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Land and water management
September 2018 Edition
The amazing cherry
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0800 466 793 Preserving heritage pigs
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Continuing the legacy Page 4–5
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September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
An ambitious forestry plan
Integrity community media
Forest owners say the Productivity Commission’s call for up to 2.8 million hectares of land to be turned into forests as a carbon sink would require implementing the most ambitious land use change project a New Zealand government has ever set itself.
The Wairarapa Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company. Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz General Manager: Deb Wright | deb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696 Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Paul Campbell, Andy Bryenton
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“The scope of afforestation proposed to get New Zealand to carbon neutrality by 2050 would need a new-planting rate of 100,000 hectares a year, which has been achieved only once in New Zealand in recent times — in 1994,” says Forest Owners Association president, Peter Weir. “The government would then have to maintain this planting rate for three decades to achieve the goal. It is vital that the government works closely with all landowning groups to ensure an efficient and equitable transition to an envisaged ‘decarbonised economy’. “A carbon price, with a transparent and realistic system of price setting, needs to be high enough to encourage change from current activities and land use, to forestry. The Productivity Commission escalated price projections are realistic in that respect.” Mr Weir says that he has a concern that there might be two ‘pools’ of methane accounting arising from the report. “It is likely to lead to a grandparented tradeable emission right for dairy farmers which is denied to sheep and beef farmers.” He says the vast afforestation envisaged by the Productivity Commission will need to incorporate whole catchments to reach the target. “For a scheme of such a scale, we cannot afford to get either the environmental or the economic side wrong.” Farm Forestry Association president, Neil Cullen, believes the only sufficient land area to achieve the commission’s goal is to be found on farms. “Farmers will need to have access to the best advice on how to go about planting woodlots and so avoid the mistakes too prevalent in the past, such as poor
Peter Weir, Forest Owners Association president
planning for road access at harvest time. “That is not just a government job, but I believe farm organisations have a central role in helping the transformation of farm properties into an integrated land use operation with a substantial investment in forestry.” Neil Cullen says widespread planting for carbon fixing needs to focus on the species of trees — which are best at doing that in the required timescale. “In the distant future, our new indigenous forests will be locking up a lot of carbon. If you are to achieve efficient carbon capture in the relatively short-term, that is to 2050; there is no doubt that exotic trees, such as conifers and eucalypts are the best candidates for the job.” 2
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
Land and water management
September 2018
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Quality Living, Quality Care…
After four-and-half years of fruitful and intensive community-led effort, the Ruamahanga Whaitua Committee has presented its final recommendations to Greater Wellington Regional Council. These recommendations inform an implementation programme aimed at balancing catchment communities’ aspirations for healthy, thriving streams, rivers and lakes and continuing economic development in the region. “There were no rule books to guide the committee, which was tasked with undertaking a huge collaborative process to identify and apply community values for freshwater. Their goal was to find ways to meet national bottom lines for water quality and allocation,” says Greater Wellington chair and whaitua committee member, Cr Chris Laidlaw. “The committee’s aim was to achieve these goals in a fair, open and accountable way, and I think they have done that. The work of the whaitua has sparked a realisation that local catchment communities hold the key to future management of freshwater and this is a very positive development. We hope to replicate this model elsewhere around the region. “The outcome is a comprehensive set of recommendations, which will ensure we will improve the quality of water in the catchment, something that many people have consistently called for. “There is also a clear recognition that we are all in this together in managing water. It is not just farmers who are responsible for degradation of water quality. Far from it. The urban
communities are equally responsible for both the problem and the solutions.” Under the Ruamahanga Whaitua Implementation Programme (WIP), vital areas of activity such as managing the catchment’s rivers and lakes, preventing their contamination by discharges and land use, and ensuring sustainable water flows and allocation are covered. The committee intensively engaged the Ruamahanga community, business owners, farmers and a range of interest groups. Chris Laidlaw, Greater Wellington chair and whaitua “The whaitua committee committee member has listened and responded to public feedback. In relation to concerns about providing water to rules and policies and plenty of time for Masterton’s Henley Lake and Queen a creative and innovative response from Elizabeth Park Lake of Remembrance, both our rural and urban communities.” The committee will continue to work we have responded to feedback to make with Greater Wellington as an advisory provision for water to be available when body to ensure that the direction and the rivers fall below their minimum flow.” The committee also heard comment intent of the WIP recommendations from some people in the rural community continue into the rules, policies and that improving water quality will impose methods drafted as part of the plan additional costs on farmers and, change/variation process. therefore, on local businesses. “The WIP is a pragmatic document. It provides time to transition to the new
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September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
Continuing the legacy Riversdale Station is one of the earliest farmed stations in New Zealand and for 176 years it has been farmed by the family of Ben and Georgie Lutyens. BY ANN VAN ENGELEN
“M
y great-great-grandfather was born in 1790 and was 50-years-old when he arrived in New Zealand on board The Orient on January 1, 1840 for a fresh start, a new life and with a new wife he began farming sheep here in 1842. At the age of 68, he fathered my greatgrandfather,” says Ben. “My grandmother used to talk of being in the ‘first eleven’ — referring to the first settler families into the Wairarapa. Since then the fortunes of the family and the station have followed the cycles of farming. “The station has both united and divided the family. You fall in love with land, but it is tough to farm it and
make it your livelihood. Once it was all about sheep and wool production and prices fluctuated. “When Georgie and I started farming here in 1990, it was a very conventional sheep and beef farm. Wool was 75 per cent of our income in our first year — the cattle were profitable, but here as pasture conditioners for the benefit of the sheep.” Wool production suited the land well, but the next year wool prices halved and they have never recuperated. “We continued for seven years hoping wool would recover, but it didn’t. Sheep farming became all about meat production and high-performance, but the station didn’t have the infrastructure
The Lutyens’ Clydesdale horses are working horses and are a popular feature at Riversdale Station
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or natural fertility to follow this change of direction and to do so would have required outside finance.” The couple decided not to borrow money and sold the sheep, and became an extensive cattle property. “We found that we had time to pursue our ideas for diversifying our income away from a complete reliance on farming. As well as other less successful ventures we built a hunting lodge, added beehives and set up horse trekking. “Life has become much more varied, social and interesting with the farm, hunting lodge and Heavenly Horse Treks. “Our stock, horses and wild game roam the property and there are wide open riverbeds, inspiring views of the Haurangi Mountains and the Southern Ocean. “There is a lot more bush on the station now. This together with the near absence of possums for the last 10 years has led to a huge increase in bird life; described recently by a horse trekker as a ‘passive achievement’, of which I am very proud.” Ben says handling cattle is a timeless experience and they have their own way of doing it. “We run a cross of Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn and Santa Gertrudis. We have 1,000 cattle through the winter from which we breed and sell the calves to other farmers. Twice a year we muster all the stock from across the 10,500 acres and herd them into the cattle yards. “In December we muster for calf marking, so that there is no confusion with cattle from neighbouring stations.
Ben Lutyens’ family farmed sheep on the property in 1842 and it is now home to a variety of cattle
We muster by paddock — one paddock a day and afterwards they are returned to the same place. We muster in eight blocks — the biggest block is more than 2,000 acres.” In March the family and contract musterers gather the stock for tuberculosis testing and weaning — separating the calves from their mothers. “At this time we sell the cattle, which we will not be taking through the winter — mostly male calves and any female calves which we do not want in the herd. “We can have four seasons in a day here — it can rain or blow a gale, but this has never stopped us getting the cattle to market. “We now lease out our manuka honey rights instead of producing honey
September 2018
The property is home to a range of horses and the family offer guided horse treks for novice and experienced riders
ourselves, and 2,000 hives arrive in November and leave again in January. The bees are an important aspect of our farm. “We have a wide mix of 35 horses and breed some of our own — we also have six Clydesdales. They give a great riding experience and can handle all types of conditions. Earlier this year we took out a group of 14 novice riders with our quiet and placid horses. The youngest was a three-year-old child. We
also have horses suitable for the more experienced riders and for longer treks. “This land is a tangible link to the generations of my family who came before me and I hope to the generations to come. “As carers for the family land, we are proud to continue the legacy and we are privileged to continue on with what our predecessors began — in our own way and as best we can pass on the land for future generations.”
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September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
THE AMAZING by Ann van Engelen
Gary Bignell left school more than 30 years ago at 16 years old and completed his diploma in horticulture, specialising in stonefruit and working in a cherry orchard.
S
ince then, Gary and his wife Steph have spent the majority of their lives dedicated to producing and selling the freshest cherries direct to customers all over New Zealand. Recently they launched their own brand of cherry juice, which they created to share the health benefits of their muchloved fruit. “Dad grew up here in Blenheim and was always involved in cherries as that is where he first started work and he learnt on the job. We planted our own orchard here 10 years ago because it is a good growing region,” said their son and general manager, Cameron. “Cherries grow really well in Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough or Central Otago due to the very cold winters and hot, dry summers — but there are a few orchards in other places.
“We love working with the fruit because it is such a seasonal product, they are a flavoursome healthy treat that are only around for eight weeks of the year, and people enjoy giving and receiving them, especially as a Christmas gift.” The family grow approximately nine varieties of sweet cherries. “They all ripen at different times during the season. We get the best just before Christmas, and the late ones stretch our harvesting season out. They all have slightly different tastes, colours, sizes and shapes and it is very difficult to tell the difference.” The family have planted nearly 20,000 trees on their 70 acre property. “It is a sizeable orchard and takes a lot of work to maintain. We follow strict pest control programmes that are used
Gary Bignell has worked with cherries for more than 30 years and has developed his own cherry juice brand here in New Zealand
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
only when necessary to deter bugs,” says Cameron. “For years we noticed the health benefits of cherries at the start of each season because our sleeping patterns would significantly improve — but we would then slip back into restless nights when the season finished. “We could only make use of the fruit for those eight weeks of the year, and we wanted to work out a way to get people their cherry fix all year-round, so we started research to create the cherry juice.” It took the family three years to develop their product. Cameron’s siblings, Renee and Jacob, are also involved in the business, and they receive emails daily from customers saying they sleep better or get relief from gout and arthritis. It is used in cooking, pouring over ice cream, in salad dressings and as a health tonic. “It could have been perfected quicker if we added chemical agents and preservatives but we took the time to produce a 100 per cent natural product. We had great support from other New Zealand business owners who were pretty open with their advice. “Research shows that sweet cherries grown in New Zealand are a natural source of melatonin — more than 30 times higher than other varieties. This hormone is necessary for not just sending you to sleep, but also helping you stay asleep. “The fruit also contains extremely high levels of anthocyanins, which have powerful antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Michigan
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State University research found ‘the anthocyanins that make cherries red could also help relieve pain more effectively than aspirin’ and they may reduce osteoarthritis by working directly on inflammation, through the positive effects of anthocyanins.” A study by the Boston University Medical Centre found that ‘cherry intake was associated with a 50 per cent lower risk of gout flares over a 48-hour period’ due to lowering uric acid levels. “Every weekend our family sell juice at different markets all over New Zealand and let people taste the product. Many of our customers, including farmers, have seen beneficial results with as little as 50ml of juice per night. For severe conditions, we recommend increasing the daily intake to 100ml and you can also just drink it every day.
“We have 10 months between cherry seasons, and are constantly learning about other potential products. There are not many cherry by-products available and we source fruit from other growers. The more we can produce the better it is for all growers as we are helping each other. Our parents’ passion has been amazing and to get the juice stable and as good as it is was a huge investment. It took a lot of foresight and vision, and they had the will to continue despite failed attempts, even when others said it wouldn’t work and they are wasting their time. “They deserve the success they are getting.”
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September 2018 WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
Preserving heritage pigs After several years of curiosity, dreaming and planning about ethical rare breed pig farming Daniel Todd and Claire Ongley founded Woody’s Free Range Farm in 2013, along with Woody their dog. by Ann van Engelen
“W
hen we started the farm, I couldn’t think of a better name to signify our new direction than to name it after our faithful friend,” said Daniel. Daniel was a managing director of a multinational consumer electronics company in Sydney. He and Claire had no farming experience when they moved to the 80 acre farm in Manakau and began their free-range venture by raising 10 rare breed Devon Large Black Berkshire piglets. “That was the foundation for our free range farm. Our property is a diverse array of land types with flat paddocks, rolling hills and steep riverbanks. Pigs are intelligent and social animals
and should never be kept in concrete bunkers. This farm is perfect — we do not use sow stalls or farrowing crates, they are bred and reared outside and indulge their natural desire for rooting and grazing.” The ‘heritage’ breed can be traced back to before industrial farming when pigs were kept out in the pasture. “Some rare breeds were on the verge of extinction, but their popularity has been revived as ethical farming practices are increasing along with consumer demand. They are hardy breeds that produce robust, marbled meat that is moist and tasty. They don’t compete with intensively farmed pigs because they require extra time and
Daniel Todd and Claire Ongley focus on ethical farming providing quality free-range pork whilst they help preserve the Devon Large Black Berkshire pig breed
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
care to raise them. Together we are preserving these wonderful animals for future generations. “Our pigs are slower to mature, but grow to a large size. The sows are great mothers producing large litters and plenty of milk.” Large Black pigs have long droopy ears, a scooped nose and black skin that protects them from the sun. “They derive nutrition from foraging for roots and bugs in the dirt — whereas this ability has been bred out of many pig breeds used in intensive farming,” says Daniel. After four years, Daniel and Claire decided to become profitable they would need to grow more than 600 pigs on the farm. “Fearing that this was not sustainable, we linked up with friends at Longbush Pork who have the same vision, ethics and pig breeds and bloodlines. Freerange farms in New Zealand make up less than one per cent of all pig farms, and we believe rather than competing we should work together to promote ethical farming and transparency. “Whilst intensive pig farms are competing on price against other farms and overseas products our products are in short supply and easy to promote. I can only name two or three other farms in New Zealand that are truly free-range like we are.” The decision was made for Woody’s to invest in its own butchery in Levin. “The investment was immense but paid off quickly. After just six months we picked up hospitality customers
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in Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland and we sell our sausages, mince, bacon and charcuterie in Moore Wilson and Farro Fresh. Our online business has tripled year-on-year. “We still have our own pigs and employ a farmhand who is responsible for feeding, cleaning, checking water troughs and that the electric fences that keep the pigs contained are all in working order. He builds stock houses and fences new paddocks and ensures all our animals are healthy. “Our butchery has three members of staff, and I share my time between the farm and butchery. I am happy to slice and pack meat but Joseph, our butcher, does all the clever stuff like making the
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Often the sheer volume of antibiotics stored in the fat of intensive pork makes you feel sick. “We are helping people to realise that pigs are intelligent animals and we should respect them like we do other animals. Farming from paddock to plate is a physically and mentally demanding job — but our customers make it worthwhile because they support the whole ethical vision.”
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Daniel does not use sow stalls or farrowing crates, and the pigs are reared outside and are able to indulge their natural desire for foraging and grazing
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September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
CROP & PASTURE PREP Bug biocontrol approval To help protect New Zealand crops a biocontrol agent has been added to the mix to control brown marmorated stink bug if it ever gets into the country. The Environmental Protection Authority has formally agreed to allow the release of a tiny Samurai wasp into New Zealand, in the event of a brown marmorated stink bug incursion. BMSB Council chair, Alan Pollard, applauded the outcome as a major milestone against one of the greatest threats to New Zealand industry and urban communities. “The industry greatly appreciates the positive decision and
acknowledges the consideration given by the EPA to the significant number of submissions made on the application. This is a significant step towards preparing for a major biosecurity risk, which is getting greater by the day with increasing trade and tourism crossing our borders,” he said. The Samurai wasp is the size of a poppy seed and completely harmless to humans and animals, but a natural enemy of BMSB;
DAM’S & PONDS | DRAINS & CULVERTS | TRACK & WATER TABLES | SCRUB & SITE CLEARING | GENERAL EARTHWORKS Josh Theurillat | 027 774 9309 joshtheurillat@gmail.com
Specialists in all types of aerial work AGRICULTURAL, TRAINING AND HELICOPTER SERVICES SPECIALISTS What we offer:
• Spraying: Pest and weed control, Gorse and Scrub, Forestry Blocks, Rivers & Waterways
• Lifting: Fencing gear, logging, beehives, water tanks, farm bikes in precarious places,
• Fertiliser: Solid, slurry and liquid application
• Fire: Controlled fire lighting, fire fighting
• Desiccation: Of paddocks, in preparation for new grass and crops
• Stock Mustering
• Seeding: Bucket application of all pasture and crop seed.
• ‘U Fly’ Trial Flights with instructor
• Wild animal control: Deer, goats and pigs
• Flight Training for private and commercial pilots
the female wasp lays her eggs inside those of the stink bug, killing the larvae in the process. Studies overseas have shown that the wasp can destroy more than 70 per cent of the eggs in a stink bug egg mass. “The stink bug could cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our industry, as well as seriously damaging quality of life for all New Zealanders. With the heightened awareness of biosecurity risk, our industry is more aware than ever that we cannot afford to be, and never will be, complacent. “Approving the release of Samurai as a biocontrol is an excellent step — but there is more work to do before the wasp is ready to be used as a tool. It’s not the silver bullet, and a stink bug incursion would require a multifaceted approach. “We have seen overseas growers rely on high levels of insecticide as the primary control for BMSB and, while this wasp provides the opportunity to reduce our dependence on chemicals, a full response will require every weapon in our armoury.” BMSB feeds on a huge range of arable and horticultural crops including wheat, maize, peas and beans. An NZIER
Alan Pollard, BMSB Council chair
report, commissioned by the Samurai Wasp Steering Group, has estimated that gross domestic product would fall by between $1.8 billion and $3.6 billion by 2038 if BMSB became established. It also estimated the horticulture export value could fall by between $2 billion and $4.2 billion. Permission to release the wasp will be subject to a number of strict controls that will dictate when, where, and by whom it can be released.
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
C RO P & PA S T U R E P R E P
September 2018
11
WAYNE AND ANDREA PRICE
Options for crop preparation
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When it comes to changeable or unhelpful weather farmers are known to be resilient, and planning a schedule of planting and pasture prep helps remove a lot of stress. Wet weather can leave a short period of time to accomplish a host of tasks, and for many people, the focus is on producing a bountiful crop of maize or green pasture to ensure there is enough feed for their animals. Often hiring a local contractor is a good option as they know the processes and can get the job accomplished in a relatively short time frame, and have the relevant machinery. It will allow you to focus on other important tasks. If you are doing the work yourself, ensure that all your equipment is serviced and ready for productivity. Preparation for undersowing on cattle farms, or getting ready to cultivate maize and bringing in silage for the upcoming season all require reliable equipment to save precious time and inconvenience if equipment breaks down. Be aware that if the soil is damp or wet, the machinery used for aeration and harrowing, to turn the soil and prepare it for a fresh crop can cause compacting so it is best left until the ground dries out enough to take the weight of the equipment. Northland is known to have hard to access pastureland and paddocks, even for the big trucks, which deliver fertiliser. Smaller mini spreaders have become popular as they are lighter on
Call now for all of your baleage and hay requirements. Phone: (06) 379 5953 or 027 497 9837
the ground and able to get to more inconvenient places. Helicopter and fixed-wing aerial applicators are also often used to deliver fertiliser onto the necessary areas. Often contractors use the latest technology with GPS systems meaning less wastage of product being sown and environmentally friendly placement. Remember, where possible, supporting friends and neighbours are
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often part of the farming lifestyle and getting together to accomplish certain tasks not only make specific jobs easier but also expands your knowledge base and sense of accomplishment.
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September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
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Be professionally prepared Whether you are an experienced farmer or a new lifestyle blocker, people living rurally know that country living includes beautiful scenery, clean air, the outdoors lifestyle and strong supportive communities as well as unexpected situations. With this comes the need to be prepared as isolation from many services and trades that city dwellers have on hand such as electricians, plumbers and builders can be a problem. Whether you are new in an area or a long-term resident, keeping up with the right people to call for major or minor emergencies is a must, and thankfully, we have mobile professionals who are ready to load up the digger or pack tools into the van to see things right when help is needed. With forward planning of who to call, even the most unexpected problems can be solved quickly — reducing stress. For incidents such as vehicle breakdowns, broken windows, faulty appliances and stained carpets, the solution begins with
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local tradespeople. Keep a list handy of tradespeople you can use — keeping things local when possible is suppor ting your community. It is important to stay within the building and renovating rules even in the circumstance of certain repairs — electrical work has to be signed off by a qualified electrician, and plumbing or drainage work needs to be attended to by a qualified plumber. For the sake of insurance and reselling property a paper trail of accredited repairs means peace of mind — so at times it is not wise to DIY or have ‘repairs’ around the home seen to by a handy mate. Broken machinery, fencing or water tanks on the farm costs in time and profits, but having regular servicing completed or getting repairs done professionally the first time is a huge bonus and prevents wasted finances and energy. Ensuring your tractors, quad
bike or UTV are reliable for upcoming jobs make sure these are also serviced and maintained on a regular basis by a qualified mechanic. Of course, when it comes to your livestock, the source of your income, remember, having a contractor cutting and preparing your hay, silage or maize, means getting your animals’ feed prepared the right way. When it comes to animal health, some remedies really are ‘old wives tales’ and getting professional help from a veterinarian is as important as everything else in their time of need.
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
Labour’s employment law changes a mistake
September 2018
13
by Alastair Scott, MP for Wairarapa
The Employment Relations Amendment bill has returned to the house by the select committee, mostly unchanged. To be clear, the changes being pushed by Labour in this bill are a big mistake. More than 2,500 business groups made submissions and actively participated in the committee process. They were completely ignored, so businesses have now threatened to pursue a claim to the International Labour Organisation or International Court of Justice on the basis that parts of the bill may breach international conventions. The bill completely fails to consider the practical realities of operating a business. Labour’s planned changes are especially troubling for small business owners. They have the least ability to absorb the impact of costs outside their control, such as are implied by this proposed legislation. National has lodged a series of changes that seek to overturn its worst provisions. Some of our proposed changes to the bill include ensuring union officials have to get permission to enter a workplace; ensuring businesses don’t have to pay union delegates for union tasks during paid hours; retaining 90-day trials for all businesses. Stopping businesses from being forced into agreements with unions that would require a business in Auckland to pay the same wages as one in Timaru.
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Our employment law is a foundation of New Zealand’s economic growth and allows flexible, modern workplaces that can compete in a fast-changing global economy. Keeping New Zealand internationally competitive is critical. By trying to take the country back to a time when adversarial unions can hold the country to ransom, Labour shows it hasn’t managed to advance its thinking to keep pace with the modern world. Labour sees the progression of the bill as a key credibility test in the eyes of the trade union movement. The trade unions have kept the pressure up on the
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prime minister, fearing NZ First would weaken her resolve. Last week, Winston Peters hinted at concessions on the bill, and he has called it a ‘work in progress’ despite it having been through the cabinet process. Even Labour’s coalition partners can see the obvious flaws in this bill. The Employment Relations Amendment bill will go down as one of this government’s biggest economic mistakes, and you can rest assured that a future National-led government will repeal the proposed provisions.
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14
September 2018
WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
LIVESTOCK
M Bovis farms share similar soils 100
by David Law — Forward Farming
IT’S NOT A TARGET Forward Farming helps farmers work with the Bio-CircleTM Slurry Bugs are aerobic microbes that eat pond crust and sludge. Slurry Bugs also convert pond nutrients into plant-friendly form, turning your effluent into an effective fertiliser. Reduce 67% of greenhouse gasses by using this system correctly. • Effluent Management • Remedial Advice • Slurry Bugs Product
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To read more: fowardfarming.co.nz To contact David Law: 027 490 9896
The strongest evidence yet that Mycoplasma bovis does not flourish in well-balanced soil conditions has been confirmed at the farms that first tested positive for the disease. Farms belonging to the Van Leeuwen Dairy Group, which comprised 15,000 cows on a 4,133ha milking platform in South Canterbury, first tested positive for M bovis in July 2017, resulting in the culling of around 4,000 cows. The group was given the go-ahead to restock the affected farms after the compulsory stand-down period of 60 days but was warned by biological farming consultant David Law if the conditions in which the disease thrived were not rectified, it could reoccur. More than 100 soil tests were carried out across all van Leeuwen farms by Don Hart of Top Soils, and Law’s hypothesis was confirmed. “We found increasing evidence that the farms that had tested positive for M bovis all had the same characteristic — a low-pH soil, which is typically an imbalanced, minerally-depleted soil,” Law says. “In contrast, the soil tests taken on the farms clear of the disease showed a healthy pH of 6.3 — soil conditions M bovis doesn’t like. This demonstrated a correlation between M bovis being
POSTDRIVERS
present in imbalanced soils, and absent in healthy soils. The disease doesn’t live in the soil per se, but, as an anaerobic bacterium, it generally only thrives in low-pH farm conditions.” As a result, the van Leeuwens have implemented short-and-long-term plans to rebalance the conditions on the affected farms to reduce the likelihood of M bovis returning. Law says his recommendations to Ministry for Primary Industries have not been actioned, leaving farmers in fear with no solution. Aad van Leeuwen agrees that MPI should have been more open-minded WE HAVE AGRICULTURAL LIME Available in Two Grades • Standard • Cropping Mixing of sulphur and / or trace elements with aglime available on request
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in their approach to finding a solution for farmers. Law says with the valuable information gathered from Van Leeuwen Dairy Group, those involved in the wider working team are better able to help farmers directly rather than going through the government. “We welcome farmers to invite us to speak at discussion groups, where we can look at scenarios causing farmers anxiety, such as grazing young stock off-farm,” he says. “There are things farmers can do right now to greatly reduce the risk of M bovis flourishing on their farm; we are confident we can help.”
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WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
September 2018
WHEELS
by Andy Bryenton
15
Not horsing around
As has been noted before in more than one farming-focussed journal, there are plenty of side-byside (SSV) machines out there in the world today, which were primarily bred for recreation. As any farmer can tell you, the work you have to put in on the land is hardly recreational, though it does share with some pursuits — like hunting — the early starts, long hours and bountiful mud of the outdoors life. Considering that the most long-lasting two-wheelers and quad bikes on the rural scene were made specifically for farming, what does that mean for the newer concept of the SSV? Kawasaki would opine that it means there need to be different models in clearly differentiated categories. They would know — the same company which makes the practical Stockman off-road bike also makes the maniacal KX series of motocross freestylers and the tarmaccharring Ninja road bikes. That’s why the Kawasaki Mule Pro FX EPS looks like it’s built to work. Rather than considering horsepower and top speed, Kawasaki’s brains trust were looking at load capacity and torque, leaving recreational thrills for other departments of the company. The result is a machine as practical and unfaltering as a tank, with everything you might need for rural chores and nothing you don’t. Before even looking under the hood, check out the steel-based, utterly flat cargo bed. Square, close to one and a half metres to the side, low and
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Ph: 06 378 8126 quick to load, and with plenty of tie-down options. It’s the biggest in its class and can lug 450 kilos with ease. Then there’s the seating arrangement — fit for three burly workers because as we know, some jobs require more than two pairs of hands. Someone at Kawasaki has been talking to farmers, and it shows in little details like these — and the fact that every Mule comes standard with doors, to keep the mud out. The EPS in the Mule Pro FX EPS’ title stands for electric power steering, making it easier to handle on those long days of hard work. That’s no bad thing, as the off-road abilities of this 812cc,
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triple-cylindered machine make it easy to engage with the rough stuff. Terrain is comprehensively beaten into submission by a combination of long travel suspension and big 26 inch tyres — and the intuitive power steering system means that it’s easier to point the Mule where it needs to be going at low speeds. With dual-mode differentials, true four-wheel-drive on demand and powerful disc brakes to add safety, the Mule Pro FX EPS doesn’t just go anywhere. It allows you to take more of your mates and your gear with you.
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16
September 2018 WAIRARAPA FARMING LIFESTYLES
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