Rural News 17 January 2017

NEWS

MANAGEMENT

AGRIBUSINESS

Cashing in on good rains.

Knocking Scotch thistle on the head. PAGE 22

Apiarists expect to be disrupted for months due to the Kaikoura earthquake last November.

PAGE 16

PAGE 5

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JANUARY 17, 2017: ISSUE 622

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Constant rates rises irk PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

THE DAYS of New Zealand having an undue reliance on property taxes to fund local government are coming to an end, claims Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) chief executive Malcolm Alexander.

He was answering Federated Farmers’ questioning of the priorities and fiscal discipline of New Zealand’s councils, as rates continue to outstrip cost indexes.

Alexander says it is pleasing to see others parties like Federated Farmers and the tourism industry are picking up on the need for more flexible funding tools for rates. This is an issue which no longer can be ignored, he says.

The Feds say between 2006 and 2016 there has been 77% hike in rates by the country’s 13 city, 54 district and 11 regional councils.

The New Zealand’s population went up by about 12% during the same period, with the consequent growth in the rating base – but LGNZ has no figures on how much, the Feds say.

Analysis by Federated Farmers shows the consumers’ price index (CPI) went up 21% in the same period. Local authorities have argued the Local Authority Cost Index prepared by consultants BERL is a fairer measure of cost pressures on local government and that went up 33% during the past decade.

However, Alexander says councils are faced with a range of complex cost drivers which a simplistic comparison

to either the consumer price index or the local government cost index fail to fully take into account.

“Neither index is able to estimate the costs of new and emerging challenges and demands facing councils,” he told Rural News.

“These include the upfront costs of building infrastructure for future generations as a result of the rapid population growth experienced in a number of areas, the cost of meeting new national standards imposed on councils by central government, such as those concerned with water quality and earthquake strengthening, and the demand for higher service levels

from the public, such as putting in services to manage the growth of freedom camping.

Alexander says while property rates will continue to be the cornerstone of local government funding for the foreseeable future, LGNZ has been advocating for more flexible funding tools to meet current and future challenges.

“It is pleasing to see other parties like the tourism industry and Federated Farmers are picking this up as an issue that can no longer be ignored.”

Feds local government spokesperson Katie Milne says the ongoing trend of rates rising to rapidly out-pace inflation is greatly resented by farmers, for

whom council bills can be a significant component of their farm costs.

Some councils get carried away with growth plans and ‘extras’ with not enough recognition of the impact on the ordinary people and businesses footing the bill, Milne says.

“Land and improvement values can have little or no bearing on the property owners’ consumption of council services in relation to others. Yet some councils are reluctant to use tools such as annual charges, differentials and rates remittances to smooth out big rises in the face of factors such as farm incomes taking a severe buffeting this year.”

While the sun shines...

The best spring and summer weather for years saw High Peak Station, in the hills behind Windwhistle in central Canterbury; bring in a good harvest of summer grass for silage. A team from North Canterbury-based BA Murray agricultural contractors was on the farm last week, the team consisted of a mower, a rake, a harvester and two tractors with 10-tonne trailers, supplemented by two 10-tonne trucks from Rangiora’s Hurley Plant Ltd, to ferry the harvested grass to the farm’s two silage pits. They were expecting to take about six hours, spread over two days, to harvest three big blocks of mainly ryegrass, totalling about 50ha.

Station owners, James and Hamish Guild hoped for a yield around four tonnes a hectare.

More on page 5. PHOTO NIGEL MALTHUS

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

NEWS 3 ISSUE 622

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Adding fuel to fire?

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEWS ��������������������������������������1-12 MARKETS ���������������������������14-15 AGRIBUSINESS ���������������� 16-17 HOUND, EDNA ����������������������� 18 CONTACTS ������������������������������ 18 OPINION ���������������������������� 18-20 MANAGEMENT ���������������22-23 ANIMAL HEALTH ����������� 24-25 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ���������������������� 26-30 RURAL TRADER �������������� 30-31

HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: PMP Print CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 81,004 as at 31.03.2016

FEDERATED FARMERS Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard is worried that an appeal against a Greenpeace advertisement ruling on river pollution could prolong unfair media coverage.

Hoggard says the advertisement is “bullshit”.

“We could eventually win, but the coverage around it is shocking,” he told Rural News.

“There’s a risk we will give it more oxygen.”

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Greenpeace’s “dirty dairying” advert did not breach advertising principles.

Both Greenpeace and DairyNZ received embargoed copies of the ruling in December, which said they had until January 23 to appeal the ruling.

DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle

says it is not happy with the outcome; an appeal will be filed. DairyNZ was behind one of the 12 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over the ad.

Hoggard says he supported DairyNZ’s Tim Mackle appeal.

“It absolutely pissed me off; the advertisement used footage, like sediment erosion in rivers, which has nothing to do with the dairy industry.”

Mackle says while the ASA process risked further legitimising Greenpeace’s view of the dairy industry in the eyes of the public, appealing the ad was about doing what was right.

“We don’t believe that standing by and allowing these activist groups to pitch messages and stories anyway they like to the public is acceptable.

“We believe it’s the right thing to do in this case and that’s really based on the good work dairy farmers have done in the last five to seven years around environmental initiatives.”

Rather than “admitting defeat” the right thing to do was to point out that this kind of advertising was not appropriate, Mackle said.

He also rejected any claims that it complaining about the ad, the dairy industry was attempting to brush the environmental issues it faced under the carpet.

“We’re not covering anything up.

That’s nonsense. Our issue is with that ad and how it is pitched.”

Greenpeace Campaigner, Genevieve Toop said, “What industrial dairy lobbyists don’t want the public to focus on is that they are planning a big increase in the number of dairy cows, already at 6 and a half million, which will cause more pollution in our lakes and rivers.”

• See: ‘Let it go’ page 18

River plan remains unchanged PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

THE WAIKATO Regional Council says the submission process over the Waikato River clean-up plan change has not been affected by a judicial review lodged with the High Court.

The council has confirmed to the Rural News the submission process continues as before the review was lodged.

The application for the review was lodged on December 15 and Horticulture NZ (HortNZ) says it has been advised of a date for a “mention only” hearing in the Hamilton High Court on February 8, 2017.

HortNZ was among six organisations – representing horticulture grow-

ers and farmers in the Waikato – which lodged the application.

The group is seeking a judicial review of the decision by the regional council to withdraw part of the Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 – Waikato and River Catchments to the Waikato Regional Plan, announced on December 5 last year.

The WRC advised in that announcement that the area had been withdrawn to allow for consultation with Hauraki iwi.

Organisations seeking the judicial review are HortNZ, Federated Farmers, Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association, Waikato and Waipa branches of the New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association, Primary Land Users Group, and

Beef + Lamb NZ. The action has been taken as the group believes that in making this decision, the WRC has failed to comply with requirements of the Resource Management Act (RMA) to ensure integrated management of the natural and physical resources of the region and to give effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM).

The group is asking for the WRC to withdraw Proposed Plan Change 1 in its entirety to allow for consultation with Hauraki iwi before any further proposed plan change is approved to be publicly notified. @rural_news

MILK FLOWS HIT UNFAVOURABLE WEATHER is being blamed for the drop in milk production in Australia and New Zealand.

Fonterra’s milk collection across New Zealand for the six months to 30 November reached 695 million kgMS, 6% lower than the same period last season.

The co-op blames unfavourable weather conditions across most dairying regions; this resulted in November collections reaching 194 million kgMS, 7% behind the same month last season.

North Island milk collection in November reached 116 million kgMS, 9% behind November last season; South Island milk collection in November reached 77 million kgMS, 5% behind November last season.

Fonterra’s milk collection across Australia for the five months to 30 November reached 53 million kgMS, 9% lower than last season. In November milk collection reached 13 million kgMS, 1% behind the same month last season. Production peaked three weeks later than last season due to the wet spring conditions. It says most regions are now in a good position with supplementary feed available if necessary EU production decreased for the fourth consecutive month with September down 3% compared to the same month last year. Many of the large EU producers continue to see decreasing production including the UK down 8%, France down 7% and Germany down 3% and Ireland posting the first decrease in some time, down 4%. Production for the 12 months to September is up 2% compared to the same period the previous year.

• Prices tipped to rise – P4

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4 NEWS

Dairy prices tipped to rise supply growth from the three key exporting countries (NZ, US and EU) combined will be 1% GLOBAL DAIRY prices ahead for 2017. are tipped to rise over the This is coming months with mostly driven by key export regions “Our market view increases in the producing less milk. at this stage is that US. China’s WMP The New Year’s consumption over first Global Dairy milk supply growth 2017 is predicted Trade (GDT) from the three key to increase by 1.8%. event recorded a exporting countries At the same time dip in prices, but their domestic New Zealand’s (NZ, US and EU) production is second largest milk combined will be 1% expected to decline processor Open by 1.9% due to Country Dairy says ahead for 2017. approximately half the latest results – Steve Koekemoer of the Chinese dairy bring New Zealand farms operating at more in line with a loss and some starting be the key driver for any the EU pricing for whole to quit production. forecast updates. milk powder, which was According to “Our market view at expected to happen at Koekemoer, the “dark this stage is that milk some point.

SUDESH KISSUN

sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

OCD chief executive Steve Koekemoer told suppliers last week that changes in milk supply around the world will

horse” in the global market equation is still the EU milk supply and whether it will surge when their season ramps up in March.

Rabobank analyst Emma Higgins is more positive about higher dairy prices, noting that dairy production in the second half of 2016 dropped significantly in six of the seven key dairy export regions – with 2.6 million tonnes less milk produced compared to the second half of 2015.

Of the key dairy export regions, the US is the only region to buck the trend of falling production.

“Strengthening

Rabobank’s Emma Higgins.

producer margins have driven a lift in US production which was up 2.5% in October from the same period in 2015,” Higgins says.

At the same time as declining global milk production, Higgins says dairy demand in the US and Europe has strengthened, enabling stock growth to grind to a halt – and global dairy prices have “rocketed

upwards” as a result.

And the recent rally in global dairy prices has further upside to come, she says, as

“Great product - I’m very satisfied with my new shed!”

ASB’s Nick Tuffley

WILSON

efforts to increase global production take time.

“Reduced cow numbers and challenging production conditions mean we expect the recovery of global dairy production and volumes for export will be delayed until the second half of 2017 – and this will create further upward price pressure in the short term,” she says.

These challenging production conditions are particularly evident in New Zealand, Higgins says, with disruptive weather at the beginning of the season severely hammering spring pasture growth in the North Island, setting the scene for the rest of the

season.

“The South Island has fared better, however, and we are still picking milk production for the full season to be down between five and seven per cent,” she says.

ASB chief economist Nick Tuffley says although prices fell in the first GDT auction of the year, it may reflect lower liquidity. Volumes purchased were once again soft in the absence of bidders. ‘’We see this drop as price consolidation and remain upbeat on the dairy outlook for the season.’’

ASB last month revised its forecast up to $6.50/kgMS, up from $6.

Tuffley noted that slim milk powder (SMP) prices continued to firm, up another 2.3%.

Two months ago Fonterra lifted its 2017617 forecast farmgate milk price to $6/kgMS. When combined with the forecast earnings per share range for the 2017 financial year of 50 to 60 cents, the total payout available to farmers in the current season is forecast to be $6.50 to $6.60 before retentions. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

NEWS 5

Cashing in on good rains He says the station aimed for self-sufficiency in feed. They hoped to keep one silage pit as “snow and drought insurance” for coming years and use the other as the “current account.”

The station is also self-sufficient in water, running some pasture irrigation on their own self-contained scheme, with rain-fed reservoirs.

James Guild says it had been very dry for the past three seasons, but this summer has been a bit wetter and cooler.

Running perendale sheep, hereford and angus cattle and red deer, the 3780ha station is nestled in a long valley in the foothills between the big

NIGEL MALTHUS

THE BEST spring and summer weather for years has seen High Peak Station, in the hills behind Windwhistle in central Canterbury, bring in a good harvest of summer grass for silage.

A team from North Canterbury-based BA Murray agricultural contractors was on the farm last week for their first big job after the Christmas break.

Led by Chris Singleton, the team consisted of a mower, a rake, a harvester, and two tractors with 10-tonne trailers, supplemented by two 10-tonne trucks from Rangiora’s Hurley Plant Ltd, to ferry the harvested grass to the farm’s two silage pits.

They were expecting to take about six hours, spread over two days, to harvest three big blocks of mainly ryegrass, totalling about 50ha.

The station owners, James Guild and his son, Hamish, hoped for a yield around four tonnes a hectare.

“It’s certainly better than the past few seasons,” Hamish Guild told Rural News. “You take what you can get.”

High Peak Station owners Hamish, left, and James Guild.

catchments of the Rakaia to the south and the Waimakariri to the north.

The Selwyn River has its source in the valley, running as a creek down the middle of the station.

Meanwhile, James Guild is critical of recent media reports blaming farming for the unswim-

mable state of the Selwyn in its lower reaches.

High Peak’s longterm average rainfall was 1230mm a year, but the past three years average was well short – closer to 700mm.

“The Selwyn’s just not getting the water,” he says.

You can’t lift the price.

But you can lift the numbers.

The BA Murray contracting team, led by Chris Singleton driving the “chopper”, harvest grass for silage on High Peak Station.

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6 NEWS

Sheep industry in peril – veteran PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

THE SHEEP industry, especially wool, is in a very serious situation and governments don’t help by adding increasing layers of complexity to regulation, says an industry veteran.

Gordon Levet of Kikitangeo Romney Stud, near Wellsford, believes sheep numbers will continue to drop. He says while the wool price went up last year, it has dropped about $2/kg in the last six months.

“We were getting $5/ kg 30 years ago,” he told Rural News. “Now we are averaging $2.50/kg. I have just shorn my sheep and paid the shearer $10,000 and I don’t know how much I am going to get that will cover the shearing – $15,000-$18,000 if I am lucky.

“The cost of shearing the lambs is greater than the value of the wool because they don’t have a lot of wool on them – but you’ve still got to shear them.

“The lamb price is half what it should be. Feder-

ated Farmers said at least five years ago that to be economic it needs to be $150 a lamb. Prime lambs are probably making $80$90, but there are a lot of store lambs that sold that between $40-$60.”

Levet says he’d heard of one lot of lambs sold locally that made $17.

They were small lambs, but quite healthy.

“Sheep farmers don’t complain,” he says.

“They realise it is their choice to be farmers and they know they have got to accept what the world pays them. One of the

Gordon Levet

problems with the wool farming is they can’t pass their costs on.”

Successive governments have brought in all sorts of new regulations which add costs to

farmers – directly or indirectly, he says.

He has heard of other small rural businesses talking of having to close their doors because of compliance costs up to three figures with new health and safety regulations, despite never having had a problem in that area.

“You don’t hear a lot about this, but it is going on,” he says.

“I question how it stacks up from a cost benefit point of view. I have grave doubts as to whether it does stack up.”

New regulations need to take into account the economics of the proposals.

People are employed to visit every farm and inspect what they are doing.

“It has probably cost me a couple of hundred thousand already to bring in experts and tell me what I have got to do. I just wonder how much what they are doing will reduce accidents.”

But there’s no quick fix with the whole problem of the sheep industry, he says.

Levet says he’s heard that 100,000 bales have not been sold and China hasn’t used the lambs’ wool it bought last year.

“It is not going to clear very quickly. It took years to build up to a reasonable price and we lose it all in six months.”

In the longer term, Levet says lamb meat will be a niche market and there are plenty of wealthy people in the world who will pay a premium for it.

So he hopes the low lamb prices may just be short term.

INDUSTRY NEEDS TO FIRE-UP WOOL’S BENEFITS THE WOOL prices are “extremely disappointing” especially when wool “won’t burn”, Levet says.

“Many house fire deaths are not caused by burning they are caused by toxic fumes because of all the synthetics – synthetic curtains and carpets and

coverings,” he says.

“Wool doesn’t burn or if it does it is very slow… it doesn’t give off toxic fumes the same as the other.

“This is not generally known and no one is telling anyone about it.”

Levet’s assertion that wool is safer

than synthetics in a fire is backed up by online evidence.

The United States’ National Fire Protection Association website says most fire deaths are not caused by burns but by smoke inhalation.

“The synthetic materials common

place in today’s homes produce especially dangerous substances. As fire grows inside a building, it will often consume most of the available oxygen, slowing the burning process. This ‘incomplete combustion’ results in toxic gases.”

Meanwhile, the Campaign for Wool website says extensive research has shown wool carpets have “exceptionally low levels of flammability” and “wool is naturally flame resistant and its performance in fire exceeds that of all other commonly encountered textile fibres”.

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NEWS 7

WTO beef decision good for NZ trade – MIA PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

THE WORLD Trade Organisation (WTO) decision on Indonesia is not about winning – but about developing a good trading partnership for the future, claims Meat Industry Association chief executive Tim Ritchie.

He says this had already started to happen in the last year with Indonesia already moving towards opening up and New Zealand exports there had jumped to 13,800 tonnes of beef and offal in 10 months of last year to October 2016.

Ritchie says this was an 84% increase on the 7500t in the same period the year before.

But that is still a long way from the 50,000t – about $160 million a year – at the peak of trade in 2010 – before Indonesia moved towards introducing nontariff barriers.

He says that represents about $1 billion aggregate lost opportunity for New Zealand over the past six years.

But the WTO decision is not so much a win, but an opportunity to re-

establish a working relationship with a valued trade partner, says Ritchie.

“It presents a good message for world trade,” he says.

“The Indonesian move to boost its local industry by quotas on imported goods had an inverse affect and damaged their local industry.

domestic production and thought the best way was to reduce imports.

“All that really happened is the prices of the product went up in Indonesia and encouraged liquidating their domestic herd. So it had that inverse impact.”

Indonesia however is an important

EXOTIC COMPETITION A NEW factor facing New Zealand beef exports to Indonesia today, is the importation of cheap Indian buffalo meat, says Ritchie.

“It is something the industry is watching very carefully,” he says.

“But it had been moving already towards opening up trade again with New Zealand again.”

In the first decade of this century Indonesia had grown to become our number two beef market behind North America although only representing 10% of beef export. Indonesia then decided it needed to encourage

“Buffalo meat is a cheap protein that may compete directly with New Zealand secondary cuts and offal items and this may temper the extent and speed to which our trade recovers.

beef market with 245 million people and beef a natural part of their diet.

“Protein is important for a healthy diet and we are keen to become again an important supplier but not subject to the volatility of the last five to six years,” Ritchie explains.

“With volatility it is hard for companies to plan their business and to

develop the relationships with customers if they don’t know if they are going to get that import allocation.”

Indonesia started to liberalise its regime again about 12 months ago, he says.

“They haven’t done anything and waited until the (WTO) results came out – they took some pretty important steps last year both in terms of the notice or time frame in giving import quotas but also the type of product which could be exported there. That is pretty important to us.”

Indonesia has the right to appeal the WTO decision within a short timeframe.

“But, leaving aside the formal, legal side of the case, importantly over the last 12 months they have reduced restrictions on the type of product we can export there – the beef and the offals etc.

“Business is evolving again in a more normal way.

“Whether they appeal or not, we hope that would not have an impact.”

Ritchie says the decision demon-

strates the importance of organisations like the WTO enabling agreement on how trade takes place, providing certainty.

Indonesia’s domestic farmers tend to be very small enterprises and will never get scale. New Zealand will never be a threat to them because we are servicing markets around the world. But as relationships develop we could help them with their own productivity.

Rebuilding the beef trade could lead to other opportunities for New Zealand companies when it comes to Indonesia’s domestic agriculture and farming systems.

“If they consider us an ally and if we can help them with their protein because it is important in the dietary mix today, that would be fantastic.”

As their standard of living increases they may want other products.

“We are not standing on the top of the ladder and saying we won... we don’t want to be seen to be rubbing that in because it is about developing a relationship for the future for both parties and both winning.”

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

8 NEWS

Outstanding in their fields Several people in agriculture and horticulture were on the 2017 New Year Honours list.

JOHN LUXTON Former Dairy NZ chairman John Luxton was honoured with a Companion of the Order of New Zealand (CNZM) for his services to the dairy industry.

Luxton oversaw the development of DairyNZ, stepping John Luxton down as chairman of the board last year, having held the position since 2008. Luxton was also an MP from 1987 to 2002 and held many Cabinet portfolios including agriculture, housing and commerce. He played a key role in many important policy and legislative changes, including the foundation policy work that led to the formation of Fonterra and the deregulation of producer boards.

Luxton is a former chairman of Tatua Co-op and a founder of Open Country Dairies and Kaimai Cheese companies. He is co-chairman of the Waikato River Authority, and chairman of the Asia NZ Foundation and

the Hauraki iwi-owned Pouarua Farm Partnership.

JUSTINE KIDD Justine Kidd, of Takapau, received an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her work in the dairy industry and equestrian sports.

An entrepreneur, farmer, sports administrator and consultant, Kidd has chaired Justine Kidd the Dairy Women’s Network and was named 2013 Dairy Woman of the Year.

She was chief executive of BEL Group Dairy Farming, milking 9500 cows and employing 65 people, until December last year when she was appointed chief executive agribusiness for 16 central North Island farms owned by Theland Tahi Farm Group and 13 South Island farms owned by Purata Farming Ltd. In 2004, Kidd was manager of the New Zealand eques-

trian team at the Olympic Games and chief executive of Equestrian Sports NZ from 2004 to 2007.

LAURIE PATERSON Gore farmer Laurie Paterson awarded an ONZM for services to the beef industry.

Laurie and his wife Sharon, with their son Ross and his wife Steph, farm a leading Hereford stud – Waikaka.

They have about 200 stud Hereford cows and supply bulls to commercial beef clients and the dairy industry.

Paterson was a director of the NZ Hereford Association from 1991 to 2010 and president from 1997 to 1999.

In the 1980s he introduced the Breedplan genetic evaluation software, which calculates estimated breeding values, to Hereford breeders and this eventually led to its use for other breeds in NZ and the combining of NZ data with Australia for trans-Tasman genetic evaluations.

GEOFF THORPE Gisborne grapevine nursery owner Geoff Thorpe was given an ONZM award for his services to the

2016

wine industry.

Thorpe set up Riversun Nursery, the largest in the country serving the wine industry.

In 1999 he estab- Geoff Thorpe lished Linnaeus Laboratory to provide the vine nursery industry with an accredited virus testing service and a year later he launched NZ’s first independently audited grapevine certification scheme.

He had a major role in co-establishing the NZ Winegrowers Grafted Grapevine Standard, adopted by all grapevine nurseries by 2012. Since 1995, Thorpe’s company has been a major sponsor of the wine industry’s annual Romeo Bragato Conference.

ROBIN MURPHY South Canterbury farmer Robin Murphy was awarded an ONZM for his services to land and water management.

Murphy, of Glenavy, was the chair of the Canterbury water management strategy’s lower Waitaki-South coastal zone committee for five years, finish-

ing in December 2015.

He has been a director of the Waitaki Irrigators Collective and Hunter Downs Development Company, while continuing in his role as chairman of the Morven Glenavy Ikawai Irrigation Scheme, a role he has had since 1993.

Recently he oversaw the commissioning of a $32 million expansion of the Waihao Downs scheme.

JOCK WEBSTER John (Jock) Webster, of Oamaru, was also honoured for his work with water. He was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for services to irrigation and the community.

Over 15 years, Webster led a committee investigating and planning to bring irrigation to the droughtprone Downlands area of North Otago.

He has spent many hours progressing the North Otago Irrigation Company (NOIC) scheme, which started operating in 2006, drawing water from the Waitaki River.

Webster is a senior member of the Waitaki Irrigators Collective, and is involved in the Kurow Duntroon Irrigation Company.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

10 NEWS

Proposed irrigation scheme cuts costs as build nears ABOUT $50 million has been pruned from the costs of a proposed South Canterbury irrigation scheme.

The final costings and design of the Hunter Downs Irrigation Scheme were released last December, and initial costings have been cut by at least 20%.

The Hunter Downs scheme proposes to irrigate land from near Waimate, up the coast to south of Timaru and west toward the Hunters Hills. The scheme has been designed for 161 water users with a maximum 214 offtakes covering 21,000ha.

Hunter Downs Water (HDW) chairman Andrew

Fraser says the total projected construction cost is now about $195 million. This cost translates to $9285/ha, including the funding costs during building. The scheme was initially costed at $160m-$250m.

Fraser says the savings arise mostly from a new water delivery method, explained at the company’s annual general meeting last month.

Rooney Earthmoving Ltd (REL) created a specimen design which “has achieved the goal of significantly reducing anticipated scheme build costs and seeks to ensure efficient operating costs,” Fraser explained.

The total projected

Hunter Downs water chairman Andrew Fraser.

cost for the scheme is $195m -- $9285/ha.

The scheme would be jointly funded by shareholders and ANZ Bank: shareholders would put up $2650/ha and the rest would be raised by bank

debt.

HDW shareholders would likely be called on for an equity payment of $2650/ha in three instalments, the first expected in April 2017.

“We are on a tight

timeframe to secure enough farmer support and begin the scheme build by May next year,” he says. “We’re now entering a critical period where a decision to be part of the scheme must be made. If there is not enough shareholder support for the scheme it will not go ahead.”

Water would be taken from the Waitaki River using the existing Morven Glenavy irrigation infrastructure at Bells Pond. HDW has consents to take 17.5 cumecs of water from the Waitaki River.

Water would be carried using existing, but upgraded, races as far north as Otaio under gravity. This would use a combination of open race networks and 7 cubic metre (cumecs) capacity pipes to transport the water to two storage reservoirs.

Twelve pumping stations would be installed, including three pumping stations along the main pipeline. Water would then be pumped via three main pipes, each of which has three smaller pumping stations and three buffer ponds, gravity feeding water to HDW irrigators.

REL proposes to build the intake facilities and upgrade the existing irrigation plant during its winter shutdown.

HDW’s operating costs are estimated at $680/ha each year, including operating costs of $295/ha and funding costs of $385/ ha, based on a 21,000ha scheme and uptake.

These include electricity, use of existing irrigation race charges, scheme administration and operating costs.

Fraser says HDW is seeking a balance between minimising

the up-front investment required from farmers against the affordability of the annual operating costs; so it has decided on a jointly funded ‘cooperative’ model – shareholding and bank debt. A preferred bank has been appointed.

Key terms are a 2.5 year construction loan facility followed by an amortising loan over 42 years. Shareholder equity is likely to be set at 28.5% of total scheme cost – about $2650/ha.

The funding costs are based on borrowing $140 million, repaid over 42 years at 5% interest. The irrigated area is 21,000ha of a total command area of 68,000ha with an application rate of 2.65mm/day.

Fraser says HDW plans to start building in May this year, and water is expected to begin flowing in the spring of 2019.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

NEWS 11

Quake ends dairy farmer’s season NIGEL MALTHUS

DON GALLETLY’S Loch Ness dairy farm on the Emu Plain, near Waiau, remains the only one in North Canterbury unable to milk since the November 14 quake.

While farms either side were back up and operating within a few days, Galletly’s rotary shed is deemed a write-off.

“Three-quarters of the season is down the drain for us,” he told Rural News.

Loch Ness lies on the north bank of the Waiau river, opposite the Waiau and Rotheram townships.

The farm covers 500ha, about 300ha as the milking platform and the rest is wintering runoff.

Some dry stock remain on the runoff, but the milking herd of just under 1000 animals has been moved to other farms.

With little prospect of income, Galletly has had to let his staff go. While some might get casual work on the farm, he was helping some find other positions.

The shed and adjacent concrete pad are riddled with large cracks and the rotary platform lies about 30cm off-centre. Steel fences set in the concrete look fine at first but on closer inspection are bent and twisted, as is the steel roof.

“We’re working through the insurance but it looks as though it will be a rebuild.”

An upcoming geotechnical inspection may yet determine that the new shed will have to be built on firmer ground.

“But they’re pretty positive that they’ll get a shed up for me before next season,” says

Galletly.

The farm’s effluent ponds are also damaged, one left out of shape because the shingle base shifted and collapsed towards the centre, under the plastic lining.

Galletly says working through the quake damage has been a long process. His first priority was making sure all the staff living on the farm were safe, then the cows.

By lunchtime on the first day his bank manager, farm adviser and vet had arrived and helped get the milking stock away to other farms, mostly in the Culverden area.

Next were the stock water systems for the remaining dry stock, followed by fencing.

“Then we’ve been worrying about irrigation for the past fortnight. We’ve basically got it running again.”

Galletly is now getting no income from the cows moved off-farm, but he’s happy to know they’re being milked and mated – the farm was about half way through AI when the quake hit – and he’s looking forward to getting them back when the time comes.

“They’ve taken them to make sure those cows get milked and looked after. They need to be milked; it’s pretty hard on them if they aren’t milked – mastitis and all sorts of things,” he told Rural News.

“It’s pretty good of those jokers to take them on a few hours notice.”

Galletly says he must be positive and look at the silver lining.

“Hopefully we’ll get a better shed, a better system, and we’ll re-jig our business a bit – sit

Waiau dairy farmer Don Galletly says he’s detemined to look on the bright side after his milking shed was destroyed by the November 14 earthquake.

down and analyse it and see where we might improve.

“Within a couple of years we might be up and running, better than

where we were.”

Galletly is hoping to sell hay and silage for a small income stream while waiting for the shed to be replaced.

A web of large cracks have opened up on the entrance pad to Don Galletly’s quake-damaged rotary milking shed on his Waiau farm.

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

12 NEWS

While we were away...

If you checked out of following the news over the holiday period here’s a quick rundown of some happenings in the agri sector during this time.

New Fieldays president AN EXPERIENCED businessman with a background in logistics and shipping has been elected president of the NZ National Fieldays Society.

Waikato local Peter Carr was elected president by the society’s members at its December annual meeting. He had previously served as Fieldays Society vice president and chair of its structure committee.

A regular volunteer at society events, he founded the society’s Future Leaders programme which helps educate and encourage young agricultural leaders.

Originally from Yorkshire, England, Carr has had a long career in shipping, logistics and management. He has lived in NZ for 45 years and has strong roots in the Waikato and Cambridge communities.

Carr will also chair the society’s board.

Alliance claims strategy working ALLIANCE GROUP chair Murray Taggart told the company’s annual meeting in December that the company faced a difficult global trading environment, but its strategy was paying dividends with an improved financial performance.

Murray Taggart Taggart said the 2016 result – a pre-tax profit of $10.1 million for the year ending 30 September 2016 versus $7.9m pre-tax profit last year – was pleasing, but he conceded Alliance was a long way from

achieving a level of profitability appropriate for a company of it size (annual turnover $1.36 billion).

Taggart said the continuing decline in sheep numbers will pressure some companies’ balance sheets and profitability and over time and will force capacity rationalisation across the sector.

Alliance paid $9.8m in pool payments to farmer shareholders in December, with the following distributions: lamb $1.50/head, sheep $1.00/ head; cattle including prime, cow and bull $10.00/head; deer $5.00/head and calves $1.00/head.

Meanwhile, Don Morrison and Murray Taggart were re-elected to fill the two director vacancies, beating Leon Black.

Kiwi scientists make breakthrough A GROUP of New Zealand and American scientists have discovered a new way of chemically converting reactive nitrogen common in soil before it turns into a harmful greenhouse gas.

The discovery could lead to new alternatives for emission reductions from New Zealand farms.

The NZ scientists – Landcare Research’s Rebecca Phillips, Andrew McMillan, Gwen Grelet, Bevan Weir and Palmada Thilak – discovered that reactive nitrogen (N) could be chemically converted to unreactive di-nitrogen gas (N2) without forming the harmful greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). This is important because agriculture contributes more N2O than any other sector worldwide, primarily via nitrogen fertilisation.

Phillips believes this research sets

the stage for many practical applications. For example, further research could inform farmers of how to “cultivate soil organic matter useful for N management”.

The team is now developing proposals for further funding that would allow them to investigate onfarm applications for transforming excess N from soil and water into unreactive atmospheric N2 gas without producing N2O.

Global supplies to challenge beef prices INCREASING GLOBAL beef supplies are pressuring global beef prices and are expected to continue into 2017, says Rabobank in its latest beef outlook.

In its December 2016 Beef Quarterly report, Rabobank says the global beef market will continue to grow in 2017, led by strong growth in Brazil, Argentina and the US. This is likely to keep global prices low, the report says, identifying four key developments that will influence global beef trade in the coming year.

Rabobank animal proteins analyst Matthew Costello says softening global prices are likely to challenge NZ beef prices.

“In the coming months NZ cattle prices will be largely influenced by how quickly domestic cattle supplies come online,” he says. “However, we expect NZ farmgate prices to come under increasing pressure as we move further into 2017.”

New apple set to dazzle FRUITCRAFT LAUNCHED a new apple variety in December.

The launch of variety PremA129, to be marketed as Dazzle, will rival that of Royal Gala decades ago.

All NZ apple growers will be able to grow Dazzle, and all fruit exporters will be able to sell it. Dazzle is a large, red, sweet apple 20 years in development by Plant & Food Research at its research station at Havelock North.

Fruitcraft, a marketing joint venture by three large growers Mr Apple, Bostock NZ and Freshmax, has the master licence for production and marketing worldwide.

Fruitcraft manager Steve Potbury says this is an exciting opportunity for NZ apple growers and others worldwide.

At least 100,000 trees are already being grown by Mr Apple, Bostock NZ and Freshmax, and nurseries are busy preparing rootstocks to meet grower demand for orders in the new year.

Fruitcraft forecasts 1 million cartons of the Dazzle apple will be exported from NZ by 2028, putting it among our most popular varieties.

Meat exports continue to fall BEEF AND lamb exports fell in November 2016, as the amount of meat sold dropped heavily compared with last year’s record season, says Statistics NZ. Meat and edible offal exports fell $158 million (31%) from November 2015, contributing to a $219m (5.4 %) fall in overall exports.

Beef exports fell 41% in value and 31% in quantity, and lamb exports fell 27% in value and 23% in quantity.

“Beef exports to the US, our top beef export destination, fell by about half when compared to November last year,” senior manager Jason Attewell says.

Lamb exports to the European Union (NZ’s top lamb export destination) fell in November 2016, the UK seeing large falls in value and quantity.

After removing seasonal effects and irregular movements, meat exports have fallen 31% from their peak in September 2015. The fall was mainly due

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to lower quantities, but lower prices also contributed.

Beef + Lamb directors re-elected unopposed BEEF + LAMB NZ farmer directors George Tatham (eastern North Island) and Andrew Morrison (southern South Island) have been elected unopposed to the board of BLNZ. In line with the BLNZ conAndrew Morrison stitution, Tatham and Morrison were to retire by rotation at next year’s annual meeting.

Electionz.com, which ran the election for BLNZ, says both directors had said they would seek re-election and had been returned unopposed.

Bruce Wills was returned unopposed to the BLNZ independent board remuneration committee.

Big win for NZ beef NZ HAS won a case at the World Trade Organisation that could open up the Indonesian market to beef exports worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2010, Indonesia was NZ’s second largest beef market, taking 48,823 tonnes worth $185m, but in a bid for self-sufficiency access was restricted markedly, falling to 8899 tonnes in 2015 – a decline of 82%.

Trade Minister Todd McClay has welcomed the WTO decision upholding NZ’s challenge to 18 agricultural non-tariff barriers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade estimates the accumulated, year-on-year trade impact of limiting beef exports from NZ is estimated at $500m-$1 billion.

NZ and the US jointly brought the case in 2013 over a range of barriers imposed since 2011. These included import prohibitions, use and sale TO PAGE 20

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

14 MARKETS & TRENDS

5.00 5.20

6.0

15k40

14-Dec 14-Feb 5yr Last Ave Ye ar

14-Feb 14-A pr

Last Ye This ar Ye ar

14-A pr

This Ye ar

North IslandNorth 300kg Island bull price 300kg bull price

10k 20

5k

5yr Ave

250 $3.00

USc/lb

$2.50 200 $2.00

This Year

7.5

7.5

6.5 14-O ct

6.5 14-O ct 14-Dec

9.5

9.5

8.5

8.5

14-Dec 14-Feb

14-A pr

South Island South 60kgIsland stag price 60kg stag price

7.5

7.5

6.5 14-O ct

6.5 14-O ct 14-Dec 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 14-A pr 5yr Ave 5yr Last Ave Ye ar Last Ye This ar Ye ar This Ye ar

50k 100

k 10 010 AugSep 1010 SepOct 10 10 OctNov 10 Nov 10 Sep 10 Nov 10 Nov 10 Jan 10 Jan 10 Mar 10 Mar 5yr Ave 5yr Ave Last Ye ar Last YeThis ar Ye ar This Ye ar

Export Market Export Demand Market Demand Change NZc/kg

5yr A ve 198 606

250 $3.00

500

400

Last 2 Wks Last Last 2 Wks Last Change 5yr A ve Week A go Week Year A go Year 5 n/c 5 5 5 5 6 5

NZc/kgn/c

8 n/c

8 8

9 8

400

300 10 Oct 10 Dec

10 Dec 10 Feb

10 Feb 10 Apr

2Wks 3 Wks 2Wks Last Year Last Year This Year This Year Change Change 150 150 A go A go A go $1.50 10-O ct $1.50 10-O10-Dec ct 10-Dec 10-Feb 10-Feb 10-A pr 10-A pr 5-Jun 12-Jun 19-Jun 26-Jun 3-Jul 10-Jul 5-Jun 17-Jul 12-Jun 24-Jul 19-Jun 31-Jul 26-Jun 7-Aug 14-Aug 3-Jul 21-Aug 10-Jul 28-Aug 17-Jul 24-Jul 4-Sep 11-Sep 31-Jul 7-Aug 18-Sep 14-Aug 25-Sep 21-Aug 9-Oct 28-Aug 16-Oct 23-Oct 4-Sep 11-Sep 30-Oct 18-Sep 6-Nov 25-Sep 13-Nov 20-Nov 9-Oct 16-Oct 23-Oct 30-Oct 6-Nov 13-Nov 20-Nov % Returned NI % Returned 0.0 NI 64.00.0 64.0 64.0 5yr ave 5yr ave Last Ye ar Last YeThis ar Ye ar This Ye ar % Returned SI % Returned 0.0 SI 64.60.0 64.6 64.6

Procurement Procurement Indicator Indicator

Last 3 Wks Last 5yr A ve Year A go Year 77.9 83.0 79.3 77.9 70.9 78.0 72.2 70.9

85 5yr A ve80%

Last 3 Wks Last 5yr A ve Year A go Year 57.5 64.0 67.1 57.5 56.3 64.6

64.2 56.3

67.1 64.2

Procurement Procurement indicator --indicator North Island P rocu rement P rocu Indicator rement North Indicator I. -- North North Island I. 85 80%

79.3 75 70% 72.2 65 60%

75 70%

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65 60% P rocu rement P rocu Indicator rement-- North Indicator -- North Procurement Procurement Indicator Indicator North I.Island North I.Island Last Year Last YearThis Year This Year 95 95 90% 90% 50% 50% 55 55 11-Aug 11-Sep 11-Aug 11-Oct 11-Sep 11-Nov 11-Oct 11-Dec 11-Nov 11-Jan 11-Dec 11-Feb 11-Jan 11-Feb 85% 85% 14-O ct 14-O14-Dec ct 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 14-A pr 80% 80% Procurement Procurement indicator - indicator South Island - South Island 75 75 75% 75% P rocu rement P rocu Indicator rement- South Indicator I. - South I. 85 85 Last Y ear Last Y ear 70% 70% 80% 80% This Year This Year 65% 65% 75 75 70% 70% 60% 60% 55 55 0…

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14-O ct 14-O ct 14-Dec 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 14-A pr 65 65 60% 60% Procurement Procurement Indicator - Indicator South Island - South Island Last Y ear Last Y ear This Year This Year 90 90 P rocu rement P rocu Indicator rement- South Indicator I. - South I. 50% 50% 85% 85% 55 55 11-Aug 11-Aug 11-Oct 11-Nov 11-Oct 11-Dec 11-Nov 11-Jan 11-Dec 11-Feb 11-Jan 11-Feb 14-O ct 11-Sep 14-O 14-Dec ct 11-Sep 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 14-A pr 80% 80% 5yr ave 5yr Last ave Ye ar Last Ye This ar Ye ar This Ye ar 75% 75% 70 70 70% 70% Venison Prices Venison Prices 65% 65% Last 2 Wks Last Last 2 Wks Last Last Year Last Year Change Change 5yr A ve 5yr A ve 60% 60% Week A go Week Year A go Year This Year This Year 50 50 14-O ct 14-O ct 14-Dec 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 14-A pr 55% 55% NI Stag 60kg NI Stag n/c 60kg 8.1 0 n/c 8.1 0 8.1 0 7.20 8.1 0 6.86 7.20 6.86 19-Jun 26-Jun 3-Jul 10-Jul 17-Jul 19-Jun 24-Jul 26-Jun 31-Jul 7-Aug 3-Jul 14-Aug 10-Jul 21-Aug 17-Jul 28-Aug 24-Jul 31-Jul 4-Sep 11-Sep 7-Aug 14-Aug 18-Sep 21-Aug 25-Sep 9-Oct 16-Oct 4-Sep 23-Oct 11-Sep 30-Oct 18-Sep 25-Sep 6-Nov 13-Nov 9-Oct 20-Nov 16-Oct 0-Jan 30-Oct 6-Nov 13-Nov 20-Nov 0-Jan 5yr ave 5yr ave Last Ye ar28-Aug Last Ye This ar Ye23-Oct ar This Ye ar SI Stag - 60kg SI Stag n/c - 60kg 8.10n/c 8.108.10 7.20 8.10 6.90 7.20 6.90

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Beef & venison Beef prices & venison are reported prices as aregross reported (before as gross normal (before leviesnormal & charges levies are& deducted). charges areLamb deducted). & mutton Lamb prices & mutton are reported prices are nett reported (after levies nett&(after charges levies are& deducted). charges are deducted).

AGRIPAK 600L WITH 6M BOOM

5yr A ve

Export demand Export indicator demand- indicator UK CKT leg - UK CKT leg

300 10 Oct

$2.50 200

Change

14-Feb 14-A pr

100k 200

% of export return

8.5

300 150k

% of export returns

8.5

Last 3 Wks Last 5yr A ve Year A go Year 184 192 198184 61608 0 606 610

This Year

S outh Island S outh Weekly Island Lamb Weekly Kill Lamb Kill

UK Leg p/kgUK Leg n/c p/kg

Export Export - indicator US 95CL -beef US 95CL D edemand mand Indicator Dindicator edemand mand- Indicator US 95CL B-eef US 95CL B eefbeef

2Wks 3 Wks 2Wks Change A go A go A go % Returned NI % Returned - 0 NI 82.7 -0 83.0 82.7 % Returned SI % Returned - 0 SI 77.7 -0 78.0 77.7

North IslandNorth 60kgIsland stag price 60kg stag price

$/kg

9.5

14-A pr

2 Wks 3 Wks 2 Wks Change A go A go A go 192 n/c 192 192 608 n/c 608 608

Last This Y ear Year

400 200k

% of export return

4.5 3.5 14-O ct 14-Dec 14-Dec 14-Feb 14-Feb 14-A pr 5yr Ave 5yr Last Ave Ye ar Last Ye This ar Ye ar This Ye ar

$/kg

Last YThis ear Year

5yrLast AveY ear

South Island South w eekly Island lamb w eekly kill lamb kill

% of export returns

14-A pr

k 10 0Aug

5yr Ave

k 0 1010 10 Aug Sep Sep Oct NovJan 10 Nov10 Mar Sep 10 Nov 1010 10Oct Nov 10 Jan10 10 10 10 Mar

500 250k

10 Sep

USc/lb

14-Feb 14-A pr

South Island South 300kg Island steer300kg price steer price

9.5

$/kg $/kg

50k 100

% of export returns

3.5 14-O ct

100k 200

5k

200

100k

50k

300 150k

10k 20

5yr Last Ave Y ear

Last Year 4.86 4.88 4.90 4.91 2.40 4.83 4.83 4.83 4.83 2.20

150k

k 0 1010 Aug Sep

500 10-Dec250k 10-Mar 400 200k

% of export returns

4.5

14-Dec 14-Feb

% of export returns

5.5

This Year

South Island South Weekly Island Cattle Weekly Kill Cattle Kill

95CL USc/lb95CL USc/lb n/c NZc/kg NZc/kgn/c

% of export returns

5.5

$/kg

$/kg

6.5

Last Year This Year

Export Market Export Demand Market Demand

3.5 14-O ct 14-Dec

6.5

5yr Last Ave Year

S outh Island S outh Weekly Island Cattle Weekly Kill Cattle Kill 15k40

5yr Ave

4.5

200

50k

k 0 10-Aug 10-Sep 10-Sep 10-Oct 10-Oct 10-Nov 10-Nov 10-Dec 10-Sep 10-Nov 10-Nov 10-Jan 10-Jan 10-Mar

Change

3.5 14-O ct

Thousand head

40 20k 20

200k

100k

0 0 k 10-Sep k 10-Sep 10-Nov10-Sep 10-Nov 10-Jan 10-Jan 10-Mar 10-Aug 10-Aug 10-Sep 10-Oct 10-Oct 10-Nov 10-Nov 10-Mar 5yr Ave 5yr Ave Last Ye ar Last YeThis ar Ye ar This Ye ar

5.5

$/kg

20

North North wWeekly eekly lamb wWeekly eekly kill N ort hIsland Island N ort hIsland Island Lamb Kill lamb Lambkill Kill 250k 400

200k

Thousand head

5.0

6.5

4.5

Thousand head

40 20k

250k 400

150k

Thousand head

$/kg

14-A pr

40k60

k 0 10-Aug 10-Sep

4.0 14-O ct 14-Dec

5.5

14-Feb 14-A pr

South Island South 16kgIsland M lamb 16kg price M lamb price

5yr Ave

$/kg

14-Dec 14-Feb

North North Cattle Weekly Kill N ort hIsland Island N Weekly ort Weekly hIsland Island Cattle Weekly Kill Cattle Cattle Kill Kill

40k60

Last 2 Wks Year A go 4.86 5.01 4.88 5.03 4.90 5.05 4.91 5.06 2.40 2.90 4.83 5.18 4.83 5.18 4.83 5.18 4.83 5.18 2.20 2.85

SlaughterSlaughter

SlaughterSlaughter

4.0 14-O ct 14-Dec

6.5

P 2 Steer SI - 300kg P 2 Steer -n/c 300kg

Thousand head

$/kg

$/kg $/kg

North IslandNorth 16kgIsland M lamb 16kg price M lamb price

SI

Thousand head

5.20 5.20

5.0

4.0 14-O ct

5.15

5.15.35 0

5.20 n/c

8.10 n/c

5.0

5.15.20 5

3.90 3.85

5.35 5.35

4.70 n/c

8.10 n/c

6.0

5.20 5.20

3.85 3.85

Lo cal Trade Lo - 230kg cal Traden/c - 230kg 5.35 n/c

5.00 n/c

8.10 n/c

6.0

3.50 3.80

Lo cal Trade Lo - 230kg cal Traden/c - 230kg 5.20 n/c

M Co w - 200kg M Co wn/c - 200kg 3.85 n/c

8.10

5.00 n/c

Ve n is o n Ve - APn 60kg is o n - AP n/c 60kg

7.0

3.80 3.80

4.70

B u ll - M2 300kg B u ll - M2 300kg n/c

7.0

3.60 3.85

M Co w - 200kg M Co wn/c - 200kg 3.80 n/c

4.00 3.85

5.20

4.0 14-O ct

4.55 4.70

3.85 3.85

5.15.00 0

3.85 3.85

5.20 n/c

5.0

4.70 4.70

5.00 5.00

5.30 n/c

6.0

M 2 B ull - 300kg M 2 B ulln/c - 300kg 4.70 n/c P 2 Co w - 230kg P 2 Co wn/c - 230kg 3.85 n/c

Last 2 Wks Year A go 5.15.30 5

M 2 B ull - 300kg M 2 B ulln/c - 300kg 5.00 n/c

5.30 n/c

7.0

LAMB PRICES LAMB PRICES

Last 2 Wks Last Last Change Change c/kgCWT c/kgCWT Week A go Week Year NI Lamb - 13.5kg YM - 1n/c 3.5kg 5.01n/c 5.01 5.01 5.15 NI Lamb YM P M - 16.0kg P Mn/c - 16.0kg 5.03n/c 5.03 5.03 5.10 P X - 19.0kg P Xn/c - 19.0kg 5.05n/c 5.05 5.05 4.00 P H - 22.0kg P Hn/c - 22.0kg 5.06n/c 5.06 5.06 3.90 M utto n M M X1utto - 21 nkg M X1 n/c - 21kg 2.90n/c 2.90 2.90 5.10 SI Lamb YM SI Lamb - 13.5kg YM - 1n/c 3.5kg 5.18n/c 5.185.18 5.00 P M - 16.0kg P Mn/c - 16.0kg 5.18n/c 5.185.18 4.55 P X - 19.0kg P Xn/c - 19.0kg 5.18n/c 5.185.18 P H - 22.0kg P Hn/c - 22.0kg 5.18n/c 5.185.18 3.60 X1utto - 21 nkg M X1-n/c 21kg 2.85n/c 2.85 2.85 3.50 M utto n M M

Last 2 Wks Last Change c/kgCWT c/kgCWT Change Week AWeek go NI P 2 Steer NI - 300kg P 2 Steer -n/c 300kg 5.30 n/c 5.30 5.30 P 2 Co w - 230kg P 2 Co wn/c - 230kg 3.85 n/c

S te e r - P2S 300kg te e r - P2 300kg n/c

7.0

BEEF PRICES BEEF PRICES

Thousand head

No rth Is lan No d rth Is lan So d u th Is lan S o udth Is lan d C h an g e C hL an as tg e CL h asan t g e C hL an as tg e L as t c /kgCWT c /kgCWT c /kg We c /kg ek Wece/kg k We c /kg ek We e k L amb - PML 16.0kg amb - PM 16.0kg n/c 5.03 n/c 5.03 n/c 5.18 n/c 5.18

LAMB MARKET TRENDS

UKp/kg

Me at

Thousand head

Me at

BEEF MARKET TRENDS

UKp/kg

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Otago/Southland South Island Rob Marshall 0272 486 822 Chris Waites 0277 260 330

Freecall 0800 106 898 Email sales@croplands.co.nz

www.croplands.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

MARKETS & TRENDS 15

INTERNATIONAL BEEF: The US

imported beef market was largely stable over the Christmas holiday period. US dollar pricing has been virtually on-par with what was achieved in midDecember, although NZ exporters have also benefitted from a weaker NZ dollar.

There is an expectation that the NZ bull slaughter will lift in the coming weeks, which will put some pressure on prices.

continued to find themselves short of lamb numbers in the latter weeks of December. On-farm feed levels have held firm long enough to prevent any large scale offloading, while the lack growth following the cold start to spring has only worked to keep even more lambs on-farm. In the four weeks to December 10, 518,000 less lambs were processed in New Zealand than a year ago. The Hawke’s Bay has dried out significantly in the past few weeks, so more trading is likely there, however with lambs proving difficult to finish, this is more likely to have an effect on store markets than slaughter prices. Early store sales have found mixed results this year. Feilding eased on a moderate yarding, with medium male lambs making $62-$72. Meanwhile Temuka was firm as medium mixed sex were $72-$74. Mutton slaughter prices have held firmer than would normally be the case at this point in the season. Prices typically ease as more numbers come on stream, however both the North Island and South Island markets have held stable as some meat companies are using ewes to plug any gaps left by the slow lamb kill.

WOOL PRICE WATCH Indicators in NZc/kg Coarse Xbred

Overseas Wool Price Indicators

Change

22-Dec

08-Dec

Last Year

-10

399

409

556

Coarse Xbred

Indicators in USc/kg

22-Dec

08-Dec

Last Year

-2

292

294

368

Change

Fine Xbred

-12

409

421

600

Fine Xbred

-3

300

303

397

Lamb

-103

414

517

748

Lamb

-69

303

372

495

Mid Micron

-16

727

743

952

Mid Micron

-2

533

535

630

Wool indicator trends Wool Indicator Trends

850 800

500 CXI

750

FXI

LI

650 600

39 micron wool (US$)

450 c/kg

SHEEP: Processors in many regions

400

350

550

300

450 400 18-Dec 18-Mar 18-Jun 18-Sep 18-Dec WeekNo 42110 42124 42138 42152 42166 42180 42194 42208 42222 42236 42250 42264 42278 42292 42306 42320 42334 42348 42376 42390 42404 42418 42432 42446 42459 CXI FXI LI

250 22-Sep 22-Nov 22-Jan 5yr ave Last Year

650 650

Coarse Xbred indicator Coarse Xbred Indicator Last Year

600

500

This Year

550

450

500

22-Mar This Year

35 micron wool (US$)

450

550 c/kg

some downside the week before Christmas, largely driven by a lift in kill rates as some decided to offload before the New Year arrived. Additionally, a number of processors were shutting for an extended period through the Christmas and New Year breaks, taking some competitive pressure off the market. While those processors that were operating had become a little busier than had been the case through late-November and early-December, there certainly weren’t the large backlogs normally seen. The store trade is slowly beginning to become busier again as more return from holiday. The only sale of real significance as of the time of writing was at Feilding, where the market was a touch softer than the final sale of 2016.

c/kg

BEEF: Cattle slaughter prices saw

PRICE WATCH

c/kg

NEWS

400 350

300

450 350 Oct 22-Sep Dec

5yr ave

Feb 22-Nov

Apr 22-Jan Jun Last Year

Aug 22-Mar This Year

250 22-Sep 5yr ave

22-Nov 22-Jan Last Year

22-Mar This Year

OUR INSIGHT. YOUR EDGE.

AgriHQ is the leading source of independent agri market analysis that farmes can bank on.

For the latest market reports visit agrihq.co.nz/farmer or call 0800 85 25 80.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

16 AGRIBUSINESS

Quake hits beekeeping sector NIGEL MALTHUS

THE BEEKEEPING industry expects to be disrupted for months because of the Kaikoura earthquake last November 14.

Apiarists depend on far-flung hives on farms and high country. But with public roads and farm tracks out of action in the region, access is a problem for many.

Wildrose Apiaries, Kaikoura, owned by Daniel and Alison Milne, is particularly hard-hit because their home and headquarters are on the plains near the town, but their main sheds with all their equipment and honey-extraction plant are at Kekerengu, on the northern side of the major slip blocking SH1.

Daniel Milne told news media on the day of the quake that they counted themselves lucky the house and water supplies were intact.

But Alison says that was before they realised the extent of their predicament.

“The drive that once took 40 minutes is now pretty-much 12 hours from the time you leave

Waiau Apiaries’ Nick Belton with honey frames being held in a warming room before going to the centrifugal extractors.

home to the time you arrive there. It’s had a bigger impact than we first realised.”

To make matters worse, the extraction shed has now been redstickered so they will have to contract out their honey extraction for the foreseeable future.

With about a third of their hives located south of the slip and the rest north, running the business is now a “significant challenge,” she says.

They’ve had to rent a house at Clarence for the summer, where

Daniel and some staff are staying for days at a time to service the northern hives.

Honey boxes that have to be brought back to Kaikoura must go by Blenheim and Springs Junction through the Lewis Pass, then join the controlled convoys travelling the Inland Road out to the coast.

Alison says they spent the first week or two after the quake righting hives that had toppled over, often helping other beekeepers unable to get to their own hives.

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hives had toppled, but at others only one or two.

“If the hives split apart when they’re tipped, the bees will start to rob each other and then they get wound-up and

aggressive. And it causes disease problems, etc, so it’s important to get them upright as soon as possible,” she says.

Another problem is a shortage of nectar

Kaikoura beekeeper Daniel Milne, left, and two of his staff prepare to board a helicopter to get to their hives in the Kekrengu and Clarence areas, two weeks after the November 14 earthquake.

because of a cool spring and summer, which means the Milnes have been supplement feeding, and some hives have suffered through their not being able to reach them in a timely fashion.

Meanwhile, Waiau Apiaries’ Nick Belton, whose catchment area extends up the Inland Road into Kaikoura and beyond, says he spent five or six hours on the day of the quake righting his toppled hives by helicopter, costing about $1700 an hour.

“There wasn’t any alternative at the time.

We had rain coming too, so they had to be standing upright.”

Belton says the quake cost him about a week and a half of direct production, and he had

taken on extra labour.

Hives need regular servicing but some he still has not returned to, apart from ensuring they are upright.

Belton and Alison Milne praise Midlands Apiaries, Ashburton, for sending in beekeepers to help the region’s apiarists with specialist tasks.

However, Belton is critical of the continued restrictions on access, particularly along the Inland Road where most of hives are placed. With access still confined to controlled convoys it is hard having to work to someone else’s timetable, he says.

“The local Civil Defence on the ground were pretty understanding but they just had no leeway.”

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

AGRIBUSINESS 17 China next stop for NZ blueberries PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

BLUEBERRIES ARE next in line after avocados for Ministry for Primary Industry’s negotiation for access to China, says Marie Nelmes, Blueberries NZ board member.

“If avocados get through – or are denied – we start being assessed for the process. That could take five years,” Nelmes told Rural News.

Blueberries are also next for South Korea, but that is a slower process.

There is a lot of interest in blueberries in China, but they are also planting a lot. They have just gained access to Canada and Chile which are good markets for blueberries.

Dan Peach, Blueberry NZ chairman, and a grower and packer of blueberries for 22 years, says when the industry began 30 years ago it had an export focus from necessity because there was almost no domestic market.

“Only in the last 10 years has the domestic market kicked off with a growth rate of about 20% per annum, which is phenomenal but off a small base,” he told an Auckland function marking the

official start of the blueberry season.

That growth is seen globally, all through Europe and even in mature markets like the US. “One of the main drivers of that growth is the continual stream of scientific health benefits [shown in] a range of fields. The public have picked up on that,” Peach says.

“Worldwide the blueberry industry has picked up on that and had the opportunity to promote it.

“There has been a revival of people interested in gardening themselves, finding out where their food is coming from and moving away from processed food. The timing was fortunate and good for our industry.”

Blueberries are grown all over NZ but mostly in Waikato and Hawkes Bay. Blueberries are simple to grow, but take a long time to produce and even longer to be profitable.

They are highly labour dependent especially at harvest. Blueberry growers collectively employ at least 500 pickers during the summer.

The Peach family business is near Hamilton.

They pack about 300 tonnes of blueberries which is “a lot”. He packs for about 10 Waikato growers and markets the berries in NZ and overseas.

Peach has been chairman of Blueberries NZ for about 14 years. The organisation’s roles are promotion, R&D into new or better varieties, new

ways of growing, husbandry, market development and biosecurity.

They are interested in China and South East Asia, with some possibilities opening up there.

The industry only has about 60 growers, including three or four larger corporate growers and 15-20 of medium size, many with 20-30 years

Blueberries NZ says there is a lot of interest in China for NZ produce.

experience. They are moving into succession planning with their children and families getting involved.

The balance are smaller growers doing pick-your-own, cafes, farmers’ markets, value added products and niche marketing as a way of extracting value out of a smaller piece of land.

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BIG LIFT IN CELEBRITY PARTNERSHIP BLUEBERRIES NZ now has Olympian Eliza McCartney as its brand ambassador.

Dan Peach, Blueberry NZ chairman, says the industry is delighted to be working with Eliza, a pole-vaulter who won bronze in her first Olympics in Rio this year.

“Eliza is a sporting superstar who enjoys eating this nutritious superstar of the fruit world; it’s a great match,” says Peach.

“Among nature’s lollies, blueberries are a fun and healthy staple to nourish and inspire the next generation of Kiwi champions.”

McCartney will feature in Blueberries NZ’s marketing campaign over the next six months.

Keep an eye on the Aussies too.

www.ruralnews.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

18 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Let it go!

LET’S HOPE that industry-good body DairyNZ will revisit its decision to appeal the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruling that Greenpeace’s recent “dirty dairying” adverts did not breach advertising principles.

According to DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle, both Greenpeace and DairyNZ received ‘embargoed’ copies of the ruling back in December and had until January 23 to appeal the ruling.

“We received the ruling, we are not happy with the outcome, so we’ll appeal that,” he told media.

Mackle is absolutely correct in saying the ad was misleading in the way it painted the dairy industry.

But by appealing this ruling, DairyNZ is only giving Greenpeace and the myriad of vocal, antidairy critics even more oxygen and publicity with which to dump on it all over again. These guys don’t play by the rules, as shown by the way Greenpeace broke the ASA embargo to crow to the media about its ‘win’.

Already, self-important and self-appointed commentators – apparently on behalf of the entire population of NZ – have soaked up many pages of mainstream media column inches berating the dairy industry and ‘greedy, water polluting farmers’ for having the temerity to challenge claims made by such a paragon of virtue as the multi-national, money making, non-taxpaying lobby group Greenpeace.

While DairyNZ may feel justifiably aggrieved by the false and misleading claims made by Greenpeace in its ‘post truth’ advertising campaign, appealing the ASA ruling only risks further legitimising Greenpeace and critics’ biased view of the dairy industry in the eyes of the public.

It is abundantly clear that DairyNZ and the wider dairy sector has already lost the public support – just take a look at the online comments on any story about the dairy industry that runs in the mainstream media.

Lobbyists like Greenpeace, Fish&Game and Forest and Bird are all run by anti-dairy zealots and will never change their view on the sector. Unfortunately, mainstream media allow ill-informed and – in one case in particular – unhinged columnists unfettered licence to spew their anti-dairying rhetoric week after week.

Who cares about the ASA and its ruling? It is meaningless.

What the dairy sector, as a whole, needs to do is to directly front foot the industry’s negative issues, and regularly remind NZ about the many benefits dairying brings to our country, economy and communities.

Dairy has a good story to sell, so get out and sell it and forget about activist groups and their false advertising campaigns.

RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 PUBLISHER: Brian Hight ......................................... Ph 09 307 0399 GENERAL MANAGER: Adam Fricker ....................................... Ph 09 913 9632 CONSULTING EDITOR: David Anderson .................................. Ph 09 307 0399 davida@ruralnews.co.nz

“...hang a right at the old dairy factory, boot it over the saddle, shoot on down through the raupo, then, as long as you don’t miss the fork at the old woolshed, where you’ll see a bloke in a swanni dagging some wethers, you won’t end up in the wop wops!”

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound?

Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

THE HOUND Toxic ravings

Lost cause?

Good work

Says it all!

The Hound continues to be amazed at the toxic sludge NZ Herald ‘columnist’ and self-appointed, font of knowledge on all things to everybody Rachel ‘Toxic’ Stewart spews out each week. It’s clear to this old mutt – and anyone reading ‘The 2016 Columnist of the Year’s’ weekly diatribes – that Stewart suffers from a persecution complex and as a child must have been either shat on by a dairy cow or made to drink stale milk at school. It’s a pity Stewart – who clearly has a distorted grasp on reality – does not take her own advice, which she likes to dispense with vigour on (un)social media and just STFU. As a mate of yours truly wisely says: ‘Everyone has the right to be stupid, however, Stewart is obviously abusing the privilege!’

Speaking of clickbait, your old mate wonders if Fonterra spending all that money on ads promoting dairy farming and the company’s products in the local NZ market is actually worth it. One only has to click on the comments section of newspaper articles or social media posts about the ads to get an understanding of how the likes of Rachel ‘Toxic’ Stewart and her anti-dairying ilk have impacted on public opinion.

Invariably most of the commentators either rage about dairy farmers destroying water quality or how the rich pricks are screwing local consumers and making them pay far too much for milk and dairy products. Perhaps Fonterra would be better to spend this money on paying farmers more for their milk and advertising its products where they are appreciated in China and other international markets.

Your canine crusader reckons one of the most ‘interesting’ and strange media stories over the holiday period was the one about a ‘cat smuggler’ being sent home. Apparently, a Canadian air passenger tried to sneak her cat into Auckland, but was refused entry into New Zealand. The woman only declared dirty boots to biosecurity officials at Auckland Airport when she arrived from Vancouver, failing to reveal she had hidden her cat in a small handbag she had carried aboard the flight. However, she eventually confessed to carrying the cat when MPI staff attempted to x-ray her baggage after being ‘very reluctant to have the hand bag x-rayed’.

As a result of the find, immigration officials refused the woman entry permission to the country and she was forced to return to Canada with her cat on the next available flight.

A mate of the Hounds sent him this photo of this sign doing the rounds on Facebook. He reckons it sums up things nicely for all those NIMBYs (Not In My Backyard) who purchase lifestyle blocks and then complain about the smells and noises etc emanating from neighbouring farms…

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ABC audited circulation 80,580 as at 30/09/2016

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Rural News is published by Rural News Group Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Ltd.

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

OPINION 19 DISMAY AT KELLY RESIGNATION

Former Massey University’s chancellor Chris Kelly’s resignation has caused a mixed reaction.

EVEN MORE OUTRAGE! There has been some bleating in sympathy for Chris Kelly who made inappropriate remarks about women vets and who subsequently resigned as chancellor of Massey University.

One such response the Rural News Dec 20 (2016) editorial that said the whole affair was a storm in a teacup or a “torrent of outrage and upset” by “thin skinned people” who should “take a chill pill”. Kelly apparently said nothing wrong.

But Kelly made inaccurate, sexist statements, marginalised female vets, perpetuated gender stereotypes and promoted gender inequality in the workplace. Isn’t that reason enough to be outraged?

Kelly said there was a high dropout rate of male student vets because they were less mature, whereas female students were focused academically so they graduated in greater numbers. But male students did not drop out in any greater numbers and female students did not have an unfair advantage. The intake of females on the vet course is around 75%, males 25%, and a similar percent graduated.

Kelly claimed because female vets opted out of their career to have children they were equivalent to two-fifths (40%) of a full time equivalent and that the high dropout rate was an industry problem. But Massey University since confirmed that women vets across all ages worked 82% of a full-time vet equivalent.

Kelly also claimed that many women vets aren’t suited to large-animal work and want only to work with small animals in cities. Massey University since confirmed that “all of its graduates, irrespective of gender, are more than adequately prepared for all areas of the veterinary workforce on completion of their examinations” and that pretty much everything Kelly said about the vet course was wrong. Kelly was simply perpetuating the myth that women are not strong so are physically incapable of working with large animals and are not serious about their careers because they become pregnant and leave work.

Under pressure Kelly resigned as chancellor of Massey University.

This debacle demonstrates that sexism is alive and well in agriculture and that gender bias probably has an even greater impact on women’s employment in agriculture than family.

Patricia Hosking (Abridged)

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I read with dismay that Chris Kelly has resigned due to his words being taken out of context.

I feel the time has come for some plain talking and I am sure that certain sections will feel deeply offended.

I see a woman broken down on the side of the road, I will stop and offer assistance due to the fact she may not have the strength of a man to remove wheel nuts. I have never been told to: ‘F––k off you

sexist male’.

If these women feel they are not treated right by society and they want 100% equality with men then go for it. March in the streets demand your rights 100% total equality.

Total equality brings responsibility. Make sure you demand 50% of all troops in the next war on the frontline to be women. Also demand equal rights with the underground mining companies – 50% women

working underground and you will have equal rights.

Until then I would suggest you stop gnashing your teeth and look at all the advantages you do have over men.

I do believe women are more intelligent than men and can achieve more especially in the intellectual pursuits of education et cetera.

If a group of men only were discussing the facts of this unfortu-

nate incident and one was spouting nonsense he would be told in most un-polite terms to stop talking crap and look at the facts.

The best the male can do is to put in writing – for goodness sake lighten up.

We say words so delicately when criticising the feminine gender. I also notice the outgoing vice-chancellor was very careful not to become involved and defend Chris Kelly.

Terry Newton

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

OPINION 19 DISMAY AT KELLY RESIGNATION

Former Massey University’s chancellor Chris Kelly’s resignation has caused a mixed reaction.

EVEN MORE OUTRAGE! There has been some bleating in sympathy for Chris Kelly who made inappropriate remarks about women vets and who subsequently resigned as chancellor of Massey University.

One such response the Rural News Dec 20 (2016) editorial that said the whole affair was a storm in a teacup or a “torrent of outrage and upset” by “thin skinned people” who should “take a chill pill”. Kelly apparently said nothing wrong.

But Kelly made inaccurate, sexist statements, marginalised female vets, perpetuated gender stereotypes and promoted gender inequality in the workplace. Isn’t that reason enough to be outraged?

Kelly said there was a high dropout rate of male student vets because they were less mature, whereas female students were focused academically so they graduated in greater numbers. But male students did not drop out in any greater numbers and female students did not have an unfair advantage. The intake of females on the vet course is around 75%, males 25%, and a similar percent graduated.

Kelly claimed because female vets opted out of their career to have children they were equivalent to two-fifths (40%) of a full time equivalent and that the high dropout rate was an industry problem. But Massey University since confirmed that women vets across all ages worked 82% of a full-time vet equivalent.

Kelly also claimed that many women vets aren’t suited to large-animal work and want only to work with small animals in cities. Massey University since confirmed that “all of its graduates, irrespective of gender, are more than adequately prepared for all areas of the veterinary workforce on completion of their examinations” and that pretty much everything Kelly said about the vet course was wrong. Kelly was simply perpetuating the myth that women are not strong so are physically incapable of working with large animals and are not serious about their careers because they become pregnant and leave work.

Under pressure Kelly resigned as chancellor of Massey University.

This debacle demonstrates that sexism is alive and well in agriculture and that gender bias probably has an even greater impact on women’s employment in agriculture than family.

Patricia Hosking (Abridged)

GET SOCIAL Keep up with the latest stories from Rural News by following us on:

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I read with dismay that Chris Kelly has resigned due to his words being taken out of context.

I feel the time has come for some plain talking and I am sure that certain sections will feel deeply offended.

I see a woman broken down on the side of the road, I will stop and offer assistance due to the fact she may not have the strength of a man to remove wheel nuts. I have never been told to: ‘F––k off you

sexist male’.

If these women feel they are not treated right by society and they want 100% equality with men then go for it. March in the streets demand your rights 100% total equality.

Total equality brings responsibility. Make sure you demand 50% of all troops in the next war on the frontline to be women. Also demand equal rights with the underground mining companies – 50% women

working underground and you will have equal rights.

Until then I would suggest you stop gnashing your teeth and look at all the advantages you do have over men.

I do believe women are more intelligent than men and can achieve more especially in the intellectual pursuits of education et cetera.

If a group of men only were discussing the facts of this unfortu-

nate incident and one was spouting nonsense he would be told in most un-polite terms to stop talking crap and look at the facts.

The best the male can do is to put in writing – for goodness sake lighten up.

We say words so delicately when criticising the feminine gender. I also notice the outgoing vice-chancellor was very careful not to become involved and defend Chris Kelly.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

20 OPINION

Shedding light on solar energy SARAH CHARTERIS

EXPLORING THE use of solar energy in sheep and beef farming will be a key feature of the East Coast Farming Expo this year.

The two-day expo is set down for April 5 and 6 and will again be hosted by the Wairoa A & P Society at their central Wairoa Showgrounds. The expo provides an exclusive and specialised environment for farmers and landowners to explore new ideas for sheep and beef farming in their region. Not only does if offer a unique opportunity for East Coast and Hawke’s Bay farming communities to interact face-toface with industry innovators, but it also provides an intimate and laid-back platform for trade exhibitors to demon-

Eastland Group’s Gavin Murphy.

Water pumps and electric fences are options for solar power.

strate and promote their forwardthinking products and services.

A key topic to be showcased at this year’s event is the ability to generate electricity from the sun, and how farmers can supplement their house or farm electricity load from this source. Gisborne company Eastland Group has come on board as a strategic sponsor in 2017 and will have staff on hand to share findings from their recent solar trials, as well as discuss the

needs of farmers face-to-face.

General manager of business development Gavin Murphy said the field of solar energy had changed significantly in the past decade.

“The technology has improved markedly and, more importantly, the capital cost of the systems has reduced significantly and is forecast to continue to come down,” he says.

“Farmers can now understand the capital and operating costs of the systems against their existing electricity costs and determine if there is a use for this generation, accepting it doesn’t supply when the sun is not shining. Off grid locations such as

water pumps or other remote sources such as electric fences are all options for solar, especially if combined with a small battery to charge during sunlight hours, for use as generation when the sun isn’t shining.”

Murphy says Eastland Group was keen to come on board with the Wairoa-based expo as it was a unique opportunity to share their knowledge and expertise with a key group of consumers.

“We would like to be able to provide farmers and the rural community with some independent facts regarding solar, based on our current trials. We will have real time information show-

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Murphy is full of praise for the East Coast Farming Expo concept and said the conversations had at the event would be integral to Eastland Group’s future planning.

“The expo represents a gathering of the rural community, who are all connected to our electricity network, therefore it is important we are connected to these consumers in a meaningful way, especially when new solar and battery storage technologies come along, to ensure we can have useful conversations about the ways this technology can assist them and interact with the electricity network,” he says.

“Part of this is understanding how farmers and the rural community wish to use and engage with the technology, so we can plan the network assets accordingly in the future, to ensure the right balance of fit for purpose infrastructure exists for the rural community going forward.”

The 2017 East Coast Farming Expo will be held over two days on April 5 and 6 and will involve both trade exhibits and seminars. The popular “Evening Muster” will also be held on the night of April 5, providing a chance for expo attendees and exhibitors to socialise and enjoy a keynote speaker.

For more information on the East Coast Farming Expo visit www.eastcoastexpo.co.nz.

WHILE WE WERE AWAY...

FROM PAGE 12

restrictions, restrictive licence terms and a domestic purchase requirement.

Indonesia, which is NZ’s 13th-largest two-way trade partner, can still appeal the decision to the WTO’s appellate body. This is only the second case NZ has taken to the WTO in the last decade. The other was over access for apples into Australia, won by New Zealand in 2010.

SFF farmer directors reappointed

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INCUMBENT DIRECTORS Dan Jex-Blake and Richard Young have been reappointed to the Silver Fern Farms Co-operative board without the need for an election.

No other nominations were received for the two vacancies created by director election rotation.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

22 MANAGEMENT

Knocking Scotch thistle on the head PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

SCOTCH THISTLE heads infected with a predator fly could eliminate up to 90% of New Zealand’s problems with the pest plant, Wellsford farmer Gordon Levet reckons.

He says this is the time of year for the Scotch thistle gall fly to be active, so he has thistle heads available for farmers to buy at nominal cost.

The gall fly was introduced about 16 years ago by a local farmer, the late John Foster, who convinced a Beef+Lamb discussion group that they should bring it into the country. It was released around the Wellsford area, where Levet’s Kikitangeo Romney Stud is situated.

“The gall fly is called that because it creates a hard, wood-like material inside the flower head of the thistle,” Levet told Rural News.

“The little fly – which is about half the size of a house fly – coloured green or brown, lays eggs on the seed heads and they penetrate and eat all the seeds.

“A lot of the seed heads only get to half size and they go brown.

“They are spread over a quite a wide area … no one has done anything about spreading this.”

The gall fly could eliminate up to 90% of New Zealand’s problems with Scotch thistle.

Levet says he has advertised on his website that he would send packages of this seed head with these grubs; he has had about 20 requests for material.

It is “absolutely” a problem over the whole country.

He has had requests from Southland, Wanganui, Southland and Hawke’s Bay – virtually right throughout the country.

No predator will eliminate everything, he says.

Gall flies tend to get active later in the thistle cycle.

“Some of the thistles flower and seed before the flies are active. The

flies are around now and some thistles have finished. But from now on the gall flies will decimate the thistles.

“We will see a thistle plant that should have perhaps 100 flowers on it and there will only be three or four flowers and some will be distorted because the grubs are in there eating it.

“And then the plant dies fairly early. It doesn’t eliminate the thistle – probably 90% of the seeds.”

He reckons if the gall fly covered the whole country it would probably eliminate 90% of Scotch thistle.

“Scotch thistle con-

taminates the wool – if there is vegetable matter in your wool that will downgrade the price you get,” he says.

“And no one likes grabbing sheep and getting a handful of thistles.”

The insect parasite was trialled in Switzerland, Canada and Australia, where it was found to infect 90% of thistle seed heads destroying 60% of seed.

From his observations, Levet suspects that 60% is very conservative in NZ. “Larvae stay in the dead thistle heads over winter. You can tell if they are present if the seed heading has a ‘gall’ or hard stone like centre

to the flower head.”

Seed heads that have no hard core will not contain the larvae.

Larvae “winter over” and emerge when the spring thistles are in flower.

The other opportunity for relocation is over the summer when the larvae will develop into adult flies probably in a very short time.

Levet says he can send thistle heads containing larvae on request for $60 – of which $30 will be donated to the Red Cross.

The remainder is to cover the costs of collection, packaging and postage, he says.

• More: http://www.kikitangeo.co.nz/the-fly-with-afondness-for-thistles.html

CONSULTANCY ON THE MARCH FARM CONSULTANT Gary Massicks has joined BakerAg, Manawatu, bringing a focus on sheep and beef.

The company also has two dairy consultants, a human resource specialist, health and safety consultant and a senior valuer, all in its Feilding office.

Massicks, connected in the farming industry and wider community with his involvement in rugby refereeing and Young Farmers, is pleased to have joined the firm. “A larger firm has more to offer me and my clients. To have guys already working in the industry, as well as human resources,

health and safety and dairy and sheep and beef consulting is exciting,” he says.

BakerAg has a Wairarapa office, and director Chris Garland says the Feilding office, opened a year ago, is part of the business’s growth strategy in Manawatu.

“Huge opportunities exist to grow our consultancy firm in the southern North Island; there’s very little servicing of the Tararua, southern Central Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu and Rangitikei regions.”

The firm plans to add another sheep and beef consultant at Feilding, and to expand into Central Hawke’s Bay, possibly with an

office in Waipukurau.

“Our strategy is to have core business focused on one-on-one consultancy, and to take on larger scale projects, like cost benefit analysis of community irrigation schemes, or projects for the Ministry for Primary Industries, Beef + Lamb NZ and DairyNZ. This means having a national profile, as well as a regional one,” Garland says.

BakerAg’s services include sheep and beef and dairy consultancy, valuation, health and safety systems, employment services, farm leases, dairy system monitoring and environmental issues.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

MANAGEMENT 23

The pup and the human bond at least once or twice a week let it play and socialise with your other dogs; it needs to learn ‘dog’ – their language and manners.

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HEAD ‘N HUNT ANNA HOLLAND to work magic. I told her life would be so miserable in there that it would soon crave her presence.

And that is precisely what happened. Donna visited the pup three times each day with food and time for a brief play. She also popped it on a lead and took it to feed the lambs, keeping contact and control at all times so that the pup couldn’t slide through the rails and run back to its mates in the kennels.

After two weeks of solitary confinement it was time to join the other dogs, on a lead initially, learning to stay with Donna even though all the others were enjoying a free-range romp.

Problem solved; the once independent pup obsessed with other dogs was now a pup fully aware of Donna.

Instead of turning a deaf ear when called, it responded immediately, bounding back for some one-on-one human companionship.

Please note, this was an extreme case. Locking all pups in solitary confinement because you can’t be bothered spending quality time with a pup would be inhumane. Pups need stimulation: they need to see the outside world, the noises, smells and sounds in order to grow into sane adult dogs.

I have been bleating on for years to anyone who will listen: let your pups out once a day (preferably twice) for a run round to explore, stretch and develop muscles and limbs. Most times it needs to be one on one, you and the pup; that way it will form a bond with you. However,

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I’M CONSTANTLY saying how important it is to form a bond with your pup: it will make training easier. But how do you form one if your pup couldn’t care less about you?

This happened to a friend of mine recently and she was frustrated to say the least. Donna is a competent woman with pups and working dogs and has a fair bit of experience under her belt; no one could ever accuse her of not putting a lot of time and effort into raising healthy, friendly, well-adjusted pups.

Occasionally an indifferent one develops, one that doesn’t respond the same and this is what she had. There was nothing wrong with it mentally or physically; in every way it was like all other pups. The problem was, it couldn’t care less about Donna; she was nothing more than a faceless servant picking up poop, provider of food and keeper of the pup pen gate.

“I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried treats, extra attention and being really nice to it, but it just won’t respond; it is interested in the other dogs, the surroundings, everything but me.”

I heard the despair in her voice.

Admittedly it was only 12 weeks old, but due to the dedicated way we rear pups, this sort of extreme blatant behaviour is something neither of us had seen before.

If there is one thing I love, it is a challenge, something out of the ordinary with a dog of any age. Why is a canine doing something odd?

What is the reason behind the behaviour?

What can be done to fix it?

What would I do in this situation? I suggested that she remove the pup from all the other dogs and put it in the woolshed for a while on its own. Allow boredom and loneliness

LM323i_XRS_187x280_RuralNewsNZ.indd 1

12/01/2017 9:11 am

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

24 ANIMAL HEALTH

Are worm resistant sheep a reality?

Do farmers care about worm resistant sheep, asks breeder Gordon Levet, and do they believe it is possible to breed internal parasite resistance? Pam Tipa reports.

ABOUT 88% of rams at Kikitangeo’s Romney Stud recent auction had never been drenched – possibly a first in New Zealand, claims owner Gordon Levet.

Although he had good response from other breeders – with a top ram selling for $3600 – he has been left scratching his head as to why about 15% of the rams did not sell. He hopes 30 years of breeding for resistance to internal parasites does not end up as dog tucker.

The fact that a percentage of rams that did not require drenching where worm challenges are high, and which also had a relatively high tolerance to FE, did not find a home, leads him to two conclusions, he says.

“Either most sheep farmers do not consider that resistance to worm challenges is important in their breeding programmes, or that they do not believe that breeding sheep that can resist worm challenges is possible,” he says.

“I can well understand farmers’ scepticism, as some breeders make extravagant claims on the merit of their flocks.”

Levet has been disappointed to hear that some farmers are still using capsules “which are the best way to produce super worms”.

He’s heard anecdotally that one farmer spent $100,000 on capsules, had been doing for a number of years and saw no reason it would

Gordon Levet’s rams are bred for worm resistance.

change.

One day that farmer will have a problem with (drench) resistance.

“Also with young sheep, with these capsules, the immune system doesn’t have a challenge so it doesn’t develop.”

Levet says his work is based on the immune system.

“It is building an immune system which reacts quickly and

aggressively when a challenge comes,” he explains.

“It has cost me about $200,000 over the last 30 years to get where I have got to and an awful lot of labour.

But he concedes there’s been a lot of scepticism about it.

“I liken that scepticism to breeding for facial eczema resistance, which is now accepted, and both started about

the same time.”

Kikitangeo is noted for its breeding of FE tolerance – both programmes have been running there for about 30 years.

Levet says the recent ram sale was considered by most to be a success.

Buyers covered the country from Northland to Southland.

The good thing was there were eight rams sold to other ram

breeders.

A top price of $3600 was paid for Sire G18415 by the Masterton Glenview Stud of Geoff and Barb Croker, who bought two other sires.

Levet says it was pleasing to have eight sires bought by other ram breeders who recognised the merit of breeding for disease and parasite resistance.

But breeding for resistance for worms is not widely accepted.

“Partly because there have been a lot of red herrings and breakthroughs that have failed.”

Levet believes what he is doing will eventually catch on as anthelmintic resistance builds. He has heard that some of the new drenches are only lasting two years.

“We’ve had very efficient drenches and so farmers have been too liberal with the drenching gun. The sheep which are most susceptible to worms thrive and are quite healthy and get accepted into the breeding flock.”

Levet says Wellsford is a terrible area for the barbers’ pole worm – which he reckons is the TO PAGE 25

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

ANIMAL HEALTH 25

FE spore counts down, but danger lurks THE FIRST facial eczema spore count report for 2017 shows counts generally lower than at the same time last year.

However, spore counts over the action threshold have been detected at South Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua and Wairarapa.

Facial eczema (FE) occurs during summer when conditions are warm and humid’ it is a major threat to animal health and farm productivity.

To help farmers tackle FE, a weekly monitor report is being published on the AsureQuality website every Friday, until May. Data for the weekly report is provided

by Vetora Otorohanga, Vetora Glenview, Vetora Reporoa, Vetora Putaruru and AsureQuality

contributors in Morrinsville, Gisborne, Masterton, Whangarei, Auckland, Horowhenua The AsureQuality report says FE affects most ruminants, but especially cattle and sheep throughout most North Island regions plus the northern end of the South Island.

FE is responsible for serious production losses estimated to be around $200m annually with affected stock suffering liver and skin damage, which together contribute to ill-thrift, reduced fertility , reduced milk and meat production and, if left unprotected, in worst cases death.

During summer and autumn months warm, humid conditions together with dead litter in pasture support

in pasture; animals graze toxic pasture and once in the rumen the spores release a mycotoxin sporiedesmin, which then enters the blood FE is a major threat for animal welfare and farm productivity. stream eventually finding its way into the liver. The toxin spethe growth of a fungus cifically attacks the cells (Pithomyces chartarum)

most dangerous worm because it is a blood sucker.

He lost 10% of his Suffolk ewes through these worms after making the mistake of putting them in the lambing paddocks in a particularly bad year. The Romneys, which had never been drenched, were not affected at all.

He has seen evidence that the national flock had become 20% more susceptible to worms over 20 years because the most susceptible ones are kept alive and are bred from.

“So, on the other side of the ledger the worms are getting tougher and stronger.”

He says the rams not sold will go on his website and “we will wait and see”.

“It is a shame if they don’t sell because there is all that committed work which is lost. Farmers should be queuing up to

buy my rams. They have got good wool, they are sound in every respect.

“I have got some very good commercial clients. The under-bidder in the top ram was a commercial farmer. my clients are prepared to pay big money and are very enthusiastic about what I am doing.”

Levet says all his work has been “totally scientific”.

Originally he started by contacting Ruakura saying he believed there was a genetic factor in worm resistance and came across Dr Tom Watson, a parasitologist from Canada. Watson drew up protocols for Levet to follow.

He has also worked with scientists from Lincoln and Ruakura and more recently been working with Neville Amyes at Ruakura, Dr John McEwen at AgResearch, Invermay and Dr Jon Hickford at Lincoln.

is the only recognised method of avoiding FE. It is essential to start FE control early. Ideally start prevention with zinc treatment and Fungicidal sprays, two or three weeks before the spore growth danger period for maximum protection. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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(i.e. around the eyes, ears, lips and nose) as well as restlessness, shaking and rubbing of the head and ears, and seeking shade.

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WORM RESISTANCE FROM PAGE 24

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

26 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

New Holland raises the stakes with Big Baler MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW HOLLAND has launched the BigBaler 1290 Plus, which the company says builds on its 30 years experience in the sector since 1987.

The baler is designed and built for reliability, durability and the easy servicing, to ensure it will spend more time in the field delivering maximum output. It is aimed at straw contractors and large scale arable farmers.

Higher bale density and greater capacity will combine to deliver fewer bales per hectare, fewer bales to transport and ultimately lower costs per bale, NH says.

The machine’s baler chamber is 800mm longer than previously. Bale density is said to be up to 10% higher than in the previous model. Bales are secured by the machine’s double knot system, giving well-shaped bales for stacking and transport, and higher daily outputs.

The 1290 Plus’s features include IntelliCruise, that automatically regulates tractor ground speed to maximise capacity, or SmartFill feed flow indicators that tell the operator in which direction they should drive for even bale formation.

Output is also boosted by the MaxiSweep pick-up design that tackles high tonnages with tine bars and reel

bearings also seen in the self-propelled forage harvester pick-up, and the feeding system which guarantees even crop flow and pre-compression.

The machine is Isobus compatible for single screen operation via the

IntelliView IV monitor in the tractor cab; operators have ‘intuitive’ fingertip control of all key operating parameters when baling at top speed.

Durability and reliability is said to be improved by over-dimensioned

components such as the packer shaft (increased from 580mm to 760mm diameter) and a larger 320mm drive chain to handle the high loads of PackerCutter models.

In CropCutter models, new chrome pins better resist sand and dust, and each knife is spring-protected to avoid breakage by foreign objects; they can be supplied with hard-facing for greater durability.

In the pre-compression chamber, a shear bolt on the stuffer mechanism protects the stuffer from damage, and the crop holding fingers have been reinforced and ensure good flake formation with seven fingers. www.newholland.co.nz

AUTOMATION INCREASES BALING OUTPUT THE HIGH capital cost of frontline tractors and machinery used by contractors keeps them looking for an edge that will give them more output.

Because they must move quickly between properties the days of buying larger machines has long gone, due to

their physical size and access. So today’s output increases are usually achieved with the help of automation.

This was demonstrated during this year’s European harvest when a New Holland Big Baler 1290 Plus was teamed up with a NH T7.315 AutoCommand

tractor to demonstrate real-world productivity in the Pays de La Loire, France.

Baling Durum wheat straw in sunny conditions and temperatures ranging from 19 to 27 degrees C, over 17 hours the combo produced 1254 bales on 115ha, all said to be of consistent

quality and weight.

Using the NH IntelliCruise feed rate control system, which matches tractor forward speed to crop yield, the technology ensures optimal feeding rate for increased productivity and a lower overall fuel consumption.

Over the 17 hours the baler averaged output of 32 tonnes per hour, making 434kg bales 2.37m in length. The automation proved its worth: no blockages, no twine breaks or mis-ties and no shear-bolt failures. – Mark Daniel www.newholland.co.nz

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Tow and Fert saves on fert costs ™

Given the current financial conditions for dairy farmers around the world, managing input costs without decreasing production is the only logical way to navigate through this tough time. Technology developed in Dannevirke is becoming noticed as breakthrough technology with research agencies in other pasture grazing markets around the world. Tow and Fert, designed and manufactured by Metalform, has the ability to either reduce fertiliser input costs without impacting pasture yields, or maintain fertiliser inputs and improving dry matter and protein production.

As well as proven research from NZ and a dairy co-operative in NSW Australia, an independent dairy specialist in the UK is the latest company to prove the efficiency of Nitrogen when applied in a foliar form. The trials were performed when applying 33%, 66% and 100% of the typical rate of nitrogen which was 25kg/ha, 50kg/ha and 75kg/ha of foliar applied Urea compared to 75kg/ha of granular Urea. Even when the foliar urea was applied at 33% of typical application rate, the DM response was only 10% less DM per hectare. At an application rate of 50kg/ha which was 66% of the control rate, the increase of DM yield was exactly 50% higher. Based on this research, now consistent from 3 different research trials it can be concluded the possibilty of acheiving the same DM response with only 1/2 the amount of urea.

To put this into a reality from a profitability point of view, on a typical farm of 150 hectares milking 400 cows, a typical application of granular Urea at 80kg/ha 6 times a year would equate to approximately 72 tonne of Urea, $43,000. If it were to be dissolved and applied as a foliar spay, then the cost would be around $18,000, which is an annual saving of $25,000. From an environmental point of view, the N escaping into the environment, as ammonia, leached beyond the plant’s root zone or as the greenhouse gas, Nitrous oxide, would be largely reduced because the Urea should not enter the soil but is directly absorbed by the leaves.

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Metalform developed Tow and Fert, a fertiliser applicator, to quickly dissolve normal granular urea in cold water on the way to the paddock which means turning urea into a dissolved foliar spray is quick, convenient and most of all more cost effective and environmentally responsible.

As grass is the cheapest form of feed, it is ever so important to ensure that we are growing the most nutrient rich pasture rather than spending on supplement feed and the Tow and Fert can be a key part of reducing input costs in the current economic climate without decreasing pasture yields.

Graph used from research paper, Kingshay, Somerset, UK 2016©

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 27 KEEPS MACHINES ON TRACK MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

Fert hopper ups the tempo

CLAAS HAS released an automatic guidance system called Turn In, which allows fast, easy and accurate turning on headlands.

The system automatically identifies the next track and guides machinery through the turn.

Starting at an angle of 90 degrees to the track, Turn In identifies the optimum path to follow -- based on the machine’s speed,

VADERSTAD SAYS its new, front-mounted 2200L fertiliser hopper enables high-precision, combi-drilling while handling fertiliser volumes of up to 250kg/ha at speeds of up to 15km/h.

The FH 2200 is equipped with two electric Fenix III feed systems, for accurate metering, and distribution is by a hydraulic fan set-up, said to be able to cope with high average speeds.

Developed to work with the high capacity of Tempo precision planters, the FH 2200 hopper is mounted to the front linkage of the tractor from where the metered fertiliser is transported back to the planter through an air based delivery system. After arrival at the planter, the air transport meets a distribution head, resulting in an even supply to fertiliser tubes connected to the coulters.

The distributor head on the planter can be factory fitted on Tempo V and Tempo R, or ordered as an adjustable mounting kit for other planter models.

When FH 2200 is operated with a Tempo, it connects to the gateway on the planter, allowing control of both implements with the iPad-based, Väderstad E-Control system or the Isobus-terminal of the tractor.

The design of the front hopper with a sloping front gives the driver good visibility. The wide opening makes it easy to fill.

The FH 2200 equipped with the metering system Fenix III was due for production from early 2017.

steering lock and alignment – then guides it onto the next track automatically using a pre-defined path to achieve the desired turn. The driver can override the system at any time.

Turn In can be fitted to all Claas steering systems that use the S7 or S10 terminal including Lexion combine and Jaguar forage harvesters, and Xerion, Axion and Arion tractors.

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

28 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS Monster tyre leaves duals in the shade

Michelin wins gold MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WITH THE SIMA 2017 exhibition just over a month away, tyre giant Michelin has announced it has won a Gold Award for Innovation for its new Evobib tyre.

Fundamentally a 2-in-1 design that can cope with transport or field conditions without compromise, the tyre has two distinctly different tread areas and construction technology that allows dual purpose use.

In transport situations, and at recommended load pressures, only the centre portion of the tyre tred contacts the ground. This creates a low rolling resistance and performance akin to standard radial tyres, with the tread pattern designed for continuous rolling and minimum vibration, which results in excellent driver comfort.

For field use, tyre pressures can be dropped to industry leading levels as low as 0.6 bar, at which point the outer ‘stud blocks’ expand due to a hinge effect in the tyre construction and effectively increases the contact area significantly, when compared to conventional radial tyre design.

The company claims that this makes it a world-first, in seeing the footprint area expanding as inflation pressure drops.

THE LARGEST agricultural tyre in the world, so claimed, has been unveiled: the Goodyear Optitrac LSW 1400/30R46.

Goodyear suggests this tyre will be a real alternative to traditional dual wheel set-ups on 4WD tractors.

The low sidewall technology allows fitting of larger diameter rim equipment to match existing rolling radiuses, gives better lateral stability and greatly reduces tyre hop in high draught, drawbar applications.

Prompting the tyres’s development was a changing customer perception of duals and their suitability for most work.

Goodyear suggests that unless

a grower is running between the rows post-emergence, there is no need for duals.

It says the new tyre can avert the pinch-row compaction that occurs between duals – a perennial problem with the 71070R42 or 800-70R32 duals. And it helps spread loads and ground pressure.

– Mark Daniel

COMPRIMA S E M I -VA R I A B L E R O U N D B A L E R Comprima F 155 and F 155 XC with semi-variable bale chamber are the first round balers that operate on the fixed chamber principle whilst producing bales of variable diameters that range from 1.25m to 1.50m.

Combining the functions of both fixed and variable chambers, the semi-variable chamber is a unique system on the world market. Relying on the new NovoGrip system, the design combines quiet running with high baling pressure. Comprima F 155 XC features the X-Cut rotor cutter.

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Electric power for JD MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

JOHN DEERE, in the race for sustainability, says it will exhibit its SESAM (sustainable energy supply for agricultural machines) tractor at the upcoming SIMA show in Paris.

Said to retain the benefits of mechanical transmissions for driving safety and torque to wheel distribution, the tractor stores energy in a set of 130kW, 670V lithium-ion batteries.

It has two 150kW motor systems, one dedicated to powering the driveline and the other used to power the PTO, hydraulic pumps and ancillary systems. If no secondary supply is required, full power is delivered to the drive train motor. Currently range is about 55km.

As is common with hybrid cars, energy generated while braking or descending slopes is returned to the batteries.

When stationary, the batteries’ large capacity can be used to power a farm’s energy network. www.johndeere.com

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK! NOT QUITE in the same league as the Case IH Quadtrac that ploughed 321ha in 24 hours to win a Guinness World Record, but a 550hp Versatile Delta Track pulling a 12 furrow Kverneland plough ‘browned’ over 103.5ha in a day – using just one tank of fuel.

The event, in Klepp SE Norway in October 2016, was intended to show the potential of big ploughing rigs in uncultivated and medium-heavy soils.

The 1700L of fuel on board kept the Canadian prime mover going for the full day at about 10km/h, pulling the plough equipped with KV’s no 28 mouldboards at a minimum depth of 260mm and supping about 16L/ha.

EASY HANDLING

RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 29

For those who don’t need macho or towing and ends.

Easy-to-follow displays in front of the driver and in the centre console are easy to follow and offer information without overload.

For drivers looking to tinker, a few switches allow changes to the vehicle dynamics, giving eco,

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

OFF-ROADERS fall into one of three groupings – SUV, ute or crossover – the latter appealing to people who don’t need macho or don’t need to tow.

First impression of the Skoda Octavia Scout is one of understatement, because this vehicle doesn’t have bling: the only nods to style are its 17 inch alloys and silver roof rails.

What you do get, however, is a vehicle that will bring a smile to the driver’s face and look after passengers while tackling rough and tumble, but buck the ideas of some designers who think motoring demands adding as many gizmos and gadgets as possible.

Built on the MQB platform that also underpins the Golf, Passat and Audi A3, the Scout has the Volkswagen Audi Group’s 4-cylinder/2L turbodiesel that knocks out 135kW power and 380Nm torque. No problem there: the engine is crisp, revs freely, pushes the car on at a brisk pace, and delivers plenty of mid-range torque to pull away from low speeds.

The 6-speed DSG automatic transmission is a honey, offering a choice of drive or sports modes or, for the easily distracted, manual shifting if required. Changes up and down the box are smoother than James Bond and happen in an instant, using the pre-select system seen throughout VAG products, which always has the next ratio waiting for millisecond shifts. Progress can be summed up as prompt and sure-footed, particularly across country.

This great transmission combines with a fifth-generation Haldex torque vectoring set-up that allows the car to behave like a front-wheel

drive when the going is good, but if any slip is detected it routes up to 85% of the torque available to the rear wheels to create four-wheel drive in an instant. Off-road ability is enhanced by 171mm ground clearance and an underbody rough road package that protects the key components under the car when hitting the tracks.

Inside, the layout is largely unremarkable, although it gets a big tick for roominess and the impression of sitting in Dr Who’s Tardis, as five adults and 588L of luggage are carried with ease.

There’s a further option to drop the rear seats, which pushes out capacity to 1788L and a 2.92m long

normal, off-road and individual settings, and the 8-inch colour infotainment screen looks after music, climate, telephony and GPS. As one would expect of a modern vehicle, 5-star Euro NCAP is delivered via ESC, hill hold, parking sensors

and a carload of air bags, while an optional rear view camera gives a great overall view of what’s going on around the periphery.

Suffice to say, if you don’t need to be macho or tow much, go take a closer look. www.skoda.co.nz

load space. Access from the rear is via an electrically raised door, leading to a cargo area with a full length blind, cargo net and storage bins for odds

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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 17, 2017

30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER

Quaddy celebrates 20 years MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE MIGHTY Case IH Quadtrac set the scene for high-powered prime movers and found a home on many of the world’s large scale arable farms.

It also lent a generic name to other machines of its type.

This year marks 20 years since the ‘Quaddy’ was launched at the US Farm Progress Show in 1996, but its roots go back even further.

The first production tractor was based on the 360hp, 9370 equal-

wheeled, articulated unit, in the product line-up after Case IH bought the high-power specialist Steiger in 1986.

The move to tracks at each corner of the maroon leviathans arose from R&D showing how twin-tracked, differentially steered competitor machines suffered traction loss and ‘headland scrubbing’ during turns.

To take the massive driveline strains imposed by tracks – which unlike conventional tyres suffer little or no slip – heavy duty componentry was combined with cable reinforced belts and a

patented sealed midroller design, which also allowed 40km/h speeds for road travel.

Quickly joined by a 400hp model, then followed by the STX line, Quadtrac quickly found favour with broadacre farmers. Along the way

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