training. An agreement with transTasman counterparts should ensure the investment “is not one-sided and is in-sync with what is happening in New Zealand, which competes with Australia and northern hemisphere farmers and contractors for the same pool of shearing and woolhandling staff.”
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Elite chief executive, New Zealand-based Scotsman and former world champion shearer Tom Wilson says working with Australia will, in the first instance, allow
coordination and management of staff across the two countries, better promote the industry as a career, and improve both the supply and quality of staff.
Wool Industry training trainees get the lowdown on how to keep in trim for a career in the woolshed
The world Covid pandemic and lockdowns during two years have adversely affected international wool harvesting with a global shortage of skilled woolshed labour.
Trainers in New Zealand include world and New Zealand champions such as Wilson and fellow shearers Dion Morrell and Paerata Abraham and wool handlers, Joel Henare and Pagan Timene. These men are exposing youngsters to the woolshed equivalent of training and working as if they were young rugby hopefuls training and playing with their All Blacks heroes.
SCAA chief executive officer Glenn Haynes said: “The agreement is not a silver bullet for the issue of skills shortages, but it will provide a platform that can align the approach to solving or at least mitigating some of the training issues that both nations are experiencing now.
“This agreement will allow for the training organisations to work together on shearing and wool handler training consistencies across the Tasman,” he said.
“For example, it will help ensure that when young Kiwis come to Australia to shear, their shearing pattern and
technique will be consistent and align with what the Australian market requires. It will also ensure that young Australians travelling to New Zealand will have a better understanding of the New Zealand Crossbred shearing techniques, as will the wool handlers.”
The transient nature of the workforce is seeing ever-increasing numbers of shearers and wool handlers travelling across both sides of the ditch for work experience.
“With the level and experience of the trainers involved in the combined organisations, the knowledge that can be shared from both sides can only be beneficial for the industry,” Haynes said.
Tom Wilson says he’s delighted with the opportunity to align and coordinate training with his Australian colleagues.
“In the past, New Zealand and Australia have worked closely to manage a trained workforce on both sides of the Tasman,” he says. “It is great to have the opportunity to provide a strong,
coordinated level of support to the industry again.
“We expect this to grow opportunities for young people to get into this great industry both here in New Zealand and Australia,” he says.
All three entities have quality and animal welfare at the forefront of their training ethos — “so it makes sense to combine our efforts.”
AWI head of Shearer Training Craig French supported the initiative from the start and said: “The shearer and wool handler shortage is an international
problem, and therefore, we need to take a broader approach to addressing it.”
Australian Shearing Contractors Association secretary Jason Letchford said: “I’m excited about the additional benefit of being able to facilitate the transition of learner shearers and wool handlers between the countries. This will help to accommodate the seasonal cycles and better ensure consistency of work for new entrants to the industry, an issue that has been the Achilles’ heel for learner shearers in the past.”
A satisfied customer in Hamilton has been using Septi Cure™ for over five years. He says this allows them to have an odour free septic tank with low maintenance costs. He also says that his service person is amazed at how well Septi Cure™ works, keeping their tank in very good condition.
Shearing contractor, former champion shearer and World Record holder Dion Morrell (left) tutoring budding shearers and wool handlers
Woolhandling trainees delighted with the perfection of a wool throw by a fellow trainee
BY DENISE GUNN
Shane, Margy, and their 14-year-old son Benjamin established Eclipse Charolais five years ago on their 46ha Oroua Downs property.
Foundation stock were selected from Silverstream Charolais Stud’s 50-year anniversary female sale. The Canterburybased stud sells genetics worldwide.
“We purchased, in our opinion, the best that was available at the time and have added further cows since selected for genetics that complement the herd,” said Shane.
“Silverstream Charolais, owned by Brent and Anna Fisher, has helped us immensely along the way.”
Shane said buying their first heifers and registering as a bonafide Charolais stud was a standout for them.
“Also, every new crop of calves is always exciting when we have been selective in genetic pairings to see if we made the right choices.”
Currently, Eclipse Charolais run 25 registered breeding cows, two bulls and youngstock. In 2020, Texel stud sheep were introduced to run alongside the cattle breeding operation.
“Our focus is on our Charolais stud cattle. We are both passionate about this breed and the cows we have. Like anything worth doing, it’s an ever-evolving process, and we couldn’t be happier with the results so far.”
Prior to moving to the Manawatū, Shane ran sheep and cattle and kept horses on a
small block in Hawke’s Bay. However, his main employment was engineering at Progressive Meats. Shane’s family link to farming stems back to his great-grandparents, who farmed in Hawke’s Bay during the depression and shortly afterwards.
Tokanui Memorial
Tokanui was
Hamilton Park Cemetery The Soldier was unveiled in
Following the search for a beef breed to increase their smallholding’s profitability, Manawatū couple Shane Tahu and Margy Marē found Charolais ticked all the boxes.Eclipse Charolais youngstock
“Still, like a lot of returned servicemen and women, they had to walk off their land due to financial hardship. They still kept horses, and my great-grandfather was also a blacksmith.
“Margy’s grandfather immigrated here from Sicily where he met her mother here in the Manawatū. She was from a farming family in the Wairarapa. Margy has always had horses. A love she inherited from her mother — a very accomplished horsewoman.”
Shane and Benjamin share Margy’s love of horses, too, and all three of them ride. The family has found Charolais to be a quiet and
well-tempered breed. “They are very good maternally and easy to handle,” said Margy.
Mating takes place in the first week of November with AI. “After AI using frozen semen, the cows are tail-ended by our own stud bull,” said Shane.
Calving starts in late August and continues through to September. “We wean the calves around seven to eight months. At this age, the heifers are weighing over 320kgs and the bull calves up to 380kg,” said Shane.
“The aim of Eclipse Charolais is to breed premium bulls with the certainty of
proven genetics. We breed for exceptional growth rates, temperament, calving ease and structural soundness. When selecting mating, estimated breeding values (EBV) are very important to us, in conjunction with physical traits. We look to outperform breed average.”
Farm work keeps Shane busy full-time, while Margy is employed as a chartered accountant. She enjoys being on the farm after work and on the weekends to help feed out, move stock and electric fences, and feed lambs.
“We are very capable and passionate about what we are doing,” said Shane. “To date, it’s been, and still is, about making Eclipse Charolais the name buyers think of when wanting a premium bull, be it for stud or commercial.
“Short term, we are seeking to further develop our breeding programme to use only homozygous bulls semen and long term to have a 100% homozygous breeding herd. We are also looking to
explore the overseas Charolais gene pool, along with widening our connections with other Charolais breeders internationally.”
To date, all bull sales have been by private treaty. “The highbred vigour from crossbreeding Charolais is exceptional. We are aiming to supply the industry with bulls that, when crossed with dairy or beef, produce more dollars per head.
“Calves gain weight quickly which gives farmers options for finishing and selling to the works, or selling as weaners for someone else to finish. Either way it’s win-win and money in the pocket.”
As members of the New Zealand Charolais Association, the couple appreciates advice, support and knowledge received from other breeders. Shane said this is invaluable and has assisted them in developing a 10-year plan.
“We have become passionate advocates for the Charolais breed and are keen to see its merits increase their popularity in New Zealand amongst farmers.”
Benjamin enjoys helping out on the farm
BY ANN VAN ENGELEN
“Lucas is from New Zealand and had a farming job for seven years, and I was backpacking for a gap year from university,” says Megyn.
“We met in the middle of nowhere, in the outback at the horse races, and we haven’t been apart since. We came back
two years ago for his sister’s birthday on the last flight from Australia to New Zealand before the first Covid lockdown, and I got stuck here.”
Lucas grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Fielding and has always been involved in growing plants and trees.
“Since we couldn’t return to Australia, we began doing farm work for others and then worked for a contractor planting trees and learned the ropes of how it works before moving to private contracting. We love being self-sufficient and stay on-site in our caravan when we can to get the project done as soon as possible.
“We mostly do native riparian planting of wetlands, pre-forestation and exotic hardwood for timber, including eucalyptus and sometimes pines.
“This year, we started our own nursery and are growing 100,000 natives, and we also source trees from other nurseries for our clients, or people can supply their own trees.
Lucas and Megyn have a goal of planting 1,500 trees a day
Tree planters Megyn Cordner and Lucas MalonePrince met in Australia four years ago while Megyn was on her overseas excursion from Canada.
“We stake exotic trees such as Canadian maple or oaks and fertilise them if necessary, but we don’t do any spraying. Our biggest job has been 15,000 trees, but we go up to 50,000 for early season planting to ensure the trees go in the ground when it is still winter, so they have a chance to get their roots established because if it is too dry — they will just die.
“Most of our clients spot spray for each tree, which helps keep weeds down for the first year. We use large spades to get a big wide hole and try to cultivate 50 per cent deeper for the roots to establish. We use a fertiliser tablet to give them a bit of help for the first two years, and we try to make sure they stand up nice and straight.
“Stamping the tree properly, so the ground doesn’t open up and dry out helps the tree to get established, and we try to ensure the client chooses the correct plants for the area we are planting. We want to also
encourage diversity in the ecosystem for riparian plants too, so everything will grow.”
Lucas says it generally takes a tree approximately three months to establish its root system.
“That’s when you will know how many you may have to replace. Bare root trees have a higher mortality rate, so plants and root trainers are the better option.”
Megyn says she is enjoying indulging in the New Zealand culture and loves the native tree planting, knowing she is giving back to the country.
“It is nice being out in nature, and our clients have been amazingly welcoming. We love having dinner with them, and some bring us bacon and egg pie on the job.
“Luca’s farming background has definitely helped, and he has a Diploma in Horticulture that he did during lockdown. It has given us a great knowledge base of what trees grow where.
“We also do a lot of riparian planting and encourage people to plant trees and shelterbelts to give stock shelter. We like jobs with 1,000 trees minimum and spread excess trees around the farm. If we are in an area, we do small jobs for others if required. People can find us on our Kiwican Contracting Ltd Facebook page.
“Our goal is to plant 1,500 trees a day between the two of us. It is nice working for ourselves because we don’t have to race each other for quotas like contract workers who get paid per tree. We also take our time and plant everything properly and do special requests like maples on one side of the farm and oak on another.
“We particularly love natives or anything permanent. I like exotics as a generational project because you can plant them for your children, and in 35 years, they can mill them to build their houses.”
Gary Ph:07 888-8715,
enquiry@swgd.co.nz
Lucas completed a horticulture diploma to expand his knowledge for the job
Lucas Malone-Prince and Megyn Cordner took up the opportunity to plant trees to gain employment
Megyn encourages people to plant native trees, shelterbelts and exotics for future generations
Miles and miles of car-free cycle trails, tree-lined, offering shady spots where
and some locally produced treats from a delicatessen.
Bonjour monsieur! Bonjour madame! Ting! Ting! Bicycle bells ring out. The perfect antidote to a couple of years con ned to Aotearoa.
Cycle with the team from Green Jersey Explorer Tours alongside ancient canal systems from Bordeaux to Sete for 16 days. It is a wonderful way to become immersed in the French way of life. Village life beckons as you nip in and out of quaint communities. Explore the magical cities of Bordeaux, Carcassonne, Beziers and Toulouse in the heart of French rugby country.
Be inspired by a shorter seven-day itineraries. Choose one or package three together.
Begin in the French Alps. Ride from Lake Annecy, one of the most beautiful lakes in the Alps, across the valley and gorges of the Fier River along the Rhone River and through the medieval town of Pérouges, at the gateway to the Dombes area, nishing in the heart of Lyon.
Discover the Loire chateaux. Seven days of superb cycling from chateau to chateau from the town of Tours to Angers. This tour follows the Loire
Following cycleways and country lanes through France offers a unique, safe experience suitable for all levels of cycling
River, the Indre, the Cher and the Vienne, enjoying many UNESCO World Heritage classi ed châteaux along
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In the heart of Burgundy hides a labyrinth of quiet country lanes and
pleasant cycle tracks weaving their way through vineyards and rolling hills. Tours in Burgundy are gastronomically themed with numerous opportunities to visit vineyards, wine cellars and restaurants.
More remote from the pressure of the cities, these districts are coming into their own as people look for an affordable place to live within easy reach of the main centres.
In recent years, many councils in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty have moved to severely restrict smaller rural and lifestyle blocks. Some now have a minimum rural block size of 40 hectares. However, further south, where they are inviting growth, it is a different story. The rural subdivision rules in these districts are more relaxed, and sometimes, a council will even look at something entirely on its own merits.
Throughout the region, we are seeing evidence of companies relocating from the larger centres to places where they can nd available land, buildings and, most importantly, a willing workforce. Down in this region, land is genuinely more affordable for both commercial development and housing.
With new business comes the relocation of staff from the main centres, and this is fuelling continued demand for lifestyle blocks. Added to this is the ability and desire of many to work from home for at least part of the week. They are still within striking distance to commute for the occasional meeting or client visit. Combine this with a rural environment full of adventure activities for the weekend, and you have the recipe for continued growth.
The demand for our subdivision specialist services has encouraged us to expand from our Morrinsville location to open an of ce in Putaruru. It puts us within easy reach of the entire central and southern Waikato regions, including Otorohanga and Waitomo.
Should you have any interest in subdividing your property, please feel free to give us a call to discuss the full potential of your land. We will help you make the most of your land today and in the future.
After six months, he said the pain had completely gone and he no longer needed pain medication. Now a year later — he is still pain-free.
Any successful programme to improve joints affected by OA should address the underlying disease process. OA is a disease characterised by cartilage loss due to mechanical and biochemical processes. The major process is the loss of cartilage caused by progressive damage to specialised cells called chondrocytes. These cells live in the matrix of cartilage and are responsible for maintaining and repairing cartilage by secreting new cartilage where required.
However, these cells are vulnerable to destructive processes brought about by trauma, such as sports injury or disease processes, especially oxidative damage. It means that cells and cell structures have been damaged by free radicals. The body’s response to this is our antioxidant defence systems to neutralise free radicals before they can cause damage.
The greatest source of discomfort in OA is in ammation in the joint capsule resulting in pain, swelling and, in some cases, heat and redness. While
bone on bone can only be repaired by surgery, the discomfort from in ammation and cartilage loss can respond very well to nutritional therapy.
The most important joint support compound is high-grade chondroitin sulphate. Research suggests at least 800mg daily. I like to start most clients on an intensive programme delivering 1,600mg of both chondroitin and glucosamine and 400mg of a high potency curcumin extract. That combined with therapeutic doses of omega-3 sh oil, can make a real difference.
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his newsletter at abundant.co.nz.
cartilage function and cartilage repair processes.
Curcumin from turmeric helps to balance immune function to support joint health.
Research indicates that chondroitin is highly effective at 800mg daily.
John Arts comments:
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The normal dose is 2 daily but I recommend a double dose for 1-3 bottles to saturate joint tissue.”
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With ways being looked for to save labour during milking, new milking machines were being installed in the dairy sheds. Along with the new mechanical devices came problems with cows getting mastitis.
In 1903, the invention of Wellington College teacher and former dairy farmer George Hutchinson caught the attention of farmers and an intrepid reporter at the Palmerston Show. The machine was boasted to mimic the human hand when on the cow’s teats.
At the time it was on exhibition, Hutchinson was still looking for
investors to see his machine revolutionise dairy farming nationwide. Hutchinson’s prospectus explained the machine’s actions.
‘The teat is squeezed by bags of water, and the milk is pressed out, no suction being employed. The water bags act on the same principle as full hand milking. The bags, while exerting any desired pressure, are softer than even the human hands. It is silent in work, requires very little power, is simple inaction, and is cheap to make.
So little power is required that a boy will probably be able to drive a machine to
milk, say twelve cows at a time, which will suffice for herds of upwards of a hundred cows.’
By 1906, the Hutchinson Non-suction Milking Machine Company had been established with George Hutchinson as managing director. His unit was installed in the dairy shed of Southland farmer James Sinclair. Sinclair, at the time, stated he chose the invention for ‘its cleanliness, simplicity and perfect milking.’
Wyndham farmer Peter Campbell installed what was the largest milking plant system in Southland at the time,
using the Hutchinson non-suction milking machine for his dairy herd. At the time, Campbell, like Sinclair, preferred the fact that the milk was extracted from the cow straight into the bucket with a strainer over it.
While the advertising declared Hutchinson’s invention was ‘an established fact’ in 1906, like many inventions, it became a footnote in dairying history. While the non-suction machine faded to obscurity, another machine invented by Hāwera-based William Hutchinson in the 1930s gained success.
In the early 1900s, the advent of co-operative diarying saw the rise of new inventions and patents registered with the government.
The Hutchinson non-suction milking machine in 1906 was claimed to be ‘an established fact’
Hutchinson’s milking machine mimicked the action of hand milking
The finalists in the 2022 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards have proven to be the toughest entrants in the award’s history.
The New Zealand Biosecurity Awards celebrate the businesses, iwi, researchers and community groups doing vital work to help protect New Zealand’s biosecurity. Each category recognises the complexity of an effective, sustainable biosecurity system.
“The awards judging panel has told us this year’s entries were the highest quality ever seen in the six years of the awards, with close scores among the top applications in every category,” says Biosecurity New Zealand’s deputy director-general Stuart Anderson.
“This year’s finalists cover a huge range of Aotearoa’s biosecurity challenges. They are inspiring New Zealanders tackling everything from decade-long projects focussing on thousands of hectares to new innovations taking on biosecurity through molecules.
“New Zealand has one of the strongest multi-layered biosecurity systems in the world. It protects our food and fibre sector,
where annual export revenue reached more than $53 billion in the year to June 30.
“As the threats, we face, grow in scale and complexity, it is the innovation and hard mahi (work) from people and organisations like our finalists that help protect our environment, economy, culture and people.”
Chair of the judging panel, Dr Edwin Massey, said while it was a difficult year for judging given the incredible quality of the entries, it highlighted the diverse work of everyday New Zealanders who maintained and improved our biosecurity system in the face of increasing and evolving threats.
“The 2022 finalists are working in our ngahere (forests), our mountains and waterways, our offshore islands and our urban environments. The pests they are controlling include catfish, aquatic weeds, wilding pines, blackgrass, goats, rats and the giant willow aphid, to name just a few.
Stuart Anderson, Biosecurity New Zealand’s deputy director-general
“These biosecurity champions come from schools, community groups, local and central government, businesses and research organisations. They all share a common purpose to make a difference in biosecurity to protect our country’s economy, biodiversity and way of life.”
The awards have been held annually
since 2017 and recognise individuals, groups and organisations that have shown a commitment to supporting and promoting New Zealand’s biosecurity and the systems that uphold it.
The winners will be announced at the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards event held in Auckland on October 31.
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Sharon, Wayne & Brett Thompson“The awards judging panel has told us this year’s entries were the highest quality ever seen in the six years of the awards, with close scores among the top applications in every category.”
“Soil physical condition, commonly referred to as soil structure, has an important influence on farm economics and environment,” he says.
“Soil structure determines the porosity, strength and stability of a soil. For all practical purposes, these are the most important soil physical properties. They influence the movement and storage of water in the soil, the ability of roots to penetrate and grow in the soil and withdraw water and nutrients, and finally, the ability of a soil to resist erosion.
“A well-structured soil has many stable aggregates with a wide range of sizes. It contains a large number of pores, both within and between those aggregates, which maintain the correct balance of air and water in the soil and also allows easy emergence of seedlings and growth of plant roots.
“Poorly structured soil either does not have aggregates of many different sizes, or the aggregates are packed tightly together with few pores. Poor structure in a light textured soil results in unstable aggregates, and the soil appears fine and powdery. Poor soil structure can markedly increase the risk of wind erosion.
“Over half the total soil volume consists of pores in a well-structured soil. About 40 per cent of these pores are very small and nearly always filled with water held so tightly that plant roots cannot withdraw it.”
The proportions of sand, silt, clay and organic matter determine the volumes of these small pores.
“Medium size pores retain water, which can be taken up by the roots. The volume of these pores determines the water holding capacity of a soil, and therefore, its susceptibility to drought.
“Large pores (macropores) are the structural soil pores, and are important for
infiltration of water into the soil, drainage of excess water from the soil, aeration of the root zone, and as passages for root growth in the soil.
The two main forms of soil structural damage are aggregate breakdown and soil compaction.
“Aggregate is caused by some natural processes, such as wet/dry and freeze/ thaw cycles. Soils comprising mostly of silt
and sand, with only a small proportion of clay, are most susceptible because these soils are only loosely bound.
“Organic matter is a major soil binding constituent, so soils with low organic matter are particularly susceptible. Cultivation significantly reduces soil organic matter content and can rapidly result in serious aggregate breakdown with the risk of erosion, crusting, and poor infiltration of rain and irrigation water.”
A soil health and biodiversity field day is being held at Paterangi, near Te Awamutu, on Wednesday, October 19. Visit waikatoregion.govt.nz/publicevents for the details and RSVP.
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Bala Tikkisetty, the sustainable agriculture adviser at Waikato Regional Council, says the environmental and economic performance and sustainability of our agriculture, including forestry, can be greatly influenced by soil quality.
Bala Tikkisetty, sustainable agriculture adviser at Waikato Regional Council
This unique ultra-low application depth and ultra-low rate application system is based on applying farm dairy effluent at levels that fall well below pasture uptake.
The system starts with a unique patented weeping wall encased in a concrete lined bunker. The weeping wall removes the solids and allows the liquid to flow into a pump chamber. Green water is then pumped to a tank for recycling.
External yarding can then be automatically cleaned with greenwater via floodwash or backing gate nozzles, effectively cleaning yards without the use of fresh water. This reduces the water take from the standard 50 to 70lt/cow to 20 to 25lt/cow.
The Clean Green Effluent System’s patented automated distribution system allows liquid to be dispersed over large areas at a super low rate of 1/4mm application depth. Effluent can be safely dispersed nearly every day of the year meaning there is no nitrogen leaching and the pasture retains all nutrients provided, thus increasing pasture growth by up to 35%.
Recent independent scientific tests have indicated that with this system a lower level of nitrate leaching can be achieved even in the winter; better than most other systems can achieve during the summer months.
Due to the 1/4mm application depth and being able to distribute all year round, no mega ponds need to be constructed and therefore minimal storage is now required. The Clean Green Effluent System utilises as little as two 30,000 litre water tanks to provide storage for greenwash and effluent dispersed. As an advantage, the water tanks are guaranteed not to leak & have no rainwater catchment. Rainwater catchment in mega ponds equates to doubling the amount of effluent being stored and having to be dispersed by pump to land.
Given the current amount of focus on New Zealand’s primary industry needing to improve its reputation, the Clean Green Effluent System is the obvious option for farmers and industry to adopt, ensuring our dairy industry continues to thrive.
• Small foot print
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• 0.25mm application/24hrs
• Low man hours to maintain
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• 60% fresh water savings
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stalwart Michael Ahern has won the Horticulture New Zealand Industry Service Award for 2022.
“Mick has contributed to the development of New Zealand’s horticulture industry for more than 40 years,’ says HortNZ president Barry O’Neil.
“Mick is known for his common sense and ability, after everyone else has exhausted themselves with talking, to sum up, the situation and provide wise counsel while pointing to the best — if not only way forward.”
Mick started out in the 70s as a university student writing a case study on the kiwifruit industry’s development. That led to roles in the then-fledgling kiwifruit export industry.
“He then went on to further develop his career in the export onion industry, which in turn, led to a position exporting a wide range of horticulture products. Next, Mick turned his attention to consulting with an emphasis on export businesses and industry-good organisations.
“That is certainly where he has focussed in the past 10 years, with
undisputed success in the onions and strawberry areas, leaving behind fit-forpurpose organisations with a focus on the future.”
Barry says most recently, Mick has been the driving force behind getting market access for strawberries in Vietnam.
“With the challenge of Covid, Mick has used his contacts and charm to secure the funding, data and document to support this request. Today’s horticulture industry leaders have one hell of a job. That is why they need the industry’s support to deal with the volume and complexity of challenge and change that the industry faces.”
Mick says he supports industry service awards as they highlight how young people can have a career in horticulture, even if growing is not their thing.
‘The horticulture industry seems very grower oriented, but there are many, many worthwhile careers in other, important areas of the industry.’
Barry O’Neil, HortNZ president presenting Mick Ahern with his awardBiolytix septic systems use a low amount of electricity. The company prides itself on being a green technology, and BioPods aren’t reliant on complex and expensive machinery.
“The blower only consumes 0.12-kilowatt hours a day, approximately three cents a day, which is very low compared to other conventional aerated wastewater systems that typically consume 10 to 20 times more. In comparison to that, our air pump is a quiet whisper,” Biolytix spokesperson Xandir Fatialofa says.
“We have eld and factory-tested BioPods and recorded a maximum noise of less than 40 decibels from a distance of one metre. By comparison, the blowers used on aerated wastewater systems can be very noisy and can operate 24 hours a day.”
In January 2011, the opportunity emerged to invest in Biolytix. A team of representatives was created swiftly, and the purchase of the Biolytix intellectual property was gained the following month.
Manufacturing began in Auckland, and in July 2011, the New Zealand team secured global rights to the idea enabling the company to produce the product for Australia and the Paci c Islands.
“We had been aware of the award winning Biolytix wastewater treatment solution for some time and were impressed with its unique yet intrinsically simple approach to achieving a relatively high level of wastewater treatment.”
The company is Auckland based but has accredited agents throughout New Zealand and the Paci c to meet your needs.
“We also have 30 plus Biolytix accredited agents across New Zealand, Rarotonga and Fiji with sales to the Maldives who execute the process required for installation.”
The Biolytix team is there, with you, from the initial call to site visits and installation and the handover where worms are inoculated into the tank.
It is focussed on high-quality service, giving you, the customer,
BIOLYTIX WORKS NATURALLY… SO
the best available product. It also remains updated with the latest council requirements and consent and engineering knowledge so it can offer the latest and greatest in its eld.
“The system is nature’s ecosystem in a tank. All wastewater treatment is completed in a single and lightweight polymer tank. We don’t have a septic tank stage; therefore, there is no suction out of the sludge.”
“The household sewage enters the Biolytix; the solids sit on top of the lter bed and are digested by tiger worms and other microorganisms. While the wastewater trickles down, it is treated through the aerobic lter channels to the nal process in which it is pumped to the dispersal eld, keeping them lush and fresh.”
For more information about the Biolytix systems or to book a consultation, call 0800 700 818 or go to biolytix.com.
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Biolytix offers various systems available for you with the peace of mind that it has a low impact on the environment.The Biolytix team is with you from call to handover when the worms are put into this natural waste system THE
Toilet building at your cost. These toilets are the good looking, sensible answer to human organic waste management. Environmentally friendly, they are economical easy to install and require little maintenance
Toilets are vented so there are no unpleasant odours, no need for toilet cleaners or room deodoriser. They meet all required NZ Standards and building codes and are in use by DOC and regional councils. Cheaper to purchase and install compared to other systems, right from the start. You can leave the system to work for you and in the end will have safe, composted material that can be used in your gardens
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COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER has been specially formulated for the repair of worn or damaged concrete in the dairy industry. Dairy Floor Resurfacer is a two pack system combining a Portland cement, fine aggregate based micro concrete and sophisticated binders that provide superior, compressive, tensile and flexural strength as well as a very high level of abrasion resistance and adhesion. This product is suitable for repairing worn or pitted areas or to provide a non-slip surface where necessary.
A two pot clear epoxy sealer can be supplied to reduce the wearing effects of milk and acid.
COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER can be supplied as a ‘do it yourself kit’ and delivered anywhere in New Zealand or applied, in most areas, by contractors.
COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER Part A is supplied in 20kg bags and covers approximately 3m square. Part B modifier is supplied in both 10litre and 20litre containers and approximately 4litres per 20kg bag would be required. After trowelling, the surface can be broomed or sponge finished.
by Amy Fifita
Kubota is leading the world by developing the first hydrogenpowered fuel cell tractor and aims to provide the final product by 2025.
With low emissions a current topic, zeroemission agricultural machinery could widen options for farmers aiming to live up to the government’s low-emissions targets. It is not only rural New Zealanders pitching in. Japanese agricultural company Kubota is pursuing a more sustainable future.
It has tasked itself to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 for its construction and farming machinery. The organisation is focussed on becoming carbon neutral by 2050, following Japan’s focus on becoming net-zero and assisting other countries in achieving the same.
The company found a solution in hydrogen power and is working to create both medium and large-sized fuel cell tractors with a prototype anticipated for 2023. It will be between 50 and 100 horsepower.
The tractor offers positives and negatives for potential buyers to weigh up. One negative is its predicted price that
exceeds popular diesel-powered options by 40 per cent.
However, the initial cost could reward you when paying the much-debated emissions pricing schemes enforced upon the agricultural sector. Operating a zeroemissions machine could minimise the outgoing expenses without adding to the greenhouse gas issue.
A positive is that hydrogen is a sustainable fuel. It has already indicated a faster refuel time and longer range within the automotive industry compared to its electrically-charged alternative. It is a highly flammable element, as are the fossil fuel, petrol and diesel.
The next downside is that the infrastructure for it isn’t ready in New Zealand yet. However, this obstacle is being solved through various projects and studies from companies, local councils, universities and GNS Science. government and international funds for joint projects are available.
The collaboration between Waitomo Group and Hiringa Energy shows interest in creating the required infrastructure. The companies have four green hydrogen refuelling stations under construction. Check out other initiatives on the New Zealand Hydrogen website.
The 2025 release gives New Zealand time to establish better availability options. Kubota may have thought ahead regarding infrastructure because it plans to create electric-powered mini excavators and compact tractors.
The 2023 prototype will provide further detail to give you more scope on this developing technology. Your options are simple. Invest in the hydrogen-powered tractor, wait for the electric alternative or stick to traditional choices already available.
Kubota has additional initiatives promoting food and water sustainability. Its technologies and products support abundant and quality food production and improve water recycling, treatment and supply systems worldwide, as it has achieved in Japan.
Kubota is branching off from its traditional tractors and developing a hydrogen-powered version as a zero-emission optionIn July this year, the new national AgYields forage database was launched to help farmers see which pastures and crops have been grown in their districts and how much they
The information is to help people to select more resilient pasture and crop systems.
AgYields is a central repository for all pasture and crop yield data and growth rate information collected in New Zealand. Led by Professor Derrick Moot of Lincoln University, the software development of AgYields was funded by TR Ellett Trust and the populating of data by the Hill Country Futures Partnership programme.
“AgYields will help farmers, rural professionals, students and scientists make key decisions around pasture planning,” says Professor Moot.
“Measuring yield and growth rates for pastures and crops is vital for the prosperity of New Zealand’s agricultural sector.
“This data is expensive to collect and is often stored across a range of electronic and physical platforms, making it difficult to access easily. For the first time, the AgYields website consolidates this data into a publicly accessible resource.
“In time, AgYields will also provide guidelines for standardising future data collection and enhancing New Zealand’s livestock and crop production systems.”
Mhairi Sutherland, programme leader for Hill Country Futures, an $8.1 million programme co-funded by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Ministry of
Business, Innovation and Employment, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Seed Force New Zealand, says AgYields will be an important tool for hill country farmers.
“Hill Country Futures is focussed on future-proofing the profitability, sustainability and wellbeing of New Zealand’s hill country farmers, their farm systems, the environment and rural communities. AgYields will play an important role in helping us meet this goal.
“Individual farms need local data on different species to inform feed budgeting programmes and make appropriate species selections for different environments.
“Accessing data about a range of species will help farmers select appropriate species to address climate
change challenges and work within environmental regulations.”
Dr Suzi Keeling, sector science strategy manager at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, says AgYields provides a valuable resource for farmers, researchers and rural professionals.
“All too often, data is lost or forgotten. Having a central repository means better decisions and smarter use of future investments.”
The database includes both peerreviewed published data as well as unpublished data. It references data source, location, soil type, basic management practices and dominant species.
Scientists can link yield and flowering data with meteorological information. It will generate information for pasture and crop growth forecasting and predicting the impacts of drought on growth and development to inform regional decision-making.
Data is being collected from a number of research and farm locations and will be entered into the database.
Individuals and organisations are also being invited to contribute their data to enhance the utility of the repository. For more information, go to agyields.co.nz.
Professor Derrick Moot of Lincoln University discussing pasture growth with farmersAerial topdressing has strong roots in New Zealand agriculture, although its modern use started in the USA in the mid-1920s.
The first known aerial application in New Zealand was in 1906. However, it was not in an aeroplane. John Chaytor took flight in a mobile tethered hot air balloon in Wairau, Marlborough and threw seed upon his Marshlands family farm. Following his death in 1920,
his son, Edward Chaytor, continued the idea.
In the US, in 1921, John Macready piloted USAAC Curtiss JN4 to spread lead arsenate in Ohio to eliminate Catalpa sphinx caterpillars. Later, in 1924 the US attempted to commercialise aerial topdressing for insecticides and fungicides.
In 1926 the idea was suggested separately by Len Daniell from Wairere and John Lambert from Hunterville. Len indicated his interest in aerial topdressing to the government, then wrote to Henry Ford in the US asking him to consider designing a suitable aeroplane. John wrote to his local MP.
It wasn’t until 1941, that New Zealand saw the fruition of the idea. Alan Prichard sowed lupin seeds from his aircraft by throwing them out the window of his plane over Ninety Mile Beach, Northland. Technically, dropping anything from an aeroplane was considered illegal until 1947, when the government allowed test aerial sowing at Ōmarama in the Mackenzie Basin.
The first official trials happened in 1948 at Ōhakea using a New Zealand Air Force Grumman Avenger. It spread
The New Zealand Airforce trialled aerial topdressing in the 1940s using Grumman Avengers before it was handed to commercial operators to develop further fertiliser, and the results showed that granular fertiliser was best applied using this technique.
Further trials were done using the Grumman Avenger in Waikato, with disappointing results from superphosphate becoming compacted from airframe vibration. The flowrestricting effect was stymied when they used granular fertiliser.
In 1949 lime application also showed the same restriction the Waikato trial had seen. It was temporarily solved by adding superphosphate to the hoppers first to promote flow. With trials showing promise for aerial topdressing, the government handed the development to commercial operators to continue.
In developing the idea, aerodromes were cast aside, and airstrips or flat areas were favoured for landing. Trucks would
follow the aircraft to make refilling easier and minimised time greatly.
The post-second world war timing was an advantage. Many men returning from the war could pilot the aeroplanes. There was a surplus of De Havilland Tiger Moths, used for training, which could carry a fertiliser load of 272 kilograms. In time other aircraft, such as the Piper Cub, would be used.
The first companies in 1949 to offer this service were Gisborne Aerial Topdressing, Airwork, James Aviation and Southern Scenic Airstrips.
The horizons broadened. By 1952, the Civil Aviation Department created safety specifications for aerial topdressing to adhere to. In 1958 New Zealand had 73 commercial companies offering aerial topdressing, a cheaper alternative to doing it by hand.
Opponents of the He Waka Eke Noa climate change mitigation strategy say that it could be on the political chopping block, amid arguments that carbon locked up by agriculture will not be counted against ruminant emissions.
In a controversial statement in late August, Steve Cranston, a spokesperson for farming protest group Groundswell NZ, suggested that climate change minister James Shaw had determined the scheme ‘terminally flawed’.
“Industry leaders, Māori and the government have been collaborating on HWEN for the past two years, but all that time and expense has come to nought,” said Mr Cranston.
“Government and industry leaders have been quietly looking at alternative emission pricing options to the HWEN scheme for the past few months and now appear ready to pull the pin on HWEN.”
Shaw and his allies in government strongly refuted this claim, even if he himself was aware of the controversy surrounding carbon sequestration.
“We will be the first country in the world to have agricultural emissions pricing, but the detail of it is, of course, incredibly contentious,” said the minister in mid September.
Still, Cranson remained adamant, saying that Shaw could not deny that meetings had taken place discussing alternatives to HWEN.
Part of this unravelling of a cohesive path to HWEN implementation comes
from a flawed interpretation of carbon science and the insistence by some climate change authorities that farmers should not be recognised for their role in growing green, carbon-absorbing life.
Earlier this year, HEWN recommended that the best path to reducing carbon emissions on farms was a split-level one, which would include a recognition of the amount of carbon sequestered on farms. It makes sense, as cattle and other livestock do not exist in isolation. They are symbiotic with the plants that make up their food. Simply put, gaseous emissions from livestock come from plants being digested, and those plants must be replaced for the animal to stay alive in the future. It’s a cycle.
However, the Climate Change Commission disagreed, saying in a report to the government of its own recommendations that this carbon sequestration should not be counted.
‘Farmers deserve full credit for carbon sequestration,’ said Groundswell in a recent statement.
‘He Waka Eke Noa chair Kelly Forster recently conceded that it was the minister James Shaw who vetoed farmers’ right to receive full recognition
for carbon they sequester on their farms. Up until this point, we had been told it was the International Panel on Climate Change guidelines which prohibited this from happening.”
While dairy farms will undoubtedly also be heavily affected, recently, red sector producers banded together to petition their levy organisation and Federated Farmers to drop support of HWEN.
“It’s an affront that the Meat Industry Association, red meat processors, Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb NZ have supported the proposal delivered to the government, when B+LNZ’s own modelling states that this would see a significant number of farms exiting red meat production,” says the missive from this group.
by Andy Bryenton
Amid talk of taxing ruminant emissions, lawmakers like James Shaw have lost sight of the carbon sequestering role of pasture and feed crops, say critics of He Waka Eke Noa
“We will be the first country in the world to have agricultural emissions pricing.”
The filamentous algae nutrient scrubbers (FANS) system is a sustainable and natural approach to the ever-growing concern surrounding agriculture’s environmental impact. The five-year project is in its third year and is being funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Endeavour Fund.
It is being overseen by the Māori Advisory Panel and NIWA’s Māori Environment Research team, Te Kūwaha. The project looks to create a sustainable solution using Māori knowledge of holistic agricultural approaches and scientific developments.
Waikato-based Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) and Paeahu Trust (PT) are already on-board with the project’s on-farm trials. Both enterprises seek to create sustainable solutions in keeping with Māori and kaitiakitanga values.
NIWA set up a FANS trial site at the TGH Tainui Road Dairy farm. The stream is the only waterway that flows year-round, making it significant for the farm. The PT trial site has been established at Farm 2 in the Piakoiti Stream. Larger trial sites are anticipated to begin in the 2022–2023 financial year.
The project is being managed by NIWA water quality scientist Dr Jason Parks. Currently, researchers are trying to determine what depth promotes optimal algae growth. Stands with seeded native algae close to the trial sites have been posted at three levels in floways and channels.
The system filters water using algae to remove dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus from waterways. Weekly water samples are collected at inflow and outflow points to determine the nutrient concentrates before and after treatment. At various intervals, the biomass produced can be harvested and used as a natural fertiliser, biofuel or animal fodder. Further uses are being researched.
So far, research has shown 16.4 tonnes of algal biomass produced between March and July this year; 370kg of nitrogen and 75kg of phosphorus were removed using the FANS method, with an expectation that biomass will increase substantially this summer.
Compared to a wetland, the system is cheaper, uses less land, is quick to create, and operational shortly after. However, the harvest of algal biomass means that more maintenance is required. Ongoing
research is being done to ascertain how often harvest must take place.
If palpable, it will add to other sustainable practices being suggested to the agricultural
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industry. A FANS system is comparable to other methods designed to decrease nutrient pollution, such as riparian planting, wetland creation and woodchip bioreactors.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) is working alongside Māori enterprises to create a native algae water management system. NIWA is researching a wastewater system using native algae
by Andy Bryenton
Over-regulation of the rural industry is a contentious point across the nation, but how can a smart local council balance Wellington’s lawmaking with practical solutions that aren’t arduous to farmers?
It’s a matter of bridging the gap between theory and application, says Richard Alspach, who has a background in farming and local governance.
“A smart council would administer governmental legislation like the Resource Management Act’s successor, and their own District Plan, more as a door than a wall,” he says. “Councils are closer to the people affected than the government, and the way they apply the rules makes a huge difference.
“The issue is that Wellington-sourced solutions to rural problems often come from the realm of pure theory. They work on paper but not in practice. By comparison, many fit-for-purpose systems in the farming world evolved from the ground up, in ways that seem odd in theory but work very well in practice,” says Richard.
Significant Natural Areas or SNAs are a case in point. On the ground, farmers have often preserved native bush, wetlands
and other natural areas out of genuine environmental respect and because such areas do not make good crop and pasture land. There’s simply no will to damage them, and when such areas were mapped before, in the 1990s, very few were found to have been damaged.
A practical approach would be for councils to talk to farmers about not having to pay rates on parts of their land sectioned off for environmental protection and reach a compromise. However, a theoretical,
authoritarian top-down approach has only brought antagonism and protest.
“Similarly, a smart council could pick on a core issue, carbon afforestation, and safeguard productive land by allowing
the planting of carbon forests only on hilly, marginal terrain,” says Richard.
“Wellington’s rules about carbon would be followed, but the huge asset which is our productive land would be safeguarded.”
A smart council is needed to judiciously apply government regulations in a way which enables rather than frustrates farmers, says Richard Alspach“Wellington’s rules about carbon would be followed, but the huge asset which is our productive land would be safeguarded.”
by Amy Fifita
Our late monarch is remembered in many ways, including the vehicles on her journey from princess to the farewell of Her Majesty.
Land Rover was granted a royal warrant in 1951 by King George VI following being gifted the 100th 80” Series 1 in 1948. Queen Elizabeth II had a longstanding relationship with the car company and owned a classic 1953 Series 1.
The company made a bespoke 2002 Land Rover Defender that she frequently drove on her estates, and the royal knew how to get grease under her nails. At 18 years old, the then Princess Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Services to be part of the war effort, where she trained as a mechanic and military truck driver.
New Zealand had anticipated King George VI to visit, but it was planned and postponed multiple times with a Daimler convoy ready. Princess Elizabeth was due to go in his place but was delayed upon the king’s death.
The convoy re-emerged when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip visited in December 1953. When the tour commenced, some of the outdated Daimler Consorts were replaced with four new 1954 Conquests. One of which, named Queenie, can still be enjoyed at Napier Vintage Classic Car Tours.
The Conquest was produced between 1953 and 1958. A restyled lookalike
While many viewed the X-Type Estate station wagon as dull for a Jaguar, particularly for a reigning monarch, the Queen opted to own more than one in her time.
Her 2009 V6 station wagon was sold in 2016 to an unsuspecting buyer at Fletchdale in London for £15,000. There were hints of sovereignty like the trim and a dog grille befitting for royal corgis companions. She must have favoured the model, though. In 2021 Her Majesty was spotted driving herself, yet again, in a Jaguar X-Type station wagon at her Windsor Castle estate.
Jaguar Land Rover designed the state hearse for her final ride based on the
Jaguar XJ with design suggestions from the Queen.
Following the use of the funeral home’s Mercedes Benz E-class Hearse in Scotland, the Wilcox-built Jaguar met her at RAF Northolt to carry her to Buckingham Palace. The Queen and the Jaguar reunited at Wellington Arch to deliver her to St Giles to rejoin her resting family.
A silver-plated bronze statue of the Queen’s mascot of St George slaying a dragon stood at the front of the hearse. It featured the Queen’s Royal Cypher and matched other royal and state vehicles
with its Royal Claret finish. Public duty was in her thoughts in the window design and onlookers received a clear view of her coffin.
The official fleet for the 1953 New Zealand Royal Tour that introduced Queen Elizabeth II to the nation to the 1950 Lanchester Fourteen and Leda, under the bodywork was a 2.4-litre straight-six engine.
