Rural News 05 May 2020

HORT NEWS

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Blackcurrant sales surge.

Made in NZ – a focus on NZ companies. PAGE 28

PAGE 16

Green light for Gypsy Day. PAGE 5

RECORD KEEPING Tab on grazing movements PAGE 6

MAY 5, 2020 ISSUE 445 // www.dairynews.co.nz

TIME’S UP A group of Fonterra farmers want the Shareholders Council scrapped.

PAGE 3

Don’t just push feed

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First it remixes feed, making it more appealing to cows, and then repositions it avoiding compression; which means higher consumption and more milk.

To reduce risk to postal workers during the Covid lockdown, Rural News and Dairy News have been sent together.

HORT NEWS

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Blackcurrant sales surge.

Made in NZ – a focus on NZ companies. PAGE 28

PAGE 16

Green light for Gypsy Day. PAGE 5

RECORD KEEPING Tab on grazing movements PAGE 6

MAY 5, 2020 ISSUE 445 // www.dairynews.co.nz

TIME’S UP A group of Fonterra farmers want the Shareholders Council scrapped.

PAGE 3

Don’t just push feed

REMIX IT DeLaval OptiDuo™

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Meat demand soars PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THERE IS massive demand for New Zealand beef and lamb in the United States as that country struggles to cope with Covid-19.

Beef+LambNZ’s general manager for market development, Nick Beeby, says there has been a slowdown in the supply processing chain in the US with some of the big plants that process either pork or beef having to close down or reduce capacity because of Covid, which has reduced the supply of meat.

According to his colleague Mike Wan, who is BLNZ’s global manager for the Red Meat Story, red meat plays a critical role in most American’s diets and he says there have been instances of panic buying of food in the US – including red meat.

“There are quite large shortages or significant delays within those retail outlets where people are not able to access meat for a considerable period of time. It could be a week or two weeks, or it could be put out on the shelves and sold within a day so,” he told Rural News.

“There is massive demand for red meat as US consumers hunker down and revert to more comfort based food they are familiar with as they look to boost their immunity and, I guess, continue a level of health and wellness while they are in the lockdown environment,” he says.

Wan says there is particular demand for lamb – a product some US consumers don’t traditionally buy and cook, but they are looking for qual-

There is massive demand for New Zealand beef and lamb in the US as that country struggles to cope with Covid-19.

ity protein. He says, as a result, there is demand for recipes as consumers source these and new ingredients to cook healthy meals.

“Because of the lockdown, they have more time to prepare meals and are looking for that element of freshness and healthiness,” he explains.

“It’s an ingrained thing with humans that when things aren’t going well, we revert to the familiar and those things that are probably a little less adventurous and closer to home in terms of traditional food in which we

First it remixes feed, making it more appealing to cows, and then repositions it avoiding compression; which means higher consumption and more milk.

To reduce risk to postal workers during the Covid lockdown, Rural News and Dairy News have been sent together.

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS MAY 5, 2020: ISSUE 700

OptiDuo™ does twice as much to improve your productivity!

find comfort and helps boost immunity.”

Nick Beeby says the disruption is the greatest he has ever seen, with the food service sector having been virtually turned off to varying degrees.

He says a good-sized quantity of NZ lamb and beef go through this channel.

“All of sudden, you have to look for alternative channels into the market and what you find is the retail channel has picked up and there is exceptionally strong growth in e-commerce as well,” he told Rural News.

Beeby says NZ meat processing, exporting and marketing companies were extremely agile right from the early days when Covid-19 hit China.

He says they suddenly had to look for places to sell meat where, in some instances, they may not have had a great footprint in the past.

“They were able to switch on and off pipelines quickly and keep product moving and kept the in-market prices at a really strong level,” he says. “I think we should be very proud of our sector in the way we have reacted.”

MILKING IT? TAUPO-BASED DAIRY processor Miraka says it used Government funding to pay workers forced to stay home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

According to Ministry of Social Development’s website, Miraka was paid nearly $900,000 for 128 staff under the wage subsidy scheme announced for Covid-19 affected companies.

Miraka chief executive Richard Wyeth told Rural News that while the factory processed milk during the lockdown, its UHT lines were forced to close due to sluggish demand from China.

“While we kept the factory running, some aspects of our production were shut and staff remained home,” he says. “So, we applied to the scheme and used the money to pay those staff.”

Two other dairy companies – both Chinese-owned – also claimed the wage subsidy. Yashili NZ, which operates an infant formula plant at Pokeno, claimed $970,000 for 138 staff. Auckland-based GMP Dairy, majority-owned by China’s Evergrande Group, claimed $570,000 for 74 staff.

New Zealand’s largest dairy companies – Fonterra and Open Country Dairy- did not apply for the wage subsidy.

Meanwhile, in the meat sector Silver Fern Farms claimed $43m, Alliance $34m and Anzco $2.6m.

However, neither Affco nor Progressive Meats have claimed any wage subsidy.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

NEWS 3 ISSUE 700

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Drop in payout looms SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEWS ��������������������������������������1-12 HORT NEWS ���������������������� 13-17 MANAGEMENT ����������������18-19 MARKETS �������������������������� 20-21 HOUND, EDNA ���������������������� 22 CONTACTS ����������������������������� 22 OPINION ����������������������������22-24 ANIMAL HEALTH ������������������ 25 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ���������������������� 26-28 RURAL TRADER ������������� 28-29

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

DAIRY FARMERS are being told to brace for a big drop in milk payout next season.

A likely global recession, triggered

by Covid-19, will impact demand and could drop the payout by up to $2/ kgMS compared to the current season.

Fonterra’s 2019-20 payout range is $7 to $7.60/kgMS; its 2020-21 opening forecast will be announced early June.

Rural bankers are predicting a wideranging opening forecast next season; Rabobank $5.60/kgMS, Westpac $6.30/ kgMS and ASB $6.50/kgMS. However, ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny is warning farmers to plan for “a sub-$6” payout.

“For now, we retain our $6.50/kgMS forecast, but note the increasing downside risks and suggest that farmers start contingency planning for the possibility of a sub-$6.00/kg milk price for the 2020/21 season,” he says.

Rabobank senior dairy analyst Emma Higgins says its forecast is based on global supply and demand fundamentals and factors in signifi-

Fonterra chair John Monaghan has warned suppliers that increased milk production around the world is likely to disrupt the global supply/demand balance that has supported solid milk prices in the 2019-20 season.

cant market uncertainty.

“Given the rapidly-changing operating environment due to Covid-19, the forecast settings are incredibly complicated and there are a number of upside and downside risks that could impact the bank’s views on the global dairy markets over the course of our forecast timeframe,” she says.

Outgoing Waikato Federated Farmers president Andrew McGiven agrees that there is lot of uncertainty about next season’s payout.

“Indications from the economists are to expect a pull back on milk

price, but the great unknown is by how much,” he told Rural News.

“The ultimate effect on the world economies is still very hazy and with uncertainty comes volatility, however I think we should all expect that a lot of people’s disposable income will be severely eroded by what is happening and this will have some sort of flowon effect.

“Although food is a necessity, if the number of retailers and hospitality outlets reduce, then the market and demand for dairy and other food staples will be less than projected supply

in the short term and this could have an adverse effect on price.”

Fonterra farmers have enjoyed farmgate milk price of over $6 for the past four seasons, with this season’s price tipped to be peak at $7.30/kgMS. However, in an email to farmers recently, Fonterra chairman John Monaghan alluded to European and US farmers pouring milk down the drain due to the impact of COVID-19 on their supply chains.

Monaghan noted that milk production was up in key regions: the US, Latin America, the UK and EU. “This is likely to disrupt the global supply/demand balance that has supported solid milk prices in the 201920 season,” he warns.

Monaghan says when announcing its opening forecast next month, Fonterra “will be considering the high levels of uncertainty that we are seeing across the world, stronger supply signals from key dairy regions, and the NZ/US exchange rate as we forecast what prices could be more than a year from now”. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Rural GPs not just another business PETER BURKE

Published by: Rural News Group

peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Printed by: Ovato Print

RURAL GENERAL Practice Network chair Dr Fiona Bolden is disappointed that the Government is treating rural general practices the same as any other business in the community.

Bolden told Rural News that rural GPs were expecting to get two payments from the Government to assist them financially.

However, she says while they had received the first payment, Cabinet

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 79,553 as at 31.03.2019

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Bolden says this has made it very hard for many rural practices because the money they normally receive from face-to-face consultations and ACC is no longer there.

“At the moment we are just being treated like any other business, despite the fact that we part of the frontline staff,” she told Rural News.

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the changes that we have made to our practices and, in fact, most people in the community who have contracted Covid-19 have been managed by general practice and not at hospitals.”

Bolden says her organisation is now in the process of gathering additional information to present to Cabinet in a bid to get them to change their mind over funding.

She says some positive things have occurred in the past weeks with more Community based Assessment Centres (CBAC’s) been set up in rural

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

4 NEWS

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WATER STORAGE – and more of it – is one of the keys to helping rebuild New Zealand’s economy in the wake of Covid-19.

This was the message Ian Proudfoot, KPMG’s Global Head of Agribusiness, gave Parliament’s Epidemic Response Com-

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A NATIONAL FOOD STRATEGY?

Ian Proudfoot

Proudfoot added that water, and access to it, is fundamental to the agrisector.

“We consistently fail to store enough of our water across the country to maximise the value we grow,” he added.

“As the Government seeks shovel-ready infrastructure projects, enabling water storage schemes that guarantee year-round water must be a priority.

“Reliable water across the country will deliver economic and environmental benefits to all.”

Proudfoot said lockdowns and fears of food

PROUDFOOT PAID tribute to the contribution New Zealand farmers, processors and distributors of food have made in response to the growing food insecurity challenges that Covid-19 has created.

He told Parliament’s Epidemic Response Committee there was the potential of more than 1 million New Zealanders being or becoming food insecure by the end of the May. “This highlights the importance of thinking deeply about how we ensure we feed our five million every single day,” he explained.

“As we emerge from the current crisis, it is important that we turn our minds to developing a National Food Strategy, as a nutritionally secure New Zealand is critical if we are to tell the world we produce the best food in the world.”

scarcity have raised the awareness of food and its importance in people’s lives to the highest level since the Second World War. He added that many attributes – beyond the environment – have been amplified by the corona virus.

“Ensuring the health benefits of our products are a value driver requires commitment to science

programmes that support producers to make verified health claims when telling their stories,” he explained. “The Government can assist organisations in obtaining the proof to back their claims.”

Proudfoot highlighted how science will be an important aspect in ensuring NZ’s agri products meet the needs of consumers.

“Now is the time to initiate a wider conversation on how we utilise new solutions, like gene editing, if they support and enhance the core attributes that we as a country wish to be famous for.”

Proudfoot also touched on the lack of available labour that is currently constraining the agri-sector.

“The industry has been seeking people to support its growth for a decade and has used overseas labour to fill vacancies. Without people the industry will be unable to deliver on its growth potential,” he explained.”

“It is ready to provide career opportunities to New Zealanders. However, support is needed to attract people to the regions were opportunities exist and to provide the training to enable them to prosper in their new careers.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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hospitals,” he explained.

“Now, more than ever, the industry recognises it needs to step forward to ensure that our country is able to maintain the living standards we have become accustomed to.”

Proudfoot told the committee that the NZ agri-sector had spent the last decade shaping an ambition to provide outstanding, ethically produced food and fibre products to discerning customers around the world.

“Covid-19 has not changed the industry’s resolve to continue to play its part in responding to the challenges of climate change, restoring our waterways or ensuring the sustainable use of our land and oceans,” he said.

“Now is not the time to back away from these commitments, but to seek ways to accelerate our transformation so we can capture the economic benefits they will create for all New Zealanders faster.”

SADLY, THE Covid-19 threat means large field days are out of the question for now and probably for the rest of 2020.

That means no tyres to kick, no bargains to bag and no hot dogs and chips! Fear not though, Rural News and Dairy News are going to bring the field days to your farm.

In the May 26 issue of Dairy News and the June 2 issue of Rural News, our editorial team will bring you all the innova-

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tive new products and services coming on the market and, of course, the great deals – direct to your letterbox.

The feature, Bringing Field Days to the Farm, will run in print and online, and gives farmers the chance to see some of the new products that would have

been launched at the now-cancelled physical field days usually held around the country.

Keep an eye out for this great feature. You’ll have to provide the hotdogs and chips, but we will give you the chance to win a brand, new Hustler Bale Handler worth $10k! Just read the feature then we’ll tell you how to enter to win.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

NEWS 5

Telephone diplomacy to fight protectionism PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

RISING PROTECTIONISM is one of the major concerns of New Zealand exporters in the light of Covid-19.

NZ’s chief trade negotiator, Vangelis Vitalis, told Parliament’s Epidemic Response Com-

mittee that as a result of Covid, many countries will resort to protecting their own economies. NZ exporters fear this will make it much harder for them.

Vitalis says exporters are also concerned about the logistics of getting goods to market, but they have praised

THE THREE R’S APPROACH VANGELIS VITALIS says MFAT is embarking on a threepronged approach called the three Rs – re-tooling, re-integration and re-energising to front foot our recovery.

Re-tooling, he says, is about working with countries that share NZ’s desire for free trade. He says it’s troubling to see the talk about protectionism – especially around agriculture which is such a major contributor to the economy, both externally in terms of dollars earned and employment on the home front. He says a recent success was persuading Indonesia to allow NZ onion exports into that country.

Re-integration, is about looking at the issue of trade architecture – things like the role of the WTO and FTA’s and winning support for this approach. He says NZ is devoting considerable effort to pushing for rules-based free trade.

“Legal enforceability of the systems is so important to us,” he told Parliament’s Epidemic Response Committee. “We also know that some of the major economies we would normally look to lead on these things, but they look unlikely to be unable to do this in the near future. So, we are working with smaller and medium-sized powers to construct the building blocks to support that rules-based system.”

He says while in NZ people are talking about ‘shovel ready projects,’ trade negotiators are looking to have some ‘signature ready projects’ – such as FTAs and other agreements in place.

Vitalis says re-energising relationships is about telephone and Zoom diplomacy with Minister Parker’s ongoing contact with his counterparts.

“It’s about telling the world we are back in business and that our export sector is ready to supply global needs,” he says.

Vitalis says as a nett food producer, NZ has a distinct advantage and it’s about reinforcing that message.

NZ’s chief trade negotiator Vangelis Vitalis.

the work done by MFAT, NZTE and MPI in keep-

ing freight lines open.

He says exporters are

also fearful about the wider implications of losing market share.

“The problem is that if the export sector becomes weaker this will have an impact on unemployment and incomes in the regions,” he explained. “They also make the point that a lot of those exporting have around them a cluster of small and medium-sized business that service them, which are vital to their operations.”

Vitalis says exporters are concerned at what he calls the fragmentation loss of ‘trade architec-

round of negotiations with the EU on our FTA with them has taken place and that work on the upgraded China FTA is on schedule. Work is also being done on an FTA with the UK in preparation for when that country is ready to begin negotiations.

Telephone diplomacy is the new order of the day with Trade Minister David Parker having regular discussions with his counterparts in Australia, Canada, UAE and Singapore to name a few.

ture’ around trade agreements – something that NZ has extraordinarily strong views on. This particularly relates to agreements endorsed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

It is said that protectionism made the great depression of the 1930s worse and longer. Noting that lesson from history, ministers, MFAT – along with NZTE – have embarked on a programme to ensure that work on FTAs still progresses.

Rural News understands that a virtual

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

6 NEWS

Fieldays reputation takes a battering SINCE COVID-19 sent the country into lockdown, Fieldays has tried to re-group, but amid disquiet about its reluctance to refund deposits to cash-strapped agribusinesses, questions are being asked about its future.

Its replacement offering, ‘Fieldays Online’, is hardly an original idea.

Indeed, by the time its own version goes online in mid-July, events such as the Norco Primex Fieldays in Australia and the Cereals UK exhibition will have followed the same course. Exhibitors that spoke to Rural News saw very little value in the proposition, saying they already have their

CRUSHA’S COMMENT

Mark Daniel

own online presence.

Fieldays wants them to supply content to populate its own online site, promote it to its own databases, and will charge royally to provide a listing.

A recent survey by the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA), who represents the majority of tractor and machinery

Fieldays is seen by many as putting its own survival ahead of that of its exhibitors.

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75% would not attend a Fieldays event if it was rescheduled for later in the year and 70% wanted a full refund of their prepaid site fees.

Fieldays is seen by many as putting its own survival ahead of that of its exhibitors and the bad blood this has created is clear to see.

This leads Rural News to wonder is there a place for Fieldays in the post-Covid-19 future.

The answer is probably yes, but in a much-modified form. The rapid rise in technology and the size and scale of plant and machinery used in modern agriculture is changing daily.

Where is the commercial sense in freighting large pieces of machinery to Mystery Creek, when the reality is that potential customers want to see it performing in the field, not polished to within an inch of its life and adorned with pot plants?

Moving forwards,

many of the exhibitors who intended to exhibit at the 2020 event, will realise that there is still business out there and will no doubt be developing new strategies to capture it. In doing so, they will probably realise that the $10k, $20k or $50k that they spent to attend the event, means that even at a conservative margin of 10% means that they can be $100k, $200k or even $500k down on turnover, but still be better off financially.

The fact is most hype about deals being done at Fieldays is just that – hype. For large machinery, most deals are done before the event, with a symbolic handshake on the day. Do you really believe that someone walks onto a site and buys a $250,000 tractor on a whim?

Perhaps it’s time for the good folks at Mystery Creek to start thinking about their reputation, if it’s not too late. In doing so, it needs to realise that the rural industry will survive, Fieldays or not. That’s because the loyal exhibitors, who have supported the event for many decades, live life at the sharp end, dealing in financial facts and paying taxes, rather than the myriad assumptions made in the annual Fieldays Financial Impact Report.

One can only hope that those businesses waiting for up to two months for a partial refund from Fieldays survive long enough to be able decide about whether or not to return to Fieldays in 2021 and beyond.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

8 NEWS

Hort sector’s impressive response PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

HORT NZ chair Barry O’Neill is impressed with the way the horticulture sector has worked collectively and positively on

all the issues it has faced.

He says, in particular, the industry has done a first-rate job in responding to protect the health and safety of staff during the crisis.

O’Neill says employers

have responded very professionally in making the health and safety of their staff the number one priority and have instituted policies and added special barriers inside packing sheds to ensure social

distancing requirements are met.

“In some of the big packhouses that has resulted in lower throughput and them having to pack much slower because fewer

Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neill says the sector has collectively and positively...

people could be employed to meet social distancing requirements,” he told Rural News.

“Over the last couple of weeks, we have been working with MPI with most packing sheds have installed perspex screens, which enables people to work closer together.

This, in turn, has allowed the packhouses to employ more people and – in most cases – throughput in these places is almost back to normal. Social distancing has also impacted on how much fruit can be picked in orchards,” he says.

One issue that has yet to be fully resolved in the sector is that of workers who come each year from the Pacific Islands to work on orchards and commercial growing operations under the RSE (recognised seasonal employee scheme).

O’Neill says a number of issues have arisen in respect to these workers as a result of Covid-19.

He says the RSE work-

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ers are an important part of NZ horticulture and hopes they will continue to be in the future.

But with travel bans in place, those workers who are in NZ cannot get home and those back in their own countries and were hoping to come to NZ soon cannot travel either.

“Obviously, it needs to be recognised that every RSE worker has a family and that family has been impacted,” he explains.

“The future of RSE workers is one we have to consider and find a sustainable way the scheme can operate,” he says.

Labour shortages have long been a problem for the horticulture sector, but since Covid-19 arrived on our shore many outof-work Kiwis have found jobs in the sector. O’Neill says the number one priority of the sector is hiring unemployed New Zealanders.

– More Hort stories see Hort News p13-18 @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

SMALL GROWERS HIT HARD HORTNZ SAYS some the smaller vegetable growing enterprises have been hit very badly with the closure of the independent fruit and vegetable retailers under the Level 4 lockdown rules.

Chairman Barry O’Neill says food is being wasted because the supermarkets are, in most cases, only taking ‘first-quality’ produce and their own in-store brands.

He says this means that the second-quality product would normally find its way into other retail outlets or hospitality business. However, because these businesses have shut down, growers do not have an avenue to sell their produce through those stores at this stage.

“We are lobbying the Government to recognise the independent fruit and vegetable retailers should be allowed to open up – along similar lines to supermarkets,” he told Hort News. “We have put a proposal to government and are hopeful it will be able to support the proposal, but we know it won’t be until we are in Level 3.”

O’Neill says even if these businesses do get approval it may take them a while to meet the required standards.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

10 NEWS

The on-line future PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

AS A result of Covid-19, the world has learned to operate, communicate, and negotiate online.

That is the view of Agriculture Minister, Damien O’Connor, who says New Zealand must look to new ways of operating in a very changed global environment.

O’Connor thinks NZ will be able to progress its trade agenda through the electronic media and at the same time reduce

costs.

“I have had a lot of discussions with entrepreneurs, Tim Brown from Allbirds being one of them, on a zoom call, and he’s excited by the opportunities post Covid can provide,” he told Rural News.

“I think if we focus on those people, who see those opportunities, and support and work with them, New Zealand will have an incredible future providing some of the finest food and fibre into a world that will have

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higher level of awareness of health attributes and the value of nutrition.”

O’Connor says online is likely to become the norm in terms of selling NZ products in overseas markets.

“If we end up with products that can go direct to consumers and utilise airfreight from NZ more often, then we can take advantage of the opportunities in Asia.

If we do our job right, I am sure the demand will outstrip supply,” he says.

O’Connor has been kept informed about

Trade Minister David Parker’s efforts to keep the trade conversations going during the pandemic.

He says there is obvious uncertainty about how countries will react post Covid.

One issue of concern is protectionism as countries deal with high unemployment.

“Pre Covid, there were many countries that were looking for any excuse to close the borders more, and Covid has provided a bit of an excuse for some of that,” he adds.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says New Zealand must look to new ways of operating in a very changed global environment.

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CSL004

DAMIEN O’CONNOR says the move to Alert level 3 is not a huge change, but it sets a positive direction for the economy – with forestry and floriculture two industries that will now be allowed to operate.

He says Level 3 will likely allow meat companies to lift throughput as social distancing is reduced from two to one metre. But O’Connor says under Alert level 4 many companies have already been innovative and found ways of meeting the strict health and safety standards, while at the same time increasing throughput.

He says that some processing works may effectively remain in Level 4 to protect their staff.

“Workers, like other New Zealanders, are concerned about the possible spread of Covid-19 and until we have got rid of the disease there will be some apprehension in every part of our community and economy,” O’Connor told Rural News.

“So, the transformation will not be dramatic, and neither should it be. It will be about ongoing improvements, while keeping in mind our obligations to meet this challenge.”

EIGHT BASIC FACTSFacts REGARDING GRANULATED – NOT A PARTICULARLY IDEA Ten Basic Fertiliser You Must Know and RPR Adopt to Meet 2025 WaterGOOD Quality Limits: Fact (i). The overuse of soluble P is by far the largest cause of P run-off and leaching, and the decline in the quality of Kiwi waterways.

Dr Bert Quin

Fact 1. The overuse of soluble P fertiliser is by far the largest cause of P run-off and leaching, and therefore of the decline in the quality of Kiwi waterways.

Fact Trueyou RPRs easily maintain production soluble P, but are far,application far less susceptible to soluble run-off Pand leaching.

And RPR Fact(ii).

2. Once have Olsen P levels high that are more thanasa well thirdas of the P retention (ASC), of additional is very prone to loss to the saves you money! environment.

Fact 3. If you want to build up your soil P in an environmentally-protective way, simply apply RPR. It does not get leached or lost directly in run-off, but

Fact (iii). Quinfert Algerian RPR is the only low-cadmium, internationally- recognised true RPR available in New Zealand. Available releases P in a sustained fashion for plants. throughout NZ. Fact 4. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. RPR-based fertilisers are even cheaper than super-based products as well! Added sulphur bentonite (sulphur is far more efficient than theFertmark excess sulphate in super.

Fact (iv).90) It doesn’t meet the obsolete 30-minute citric acid solubility test. So what. This test is used nowhere outside NZ; it has Fact 5.

Following 1-4 above willbeing greatly P run-off leaching.

This should be done before anything else, and the situation reassessed before been widely criticised as not fit reduce for purpose.

Farand better alternatives are available. spending huge amounts of money!

Fact is best used in small-particle This ensuresmitigations that all particles in contact withlarge the acid in theand soil.

Its reacts with Fact(v).

6. ItRPR is nonsensical to give in to pressure form. to install expensive riparianget strips, excessively wetlands ‘phosphorus walls’the when you have releases no idea ofthe their long-term effectiveness costs,maintaining and before you have established changing to sustained-release RPR, Pinto plant-available formand at maintenance a sustained rate, high pasture growthwhether and reducing lime requirements. RPR is all you need to do!

Fact granules (4-6mm) out riparian of RPR defeats purposeasofeffective using RPR. Granules make contact much lessBoth of Fact(vi).

7. inMaking any casenormal-sized simple fenced-off 3-metre wide grass strips arethe essentially and vastly cheaper than more with complex strips. the soil acid that does fine RPR. While the granules themselves will break up sooner or later, this still leaves the landing site of each granule reduce bacterial and sediment losses. Neither will have any significant long-term beneficial effect (on a whole -farm basis) on soluble P and nitrate-N loss. overloaded withcan RPR much to betoconverted plant-available form. This was shown long ago. Prills of about 2mm But grass strips beparticles, harvested taking in summer to longer be fed out, improve P to and N cycling. are farInbetter idea.for maintenance of P levels any genuine RPR (not an RPR/Boucraa mix please!) can be used. Just check the Cd content. For low fertility Facta 8. a nutshell, situations or low rainfall, use a blend of RPR and high-analysis soluble P.

Fact (vii). If you want to totally minimise dust drift, simply ask for our RPR ‘CM’ (Controlled Moisture RPR), which has 2.5% moisture evenly Fact 9. For N, rather than granular urea, use prilled urea, sprayed immediately prior to, or during, the spreading with urease inhibitor. Use of N can be added. It flows beautifully, with minimal dust. Same price, but the spec is slightly lower of course.

literally cut in half with big savings.

Fact(viii).

10. Potash moreaefficient, and must less likely to cause metabolic if applied in small 4 times a year, adding up todo!

50-60% of the total Fact If youiswant wider ground-spread, tell your contractor to problems, optimise his equipment to doses do this, before his competitors annual amount you are using now. Easy to mix with your prilled urea. Leaching of anions like nitrate will be minimised as well.

For phone021 021-427 572, visit www.quinfert.co.nz Formore moreinfo. info,email emailBert Bert Quin Quin on on bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, ororphone 427 572, oror visit www.quinfert.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

NEWS 11

Mill grinds on in lockdown DAVID ANDERSON

LOCKDOWN FEVER saw many more New Zealanders turning to home baking and a desperate shortage of flour on supermarket shelves.

While this may have frustrated home bakers, it has been a boon to a Timaru-based flour mill – owned by 12 South Canterbury arable growers.

Farmers Mill says that during the lockdown it picked up new business as supermarket customer demand for flour swelled five times above normal.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about wholesale change to the market make up, supply chain and consumer requirements,” Farmers Mill general manager Mark Lawrence told Rural News.

“The industry has seen a 500% increase in retail flour requirements during the lockdown, but on the flipside a significant drop in wholesale volume.”

Lawrence says there was no issue with wheat supply, but production constraints and the packaging supply chain needed addressing.

“Our two major customers – Griffins Foods and Foodstuffs South Island in-store bakeries – have both increased the use of flour. However, a significant proportion of our bakery/cake market segment had to close during the lockdown.”

Previously, Farmers Mill only had limited access to the retail flour market and had never supplied Progressive Enterprises – owners of the Countdown chain of supermarkets.

“Due to quick thinking

on the part of our sales and marketing teams, the flexibility of our operations team and support from our packaging supplier, we have been able to change the focus of our production and ramp up supply of 5kg retail flour into Foodstuffs (owners of the New World and Pak and Save supermarket chains) South Island and 10kg retail flour into Foodstuffs North Island,” Lawrence says.

The company’s flexibility meant that within 24-hours of being contacted by Progressive Enterprises requesting retail flour, trucks were leaving its factory loaded with flour.

“The quick actions of the sales and operations teams in implementing a change in market focus – due to market requirements – has enabled the business to continue operating and retaining all of our 25 staff,” Lawrence says.

“The board of directors are proud of the loyalty and commitment shown by our employees in the face of a very stressful few weeks – both at work and at home.”

Farmers Mill was opened in May 2013 with Griffins Foods as its cornerstone customer.

It is 100% owned by 12 South Canterbury arable farmers and proud of the fact that it is the only major mill in New Zealand using 100% NZ wheat.

Griffins Foods, Foodstuffs South Island, as well as manufacturers and artisan bakeries across NZ make up its customer base. In July 2020, the company

SAFETY PARAMOUNT LAWRENCE SAYS to meet the requirements of social distancing and staff safety during the Covid-19 crisis, a number of measures have been implemented.

“Within the mill, there are limits on how many staff are allowed in the cafeteria at any one time, meetings are held remotely, and shift changeovers are carried out with no face-to-face interaction,” he told Rural News.

“There is a strict policy in place that any employee feeling unwell or showing cold or flu-like symptoms is to stay at home.”

will also begin supplying Goodman Fielder’s three South Island manufacturing plants in Dunedin, Oamaru, and Nelson.

Lawrence anticipates

flour production will slow down in May as more and more people go back to work and the demand from home bakers subsides.

Timaru -based Farmers Mill has been extremely busy during the lockdown.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

12 NEWS

Will review fix Overseer?

NIGEL MALTHUS

OVERSEER LTD says it welcomes the recent launch of an independent review of its environmental modelling software and is looking forward to working with the review panel.

The Ministries for the Environment and Pri-

mary Industries jointly announced the review in early March, appointing eight independent experts to assess Overseer – their first task being the controversial question of its suitability as a regulatory tool.

“Having this review underway is an important milestone, and it’s

great that the ministries have appointed such a comprehensive group of scientists to the task,” Overseer chief executive Caroline Read told Rural News.

“We’re looking forward to updating the panel on the OverseerFM tool and our science programme. We

have recently expanded our science capability with the appointment of a chief scientist (Dr Jacquie Harper) and a senior modeller who will be able to engage with this group.”

Read says they’re also working on implementing the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Envi-

ronment Simon Upton’s recommendations – including developing a more comprehensive understanding of the model’s uncertainties.

“We are also actively supporting projects including the development of formal guidance on the use of Overseer in regulation, as well as

Overseer chief executive Caroline Read.

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providing input into government investment in both calibration trials to achieve acceptable levels of calibration coverage, and data generation to provide an evidence base for on-farm mitigation.”

Read hopes the review could “put to bed” a lot of the criticisms of Overseer and identify a way forward to create an effects-based regulatory environment for New Zealand.

Read recently sparred with Taranaki Regional Council chief executive Basil Chamberlain in the pages of Rural News over Overseer’s suitability as a regulatory tool, but she downplays their disagreement. “We both agree, actually, that Overseer is a farm planning tool to help farmers on the ground, and how it is used in regulation needs careful consideration.

“We know they don’t want to use Overseer in regulation but I think it is really important New Zealand is given the opportunity to use a tool that allows farmers to have flexibility in the way that they act to improve water quality.”

Overseer staff had scheduled a meeting with the TRC to discuss their concerns and how they could support the council if the new freshwater policy requires them to use Overseer in regulation.

However, that meeting was postponed because of the COVID-19 emergency.

Part of Upton’s criticism was that Overseer was primarily developed around pastoral systems and it was less able to model other systems such as arable farming.

Read says Overseer models many systems

including pastoral, arable cropping, permanent fruit crop systems and some vegetable systems.

“We are currently adding new crops, where we can get sufficient data to be able to add them, but it does cover a wide range of crops and there are alternative crops that can be used if the crop doesn’t exist [in the model].”

She says much of the criticism came down to needing to enter more information into Overseer for a more complex farm system.

“If you’re growing lots of different rotations of different crops, yes you do have to enter that into Overseer and that’s where people feel that it’s not as easy to use,” Reed explained.

“One thing that we are working on, at the moment and have been working on for the past year is assessing that we have data available through this big longterm fluxmeter programme delivered by industry and Government.

Asked if perceived inconsistency in results was the fault of the model or operator error, Read concedes that there was a problem with the old Overseer software in that updates came with a long list of changes and it wasn’t clear to farmers how changes in the models affected the changes in their results.

She says the new OverseerFM version completely changed the way this was done. It now puts into the software the specific change for each farm system, so farmers could understand the implications of the model updates.

HORTNEWS MAY 2020, ISSUE 10

Onion growers adapt well to changes – Page 15

ISSN 2624-3490 (print) ISSN 2624-3504 (online)

WWW.RURALNEWS.CO.NZ

Italian innovation helps Zespri

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ITALIAN KIWIFRUIT packhouses experience in dealing with Covid-19 has helped New Zealand to fast-track innovation in its own packhouses to deal with stringent new safety regulations.

Zespri’s chief grower and alliances

officer, Dave Courtney, told Hort News that when the new rules around social distancing in workplaces came into force in NZ, there were challenges in putting the new practices in place – this slowed down packhouse efficiency for some time.

However, he says some of the packhouses in Italy – which pack Zespri kiwifruit – had been dealing with this

issue much earlier, had experience in these types of protocols and knew how to keep people safely apart.

“They actually shared their ideas around erecting screens between people and how they ran their facilities and sent us photos and videos and other information,” Courtney explains.

“There was a real collaborative approach about how to meet the new

rules and how to keep operating under them. So, we were quickly able to take their learnings and devise our own systems based in their ones.”

Courtney says Italy tends to harvest their green kiwifruit early and put it into coolstores. When they get orders, they bring it out and pack it then. He says the kiwifruit industry in NZ has now got its head around the new pro-

tocols and how to operate.

“Many have gained confidence in their operating environment and we are seeing really good pack-outs now.

Some are even up to some of the best days of last year.”

But Courtney says this varies across the industry and there is no doubt the Covid protocols have had an impact on the how firms operate.

PICK OF THE CROP!

Twenty-six-year old Maatutaera Tipoki Akonga, who works as a senior leading hand at Llewellyn Horticulture, based in the Hastings area, is one of three finalists in this year’s inaugural Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award.

He joins fellow nominees, Tauranga’s Brandon Darny Paora Ngamoki Cross and Whangarei-based Finnisha Tuhiwai, who are also in the running for the 2020 award. The Ahuwhenua Young Māori award was inaugurated in 2012 and is designed to recognise up-and-coming young Maori in the farming and horticulture sectors. This year the competition is for horticulture. See the full story on page 18. PHOTO

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

14 HORT NEWS

Kiwifruit moving despite disruption Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ZESPRI IS expecting a degree of disruption throughout the year due to Covid-19.

Dave Courtney, Zespri’s chief grower and alliances officer, says while it’s early days, there are some positive signs. For example, the first shipment of Zespri gold has arrived in Europe – the earliest it’s ever done, with fruit also arriving in China, Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

“Fruit has been moving well from ship to wharf and out into market. While all governments in our markets have put restrictions on people moving, generally they have been keen to keep goods moving, especially food, and that is positive for us,” he told Hort News.

“The other key thing is that kiwifruit is a fresh, healthy fruit

and a source of nutrients – especially vitamin C – and in these times people are trying to keep healthy; so that is a positive signal for us from a demand perspective.

As a result, we are seeing strong demand in all of our key markets, but there is still some disruption.”

Courtney says one issue for Zespri is the product which traditionally went to the hospitality market is now going to other markets – the space there is now a bit crowded.

He says despite these unusual trends, Zespri still believes there is demand for fresh, healthy produce.

He says while the size of NZ kiwifruit is slightly smaller than previous years – due to the long, dry summer, the taste is excellent.

“Taste is a big selling point and is a critical driver for consumers to buy and come back and buy again.”

PRICES HOLD THE NEWS for growers is, not unexpectedly, uncertain and mixed.

While over 40% of the crop has been picked, 25% shipped and 5% sold, Zespri, is cautious about price predictions.

Courtney says they started sending updates to growers in March and updating these on a regular basis to keep them in the loop. Normally the guidance on pricing is not done until May, but he says Zespri recognises that growers need to know where the market might be heading.

The latest price range is as follows: ●● Zespri Green: $5.00 - $6.50 $6.46 per tray ●● Zespri Organic Green: $7.50 - $9.50 $9.65 per tray ●● Zespri Gold: $9.50 - $11.00 $11.71 per

Zespri’s Dave Courtney says while it’s early days, there are some positive signs for Kiwifruit exports despite the impact of Covid-19.

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tray Zespri Organic Gold: $11.00 - $13.00 per tray ●● Zespri Green14: $5.75 - $7.75 $7.65 per tray Courtney says while the season has got off to a positive start, change at any time is possible. He points to likely changes in consumer purchasing behaviour, supply chains, distribution issues and potential competition from other fruits in certain markets.

“As things stand today, the news is positive,” he told Hort News.

“But Zespri is under no illusion that on any given day a new disruption or challenge could arise for us and any other industry and country.” ●●

HORT SECTOR RESPONDS TO CHALLENGES HORTICULTURE NZ chair Barry O’Neill says the sector is already starting to look at how it will have to operate in the future.

O’Neill believes the horticulture sector is coping well in the circumstances. He says the big industries like kiwifruit and apples are harvesting, at the moment, and can still get their produce into markets. “Kiwifruit have their shipping arrangements and these charter ships have been able to collect product in NZ and discharge it at ports overseas in China, Japan and Europe and it is being distributed to supermarkets that are open.

“Some of the scheduled shipping lines that would normally be coming to NZ on a weekly basis have been impacted. We don’t have the same frequency that we would normally do and that becomes a little bit more difficult.”

O’Neill says, at one stage, there was a concern about the availability of containers to take produce to market but says this seems to have been resolved. However, he adds that there still is huge disruption to supply chains in Europe and the USA where there are even problems with people getting to supermarkets.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

HORT NEWS 15

Onion growers adapt well to changes Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

LIKE OTHER food growers, onion farmers have been quick to adapt to Covid-19 restrictions.

Onions NZ chief executive James Kuperus told Hort News that maintaining worker welfare and managing risks to prevent staff getting sick has been the highest priority.

Six weeks ago, when New Zealand went to alert level 4, there was a lot of uncertainty what this would mean for workers. It took some time for nerves to settle and work through what this actually meant, Kuperus says.

“Onion growers are doing a great job of adapting to the change in priorities and requirements to maintain worker welfare,” he says.

“The workers that growers have working for them are the number one asset at the end of the day: maintaining worker welfare and managing risks to prevent staff getting sick is the highest priority.”

Growers have been: • putting in place protective screens • restricting and track-

ing who comes on site • ensuring workers are adhering to social distancing requirements as set out by Ministry of Health and Ministry of Primary Industries • following good hygiene practices.

Despite Covid restrictions, onion exports to main markets - Europe, Asia and the Pacific Islands - have not been impacted.

“To date, there have been no major issues with exporting onions due to Covid-19: people all around the world need to eat, including onions,” says Kuperus.

He says it is critically important that onions are still exported as they are an important rotation in many growers’ cycles.

“For example, a grower may grow potatoes then leafy green vegetables then onions, back to potatoes etc,” Kuperus explains.

“Having onions in the rotation prevents the build up of diseases that may impact the other crops, that is, they have nothing to feed on in that field if they don’t eat onions.”

Kuperus says maintain-

$172M EXPORT EARNER LAST MONTH New Zealand onion growers celebrated the re-opening of a key market – Indonesia.

Indonesia re-opened its market to New Zealand onions after some clarification was required for the new import rules, says Onions New Zealand chief executive, James Kuperus.

Onions are the main horticulture crop exported to Indonesia, returning $28 million to regional New Zealand in 2019. In total, NZ’s onion exports rose to $172 million in 2019, up by $83 million on 2018.

Apatu Farms joint managing director, Paul Apatu says Onions New Zealand has been very proactive, working directly with Indonesian government officials, and various receivers in the Indonesian supply chain.

“The strategy is to grow the Indonesian market, along with other markets across the world. We’re pretty confident that long-term, international demand for New Zealand onions will grow.”

ing and enhancing market access is Onions NZ number one priority.

He says the New Zealand onion sector is extremely thankful for

the work that officials from MFAT and MPI have done to support the industry.

“We realise that we are not the biggest export

industry. It is much appreciated the work Government officials do to assist the onion sector to retain and open new markets.”

Onions NZ chief executive James Kuperus says growers are doing a great job of adapting to the requirements to maintain worker welfare.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

16 HORT NEWS

NZ blackcurrant sales surge Nigel Malthus

A UK-BASED company, believed to be the single biggest exporter of New Zealand blackcurrant product, has seen “very strong” sales as consumers in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic seek healthy dietary supplements.

CurraNZ produces blackcurrant extract capsules marketed as a dietary supplement, and

for sports nutrition, performance and recovery.

“We have seen very strong sales up here in the UK, New Zealand and Australia as well,” the company’s co-founder, New Zealander Fleur Cushman told Hort News.

The company says its antiviral and antimicrobial supplement is shown to boost the immune system, and Google Trends have “unsurprisingly” shown that

Her now late father Mike Cushman, who founded the Clinicians Supplements range of dietary supplements, first alerted her to the potential of blackcurrants. searches on boosting immunity have peaked to record highs in the last few weeks.

However, Cushman is at pains not to be claiming blackcurrant as a cure for coronavirus.

“What we have seen is good science that has come out of Japan and Iran particularly. Highimpact recent papers are showing that blackcurrant does have anti-viral effects and it does sup-

CurraNZ co-founder Fleur Cushman says NZ blackcurrant sales have surged in the UK in the wake of Covid-19.

port the immune system.”

Cushman explains that

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“We only use a specific variety of New Zealand blackcurrants because they have particularly high levels of anthocyanins, and the climate has an awful lot to do with that.”

Cushman says New Zealand fruit is of such high quality that they can produce an extract of 35% -- so 105mg of each 300mg capsule is guaranteed to be anthocyanin – which she adds fruit manufacturers elsewhere in the world struggle to achieve.

Cushman says she first went to Britain to follow a career as a horse racing journalist, although the family business in New Zealand “kept calling me back.”

Her now late father Mike Cushman, who founded the Clinicians Supplements range of dietary supplements, first alerted her to the potential of blackcurrants, as shown by early Plant and Food findings. Subsequent work at the University of Chichester showed

their potential for sports nutrition, recovery and performance.

With a UK partner, she launched the company in the UK in 2014 and in New Zealand in 2017. It now also has a distribution base in Australia.

CurraNZ product is sourced from a co-operative made up of about eight of New Zealand’s dozen or so growers.

For commercial reasons, Cushman won’t reveal where the extraction is carried out, but final production of the capsules is done in the UK. She says it’s not feasible to do it in New Zealand because, with elite sportspeople including Tottenham Hotspurs and High-Performance Sport NZ among their customers, it has to be done at sports-accredited facilities to avoid falling foul of anti-doping rules.

Meanwhile, Cushman said research into blackcurrants was now moving from sports nutrition into the health sciences.

She said research into anthocyanin was taking on a life of its own.

“It’s no longer me trying to door knock and trying to garner interest from scientists based on a small amount of evidence – now we field research requests from all over the world.”

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HORT NEWS 17

Award highlights doing ‘good stuff’ Nigel Malthus

ENTERING THE Ballance Farm Environment Awards highlighted how much “good stuff” vegetable grower Robin Oakley was already doing on farm – not, he says, for the recognition or publicity but because it is best practise.

A first-time entrant, Oakley was well-rewarded at the recent Canterbury awards dinner. His tally of three awards – the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, Hill Laboratories Agri-Science Award and the Massey University Innovation Award, was bettered only by the supreme winner, dairy farmer Tony Coltman.

With his wife Shirleen, daughter April and father Graeme, Robin runs Oakley’s Premium

Fresh Vegetables Ltd – a five-generation family business based at Southbridge. It also has leased blocks as far away as Amberley and Hororata, with a total of 350ha in vegetable production.

Oakley told Rural News he was initially reluctant to enter – “to stick my head up and get it chopped off”.

But his motivation, at a time when the public was getting stuck into rural people, was to get some good stories out about the good things being done in the rural sector.

“If you want to be best at what you do you make improvements everywhere you can,” Oakley explains. “Pretty much everything we do is seen as environmentally good.”

He says it is really all common-sense stuff.

An example is the use

A family affair: Robin (left), Shirleen, Graeme and April Oakley in one of their broccoli paddocks. Photo: NZ Farm Environment Trust

of moisture monitors.

Many farmers were now installing moisture monitors because they are being told they had to.

However, Oakley’s farms already have 10 and are getting more.

“We’ve been running

those for seven or eight years now and each year we’re putting more and more on. We’ve seen the benefit of them.”

He says these allow better fine-tuning of crop management.

“Nitrogen and water

are the two most critical components to growing a crop,” he told Rural News.

“And too much or not enough of either of them can hugely affect the outcome of your crop.”

He adds that the monitors are also a good man-

agement tool. With his blocks spread widely across Canterbury, going around all the paddocks to assess moisture every four or five days would be a full-time job without the monitors sending in reliable information.

“We’re not leading edge, but any technology, systems or opportunities that come along we’re usually up there in front row seats,” Oakley explains.

“If we see the benefit in them; we get onboard pretty quickly.”

Trading as Oakley’s Premium Fresh Vegetables, the family-run business is based on four blocks at Southbridge, between the Rakaia River and Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, plus leased blocks as far afield as Darfield and Amberley, for a total of 350ha in

vegetable production.

Selling mainly into supermarkets, they are members of the MG Marketing wholesaling cooperative.

“By successfully combining the elements of responsible water use, soil health, scientific research, environmental stewardship, community engagement and financial planning, Robin Oakley and his team take sustainable farm management into a new era,” says MG Marketing General manager of communications and sustainability, Ellery Tappin.

The Ballance Award judges noted that ‘an innovative, agile approach is taken across Oakley’s business, resulting in consistently high-quality vegetables that meet the changing demands of consumers.’

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

18 MANAGEMENT

Top Maori growers named PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE FINALISTS in the inaugural Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award have just been announced. They are: Twenty-four-year-old Brandon Darny Paora Ngamoki Cross, 24, works as trainee orchard manager for the large kiwifruit orchard management and post-harvest company Seeka.

Maatutaera Tipoki Akonga, who is 26, works as a senior leading hand at Llewellyn Horticulture based in the Hastings area.

Finnisha Nicola Letitia Tuhiwai, 25 who is a packhouse manager for Maungatapere Berries, located west of Whangarei.

The award, which was

inaugurated in 2012, is designed to recognise up and coming young Maori in the farming and horticulture sectors. This year, the competition is for horticulture. In threeyear cycles, young Maori in sheep and beef and dairy are recognised.

Long-time judge, Aaron Hunt, of Te Tumu Paeroa, speaking on behalf of the judging panel, says the standard of entrants in the inaugural competition for horticulture was very high and also reflects the number of young Maori who are making successful careers in horticulture. He says Maori have always been involved in the horticulture sector and, in recent years, they have been involved in significant new enterprises.

“The sector has natu-

Finnisha Tuiwai. PHOTO: JOHN COWPLAND, ALPHAPIX.

Brandon Darny Paora Ngamoki Cross.

PHOTO: JOHN COWPLAND, ALPHAPIX.

ral appeal to young Maori because it offers an outdoor lifestyle combined with excellent career prospects leading to management roles. As judges,

we found all the entrants passionate about the industry and enthusiastic about their future prospects,” he told Hort News.

Sadly, due to current Covid-19 restrictions, it will not be possible to complete the finalist judging process and determine a winner for 2020 for a little while yet.

The Ahuwhenua Trophy Management Committee is monitoring advice from health officials and will keep everyone informed when it is safe to undertake this next part of the process – including the most appropriate way to celebrate the finalists and present the trophy to the ultimate winner.

THE FINALISTS Brandon Darny Paora Ngamoki Cross who works for Seeka initially went to Victoria University in Wellington to study for a degree

in commerce. However, he says the thought of spending another three years in a classroom was unappealing and after two months he left university and headed home. In Tauranga he was introduced to Seeka chief executive Michael Franks, who offered him the chance to join the company, which he did, moving to Te Puke in the Bay of Plenty a few months later. He has been there for six years.

“When I started, I had no specific interest in horticulture but over time I have developed a passion for the industry and enjoy my role,” he says.

As a trainee manager, Cross gets to do a range of tasks especially during the harvest. This includes driving tractors and forklifts or working in the packhouse. He also undertakes vine management which includes – but is not limited to

– organising sprays, fertilisers, structural maintenance and cultural plant practices.

Maatutaera Tipoki Akonga has worked for Llewellyn for just on three years. Before that, he had worked for other companies, including Turners and Growers.

When Akonga left school at 16, he did some seasonal work. He was an apprentice mechanic until that job folded and he got an opportunity to work in an orchard packhouse.

Akonga then did a course in orcharding and has remained in the horticultural sector ever since.

Llewellyn Horticulture has about 80 hectares of land where mainly apples are grown with some stone fruit, such as plums, peaches and pears. The company is small and Akonga says with two other full-time staff he gets to do a range of tasks.

“We are more or less

responsible for keeping the orchard and the business running on a day to day basis. We take care of the pruning, spraying and mowing the orchard but we employ a range of local and RSE workers to harvest the crops throughout the picking season,” he says.

Finnisha Tuhiwai was born in Whangarei and was initially a dairy farmer but says the attraction to make a career in horticulture came because it was close to home.

She says once she started working for Maungatapere Berries and seeing all the different jobs, such as propagation and about the plants and their life cycle, she really got involved and put her hand up to learn anything she could. It was while working in the Berryfruit Packhouse that Tuhiwai says she found her passion.

“I love being involved now in the decision making, troubleshooting ideas, and even working on processes and training,” she told Hort News.

“I have discovered there is a career in horticulture, and I can earn while I learn – which is important for helping me support my family.”

Tuhiwai says her goals are to continue her education in horticulture and she hopes to take what she learns back to her people, be a role model for her family and show that you can make this a career.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

MANAGEMENT 19

Quinoa growers urged to band together and take on the world related to beets and spinach than to grasses. Cultivated for centuries in the Andes, it has become popular worldwide as a gluten-free ‘superfood’ and grain alternative.

Currie sells his quinoa direct from his website and through whole-food shops throughout the South Island and Wellington, under the Canterbury Quinoa brand.

He sells both whole seed and a flaked quinoa similar to rolled oats which can be used as a gluten-free alternative to flour. It can thicken soup or stews, and in baking gives a binding effect to avoid the crumbly or grainy texture common in gluten-free baked goods.

Currie says sales

NIGEL MALTHUS

ONE OF New Zealand’s very few quinoa growers is calling on his colleagues to band together to help market their product.

Andrew Currie, who farms near Methven in inland Canterbury, believes he is one of only three commercial quinoa growers in the country.

He’s the only one in the South Island and the only one with a breeding programme of golden, white, red and black quinoa varieties.

He told Rural News if there is any good to come out of the current COVID-19 emergency, it may be renewed support for locally grown produce. Currie says the post-lockdown environment will be very different.

“New Zealand farming will be the strength of our economy. Some people will need to change occupation to more rural orientated jobs.”

Currie says it would be “perfect” if the growers could combine their efforts and share the costs of a “buy local” campaign, producing quinoa that is fully traceable to the grower and paddock that produced it.

have risen in the past 12 months “from kilos per week to sacks per week”.

However, he concedes that marketing remained a challenge because it is hard to know how big the market is.

MPI can’t say how much is imported, he says.

Currie says it took a very long time to get food safety accreditation, at a high cost – so he’s shied away from selling through supermarkets because of the low margins. But he notes that Countdown is marketing itself as supporting local sources, particularly of grain.

“Even though quinoa’s not a grain, that’s got to be great for the New Zealand arable industry,” he

told Rural News.

“I wonder if after this COVID-19 has gone through, whether we get a boost to buy local. We won’t be going on holiday overseas either.”

Currie’s advice to any farmers contemplating taking up niche crops is to just give it a go.

“Sometimes you fail very well. Failing is not necessarily bad because you learn from those mistakes.

“With the quinoa we sometimes have to re-sow fields.

“It can be challenging to get it established early enough because it is a very long growing-season crop.”

But once established it is easy to grow, he says.

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NO WORRIES! Andrew Currie in his red quinoa ready for harvest. SUPPLIED

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likes of quinoa, Hungarian millet, sunflower, and canary seed.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

global agribusiness research analysts sharing market outlooks

20 MARKETS & TRENDS

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The battle of the bulls vs the bears THE AUSTRALIAN cattle market will be characterised by two extreme countervailing forces in 2020.

On the upside, historically low cattle supplies and strong restocking demand have driven cattle prices higher and will continue to support

the market through the year.

On the downside, disruption to markets and dramatically reduced economic activity resulting from Covid-19 will place downward pressure on prices.

The severity and suddenness of Covid-19 and

the ensuing economic slowdown – to levels not seen in over a decade – will test markets.

Australian beef production will drop WITH CATTLE inventory reported to be at 30-year lows

and widespread rain in February generating producer restocking activity, we estimate that Australian cattle slaughter will fall 14% in 2020, to 7.29m head. We also expect it to fall a further 2% in 2021.

A slight increase in slaughter weights resulting from an improved season will not be enough to offset the reduced slaughter, and we expect production to drop to 2.1m tonnes –one of the lowest volumes in 15 years.

These low slaughter numbers are similar to the lows in 2017 and 2011.

While giving rise to a positive market for livestock prices, it will create challenges for the processing and feedlot sectors having to manage capacity with lower livestock numbers and higher prices.

Australian beef exports to drop dramatically Beef exports are expected to drop 17% in 2020. Despite an assumed drop in per capita consumption leading to reduced domestic consumption, the dramatic reduction in production will still mean export volumes drop by 17%, to 1m tonnes swt.

The change in slaughter composition – moving from a high to low proportion of females – and higher prices will affect the distribution of exports across the different markets, in particular the US and China.

Australia’s production of lean manufacturing beef will be reduced in 2020, due to the lower cow slaughter. Given the US is a large market for manufacturing beef (60%

of exports to the US are manufacturing beef), all other things being equal, we expect exports to the US to drop in 2020.

China, as a lessestablished beef consumer with more suppliers available to it, is more pricesensitive. With rising Australian beef prices and the slowing Chinese economy, we also expect

volumes to China to decline by a larger amount, relative to other key export markets.

Australian beef export markets will come under pressure

A DRAMATIC reduction in global economic growth caused by the Covid-19 pandemic will act against Australia’s

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

MARKETS & TRENDS 21

COUNTRIES

Content supplied by Rabobank - Growing a Better New Zealand Together strong domestic cattle market in 2020.

Forecasts suggest that the contraction in global economic growth in 2020 resulting from Covid-19 will be worse than that experienced in the global financial crisis (GFC) in 2009, with large drops in key Australian beef markets, such as the US, China, and Japan. As a high-priced protein, beef will feel the impact of any reduced consumer expenditure.

But depending on the market, the product, and the sales channel, there will be different outcomes as people trade up or down and eat in or eat out.

We believe premium beef products sold through full-service restaurants will see a drop in demand as a result of economic contraction.

At the other end of the scale, commodity beef is not expected to see the same decline.

Producers should

expect downward price pressure to come from processors and exporters challenged by trying to sell product into a much more price-sensitive market in 2020.

China is again creating waves in global beef markets

AFRICAN SWINE fever was expected to again dominate Chinese demand for protein in 2020, and we estimated that pork production would decline a further 15% to 20% (approximately 8m tonnes) in 2020, on top of the 12m-tonne reduction in 2019. But then Covid-19 came along.

While ASF will continue to limit domestic protein availability, the more pressing matters of containing Covid-19 and managing an economic slowdown are likely to have a bigger impact on Chinese demand in 2020.

China’s measures to

contain Covid-19 had a dramatic impact on beef sales in the first three months of the year.

With reduced foodservice sales, we estimate that out-ofhome beef consumption dropped by as much as 80% in February.

While at the time of writing, most large manufacturing businesses had returned to work, weaker consumer confidence and lower on-site traffic continue to impact foodservice businesses as they resume operations.

China’s food landscape has evolved rapidly in the last decade, with consumers eating out more and eating higher-value foods.

We expect reduced growth is likely to have a larger impact on nontraditional, higher-cost proteins, such as beef, as consumers seek cheaper options.

liquidation, softer economic conditions, and reduced foodservice

sales, we believe that US import prices (in US$) for lean beef will dip slightly in 2020. But a lower Australian dollar against the US dollar will mask this fall.

US cow herd expansion has stopped.

Cow slaughter in 2019 was up 3.8% on 2018.

While the expansion is over, the corrective phase of the market is expected to be both short-lived and shallow, and not give rise to any dramatic liquidation of cows or supply-driven

price crashes.

Uncertainty exists around US protein consumption, given the economic slowdown associated with Covid19. Reduced incomes that would cause consumers to trade down to cheaper cuts, such as burgers, could support demand for Australian lean manufacturing beef.

We expect US beef exports to increase in 2020, aided by better access to Japan and China, creating competition for Australia.

US market is dipping, but big uncertainty remains WITH A combination of increased cow

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

22 OPINION EDITORIAL

The sniff test FORMER PRIME Minister John Key said, at the start of the Level 4 Lockdown, that businesses should be concerned about their reputations.

“Companies should apply the front page of the newspaper test to understand how its actions and announcements are perceived,” he explained.

This should be the test that the New Zealand National Fieldays Society employs to its more than 1100 exhibitors.

Rural News has outlined how Fieldays is playing the long game when it comes to the question of refunds. In the last week or so, it has come off the fence and offered three choices.

Exhibitors can either roll over their 2020 fees as a credit for the 2021 event, use the site payments to take part in a Fieldays Online website, or accept a refund of 80% of the pre-paid fees.

It is also refusing to refund ‘Premium Reserve Fees’ – paid to secure preferred sites. Rural News has sighted correspondence on the matter, where an account manager comes up with an illogical reply: “regarding the Premium Reserve site fees – these are non-refundable as soon as they are paid.”

It is interesting to compare other organisations, who found themselves in a similar place to Fieldays: Stuff Events, the organisers of The Central Districts Field Days, had to cancel its event at one week’s notice. However, it gave all exhibitors a 100% refund in the days that followed. Likewise, the Sheepmilk NZ organisation had to cancel its national conference and refunded all monies on the day of the cancellation.

By contrast, Fieldays had 87 days to run until the event in mid-June. But is only planning to give partial refunds commencing on June 20 – a full two months after the event should have been canned and a lifetime in the cashflow of many of its exhibitors.

A survey by the Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) – which represents the majority of tractor and machinery importers, distributors and manufacturers – threw up some interesting responses. Some 92% of companies were not interested in Fieldays Online, 75% would not attend a Fieldays event if it’s rescheduled for later in the year and 70% want a full refund of their pre-paid site fees.

The Fieldays marketing machine tells us every year that it’s worth over $500 million to the NZ economy. Not bad, were it true, for a $12.4 million business, that operates as a charity, pays no taxes and generates a $770,000 surplus (year ending 30 Sept 2019).

Perhaps it’s time for the good folks at Mystery Creek to start thinking about their reputation, if it’s not too late!

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Kosher?

Red faces

Your old mate hears that there have not been too many tears from affected farmers over the departure of the former head of the M. Bovis programme, Geoff Gwyn, at the start of April. Prior to joining MPI, Gwyn was a policeman and from all accounts his ‘bad cop’ routine with many of those farmers impacted

by M. Bovis did not go down well.

Another point, not well known, is that Gwyn is married to Labour list MP Ginny Andersen – the great niece of the 1970s firebrand unionist and avowed communist Bill Andersen. Meanwhile, the new head of MPI’s M. Bovis programme Stuart Anderson is a long-time MPI staffer, most latterly as director of fisheries management. This old mutt understands farmers dealing with M. Bovis will be hoping the attitude of the ex-fisheries manager is somewhat different to that of the former cop!

The Hound understands that farmer suppliers of the Alliance Group have been left seething over the country’s biggest meat processor shutdown during Easter. Alliance’s excuse for the five-day shutdown is that its workers “deserved to have time with their families”. While your old mate supports workers having long weekends in normal years, 2020 is hardly a ‘normal’ year. With huge backlogs of livestock needing to be killed due to the Covid-19 workplace restrictions and drought in many parts of the country, every other meat processor in NZ worked over Easter. But not Alliance Group.

Why? Are Alliance’s finances so bad it could not afford to pay the holiday penalties workers would have got?

Or does the meat company have such a toxic relationship with its staff and unions that it could not get agreement to kill over Easter? Fair questions to ask, this old mutt would have thought.

Many businesses around the country not allowed to operate during the lockdown have been left seriously financially impacted.

Your old mate has nothing but praise for the Government in proactively implementing its wage subsidy programme to help such businesses. However, he does question some outfits who have claimed this subsidy – including the country’s two big meat processors Silver Fern Farms and Alliance, which claimed $43 million and $34 million respectively. Surely these companies could operate – albeit in a restricted manner – during the lockdown and therefore were not eligible for the wage subsidy. The government handouts they have received are more than the annual average profit both companies have made during the past decade. Maybe this also explains why Alliance chose not to operate over the Easter break?

Speaking of meat company profits, your old mate notes that Silver Fern Farms has recently announced a $74 million profit for its joint venture company with Shanghai Maling and a $35 million profit for its co-op shareholders.

While still an appalling return on capital, it is one of the strongest profits a meat company has made in this country for many a year.

The Hound wonders whether political loudmouths like Winston Peters and the invisible man – NZ First list MP Mark Patterson – who was a vocal member of failed meat sector ginger group MIE before riding on the silver fox’s coat-tail into Parliament, have red faces about the doom and gloom they were predicting for SFF if the merger with Shanghai Maling went ahead? However, your canine crusader suggests SFF shareholders don’t hold their collective breaths waiting for any admission of getting it wrong.

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

OPINION 23

A lesson from Bill on forgiveness SINCE MY last column, the news – both national and international – has been saturated with this pandemic.

I thought I might take a different tack today and offer some different reading. The Easter long-weekend, just past, was celebrated differently than most of us have ever experienced or could have imagined.

Far from hanging out for more time off work, many would have been glad to simply have a job to go to! And ANZAC day was the same...so different to normal.

I will pull a story from my files that aptly

FARMER’S CHAPLAIN

Colin Miller

He said he had made a decision to love.

Bill’s decision to love and forgive was what made him so different; it was what had sustained him through the midst of this living hell. Wow! I call this the power of true forgiveness.

Yes, Easter this year was vastly different. Yet

multi-millions around the world recalled afresh that this is not a holiday season to commemorate a rabbit by over-eating chocolate eggs!

It is actually about the One who brought true forgiveness to our planet. Though unjustly condemned and cruelly put to death,

he refused to die bitter and twisted by hate and unforgiveness.

As he was being crucified, he uttered these timeless words: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Wow again!

Surely the Polish lawyer was right, unforgiveness is a poison;

it can slowly kill you from the inside out.

I have had the privilege of walking some folk through some pretty ugly stuff and seen them successfully move on. I would love to hear your story too. God bless.

• To contact Colin Miller email: farmerschaplain@ ruralnews.co.nz

arrived just as the war was ending. Because of his long drooping handlebar moustache, the Americans nicknamed this guy “Wild Bill”.

They noted Bill was in incredibly good shape, his posture erect, his eyes bright, and he seemed to

Bill proceeded to tell them his story of how the Germans had come to their street in Poland, lined his family up against a wall and shot them; his wife, their two daughters and three little boys. illustrates many things; some might call this courage beyond belief, others the triumph of the human spirit. This story comes straight out of one of the horrific concentration camps from WW2.

As the war ended, rapid medical help came to the camps, then came the arduous task of processing all the POWs and trying to get them home.

One of the young American medics said seeing the POWs and walking through the place where thousands had so cruelly died a little at a time was “the most shattering experience I had yet had … a new kind of horror.”

They soon noted one of the prisoners looked so out of place they figured he must have

to the camps. Bill went on to tell them he had been a lawyer and had seen what hate could do to people, to their minds and to their bodies. Bill then told them he had a decision to make – to hate or to love. Hate had just murdered the six people most important and precious to him.

have endless energy ready to help anyone at every request. The compassion he showed to all his fellow prisoners glowed from his face.

When Bill’s turn finally came up for processing and his info came before the Americans, they were totally stunned to learn Bill had actually been in that hellhole for six long years. And he had been treated just the same as all the others.

Bill proceeded to tell them his story of how the Germans had come to their street in Poland, lined his family up against a wall and shot them; his wife, their two daughters and three little boys. He had begged them to shoot him too so he could die with his family.

Because he spoke five languages, one being German, they sent him

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

24 OPINION

Farming continues while pollution falls NEW ZEALANDERS have been urged to order food from outlets that don’t use Uber, and to be extremely careful using Tinder.

The first is because of expenditure (Uber apparently takes 35% of the bill). The second is because of Covid-19 and potential to transmit the virus. (NRL players have been forbidden to use the app and the difficulty of maintaining 2m distance must be acknowledged.)

It is probable that rural dwellers will find

COMMENT

Jacqueline Rowarth it easier to comply with these requests than those who live in urban districts. It is possible that rural dwellers have never used either of the two services. It is also pos-

sible that rural dwellers are wondering about how much money is evaporated on services that make it easier to spend more money on services.

Only the cynic would wonder whether this expenditure could explain some of the difficulty in saving enough for house ownership. That cynic might also wonder why the Government is putting so much money into keeping the services afloat, while the rural workers continue their essential business, but

under increasingly difficult and expensive circumstances.

The answer on the farm is that this is what farmers do: keep on keeping on. Bound by the rhythm of the animals and crops, the future is decided by what is done now.

The Government is supporting the towns because they buy the food that is produced.

This assistance is happening all around the world.

It enables people overseas to buy New Zealand

New Zealand produces what the world wants – food that is natural, wholesome and good for you.

goods, and vice versa.

On the global market, New Zealand produces what the world wants – food that is natural, wholesome and good for you. People want foods that they can trust, and with the surge in home cooking, food that is easy to prepare and tastes good.

The Government is relying on this demand for good food for the future economic growth

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of New Zealand. It also wants the tax revenue gained from profitable businesses so that it can invest in all the promised infrastructure developments (as well as pay back the burgeoning debt). Many economists have commented that the grunt work is being done by those who work on the land.

Consumers, whether urban or rural, will remember.

Within the literature that is being created around the Covid19 pandemic, there are important messages. Professors Pederson and Ritter issued one such message in April in the Harvard Business Review. In an article on ‘Preparing your business for a postpandemic world’ they reminded us that ‘Consumers will remember how you reacted during the crisis’. They suggested that putting up prices would be a bad move as it would damage future relationships.

Uncertainty in how the world will look postpandemic does not help in making predictions, and the general feeling in economists and financial advisors is that nobody can really tell what will happen beyond the next 6-12 months.

Except that people will remember the sec-

tors that helped them get through – agriculture and horticulture.

They might also remember that the air became cleaner during the pandemic, and that the rivers ran clear. The environmental impact of reduction in transport has been noticed globally. The clarity of waterways has featured on RNZ with commentators noting bird song and clear water… because building and roadworks had stopped. No mention was made of the fact that agriculture and horticulture continued, nor that there had been no reduction in animals.

People will remember.

At the moment they are remembering the delights of takeaway food.

And possibly Tinder… but it is farmers and growers that have produced the food being enjoyed and the income that supports the dating.

New Zealanders are good at remembering, but many of the anniversaries are incredibly sad. In contrast, the land effort is an incredibly positive thing to acknowledge.

• Dr Jacqueline Rowarth CNZM CRSNZ HFNZIAHS has been examining agrienvironment and business information for several decades. The analysis and conclusions above are her own. jsrowarth@gmail.com

RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

ANIMAL HEALTH 25

Managing beef breeding cows STEPHEN MORRIS

BEEF BREEDING cows fill an important niche on hill country, particu­ larly when the pasture growth curve has a large sum­mer surplus and a contrasting winter deficit – and especially where paddock sizes are large and there is little finishing country.

The objectives of most commercial beef breeding cowherds are to: ●● Rear to weaning at least 90 calves per 100 cows mated each year ●● Wean calves with a heavy liveweight (40

Seasonal liveweights and production data for three different beef breedown cow types (note liveweights excludes the weight of conceptus).

SMALL

MEDIUM

LARGE

Weaning (kg)

430

470

550

Mid-winter (kg)

380

420

500

Pre-calving (kg)

380

420

500

Mating (kg)

410

450

530

Calf wean wt (kg)

215

235

275

Calf LWG

1.02

1.10

1.30

2880

3131

3657

kg DM/kg calf weaned

13.4

13.3

13.2

Number of cows

100

92

79

Feed eaten kgDM

●●

- 50% of autumn cow liveweight) Maintain a low death rate (2 to 3% per annum)

Make use of the breeding cow in maintaining improved pastures.

As a rule, usually smaller or medium sized ●●

cows that wean heavy calves (in excess of 50% of their dam autumn liveweight) are more efficient.

CATS CAN LEAD TO LAMB ABORTIONS TOXOPLASMOSIS IS the second most common cause of abortion in sheep and an important cause of death in unborn lambs.

The disease is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled organism which lives and multiplies inside the lamb’s own cells.

Toxoplasma infects all warmblooded animals, but an essential stage of its lifecycle occurs only in cats. Infected cats excrete toxoplasma eggs (oocysts) in their faeces.

These eggs can contaminate a farm and, under favourable conditions, are a potent source of infection for up to two years.

Cats are likely to become infected at quite a young age because of the widespread occurrence of toxoplasma in New Zealand. Once past their dangerous infective phase, cats will no longer be a source of toxoplasma oocysts.

However, as uncontrolled num-

bers of feral cats are found on many farms, and the oocysts can persist so long in the farm environment, any cat presence at all is likely to result in a continual source of infection.

Sheep become infected from eating contaminated food (pasture, concentrate feeds, hay etc). Once ingested, the toxoplasma spread to the sheep’s muscles and brain – and also to the placenta. Shielded from the ewe’s defence system the parasite multiplies rapidly, killing cells as infection spreads.

Infection in a pregnant ewe not previously infected by toxoplasma results in loss of the foetus. Susceptible sheep become infected and can remain so for life.

If ewes contract toxoplasmosis while pregnant, abortions will occur.

Ewes which abort due to toxoplasmosis infection do not generally abort due to toxoplasmosis in

subsequent seasons.

The time that a ewe is infected makes a difference to what farmers see: • Early pregnancy – early embryonic death; no abortion or visible signs • Mid-pregnancy – foetal death and abortion; dead lambs may be found on the ground • Late pregnancy – stillborn lambs or weak lambs that fail to thrive If early pregnancy infection has occurred, then the problems caused by toxoplasmosis may be hidden. Such foetal death will only show up when there are more ‘barren’ ewe hoggets or two-tooths than expected.

If non-pregnant ewes contract toxoplasmosis, they will develop ‘immunity’ within four weeks.

• Source Beef + Lamb New Zealand factsheet more information: www. beeflambnz.com

Professor Stephen Morris

In the table (see above) the annual feed consumption (kg dry matter/head/year) for three different cow liveweight types (small, medium and large) are calculated. The different cows are assumed to wean claves at a liveweight equivalent to 50% of their dam autumn live weight.

If each of these cows’ rears 50% of their own autumn liveweight to sale

as weaner calves, they are all equal in terms return per kg of feed eaten.

If we considered these three types of cows were run on a farm where there was a fixed amount of feed, then 100 cows of the small type, 92 of the medium and 79 of the large type cows could be farmed.

This illustrates that there are a range of cow types that can give similar

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productivity and returns.

The point here is that it is high productivity that makes a beef cow herd profitable just like any other livestock policy.

If a beef cow herd is not productive then the other benefits of keeping this class of stock needs to be large.

• Stephen Morris is a professor of animal science at Massey University’s School of Agriculture and Environment

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RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

26 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

App eliminates tedious paperwork MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

A CLEVER new app called HarvestYield is said to eliminate the tedious paper trail associated with job recording and worker timesheets, while also offering a suite of management tools.

Designed by a contractor’s son, in conjunction with a software developer, the original version offered field mapping and basic job recording.

It has since developed into a means of correlating hours worked and job details, alongside GPS directions to job sites.

A key feature of the app is the recording of job sheets on a smartphone, rather than via the machine’s regular telematics software.

This means operators can move between a mixed

fleet of tractors and machines, but manage their time on one platform.

Contractors who might visit multiple farms in a single day can use the app to record the time spent on each

job and record the quantity of consumables to create accurate and easily understood invoices.

As well as eliminating the paper trail for workers required to record hours, the system works in real-time – no need to visit an office at the end of a day.

In operation, when entering a new paddock, the user presses Start, then a recording function stores all movements and collates items such as time worked, the vehicle or implement, job notes, seed rates or numbers of bales produced.

All jobs can be used with a geo-note, a specific location on a map, mean-

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ing paddocks do not need to be mapped before work commences.

A management suite within the app allows those in charge to see when a job is started, completed or interrupted – great for monitoring staff who are working alone.

The app also allows

jobs to be queued, so the operator knows where they are heading to next and can see notes specific to each job – such as “leave headland if conditions are wet.”

Additional features like directing first-time visitors to the correct paddock using GPS will help eliminate mistakes,

with said paddock being clearly marked in colour.

The app also stores the point of contact details for a job so they don’t have to be stored on an individual’s mobile phone.

Location pins are “dropped” every ten minutes, so managers can keep track of a job as it

THE RANGE of Kubota MGX front-end loaders has been extended with the arrival of two mechanical self-levelling units, the X46 & Q5S, manufactured by Swedish industry leader ALO and branded in the familiar Kubota Orange.

The X46 is suitable for the M100GX and M110GX while the Q5S compliments the M126GX and M135GX tractors.

The new models are in addition to the Kubota-made LA1954 and LA2254 loader models.

These new loaders come standard with industry leading build quality and finish, third service,

boom suspension, Euro Hitch, Ergo-Drive Joystick, flat-faced couplers and optional Hydraulic Quick Coupler. The latter is offered as standard on the Q5S model.

For the Q5S, an optional Electro-Drive Electronic Joystick takes operation to the next level, using a novel thumb control, mounted on a flexible joystick that can be moved out of the way when not in use.

Designed for strength, durability and all-round visibility, the loaders’ layout has curved 80mmwide high-tensile steel loader arms with a round, low-set crosstube for the best torsional force

LEADERS ON FARM MACHINERY DESIGN

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absorption. Cast or forged components are used in crucial areas such as the arm ends, at the “knee” of the loader and at the rear of the Q Link.

Durability is enhanced with all pipes or hoses running inside the boom profiles, which also provides obstruction-free forward vision to the implement.

Easily accessible greasing points, facing outwards, makes routine maintenance easy. The wide, stable parking legs are stowed under the boom for quick tool-free removal and re-fitment of the loader. www.kubota.co.nz

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progresses, then when it is completed and signed off, details can be sent to an accounting package to raise invoices as the operator leaves the paddock.

Available for iOS and Android Systems, HarvestYield is available via the usual app stores.

READING THE PAPER ONLINE HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER

READ US UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME!

❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱

Breaking news Management Animal health HEADER Agribusiness Ferist et quati aut pedici te vollab imod quamet atur soleniet quiatibu. PAGE 15

❱❱ Machinery & Products reviews ❱❱ Competitions...

HEADER and much more HEADER Ferist et quati aut pedici te vollab imod quamet atur soleniet quiatibu. PAGE 23

RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Ferist et quati aut pedici te vollab imod quamet atur soleniet quiatibu.

PAGE 24

RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 27

Electric ute a breath of fresh air MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WHILE HYBRID and electric vehicles are in the news every week, particularly in the saloon and SUV sectors, alternative propulsion choices seem to have bypassed the massive ute sector.

That looks like it’s about to change with recent announcements from leading vehicle manufacturers. However, one Australian-built unit is ready to hit the streets or tracks now.

The ZED 70, built in Adelaide by Zero Automotives, is based on the rugged Toyota Landcruiser 70. It’s said to be engineered to face the harsh climates of the ‘dry country’ – particularly in the mining and agri-busi-

ness sectors.

Although the company has no plans to mass produce the vehicle, it can supply units that are customised to meet industryspecific needs, producing design-compliant and road legal utes for under AU$200,000.

Said to offer an effective range of up to 350km, the ZED 70 features a 700Nm electric motor, partnered with a 20 to 120kW/hour battery pack.

This combines to deliver more torque than the original, factory fitted V8 engine.

The company suggests the vehicle is particularly suited to confined environments where diesel particulates can have a detrimental effect on people working nearby.

Using current and emerg-

ing technologies – such as geo-fencing, telematics and semi-autonomous operation – the ZED 70 can also be fitted with automated speed limiters for individual sites.

Available in wagon, dual-cab, single-cab and troop-carrying configurations, the vehicle will also incorporate regenerative braking, high-voltage air conditioning and heating.

The ZED 70 is based on the rugged Toyota Landcruiser 70.

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GOING

SNIPPETS Big JD engine

JOHN DEERE has developed an 18-litre engine, which develops a maximum power output of over 870hp (670kW).

It utilises in-house engine controls, a high-pressure common-rail, series turbochargers and cooled EGR. To be built at the company’s engine works plant in Waterloo, Iowa, production is planned to begin in 2022. Currently, JD’s largest in-house engine is the 13.5-litre 616hp (460kW) PowerTech PSS used in the 9600 self-propelled forager, 9520R tractor (520hp/382kW) and S790 combine (543hp/405kW).

Sales pick up in Oz

THE AUSTRALIAN Tractor and Machinery Association (TMA) reports that recent rainfall, high commodity prices and a government stimulus by way of depreciation allowances of up to AU$150k has led to increased optimism in the sector.

Tractor sales in March saw a 5% increase overall, with a 29% rise in the under 40hp sector and similar sales in both the 40-100hp and 100 to 200hp arenas.

Regionally, Victoria was up 32% compared on the same month last year, with NSW also up 13%.

Elsewhere, Queensland was down 15% year-on-year, while WA dropped 30% for the same period.

130yrs for Kubota

KUBOTA CORPORATION, one of the world’s leading machinery and engine manufacturers, commemorates more than a century in the market.

Founded in 1890, it started by manufacturing Japan’s first iron pipelines for waterworks. In 1922 the company started producing kerosene-driven engines for agro-industrial use.

In the 1960s, it launched a range of tractors for dry-field farming and in 1974 Kubota introduced its own compact mini excavator. Today, the Japanese company is also the world´s leading manufacturer of compact diesel and gasoline engines for industrial, agricultural, construction and generator applications. – Mark Daniel

WE’RE HERE TO KEEP YOU GOING In these uncertain times any bit of certainty can go a long way. We’re reaching out to you, to let you know that as a key service provider to essential industries we’ll be doing everything in our power to keep you going while playing our part in keeping New Zealanders safe.

Our service department will still be operating and parts are readily available, so be sure to secure your winter servicing requirements now.

All interaction will strictly follow the government’s guidelines for safe practices.

Remember, we’re here to keep you going.

To find out more about these guidelines and how to order and receive parts go to keepyougoing.co.nz.

For your local dealer go to: claasharvestcentre.com

RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

28 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER

Made in NZ – Hustler

Businesses MADE IN NZ

A LOOK AT HOME-GROWN COMPANIES

Made in New Zealand is a feature that looks at the wealth of design and manufacturing ability we have in New Zealand, producing productive and costeffective products for the agricultural sector. This week, Rural News’ machinery editor Mark Daniel takes a closer look at Hawkes Bay headquartered Hustler, catching up with general manager, Brent Currie.

Q- When was the company founded, by whom and why?

Hustler was founded in 1961 by Russell Henry Currie – an inventor, orchardist and farmer.

At 8-years-old he built his own jet engine for his push bike and built a motorised tea-trolley using a windscreen wiper motor for his mum. For the farm he built sprayers

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and handling equipment to make life easier, but succumbed to a major back injury at 32, that would lead to him using a wheel-chair. Unable to work on the farm, Rus-

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Hustler general manager Brent Currie.

sell started Hustler building equipment for other local farmers. Along the way, in the 1960s, Currie built a 100-foot boom sprayer, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and developed and patented a steering axle, linked to the plough-arms on the tractor.

Q- Where are you located is it single or multiple sites?

Global HQ is in Hastings, with a secondary manufacturing site in Mid Canterbury. Distribution warehouses located in Australia, N. America, France, and the UK. Q- What are your key products and which markets do they serve?

Key products are chain and chainless bale feeders, Combi feed-out wagons, silage wagons,

tip trailers, bale handlers, boom sprayers, GPS guidance and application products. We also manufacture trailer quick hitches – aimed at the agricultural market.

Q- What are the four unique selling points of your products?

Versatility – machines that perform tasks normally requiring two or more conventional machines to complete.

Reliability, with a focus on eliminating moving parts, and the number of components required to build a machine. This reduces on-going maintenance and downtime in the field and allows us to offer a 4-year warranty. Innovation, as an example, the chainless feeding system is silent, so doesn’t spook

DEALS 25% deposit of the financed sum i n c l u d i n g G S T P LU S a p a y m e n t h o l i d a y.

The interest rate for the loan is 3.79% and is based on a schedule of 36 monthly payments. To suit seasonal cash flow, there are no payments required through * Te r m s , c o n d i t i o n s & l e n d i n g c r i t e r i a a p p l y.

June, July, August and September so customers can take a winter payment holiday, and maybe go on holiday instead!

Preapproval is now a lot easier with online tools that can give a definitive answer within a few minutes.

Preapproval can also be granted by answering a few simple questions over the phone, which makes the process simple and straightforward. These Krone finance offers apply to all new imported products so be in quick to ensure your order is made by the end of the second quarter and take advantage of these great offers.

This loan also consists of a $375 documentation fee and $20 Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). Any documentation relating to either package needs to be preapproved and supplied prior to the end of the second quarter to ensure the order is met. Lending and credit criteria apply.

cattle, while teasing both round and square bales apart. Finally, a 30-day satisfaction guarantee ensures the product is matched to what the customer is doing, so if it doesn’t perform as expected we’d rather have it back or swapped for the right product.

Q- Looking at an everevolving market, what changes have you made over the last few years, or what will you have to do moving forwards?

We’ve got a very full innovation pipeline.

Recently we released FeedLink, a feed weighing and management App, which connects to the scales of our wagons. This allows users to weigh from a stack and while feeding out, alongside offering proof-of-placement of your feeding out.

Our sprayers are now available with ISOBUS controls to simplify operation, and connectivity with OEM GPS

Q- What has been the company’s greatest success since its formation?

Making farmers’ lives easier has been our biggest success, alongside delivering and promoting iconic Kiwi innovation to a global stage.

Q-In contrast, what has been the biggest “Oh Bugger” moment or the steepest learning curve?

There’s probably too many to list. However, one of the biggest would be not listening to enough farmers.

Q- If you were approached by someone looking to start a business, what would be your three key pieces of advice?

Get close and stay close to the grass roots and listen, while doing your market research.

Surround yourself with great people and use their strengths. Be fluid and embrace change early, rather than be forced to make changes later.

Q- Where do you see the company in the next three, five and ten years. What changes do you foresee to keep relevant and grow your business?

Hustler keeps an eye on what acquisitions the big five global players are investing in, as a clue to where markets are heading. Undoubtedly, the future will see more traceability, more technology and greater onfarm automation.

FLY OR LICE PROBLEMS? The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989

Quality construction and options • Get the contractors choice Featuring...

• Incredible chemical economy • Amazing ease 1500+ per hour • Unique self adjusting sides • Environmentally and user friendly • Automatically activated • Proven effective on lice as well as fly • Compatible with all dip chemicals • Accurate, effective application

07 573 8512 | dipping@electrodip.co.nz – www.electrodip.com

I n v e s t i n l o n g e v i t y a n d q u a l i t y.

Invest in the best.

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t

www.tulloch.nz

06 370 0390

DEALERS NATIONWIDE

Rubber Safety Matting • ATV Carrier Mats • Exit/Entry Areas • Calf Trailers • Horse Floats & Trucks • Weigh Platforms • Bale Mats • Comfort Mats for Wet & Dry Areas • Utility Deck Matting

Phone: 0800 80 8570 www.burgessmatting.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // MAY 5, 2020

tunnel houses Grow vegetables all year round Very affordable and easy to install New Zealand designed and made 35 years producing tunnel houses Range of models sized from 2m - 8m t/f

03 214 4262 |

e

T T T T T

RURAL TRADER 29 DOLOMITE

NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call...

0800 436 566

www.morrifield.com

info@morrifield.com

NZ MADE BOOTS

SINGLE TOP DOG BOX DOG BOX ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱

GST $605 incl

Visit www.lastrite.co.nz for more quality products

LASER FF95

DIESEL HEATER

Accommodates up to 4 dogs 6 individual air vents Removable centre board 2 lockable galvanised gates In-house drainage Tie down lugs on each side Fits all wellside & flatdeck utes (2 models) Raised floor for insulation

$850

FOOTWEAR LTD

HUNTER BOOTS Comfortable, durable and stylish.

The heavy duty sole construction makes this a robust boot designed for climbing over rugged ground. This boot has a soft toe and is made from a thick Mad Dog Nubuck Leather, stitched and screwed construction with a rubber, replaceable sole, that is glued and screwed. Soft padding for ankle support and D-Rings for your laces are an added advantage. Great fitting boots full of comfort, ideal for those long hunting and tramping trips.

ü Huge 9.5kW output. ü Made in Japan since 1991.

incl GST

ü Diesel is approx. 30-50% less than “on demand” Electricity or Gas. ü DIY Install or we can arrange. ü No wood to cut, cart or store. ü No mess, NO indoor diesel odours. ü As easy to use as a light switch.

0800 379 247 www.avonheating.co.nz

Phone 0800 625 826 • www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

FREE

FARMER BOOTS Lastrite’s Farmer boots are made for comfort. Constructed from Reverse kip leather they are an ideal farmers, fencers and builders boot. Very sturdy and made to last this boot is robust with a heavy duty construction. It has a leather insole and midsole that is stitched and screwed construction with a rubber, replaceable sole, that is glued and screwed. Update your old boots now and you will never look back.

nationwide delivery

10 HALL ROAD, RD5, WHANGAREI Phone 09-436 2794 or 027-436 2793

QUADBAR

595

$

+GST delivered

Proven beyo nd do ubt!

BEST QUALITY | BEST Price | BEST ADVICE BEST QUALITY | BEST Price | BEST ADVICE

BEST QUALITY | BEST Price | BEST ADVICE WATER TANKS, PUMPS & FILTRATION WATER TANKS, PUMPS & FILTRATION

WATER TANKS, PUMPS FILTRATION DEVAN CALPEDA • PURETEC • OASIS CLEARWATER DEVAN •• PROMAX PROMAX • •CALPEDA • PURETEC •& OASIS CLEARWATER DEVAN •TANKS, RX • CALPEDA • AQUA • OASIS CLEARWATER WATER PUMPS & FILTRATION

“I have no doubt that if I did not have a Quadbar fitted, my accident would have been fatal!” – Rozel Farms “The Quadbar saved our employee from significant injuries.” – Colin van der Geest

Recommended

by Worksafe.

ACC subsidy available

For a Quadbar, call me, Stuart Davidson, owner of Quadbar NZ, on 021-182 8115. Email sales@quadbar.co.nz or for more info go to www.quadbar.co.nz

DEVAN • PROMAX • CALPEDA • •PURETEC • OASIS CLEARWATER P: 326 8888 www.thetankguy.co.nz P:0508 0508 326 8888 • www.thetankguy.co.nz A: A: 30 30 Turners RoadRoad – Feilding Turners – Feilding

600 500 400 300 200 100 0

QUADBAR 5 YEAR SURVEY

NUMBER OF QUADBARS 479

P: 0508 326 8888 • www.thetankguy.co.nz A: 30 Turners Road – Feilding

ROLLOVERS 61

NUMBER OF DEATHS 0

CLOSING DOWN SALE! - BUFFALO BOOTS

After 25 years of providing workwear to New Zealand farmers - our rainwear & footwear is the best it has ever been - however we are unable to get the prices &/or sell the quantities we need to remain viable. We have a reasonable amount of stock on hand, but anticipate this will sell quickly.

Thank you to all our customers who have supported us over the years!

Earthwalk Buffalo Boots have NEW WAXY thick buffalo hide uppers which are 175% more crack and water resistant than normal leather.

The nitrile rubber outsole won’t crack, split or break down in soil. It is stitched to the leather upper...

PHONE

9am-5pm

0800 16 00 24

SLIP ON

LACE UP

$115

$120

valued at $280

valued at $320

STEEL TOE X (with Scuff Guard)

STEEL TOE X (with Scuff Guard)

sold out of size 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard)

sold out of size 7, 11, 12, 13

YES - we are still shipping during the Covid-19 lockdown ONLINE

earthwalk.co.nz

ONE STOP WATER SHOP 300mm x 6 metre .......................... $410 400mm x 6 metre .......................... $515 500mm x 6 metre .......................... $690 600mm x 6 metre .......................... $925 800mm x 6 metre ........................ $1399 1000mm x 6 metre ...................... $2175 1200mm x 6 metre ...................... $3475 ALL PRICES INCLUDE G.S.T.

CHEQUES

sold out of size 7, 9, 11, 12, 13

PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard) sold out of size 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13

earthwalk, r d 2, palmerston north

CULVERT PIPES

New Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes!

FREE joiners supplied on request.

• Lightweight, easy to install • Made from polyethylene

Check out our NEW website www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

NEW WAXY BUFFALO LEATHER! 175% more crack resistant Leather Traditional Stitched on soles Wide Fit Nitrile Rubber Outsole Heavy Duty Elastic Sides (Slip On) Outsole won’t Crack or Split Calfskin Tongue & Collar (Lace Up) NEW WATERPROOF INSOLE! NEW DURABLE LUXURY FOOTBED

sizes: 7 - 13 (NZ) please add $12 freight per order

Phone

06 623 4181

or

0800 625 826 for your nearest stockist

Joiners supplied FREE with culvert pipes

WIN

A HUSTLER BALE FEEDER

UNROLLA LX105

4 YEAR WARRANTY

The Hustler Advantage ❱❱ Patented Snaplox auto connection system eliminates the need to pull a rope to disconnect and makes for quick, easy operation on both the loader and rear hitch ❱❱

Toughest chains and bars on the market for long life

❱❱

Unique self-aligning bearings last longer and save on maintenance

❱❱

Double ended allows the headstock to connect at either end

❱❱

Highest bale restraint stops bales screwing out when feeding in undulating terrain

❱❱

4 year warranty, and beefy 1250kg capacity

0800 487 855 HUSTLEREQUIPMENT.COM

BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM PUBLISHING JUNE 2, 2020 Sadly, field days are out of the question while Covid-19 remains a threat. No tyres to kick, no bargains to bag! No hot dogs and chips! Fear not, we’re bringing the field days to your farm.

Rural News will bring you all the innovative new products and services coming on to the market and, of course, the great deals - direct to your letterbox on June 2. Bringing Field Days to the Farm will run in print and online.

Keep an eye out for this great feature; you’ll have to provide the hot dogs and chips, but we will give you the chance to WIN a brand new Hustler Bale Feeder worth $10,000!

Read RURAL NEWS on June 2 and

WIN!

RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS