NEWS No room at the Lincoln University inn. PAGE 5
MACHINERY NZ’s favourite ute upgrade worth the wait. PAGE 27
RURALNEWS
NEWS The year in review is he good, bad or ugly.
PAGE 6-7
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
DECEMBER 15, 2015: ISSUE 598
www.ruralnews.co.nz
MIE not quite dead SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
A GROUP of red meat farmers seeking industry reforms have not given up hope despite bleeding support. Meat Industry Excellence (MIE) says the deal between Silver Fern Farms and Chinese company Shanghai Malling “is not yet a fait accompli”. The joint venture has been approved by shareholders of both companies; it is awaiting the green light from the Overseas Investment Office (OIO). MIE stalwart John McCarthy told Rural News that either the OIO or the Government could still knock back the deal. “Look at what happened with the Lochinver deal,” he says, referring to
the Government’s decision to block the sale this year of the Lochinver Station to Shanghai Pengxin for $88 million. McCarthy says if the deal is knocked back, major reform may well be back on the agenda within months. “This industry desperately needs dynamic new leadership with a vision to implement the coveted 80% model with contracted supply as portrayed in the` Newco’ business strategy.” While MIE is trying to sound upbeat,
it is continuing to lose key members: three more executives, Blair Gallagher, Tom O’Sullivan and Tim Coop resigned this month In a combined statement, the three say it has become obvious that following the successful Shanghai Maling vote MIE will now be entering a new phase and that has given the three of us time to reflect on our ongoing commitment. “We have each given a great deal
of voluntary time and effort over the last two years,” they say. “We thrived on farmer engagement, driving change through director elections, and promoting the ‘Pathways to Long term Sustainability’ report. They acknowledged the outstanding farmer support received during stint with MIE. TO PAGE 3 @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
SPEAR A THOUGHT AS YOU tuck into your Christmas dinner this year, spare a thought about all the hard work that has gone into getting that yummy asparagus on your plate. Pictured are Ashley Boyd (left), Tony Rickman and Alex Boyd from Boyds Asparagus, Cambridge. A sizeable portion of New Zealand’s asparagus production comes from Boyds Asparagus. The company handles around 280ha of the crop grown by seven key growers in New Zealand. It is estimated the total asparagusgrowing land in the country is about 500ha. See full story page 21
REACTION ROLLS ON PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
SAFE’S CAMPAIGN against New Zealand’s dairy industry has drawn a backlash from people within and outside farming. Prime Minister John Key says the campaign is “economic sabotage”, and NZ First’s Winston Peters is calling it “economic vandalism”. Gore sharemilker Bridget Lowry says she’s had a huge response to a petition seeking to remove SAFE’s charitable trust status. By mid-last week she had at least 8000 signatures and increasing by the hour. The petition is on the website. Lowry says the petition was started earlier this year, but the group’s latest antics have seen a huge upsurge in people signing. Meanwhile, DairyNZ’s chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the industry-good organisation is extremely disappointed SAFE had chosen to advertise internationally and says it’s totally unnecessary. “SAFE says its footage comes from 12 farms in Waikato. There are 11,970 dairy farms in NZ so its footage represents just 0.1% of dairy farms,” he says. Mackle says DairyNZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries and six other industry associations have joined together to eradicate the mistreatment of bobby calves. DairyNZ has also set up a question and answer page on its website about the bobby calf issue. – SAFE under fire – page 4
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS 3
ISSUE 598
www.ruralnews.co.nz
for Productivity increases Bounce wool cheque limit lamb crop fall PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
NEWS ������������������������������������ 1-13 MARKETS ������������������������� 14-15 AGRIBUSINESS ��������������� 16-17 HOUND, EDNA ������������������������18 CONTACTS �������������������������������18 OPINION �����������������������������18-20 MANAGEMENT ��������������� 21-23 ANIMAL HEALTH ���������� 24-26 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ���������������������� 27-30
WHILE THE lamb crop is the lowest since 1953, sheep farmers have become much more productive, says Beef + Lamb NZ chief economist Andrew Burtt. He says there is still constant tension and pressure to improve efficiency and productivity. “Farmers have responded to the signals from processors about lambs in tight specifications. That sort of thing will just continue,” he adds. BLNZ’s Lamb Crop 2015 report estimates 23.9 million lambs were tailed this spring – the smallest lamb
RURAL TRADER ������������������� 31
crop since 1953. Lamb export receipts for 2015-16 are estimated at $2.8 billion, down 4.2% on 2014-15. Burtt says demand, overseas markets, currency rates and interest rates are constantly moving factors that farmers do not directly control. “Their best focus is on the things they do have some control over, which is their productivity in getting the weights desired by their customers, the meat companies. They’re doing the best they can do as efficiently as possible.” The overall focus is an increasing demand to grow animals to specifications. He says sheep numbers fell because of key factors like drought; and dairy
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 30.06.2015
cows are expected to have the first noticeable downturn in a long time – driven by prices and drought. However, the decline in beef cattle numbers has slowed substantially. “But sometimes we miss the story if we focus solely on the number of sheep or beef cattle,” Burtt adds. “We miss the productivity improvements through farm management and pasture management; all farmers know about El Nino and make and implement their plans to deal with El Nino should it eventuate. “There are some [farmers] in Hawkes Bay who say it has rained so much at present that ‘if this is El Nino bring it on’. Nevertheless they are working on the prospect of dry conditions later in the year. “I think that responsiveness and resilience to these sorts of things is getting stronger and stronger in the industry, nevertheless there are still improvements in confidence needed.” Regarding the Silver Fern Farms investment by the Chinese company Shanghai Maling, Burtt says it shows there is enough confidence in the industry for people to invest in it.
A COMBINATION of factors have given wool cheques a lift and helped to balance the sheep farmers’ incomes, says Kaikoura wool producer and industry representative Derrick Millton. New Zealand spinning companies, although relatively small users of wool in this country, are flat out at the moment, says Millton, who is chairman of the Wool Research Organisation of NZ (WRONZ). The lower dollar is also contributing. Either wool demand is increasing, or the supply is reducing, but all those things together “have given farmers’ wool cheques quite a lift,” he told Rural News. “That is quite significant. You can put it down to all those things – supply issues, demand issues and people perhaps wanting to use NZ wool because of its superior production or processing capability. “Hopefully the NZ wool industry is on a better path. Definitely three years ago it was below the level of production and now we are seeing some profits coming to farmers from wool production. “After they have shorn their sheep there is a reasonable amount left. It’s not substantial but that rise has been pretty useful.” He says the clean wool price is now at least $6/kg whereas two years ago it was $4-$4.50. “Mid micron wool has been a star performer,” Millton says. “It has started to really increase in price and compete with Merino. The apparel trade has boosted that.” – Pam Tipa
MEAT INDUSTRY EXCELLENCE NOT QUITE DEAD FROM PAGE 1
“While we are disappointed that we were unable to reform the industry as part of a co-op solution, we feel proud of the huge effort we have each put in; however it is now time to pull back and focus on other important areas of our lives.” In October chairman Pete McDonald resigned following SFF shareholders voting to approve the Shanghai Maling deal. MIE has appointed Nelson farmer
MORE FUNDS WANTED MEAT INDUSTRY Excellence will file a remit at Beef + Lamb NZ’s annual meeting seeking financial support. MIE spokesman John McCarthy says it will be seeking cash from the $4 million BLNZ had set aside for joint marketing with meat companies. Meat companies ruled out putting $4 million into the joint promotion of the origin of NZ lamb and beef.
McCarthy says BLNZ was funded by compulsory levies from farmers while MIE has had to struggle financially. “MIE is putting its hands into the same pockets of farmers who are funding BLNZ.” McCarthy says farmers will be asked to support a remit asking BLNZ to provide financial assistance to MIE.
Dave McGaveston as new chairman. “We have regrouped under the chairmanship of Dave McGaveston and have a formidable team to keep the real issues in front of our meat companies and suppliers,” MIE says. McGaveston and his wife Jude and family farm sheep and beef at Tapawera in the Nelson area. They also have a dairy farm supplying the Westland Milk co-op. MIE says this gives McGaveston a good insight into how a cooperative company should and does work.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
4 NEWS
Animal ‘extremists’ come under fire PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE – that’s how New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen describes the animal rights group SAFE’s placement of an anti-NZ dairying advertisement in a UK newspaper. Peterson told Rural News he’s frustrated at the way SAFE has gone to a market and tried to tell them that the actions of a very few rogue dairy farmers in NZ was commonplace. He says no one condones the behaviour of the few bad farmers, but for SAFE to imply this common practice is simply incorrect.
Peterson says there will consumers who will not treat SAFE’s comments as coming from a bunch of nutters and the messages about dairying will resonate with some people. He adds that NZ should not treat SAFE as a bunch of nutters – because it’s been proven overseas that when large organisations take people like this to court, or respond, the smaller group gains a lot of public attention and traction. “In my view this is an anti-farming campaign and a one-advertisement campaign. It is not a prolonged campaign, but cleverly they have decided to try to use the media furore and social media links to that
advertisement as a way of getting their message across,” Petersen says. “I don’t think the advertisement will have lasting damage, but in social media its effects could linger on.” Peterson says while the UK is not a large market for NZ dairy products, the SAFE advert has the potential to affect all dairy producers including those in the UK. Federated Farmers dairy chair Andrew Hoggard says care needs to be taken when responding to SAFE’s campaign. He agrees with Petersen’s view that a heavy handed response will only give the activist group more ‘oxygen’ for its cause. “The simple fact is
that they are promoting the vegan lifestyle so nothing we ever do is going to appease them,” Hoggard told Rural News. “They will grab images that totally shock and then use those as the lead into push people towards veganism. As an industry we need to work hard to make sure the things that are abhorrent don’t take place. “I’d prefer as an industry that we devote ourselves to positive things rather than having an argument with these guys, because I don’t see the value of having an argument with them.” Hoggard says the dairy industry needs to make a concerted effort to inform the public about basic
farming practices. He’s amazed how many people who saw the television programme didn’t seem to realise that a cow has to have a calf in order to produce milk. Hoggard adds that the industry has to get tough on farmers who flaunt the regulations on farming and he knows of cases where dairy companies have refused to collect milk from farmers who have treated their stock badly. He adds that every year Feds and DairyNZ put out advisory notes to farmers on how to treat bobby calves. “I am guessing the people who leave the cages with bobby calves in beside the road don’t give
NZ special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen.
a rat’s arse about industry good, aren’t members of Federated Farmers and resent paying a DairyNZ
levy and all the rest of it,” Hoggard says. “They are also probably not reading those messages.”
FARMERS FIGHT BACK A CAMPAIGN designed to tell good news farming stories had attracted more than 1000 followers within the first 24 hours of being launched last week. The Proud to be NZ Farmers campaign, announced by businessman and beef and deer farmer Shane McManaway, was kick-started with a Facebook page inviting anyone associated with New Zealand agriculture to share their positive news stories and talk about the pride they feel for their profession. McManaway says the #ProudNZFarmers campaign is to get farmers to come out of their shells and show the world the positive and passionate side of NZ farming. “Agriculture is one of NZ’s biggest businesses, it is the backbone of our BIRDPROOF RAFTERS
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS 5
Lincoln struggles to accommodate new student intake LINCOLN UNIVERSITY is copping criticism for the way it is allocating beds to would-be new students for 2016. The farming-focussed uni, south of Christchurch, is raising the ire of the parents of youngsters wanting to study there next year. They have told Rural News they are concerned their high-achieving students are missing out on the limited accommodation because the uni is even-handed towards lesser-achieving students. The university admits it faces challenges in the logistics of meeting huge demand for accommodation. “Apparently the halls at Lincoln had many more applications than there were places available for
2016 and Lincoln subsequently used random selection to choose who got offered places,” said one affected parent, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal. “Academic achievement and other attributes were not considered. This seems unusual compared to other universities – especially given the effort in trying to get top students and potential leaders into the rural sector.” Meanwhile, Lincoln has been slow to reply to questions put to it by Rural News about these claims, and it fudged many direct queries put to it six weeks ago. Rural News asked the following: The criteria upon which students are
chosen for accommodation? Is it on a first-in, firstserved basis? Are factors like student grades taken into account? Universities want to attract the best and brightest; so does Lincoln factor in academic achievement when making its accommodation decisions? How many accommodation places are available at Lincoln in 2016 and how many potential students are on the wait list? But the university replied, via a spokesperson, to these queries with just a generic written statement: “Lincoln University is currently experiencing high demand for on-
campus accommodation and some applicants have been placed on a ‘waitlist’. We have already been able to go back to some of those students with an offer of accommodation as it has become available. “Other accommodation options are also available and the university’s accommodation team are working with students to assist them. The university is in contact with all wait-listed students. “The university is working to minimise concerns for students and their parents.” In early December, Lincoln came back to Rural News with a media release announcing new accommodation planned for next year, saying it
was “moving to meet high levels of demand for student accommodation, creating 65 new beds by commissioning new relocatable buildings and refurbishing existing ones”. Lincoln adds that it “intends” creating the extra capacity by semester one next year. “The university is working hard to make sure any student who wants to stay on campus can be accommodated,” deputy vice-chancellor Sheelagh Matear, says in the release. “It is part of the ‘Lincoln experience’ to be on campus with other students, and more students than ever are saying they want to be here.” Matear says she is
Lincoln has copped criticism for the way it allocates accommodation to potential students.
confident the proposed plan – along with other efforts already underway to house students –
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FARMERS TOLD TO SHOP AROUND FARMERS ON the South Island east coast are looking to move their stock to greener pastures as the hot, dry weather intensifies. Federated Farmers is encouraging drought affected farmers struggling due to the dry El Nino weather to continue destocking as necessary and to think further afield. “Farmers who have stock to shift should start thinking outside the regions they would usually sell to,” says feds meat and fibre chair Rick Powdrell. “Likewise, if you have sur-
plus feed and can assist farmers in areas struggling with drought by taking on stock, broaden your search – there are bound to be farmers who need a hand. “This is an industry issue, we all need to think about assisting these farmers, to maximise the potential of these animals while keeping their welfare front of mind,” he says. Powdrell says there are various avenues farmers can consider when looking to buy or sell stock. “Maintaining close contact with traditional channels such as your
meat company and agent will be helpful, and they may be able to assist with getting your stock to other parts of the country or helping you to find stock to take on,” he says. “There are also new alternative methods emerging such as Stock X, a secure online trading platform. Those with stock to sell can create listings and potential buyers from anywhere in the country can browse the listings.” Stock X has pledged a fifth of its commission to support
drought-affected farmers in Canterbury. Powdrell says the welfare of the animals must remain paramount on farm and throughout transport. “It goes without saying that all animals need to be confirmed fit for transport before they commence their journey.” He adds that farmers requiring support throughout the rest of this season or who have concerns for friends or neighbours should get in touch with their local Rural Support Trust.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
6 NEWS
The good, the bad and the u Another year has almost passed us by – again – and it is time for the annual review of 2015’s good, bad and ugly in regards to the primary sector as seen by the Rural News editorial team… farmers will be expecting to see a divTHE GOOD: Top chief executive in the primary idend in better prices. While Surveyor sector: Lain Jager, Zespri; inspiring, has steadied the ship at Alliance, he has brilliant leadership to bring the kiwi- a fight on his hands keeping the Invercargill co-op in the game with a fruit industry back from the cashed-up SFF fighting for brink following the ravages falling numbers of livestock. of PSa. Top industry: kiwifruit Landcorp’s Steven – by a country mile. Great Carden is doing a great connection between growjob in promoting talent ers, scientists and marketand fostering innovaers and some serious smart tion at the SOE, but has goal setting. Also ran a brila long way to go in turnliant innovation conference. ing the lumbering entity Great promotion on a into a good earner for budget: the Campaign taxpayers. for Wool NZ Trust The new faces headed by Waipuleading the two big Lain Jager, chief executive of the kurau wool broker meat co-ops: SFF’s year – again! Philippa Wright and Dean Hamilton and Alliance’s David Surveyor are a breath funded by PGG Wrightson. This group of fresh air in the staid red meat sector. has put a neat display of wool in a shipHamilton has led SFF through its ping container and are taking it around merger with Shanghai Maling and now schools to let young people see and get
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Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has moved up the rankings. He’s handled some tricky issues well and deserves credit for this. His office is one of the most media friendly in governthe feel of wool. ment and his speeches Best event: it has to be are much better. MPI the Ahuwhenua Trophy is also showing slight awards dinner. Limited signs of improvement; to just 650 people this we’ll see what 2016 proyear but will be back to duces. 850 in 2016. Great showLabour’s Pricasing of the success of mary Industries spokesMaori agribusiness and man Damien O’Connor done in a style few deserves an honourcould emulate. Philippa Wright – earned kudos able mention; he conConference of for the Wool NZ Trust campaign. tinues fighting the fight the year: who else but Zespri with its innovation con- for the ag sector in an increasingly agference. Well organised, great speak- unfriendly party. Outgoing Trade Minister Tim ers and futuristic. Also of note – the Groser: all his hard work getting the HortNZ and FoMA conferences. Awards for innovation: Landcorp TPP progressed, if it comes through, for its high-value diversification pro- will be a huge win for NZ’s primary gramme, in particular sheep milking. sector. A clear well-articulated vision well executed. It also hosted a great evening to THE BAD: showcase its new joint venture high- PR disasters Obviously Fonterra – but which one? value products.
The so-called cut in salary of chief executive Theo Spierings? The callous way it handled the downsizing (ie sackings) of 750 employees? The abysmal way it told farmers it was imposing new limits on PKE use? The botched way it tried to stymie debate over the Armer/Gent proposal to cut director numbers? Or the most recent hatchet job where it is playing heavy with contractors and suppliers around the country by demanding they reduce their prices by 10% and/ or saying payments would now be sent 61 days after the end of the month of the invoice? Sadly the corporate arm of Fonterra lets down all the good work being done in the company in the research and dayto-day running of the organisation. The worry beads in the industry are working overtime as Fonterra stumbles from one PR disaster to another. Compares favourably with the English rugby team for its big talk and poor results. MPI probably does great things, but its PR machine fails miserably to meaningfully connect with media. It seems the message will never get through. A clone of Fonterra.
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NEWS 7
e ugly – 2015 in review ‘Pathways to Long Term Sustainability’ report is still a mystery. However, MIE really lost the plot and any residual credibility when it played the race card and used ridiculous scare tactics in a desperate effort to stop farmers supporting the SFF/ Shanghai Maling deal. It failed miserably – with SFF shareholdTHE UGLY: ers giving the deal a massive The fight of the majority – and it is now just year: only the meat another failure in an indusindustry. This sector try littered with a history of can’t seem to help failure. itself and farmers are Unfortunately, red largely to blame for meat prices remain awful the ongoing chaos. The and there is no immeMeat Industry Exceldiate sign of recovery. lence (MIE) group If farmers one day are started off with a required to get a bang a couple of consent to farm, a years back, with Damien O’Connor – keeps battling on. condition should huge farmer support and real momentum for industry be that they spend a day with Zespri change. But MIE soon got caught up and learn all about collaboration. in regular carping and sniping, which Quote of the year: “I have only two balls and neither of put many offside and it became little more than a screaming skull of mal- them is crystal”: one chief executive’s contents. How it managed to screw response to a board asking what the $200K of industry-good money for its dairy payout might be. The Greens active dislike and contempt for the farming sector was made apparent when it replaced the hapless, but harmless, Stefan Browning with staunch lefty and environmentalist Eugenie Sage as its primary industries spokes‘person’ earlier this year.
calves out in the sun. The to work collaboratively for the benefit Runner up: dairy companies should of the environment, so why give them “That’s bullshit”: strike them off their sup- taxpayers’ cash? SFF chairman Rob pliers’ list. Hewett’s two-word, Worst chief executive of the year: Then there’s succinct reply to Hard to go past Fonterra’s Theo SAFE – using emo- Spierings – the man who sacks staff and claims made by NZ tive phases like, then collects a pay rise. It’s been a year First that the meat ‘taking babies from of blunder after blunder by the dairy co-op had tried to meet their mothers’ instead giant and many industry people are with Finance Minister of calves from cows saying ‘isn’t it time someone else ran Bill English for over and its act of treach- Fonterra?’ Not everything from overa year to discuss its ery in placing a seas is excellent. Overseas people lack financial woes and Theo Spierings – a bad year for both grossly mislead- the ability to grasp the NZ culture and had been repeatedly him and Fonterra. ing advert in a UK newspaper. All this tell the NZ story the NZ way. rebuffed. shows again this group is nothing but 2015’s Ag Person of the Year: Under the radar award: Westland Milk Products for quietly a bunch of publicity-seeking vegan Mike Petersen. As NZ’s spegoing down the value add track and nutters who enjoy the benecial agricultural trade envoy becoming a highly successful cooper- fits dairying brings to the Petersen does an outstandative much loved by its parochial pas- economy, only to rubbish ing job in fighting for and it at the first opportunity. sionate shareholders. promoting our primary Meanwhile, it’s time the Idiots of the year award: sector. His work is often Those people who mistreated calves Government pulled the done under the radar and in Waikato and sullied NZ’s reputation plug on Fish and Game on the sidelines at all the big, internationally, which allowed another NZ’s status and funding. international trade negotibunch of fringe idiots – in the form of Its petty childlike tanations. Petersen is pasSAFE – to gain some public traction. trum in pulling out of sionate, professional, One hopes that MPI can succeed in LAWF shows its true hard-working and a fanprosecuting all concerned, including colours. F&G has Mike Petersen – the 2015 tastic communicator. He the dopey farmers who left their bobby proven it doesn’t want Ag Person of the year. is our Ag Person of 2015.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
8 NEWS
Managing a real prick of a weed RICHARD COSGROVE
AS FAR as farming nightmares go, finding an invasive biosecurity pest on your farm ranks up there with the worst of them. And for many farmers nationwide that nightmare is real when they discover Chilean needle grass on their farm. The prickly pest is an arable equivalent of the Terminator of cinema fame. It’s hard to kill, resistant to temperature change and difficult to identify – unless it is in seed. It can lie dormant in the soil for at least 10 years ready to surface when conditions are ripe. The weed has infested at least 110 sites in Hawkes Bay and a further 110 sites in Marlborough, but is only a recent invader in Canterbury with only 14 sites discovered. The regional council, Environment Canterbury, has joined forces with
farmers to battle the pest in the hope of containing it. ECan principal biosecurity advisor Laurence Smith hosted a field day for interested parties last week at the Cheviot school hall. A morning of presentations was followed by a visit to two sites where Chilean needle grass has been discovered, showing the success of containment efforts. Containment is the key for the 160ha Mount Beautiful vineyard, nestled in the rolling hills north of Cheviot, where Chilean needle grass was discovered in 2008. Since then the vineyard has effectively become an island as they have implemented extensive biosecurity protocols to keep the pest at bay. Vineyard manager Finn Grieve has supervised an effort that includes a washdown pad for vehicles that have been off road and are now leaving the site. All on-site machinery is also washed down after use to limit the spread around the farm.
Mount Beautiful vineyard manager Finn Grieve, right, talks to farmer John Mason about the Chilean needle grass behind him.
The prickly pest is an arable equivalent of the Terminator of cinema fame. It’s hard to kill, resistant to temperature change and difficult to identify – unless it is in seed. It can lie dormant in the soil for at least 10 years ready to surface when conditions are ripe.
Carl Forrester
All 23 workers on the site have been educated on how to spot it and all vehicles have info stickers. All grass stays on the vineyard and all the gates were locked. A buffer zone is sprayed around the vineyard each spring. All this is doubly impressive since the vineyard has done this for the community’s benefit: Chilean needle grass has no effect on their business, but would have a devastating effect on the surrounding farms if it spread. The containment sump for the washdown pad cost the vineyard $50,000 to build. Grieve hopes that with their aggressive programme of identifying, spraying and mowing that in 10 years they will have sent the grass packing. The second site visited was the farm of Carl Forrester, where a slightly different approach has been taken. Forrester discovered Chilean needle grass not long after he bought the farm in 2011 and with ECAN’s help has been able to effectively manage it. After helicopter spraying and burning the land, then tractor and knapsack spraying, Forrester planted
the affected land with a mixture of lucerne, Italian ryegrass and oats, which is too much competition for the Chilean needle grass. Smith says if you can crop the ground where the grass is you can manage it. Forrester offered key pieces of advice such as don’t panic, close off the block and concentrate on each site one at a time. Timing of spraying is important and tractor spraying for them appeared
more successful than helicopter spraying; brassicas and short rotation grasses are all good crops to suppress the Chilean needle grass; get stock off the paddocks before it goes to seed and send them straight to the works. For ECAN’s Laurence Smith Chilean needle grass is only one of 88 pests he has to battle in Canterbury, but for him the effort is worth it if they can keep it contained. He fears seeing it get established on steep hill country where containment options are limited.
Finn Grieve talks about the battle with Chilean needle grass.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS 9 INFANT FORMULA TO FEED SYNLAIT PROFITS INFANT FORMULA and nutritionals will dominate Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s sales over the next seven months. Synlait Milk chairman Graeme Milne told shareholders at its annual meeting last week that the financial year ending July 2016 will see strong growth in nutritional sales volumes and showcase the benefits of a value added strategy. Milne says the focus for the current financial year is on developing nutritional and infant formula products with key customers. “With the successful commissioning of our third largescale spray dryer in September and current increases in the sales volume of consumer packaged infant formula, I stand by my previous statement that our profitability will be in advance of anything achieved to date,” he told shareholders. Milne discussed global factors behind the decreases in international dairy market pricing; he says global dairy prices have decreased further since July this year to unsustainably low levels from a New Zealand farming perspective. “It’s important to understand our profitability is not directly affected by international dairy prices,” he says. “It impacts our revenue, but the value we create by differentiating milk inside the farmgate and throughout the manufacturing process creates a margin for our business that is essentially independent of the global pricing of commodities,” says Milne. “This margin is most evident in our nutritional products. The highlight in this category now is consumer packaged infant formula, which we expect to increase fourfold in volume in FY16.” Synlait Milk managing director and chief executive officer Dr John Penno pointed to the completion of Synlait’s growth initiative programme as a key milestone in the business’ strategy to make more from milk. “We’re now geared up to achieve our strategy. With one of the largest and highest specification infant formula production sites globally, we’ve created an integrated supply chain from source to our customers,” says Penno. “We will continue to partner with leaders in the infant formula industry, developing strong customer relationships that support our growth targets in FY16 and the future.” Penno invited shareholders to focus on the volume of nutritional sales as a key performance indicator for Synlait in FY16. “Our total sales volume is set to grow from FY15’s 97,800 MT to 122,500 MT in FY16. More than half of that growth will be the result of increased nutritional sales in consumer packaged infant formula, which carries a significant benefit in gross margin.” During the meeting all resolutions put to shareholders were passed. This included the re-election of Milne as a director; director fees will remain the same.
NET PROFIT ■■
■■
■■
Synlait Milk reported a net profit after tax of $12.2 million for 2015, compared with $19.6m the previous year. It reported after tax profit for 2015 of $10.6 million after accounting for unrealised foreign exchange losses. Revenue for the period was $448.1 million vs $600.5 million in FY14, largely due to decreases in dairy prices.
Would-be journalists attracted to farming A FIELD trip to a dairy farm and Massey University agri science facilities has helped change the attitudes of a group of postgraduate Massey journalism students. This was revealed in a paper presented to the recent Science Communicators Association conference by Dr Cathy Strong, a senior lecturer in journalism at Massey University. She and Rural News reporter Peter Burke organised the day. Strong says a survey of the students indicated the trip increased their knowledge of the primary sector by about 34% and more for students who came from an urban background. Strong says the agricultural project
Massey’s Cathy Strong and Rural News’ Peter Burke have been pushing the ag-sector to potential journalists.
involved each student writing a news report on the state of NZ agriculture and producing a video news item about an aspect of the field day. She says the survey of the students also showed the trip
increased their interest in covering agricultural stories. “What we were trying to do was entice bright young journalists to be able to cover agricultural stories. There is no doubt that the experience of
seeing farming firsthand helps in this process.” Strong says a similar trip is planned for next year. Meanwhile, Rural News reporter Peter Burke also presented details of a field trip
for secondary school teachers which he and DairyNZ’s Susan Stokes have organised for the last three years. He told the conference that the trip has now become a popular event for teachers, who say it gives them valuable information to direct young people into agricultural careers. One teacher told Burke they will be using the examples of the field day to include in business and economics classes. Others have commented on how much they have learned about the breadth of career opportunities in agriculture. Burke adds they have already been asked by some teachers to run the trip over two days and this is now being looked at.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
10 NEWS
Wool research gets funding boost PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
‘NEW USES for Wool’ will be the focus of a seven-year wool research
consortium which has just received $8.4 million in backing from the Government, says Wool Research Organisation of NZ (WRONZ) chairman
Derrick Millton. It could transform New Zealand’s wool industry, according to Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce
and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. Millton says the funding announcement from the Government is a significant achievement
for WRONZ. The Government will invest $8.4m over the seven years in the research partnership which is co-funded by the
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WRONZ and worth $21m overall. Millton says the new consortium takes on a selection of projects and some industry-good work. It concentrates on some work started by the last five-year consortium. But it will no longer do research on wool in carpet and flooring use which has been researched sufficiently. “What we call the ‘new uses’, which are noncarpet uses for crossbred wool, will now be researched, invested in and promoted,” Millton explained to Rural News. “We did the initial work for ‘new uses’ in the last consortium and they will be really fasttracked now with the new consortium. “That is a great thing for cross-bred wool growers. We can’t continually rely on just putting wool on the floor. Although it is important, it will not in future absorb as much of NZ’s production as it did once. “Even though wool carpets are very important to the industry still, there is not the volume of carpets being used that are wool. “The ‘new uses’ projects – which are a number of areas we
can invest in – will have substantially different outcomes for the wool industry.” He is sure some research will transfer to commercial production before that seven years is up. But he says with research you are not sure where you will end up. In the last five years they “certainly have got some runs on the board and some research being done by a number of providers and investors that is proving to be worthy of continued research”. Some of that information is commercially sensitive. Of the $21m the consortium will spend over the next seven years WRONZ will put in a percentage with every project. “But every project is different so you can’t say that one fits the lot,” he explains. As WRONZ chairman, Millton is delighted with the outcome but “it was an outcome we required otherwise the whole [wool] business would have become much smaller”. “MBIE looks at its projects very hard these days; they are very conscious of where they spend their money.”
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SCIENCE AND Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says the new research partnership is examining effective ways to deconstruct coarse wool fibre and reconstitute it in a range of new functional forms. “The innovative programme could expose vast new markets for New Zealand wool. It has already attracted strong interest from the high-value multinational cosmetics industry, and has the support of local farmers and wool processors.” Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says new funding will build on the successful work WIRL has already done in generating new ideas for wool, including novel textiles, bedding materials and filtration materials. “The Government is pleased to be investing in quality science that has the potential to grow the NZ wool industry.” The partnership investment mechanism is administered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS 11
New shed aims to bridge rural divide PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A MANAWATU dairy farmer has taken a major step to bridge the rural urban gap with the design of his new $1.5 million, 54 bail rotary dairy shed. James Stewart, Federated Farmers provincial president for the region, runs 500 cows on 200ha within the boundary of Palmerston North city. When he decided it was time to replace his much smaller shed, he designed the new one in such a way that it would be city-friendly. What Stewart has done – as well as building a modern, high spec, high tech shed – is include a viewing room from which 30 people can watch the
entire milking operation. “We are city farmers and are inside the Palmerston North city boundary. I always said if I built a new shed I’d build something that would cater for all the visitors we get because we are so close to the city,” he told Rural News. “They can see the milking process easily from the viewing room. In my role with Feds I’ve made a big push for that engagement with the urban population; so I thought let’s make it viewer friendly for people outside the dairy industry. We are only a short drive out here and if people want to come out and have look we can show them good practice farming and what it’s all about.”
Stewart says the viewing room cost a bit extra, but in the big scheme of things it was not huge. He’s had to shuffle a few things around to fit it in, but he feels it is well worth the investment. This view is shared by the mayor of the Manawatu District Council, Margaret Kouvelis, who with the mayor of Palmerston North city, Grant Smith, officially opened the shed last week. Kouvelis shares Stewart’s passion to help the urban community better understand how farmers operate and that they are not rogue individuals as suggested by the recent television footage of bobby calf abuse. “We can’t expect our citizens in the cities and
BELLS AND WHISTLES THE FINAL touches and adjustments are being made to the shed and the cows are expected to get their first experience of modern technology in action this week. Stewart says it’s gone slightly over budget and over time, but much of this was due to wet weather and the challenge of building the shed on clay. He says the shed has a few ‘bells and whistles’ such as automatic cup removers, teat spraying, testing for mastitis and drafting. But he says it has been designed in such a way that more technology – such as milk metering – can be added in the future. “I wanted labour efficiency, so
one person can drive the shed. I just wanted to move cows in as quickly as possible and have it labour-friendly and this is supported by technology,” he told Rural News. “I also wanted it to be water efficient; so there is a recycle flood wash which takes water from the pond and reuses it for the automatic flood wash.” Stewart says the latter was to reduce water for washdown and being more environmentally friendly. There is also one special but not so obvious feature in the shed. Being descendants of a famous Scottish clan they have a thistle cut-out on some of the supports in the shed.
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Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith, James Stewart and Manawatu District mayor Margaret Kouvelis at the opening of the new milking shed.
towns to understand the rural way of life unless we tell and show them; give them a feel and a smell and a touch and experience,” she urges. “This new shed is the ultimate rural experience and it’s from a family with extraordinary values. This is putting up the flag for the future and demonstrating what can be done. It shows our farmers are sustainable, innovative and are embracing new technology for the benefit of this country’s economy.” Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith says his city realises the value of the rural community,
adding that the rural economy and its people “fuel the city”. He says the initiative by Stewart and his family will do much to help educate children about the importance of the primary sector. Smith says other countries know just how good NZ farmers are and when he was in China recently the people there “craved” NZ farming practices. For Stewart, the shed opening came at the end of what he describes as a pretty rough week in
A room with a view: Visitors will be able to watch milking from the specially built viewing room.
the dairy industry, when it copped a lot of uninformed comment. “There is a real education need. We have a whole generation coming through that don’t understand what farming is about and think milk
comes from the supermarket,” he says. “We have 80,000 people in the city right on our back doorstep and one of the reasons why we did the viewing room was to have the ability to bring groups through.”
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
12 NEWS
Handling blamed for berry recall
SOIL NEEDS MORE LOVE PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A REPORT on the state of New Zealand soils has expressed great concern about the disproportionate amount of high-quality land being used for urban development. The report’s release coincided with world soil day on December 4. This year is also world soil year. Prepared for MPI by Landcare Research, the report says high quality versatile soils make up just 5.5% of NZ’s total land area and as they come under pressure hard choices have to be made on optimum and sustained use. It also says there is a lack of understanding of the interconnection between people, soils, plants and animals; consequently society is poorly informed about the importance of soil and wise soil management. The report says soil management needs have not been nationally prioritised and in coming years it will be crucial to avoid making decisions on land use that will have long-lasting or irreversible impacts. According to Landcare’s chief executive, Richard Gordon, part of the problem is that 15 years ago people claimed they knew
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
Landcare chief Richard Gordon.
everything about soil that was needed to be known and stopped investing money in soil science. That has now been shown to be wrong and far from the truth. He believes with the intensification of agriculture – in particular using irrigation on stony soils – this means leaching can be a problem. “There is a lot about these soils we didn’t know and are now getting to know. A lot of work has been done around Lake Taupo for instance on leaching and a lot of good work has been done on crops on the impact they have on leaching,” Gordon explains. “For example, work on lucerne – a deep rooted crop –
has trials being undertaken to see whether it can help to reduce nitrate leaching. “The other issue is erosion because what we do with our streams is important and in particular what we plant around our streams. They say what happens in fresh water starts on the land, so if we are not managing erosion we will have more sediment.” Gordon says one of the problems is that a lot of the experienced soil scientists are reaching retirement age and Landcare is making a special effort to put young scientists with an older cohort so they can learn from the former’s experience.
IF IMPORTED frozen berries caused the four recent cases of Hepatitis A, these must have been contaminated during handling, claims a scientific expert. Dr John Brooks, consultant microbiologist and director of Microtech Services, says the disease must have been in the berries through human waste – either through a handler, irrigation or contaminated water used in processing. Nelson based FSL Foods was last week voluntarily recalling several berry product lines after four cases of Hepatitis A were linked to packaged imported frozen berries. MPI was not ruling out further recalls. This follows an illness which was linked to prepackaged berries. There was concern in New Zealand last year when a Hawke’s Bay
fruit packhouse worker was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. Brooks says Hepatitis A does not colonise plants and fruits and cannot multiply on them. “The contamination has most likely come from an infected food handler, but might have come from human waste used for field irrigation or from faecally contaminated water used in processing. “There is nothing peculiar about berries; any food may be contaminated if infected handlers are careless about personal hygiene. A person known to be suffering from Hepatitis A should not be permitted to handle foods for others.” Dr Gail Greening, science leader/consultant, Environmental and Food Virology Laboratory, ESR, says the Hepatitis A virus shows high resistance to drying, heat, refrigeration, low pH, disinfectants and solvents and even survives in seawater for
three months. Pre-harvest contamination of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lettuce, semi-dried tomatoes and green onions, has been reported and has resulted in outbreaks of disease in Finland, the Netherlands, the US and Australia where populations have low or no immunity to the disease. MPI’s director plants food and environment Peter Thomson thanked FSL Foods for their cooperation in the recall. Any named recalled products at home should be discarded, he says. “In the meantime, our advice about all other imported frozen berries stays the same. People should wash their hands before eating and preparing food. Anyone who is concerned should briefly boil any imported frozen berries before eating them, or ensure cooking exceeds 85°C for one minute.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NEWS 13
From infant powder to spuds
A WELL-ROUNDED CANDIDATE POTATOES NZ chairman Stuart Wright says Claridge brings a wealth of horticultural, business, leadership and marketing experience to the role. “That will prove invaluable in building on the very good work already
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
PERHAPS YOU just can’t keep an Irishman from his potatoes. Potatoes NZ’s new chief executive of just a few weeks, Chris Claridge, holds duel Irish and New Zealand citizenship. And he definitely feels an affinity with his new industry after moving over into the position from recent dairy industry involvement. The potato industry is in good shape, Claridge told Rural News. “It’s a very cohesive industry; it has a clear strategic plan of what it wants to achieve over the next 10 years.” With about 170 growers to represent, Claridge says the first 100 days in the chief executive seat will be spent meeting and listening to growers, meeting processors and exporters, and understanding the industry. He needs to learn about how the potato association can add value to growers and help achieve the strategic objectives of the organisation. “There is a clear goal to improve exports,” he says. “There are three key goals: to increase the profitability per hectare for the growers, to double the value of fresh and processed exports in the next 10 years, and to enhance the value of the domestic market by 15% by 2025.” The industry has an innovation group to look at what value add could do for growers. “There are opportunities to look at other
markets for processed potatoes, and to look at innovative opportunities for potatoes,” he says. A project is planned with Plant and Food looking at adding value and downstream products from potatoes. However, Claridge said while talking to Rural News that he was yet to catch up with the full innovation programme – next on his to-do list. He is aware of one innovative project looking at using potato flour and potato protein. He says there is increasing recognition of gluten intolerance. “I am gluten intolerant myself so I am well suited to potatoes.” That along with his Irish citizenship, he jokes. “There are big opportunities in downstream processing of either waste streams or value added,” he says. “It’s a big crop of 500,000 tonnes of product so there are a lot of opportunities, a lot of scope for what can be done over time. Meanwhile ensuring increased yields and profitability for the growers is a prime concern. “Adding
year to the end of October, mostly to Australia but also to 27 other countries. Total exports in 2014 were worth $101m. “That’s a good range of countries we are exporting to and the dollar positioning is good.” Fresh exports will be about $24m to the end of December. Most of that goes to Fiji because there are barriers to fresh exports into other countries for phytosanitary reasons, Claridge says. They have just opened up Vietnam and are working with MPI and Vietnamese authorities to get fresh potatoes into that market which is exciting. There is a growing demand in South East Asia for potato products. There are no drought concerns at present. The nor’wester is starting to blow in Canterbury, but the irrigation is turned on and there is no shortage of supply. Pukekohe and Manawatu are not affected by dry at this stage. “There’s no risk to having new potatoes for Christmas, which is the most important thing,” he says.
value is good so long as that added value is returned to the farmers.” The bulk of processed exports are frozen potatoes, mainly fries, to Australia and South East Asian markets such as Japan and Thailand, a small amount to China, and to French Polynesia. $60m exports have gone out this
done towards achieving our goals of boosting productivity in the sector for the benefit of growers and the New Zealand economy.” Claridge studied horticulture at Lincoln University before gaining a masters in biotechnology at the University of Canterbury He founded one of NZ’s first organic food exporting businesses and led the Carrickmore dairy export company, developing extensive links in China. He also helped establish the New Zealand Infant Formula Exporters Association and is a member of the Royal Society and the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology. “Horticulture particularly, and the application of technology to biological systems, has been an enduring passion for me so I’m very pleased to step up to the challenge of lifting performance in the NZ potato sector,” Claridge says. “Potatoes are the third most-important crop in the world after rice and wheat and there is great potential to add value.” Claridge is also a former dean of business studies and senior lecturer in management at the Christchurch College of Education, has worked as a business advisor for Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce, and for 11 years ran his own agency specialising in marketing communica-
New Potatoes NZ chief executive Chris Claridge.
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Helping grow the country
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
14 MARKETS & TRENDS MARKET SNAPSHOT
BEEF MARKET TRENDS
LAMB PRICES
BEEF PRICES
LAMB MARKET TRENDS
NI
Change
c/kgCWT
P2 Steer - 300kg
n/c
M2 Bull - 300kg
5.40
5.40
6.20
5.50
n/c
Local Trade - 230kg
-10
M2 Bull - 300kg
P2 Cow - 230kg
4.20
4.80
5.30
5.30
5.75
4.20
5.25
4.65
n/c
3.80
5.35 4.65
3.85
-10
Local Trade - 230kg
5.90
4.20
n/c n/c
M Cow - 200kg
5.50
4.20
n/c
P2 Steer - 300kg
Last Year
n/c
M Cow - 200kg
2 Wks Ago
n/c
P2 Cow - 230kg
SI
Last Week
3.85 3.80
5.20
5.30
4.80 5.40
NI Lamb
Mutton
SI Lamb
MX1 - 21kg
4.00
PH - 22.0kg
Mutton
Export Market Demand Change
1.97
-15
NZ$/kg
2 Wks Ago
Last Year
5yr Ave
6.65
2.82 7.91
2.20
1.98
6.50
6.12
Change +1%
% Returned NI
+0%
% Returned SI
2Wks Ago 83.1% 71.5%
3 Wks Ago
82.0% 71.4%
Last Year
5yr Ave
79.61%
77.2%
68.2%
69.7%
1.95
8.95
1.91
8.67
Procurement Indicator Change -1%
-1%
2Wks Ago
3 Wks Ago
61.2%
62.0%
61.8%
63.1%
Last Year 5yr Ave 72.1% 69.8%
73.6% 67.0%
8.87
Last Year 5yr Ave
% Returned SI
8.74
1.60
2 Wks Ago
% Returned NI
Last Week 1.60
-13
NZ$/kg
6.06
3.27
n/c
6.05
2.78
5.33
Procurement Indicator
2.78
5.33
Export Market Demand
5.23
UK Leg £/lb
Last Week
-1
95CL US$/lb
6.03
5.23
6.01
5.33
5.33
5.23
5.23
6.16
6.15
-10
5.31
5.21
5.30
3.60
n/c
Change
6.13
5.20
6.11
5.28
5.26
5.18
5.16
3.10
-10
MX1 - 21kg
Last Year
3.10
-10
PX - 19.0kg
2 Wks Ago
n/c
-10
YM - 13.5kg
Last Week
Slaughter
-10
PH - 22.0kg
-10
PX - 19.0kg
4.00
-10
PM - 16.0kg
PM - 16.0kg
5.30
-10
YM - 13.5kg
5.40
Slaughter
Change
c/kgCWT
Venison Prices
Change
NI Stag - 60kg SI Stag - 60kg
Beef & venison prices are reported as gross (before normal levies & charges are deducted). Lamb & mutton prices are reported nett (after levies & charges are deducted).
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-30 -25
Last Week
2 Wks Ago
7.20
7.45
7.30
7.60
Last Year 5yr Ave 7.00 7.20
7.38 7.64
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
MARKETS & TRENDS 15 NEWS
PRICE WATCH Overseas Wool Price Indicators
WOOL PRICE WATCH BEEF:. Cattle slaughter trends in both islands are in sharp contrast to each other going into Christmas. Good pasture growth in the North Island is seeing many farmers choose to hold onto stock and put additional weight on. This has slowed slaughter numbers down and forced processors to compete for stock. With key market prices still depressed, the level of procurement has lifted sharply as the low slaughter numbers prevent any further schedule declines. Slaughter prices are expected to remain steady in the weeks to Christmas. In the South Island feed levels are under pressure from dry conditions forcing many farmers to offload earlier than typical. Slaughter numbers are high, and schedules are steadily declining. The supply of cattle is expected to begin to run thin in the new year, which may cease the decline in schedules as procurement competition steps up a pace.
SHEEP SLAUGHTER : Lamb slaughter in both islands is in full swing. In the South Island the dry conditions are seeing many offload earlier than typical and subsequently killing at lower weights. In the North Island lambs are finishing well and farmers are keen to move them through quickly given the threat of
summer drought. Reports suggest that lamb slaughter in both islands is well up in comparison to this time last year. Given the expected decline in lamb slaughter numbers for the 2015/16 season, high slaughter rates now are likely to lead to a supply gap come winter trade time, which could be supportive of global demand and also drive procurement competition during this period. Lamb schedules in both islands are steadily declining. High slaughter numbers combined with low market prices will see this trend continue into early 2016. Production for the EU easter chilled trade will run from mid January to mid February, this could provide some support for operating prices over this period. The mutton kill has also got off to a roaring start in both islands, with the kill well up on historical trends. This is a factor of some preparing in advance for a dry summer, but also there is a trend of many decreasing breeding ewe numbers as confidence in the industry is low.
SHEEP STORE: With lamb slaughter prices steadily declining in both islands, there was little to support store lamb prices in the weeks before Christmas. There is a general lack of confidence in the
Indicators in NZ$
Change
03-Dec
Last Year
26-Nov
Coarse Xbred
+1
5.94
5.93
5.12
Fine Xbred
-3
6.30
6.33
5.44
Lamb
-
-
-
6.21
Mid Micron
-
9.52
-
-
Change
Coarse Xbred Fine Xbred Lamb
03-Dec
Last Year
26-Nov
+4
3.94
3.90
3.97
+2
4.18
4.17
4.22
Mid Micron
-
-
-
4.82
-
6.32
-
-
Indicators in US$/kg
sector and this is really being felt in the store market. In the North Island, the market has held up better than expected however, as a grass market keeps demand solid. It is a different story in the South Island as a lack of feed severly restricts demand for store lambs. Southland
and the North Island are the only options for sale, and Southland is still suffering the effects of a very cold and wet spring. Store lamb prices have subsequently crashed and look to fall further as feed conditions deteriorate further.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
16 AGRIBUSINESS
The little co-op that could PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
WESTLAND MILK Products (WMP) chairman Matt O’Regan reckons his company punches well above its weight. This is despite the challenging times – especially the volatile global market. He told Rural News this makes it hard to predict the payout price: until the world surplus of milk is worked through it will be hard to change the present forecast of an ongoing low farmgate price for milk. He says dairy farmers on the West Coast are in survival mode and recognise the problems they are facing is the same for all New Zealand dairy farmers. O’Regan says one way to improve the payout is for Westland Milk to increase the amount of value products it produces. Currently this sits at around 15% and is set to double within the next two years. The West Coast is a challenging place to live and farm: it has high rainfall and is isolated. WMP went its own
way in 2001 when Fonterra was formed and hasn’t looked back since. “Back in 2001 when we went out on our own we were probably the most commoditised dairy company in NZ. We were recognised for quality powders, but we were very commoditised at the time,” O’Regan explains. “But it’s grown through that period and we can now produce high-value food products such as our nutritionals and UHT. These are game- changers for us and it is a big move for WMP to get into these areas.” Westland is faced with deciding whether to grow the volume of milk it collects or grow the value of the products it produces. One reason Westland stayed on its own in 2001 was to grow the dairy industry on the West Coast. It worked – the region’s milk production is now double the 2001 levels. But O’Regan says the returns farmers now require for their milk mean future processing facilities will need to add value above commodity products.
Chair Matt O’Regan says WMP punches well above its weight.
BORN AND BRED COASTER • Born and bred ‘Coaster’ who still farms the land his forbears settled on nearly 100 years ago at Inangahua, near Westport. • Came to the farm in 1978 and funded his way into the family business by the live capture of deer and other work. • He and his wife Carmel now own three farms, milk 1500 cows and hope to produce 580,000kgMS this season. • Elected to the WMP board in 2005 and chairman for past six years.
“It’s a crossroads I think Westland is coming to; we’re going to have pretty robust debate to make sure our shareholders are informed about it; and we must get their advice too.” O’Regan believes WMP will stay as a pure cooperative, but won’t rule out the possibility of it acquiring subsidiary companies that could add value and increase returns to farmer shareholders. He points to the decision to buy the EasiYo yoghurt company in 2010, but says it may be possible for WMP to be a part owner of another consumer brand type company.
“Being a cooperative we are financially constrained because all the money has to come from the shareholders or bank debt. It’s a structural issue we are going through at the moment and once we have a discussion paper prepared we’ll take this to our shareholders and see what comes through as the best options.” A big challenge for WMP is its collection area which is 440km long. Then there is the issue of transporting the finished product to Christchurch. Despite the costs of processing milk on the West Coast, WMP is very profitable. As the co-op moves down the value
add path, developing new products is a must. The company has its own innovation centre. “It’s not so much coming up with flash ideas, but being able to take on ideas and requirements from customers and have the ability and innovation to commercially make products that suit their needs,” O’Regan explains. WMP has its own company office in Shanghai and O’Regan says this will be crucial to Westland’s China strategy. He says the value a successful dairy co-operative creates is not seen in the assets of the co-op but is reflected in the value of its supplier member’s farms.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
AGRIBUSINESS 17
Banking on sustainable farming Blake Holgate, rural manager, sustainable farming systems, his role is to help farmers, Rabobank branch teams and the wider agricultural sector meet the challenge of staying competitive while adjusting to changing environmental regulations. Q. Why have New Zealand farmers been faced with increasing environmental regulation over the last couple of years? In 2011 the Government introduced the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM) to improve the quality of the freshwater in our waterways. Under the NPSFM, each of NZ’s 16 regional authorities are required to ‘maintain or improve’ the quality of waterways within their regions by setting limits for water quality and quantity. To meet those limits, regional authorities must then develop rules that minimise the loss of contaminants into our waterways. Farmers are being impacted by the limits and rules being established under the NPSFM (along with other sources of contaminant loss such as industrial and residential). Q. When will farmers have to comply with these
new regulations? Compliance will vary depending on which region their farm is located in. Regional authorities have until 2025 to put the rules and limits in place. Currently, authorities across NZ are at different stages in the limit and rule setting process. Some regions, such as Horizons and Otago, already have limits and rules in place; others such as Canterbury are well through the process, and many other regions are still in the early stages of developing their limits and rules. Consequentially, farmers in different regions can expect to be impacted
by freshwater limits and rules at different times over the next decade. Q. What exactly are farmers being required to do under these new environmental regulations? The exact approach taken to setting limits and rules will vary between regional authorities, depending on specific regional landscapes and farming systems. However, farmers across NZ should expect to face rules that require them to manage the loss of containments from their farmland to water. In terms of contaminant loss to waterways, pastoral farming systems produce three main contaminate types: the nutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), sediment, and faecal microbes (measured by concentrations of E Coli). Regulators are imposing rules that require farmers to employ good industry practice in those land management practices that can assist in reducing
contaminant losses from the farming system into the waterways (such as careful cultivation, stock grazing management, excluding stock from waterways, maintaining riparian buffer strips, targeted fertiliser application and reducing erosion risk). Regional authorities are also placing limits on the amount of N that can be leaching from the farming system. Because N is predominately lost via leaching below the root zone, it is harder to control by implementing good land management practices alone. For farmers who are high leachers of N, the limits imposed by
some regional authorities could have implications for how they run their farm systems. Q. What advice do you have for farmers concerned about the impact of changing environmental regulations? It is important that farmers understand the potential impact the changes will have on their farming business. Good environmental management is now a core function of farming. Farmers should develop their understanding of how contaminants are moving from their farming system into the waterways, and how their farm management decisions are affecting that contaminant loss. Farmers should then explore farm-specific strategies for decreasing these losses in the most cost efficient manner.
The most effective mitigation plans are those which entrench individual mitigation strategies within the wider farm system, and avoid taking a piece-meal approach to mitigation which focuses on individual mitigation practices. In those regions still developing their new environmental regulations, it is important farmers engage with their regional authority to ensure limits and rules are not unreasonably onerous and provide the right incentives to encourage the development and adoption of new technologies and techniques that will improve farm profitability and environmental performance. Q. Are these changes positive or negative for our industry? If done right, these
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changes will present many opportunities for NZ agriculture. It will enable the industry to develop a better understanding of how our land, water and farming systems are interacting, which will ultimately drive efficiencies in production and increased profitability (whilst protecting our environment). However, these opportunities will only be realised if regulation is fair and reasonable, and there is continued major investment in research and extension activities. • Blake recently authored a report titled: ‘Environmental Opportunities: Making regulations work for New Zealand’s sheep and beef farmers’. To request a copy, contact your local Rabobank branch on 0800 722 622.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
18 OPINION EDITORIAL
EDNA
Farming is never SAFE ‘GROSSLY IRRESPONSIBLE’ is how New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen has – rightly – described animal rights group SAFE’s placement of an anti-NZ dairy farming advertisement in a British newspaper. As Peterson says, the group has deliberately gone to the UK market and misleadingly said that the actions of these few, rogue dairy farmers are commonplace in the NZ dairy industry. Unfortunately, this will cause some damage because some consumers in the UK will not see SAFE’s comments as coming from a bunch of nutters; with them its messages about NZ dairying will resonate. Nevertheless, it is clear the actions of these few, bad farmers – and some rogue operators – has sullied the entire NZ dairy industry’s reputation and opened the window for SAFE’s attack. The agriculture sector needs to come to terms with the cold, hard fact that it is always under scrutiny: groups like SAFE, Fish & Game, Greenpeace and others are always looking for a chance to have a crack. Farmers and their industry organisations have to be exemplary in their actions – especially regarding animal welfare and environmental behaviour. And transgressors have to be punished, such as by losing their ability to farm or by dairy and meat companies refusing to take their products. If not, the whole industry will suffer, as in this most recent case. If you don’t think farming has an image problem among urban people, just read the comments on online stories run in the mainstream media about farming issues. Far and away the vast majority of the comments are negative and dismissive of farming and farmers. If you don’t believe this, read the comments on the bobby calf issue. SAFE is a bunch of nutters on an anti-farming campaign – but that is what the industry must put up with. As Federated Farmers dairy chair Andrew Hoggard says, care needs to be taken in responding to these types of campaigns. A heavy-handed response only gives SAFE and other anti-farming groups more of a platform and oxygen for their cause. Hoggard sums it up nicely, saying that as an industry farming needs to work hard to prevent the things consumers find abhorrent; and the industry must get tough on farmers who flaunt the regulations governing farming. As a sector, agriculture has to walk the walk, not just talk the talk in this regard. That is the only way it will continue to garner public support and consumer confidence.
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THE HOUND
Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz
Milking it
Just weird
YOUR OLD mate reckons the self-professed friend of bobby calves – the Dutchman who wants to single-handedly destroy NZ’s dairy industry, Hans Kriek, and others at the animal welfare extremist group SAFE, may not be in it just for the animals – as they claim. It seems good old Hans and his fellow extremists on the payroll at SAFE are living high off the hog (free-range and never going to slaughter of course). A quick read of SAFE’s accounts for the 2014-15 year show that of the donations given to the group last year, Kriek and colleagues paid themselves $666,173 out of a total of $912,254. The Hound notes that Kriek and Co also managed to spend over $15,000 on international travel – so it seems bugger-all was spent on saving animals.
THIS OLD mutt has always thought of the extremist group SAFE’s top man Hans Kriek as pretty weird – and not just because of his crazy views on animals or his strange ‘Dr Evil’ accent. His weirdness was confirmed in an old newspaper report about his and his equally weird wife’s beliefs. According to the 2007 report, the Krieks are avowed vegans and were quoted in a story on vegansexuals (people who do not eat any meat or animal products and who choose not to be sexually intimate with nonvegan partners whose bodies, they say, are made up of dead animals). “Christchurch vegan Nichola Kriek would not describe herself as vegansexual, but said it would definitely be a preference,” the news article reported. Yep, just plain weird.
Yap, yap
Good name MEANTIME, SPEAKING of actual animal welfare issues… the Hound was tickled by the name of a new drug recently released in Australia that aims to relieve the pain lambs suffer during castration and tail docking. The cheekily named NumNuts – developed by Meat & Livestock Australia and Scottish engineering firm 4cDesign – have a single action handheld ring activator and injection mechanism to administer a local anaesthetic – lignocaine, as used by dentists. In trials the product was seen to reduce pain behaviour such as tucked-up posture, bleating and lying down. The anaesthetic acts in 30-60 seconds of injection and remains active for about four hours by which time the tissue in the testes and tail is dead, eliminating residual pain.
A MATE of the Hound reckons Fonterra’s Shareholder Council has proven it’s nothing more than a lapdog of the Fonterra board rather than a watchdog for the co-op’s farmer shareholders. He suggests the council’s directive to farmers not to vote for the Gent/ Armer resolution at the recent annual meeting has removed any doubt about its poodle status. Your canine crusader notes that the council has been accused of being a lapdog since Fonterra’s formation and it’s pretty hard to argue against the claim when something like three of its former chairmen have gone on to become Fonterra directors – including the current chairman ‘Little’ Johnny Wilson.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
OPINION 19
Extremists’ views place heavy cost on farming and consumers THE ‘BUSINESSMAN’ who threatened the New Zealand dairy industry with 1080 contamination in baby formula if use of the pest-killing poison wasn’t terminated was apparently intending to gain economic advantage for a product of his own. If he is found guilty, the maximum sentence for the charges is 14 years imprisonment. At the arrest, Police Commissioner Mike Bush stated: “Today’s development sends a clear message on how seriously we take threats of this criminal nature and how we will use every resource, no matter how long it takes, to [meet them].” The total cost to the police by October was over $3 million; to the dairy industry it was considerably higher because of extra testing and security measures. Estimates for the security guards for Fonterra alone are over $15 million – money that could otherwise have been returned to the shareholders. At the time, public sentiment appeared to indicate less understanding of the ‘businessman’s’ action
motivated by financial gain than of activism against 1080. Outrage was high at greed endangering the dairy sector; ideology is easier to comprehend. Now the dairy industry is dealing with activism by Farmwatch and SAFE against production systems, at the same time as these groups are claiming victory in a change in sow management. NZ pork producers now have the highest standards for sow breeding units in the world. They also have a declining share of the pork product market in NZ, as more and more consumers buy imported, cheaper, pork products. Just like egg producers, pig farmers are doing what society said it wanted, and watching consumers choose product from production systems they have said they don’t want – because of price. For dairy it is difficult to understand what SAFE really wants. Certainly there is never any excuse for cruelty – not with farm animals, pets, children or partners. Certainly NZ has strict codes of animal welfare to which most animal handlers adhere. And the petfood company
Producing enough high quality protein for the ever-increasing global population would be the challenge, and improved cropping technologies would be needed in order to minimise environmental impact on soil and atmosphere. involved in the bobby-calf issue has been upfront in saying that the behaviour filmed by SAFE was not acceptable which was why the people involved had been sacked. But SAFE has still run the ‘dairy cruelty’ advertisement in the UK newspaper The Guardian. Dairy product exports to the UK are small. Social media, however, has a big reach and the advertisement is damaging to our reputation. If the image ‘takes off’, questions will be asked about European production systems; because all dairy production systems involve separating mother and offspring, answers won’t be easy to find. The bigger agenda for SAFE could be a drive towards veganism – to give up animal production systems altogether.
Producing enough high quality protein for the ever-increasing global population would be the challenge, and improved cropping technologies would be needed in order to minimise
environmental impact on soil and atmosphere. The problem with crops is that they need nutrients and water, and must be protected from pests and diseases – as do animals. The animals, however,
yield high quality energy and protein and can be grown almost anywhere whereas crops are restricted to cultivatable land. Adding poultry into the diet with eggs and meat increases the quality of human intake efficiently, but grain is still needed, and grain is a crop. There are no easy answers. In Auckland protein shakes are being consumed instead of milk - with no comprehension of where the protein in the shake originates (usually whey).
The fundamental problem is clearly lack of understanding about how food is produced and the innate nature of the stewardship and husbandry relationship with the soil, plant and animal. Reputational damage used to result in ‘pistols at dawn’. The modern day equivalent might not be 14 years imprisonment, but should be investigated; the potential cost to the global dairy industry is high. • Jacqueline Rowarth is professor of agribusiness, The University of Waikat0.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
20 OPINION
Flush the dunny on 2015, bring on 2016! THERE’S NO doubt 2015 has been a tough year for those of us in the agricultural contracting sector. We’ve had cold, wet weather in some regions and hot, dry conditions in others – resulting in poor or little growth. Dairy prices came back hard from record highs, as did beef, and sheepmeat returns have remained static at best. On a brighter note, we have seen the NZ dollar down against the greenback and the most recent GDT auction saw a much needed bump in prices. However, as this year draws to a close, most of us will – to paraphrase World Cup winning All Black coach Steve Hansen – like to “flush the dunny on it and move on” to 2016. Meanwhile, late last month I had the privilege of attending Federated Farmers’ annual conference on behalf of Rural Contractors NZ. As I said in my report to the conference: as the Feds does for farming, so RCNZ plays an
Recent changes to the Health and Safety Act and the formation of WorkSafe NZ make it important that employers and employees know their rights and responsibilities in health and safety issues in the workplace.
important role as the leading advocate for rural contractors throughout the country. A key issue in recent years for the rural contracting sector – and the wider agriculture industry – has been the ability to attract young people to careers in the primary sector. During the past couple of years there has been significant media coverage of the efforts being made to try to encourage and attract young people into agriculture and horticulture. RCNZ has continued to lobby government and immigration officials on the shortage of skilled machine operators in the rural contracting industry and this year we
have made great progress. Contractors registered with RCNZ will now be able to apply to bring in overseas workers under our umbrella, rather than go through all the hoops and hurdles they currently have to as individuals. This new scheme will see RCNZ applying for an approval in principle (AIP) on behalf of all contractors who will then be able to apply online for a visa for the person being recruited – without having to advertise, go to WINZ or any the other requirements now causing so much difficulty. Another big issue for the agricultural sector, over the past year, has been health and safety. Recent changes to the Health and Safety Act and the formation
of WorkSafe NZ make it important that employers and employees know their rights and responsibilities in health and safety issues in the workplace. As a sector we must get to grips with changes to health and safety regulations. Big changes are coming that will affect rural contractors and farming. The penalties for getting it wrong – should anyone suffer a major accident at their workplace – will be severe. That’s why RCNZ spends a good deal of time and resources on getting involved with and working alongside others to improve and enhance the safety of members and their staff. An example of this was the work RCNZ did – alongside Fed Farmers
and others – with WorkSafe NZ to ensure the opinions of rural contractors were part of any new codes of practice being developed under the new Health and Safety Reform Bill for work done on and around farms. Organisations like RCNZ and Federated Farmers work for the good of all our members and industry. That’s why RCNZ will continue to foster and enhance its ties with Federated Farmers and further strengthen our mutually beneficial relationship. As this will be my last column for the year, I wish all contractors and their families a safe, happy and prosperous festive season (since we are not allowed to use the word ‘Christmas’ anymore). Let’s hope 2016 brings good weather, high commodity prices and plenty of rural contracting work. • Wellsford agricultural contractor Steve Levet is the president of the Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).
ag twits Rural News’ irreverent and hypothetical look at what’s happening in the farming world Top Bleats view all hanskrieksafe: Assh a well-known animalsh lover – and not jusht in the biblical senshe – I find it rathsher dishturbing that in New Zhealand dairy farmshers actshually farmsh dairy cowshs. #veganforlife #meatismurder ahoggardfedfarms: So @hanskrieksafe, you sat on that bobby calf footage for 15 months before releasing it to a sensationalist TV programme? Good thing you care more about animal welfare than publicity, eh! #fullofit #meattastesgood hanskrieksafe: Listshen @ahoggardfedfarms, I do lovesh little birdsh, wormsh, sheepsh and calvesh, but it is justsh that I lovesh publishity more! #mediawhore ahoggardfedfarms @hanskrieksafe: To misquote Nigel Powers – father of Austin – there are only two things I hate in this world : racial intolerance and Dutch animal extremists! You just hit the jackpot. #2for1 #nutjob jcollinsminister: Thanks@johnkeypm for reinstating me back into the Cabinet. It makes it much easier for me to stab you in the front now; rather than in the back from the backbenches. #backinthetent @johnkeypm: No worries @jcollinminister, but I might borrow one of those stab-proof vests you introduced to the force last time you were police minister. #watchingmybackfrontandsides @johnmcarthymie: It’s great to see that MIE will continue fighting the good fight in the meat industry – despite more resignations from its executive than Colin Craig’s political party. Actually I wonder if Colin is available to join MIE? #whatisthepoint #whatdowedonow #whoisleft #whocares tgrosserusambassador: I’m off to the US of A to try to negotiate with the likes of Donald Trump and the gun lobby – much more rational proponents than trying to get sense out of the anti-TPP fanatics like Jane Kelsey or climate change doomsayers in the Green Party! #bliss #solongsuckers tspieringsfonterra: You know I havshe mucsh in commonsh withsh @hanskrieksafe – we are both Dutchsh and both of ussh are shlowy destroying the NZ dairy indushtry in our own waysh. #doubledutch #timeforanotherpayrise
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
MANAGEMENT 21
Summer delicacy take a lot of work ASPARAGUS ON supermarket shelves usually points to summer being just around the corner A sizeable portion of New Zealand’s production comes from Boyds Asparagus, Cambridge, which deals with 280ha of the crop from seven key growers. (Total asparagus-growing land in NZ is reckoned to total about 500ha.) Asparagus is a perennial member of the lily family, along with onions, leeks and garlic, deriving its name from the Greek ‘shoot’ or ‘sprout’. In NZ the harvest usually starts about midSeptember and is over by Christmas. Growing the crop takes patience in the early days, after planting crowns 150mm deep in suitable ground. There is a three-year wait for production with only annual topping of the fern in autumn and a little cultivation to bury trash and reduce compaction. Preseason there is herbicide spray to apply, but no pesticides are needed because the crop is not troubled by pests. Establishment costs about $13,000/ha. Once harvest begins the work is
Boyds Asparagus deals with 280ha of the 500ha of the crop grown in NZ.
the spears, cuts to length using a fine water jet and then grades according to diameter. From here, the industrious crew looks for blemishes and then weighs the spears into either 250gm standard bunches or a specific weight for individual markets – such as Japan which demands a 100g serving. After packing, the product returns to the chiller to be held at the important 2oC.
from customers the crop is transferred from store to the facility where it will move along one of four production lines staffed by 100-120 people. Three lines were locally designed and produced, but the latest addition was sourced from Germany, costing $300,000, and has a capacity of 45,000 spears throughput per hour. In practice, this machine separates
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Throughout the 100-day harvest, Boyds normally handle around 900 tonnes of asparagus, with 600 destined for NZ consumption and the remainder heading for processing or export, while around 10 tonnes leaves the premises each day on its way to a central distribution point or the airport. Throughout the process quality is the key with care taken over arriving crop and reducing field temperature, typically 23-27oC plus, down to the 2oC requirement which aids shelf life. In the shed, attention to detail is further monitored with samples being taken every half hour from the production lines, ensuring only the best quality product. So the next time you grab a bunch of this mysterious delicacy from the supermarket, think of the nighttime cutters and industrious packers who deliver this bright green taste of summer. A tip from the founder and asparagus connoisseur, Alex Boyd “try it raw and you will get the taste of garden peas. Don’t be afraid of the larger diameter spears; they’re more succulent that the thinner ones.”
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normally full-on, only wet and cold days slowing progress. While fertile soils are a prerequisite, in reality labour is the one huge consideration when the harvesting requirement is one person/ ha/day. Boyds Asparagus Industries has 21 shareholders committed to harvesting the crop daily and delivering a quality product to customers within hours of it reaching the pack-house. This starts with field staff who might be in the paddock from 2am cutting the delicacy and trying to ensure it doesn’t suffer in the heat of the day. The aim is to cut spears with a tight head and no side branches or offshoots; target length is 22-25cm. Once the crop arrives at the pack-house in Hautapu, just north of Cambridge, the crop is checked for quality and any incidence of Phytophthora. It is washed and quickly brought down to a holding temperature of 2oC, normally within an hour of arrival, before being placed in high humidity chillers. At all stages of the process water is recycled to make best use of resources. Once orders are received overnight
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
22 MANAGEMENT
West Coast farmers show the way Bucking public perception of dirty dairying – fanned by environmental groups and mainstream media reporting – dairy farmers on the West Coast have played a big part in cleaning up the biggest waterway in the region. A HUGE commitment by local farmers, community groups, and government agencies has seen water quality targets for the West Coast’s largest lake reached five years earlier than planned. Environment Minister Nick Smith was on the shores of Lake Brunner / Te Kotuku Whakaoka in early December to help celebrate the achievement. “The success of the programme to restore the water quality of Lake Brunner is an example of how community, regulatory and business interests can come together to produce an excellent result for the environment,” West Coast Regional Council chair Andrew Robb says. “The result is also a win for lake users and the reputation of New Zealand’s farm products in overseas markets.” Robb says the regional council and its partners set a target for water quality that was not expected to be reached until 2020. “Thanks to huge cooperation by the community and farmers, especially the
Brunner catchment shareholders of Westland Milk Products, we achieved that target this year.” Robb says water quality monitoring in Lake Brunner had indicated deteriorating trends for nutrients and water clarity. Of most concern were the levels of phosphorous in the lake, traced mainly to runoff from surrounding farmland. From the early 2000s, the regional council worked with farmers to improve water quality, focusing on compliance with regional council rules and improving farm practices “The enthusiasm and financial commitment from farmers was a major success factor, especially in dairying, where the installation of effluent containment systems cost some farmers up to $300,000 per farm,” Robb says. Community and iwi groups also stepped up, helping with riparian planting in public areas. Robb says the work done in the Lake Brunner catchment shows that a balance can be achieved between using
Westland Milk Products chair Matt O’Regan says the co-op was dedicated to helping clean up Lake Brunner.
the region’s natural resources and at the same time maintaining and improving special places for the enjoyment of future generations. Westland Milk Products chair Matt O’Regan says the co-op was dedicated to helping the Lake Brunner water quality programme. “With the council, Westland Milk helped identify that land disturbance, fertiliser application regimes and effluent management were contributing to the phosphorus build-up in Lake
Brunner. As a result, the West Coast Regional Council updated the rules in its regional land plan and farms in the catchment are now subject to the strictest regulations in the region. “Westland’s farmers then focussed on preventing direct discharge of effluent into waterways, improving fertiliser management and preventing stock access to waterways.” Each dairy farmer had to put in a land-based, low application-rate effluent disposal system and/or adopt a
direct drilling regime for applying waste directly into the soil. Additionally, many farms built new sealed holding ponds for effluent and re-visited their fertiliser regime. O’Regan says a lot of emphasis went on containment of effluent, ensuring ponds and tanks were sealed with no leakage to ground or surface water. “Westland supported this initiative by having its environment manager visit each Brunner catchment shareholder and work with them to draw up individual farm management plans to help them comply.” O’Regan and Robb say farmers joined the efforts with enthusiasm, many going well beyond the minimum regional requirements. In addition to new plant, many spent heavily on riparian fencing and planting, and installing stock crossings over waterways. Contributors to the project included the Ministry for the Environment, AgResearch, Landcare Trust, NIWA and DairyNZ.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
MANAGEMENT 23
Farmers come ‘FAR’ and wide to open day and the heat RICHARD COSGROVE
IT WAS grassroots intelligence for farmers last week, when the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) opened the gates to its Chertsey trial farm in Mid Canterbury. Nearly 500 farmers from around New Zealand and Australia spent the day attending 12 seminars at the Arable Research in Action (ARIA) 2015 open day. Farmers who braved the 34 degree heat had unfettered access to the latest information from FAR’s research projects – with scientists and experts, some who came from Europe, present for Q&A sessions after each presentation. Sessions ran for 30 minutes and then were repeated in the afternoon to enable farmers to get the maximum benefit from the day. Subjects ranged from agrichemical resistance and the cropping industry, Argentine stem weevil management, fodder beet, maize and cereal silage, to building onfarm diversity with native plantings. One of the most popular sessions was by Thor Gunnar Kofoed from the Danish Seed Council. His seminar was ‘how can Denmark capture market share in the world seed market while they have the world’s strictest environmental laws?’ Kofoed described the regulations Danish farmers must operate under and some of their ingenious solutions. He explained how Danish farmers were restricted to using only 3L of glyphosate per hectare per year and not being able to respray the same land for three years. So farmers and sprayers had developed sensors to allow them to spray only weeds in a paddock not grass, thereby maximising the efficiency of the glyphosate. Danish farmers were also instructed to remove 50% of nitrogen from their crops, so they switched to
using ammonium sulphate as a fertiliser instead of urea. This was put direct into the ground – rather than sprayed – as Kofoed explained that you lose 20% to the atmosphere in emissions when it is sprayed. Kofoed was concerned that NZ appeared to be heading towards making some of the mistakes Denmark did in the early 1980s. He hoped that farmers would pressure regulators here to look overseas and learn from the likes of Denmark. During the question and answer time he was challenged on the use of subsidies in the European Union. Kofoed responded that in Denmark he received about 800 Euro/ ha in subsidy, but the cost of the bureaucracy to meet the environmental laws almost equalled the subsidy. He said he would prefer no subsidies and no bureaucracy. He said in order for Denmark to capture the market share and be cheaper and more efficient they had to get inventive. “When you are limited you have to think of other ways to achieve.” Another popular session was ‘building onfarm diversity’ with native plantings, hosted by Steve Brailsford and Melanie Davidson. This pair extolled the benefits of using natives to replace pine shelter-belts, mainly as a way of providing an environment for natural pollinators and natural insect predators to help arable crops thrive. The plantings need to be structured with three layers of canopy, sub canopy and ground cover. But importantly they need to use plants from the local area as these plants will have the genetics developed over tens of thousands of years to cope with that particular environment. Costs saving tips were offered like contract growing with nurseries to lower the price of plants to about a third of normal retail.
Arable farmers were issued a challenge to help their livestock farmer colleagues through the
drought by collaborating together and ensuring everyone had enough feed.
Farmers catch up while exploring FAR’s trial farm at Chertsey, Mid Canterbury, earlier this month.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
24 ANIMAL HEALTH
Farming genetics making more sense SEEKING TO offer products that meet demand, by using new technologies in the most cost-effective manner, just makes sense, says Focus Genetics chief executive Gavin Foulsham. That is why Focus Genetics were keen for a part in the East Coast Farming with Technology Expo in Wairoa next April. Representatives will be onsite at the two day expo to celebrate new technologies in sheep, cattle and deer genetics and explore how these can be applied for the benefit of East Coast farmers. “Our focus is to understand what farmers are trying to achieve, suggest what genetics can help and then assist them with the integration of those genetics into that system,” said Foulsham. “Visitors to the expo can expect to interact with our people who will talk about how the science has been applied and can be used in commercial farming operations; this is primarily in the form of rams, bulls and stags being used to inject new genetics into farms, flocks and herds. “Farmers will be able to talk to Focus Genetics about their production goals and what genetic selections can be made to assist them in achieving
KEY POINTS: ● New technologies are available to all stud breeders in New Zealand ● The application of those technologies by breeders flows through to farmers ● Specific traits can be more accurately chased ● East Coast farmers should find a breeder who is chasing the traits important to them, and trust that the breeder and the technology will do the job.
those goals; and we might even have some lamb onsite to try.” While New Zealand sheep breeders, for example, have had access to genetic evaluation systems for 40 years, the field
has developed immensely, says Focus Genetics’ terminal sheep geneticist Dr Natalie Pickering. Initially evaluations were performed within a flock for a limited number of traits but since the late 1990s this has evolved to cross flock and breeds and with more production traits added. The 21st century has a focus on genomics, says Pickering.
“Over the last 10 years, with the sequencing of cattle and sheep genomes, we have headed into the world of genomics – being able to estimate the breeding worth of an animal at birth from a DNA sample that is genotyped on a SNPchip and is screening the animal at hundreds of thousands of different points of the genome,” she said. “Previously traits would be researched for 10-20 years to understand the mode of inheritance, find mutations and develop gene tests, but nowadays we can
sequence or SNPchip an animal in a matter of days, and gather measurements and DNA samples from the large animal resources held by breeders who want to be involved. “This has meant that production traits can be predicted basically from birth, or as soon as a DNA sample is sent to a lab, and traits that had been previously thought of as too hard to investigate are now being tackled.” Pickering says what distinguishes the top 20% of the industry from the rest is the use of genetic information. “For breeders, measuring animals and using the newest technologies in predicting the genetic merit of their animals so they can breed from the best is important,” she says. She says now they can correctly identify parentage by a DNA test; correctly measure animals by using electronic identification (EID); screen animals at hundreds of thousands of single points in their genomes; and use scientifically robust software, i.e. Sheep Improvement Limited or BreedPlan to estimate the breeding worth of animals, “meaning the next generations of livestock in the NZ industry is
Focus Genetics chief executiv e Gavin Foulsham.
improving at greater rates than ever before”. And the future for the industry is looking bright. “It is hard to think how the current technology for measuring an animal’s performance can be improved, but there is no doubt that it will – if not in the ability to measure things we haven’t before, it will in the accuracy of the current measurements,” explains Pickering. “Work on trying to increase twinning while reducing larger litters is a current project. But there will be many more traits we have not thought of as a problem or had the ability to tackle yet due to more pressing production
traits. “Plus we always need to look 10 years ahead as it takes time to measure, research and then implement the changes required in order for the improvements to reach the client or consumer and better their production or way of life.” Focus Genetics is a global company developing genetically superior sheep, cattle and deer. The East Coast Farming with Technology Expo will be hosted at the Wairoa A & P Society Showgrounds on April 13 and 14, 2016. • For more information, including how to register as an exhibitor, visit www. eastcoastexpo.co.nz.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
ANIMAL HEALTH 25
Government boost funding to allow more vets to be trained MORE GOVERNMENT funding will enable 20% more veterinarians to be trained at Massey University. Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce recently approved an increase in the number of domestic places in Massey University’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from 84 a year to 100. This will take effect with the next student intake in June 2016. Students will be selected for the professional part of the programme which begins in semester two each year, after they have completed the required entry papers in semester one. Veterinary programme director professor Tim Parkinson says the increase comes at a time when the demand for veterinarians worldwide is high.
the Massey degree, its veterinary graduates are snapped up by employers. This is reflected in the recent QS international rankings for university courses, which placed Massey’s veterinary graduates as the most highly employable in the world – ahead of many larger and older schools.” In addition, Parkinson says, the vet school will enrol up to 24 full feepaying international students each year, depending on demand and providing they meet the strict course intake requirements, which are among the toughest in New Zealand education. Massey two years ago expanded and redeveloped its veterinary teaching. Facilities in the companion animal and equine hospitals have been refurbished to meet higher standards demanded
More funding will see 20% more vets trained at Massey.
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The veterinary course has been offered since 1963 and is the only one in NZ by international accreditation agencies and to accommodate larger classes. New teaching laboratories will be finished in 2017. The veterinary course has been offered since 1963 and is the only one in NZ. It is accredited by the Australasian Veterinary Board Council, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. It was the first veterinary programme in the southern hemisphere to achieve all three. Massey’s veterinary degree is also recognised through reciprocity with the South African Veterinary Association.
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“The veterinary profession remains a net growth sector, with increasing awareness of the interrelationship between animal and human disease, increased numbers of livestock to produce food for the increasing population, and a general increase in people’s expectations about the health and welfare of animals.” Parkinson says alongside veterinary teaching, the university also holds a strong position worldwide in animal welfare, infectious diseases, epidemiology and livestock system research. “Perhaps because of these strengths of
ACVM No: A10119 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.coopersonline.co.nz NZ/CVG/1115/0002
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
26 ANIMAL HEALTH
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New rules for pig farming come into force in early December.
NZ pig farmers working to stricter rules NEW RULES effective early December now govern pig farming and the use of sow crates in New Zealand. These rules prohibit confinement of mated sows and gilts (young female pigs expecting their first litter) in stalls during their pregnancy. Though the use of mating stalls (sow crates) for service is still permitted these may not be used for longer than one week. NZ is one of few countries operating to these standards of pig welfare
requirements. Meanwhile, NZPork says it has implemented a new traceability system which it says will give consumers confidence that the pork they are buying meets these requirements. Compliance with the Code of Welfare is a requirement for PigCare accreditation and only pork from accredited farms is eligible for labelling as 100% NZ pork (or ham or bacon). This is confirmed by traceability of pork from PigCare accred-
ited farm to wholesaler and through the supply chain to finished labelled product. NZ Pork says by buying 100% NZ pork, ham or bacon consumers can be sure the product is from animals born here and raised according to NZ’s strict animal welfare requirements. Imported pork, ham and bacon need not meet these requirements nor is it PigCare accredited. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
KEY POINTS OF PIGCARE SCHEME ■■
Only pork products from PigCare accredited farms can carry the 100% NZ pork, bacon and ham logos.
■■
The scheme was developed by Massey University with the support of veterinarians, pig farmers, NZPork and MPI. It was then reviewed internationally, before being implemented.
■■
Auditors are trained and calibrated, visiting each farm annually. They check the pigs, farm buildings, facilities and husbandry practices. The audit also identifies opportunities for farmers to further improve.
■■
If any breaches of the Animal Welfare Act are observed they are reported to MPI’s animal welfare compliance group.
Ask your vet about how Androvax plus can help you lift your lambing percentages.
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■■
All NZ commercial pig farms are audited every year.
■■
PigCare is available to all pig owners in NZ.
■■
Imported pork has not been assessed against the PigCare standards and cannot carry the 100%
NZPork labels. ■■
The Animal Welfare Act 1999 sets out general obligations for the care of animals. These include a ‘duty of care’ on all animal owners/person in charge to provide for welfare and alleviate pain and distress.
■■
Complying with the code is the responsibility of pig owner(s)/person(s) in charge. Administering and enforcing animal welfare is the responsibility of MPI and Inspectors under the Animal Welfare Act.
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In NZ every pig sent to the abattoir is inspected before and after slaughter to make sure it
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is healthy and well cared for, and that it is safe for people to eat.
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Most commercial farms plan regular veterinarian visits. Vets are ethically bound to
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protect animal welfare and alleviate suffering.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
NZ’s favourite ute upgrade worth the wait
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 27
MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
IT WOULDN’T be speaking out of turn to call the Toyota Hi-Lux New Zealand’s favourite ute. Admittedly some – particularly those who love the blue oval – will claim bragging rights for the last couple of years, but as any wily accountant will preach “you can do anything with numbers”. In Toyota’s case, the Hi-Lux story is a pretty big job, selling over 104,000 units here since its launch in 1976. This is mirrored by worldwide sales of over 16 million units in 170 countries since the series 1 Hi-Lux was built by Hino in 1968. With 10 years passing since the last Hi-Lux relaunch some new product was overdue and it looks like the wait was worth it. The eighth generation of the truck offers something for everybody, whether it’s a high country cockie from Otago, a hobby farmer from Helensville or a posse of posers from Ponsonby. The new range on offer has expanded to 21 models, split through four specification grades. The S and the SR can be considered working utes. Meanwhile, the SR5 and SR5 limited are dual purpose vehicles and will suit those looking for a mobile office during the week and a family runabout on the weekend. Drilling down further you will see nine 2WD versions complemented by 12 with 4WD. Five of the 2WDs carry the designation Pre-Runner and fill a gap in the previous range that let the blue oval brigade in over the last two years. Pre Runner tells the cognoscenti that this vehicle has the chassis configuration of the 4WD, with the same ground clearance and improved visibility, but only 2WD running gear – so these will suit those seeking the macho
10 years seems a long time, but the wait for the new Hi-Lux range is worth it.
The new Hi-Lux range has expanded to 21 models, 9 two-wheel drive and 12 four-wheel drive.
look but who in reality are only ever likely to climb a kerb on the school run. Toyota NZ expects to sell around 5500 units with a 60:40 split between 4WD and 2WD: 90% of these utes will be doublecabs and around a third will take the auto transmission. Looking down the specs – starting at the front – the choice of engines sees the old faithful V6 4L petrol, joined by an all new diesel recently shown in the new Prado. The 2.8L GD sees four cylinders knock out 130kW power and a lusty 450Nm torque which is available from 1600-2400 rpm. Transmission choices range from a 5-speed manual at S level, through to 6-speed manual and auto boxes as the specification grade increases. At the rear end, new leaf springs – 100mm longer and wider apart – give better towing and load carrying abilities, with the former up to 3.5 tonnes in some models. The chassis of the vehicle also sees a great deal of detail work: the truck is 75mm longer, 95mm wider and has 65mm greater clearance. That frame is also stiffer, cross member sizes are increased by 30mm and there are an extra 120 weld points. This is further supplemented by greater under-
belly protection over a 30% greater area and with a 40% greater thickness. The new Hi-Lux also ticks the safety boxes with a five star ANCAP rating, achieved by the fitment of seven air bags, vehicle stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution and a trailer sway control system. Additionally, all well-sided models are fitted with a reversing camera. From an occupant’s perspective, the cabin is well up there with a lot of the SUVs in the market. There’s a choice of cloth or leather and a host of features like touch screen, Bluetooth and high quality audio. However, unlike some the move to a carlike interior is tempered, as Toyota has remembered that this truck will be the work vehicle for many people. Individual vehicles can be customised with a range of 200+ Toyota accessories that carry the same warranty if added at the time of purchase. More importantly; how does it drive? During a two-day stint in the Manawatu and Tararua ranges in November it certainly didn’t disappoint. On the road, the diesel pulled like a train, the transmission was as smooth as James Bond
and the ride was compliant with a hint of firmness. The cabin was quiet and the comfort was comparable with a typical SUV. Off-road the truck certainly came into its own. Travelling private tracks up to the landmark windmills, which had been waterlogged the day before, there was no drama. Just point the truck where you want to go, select low range
4WD, engage diff lock and go there. Coming down steep gradients, select hill descent, job done! Particularly noticeable was the ability of the vehicle over heavily rutted and washed-out areas, no doubt helped by the amount of wheel articulation which is increased by 20% over earlier series. On the open road it is extremely well-behaved with car-like manners in the ride and steering and
with a seating position that offers great support and a panoramic view of what’s going on. In summary, 10 years seems a long time, but it looks like it’s been worth the wait, with pre-orders indicating the diehard Hi-Lux fans think so too. The enduring love affair of Kiwis with the Hi-Lux will lead to the boys from the blue oval bleating “bugger”.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
28 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Top of the Claas Yamaha takes to the skies
MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
THE CLAAS Lexion 700 combine harvester has won 2016 Machine of the Year at the biennial European trade fair Agritechnica. The title is awarded each year by a panel of 19 technical journalists from eight European countries, alternately at the German event and SIMA in France. The jury made special mention of the many technical innovations in the Lexion 700 series, such as the 4D cleaning and automatic crop flow monitoring, both recognised with a DLG Silver Medal. 4D cleaning enables efficient harvesting on uneven terrain, providing a continuous airstream over the return pans, preparation floors
and sieve – consisting of slope-dependent rotor cover plates and an automatic blower. A third pair of rotor cover plates automatically open or close depending on the lateral and longitudinal angle of the machine, while the blower speed is automatically adjusted to operating conditions. Claas has also introduced an automatic crop flow control that
monitors the rotation speeds of the engine, the APS threshing mechanism and the Roto Plus residual grain separation system. The feeder, threshing, separation and grain tank discharge systems are automatically shut down if critical load peaks are detected. Other improvements include the company’s award-winning Cemos system which automat-
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UNMANNED AERIAL vehicles – or drones – have become increasingly popular over the last few years. However, most use a wing or multi-rotor layout, so it’s interesting to see a new player enter the market in the shape of the newly formed Yamaha Sky Division. The Yamaha RMAX uses a helicopter layout, to all intents and purposes a scaled-down version of the real thing. The machines are about 2m long with a similar rotor diameter and capable of a maximum speed of 100km/h. Powered by a 250cc two stroke engine, it can do spraying and seeding and suits camera operations; it carries up to 28kg and flies for one hour between re-fuelling stops. The machine is currently controlled from an operator-controlled terminal and relies on visual line of sight. However, plans are advanced for the introduction of an autopilot system in the next few months, which will
allow the machine to fly a pre-loaded route. Yamaha says the machine, used widely in farming in Japan, has its first buyer in New Zealand. The company reckons it could sell 5-6 units per annum here. A choice of purchase or lease includes a three training package and a set of manuals. The lease option offers the benefit of a piggy-back on Yamaha’s certification to meet Civil Aviation Authority requirements. At a recent demonstration – under the Kaimai ranges, near the Wair-
ere Falls — a unit sprayed thistles and blackberry on near vertical ground, coping well with wind gusts up to 8m/sec and showing its ability to cover tough terrain. Asked about the benefits of the Yamaha RMAX over traditional drone layouts, business development manager Geoff Lamb says it has a far superior payload. “The increased flying time of the R-Max is far more productive on a daily basis, while the quality of build and back-up from the Yamaha organisation is second to none.” www.yamaha.co.nz
JD tweaks harvesters JOHN DEERE says it will enhance its grain harvesting line-up – covering the 600C corn heads and the 600F Hydraflex Draper units. And it will introduce a new 12-row folding corn head for 2016 which should interest larger producers: it allows outputs of around 12ha per day more than a traditional eight-row set-up. Due to the increased capacity, these units have upgraded row-unit slip clutches and the drive shaft interfaces for a longer service
life. For soyabean or small grain growers there are improvements to the 630, 635 and 640 FD Hydraflex draper units. These include streamlined end-dividers to reduce crop knockdown and a wider centre feed opening to allow up to 15% more throughput. There are also stronger reel fingers and bearing supports to improve crop pickup and flow. www.johndeere.co.nz
POTTINGER’S SALES RECORD EUROPEAN MANUFACTURER Pottinger reports record sales for its 201415 financial year. Turnover of Euro 320.3 million (NZ$561m) is the highest in its 145 year history and its fifth successive year of increase. Grassland machinery represented 61% of the volume, then cul-
tivation at 21%. Exports took 86% of production(Euro 276m); Germany, Austria, France, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Poland took two-thirds of the total. The company claims world leadership in the loader wagon market and it has pioneered mulch drilling techniques.
RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 29 Fert spreader hits the target every time MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
Power Farming takes on Reese POWER FARMING and Reese Group are to collaborate in distribution in the NZ market. This follows a similar move in Australia, whereby Power Farming Group, in Melbourne, distributes Aitchison seed drills. Effective December 1, Reese is focused on design and manufacture at its Palmerston North base, while Power Farming markets, sells and distributes Reese’s entire product range. Power Farming has 22 owned, joint venture and independently-owned outlets. It will also handle parts, service and training support for all ranges. The Aitchison brand, developed over the last 35 years, specialises in seeding and soil management with a range of drills including tine, disc and air-seeder layouts. The company continues to bring new technologies to the market. Its most widely recognised product is the inverted ‘T’
opener system developed by founder Peter Aitchison with Massey University 30 years ago. The range also includes subsoilers and aerators, rippers and rollers. Reese is well known for the UFO drum mower, still a key product for the company after many years in the marketplace. These are complemented by range of bale feeders and specialised continuous tube wrappers “The collaboration of the two businesses will exploit each company’s areas of strength,” Power Farming general manager of machinery Graeme Leigh claims. “For Reese design and manufacture, for Power Farming marketing and distribution.” The Aitchison and Reese ranges complement existing product lines Power Farming already distribute, Leigh notes. “Both ranges are a great fit for the NZ pastoral market, whereas our European and North American product ranges
are targeted at the highend arable user.” www.powerfarming.co.nz
AMAZONE FERTILISER spreaders have been well respected in the agricultural industry for many years, so it’s no surprise to hear that one of the latest versions won a Machine of the Year Award at the recent Agritechnica show. The Amazone ZA-TS featured the new Argus Twin, lateral distribution technology. This is where each disc uses radar sensors above each unit to monitor the spread pattern and automatically adjust the delivery system if any deviation is detected from the required setting. Mounted rigidly and with no moving parts the system is said to be robust and maintenance-free in this typically harsh environment. The system will compensate for changes in spread pattern that might be caused by fertiliser quality, startoff speeds or braking, travelling on slopes, or even when spreader vanes are worn.
The technology will operate during border spreading or section control and aims to make the most effective use of the fertilisers and ensure ease of operation. Argus Twin can be optioned on all mechanically or hydraulically driven machines in the ZA-TS range and is said to complement other automated technologies such as auto-calibration and tilt-sensing. This gives
THERE SEEMS to be a Guinness World record for most things – whether eating the most hotdogs or flipping playing cards – so it’s no surprise to see one record set that leans towards agriculture. Earlier this year, Polish company Samasz set out to set a record for the most grass mown
in eight hours using one of its Megacut 9.4m triple set-ups coupled to a Deutz Fahr 7250 TTV tractor producing 263hp. With 140ha set aside for the attempt near Walewice, Poland, the team completed the eight hour marathon with 96.29ha cut – a work rate of 16.83ha/hour,
an average forward speed of 17.9km/h – although peaking at around 25km/h – and consuming 1.8L/ha of fuel. Conditions were described as typical Polish countryside with rough undulating ground. Besides one event – when the tractor bogged down and caused
the front mower to bulldoze – a quick intervention by the support crew kept the attempt on track. One thing’s for sure: with a host of other manufacturers out there somebody will be along shortly to better this result. www.toplink.co.nz
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the operator the ability to set the rate and drive off. The automated systems then check actual delivery rate against the set target, tilt sensing detects any deviation from the centre of gravity and electric shutter control ensures an even three dimensional spread is achieved regardless of terrain.
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RURAL NEWS // DECEMBER 15, 2015
30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER
Belts or rollers – no simple answer MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
IN GRASS harvesting the maxim once used to be: roller balers for grass, belt balers for straw. However, advances in design over the last decade or so mean that either format seems capable of dealing with all crops, so the only question is, are you happy with one size fits all, or do you need bales of varying diameter? Already well known and respected for its range of belt balers, New Holland importer CB Norwood Distributors has launched the new fixed chamber Roll Bale range, comprising three options: the RB 125 Baler, the RB125 Combi, or the RB 135 Ultra (combi), the numerals indicating bale diameter, Combi signifying the bale wrapping system, and Ultra showing that the machine is heavy duty and orientated to arduous conditions. The core of the machines is a bale forming chamber comprising 18 heavy duty and wear resistant rollers of 200 mm diameter that feature aggressive profiles to keep bales rotating in all stages of bale formation, or difficult crop or climatic conditions. Designers claim that the higher number of rollers compared to competitors results in a greater surface area in the bale
chamber, helping to spread the loadings created by high density bales, and thereby prolonging the operating life of the machine. Up front a 2.1m working width pickup on the RB 125, or 2.2m wide version on the RB 135, both use five tine bars to achieve a clean pick-up behind even the widest swaths. Crop is fed from the pick-up to a 470mm feeder rotor made from Hardox 500 steel, and holding 10mm thick feeder fingers. These in turn push the crop through a chopper bank comprising 20 retractable knives. If overloaded a hydraulic cut-out disconnects drive to the pick-up and feeder rotor allowing bale formation to carry on. On the RB 135 version in-cab rotor reversing allows
easy clearance of blockages. Once formed, bales can be covered by conventional net wrap or the operator can choose to use an optional film warp system to cover the circumference of the bale. This has the benefit of excluding air and improving the fermentation process, helping maintain bale shape and offers the prospect of reducing overall wrapping costs, because fewer layers of film wrap are needed to cover the bale, or lower quality wrap
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options can be specified. Control of the whole system is via an in-cab monitor, with a large easily read display giving information on bale density, pto speed, net or film indication, number of layers per bale; and it can record bale counts, with an internal
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RURAL TRADER 31
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