NEWS
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Carpet maker to ditch synthetics. PAGE 15
New Fergies offer comfort and efficiency. PAGE 34
MANAGEMENT Blending facility offers southern farmers more feed choice. PAGE 28
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS AUGUST 11, 2020: ISSUE 707 www.ruralnews.co.nz
Big beef with UN NIGEL MALTHUS
A NEWLY formed beef industry group is condemning a United Nations campaign about the impact of the meat industry on the environment. A tweet from an official UN account claimed the meat industry is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions
than the world’s biggest oil companies, contributes to the depletion of water resources and drives deforestation. The New Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef chair, Grant Bunting, says the tweet was “outrageous” and “factually incorrect.” The tweet was later deleted in the face of widespread criticism, but
Bunting said the stated reason for its withdrawal was not that the claim was incorrect, just that the UN could not confirm the source. The underlying sentiment was still concerning, he told Rural News. “The UN’s role is to demonstrate leadership, promote
peace and bring countries and communities together. Singling out meat in this way for condemnation is unhelpful and inaccurate.” Bunting says the UN’s claims ignores science, aren’t solutionsfocused and don’t take into account the great work of farmers, industry, researchers and governments around
Making farmers proud again Federated Farmers new vice president Karen Williams wants the organisation to become the ‘go to’ body for farmers and help them have pride in what they do. Williams says, over the last few years, some farmers have been embarrassed to admit they are farmers. She wants this to change. She also wants to build a strong team culture within Feds and the whole primary sector to create an environment in which farmers feel proud about the fact that they are producing quality food and fibre. “We have a massive opportunity coming out of Covid to show that what we do is a really honourable job.” See full story pages 6-7
the world. “The statement doesn’t tell the whole story: at its most basic level the oil industry is releasing carbon that’s been locked away for millions of years. Meanwhile, meat producers absorb carbon in the pasture before emitting it. In addition, agricultural methane is largely depleted within 12 years,” he explains. “The food industry is in a unique position: while generating emissions, the production of food and fibre also has the potential to sequester carbon,” Bunting adds. “Around the world, meat is an essential protein and globally farmers are doing an amazing job at helping to feed the world.” The tweet was part of the UN #ActNow campaign, designed to raise awareness about climate change. That was not the problem, said Bunting. The Australian website beefcentral. com sought an explanation from the UN as to why the tweet was removed and received this reply: “The material in the tweet was deleted because it did not come from a UN source. “This does not mean we regard it as misinformation, we simply take care to use UN sources for the information in our tweets and that did not happen with this tweet, so it was withdrawn.” Bunting said that explanation in itself is concerning. “What does that suggest? The underlying premise is what, that this is a stance that the UN is looking to adopt? “There’s absolutely no science or TO PAGE 4
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 3 ISSUE 707
www.ruralnews.co.nz
NEWS ......................................1-16 AGRIBUSINESS................18-19 MARKETS ..........................22-23 HOUND, EDNA ...................... 24 CONTACTS.............................. 24 OPINION ............................24-27 MANAGEMENT .............. 28-30 ANIMAL HEALTH ............ 31-33 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ...................... 34-38
Waikato contractor Brook Nettleton, Bluegrass Contractors, needs 15 more contractors from overseas this season.
RURAL TRADER............. 38-39
Contractor crisis looms HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: Ovato Print CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 79,553 as at 31.03.2019
SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS stand to lose millions of dollars and farmers could face a feed shortage unless the Government allows 380 machine operators from overseas into the country next month. The cultivation and harvesting of feed, including grass, maize and grain, from the end of September remain in limbo due to Covid-19 border restrictions. Rural Contractors of NZ chief executive Roger Parton says rural contractors cannot get visas unless borders are open, which will lead to expensive machinery lying idle. Parton told Rural News that contractors have told him that their losses could run into several millions of dollars unless their overseas workers are allowed in. Farmers also face the possibility
of a feed shortage. Parton says there could be a shortage of feed and grain for cattle. “So we are not talking about individual losses for contractors, the whole agriculture sector could suffer at a time when the sector is seen as navigating the country out the Covid-19 pandemic.” Rural Contractors of NZ have government approval to bring in 300 experienced machinery operators from Ireland, the UK, Europe, Canada and the US every year. Many other machinery operators come under the working holiday visa. Parton says they are surveying members on the “absolute minimum” number of workers required this year. He says another submission will be made to the Government this week. Last month the association met Government ministers, but Parton says they have been “going around in circles”.
“The problem is the decision to allow workers is a Cabinet decision and one chokepoint is the availability of space at isolation facilities.” Waikato contractor Brook Nettleton, Bluegrass Contractors, needs 15 more operators from overseas this season. He says the Government allows movie makers into the country but is reluctant to do the same for the agriculture sector that is keeping the country going. “I have nothing against hiring Kiwis, but we aren’t talking about driving cars here, this is expensive machinery requiring expertise,” he says. “There aren’t experienced operators just floating around out there.” The Ministry of Social Development sent eight local machine operators to Bluegrass Contractors last year; not one lasted the full season. He says good Kiwi machinery operators already have jobs and “we get the
rats and mice of tractor/trailer drivers sent to us”. “The job isn’t easy: you have to drive in winter for the day and half the night to make sure that customers get serviced.” In the hope of attracting locals, Bluegrass Contracting is holding an open day to recruit about 10-15 people to work as tractor and truck drivers to serve the company’s farmer clients in the Waikato and Taupo. The open day will be held at the company’s Te Poi site on August 15. Waikato Federated Farmers vice president Ben Moore said there could be significant health and safety concerns if drivers are expected to work longer hours because of the shortage. He supports Nettleton’s request for the Government to allow more experienced ag equipment operators from overseas into New Zealand until the country can train enough Kiwis for the work.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
4 NEWS
No white knight SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
NORTHLAND SHEEP and beef farmer James Parsons doesn’t see himself as the white knight when it comes to fixing the wool sector. In late June, Parsons was elected chair of WNZ, the marketing and export company owned by 700 sheep farmers. Speaking to Rural News, Parsons acknowledged that wool prices were at an all-time low and unsustainable at current price levels. “Like many farmers, I’m shocked at where things are. Out of a desire to see a vibrant wool sector I offered my services to shareholders in
November last year,” he says. Parsons says the WNZ board and management, led by new chief executive John McWhirter, are working on strategies to revitalise the returns for their shareholders. One area WNZ are focused on is getting the NZ wool story to consumers. “That authentic story is lost in the NZ strong wool commodity supply chain right now. It’s unrealistic to expect a grower’s story to pass from the grower to a merchant to a broker, through an auction, to an exporter to a spinner then a manufacturer, then a distributor to a retailer and
Big beef with UN FROM PAGE 1
fact supporting it and it’s frankly a very dangerous statement to be making on a global basis because of the implications that has, right through the beef supply chain.” Bunting said the NZRSB, and other entities including the NZ Government, needed to align on the issue, and engage with the UN. “There needs to be some ongoing conversation to ensure that this sort of nonsense isn’t reiterated.” Bunting says there’s a lot of good work going on around the world in this space and a science-based, solutions focus would be more beneficial than this divisive, inaccurate sound-bite approach. “The Global Roundtable is taking a stand on this and is raising its concerns directly with the UN.”
finally a consumer.” The WNZ model is to take its growers’ wool further along the supply chain through WNZ branded sales to its spinning and manufacturing partners. “Of all NZ strong wool companies WNZ is one of the best placed, with international representatives and strong partnerships in market, to grow this branded supply and connect customers back to grower shareholders,” said Parsons. Farmgate price for wool dropped to around $1.60/kg for clean wool; greasy or unscoured wool is attracting 20% less. Since the Covid-19 lockdown, prices dropped
even further to around $1/kg mark. At the moment these returns to farmers didn’t even come close to covering the costs of shearing and in some cases, it wasn’t even worth sending the wool off farm. Parsons says some farmers are stockpiling wool in the hope prices will pick up but there are also farmers who are accepting the price and clearing wool stock. He says the appointment of McWhirter is a great addition for WNZ. A former head of Hellers Limited, he brings experience in building supply chains, products, brands and developing strong consumer loyalty.
“The board recognised specific skills John had in turning primary produce into consumer goods. Strong wool prices have been through a period of decline for the last two decades and Covid-19 has seen prices crash to an
all-time low,” says Parsons. But Parsons says there is sign of renewed activity in the UK residential market. “Typically, wool carpet is sought by high income earners and UK is return-
KIWI AT THE TOP THE NEW Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is an industry group formed in late 2019 by founding members ANZCO Foods, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Greenlea Premier Meats, Fonterra, McDonald’s, Silver Fern Farms, World Wildlife Fund for Nature and farmers. AgResearch joined in early 2020. The group is a chapter of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, which has member Roundtables around the world and held its AGM in New Zealand last November. Grant Bunting, ANZCO Foods general manager for systems and supply, was recently named chair following the set-up phase. However, Bunting hopes to serve only until the group’s first annual meeting in March 2021. He believes it may be better led by a beef farmer. “I hope by that stage we will have nice robust plans and be well resourced in terms of funds and we will have done enough at that point to have some runs on the board in terms of farmer engagement.” Bunting said the group was formed on the back of the growing importance the world is placing on being able to spell out sustainability credentials across the supply chain. Anyone from the supply chain is able to join and can find out more at www.nzsustainablebeef.co.nz
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ing to normal in term of domestic demand.” Parsons also notes that Covid-19 hasn’t just picked on the wool sector, but also affected the synthetic carpet market and on a bigger scale.
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 5
Small berry packs a big punch PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
ONE OF New Zealand’s smallest fruits has the potential to improve the performance of our country’s sports people. During the past 14 years, Plant & Food Research scientist Dr Roger Hurst and his team have been researching the potential health benefits of NZ blackcurrants. Along with researchers overseas, they have demonstrated that NZ-grown blackcurrants offer significant health benefits. In the most recent publication, the benefits of consuming blackcurrants are shown to specifically relate to improving a sports persons performance by speeding up their recovery after exercise, training or a sporting event. “We have got some
good insights both into performance and recovery and managing the stress of recovery. Put simply, there is now no doubt that NZ blackcurrants do enhance performance,” Hurst told Rural News. “Further, they aid recovery which also impacts on performance. If you recover quicker from fatigue and damage you are going to be able to perform better and you are going to be able to get back to your training quicker and get back on the field quicker.” Hurst says blackcurrants, for example, improve blood flow and as a result are likely to improve oxygen delivery to, and remove waste products from, the muscles. He says they also help manage stress and inflammation and provide a degree of immunity.
Local and international research has found that NZ-grown blackcurrants offer significant health benefits.
Timing of intake is also a factor highlighted in the research. It suggests that blackcurrants are most effective when taken one to two hours prior to activity. The optimum effective dose appears to be between 105-210mg. The key factor that sets NZ blackcurrants apart, Hurst says, is the
level and mixture of different compounds called anthocyanins in the fruit. “While all berries have high concentrations of anthocyanins they have different anthocyanins – not all berries are equal,” he explains. “The physiological effects of different berries suggest that they don’t all have the same bioactivity. When
it comes to sporting performance, New Zealand blackcurrants may pack more punch than other berries.” One of the challenges facing researchers worldwide has been to work out what makes NZ berries better than those grown elsewhere in the world. While soil types can often influence qual-
ity, as can the genetics of the plant, Hurst says NZ has an advantage. “Climate,” he says. “Our long sunny days and ultraviolet exposure is critical for the ripening process and this likely drives the development of the right mix of anthocyanins to appear in the fruit that are responsible for the dark colour and the health benefits.” To protect the unique qualities of the NZ blackcurrants and to differentiate them from berries in other countries, Plant & Food Research and the NZ blackcurrant industry have developed a brand called Adaptive. The purpose of this initiative Hurst says is to provide consumers with a guarantee that the product they are buying is from NZ and will deliver the value proposition. While some people like
to consume sports drinks to give them energy for exercise, they do not necessarily need to give these up. “We are saying that there is scientific evidence that there are additional benefits to be gained from the anthocyanins in blackcurrants and that this is another option for them to help improve their performance,” Hurst explains. NZ blackcurrants are sold in different forms – frozen berries, juice concentrate, juice ready to drink and powdered products. Hurst says any of these forms can likely enhance performance. With the proof in the science, Plant & Food Research and the NZ industry are looking at promoting the Adaptive brand products in the USA, Japan, Asia and New Zealand.
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
6 NEWS
Raising Fed’s positive profile PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Karen Williams wants to help create an environment where farmers feel proud about the fact that they are producing quality food and fibre.
their food comes from, but during Covid with some food shortages, the production systems that sit behind the supermarkets came to the fore. “I want our consumers to understand more about how their food is produced and who are the people that do it for them.” Williams doesn’t subscribe to the rural-urban divide saying it’s just
something drummed up in the media and by certain people whose views suit this particular rhetoric. She says Feds needs to play a constructive and helpful leadership role in the primary sector – especially in the area of sustainable farming. Williams says this includes social issues such as looking after staff and positive relationships with our stake-
Every generation builds on the legacy.
NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS KAREN KAREN WILLIAMS was born in Masterton and regards herself as a ‘former’ townie, although she quickly points out that Masterton is a very rural town. At Otago University she did a BA in geography and later a Masters’ degree in resource management. Her studies coincided with the passing of the RMA, which says made her degree even more interesting. Straight out of university, Williams worked at Hutt City Council. One of her first tasks was to write a reserve management plan for the little blue penguins that make their noisy, smelly homes underneath the houses in the fashionable suburb of Days Bay. She then worked for Greater Wellington Regional Council while based in Masterton. Williams TO PAGE 7
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FEDERATED FARMERS new vice president wants the organisation to become the ‘go to’ body for farmers and to help them have pride in what they do. Karen Williams and her husband Mick run a 224-hectare arable and sheep and beef finishing farm near Gladstone in the Wairarapa. They grow barley for malting and feed, wheat for feed and milling, as well as produce ryegrass and clover seed. They are also trialling Durum wheat, which is used for making pasta and pizza bases. Williams says over the last few years some farmers have been embarrassed to admit they are farmers and she wants this to change. She wants to build a strong team culture within Feds and the whole primary sector to create an environment in which farmers feel proud about the fact that they are producing quality food and fibre. “We have a massive opportunity coming out of Covid to show that what we do is a really honourable job,” she told Rural News. “For generations, people have not worried about where
holders. She believes there is a strong and dynamic board and staff who want to see a progressive and engaging federation. “We shouldn’t just criticise polices for the sake of it, we should look for the merits and then point out the flaws. We do need to call out bad policy.” Williams says one of the issues facing Federated Farmers is falling membership – something that has been happening for many years. She would like the organisation to take a broad-church approach to attract more members in areas such as alternative farming – including organics. She would also like to see more women involved in Feds leadership. “There seems to be an invisible barrier and I am not sure whether it is the juggling of family responsibilities, but I want to do more work in this space,” she says. “We also need to capture young people as they exit Young Farmers clubs and show them we have a home for them and that we value them.” Williams believes Feds also must put more time into Maori farming entities and explore what a more effective partnership would look like.
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 7
The road to the vice presidency KAREN WILLIAMS’ pathway to her present role in Feds began when she and husband Mick won the environment award in 2013. That opened up a new network and a friend persuaded her to go on the escalator programme run by the Agri Women’s Development Trust. Williams completed this at the end of 2015 and just three months later the leadership skills that she had just gained were put to the test with the arrival of the pea weevil in Wairarapa. “I went from being someone who knew nothing about pea weevil to being appointed as the growers’ representative on the MPI governance group,” she told Rural News. “I became immersed in the issue. It was a big step
up, but I was up for the challenge.” This role saw her working with government and other organisations to eradicate the weevil. She also sought compensation for local growers and to develop a strategy for alternative crops to replace peas, which were a lucrative crop for arable farmers in the Wairarapa. In the end, the Government made ex-gratia payments to local growers for the period of the ban. However, Williams says the requests for help from seed companies was fairly limited. In the midst of this, she became the Wairarapa representative on the arable executive of Feds, then its chairperson and finally, in June, was elected as the vice president of Federated Farmers. It is believed that she
NOTHING WRONG FROM PAGE 6
continued to work there for some time, but eventually left to focus on the farm and raising three children with husband Mick. In many respects it was a meeting of minds – him with an ag degree from Massey University and lifetime on a farm, combined with her strong environmental background. In 2013 the couple won the Wellington Regional Ballance Environment Award, which recognised the efforts they had made in enhancing the environment on their property. “Mick and I have personally been committed to environmental stewardship as long as we have been farming,” Williams told Rural News. “We have a QEII block covenanted and are still actively planting every year and our kids are out there doing it with us. “We are interested in the environmental economic win-wins such as knowing exactly how much fertiliser to put on. There is no benefit in putting too much fertiliser on because it simply costs more, exceeds what the crop requirement is and can end up as a problem in our water bodies,” she says.
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is the first woman arable farmer to have held this office. The old boys club that was once Fed Farmers is slowly disappearing with the role that women play in the sector being better recognised. Williams says men and women complement each other well in the farming business. There are many
tasks such as staff management, business and farm plans, compliance, resource management, health and safety and a host of other things that need to be done. “That’s where I can add value. I don’t want to or need to drive the harvester – and I doubt if Mick would trust me with the machinery anyway,”
she told Rural News. “That’s not playing to our skills. Mick knows a lot about machinery and crop husbandry, but there is no shortage of things for me to do to assist with a successful business. As an industry we need to utilise the amazing skill sets that we have in our women and recognise that.” – Peter Burke
Karen Williams says she doesn’t want to or need to drive the harvester but adds value to her and husband Mick’s farming operation in others ways.
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
8 NEWS
Covid comeback spooks latest dairy auction SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
AFTER A buoyant month, dairy prices have fallen on the back of renewed concerns around a resurging Covid-19. The price of Fonterra’s flagship whole milk powder (WMP) offering dropped 7.5%, its largest decline in more than three years. WMP prices sit at US$3,003/metric tonne – around 6% below the preCovid level in January. While analysts have described the price dip as tough and disappointing, for the time being they are sticking to their forecast payouts for 2020-21 of between $6.50 to $6.75/ kgMS. Westpac senior agrianalyst Nathan Penny remains “cautiously optimistic” on the outlook,
but warns that risks remains high. “Despite the price fall, current prices remain consistent with our $6.50/ kgMS milk price forecast for 2020/21,” he says. “We have allowed for prices to fall further over the New Zealand spring, although the steep fall means we have a little less wriggle room than we previously had. “That said, it pays to note that it is still early days in the season and the uncertainties around the Covid impact through the full dairy season remain large. “On this basis, we recommend that farmers approach the season with ‘eyes wide open’ and continue to closely follow dairy market developments.” ASB’s Chris TennentBrown says the price dip
Notice of Election - DairyNZ Board of Directors - DairyNZ Directors Remuneration Committee Invitation for 2020 candidate nominations – three positions available In October, two elections will take place for DairyNZ Incorporated – one election for two farmer-elected directors for the Board of DairyNZ Incorporated and a second election for one member of the Directors Remuneration Committee. Registered levy-paying dairy farmers are invited to nominate candidates to fill these three positions. All farmers paying a levy on milk solids to DairyNZ are eligible to stand for either election. An information pack outlining desired criteria and nomination requirements for the positions can be obtained from the Returning Officer. Nominations must be received by the Returning Officer by 12 noon on Thursday, 3 September 2020.
Commentators believe another factor contributing to the decline in prices could be increased milk production coming out of New Zealand.
was not unexpected. “We had been factoring some retracement of the large jump in prices that we saw in July, and this is happening,” he says. “Prices need to stabilise around the current levels to support our milk price forecast.” Following the previous GDT event a fortnight ago, ASB lifted its forecast for the 2020/21 season from $6.50 to They are $6.75. RaboResearch’s
markets. US-based dairy anaPenny notes that the lyst Thomas Bailey says steep price fall comes as softer Chinese conseveral countries battle sumer demand for dairy renewed outbreaks and and continued spread of Covid-19 had spooked the as total global Covid-19 case numbers continue to markets. “The question remains increase rapidly. “Indeed, some dairy around the stability of Chinese demand for dairy markets that were successfully containing products,” Bailey says. Covid have now seen “Demand in China is cases spike again,” he not as strong at the consays. sumer level as recent “With this in mind, it indicators such as trade appears that dairy marand price reflect.” using post kets havehere begun to act on But it’sour Covid-19 that drivers this renewed Covid risk is still wreaking havoc in
and have pushed prices lower once again. “This backdrop contrasts with the apparent Covid sweet spot over early July.” There may be another factor contributing to the decline in prices – increased milk production out of New Zealand, particularly droughtstricken Waikato. Tennent-Brown says it attributed some of the strength in near-term prices back in July to buyers adding some pad-
ding to stocks as a risk management strategy given the acceleration in global Covid-19 cases and increased potential for logistics disruption. That pressure seems to have reduced, with near-term contract prices around US$3,050 to US$3,100/tonne. Longer-term contract prices have dipped back below US$3,000/tonne, so buyers are clearly less concerned about supply further into the season.
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Elections If more candidates than the required nominations are received, elections will be carried out by postal, and internet voting using the STV (single transferable vote) voting method. Votes will be weighted by annual milk solids production. Voter packs will be posted on 21 September 2020 to all registered DairyNZ levy payers, with voting closing at 12 noon on Tuesday, 20 October 2020. The DairyNZ Annual General Meeting will be held in Ashburton on Wednesday, 21 October 2020. Election results will be announced at the meeting. For further details contact the Returning Officer as below. Anthony Morton Returning Officer – DairyNZ Incorporated 0800 666 946 iro@electionz.com
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 9
Govt to pick winners? MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
A BRACE of politicians recently hit Zespri’s Mount Maunganui headquarters to kickstart the already announced Agritech Industry Transformation Plan after a three-month delay due to Covid-19. Minister for Economic Development Phil Twyford described the initiative as a “gamechanger” because it brings together six government departments. He claimed it would help the agritech sector grow from its current level of $1.5 billion per annum by focusing on exports and by increasing efficiency and production within a host of primary industries. With $11.4 million committed to the plan, Twyford said that most talent in the New Zealand agritech sector was directed inwards, although collectively they had the potential to solve much larger global issues. “I believe we need to get much better at commercialisation,” he said. “Develop our workers and bring the private sector and research com-
munities together.” Twyford said that for the last 30 years, the country’s economic focus had been on GDP growth, driven by a growing population, which in turn had led to stubbornly low productivity. Looking at the wider picture, he advocated supporting industries that had a competitive advantage in areas such as advanced manufacturing, digital technologies and, of course, food and fibre. “Picking winners has been out of fashion for the last two decades.” However, Twyford said, some countries did successfully “pick winners”, particularly Ireland, Singapore and Israel, who all bat higher in world agritech rankings than us, with Israel’s agritech sector being ten-times larger than New Zealand’s. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor echoed Twyford’s sentiments, suggesting the need for a trans-Tasman alliance and a better understanding and stimulation of local agritech adoption. O’Connor believed the issue of rural connectivity might be preventing producers from change but
believed they could be won over with the promise of better earnings. “This plan links strongly with the values of Te Taiao [the recently released Primary Sector Council report], recognising the need to increase the primary sectors’ value over volume – while working towards a lower and sustainable environmental footprint.” Rezare Systems managing director Andrew Cooke praised the agritech plan’s intent, but warned against believing that the promise of higher revenue was the only motivation being considered by today’s farmers. He suggested that sharing farm data was also important, but also raised the question of a common standard for data collection and dissemination. Cooke proposed that there was a need to shorten the time between concept development and product launch. The latter can only really be achieved by early-stage funding, an area that is addressed by this plan, alongside the $300m venture capital fund established in last year’s Budget.
A good score! Mt Somers Station owners David And Kate Acland took ownership of their new Hustler Unrolla mounted bale feeder – first prize in the recent RuralNews Group/Hustler reader competition – late last month. Nigel Holt (left), Hustler territory manager, and David Acland shake hands at the handover of the bale feeder prior to its maiden run on the Mid Canterburybased farm. David and Kate Acland run Mt Somers Station, a 3800-ha property that runs more than 13,000 breeding sheep, 3000 deer, 1300 dairy cows and 200 beef cattle. The Aclands were drawn as the lucky winners Rural News Group/Hustler competition in July.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
10 NEWS
Primary sector in recruitment mode PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A MAJOR recruitment campaign is in full swing to get people displaced by job losses due to Covid19 into roles in the primary sector. The Ministry for Primary Industries is leading the charge with a $1.2 million campaign that includes placing adver-
tisements on buses, billboards in towns and cities and a special website that directs people to jobs in different opportunities. DairyNZ also has its DairyGo campaign up and running and there are many initiatives also underway to encourage people into horticulture as well as to train to drive tractors and large farm
machines. As part of its campaign, MPI is running a series of ‘taster’ or familiarisation courses – where interested people can spend four days seeing the various on-farm job opportunities that are available. These are taking place at farms and training institutes around the country. As part of this initia-
A TASTE OF FARMING THE FOUR day ‘taster’ course is exactly was it says. It involves giving those taking part an experience of a whole range of farming tasks – such as fencing, dairying, sheep milking, tractor and quad driving. If the people like what they see they can do other courses such as GoDairy, which has a higher level of skills training. O’Connor says the training opportunities are part of the Government’s work to place 10,000 New Zealanders in primary sector jobs by rapidly retraining and absorbing displaced workers in sectors impacted by Covid. The web site Opportunity Grows Here which is part of the MPI initiative had already attracted more than 25,000 hits
in its first week. O’Connor says people can often find it hard to get information about a job, so the new website brings opportunities from across the primary sector together into the one place, making it easier for employers and for job seekers. “Many unemployed people are talented and have skills that are readily transferrable. “They just need to know that these opportunities exist – that’s what this campaign is all about.” O’Connor says job opportunities aren’t just in remote, labour-based roles. He says some are in cities and include work in science, technology, business management, marketing and research.
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Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor is pictured with the participants at the first course to held at Taratahi Agriculture Centre, in the Wairarapa, following its reopening earlier this month.
tive, the Government has assisted in the re-opening of the Taratahi Agriculture Centre in the Wairarapa, which went into liquidation about two-and-a-half years ago. The facility has been reopened and is being used for the staging of these ‘taster courses’. Agriculture Minis-
ter Damien O’Connor reopened the centre and then spent time talking with the participants of first course to held at Taratahi. He was also asked to demonstrate his own farming skills by helping to erect an electric fence. O’Connor says Taratahi’s liquidation left a
large gap in agricultural education in this country and it was sad to see it go under. However, he says a lot of hours have been put in by many people to get the centre re-opened and he’s thrilled to see this happen. “Some sectors have been heavily affected by the closure of our bor-
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 11
Champs keep ploughing on PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
PLOUGHMEN IAN Woolly (Blenheim) and Malcolm Taylor (Putaruru) will represent NZ at next year’s World Ploughing championships in Ireland – assuming it goes ahead given the Covid-19 pandemic. Taylor will compete in the reversible class and Woolly in the silver class. The pair was selected as a result of the delayed 65th NZ Ploughing Championship, held late last month at Kirwee in Canterbury. It had been scheduled to be held in Central Hawkes Bay in April, but this proved impossible due to the Covid lockdown. Ploughing Association chairman Willy Willets says as a result of the lockdown, the Hawkes Bay farmer who would have hosted the event could not hold up his
normal planting programme and so they were lucky to be accommodated on Simon and Jane Reed’s property at Kirwee. Willets says the weather presented some challenges, but they managed to hold a successful competition thanks to the help of farm owners and helpers from North Canterbury Ploughing Association and Oxford Working Men’s Club Ploughing section. He says Oxford Ag kindly loaned some young men to help and the executive members came in and measured the plots and placed the numbers on them. “On Saturday morning, it was drizzling and this continued all day, and the mud was a menace, but we carried on,” he told Rural News. “On Sunday, there was fog but it got better later in the day and the event went well.”
Runner up in the reversible was Bob Mehrtens and third was Ashley Seaton. Meanwhile, in the silver class, Simon Reed was second
and Mark Dillon third. Murray Grainger won the vintage class and John and Sharon Chynoweth the Rural News-sponsored horse class.
Ian Woolly (r) receives his trophy for winning the silver class at this year’s NZ Ploughing Champs from Nathan Winter of Farmlands Fuel.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
12 NEWS
RMA reform some time away CONCERNS
PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A LEADING planning academic says people are fixated on doing away with the Resource Management Act (RMA) when they should really be focusing on what its replacement might look like. Associate Professor Caroline Miller of Massey University, who has spent a lifetime working in local government and resource management, says she was involved in local
Environment Minister David Parker recently released a report that says the RMA should be scrapped and replaced.
government when the RMA was introduced 30 years ago.
Recently, Environment Minister David Parker released a report by a
panel headed by retired Appeal Court Judge Tony Randerson, which
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ONE OF Caroline Miller’s concerns is the trend to use independent commissioners instead of local elected councils to hear resource consent applications. She says this means that a small group of people are being given substantial powers and questions should be asked about that. “They are talking about having much more uniform sets of plans around the country and central government will be much more involved than they have been in the past,” Miller told Rural News. “This means that, in some instances, communities may have less voice in shaping what
proposes that the RMA should be scrapped and replaced by two new laws – a Natural Built Environment Act and a Strategic Planning Act. Its recommendations include a proposal for each region in the country to put forward a combined development plan, consolidating the myriad of local council plans that currently exist. The proposal would also see more power being given to Iwi. Parker says the RMA has doubled in size from its original length and become too costly, takes too long, and has not adequately protected the environment. Miller says the proposal to scrap the existing RMA and effectively start again is revolutionary – just like developing the present RMA was 30 years ago. But she has some concerns about what is being proposed. Miller says a lot of the planning is going to be regional based. She believes a lot of local government structures
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happens in their areas.” Miller believes this is the case with the Government’s latest national policy statement on urban development and says if the same principles were applied to rural land use plans it could be quite challenging. “It also means that central government is going to become much more involved in planning processes than they have in the last 30 years that we have had the RMA.” Miller says she’ll be intrigued to see what eventually happens and whether the Government accepts all the recommendations in the report.
are not necessarily set up to do the sort of big picture, collaborative style planning envisaged by the Government. “In terms of rural interests there are couple of things that people might like to think about,” Miller told Rural News. “Certainly, there will be a lot of change in the area of water allocation because the report identifies that the ‘first come first served’ model is not necessarily the best one and I think a lot of people would agree with that. “However, I think the devil is in the detail and what do you replace it with? With climate change we are going to see much more competition for water especially as east coast areas become drier. We know from experience that what sounds wonderful on paper may be hard to implement,” she says. Miller claims this is essentially the problem with the existing RMA. She says the
Randerson report is trying to simplify the process and predicts there will be fewer consents required as these will be worked through in the regional plans. Miller adds the suggestion is that government will set bottom lines to preserve the environment and also bring in Maori concepts and Maori ways of doing things. She believes the new proposal has some potential, but it is going to take a lot of work to see how that is going to work at the coal face. “The part that most people are more interested in is what is this going to mean for me on a day-to-day basis. What I believe everyone should be preparing themselves for is that it will be quite a long transition period,” Miller told Rural News. “The RMA will not just disappear one day and a new act come in the next day. I believe it will take a lot longer than people think to get the new legislation in place.”
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
14 NEWS
Hungry Kiwis pig out on free NZ pork during lockdown NIGEL MALTHUS
NZ PORK is hailing the success of a scheme where the Government bought surplus pork and had it delivered to food banks to counter the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the scheme, about 1240 pallets of pork, totalling about 630 tonnes, was distributed through 96 iwi, community organisations and foodbanks around the country. It represented more than 1.7 million pork meals, delivered to nearly 570,000 people in need – costing the Government $5.8 million. The scheme was in response to what indus-
Pig farmers faced two choices: killing pigs on their own farms, a process known as depopulating; or holding pigs back in the hope they could be sent to abattoirs later. Both of these options raised significant animal welfare concerns. try body NZ Pork warned was a looming welfare crisis in the country’s pig farms when the Covid lockdown closed independent butchers, caterers and restaurants. Pig farmers faced two choices: killing pigs on their own farms, a process known as depopulating; or holding pigs back
in the hope they could be sent to abattoirs later. Both of these options raised significant animal welfare concerns. In an industry which – unlike beef and lamb – has no established export stream, that meant a potential surplus of 5000 pigs a week for farmers to feed and house.
More than 1.7 million pork meals were delivered to nearly 570,000 people around NZ – costing the Government $5.8 million – during lockdown.
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In May, the Government announced it would purchase, at cost, 40% of the surplus – a maximum of 2000 pigs or 112,000kg a week – to be processed into vacuum-packed cuts suitable for handling by food banks and delivered to communities in need. Food rescue charity KiwiHarvest partnered with NZ Pork and MPI in the scheme, which was initially run for six weeks and is now finished following a brief extension to the distribution phase. “This has been a very successful and innovative programme on every level,” David Baines, NZ Pork chief executive of NZ Pork, told Rural News. “It provided quality nutritious food to communities in need and has enabled surplus pork to be moved off-farm and through the supply chain, helping to avert what was a looming animal welfare crisis.” He adds that it also delivered much-needed cash to pork wholesalers who were under severe cash-flow and profitability pressure. Baines said the scheme on its own would not have managed the crisis and pork producers also had to look at other measures. With 60% of New Zealand’s pork consumption coming from imports, one obvious
opportunity was to ask those who use imported meat to use local instead. “But it came at a significant cost because they said they’ll take it, but they will only pay the export or the import equivalent price for it, and that was between a $1.50 and $2.00 a kilo below our cost of production,” he explained. “So, it came with a significant financial penalty which was incurred by the wholesalers.” Baines says the pork industry was grateful both for the cooperation of the various players in the supply chain and for the role of the Government and MPI. “The main reason why we very quickly got into this oversupply situation was the closure of the independent butchers and the food service market. With them now being open we’re back to a semblance of normal. “They wouldn’t necessarily call themselves back to normal at this stage but we’re certainly back in a manageable situation where we can use our normal methods to balance out the variations and supply and demand.” KiwiHarvest founder Deborah Manning said the scheme helped to meet a significant and sustained increase in demand.
“This partnership with the Government and New Zealand Pork has helped KiwiHarvest to put good nutritious food on the table for families in need.” The parties have reviewed the scheme to identify what might be done differently in future. Baines said one of the difficulties was the length of time it took Cabinet to give the go-ahead, and a faster decision would give certainty. But he says the industry now had a better understanding of the sort of products best suited to food banks and iwi, and smarter ways to handle storage and distribution, including possibly hiring refrigerated containers as distribution points in remote communities. Even though government financing of the project has now finished, a couple of wholesalers say they will continue to supply product to food banks. “Not necessarily in the same volume, but they’ll be donating it because they want to do the right thing in terms of helping feed people who are hungry,” Baines says. The highest demand was on the East Cape, followed by the Eastern Bay of Plenty, then Auckland, Christchurch, Hastings and Masterton.
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
NEWS 15
Cavalier to ditch synthetics – which would require shareholder approval. Meanwhile, Federated Farmers has congratulated Cavalier on the move. “Choosing to concentrate on New Zealandproduced natural wool, with its superior durability, warmth, sound-dampening and fire-retardant qualities is a smart decision for any company,” says Feds Meat and Wool
DAVID ANDERSON
CARPET MAKER Cavalier is ditching synthetics in favour of wool and other natural fibres. The listed company recently unveiled a new transformational strategy, saying it would transition away from the manufacture and supply of synthetic fibre carpets over the next 12 months and existing synthetic stocks would be sold down. The company says the long-term dangers posed by plastics were becoming clear. It has cited “negative impacts on people’s health and the planet” from using synthetics. Cavalier points out that the average New Zealand home with synthetic carpet is similar to having 22,000 plastic bags on the floor. The carpet maker’s decision to focus on wool comes on the back of the recently released Wool Industry Project Action Group (PAG) report saying that natural fibres were “on the cusp of a renaissance”. Cavalier says it had always believed wool was the best fibre for carpet. “Our vision was to become a leader in designing and creating desirable, sustainable, safe and high-performing natural interior solutions.” The company says
chair William Beetham. Beetham says sheep farmers look forward to working with Cavalier on its strategy to inform consumers why wool carpets are the right choice. “Customers will be demanding more sustainable carpet options. It makes sense for companies to move their woollen products from the back of the store to the front window.”
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Cavalier says it will move away from the manufacture and supply of synthetic fibre carpets over the next 12 months and focus entirely on woollen and other natural fibres.
while its initial focus will be on woollen carpets and rugs, it will be seeking other partnerships in which it could leverage its design and manufacturing capabilities and the value of the Cavalier Bremworth brand to create new product categories. The company says it had undertaken a review of its businesses and opportunities and
had identified a “valuable and growing trend” from consumers seeking high-quality, natural and sustainable products in their homes and believed it was strongly positioned to meet that demand. Cavalier added that it’s confident it will deliver better returns on investment for its shareholders and, while the transformation would take investment and time, the
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company had the infrastructure, capabilities and expertise to effectively manage the change. Chairman George Adams says the financial benefits of the change are expected to be seen with a return to profitable growth from 2023 onwards, following an initial 12 to 24 months of investment as the business was reset. Adams believes that,
with the new strategy executed and as the economy recovers from Covid-19, the full benefits are expected to be realised from 2025 onwards. Meanwhile, Cavalier says it’s evaluating a range of opportunities to fund the transformation, including the potential sale and lease back of some or all of the company’s land and buildings
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
16 NEWS
Irrigators want seat at table DAVID ANDERSON
IRRIGATION NEW Zealand is calling on whoever forms the next government after September 19’s election to join with it to develop a national water strategy for the country. This call is part of the irrigation lobby’s recently released 2020 Election Manifesto, which was released late last month. The manifesto asks that IrrigationNZ is at the table in the development of a national water strategy to guide the future of water management and investment across New Zealand. It also wants a commitment for more water storage which it believes will ensure rural communities are resilient to climate change and assist with land-use change to
meet the country’s future carbon targets The lobby’s IrrigationNZ represents most of the country’s manifesto calls large irrigation schemes. It has 3500 for…“policies members irrigating some 800,000 hectares that support around New Zealand, with its members irrigation and contributing $5.4b (20% of NZ’s total the environagricultural and horticultural contribution) of ment, through the nation’s GDP. monitoring, farm environreliability of supply. ment planning, “Whilst providing for innovation, and adaptamultiple uses and benetion.” It also wants to fits for economic, social, see a resolution to Māori cultural, and environmenrights and interests in tal well-being.” freshwater. The lobby says that it “We offer support to can assist with this policy integral to life,” chief iwi, hapu, and whānau executive Elizabeth Soal work through its expergroups about access to says. “IrrigationNZ wants tise in managing comwater and efficient, effecplex changes to allocation to see this precious tive, environmentally resource better managed frameworks in catchsensitive irrigation develthrough the developments with multiple opment, where appropriment of a water strategy stakeholders and water ate and beneficial.” for NZ.” uses. The manifesto also She adds that is “Freshwater use in wants to see a water alloalready focused on freshNew Zealand involves cation framework that water across various multiple aspects and is provides certainty and
Who is INZ?
Irrigation NZ has 3500 members irrigating some 800,000 hectares around the country.
policy areas such as the Ministry for Primary Industry’s Fit for a Better World, Ministry for the Environment’s Essential Freshwater policy package and the Department of Internal Affairs Three Waters reform and establishment of new drinking water authority, Taumata
Arowai. “All these issues could be aligned with a water strategy to guide and lead decision-making and funding allocation at the central, regional, and local level,” Soal says. “As part of this, we would also like to progress a frank conversation
with the Government and stakeholders about water storage and irrigation development which does not shy away from both the benefits and the impacts.” She adds that with primary industries as the backbone of this country for the foreseeable future. “Access to reliable water is a critical part of enabling this; we must move forward and ensure the right investment and outcomes from best practice water management.” Soal says irrigation is a critical component of NZ’s vibrant and environmentally sustainable agricultural and horticultural economy. “We will work hard towards ensuring that irrigation remains an integral part of a healthy and thriving Aotearoa New Zealand.”
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
18 AGRIBUSINESS
Another bumper year ahead? POST-COVID RECOVERY
SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
AVOCADO GROWERS are looking forward to another bumper year despite the global economic uncertainty. NZ Avocado says the 2020-21 season crop is “looking very good on the trees”, with an expected 10-15% increase in volumes. Last season, avocado growers received $154 million for their crop, a $10m increase over the previous season. Exports rose 26% to 3.8m 5.5kg trays. Asian markets including Thailand, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan received 35% more volume, meeting the industry’s objective to grow volume to the region. The New Zealand market sold a record
AVOCADO NZ says it’s working with other hort sector growers on New Zealand’s post-Covid recovery. “Avocados are a part of this collective and are working with key government departments to deliver an industry led, government enabled strategy,” says Scoular. This follows the work completed during lockdown between horticulture and government to ensure that the industry could keep growing and harvesting so that consumers within New Zealand and overseas customers, could continue to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. “I am excited by the potential of this new level of industry-government collaboration,” she says. “This strategy recognises the opportunity to create sustainable value by working together as we grow, transport and market our safe, ethically-produced and healthy food to consumers in New Zealand and around the world.”
2.7m trays worth over $50m demonstrating kiwis growing love of the wonderfully healthy avocado. For the first time in a number of years there was no break in avocado supply as growers held
on to one crop while the new crop matured on the trees. This also avoided the spike in pricing that often accompanies the lower supply but increasing demand. NZ Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular
says avocados have 19 vitamins and nutrients, including those necessary for a healthy immune system. “An increased focus from consumers on health and wellness has contributed to the growth we have seen in New Zealand avocado consumption,” she says. The industry is aware of the demand by consumers and customers alike to know about the impact avocados have on the land, environment and people. Scoular says the industry is developing a sustainability strategy, hosting a series of stakeholder workshops around the avocado growing regions. “Many avocado growers are passionate about taking care of New Zealand and want to see
Avocado NZ chief executive Jen Scouler says an increased focus from consumers on health and wellness has contributed to the industry’s growth.
their orchards contributing positively to environmental, economic and social sustainability in their communities and regions,” says Scoular.” Investment into new plantings continued last year with over 120 new avocado properties reg-
istered during the year ending May 2020. New Zealand Avocado Growers’ Association chair Tony Ponder says New Zealand’s avocado industry is in a position of growth and development. “The continued invest-
ment demonstrates real confidence in the New Zealand avocado industry. Many new growers are attracted to the industry because of the strong growth plans within the industry, and the confidence from the collaborative structured approach but also seek to produce a healthy product, while looking after the land.” says Ponder. The 2020-21 crop was affected by drought. “The drought will have put some stress on the trees, so many will have welcomed the recent rain,” says Scoular. New Zealand is the ninth largest international avocado exporter globally. There are over 4,000 hectares of avocado trees planted in New Zealand, primarily in the Bay of Plenty and Northland.
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AGRIBUSINESS 19
A great time to train for a primary sector career NIGEL PHILPOTT
THESE MAY be uncertain times but there will certainly never be a better time to train in agriculture, horticulture, or any one of many other rural industries. At Primary ITO we are challenging everyone working in our industries – or thinking about shifting careers – to think about training. Due to Covid-19, there is a significant financial contribution available in new
people. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring in those people and train them with the most up to the minute skills, without having to pay fees. At a time when we all want to see people transitioning from other industries to primary sector careers, this should be an enormous incentive. Covid-19 has thrown many people’s lives and livelihoods into disarray. Across the primary industries, forecasts had
$500/month for apprentices for most of their second year. At Primary ITO, the value we add is in working with employers to understand their business goals and then find
the training that will best enable them to meet those goals. Up and down the country we’ve got training advisors ready to help people make the most of the silver lining of training support
brought by the dark cloud of Covid-19. More: https://www. primaryito.ac.nz/growyour-career/governmentsupport-programme/. • Nigel Philpott is chief executive of Primary ITO
Nigel Philpott
The new ‘Free Trades Training’ package will pay the fees of all Primary ITO apprenticeships and training across most of our other programmes. government support. This is available for all apprenticeships and the vast majority of primary sector workplace training, as well as being available in other priority industries. The new ‘Free Trades Training’ package will pay the fees of all Primary ITO apprenticeships and training across most of our other programmes. That means as a farmer, landscaper, orchardist, vineyard worker, greenkeeper, or vegetable grower (among others), you won’t have to pay training or assessment fees to learn. Additionally, the Government has announced an ‘Apprenticeship Boost’, which promises to pay employers up to $16,000 to either employ or retain apprentices across the first two years of an apprenticeship. The Free Trades Training package is open from now until the end of 2022. You can see why we are saying there will never be a better time to train. At Primary ITO we recognise that the most valuable thing people can invest is their time. That time alone is very valuable but having the fees paid for is a welcome incentive. For a long time, our industries have been crying out for skilled
already been pointing to the need for thousands of extra workers in the coming years. With the impact of Covid-19, the Government has set an initial target of seeing 10,000 more people employed in the food and fibre sectors within the next four years. Clearly these people are not all ready, wellskilled and standing at the farm gate waiting to work. But as a dynamic and varied sector, we have an opportunity to bring in people with huge potential – from school, earlier tertiary study, other industries, and career changers – and train them with the skills to become our industry leaders. How Free Trades Training will work in practice is that where someone enrols in one of our programmes, the Government will pay any training and assessment fees that employers or employees would previously have had to pay to Primary ITO. For employers, we are strongly encouraging you to take advantage of Free Trades Training, and to look into how you can access money from Work and Income for the new Apprenticeship Boost. That will pay employers $1,000/month for first-year apprentices and
Precision Farming
Success. Together.
A Real Kiwi Story It was the 1950’s and Kiwi’s Bert and Dawn Hansen were valve, being an entrepreneur he invented one. This then lead Bert into developing a range of high performance Brass Foot and Check Valves. The design was patented and fast became the bench mark for industry standards and today the original design Bert created is used in a multitude of valves in hundreds of markets all around the world. With the initial success of the Brass Foot and Check Valves, Bert and Dawn worked many long hours to keep up with supply. Their garage was the hub of their business with all the machining, assembling and packaging carried out there. In those early days Dawn remembers having to pack up to the railway station for distribution. In the 1960’s the range was expanded further with Bert designing and manufacturing a range of Brass Quick Couplings. However by the early 70’s Bert and Dawn realised that plastic was the way of the future and re-developed the existing range of Brass Quick Couplings and Brass Foot and Check Valves in plastic. By the end of the An Original Hansen 70’s Bert and Dawn Advertisment saw an opportunity 1979 to add to their range and designed and manufactured a range of Bert’s Original Nylon easy to use “Cold Fit Toilet Valve Pipe Fittings”. Back then this 1952 completely changed the way Kiwi Farmers joined Alkathene pipe, “We had a few teething problems with the original cold get past the hard pipe when it was cold and a 130kg farmer trying to tighten up a 25mm
Hansen Instore Display 2020
-5 degree Southland winters day. Those were some fun learning times but we got those problems sorted, we should have “Kiwi Proof”. In the mid 1980’s some more enthusiasm and ideas were injected into the business when Carl Hansen (Bert and Hansen Easy Fit Poly Fitting 2009
Dawn’s Son) arrived from completing his engineering trades. Within a short period of time, Carl’s experience in engineering and his desire to use the “right” technologies in manufacturing and materials added even more strength to the Hansen Company. Bert and the team didn’t sit still for long and in the late 1980’s it was decided Hansen would design and manufacture a range of True Fit Threaded Fittings. With the Hansen range of products growing rapidly, it was time to move out of the garage and into its own manufacturing plant to start injection moulding their products. This move was a huge investment and there were many sleepless nights in the Hansen households. The move proved to be the right decision and it wasn’t long before Hansen products were being demanded from all over the world. The 1990’s saw the products develop a stronger following in New Zealand and Australia, with many of the original products having upgrades to high performance materials and the core ranges growing every year. “At one point it felt like we Carl Hansen. In 1999 it was time for Hansen Products to move into even bigger premises. A building in Union East Street, Whangarei was found and the building underwent huge changes to house the manufacturing plant. This location has been able to accommodate the company’s growth and remains the home of Hansen products. The turn of the millennium saw Hansen Products continue on the path of constant improvement; a sister company in Canada was established, Irripod was purchased, the Easy Fit Compression range was updated and after much encouragement from the market our Full Flow Ball Valve was released. In the last 10 years our in-house Research and Design team has developed several new products for release including tank accessories, trough valves, wash down nozzles and many more. All of these products have been designed for high performance whilst still staying true to Bert’s original philosophy of “Keep it Simple”. More than 60 years in business, Hansen Products is extremely proud to be a New Zealand owned and operated business. We are continuing to design, manufacture and distribute Pipe Fittings and Valves of the highest quality around the world. Hansen has built a reputation for providing high performance, easy to use, simple products that deliver our customers “Best Installed Value”. The winning formula that has been applied to the product range since the 1950’s has ensured a loyal customer following through the generations. With a range of over 1000 different products, loyal customers and a dedicated team, Hansen is poised for the new challenges ahead.
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Don’t just ask for a pipe fitting, ask for a Hansen fitting!
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
global agribusiness research analysts sharing market outlooks
22 MARKETS & TRENDS
Rabobank supports clients from farm to fork in
40
COUNTRIES
100 000
12630
farmers to connect Content supplied by Rabobank - Growing New Zealand Together with worldwide , a Better
Prices continue to hold Dairy NEW ZEALAND milk production for the 2019/20 season was 0.4% higher than the previous season on a milksolids basis. New Zealand milk production started the new season with a 2.0%
lift on a milksolids basis. A relatively mild winter across much of the country allowed some pastures to partially recover. August-October 2020 rainfall is most likely to be near-normal. All the settings are in
place for a good season ahead. Rabobank is forecasting a marginal increase in milk production in 2020/21. Fonterra refined its 2020/21 forecast Farmgate Milk Price range – narrowing it from NZ$ 5.40-6.90/kgMS to NZ$ 5.90-6.90/kgMS. The Fonterra payout for 2019/20 will be finalised at September’s AGM, but will be in the range of NZ$ 7.10-7.20/kgMS. This will present the fourth-highest milk price. Global dairy commodity prices holding up well for Oceania exporters. However, results across the complex have been mixed. Rabobank remains cautious about dairy commodity pricing (in US$ terms in the months ahead). Weak macroeconomic settings and
underlying supply-anddemand fundamentals remain headwinds for global dairy market pricing. With the New Zealand season about to hit its straps, all eyes will be fixed on China’s import demand.
North Island Bull Prices
Beef RABORESEARCH EXPECTS farmgate prices to generally hold steady over the next month, with the potential for some small pricing lifts due to positive export returns from the US market. Outside of the US, the signs are less positive, with sluggish Chinese demand, restricted market opportunities for prime cuts, and a strengthening NZ$ putting a limit on the seasonal pricing lifts normally experienced through winter.
Farmgate prices did nudge marginally higher through July, as seasonal supplies tightened, with the notable pricing gap between the islands persisting. As at the end of July, the North Island bull price was NZ$ 5.45/kg cwt, up 1% MOM, with the South Island bull price sitting at NZ$ 4.70/
kg cwt, up 1% MOM. Strong US imported beef prices combined with soft demand from China saw a significant proportion of NZ’s June beef exports directed into the US market, helping to hold overall average export values steady. The season-to-date NZ cattle kill continues to track closely in line with
last season’s kill, with the national kill as of 4 July up 0.5% YOY. The South Island kill is now only marginally behind (-0.6% YOY), following a 18% YOY jump in the South Island kill in the four weeks to 4 July.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
MARKETS & TRENDS 23
Content supplied by Rabobank - Growing a Better New Zealand Together South Island lamb averaged NZ$ 6.95/kg cwt (+2% MOM). Global demand for lamb remains patchy and inconsistent, with the level of market interest still highly variable, depending upon what Covid-19 restrictions are in place in the respective market. Overall, average lamb export returns for June were down 6% YOY, at NZ$ 10,287/tonne. This is the weakest average export returns have been for the month of June since 2017. NZ lamb supplies enough to see marginal price lifts in some regions of NZ, but otherwise, RaboResearch expects to see minimal upward price movements, as demand for lamb in NZ’s key export markets remains generally soft. Given processor margins are already relatively tight, any further margin lost to secure lambs now could lead to heavier pricing drops once lamb supplies start increasing later
remain tighter than normal for this point in the season, with the STD kill now up in both islands, with the combined national kill up 1.3% YOY (as of 4 July).
Horticulture NEW ZEALAND’S fresh produce exports continue to push into new territory, led largely by apples and kiwifruit. Total export receipts for the first two quarters are up by around 5% YOY. Combined kiwifruit and apple exports continued to grow (up by a col-
in the year. After some small price gains early in July, farmgate prices largely remained unchanged from mid-July. Processors appear to be responding to weakening export returns by reducing processing capacity, rather than competing for supplies. As of the end of July, the price in the North Island averaged NZ$ 7.20/ kg cwt (+1% MOM), while
lective NZ$ 332m, led by kiwifruit) and accounted for 87% of total exports for the first two quarters of 2020 (+8% YOY). US imports of fresh produce have been hammered in Q2 2020 as Covid-19 continues to disrupt. Large drops have occurred for traditional partners from South and Central America in particular. China also sees a reduction year-on-year, with a double impact of Covid-19, as well as the ongoing trade war with the US playing out at the same period. Moving forward, we expect US import demand to remain subdued over the balance of 2020, while foodservice remains disrupted. Across the ditch, the total value of Australia’s imports of fresh produce has continued to rise year-on-year over the 11 months to May 2020, by around 7%. Over the same period, New Zealand’s exports to Australia rose in value by a similar
amount. With the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in Australia, potential for a softening of import demand exists for products exposed to foodservice channels.
Exchange rate THE NZ$ rose for the fourth consecutive month in July, with the currency gaining NZc 2.5 against the USD from the end of June to 30 July. At USc 67, it was USc 1 above precrisis levels. In contrast to the Mar-May period, most of the movement in the NZ$/US$ rate through June and July can be explained by a weakening US$. The US$ fell almost 4% against a broad index of currencies in July.
The NZ$ closed the month weaker against the EUR and the GBP. NZ’s economic prospects seem to have been buoyed by strong commodity prices, Chinese economic recovery. and an earlier reduction in infection rates in NZ, compared with many other countries. Looking ahead, we remain keenly aware of the potential for currency markets to shift direction and drive the NZ$/US$ down again. More large stimuli will be required in other countries, and the China/US cold war will worsen. We still look for the NZ$ to soften to USc 60 by the end of year. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
24 OPINION EDITORIAL
EDNA
More action, less reports WHAT IS it with the current Government and its infatuation with setting up committees and producing endless reports? In the past three years, in the primary sector alone we’ve seen committees established and reports produced on the future of the primary sector, freshwater reforms, wool and agritech – to name just a few. As one can expect from any type of government-induced report, most of these were heavy on slogans and rhetoric, but lacking in real detail or implementation. However, one of these reports – and probably the one that will most impact on the primary sector – relating to new freshwater regulations passed into law last week. Environment Minister David Parker crowed in a press release about how these new rules will “…deliver on the Government’s commitment to stop further degradation…and restore our waterways to health within a generation”. These are indeed fine words and highly laudable goals, but they totally ignore the reality that it will mean huge costs and (many) unattainable targets for farmers and growers up and down the country. As Beef+Lamb NZ chairman Andrew Morrison says, there has been little time to fully digest the details of the finalised essential freshwater policy and standards. “There are areas we’re still not happy with, such as resource consent requirements for all winter grazing on forage crops and the grandparenting rules for hill country cropping,” he says. “There’s a lot of complexity in these rules and it’s going to take time to work through all the detail, and there will be some challenges in implementation and significant costs for farmers.” These new freshwater rules, on top of impending climate change and other regulations imposed on the farming sector, seem a strange way of ensuring the country’s economic powerhouse can help New Zealand recover from the financial mess Covid has left us in. We cannot afford to hamper the main drivers of our primary sector – in the dairy, sheep and beef sectors, as well as the increasingly important horticulture industry – which between them contribute more than $30b in export revenue to our economy. Whoever is in power after September’s election desperately needs to be far more proactive in this regard and less focused on establishing committees and producing pointless reports.
RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
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“I was watching footy after feeding out – the ref made a dumb call – and then the screen went blank!”
Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz
THE HOUND Utu!
No tax
Too soft
Greens not safe!
Former agriculture minister and speaker of the house, David Carter, who is retiring from politics at this year’s election, has had a long running feud with another longserving (soon to be former, post the election?) MP, Winston Peters. Peters has held a grudge against Carter for years and even tried, unsuccessfully, to sue him at one point. However, Carter managed to pull one final ruse over the NZ First leader when he garnered Green Party support – and the numbers in the House – for his Private Member’s Bill to repeal the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Act. More commonly known as the Waka Jumping law, Peters had demanded it as part of the coalition deal. However, Carter’s slick move sent the old war horse into a state of apoplexy and the Hound reckons that reaction alone would have sent Carter off to retirement to his Banks Peninsula farm with a huge smile.
Your old mate understands that there is quite a bit of nervousness around sheep farming circles that another levy will again be imposed on the country’s long-suffering woolgrowers. Last month, saw the release of yet another report, which purports to have all the answers for revitalising the ailing wool sector. Grandly titled: Vision and Action for New Zealand’s Wool Sector – this latest report was commissioned by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and developed by the Wool Industry Project Action Group (PAG). While, the report has not called for a grower levy, some think it will be only a matter of time before one is proposed. However, many woolgrowers reckon such a step would do nothing for wool’s fortunes, but plenty for those with their hands out. “Why is it that people want to use other people’s money all the time to find a solution and not risk their own?” one critic asks.
This old mutt wonders why multinational, tax-dodging, fundraising organisation Greenpeace always gets a free pass from the police. The latest example was in late July when its ‘activists’ blockaded a Ballance fertiliser factory in Taranaki for a day. Despite Greenpeace illegally disrupting a lawful business and hundreds of people from carrying out their jobs, the police sat around and let these self-professed anarchists behave like pork chops until they decided that it was getting a bit cold and wet and packed up and went home. Imagine the reaction from the soap-dodging, work-shy ‘campaigners’ if a bunch of people descended on their homes or workplaces and refused to allow them free access to their properties until they decided to leave. They would be demanding that the police arrest the illegal invaders. It’s time the cops stop being so soft.
Your canine crusader suggests that any farmers or rural folk contemplating voting for the Greens at the upcoming election should have a close look at exactly who is endorsing the party and its policies. Anti-farming group SAFE has come out in support of Green Party’s policies such as… banning factory farming, exporting of live animals, greyhound racing and the use of animals in rodeo, to name a few. This goes along with the group’s goals of ending animal farming and moving people to plant-based diets only. One wonders, when New Zealand is looking to and counting on our primary sector to underpin our economy, why any political party or organisation in NZ would produce and support so many anti-farming policies. The old political adage about how you can’t be green when you are in the red seems to have been missed by both the Greens and SAFE.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
OPINION 25
Time for a rethink on priorities DOUG EDMEADES
NEW ZEALAND’S Government has spent about $50-odd billion to-date to counteract the ravages of the Covid virus. It is an enormous debt. Somehow, someday, we must repay it. But how? Unfortunately, our tourism industry is also a casualty of the virus. This leaves agriculture as the only industry large enough to muscle-down this debt over time. It is assumed, but not made explicit, that this is the reason behind the Government’s recent “Fit for a better world” policy to boost primary industry exports by $44 billion over the next decade. Interestingly, this sounds like an echo of the National Party’s 2013 aspirational goal set for the pastoral sector, to increase productivity by 50% by 2025. So once again, in desperation, the nation turns to agriculture to earn its place in the world. Historically there is nothing new in the fact that farming is the metaphorical backbone of New Zealand. But things are different this time round. Farmers are being asked to rescue the country’s economy and at the same time clean up the environment. This Government, despite the financial burden it is now placing on the farmers’ shoulders, appears to be hell-bent on simultaneously pursuing its environmental goals – the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the Zero Carbon Bill (ZCB) and the Freshwater Reforms. These are all high cost policies: examples include, the ZCB, estimated to cost $85 billion per year if fully implemented. DairyNZ estimate that the proposed Freshwater Policy will cost the dairy sector $6 billion annually. Plan Change One, proposed to clean up the Waikato River, will by some estimates, cripple
the regional economy. The billions of dollars which the Government has poured into the Covid crisis have been justified on the grounds that ‘we live in exceptional times.’ Fair enough. But surely these ‘exceptional times’ should be extended to the agricultural sector. How about cutting agriculture a little bit of slack? How about setting aside our environmental goals for a time while we come to grips with the national debt? I would have thought that there was great urgency to deal with the debt and that there would be little harm in leaving the environment to look after itself for a while. This would set farmers free to fully concentrate on what they do best and what the nation most desperately needs – export dollars. This will of course not sit well with those of the green persuasion. But should we care? Even in unexceptional times they would gladly see agriculture wound down to a peasant industry. The sporting analogies are obvious. We are a team of 5 million most of who are powerless to do anything about our national economy except keeping the internal economy turning over. We are now dependant on the members of the team who can make a difference – the 60,000 farmers – to pay back the national debt. The nation needs them to be focussed on the game and not diverted by what are, at the moment, secondary issues. By continuing to pursue our environmental goals in these ‘exceptional times’ is like handicapping the horse out of the race. Everyone loses, including those making up the team numbers. I’m sure that they will not miss out on their favourite swimming hole and will always have clean water to drink as we sort out a national debt. In these exceptional
times, to yoke the farming-horse to a swingle-tree, hitched to the competing goals of productivity and the environment, is unfair
and illogical! • Dr Doug Edmeades has more than 40 years’ experience as a soil scientist and now runs his own science consulting business
agKnowledge. Over the years, he has published 90 scientific papers, several books, booklets and pamphlets and countless popular articles.
Doug Edmeades says NZ is once again turning to agriculture to earn its place in the world.
Image courtesy of Belgenny Farm Collection
TOGETHER WE WILL ENDURE Farming is the backbone of a proud nation carved out by our early pioneers’ strength, determination and hard work. Resilience and an inherent belief in a better way forward still drive’s our farmers desire and need for perpetual innovation. These same qualities are the foundation of Zimmatic. We are proud to lead the way in irrigation technology and to be part of the enduring legacy our farmers leave for future generations.
www.zimmaticanz.com
Zimmatic® is a registered trademark of the Lindsay Corporation. © 2020 Lindsay. All Rights Reserved
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
26 OPINION
The ugly side of forestry clearly exposed for all to see JOHN JACKSON
I WAS horrified at the results of a weather event in the East Coast of the North Island on July 18. Forestry – the catchcry of the current Government for all pastoral ills and the excesses of our modern lifestyles – stood out like an old man caught with pants down. In this case, obese, ugly and exposed in all areas, which when clothed is touted as a saviour. The hillsides where pines had been harvested, recently disturbed and long since naked of pasture, had let hundreds of tonnes of topsoil into the creeks below and onwards in
a watery slurry out into the Pacific. Those areas where the slash and logs were contained mid river, turned into massive, festering, ugly boils on the landscape – often against bridges, culverts or anything that impeded their progress seaward. Out around Tolaga Bay, and up the east coast, the carnage was truly gut wrenching. Yes ... it was a severe weather event, but nothing one wouldn’t expect most winters. I have no doubt, in certain situations and capably managed, pine afforestation is a sensible use of land. However, I find it ironic that our forestry
Tolaga Bay was cheek by jowl with logs and slash – unwanted by forestry operators – after the storms in mid July.
companies, when touting for business – including some associated to our nationally recognised and supported institutions, such as airlines, gentailers and fuel import-
ers – proudly claim pine afforestation reduces sedimentation and runoff and that there are no negative impacts upon rural communities. Forestry companies also state they
are only interested in the lesser class of land and, as an incentive, quote annualised returns per hectare that are twice-tothree times that of pastoral farming. It is easy to assess the annual average returns on any class of pastoral farming. Our industry body, Beef + Lamb NZ, do it every year and the results are available for all to see. However, for forestry companies to publicly state that the land they are interested in
is uneconomic for pastoral farming is a step too far. The financial returns, which foresters may consider lesser, are at least annual, tangible and spread thought the community in wages and associated industries. The products from pastoral farming itself are tangible, premium class and exported worldwide. Forestry today is somewhat different in that there is considerable government meddling, incentivisation and complexity. The pastoral farmer will only be paid if he or she is capable enough to bring the stock off the hills and into market. The potential under the carbon farming model is that pine trees are left up there, sequester carbon for 35 years creating an income and then what? If land needs be planted for environmental reasons and was planted in natives, in terms of carbon sequestration, these might
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Don’t put good fertiliser on compacted soil which can’t absorb it. If your soil can’t support 15cm root growth and good worm population check for compaction. You could need aeration. In dollar terms, what would 20% production increase mean to your yearly turnover?
grow at one quarter the speed of pine but longevity would largely compensate for this. There would be no need to fell. Ecosystems would be enhanced. Investors in this type of afforestation would be making a long-term commitment to match a long-term concern, not a “dash for cash...then trash”, which is the outcome of the current model. Whether you take the view that in 30 years’ time the world will want NZ produced, quality protein or carbon credits, the choice – for now – is the landowners’. I have yet to see any forestry analysis that considers the destruction of the wider environment that we all witnessed on July 18. • John Jackson completed a Bachelor of Agricultural commerce at Lincoln University and read Social Studies at Oxford (Philosophy, Politics, Economics). He farms sheep and beef at Te Akau, North Waikato.
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
OPINION 27
Time to invest in primary sector R&D AGRICULTURAL DEBT has reached almost $63 billion dollars, up from $12 billion in 2000. Not generally mentioned in the same news item is that over the same time period, business debt has increased to $122 billion from $41 billion and household debt (mortgage and personal debt) has increased to $297 billion from $70 billion. New Zealanders have been investing on farm, in business and in their homes to improve
COMMENT
Jacqueline Rowarth
Dr Skilling advocates. He wants the investments in research institutions and universities to support sustained growth. He also recommends substantially increased investment in skills and innovation in the sectors which will make a difference. The Primary Sector is key.
Dr Skilling is only one of the analysts identifying the primary sector as the saviour for the economy. History is repeating itself. Dr John Singleton’s Economic History of New Zealand reports that post World War 1 in an era of high export prices, New Zealand
development and education as well as on farm. A report for the Productivity Commission identifies the primary sector as one of only two
farmers borrowed and invested heavily, with land exchanging hands at very high prices. Recovery from the slump that followed reflected not only devaluation of currency and stabilisation in commodity prices, but also the continuing increase in pastoral output and productivity.
Farmer investment paid off and supported the New Zealand economy, just as it has over the past few years. To do even better in the future will require the science and education system to be funded to allow innovation to flourish – and farmers to adopt and adapt,
PROMO ENDS
investing as appropriate. • Dr Jacqueline Rowarth was Professor of Pastoral Agriculture at Massey University and then Professor of Agribusiness at University of Waikato. She is now a farmer-elected director for DairyNZ and Ravensdown. The analysis and comments are her own. jsrowarth@gmail.com
30 SEPTEMBER
!
New Zealanders have been investing on farm, in business and in their homes to improve the futures, just as the Government has done during the Covid19 response. the futures, just as the Government has done during the Covid19 response. It could be argued that 20 years ago agricultural businesses were not investing enough in growth. The dairy and kiwifruit boom provided the opportunity for change, and some landowners were able to take the opportunity. The result is that productivity across agriculture has exceeded most other sectors since the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). The economy has benefitted; exports from the primary sector topped $46 billion in the year to June 2019 (up from $32 billion in 2012). However, in the same way that housing and businesses suffered during the GFC, the collapse in dairy prices in 2014-2016 brought the dangers of business leverage to the fore. In its last Situation and Outlook for the Primary Industries (SOPI December 2019) MPI focused on the financial vulnerability of the dairy sector, whilst acknowledging that debt has been used to fund growth. To achieve further growth post-Covid, more investment is required, but in research,
that have real potential for growth in the future. Using the Netherlands as a model, ex-Treasury economist Dr David Skilling urged improved investment in R&D, and better linkages with universities and research institutions. Few would disagree with the report’s message. The problem is the limited amount of money available from government and industry in R&D and education. The result is people collaborating while in competition, and slow progress while everybody works out what role they will have, while competing for the lead. Dr Skilling says that New Zealand’s R&D investment needs to be increased from 1.4% of GDP to nearer 3.0%, to match other high-performing small advanced economies. Professor Sir Peter Gluckman has suggested that in small biological economies, such as New Zealand’s, the Government needs to invest proportionately more than the 0.8% of GDP which stimulates business investment. The focus of the current government investment in the primary sector, announced in July, does not seem to be the cutting-edge research that
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
28 MANAGEMENT
Blending facility offers southern farmers more feed choice SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FEED COMPANY GrainCorp claims its new blending facility in Timaru will give South Island farmers more choice and flexibility when choosing feed product for animals. GrainCorp Feeds general manager Daniel Calcinai reckons farmers are moving away from bulk, lowest cost commodities, to feed solutions best suited to individual farms. He says they are offering farmers nutritional expertise and the product range they need to keep their herds healthy and productive. “Today’s farmers are looking for access to high quality, innovative and cost-effective dairy feeds they can tailor to suit the nutritional requirements of their herd,” Calcinai says. “Pasture remains the key ingredient, followed by home-grown supplements.”
TIMARU’S TOP MAN MARTIN WYNEN has been appointed as GrainCorp’s new Timaru facility supervisor. “Martin has significant experience in feed storage and handling, enabling a quick set up and peace of mind in our blending operation,” Calcinai says. “With Martin’s knowledge and experience, we look forward to working farmers to deliver the very best products and services across the Central and Upper South Island.” He adds that the company has a proven model to help farmers meet their production and reproduction goals.
The company says it will work with farmers to help maximise feed utilisation, by recommending the right supplement at the right time. “What worked last season may not be the best solution this season. That is where our team can help.” Calcinai says farmers are diversifying their feeding regimes and using a combination of both dry and liquid products – often with additives such as trace minerals, toxin binders and
bypass fats, to help enhance the health and performance of the cow. “More and more farmers are making feeding decisions based on factual information and hard data,” he adds. “They’re also turning to technology and unique monitoring tools like our Tracker programme to help them.” Tracker is an online tool developed to help make fact-based farm and feeding decisions, while providing the abil-
GrainCorp’s new Timaru facility supervisor Martin Wynen.
ity to monitor outcomes. “It helps take away the guess work and makes decision making easier,”
Calcinai says. From its new plant in Washdyke, Timaru, GrainCorp Feeds products include crushed grains, proteins, such as DDG and soybean meal; fibre and energy-based products, such as soyhull pellets; and dry matter replacements, such as PKE. Calcinai says soyhull is low cost and contains a good level of protein and energy. “Being low in starch, it is safe to feed ad-lib, making it the ideal complement to PKE in bulk or in-shed feeding situations during spring.” He says the company’s focus is on feeding dairy cows and Timaru, with its port facilities, is an important dairy feed hub within the South Island. “It also complements our existing liquid feed storage and blending facilities at the Port of Timaru, where we have been situated for several years.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
MANAGEMENT 29
Outgoing MP’s big moove! Former Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, who retires from Parliament in a few weeks’ time, is heading back to his dairy farm in the Horowhenua with plans to invest more than $2 million in a new innovative dairy shed. Peter Burke reports… NATHAN GUY is planning to build a twin rotary shed – meaning two, 50 bail rotary platforms in the same building, which will be capable of milking 700 cows in just one hour. The design is identical to the one built by his political colleague, former National MP and Taranaki dairy farmer Shane Ardern. The new shed will replace two other milking sheds on the property, but Guy says they will still keep a small 28 bail rotary, which his father built in 1975 and that will be used for milking mainly the heifers on the property. His children have been involved in the decision making and are also excited about the future of the industry. Guy believes now is a good time to invest in the dairy industry. He says interest rates are low and he hopes to have the new shed paid off in the next 10-15 years. “We could have gone into bull beef or dairy grazing,” he told Rural News. “We’ve had deer in the past and some of the land around us is used for horticulture, but we are dairy farmers and proud of it and have hence decided to invest in the sector.” Guy says the new
SPEEDY ARDERN SHANE ARDERN is perhaps best remembered as the MP who drove a tractor up the front steps of Parliament in 2003 in protest at the government’s so called ‘fart tax’. But after leaving Parliament, he went back to his dairy farming operation in Taranaki and this year built what is said to be the fastest dairy shed in NZ. Faced with having to replace his aging shed he travelled the world to find the answer, which he found it in the USA – a twin rotary shed. The twin rotary he’s had built consists of two 40 bail rotary platforms which enables him to milk his 600 cows in just one hour. “Most of the modern sheds milk about 400 cows an hour and cost about half a million dollars more than mine. Most of the sheds suit the builders, the milking machine fitters and engineers but don’t suit the cows and the management of stock flow,” he told Rural News. Ardern says for many staff, spending long hours in the milking shed is not something they like and is an inefficient use of labour. He says milking cows faster is a win-win for farmer and staff alike.
shed will be ‘up-spec’d’ in terms of technology, with an automatic drafting machine and automatic cup removers. The plan also includes a system to recycle the water, which will reduce water requirements on the farm. The soon-to-be former MP plans to milk a total of 1500 cows split into three herds of 500 cows through the twin rotary shed, which looks almost like two gigantic clocks running in synchronisation. The big efficiency comes when there is a constant flow of cows going through the shed.
Guy says this means that staff will have to ensure that the cows are there waiting to be milked and that there are no delays in getting them to the shed. He says if there is a stoppage in the flow of cows and a machine has to be shut down, the efficiencies are lost. “When they are going through the shed, cows from different herds will likely become mixed up with animals from other herds but this is where the automatic drafting system kicks in,” he explains. “As the cows leave the shed, a machine
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Nathan Guy with plans for his new $2million double rotary shed.
reads their ear tags and each animal is drafted back into its own herd again.” Guy adds that milking the herds faster results in immediate production gains because the cows will be back on pasture quicker than they would in a normal situation. He also points out that staff will spend less time in the shed putting on cups and will be able to get out and do other work on the farm. Cost wise, the decision to build a twin rotary shed system as opposed to building two standalone rotary sheds stacks up, according to Guy. “We only need one effluent pond, one power supply and one tanker track to the shed. Also, when we start calving we may only run one rotary and potentially the same at the end of the season.” Guy also has plans to install solar panels but concedes that they probably won’t generate enough power to run
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opportunity to improve the genetics of his herd, taking advantage of the good beef prices in China
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
30 MANAGEMENT
Goats a profitable addition to sheep and beef farms Answers to the question of why there are not more farmed goats lie partly with many not appreciating simple and low-cost production benefits to bottom line profitability for sheep and beef operations. Garrick Batten explains… OUR FERAL goats are low-cost breeding stock with a widespread genetic base to work with. Mated to appropriate bucks, they are just as suitable as other breeds. Controlled by relatively cheap effective electric fencing when trained, they can be handled on the few needed occasions in existing facilities with
only minor modifications. Sheep farmers most enjoy working with animals and producing healthy stock. They least enjoy animal health problems, dagging, docking, dipping and repeat manual work. Appropriate goat grazing management significantly reduces or eliminates sheep drench-
ing at $2.20 per SU, no wool shearing, tailing, dagging at $3 per SU, disease or pregnancy testing or even vaccinations in the yards. No viral pneumonia, flystrike, bearings, cast ewes, reproductive difficulties, facial eczema to monitor and cure. Easier and quicker mustering and yard work with intelligent, easily trained
goats. Feed cost is directly related to goat stocking rate per ha. Free-ranging low numbers have minimal additional feed cost. Adding 10% of goat LW to existing farm stock LW, will mainly eat unused and currently wasted feed on hill country. Clover percentage in mixed pasture will improve over
Goats can add simple and low-cost production benefits to bottom line profitability for sheep and beef operations.
time at no cost and can be increased by 25%-plus with more concentrated goat rotational grazing. Measuring that benefit from improved feed quality in other stock is difficult, but increased store lamb weight from 23-29kg on clover enhanced pastures could add $25 per head and earlier disposal. Goats have a key biological weed control of environmental benefits without chemical and diesel use. There’s also no work safety and application timing considerations costs, but income from four-legged control. Even one thistle per 10m² reduces pasture by 8%. Goats also control scrub weeds as well. Farmers compare
meat prices based on their experienced knowledge of animals, products and markets. Goat meat has no age, sex or carcase finish specifications and consistently stable schedule value between 8 and 18 kg. Being able to use goats as a flying herd to reduce farm stock levels for any climatic reason – without price penalty – can be a significant management advantage. Goats can have other advantages over cattle to groom longer pasture. As they do not like water, even the $5 per metre, two-wire cattle fence and alternative water sources are not required for waterway exclusion. There is also no NAIT, TB or pregnancy testing
expensive handling equipment. No pasture treading damage in winter with lower hoof pressure. Urine patches are spread more, less intense, with reduced N loss and contamination. All animals die and have health problems by the head, so such events are significantly more important with cattle. Cattle reproductive rate, and capital and husbandry costs comparisons are magnified by the goat alternative. • Garrick Batten is a lifetime commercial goat industry expert and published author. More information: www. caprinexnz.com @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH 31
Carcase collection impasse SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
COLLECTION OF dead calves from farms around the country has stopped with farmers and the recycling company blaming each other for the impasse. Last week Wallace Group stopped its “casualty calf collection” service because of what it says is a poor response from farmers to a price hike. Up till last season, some farmers were paid $1 for each dead calf picked up from the farm. Last month, Wallace Group announced a $12 collection fee per calf citing a drop in market prices for hides, skins and rendered products. However, Federated Farmers dairy section chair Wayne Langford says the change in pricing surprised many farmers. “I think farmers have found the change in price surprising, some going from being paid $1 to being charged $12, that’s a big swing……especially when the bobby market
is still fair,” Langford told Rural News. He says it’s also too early to say that farmer response to the new collection fee is poor. “It’s very early in the season to say that farmer response is poor. Favourable weather conditions will have no doubt helped lower mortality rates on farm.” But Wallace Group general manager Bernie Lynskey told Rural News that the company’s decision to charge $12 for each casualty calf went down “like a cup of cold sick” with farmers. He says the company had no choice but to stop collecting casualty calves. “We only had a limited pick up to get sufficient stock to provide inductions for staff plus to test and commission a new skinning chain. “Generally, there’s been a very poor response, almost entirely on the back of that it’s cheaper to dig a hole. “There seems to be little acknowledgement of the potential environmental impact.”
PRICE DROP WALLACE GROUP says since last season market prices for hides, skins and rendered products have steadily declined. General manager Bernie Lynskey says calf skin prices have dropped about 35%. “Just look to the bobby calf pricing and the drop there partly based on the skin fall. “Rendering prices for meal have fallen dramatically with some access issues currently.” Lynskey says the company proposed a $12 charge per calf “on the basis of if we got good support or access to some other funding price would fall”. The company sought financial assistance from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund and other funding sources that support environment friendly options. So far there’s been no offer of assistance from any source.
Burying fallen stock on farm is a permitted activity in most parts of New Zealand. Langford says farmers should do their best to minimise odours and adhere to best practice guidelines found on the DairyNZ website. But he’s not encouraging burning of stock.
“Burning of fallen stock is a rare practice and respect for neighbours should be considered.” Langford, who farms in Golden Day, says his region farmers always bury stock. “We have not had slink collection for three years and fallen cows for
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fifteen years.” Langford says casualty calf collection wasn’t a money-making exercise for farmers. “Farmers have always seen this as an opportunity to support a local business or fundraise for a community organisation, so they will be disappointed to see that go.”
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
32 ANIMAL HEALTH
Rearing orphan lambs AS FARMERS strive to maximise their lamb survival, interest in orphan lamb rearing systems has been steadily growing. While automatic lamb feeders have become popular, farmers are developing different orphan lamb rearing systems that suit their operation and climate.
The Dawkins family, based in Marlborough, have refined an orphan lamb rearing system as an adjunct to their Beef + Lamb New Zealand Innovation Farm project – which focused on indoor triplet lambing. They have found simplicity to be the key to orphan lamb rear-
ing. If the system gets too labour intensive, it becomes costly and timeconsuming with no obvious benefits. Every year the Dawkins rear between 30 and 50 lambs and most of these are sold by the end of January at a minimum of 42kg. Richard Dawkins say they have both the
infrastructure (a large, sunny, well-ventilated shed) and the climate to allow their system to work so well and this might not be the case on other farms in other regions. This is a summary of what they have found to be important for successfully rearing orphan
lambs: Maximise the amount of sunlight into the orphan pen. This provides warmth and kills germs. Ventilation is also important. A wet and stagnant environment is a breeding ground for bacteria. A light breeze during the day provides
NAIT ready for calving? Help build lifetime animal traceability Make sure you can tick off the following: All my calves are NAIT tagged correctly I have registered the calves in my NAIT account – after tagging them first I have recorded a movement in NAIT for the calves I sold – within 48 hours of them leaving. Note: This is not required when selling to a saleyard. I’ve filled out an ASD form and have a Declaration to Livestock Transporter (DLT) form ready – if required
Buying calves: I’ve checked the calves I bought are tagged and NAIT registered I received an Animal Status Declaration (ASD) form from the seller I have recorded a movement in NAIT for the calves I bought – within 48 hours of them arriving I’ve updated the calves’ production type to beef – if brought in from a dairy farm. Failure to comply with NAIT obligations may result in fines or prosecution issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Need help? Call OSPRI on 0800 482 463 NAIT is an OSPRI programme
J1505 NAIT Checklist for Calving_Ad_FA3.indd 1
important air flow. Clean straw for bedding. Five feeds per day for lamb health and growth rates. This is very labour intensive so invest in an automatic feeder or build your own ‘gravity feeder’. The Dawkins’ feeder cost about $200 and significantly cut their labour costs. Feeding cows colostrum has worked very well with no bloat and growth rates between 250 - 300g / day. A cheap option, but not available to everyone. Ensure new-born lambs have sufficient colostrum from a ewe prior to training them
onto a feeder. The Dawkins tend to bottle feed for two to three days so the lamb is fit and strong before being placed in the main pen. Keep a watchful eye on any lambs falling behind. These may require bottle feeding or to be placed under a heat lamp. Introduce good quality roughage from day one to assist in rumen development and therefore early weaning. The Dawkins use lucerne hay and their lambs are weaned after six weeks of age at 16–20kg onto lucerne in the paddock. Ensure clean water is available at all times and give the lambs access to a pen outside as well.
NEW ANIMAL WELFARE REGS COME INTO LAW
Selling calves:
Bobby calves moved direct to slaughter are exempt from all NAIT requirements. Check with your meat processor about their requirements for accepting bobby calves.
Simplicity is the key to successful orphan lamb rearing.
info@ospri.co.nz | ospri.co.nz
9/07/2020 2:51:59 PM
NEW ANIMAL welfare regulations have been approved by the Government following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) veterinarian and director for animal health and welfare Dr Chris Rodwell says the new regulations relate to a wide variety of animals and procedures. He says the new regulations also clarify who can perform significant surgical procedures on animals and in what circumstances. “The majority of the regulations reflect current practice, but some raise the standards under which procedures can be performed,” Rodwell explains. “For example, some regulations, such as freeze branding dogs, require that pain relief be provided to the animal throughout the procedure.” The regulations will become law in August 2020. However, Rodwell says to provide time for people to understand their new obligations under the regulations, the vast majority of these will have a delayed commencement and not come into force until 9 May 2021. Most of the new regulations have prosecutable offences, which could result in fines and criminal convictions. Others are infringement offences that come with a penalty fee attached. “In all cases where there is a severe impact on an animal, a prosecution would be taken directly under the Animal Welfare Act, which has heftier penalties,” Rodwell says. More information: https://www.agriculture.govt. nz/protection-and-response/animal-welfare/guide-tothe-animal-welfare-care-and-procedures-regulations. – David Anderson
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH 33
Taking NAIT seriously SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
NORTH OTAGO calf rearer Jared Ovens believes the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak has led to more farmers embracing animal traceability. Ovens says farmers are now realising the value of traceability and it does not pay anymore to take shortcuts. “I think those who are less willing to change are the minority and some have since got out of the industry as a result.” For Ovens, calf rearing is a part-time job. He’s an animal health territory manager for the local veterinary centre looking after 120 dairy farms. Now into his fourth year as a part-time calf rearer, Ovens runs a 10ha and a 2ha block in part-
nership with a local dairy farmer, both blocks under the same National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) location number. The small operation has about 40 grazing dairy heifers right now. During the year they rear calves – mainly Friesian bulls, Hereford bulls and heifers. Ovens grew up on a dairy farm and the industry has been a big part of his life. “I didn’t want to run a fully operational dairy farm and the calf rearing started off small and has just kept growing. “We’re looking at around 300 and we’ll start bringing them onfarm from around late July right through to September.” He used to source them from four different farmers, but now has one
North Otago-based calf rearers Jared and Meriana Ovens.
local client. “We’re in a partnership and I also look after his heifer replacements. It’s just easier to go and pick them up from one location and you know then what herd they’ve come from.” When it comes to managing their NAIT obligations, Ovens and his business partner use livestock scanners. “When he’s moving the calves on to the truck at his farm, he’ll scan them, and when they arrive at my end, I scan them off. “He’ll make a sending movement on the same day and I’ll confirm in my NAIT account.” Ovens looks after the NAIT account. “If we’re bringing calves on-farm, I’ll do it regularly and check in once a week to ensure it’s
all up to date. My wife Meriana is in charge of feeding the calves.” The calves are sent away between August and December. They never finish calves. The majority are contracted and private sales and they’re longterm relationships we’ve built, says Ovens. “Occasionally we’ll send some to a saleyard.” Ovens recommend having a livestock scanner so you scan the calves every time they come into the yard or at weighing time. “That way you can keep track of any lost tags or animals. It’s better to keep on top of things at the time rather than leaving it to when the truck comes to take them,” he says. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
34 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
New Fergies offer comfort and efficiency MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
MASSEY FERGUSON has recently launched its new MF 8S Series, which are said to introduce a new era of straightforward and dependable tractors. This follows seven years of testing around the globe and extensive customer consultations, to deliver the unique “Protect-U” cab-engine installation and a radical ‘neo-retro’ design. Built on a 3.05m wheelbase, outputs range from 205 to 265 maximum hp, plus an extra 20hp from Engine Power Management (EPM). At the same time, a new numbering system denotes the series, the level of specification and the maximum power output. The distinctive “Protec-U” design features a 24cm gap between the cab and the engine, reducing heat, noise
and vibrations being transmitted to the cab, while the encapsulated engine position improves cooling and performance by drawing air from the middle of the tractor, rather than a normal forward position. The overall result also delivers a class best of only 68dB cab noise levels. The engine line up uses a Stage V AGCO Power 6-cylinder / 7.4 litre engines, from 205hp to 265hp, with EPM providing an extra 20hp for transport, PTO, and hydraulic applications. Maximum power is generated at a low 1,000 rpm and is constant up to 1,500 rpm, a combination that is said to cut fuel consumption by 10% and reduce noise by up to 6dB. The MF 8S also introduces a choice of two new transmissions, delivering maximum power to the ground while reducing power losses by 26% and improving fuel economy by up to 10%.
The new MF 8S Series are said to introduce a new era of straightforward and dependable tractors.
The new Dyna E-Power dual clutch transmission delivers the feeling of a CVT and the efficiency of a mechanical transmission, with four ranges and seven speeds. Operating fully automatically or manually using buttons on the MultiPad or Power Control lever, it is also possible to adjust how aggressively and quickly fully automatic changes are made, to match work and conditions. Gear changes see a 9% gear ratio difference between each speed in field work applications from 5km/hr to 20km/hr. At the other end of the scale, 50km/ hr (where permitted) is reached at 1,500rpm, while 40km/hr arrives at 1,200rpm. A new Dyna-7 Semi-Powershift offers 28 forward and reverse
FARM MACHINERY STRENGTH / QUALITY / PERFORMANCE
speeds, with 10% better efficiency than the current 7700S series, with a Dyna -VT option arriving in the second part of 2021. The new tractors are built on a 3.05m wheelbase, with a choice of flanged, short, or long bar axles, to suit all operations and the ability to take 2.05m diameter rear tyres, including the brand-new option of VF650/75 R42 Trelleborg TM1000 PT. The tractors retain the well-proven standard suspended front axle, offering a tight 5.7m turning radius. Now equipped with suspension lock, it also equipped with brakes for tractors fitted with 50km/hr transmissions. Three-point linkage capacity is
increased by 7% to 10,000kg with 150 l/min closed-centre, load-sensing hydraulic system as standard (up 36%), or a 205 l/min flow option, which can also be supplied as an ECO version, generating the flow at 1,650rpm or 230l/min at rated engine speed. Up to five electronic rear spool valves can be specified. A new 4,800kg capacity front linkage option, fully integrated into the tractor, comes with the option of an ISOBUS socket. Inside the cab, the seat is autoair suspended, heated, ventilated and equipped with lateral damping. Automatic air-con is supplied through 14 outlets, while mechanical active cab suspension further enhances comfort on Exclusive models.
QUALITY YOU CAN RELY ON • Heavy duty braked • Deck heights 600mm & 725mm • 18mm single piece tread deck • 2x3 metre deck plus fold down head board • 22 tie down points
DT 20 FLAT DECK
Bale Feeders
BALE FEEDERS • Feeds any size bale • Self loading • Feeds bailage, haw, straw
Forage Wagons
SHEEP CONVEYORS
Manure Spreaders
• Low power draw • Variable speed • Ask about different trailer options
WOOD SPLITTERS Tip Trailers
• Built strong with double skinned main beam • 50mm back plate and dished wedge • 2-stage hydraulic pump coupled to a 9.5hp Kohler motor
www.mcintosh.net.nz FREEPHONE: 0800 622 276
Ph Stuart 0274-387 528 or 06-370 1329 124 Lincoln Road, Masterton E: daytech@wise.net.nz W: www.daytech.co.nz LEADERS ON FARM MACHINERY DESIGN
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 35
The green machine updates its range MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
JOHN DEERE has announced updates and additions to its lineup of 7R and 8R tractors for the 2021 model year. The 7R Series will see the addition of the 7R 350, with a 350hp (257kW)-rated engine, which is a 20 hp increase over the current flagship, and a base weight of approximately 11,200kg. This means the 7R 350 delivers the best power to weight ratio of any John Deere tractor on offer. Standard equipment includes Triple Link Suspension and Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT™) with the option of CommandPRO™ controls for precise speed control and easy implement hook-ups. Another key enhancement for 7R Tractors, used for hay and forage work, is the addition of LSB Ride Control. This
integrated system controls the vibrations typically created by the high inertial forces created by large square balers (LSB) that often result in poor ride quality and increased driver fatigue. Working with a system on the large square baler, LSB Ride Control modulates the tractor’s IVT to compensate for the rocking motion of the baler plunger. LSB Ride Control is available as a factoryinstalled option for MY21 on 7R Tractors equipped with an IVT and is compatible with John Deere L331 or L341 Large Square Balers. From 2021, John Deere will make ActiveCommand Steering™ 2 (ACS 2) available as a factoryinstalled option on 7R and 8R Tractors. This replaces the original ActiveCommand Steering system, adding features and capabilities to further improve the
driving experience of the tractor in the paddock or on the road. ACS 2 reduces steering effort for the operator and improves line holding during transport, offering operators the ability to adjust steering sensitivity and steering wheel resistance. www.JohnDeere.co.nz
A key enhancement for the new 7R Tractor series, used for hay and forage work, is the addition of LSB (large square baler) Ride Control.
0% FINANCE*
100% HARVESTING
EFFICIENCY CLAAS grass harvesting systems.
6
MONTHS DEFERRED
PAYMENT *
12 MONTH TERM
BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK BASED IN Hannover, Germany, Continental started making farm tyres in 1928 and continued right until 2004. This is when the company sold the rights to its brand name to another company, which manufactured Continental-branded farm tyres under license. So, between 2004 and 2017, Continental farm tyres were ‘Continental’ in name only. Fast forward to today and Continental farm tyres are back. This follows a return to in-house farm tyre manufacturing and an all-new tyre design-and-manufacturing facility. In 2016, Continental reacquired the rights to its farm tyres brand and in 2017 opened a new production facility and testing centre in Lousado, Portugal. The results are an all-new tyre design, developed to be durable, comfortable to ride, and designed to actively prevent soil compaction. More recently, the all-new Continental farm tyres have also earned an endorsement from the respected German agricultural institute DLG. It tested the Continental Tractor Master and found it to have a 2.5-3% efficiency advantage over two other better-known European farm tyre brands – in both ground coverage per hour and fuel efficiency. info@agtyres.co.nz
CLAAS DISCO MOWERS
CLAAS VOLTO TEDDERS
CLAAS LINER RAKES
Top cut quality with MAX CUT
MAX SPREAD crop flow
Single and Twin rotor options
Active float - perfect ground contouring
Permalink drive concept
Hermetically sealed low maintenance CAM track
Perfect cut - clean forage and perfect crop flow
4 - 10 rotor options
SAFETY LINK - advanced safety systems
From 5.2 - 13 m working widths Trailing and 3-point linkage options
Grass Care concept fully floating rotors 3-Dimensional rotor travel Clean raking action at high speed
Unique innovative drive system
*Standard CLAAS Financial Services lending terms, conditions and fees apply. Images are illustrative only. 0% on CLAAS greenline requires minimum 33% deposit followed by two six monthly repayments over 12 months. Offer valid until 30/09/2020 or while stocks last. Offer applies to in stock and on-order new Category 2 Greenline equipment, excludes triple-mowers and quad-rotor rakes.
For your local dealer go to: claasharvestcentre.com
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
36 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS Made in NZ...
Metalform 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 machinery editor Mark Daniel takes a closer look at Metalform, catching up with sales and marketing manager Tim Henman. Q - When was the company founded, by whom and why (was it to solve a problem or market a product)? The company was founded in 1961, by Bryce Easton, the grandfather of our current managing director, who still keeps an eye on things with frequent visits to the factory! Q - Where are you located? Is it single or multiple sites
and how many people are employed? The head office and manufacturing plant is based in Dannevirke in the Manawatu region. We also have offices and warehouses in Australia, the UK and the USA, employing around 90 staff throughout our operations. Q - What are your key products and which markets
STANDARD FEEDER (C6 Pinned) • 1 x 6 foot bale • 2m diameter • 15 feed positions • 15 - 30 animals
do they serve? We are a manufacturing partner for many clients in NZ and Australia. But we also market our own range of products. This includes the Tow and Fert product line – an application technology that dissolves and suspends fertiliser in a liquid form for more accurate application and uptake. Q - Are your products
OVAL FEEDER (S2 Pinned) • 3 x 4 foot bales • 2 x 6 foot bales • 24 feed positions • 24 - 48 animals • 4m long
SILAGE GRABS, BUCKET GRABS, BALE GRABS, FOLDING SILAGE FORKS, TELEHANDLER BUCKETS &
Metalform’s head office and manufacturing plant is based in Dannevirke.
unique? If so, what are the four key benefits? If not unique, what are the four unique selling points? The Tow and Fert is very unique, with no other fertiliser sprayer like it in the world. It can quickly dissolve urea, DAP and SOA into a liquid solution. It can also be used to suspend fine particulate like lime flour in a slurry without blockages. It can also use effluent as a base liquid, to carry other products for one pass applications. Generally, payback takes between 9 and 18 months, based purely on nitrogen savings alone. Q - Looking at an everevolving market, what changes or upgrades do you envisage moving forwards to enter new sectors? Our R&D team is currently collaborating with a software and GPS com-
The ProDig Shear Genius is the ultimate attachment for the farmer who diet feeds.
It’s Shear Genius!
pany to provide seamless integration, with proof of placement, remote diagnostics and servicing on the agenda. Q - What has been the company’s greatest success since its formation? We have never made any “me-too” product, preferring to head in our own direction. We are always striving to incorporate simplicity into our designs and manufacturing processes. As Leonardo da Vinci said: “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Q - By contrast, what has been the biggest “Oh Bugger” moment or the steepest learning curve? Our steepest learning curve would be to not over-analyse decisions. You need to be quick, adaptive and nimble,
Businesses MADE IN NZ
A LOOK AT HOME-GROWN COMPANIES
tempered with common sense and a clear vision of where you want to be. Q - If you were approached by someone looking to start a business, what would be your three key pieces of advice? Understand your product. Place in the market succinctly. And, importantly, understand your client’s needs before you start marketing to them. We believe you should also always look to improve all aspects of
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$19,900+GST
V16 SINGLE AUGER/ T27 TWIN AUGER
SOUTH ISLAND www.cochranes.co.nz Call Alastair Robertson | 027 435 2642 AMBERLEY | LEESTON | ASHBURTON | TIMARU | OAMARU | WEST COAST
@rural_news
FROM
DIET FEEDERS
12 knives per auger. Molasses and mineral intake tubes for dietary requirements with front facing conveyor with side shift. Teaser rollers placed at door to break up clumps. 2 speed main gearboxes. Full chassis for strength.
a business and never accept the status quo. 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? Our goal is to grow in a sustainable manner, continually looking to improve our products and processes via feedback from clients. We will also strive to support our clients with second-to-none backup. This, in turn, promotes organic growth through word of mouth referrals. We also intend to implement more “smarts” into our equipment to improve productivity for the user and also employ more Kiwis along the way.
MUCK SIDE SLINGER
XCEL 1250 MUCK SPREADER
WILL SPREAD ALL TYPES OF MATERIALS!
NORTH ISLAND www.gaz.co.nz Call Jarred L’Amie | 027 203 5022 CAMBRIDGE | OTOROHANGA | ROTORUA
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 37
16 rotors make a big HIT MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
AIMED AT large farmers or contractors looking to produce high quality forage quickly, Austrian manufacturer Pottinger has announced a new flagship for its HIT tedder range. The HIT 16.18T is a 16-rotor trailed machine with a 17-metre working width. This moves it ahead of the previous largest tedder, the 12-rotor HIT 12.14T – that offered a capacity of 12.4 metres. It is fitted with 1.42 metre Dynatech rotors, which carry the same six swept tine arms as the
rest of the HIT range. The layout sees large chassis wheels act as oversized jockey wheels to follow undulations, while each rotor also acts independently. The tedder features the Liftmatic Plus function, which hydraulically moves the rotors back to a horizontal plane before lifting at the headland – delivering a ground clearance of 90cm. This is said to prevent scraping or scalping of the ground, thereby removing the risk of soil contamination. When operating on the extremities of a paddock, the two rotors on the right hand end of the machine can be hydrauli-
cally swung rearwards by 15 degrees This results in a clear strip around the border of the paddock, stopping material being thrown into drains or under fence lines.
The HIT 16.18T is a 16-rotor trailed machine with a 17-metre working width.
SPEND OVER $10,000 (excl. GST) ON AN ITM POLE SHED AND RECEIVE
A MAKITA 18V CORDLESS CHAINSAW AND DRILL! Offer only available at participating ITM stores until September 30th, 2020*
SNIPPETS Test, test, test
KUHN’S SPREADSET app offers users of its fertiliser spreaders accurate calibration and settings charts for up to 2700 fertiliser products. Tests carried out in a state-of-the-art European test hall, covering 1235 square metres, collates spreading information by using 88 fully-automated collection trays. The facility allows the company to conduct around 3000 tests annually, in conditions that regulate temperatures to between 20 and 25 degrees C, humidity up to 55% and achieve spreading widths up 75 metres.
Smells good
MALE GROOMING stalwart Lynx is moving into the automotive market. Unlike the deodorant cans found in the bathroom that keeps a man fresh all day, the mobile version will last for 30 days. Among the Lynx fragrances that have made the jump from the bathroom to the tractor cab are spicy Africa, the chocolatey Dark Temptation, watermelon-Infused Black scent, Ice Chill’s energy-boosting mint and lemon, plus the Gold blend of citrus and spice. Four different car freshener styles, enabling users to select a rear-view-mirror hanging Scented Disc, or the sleek ceramic Vent option clips onto an air vent. The circular Mini Vent also clips onto an air vent, while the Gel Can is able to be placed into a vehicle’s cup holder, door pocket or other recess. Look out ladies
CONTROL FLYSTRIKE & LICE
$800 VALUE
FREE INCLUDES:
18V Cordless Chainsaw (DUC254) | 18V Cordless Brushless Drill Driver (DDF485Z) 1x 5.0Ah Battery (BL1850) | 1x Rapid Charger (DC18RC)
INCLUDES:
• Jetter unit • Pump & Hose kit • Delivery to nearest main centre
SUPPLYING FARMERS SINCE 1962
To get your pole shed underway, contact your local ITM or email us at polesheds@itm.co.nz
7680
$
+GST
itm.co.nz | 0800 FOR ITM (367 486)
RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
38 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER SNIPPETS Ford teams up with VW
EARMARKERS
BIRDSCARER DE HORNER HOOF TRIMMER
The top of the range TH742 Elite features a powerful 146 hp engine.
NH’s new telehandler MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
NEW HOLLAND Agriculture has upgraded its telehandler offering with new naming and livery. The latter integrates the range into the NH harvesting family. “The new and improved TH Series offers solutions tailored to New Zealand’s different farming and civil operations,” says Rod Gardner, brand
Quadbar introduces the new
735
$
+GST
FLEXIBAR Flexibar includes all the safety and convenience features of the Quadbar with the added advantages of: • A flexible joint that allows the bar to flex rearwards in the event of contact with an overhead obstacle • The joint facilitates some sideways flexibility before locking and becoming more of a traditional crush protection device
Recommended by Worksafe. ACC subsidy available
• In the event of a rearwards flip there is negligible movement from the flexible joint • The top section of the Flexibar can also be easily removed for transportation inside a vehicle.
manager New Holland New Zealand. “Ranging from medium to large scale livestock farmers, agricultural and cartage contractors, as well as civil and construction operations.” The top of the range TH7.42 Elite features a more powerful 146 hp engine, up 13 hp from the LM7.42 Elite it replaces. The new machine includes features such as hydraulic pressure release, heated air-suspension seat with integrated controls, and rear cab and boom lights to maximize productivity.
A new transmission offers electronic modulation to ensure enhanced shifting and shuttling modulation. Meanwhile, a 6x3 powershift system offers two forward/ reverse shuttling modes – resulting in easier directional and speed changes, with an automatic gear shifting mode for travelling. With the aim of reducing downtime, daily checks and routine maintenance for the TH7.42 Elite have been simplified, with service intervals extended to 600 hours.
Ford and Volkswagen have signed an agreement to build mid-sized utes. So, by mid-2022, expect to see a new VW Amarok, built on a Ford Ranger platform. It’s likely that Ford’s 5-cylinder 3.2 litre engine is dropped in favour of a twin-turbo V6 diesel and a 2.3 litre petrolhybrid option. Ford will also release battery electric versions of its Transit and F150 vehicles in the next 24 months.
New chair
The Landpower Group – distributors and retailers of brands such as Claas, JCB and Amazone – has announced that Sam Hetherington has become chairman of the group. A board member since 2013, he will be supported by founder Herby Whyte, who will remain active in the business in the role of deputy chairman.
Cottoning on
CNH has secured an order to supply on of Uzbekistan’s largest cotton growers with more than 360 machines. The list includes 120 Puma tractors, 46 Cotton Express pickers and 23 Axial Flow 4088 combines. The order also includes 40 New Holland balers, 120 Overum ploughs and 10 Case IH backhoe loaders.
Relief sought
With many field days cancelled in Australia due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Association of Agricultural Fieldays in Australasia is canvassing its government to seek support for a five-year recovery package to ensure their survival. Events lost so far include Dowerin in WA, Henty, Sheepvention and Farm World in Victoria and the National Fieldays at Orange. Meanwhile, Agfest in Gunnedah and Farmfest in Toowoomba have both been postponed until later in the year.
www.newholland.co.nz
Free Range & Barn Eggs SUPPLIERS OF:
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For a Quadbar, call me, Stuart Davidson, owner of Quadbar NZ. Phone: 021-182 8115 Email: sales@quadbar.co.nz or for more info go to www.quadbar.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.
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CULVERT PIPES
New Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes! FREE joiners supplied on request. • Lightweight, easy to install • Made from polyethylene
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RURAL NEWS // AUGUST 11, 2020
RURAL TRADER 39
SINGLE DOG BOX $605
TOP DOG BOX 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
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• Robust construction • Auto shut gate • Total 20 jets • Lambs only 5 jets • Side jets for lice • Adjustable V panels • Davey Twin Impellor Pump • 6.5 or 9.0hp motors
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SHEEP JETTERS SINCE 1992
Rubber Safety Matting
LATEST STORIES ON www.ruralnews.co.nz
Phone 0800 625 826 • www.mckeeplastics.co.nz
Quality Greenhouses Range of models sized 2 metres - 10 metres
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Phone: 0800 80 8570 www.burgessmatting.co.nz
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Lockable Pulley Used by Farmers, Hunters, the Home Handyman, Lifestyle Block Owners and also in Veterinary Practices • • • • •
Great for calving Stainless steel 4-1 ratio Rope included Available in 2 sizes: 1) breaking strain of 1000kg 2) 2000kg breaking strain
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Solway, Masterton • 027-494 2018 www.stockwhips.co.nz • stockwhips@xtra.co.nz
BUFFALO BOOTS! arrive october
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ZIP STRIP quick lacing
$20
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valued at $280
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STEEL TOE (without Scuff Guard)
PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard)
PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard)
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RAINWEAR! selling out fast
CHEQUES
in stock now
FLEXISKIN MAX
JACKET
$88 valued at
100% Waterproof Fleece Collar Hood Visor sold out of size: XXL, 3XL
- prices are likely to increase - prices valid for 4 weeks
earthwalk, r d 2, palmerston north please add $12 freight per order
BIB OVERALLS
$77
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FLEXISKIN MAX LEGGINGS
$66
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sizes: BOOTS 5 13
RAINWEAR XS
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WE HAVE CHANGED OUR LOOK BUT NOT OUR PRIORITY. Our number one priority will always be to supply high quality machinery and high quality service to our customers. This has not changed since we opened our doors in 1963.
‘Towards greener pastures’ ‘Towards greener pastures’
LETS MOVE TOWARDS GREENER PASTURES TOGETHER.
For more information call us on 06 370 0390 www.tulloch.nz Dealers located nationwide Proud distributors of
Spring Catalogue 2020
PROVEN PERFORMANCE
GEAR UP Purchase a new Kubota BX, B, L or MX Series tractor and add any two Land Pride implements to receive a free Quick Hitch. Add a third implement for even more savings! ˜
FREE QUICK HITCH˜
˜ SEE PAGES 2 & 3 FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
KUBOTA.CO.NZ
02 / LAND PRIDE OFFER
CO M P E TI T I V E F I N AN C E AVA I L A B L E a s k y o u r lo c al d e a le r
across the BX Series BX SERIES 18-25.5HP SUB-COMPACT TRACTOR KUBOTA POWERED
Equipped with 3-cylinder, liquid-cooled Kubota diesel engines and 2-range hydrostatic transmission controlled by a single foot pedal for simple operation ATTACHMENTS
Switching between mowing lawns and front end loader work has never been easier. The BX loader can be attached without leaving the driver’s seat OPERATOR AREA
Deluxe reclining high back seat, spacious operator area, cruise control and easy to reach controls BX23S
The most versatile compact tractor yet. Complete with quick attach/detach front end loader and backhoe
PERFORMANCE MATCHED IMPLEMENTS FOR KUBOTA BX, B, L AND MX SERIES WHAT IS A QUICK HITCH?
BX Series Offer
B, L & MX Series Offer
A free Land Pride QH05 Quick Hitch worth $495 with the purchase of any 2 Land Pride AG implements and get $500 towards one further Land Pride implement with a new BX Series tractor.
A free Land Pride QH10 Quick Hitch worth $968 with the purchase of any 2 Land Pride AG implements and get $500 towards one further Land Pride implement with a new B, L & MX Series tractor.
ROTARY CUTTERS
RECEIVE A FREE QUICK HITCH. Add a third implement for even more savings!˜
REAR BLADES
Purchase a new Kubota BX, B, L or MX Series tractor and add any two Land Pride implements to
Make switching between Land Pride implements a breeze with the Land Pride Quick Hitch. The QH05 Quick Hitch is specifically designed for BX tractors while the QH10 is a better match for the B, L and MX Series. Spring loaded levers and automatic locks on the lower link attachment points mean many implements can be changed without leaving the tractor seat.
˜BX Series offer: Add any 2 BX Series performance matched implements from the Land Pride range to the purchase of a new BX Series tractor and receive a free QH05 Quick Hitch worth $495. Add a third implement to the package and get $500 off that implement. Choose from Slashers, Post Hole diggers, Disc Harrows, Rear Blades, Grading & Box Scrapers, Mouldboard Ploughs, Seeders and Seed Bed Rollers. Offer expires 31/10/2020 or while stock lasts. B, L & MX5200 Series offer: Add any 2 performance matched implements from the Land Pride range to the purchase of a new B, L or MX5200 Series tractor and receive a free QH10 Quick Hitch worth $968. Add a third implement to the package and get $500 off that implement. Choose from Slashers, Post Hole diggers, Disc Harrows, Rear Blades, Grading & Box Scrapers, Mouldboard Ploughs, Seeders and Seed Bed Rollers. Offer expires 31/10/2020 or while stock lasts.
03 / SUB-COMPACT TRACTOR
BX SERIES BX2380 - BB1260 Box Blade + QH05 Quick Hitch
BX2380 23HP tractor
RCR1248 1.2m Rotary Cutter
Front-end loader with std. bucket
DH1048 1.2m Disc Harrow
54" Mower Deck
PD10 Post Hole Digger with 6" Auger
170kg Counterweight
QH05 Quick Hitch
PACKAGE TOTAL $31,302
BOX & GRADING SCRAPERS
DISC HARROWS
MOULDBOARD PLOUGHS
SEEDBED ROLLERS
SEEDERS
SPECIAL R.R.P. PLUS GST
POST HOLE DIGGERS
SET FOR SPRING PACKAGE
kubota.co.nz
TOTAL SAVINGS $
3,986
04 / PREMIUM COMPACT TRACTOR
CO MP E T IT IVE F IN AN C E AVAIL AB L E a sk yo ur l oca l de a ler
across the B & L Series
B SERIES B2601
B SERIES 23-31HP FREE QUICK HITCH OFFER – B & L SERIES ˜ A free Land Pride QH10 Quick Hitch worth $968 with the purchase of any 2 Land Pride AG implements and $500 towards one further Land Pride implement with a new B & L Series tractor.
PREMIUM COMPACT TRACTOR KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
Smooth running 3 or 4-cylinder diesel engines TRANSMISSION
Proven Kubota hydrostatic transmission with 3-range speed shifting to provide the right speed to suit your task ATTACHMENTS
Quick attach front-end loader, mower deck and backhoe available to tackle almost any job
L40 SERIES 35-57 HP PREMIUM MID-SIZE TRACTOR KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
Kubota environmentally-friendly engine TRANSMISSION
HST plus transmission with Stall Guard, Dual Speed, Response Control and Auto Throttle Advance KUBOTA LOADER
Performance-matched front-end loader offering plenty of lift capacity MODEL OPTIONS
ROPS^ or CAB models available L5740HDCA
kubota.co.nz
^Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS)
05 / MID-SIZED TRACTORS
ENGINEERED TO EXCEL
L SERIES L3800HD – RCF2060 Slasher + QH10 Quick Hitch
SET FOR SPRING PACKAGE
L3800HD 38HP tractor
DH1060 1.5m Disc Harrow
Front-end loader with std. Bucket
PD25 Post Hole Digger with 6" Auger
500kg Counterweight
QH10 Quick Hitch
PACKAGE TOTAL $41,295 SPECIAL R.R.P. PLUS GST
TOTAL SAVINGS $
RCF2060 1.5m Rotary Cutter
7,050
L SERIES 32-46HP MID-SIZED UTILITY TRACTOR KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
Indirect injection, 3 or 4-cylinder Kubota diesel engines TRANSMISSION
Your choice of reliable mechanical shuttle, synchro shuttle or HST transmission COMFORT
Large platform, power steering, easy to read dash display and high back seat to keep you comfortable LIFT CAPACITY
Category 1, 3-point hitch delivers over 651kg lift capacity on L3200/3800 and 1053kg on the L4600 L3200HD – DH1060 Disc Harrow + QH10 Quick Hitch
a s k y o ur lo c al de a le r
across the M Series
M SERIES MX5200
SET FOR SPRING PACKAGE
MX5200HD 50HP tractor
DH1572 1.8m Disc Harrow
Front-end loader with std. Bucket
PD25 Post Hole Digger with 6" Auger
650kg Counterweight
QH10 Quick Hitch
RCF2060 1.5m Rotary Cutter
PACKAGE TOTAL $54,964 SPECIAL R.R.P. PLUS GST
TOTAL SAVINGS $
6,050
MX5200 MID-SIZED UTILITY TRACTOR KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
51HP smooth, powerful and quiet diesel engines TRANSMISSION
8 speed mechanical synchro shuttle, or 3 range hydrostatic transmission option on MX5200
ROTARY CUTTERS
06 / MID-SIZED TRACTORS
CO M P E T I TI V E FIN A NCE AVA I L AB LE
STRONG LINKAGE
Overs a tonne lift capacity HYDRAULICS
MX5200 offer 35.8l main pump capacity COMPLETE THE PACKAGE
FREE QUICK HITCH OFFER – MX SERIES˜
Kubota loaders offer ample lifting height and capacity, ideal for demanding livestock farming
A free Land Pride QH10 Quick Hitch worth $968 with the purchase of any 2 Land Pride AG implements and get $500 towards one further Land Pride implement with a new MX Series tractor.
kubota.co.nz
07 / MID-SIZED TRACTORS
M SERIES M7040SUHD
POWER TO GET THE JOB DONE
M7040SUHD MID-SIZED UTILITY TRACTOR KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
68 HP smooth, powerful and quiet diesel engines TRANSMISSION
8 speed fully synchronized with hydraulic clutchless shuttle STRONG LINKAGE
1500 Kg lift capacity HYDRAULICS
M7040 offers 41.6l main pump capacity COMPLETE THE PACKAGE
Kubota loaders offer ample lifting height and capacity, ideal for demanding livestock farming
MX5200
08 / PROFESSIONAL TRACTORS
M5 SERIES M5111
M5 SERIES 93-110.5 HP PROFESSIONAL TRACTOR SERIES KUBOTA DIESEL ENGINE
Features a 3.8L engine that produces 93, 105 and 110.5 HP, depending on the model, and includes constant engine RPM and engine rev memory
REMARKABLE LOW EMISSIONS
TRANSMISSION
6 synchronised gears in 3 ranges with dual speed splitter. This enables 36 gear options. Power Shuttle ensures a smooth change of direction ULTRA GRAND CAB II
Sets the standard in comfort and control with unparalleled visibility and ergonomic design MODEL CHOICE
Standard and narrow tractor models available
M5101
kubota.co.nz
FINANCE F O R 3 6 M O N T H S*
MGX SERIES 100-135 HP PROFESSIONAL TRACTOR SERIES
Common rail engine with massive torque 24-speed powershift transmission with auto shift Super-quiet deluxe cab
across the MGX Series FINANCE PROVIDED BY
UDC FINANCE LIMITED
Bi-speed turn that speeds up front wheels for tight turns Available with narrow vineyard kit 5-year Powertrain warranty
MGX SERIES MGX *This finance offer from UDC Finance Limited is only available to eligible business applicants on loans with a term of up to 36 months. The 0.9% p.a. interest rate is fixed for the term of the loan and is only available with a minimum 20% deposit and applies to new MGX Series models. UDC Finance credit criteria, fees, terms and conditions apply. The finance offer is valid to 31/10/2020.
09 / PROFESSIONAL TRACTORS
0.9%
P.A.
10 / PROFESSIONAL TRACTORS
MORE POWER, MORE PERFORMANCE
M7 SERIES M7172 *This finance offer from UDC Finance Limited is only available to eligible business applicants on loans with a term of up to 36 months. The 0.00% p.a. interest rate is fixed for the term of the loan and is only available with a minimum 20% deposit and applies to new M7 Series models. UDC Finance credit criteria, fees, terms and conditions apply. The finance offer is valid to 31/10/2020.
FINANCE F O R 3 6 M O N T H S* across the M7 Series FINANCE PROVIDED BY
UDC FINANCE LIMITED
11 / PROFESSIONAL TRACTORS
0%
P.A.
M7-2 SERIES 130-170 HP PROFESSIONAL TRACTOR SERIES KUBOTA’S MOST POWERFUL ENGINE
130 to 175 HP with boost and industry-leading constant power and torque NEVER IN THE WRONG GEAR
Choice of 30-speed powershift or KVT variable driving to suit any operation SIMPLE AND SOPHISTICATED
High-end components with electrohydraulics, monitor control and GPS readiness in the premium models BIG MUSCLE
9,400kg lift capacity, up to 110L/min hydraulic flow for all-round performance
M7172
M7172 - Great Plains 6m Spartan kubota.co.nz
12 / MOWERS
PERFORMANCE AT EVERY TURN
CO MP E T IT IVE F IN AN C E AVAIL AB L E a sk yo ur l oca l de a ler
across the Z Series Z SERIES Z251
kubota.co.nz
13 / MOWERS
Z200 SERIES RESIDENTIAL ZERO TURN MOWER ZERO TURN MANOEUVRABILITY
Mow around garden beds, trees and obstacles with ease HIGH QUALITY MOWER DECK
Heavy-duty 42", 48" or 54" fabricated mower decks deliver performance and reliability CUTTING HEIGHT DIAL
Simple changes to cutting height with the turn of a dial OPERATOR AREA
Comfortable seating position with plenty of legroom, adjustable handles, storage boxes and cup holders
Z400 SERIES SEMI PROFESSIONAL ZERO TURN MOWERS
Rugged, commercial grade transmission, designed for heavy-duty applications Dual operation levers are adjustable, providing smooth, precise control Available with 48" or 54" mower decks and grass catchers Z411
ZD SERIES PROFESSIONAL ZERO TURN MOWERS
Powerful diesel engines Comfortable bucket seats with suspension, ergonomic controls, large foot platform and LCD digital display Choice of 54", 60" and 72" fabricated mower decks - side or rear discharge available Simple changes to cutting height with the turn of a dial. Raise and lower the mower deck with hydraulic pedals and steer with levers requiring minimal operator force, keeping you comfortable all day
ZD1221
14 / MOWERS
CO MP E T IT IVE F IN AN C E AVAIL AB L E a sk yo ur l oca l de a ler
across the GR & T Series
GR SERIES GR2120
GR & T SERIES RIDE ON MOWERS PETROL OR DIESEL
T Series features powerful twin cylinder petrol engines, while the GR Series uses a reliable 3-cylinder Kubota diesel engine RIDE-ON SIMPLICITY
Equipped with hydrostatic transmission for precise control MOWER DECKS
T Series' fabricated mower decks provide years of dependable use. GR’s contoured mower decks come in two sizes, 48" and 54" OPERATOR AREA
Full flat operator platform, high back seat and cruise control provide comfort during long operation GLIDE STEER TECHNOLOGY
GR Series offers excellent turning ability with front wheels turning up to 70 degrees, while inside rear wheel tracks freely when completing turns ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
Perfect for rolling terrain, the GR Series all-wheel drive provides outstanding traction. GR features shaft-driven mower, transmission and PTO for trouble free operation
T SERIES T2290
kubota.co.nz
15 / MOWERS
SMOOTH RIDE, SHARP RESULTS
F90 SERIES PROFESSORIAL OUT FRONT 4WD MOWER
28 and 36 HP diesel engine models Your choice of 60" or 72" side or rear discharge heavy-duty pro commercial mower decks 2-range hydrostatic transmission 90-degree tilt mower deck provides unobstructed access to blades and deck underside for easy cleaning 61L fuel tank reduces downtime Grass catcher available to order
F90 SERIES F3690
16 / LAWN CARE EQUIPMENT
LAWN CARE RANGE, BUILT TO LAST HANDHELD BLOWER Robust and powerful, Kubota’s handheld blower is designed to optimise your productivity. The KBL31 is powerful enough for professional users, for clearing dead leaves, cut grass or other waste. Being lightweight and simple to use also makes the handheld blower perfect for jobs around the house
KUBOTA’S RELIABLE GENERATOR RANGE SQ SERIES DIESEL GENERATOR AUTO START CONTROLLER
The Deep Sea 4520 Auto Start Controller has a large back lit screen, which clearly displays operator information in an easy-to-read manner NEW FEATURES
KBL31
SELF PROPELLED WALK BEHIND MOWERS Heavy duty aluminium die-cast deck with reinforcement for excellent durability 4 blades are standard for fine cutting Shaft drive rear wheel transmission that greatly reduces maintenance work compared to belt-driven mowers Blade clutch brake stops blades quickly for added safety and allows emptying of 75L grass bag safely, without stopping the engine
Waterproof recessed button receptacles, a new emergency stop button, compliant with standard AS3000 wiring, factory tested to AS33017 and RCD for each outlet (RCBO on single phase outlets) ENGINE
A limit switch has been added to shut down engine when door opens. A battery isolator has been added and a larger capacity fuel tank (62L > 100L), which enables 24 hours run time BODY
All components have been recessed and a single key entry door has been added. The base has been strengthened to improve mobility
W821SC
HEDGETRIMMER
GL SERIES
Well balanced, robust and reliable in design, Kubota’s 2-stroke hedgetrimmer provides an impeccable clean cut with every pass to meet the needs of professionals and home owners alike
COMPACT DIESEL GENERATOR
Circuit breakers and Residual Current Device (RCD) are factory fitted, offering a high level of personal protection from electrical shock Easy maintenance (Single Side Servicing) New Auto Start Controller (digital option only) features a large backlit screen to clearly display operator information
KHT23D
KBC26H-RS
kubota.co.nz
BRUSHCUTTERS
KD SERIES
Designed for both home owners and contractors. Powered by reliable 2-stroke engines that keep on going. Designed with comfort and safety in mind, the heavy duty, straight shaft models cushion vibrations, for increased operator comfort. Single or double handle models available, plus additional attachments to suit every application and operator
COMPACT DIESEL GENERATOR
Compact generator for fast and reliable power All Australasian design Oil-cooled diesel engine Weatherproof receptacles Easy to move around
17 / GENERATORS
BACKUP POWER WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST CO M P E T I TI V E F I N A N CE AVA I L A BL E a s k yo ur lo c al de a le r
across the GL, SQ & KD Series
GENERATOR RANGE SQ 1150
18 / UTILITY VEHICLES
ALL NEW
TEST-DRIVE KUBOTA’S FASTEST RTV ON YOUR PROPERTY RTV RANGE RTV-XG850
kubota.co.nz
19 / UTILITY VEHICLES
RTV-XG850 SIDEKICK UTILITY VEHICLES HIGHER SPEED
Fast acceleration and higher transport speed (up to 64km/h) come from a powerful 48HP petrol engine KUBOTA’S CVT PLUS TRANSMISSION
Featuring a centrifugal clutch designed to keep the thick, double cogged belt tight ensuring fast response and excellent belt durability SPEED-SENSITIVE EPS
Light at low-speed and firm at high-speed, EPS (Electronic Power Steering) offers exceptional handling and stability INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION
Even at high speeds the front and rear independent suspension delivers a smooth ride and offers plenty of clearance TOWING CAPACITY
907kg towing capacity for a wide range of jobs RTV-X1140
RTV500 16HP liquid cooled petrol engine Hydrostatic transmission that keeps you in control during descents with engine-assisted deceleration
CO MP E T IT IVE FIN AN CE AVAIL AB LE a sk you r loc a l de a le r
Selectable 2WD or 4WD with diff lock
across the RT V Series
RTV-X1140 4-seater people mover that converts easily from 1 to 2 rows of seating Hydraulic tipping cargo box Full ROPS^ protection Kubota 3-cylinder diesel engine 2-range hydrostatic transmission with dynamic braking
RTV-X900 Heavy-duty 22HP diesel utility vehicles VHT-X 2-range hydrostatic transmission Safety of dynamic braking Well placed controls, contoured seats and generous legroom Hydraulic tripping cargo tray
^Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS)
RTV-X900
20 / GREAT PLAINS
CO M P E T I TI V E FI N AN CE AVAI L AB LE a sk y o ur l o c a l de a le r
across the Great Plains Range SPARTAN NO-TILL AIR DRILL RANGE Triple Disc with independent 17' x 5/8" Turbo Coulter and 07 Series Double Disc Opener 6m and 9m working width & 3m transport 6" or 7.5" row spacing with individual row shut-off for alternate row seeding or wider row spacing Variable rate hydraulically driven meters 2 x 2,885L hoppers on 6m Spartan and 2 x 3,500L on 9m Dickey John Blockage monitor system as standard 9m Spartan features a 10" loading auger with wireless remote control as standard
AIR DRILL RANGE
DELIVERING PERFORMANCE
MECHANICAL DRILL RANGE 800 MIN-TILL DRILL
V300F NO-TILL 3m DRILL
1200, 1500 & 2000 DRILLS (WITH NO-TILL HITCH)
7ft 6" (2.3m) working width
3m transport and working width
3 models 12ft (3.6m), 15ft (4.6m) and 20ft (6.1m)
9ft 9" (2.9m) transport width
19 row - 6.22" (158mm) row spacing
Row spacing options from 6"
15 row - 6" (152mm) row spacing
Large 3,100L main hopper with adjustable partition for main seed & fertiliser
Main seed, fertiliser and small seed
Main seed, fertiliser and small seed 00 series double disc opener Minimum 45HP
kubota.co.nz
Main seed, fertiliser and small seed
Triple disc - 18" Turbo Coulter with 00 Series Double Disc Opener
Triple Disc - 18" Turbo Coulter with 00 Series Double Disc Opener min. 100HP
Centre Pivot Hitch maintains coulter and double disc alignment in turns
NTA907-2 - 9M SPARTAN NO-TILL AIR DRILL
MAX CHISEL AGGRESSIVE PRIMARY TILLAGE WITH 3 WORK ZONES • 2 rows of individually mounted 24" Samurai edge blades
aggressively remove root balls while mixing and incorporating the top 4"-5" of soil • 2 rows of chisel shanks work down to 12" (305mm) deep • A rear chopper reel and roller ensures a smooth
uniform finish 3.5m - 5.8m working width Heavy duty toggle trip shanks with 2,450lbs (1,111kg) trip force
VERTICAL TILLAGE RANGE MAX CHISEL
IN LINE SUB-SOILER In line shanks to effectively reset the soil profile shattering density layers Optimum horizontal fracture without surface blowout 3/4" wide shank for minimal surface disturbance No-Till points minimizes surface disturbance while maximizing shatter below the surface Up to 500mm working depth
IN-LINE SUB-SOILER
21 / GREAT PLAINS
COMPACT DESIGN
a s k y our l oc a l de a l e r
across the SVL Series SVL65-2 COMPACT TRACK LOADER ENGINE
Powered with a clean-burning T4 Final 68.4HP Kubota engine FLOW RATE
Available in Cab model only, with a standard flow rate of 65.8 l/min or high-flow rate of 102.2 l/min
NEW SVL65-2, PRECISION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
OPERATOR COMFORT
Operator comfort with large cab design and unique front sliding window NEW HYDRAULIC SYSTEM
New Advanced Multifunction Valve (AMV) - Hydraulic system provides smooth movements of all hydraulic functions when operated simultaneously
SVL65-2 COMPACT TRACK LOADER
PERFORMANCE MATCHED IMPLEMENTS FOR KUBOTA SSV & SVL SERIES SKID CUTTERS
SSV & SVL ATTACHMENTS OFFER Purchase a new Kubota SSV or SVL, add a Kubota CE attachment and
GET $500 OFF that CE attachment.˜ Add a second attachment
GET $750 OFF that CE attachment.˜
SSV65
6-WAY DOZER BLADES
02 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
CO MP E T I T I V E F I N A N CE AVA I L A B L E
˜Get yourself extra savings with the purchase of up to 2 Land Pride construction equipment attachments together with Kubota’s SSV and SVL Series. Get $500 off your first attachment and $750 off when you add a second attachment. Choose from Skid Slashers, Graders, Powered Rakes, Auger Drives, 6-Way Dozer Blades, Angling Brooms, Trenchers and Seeders. Offer expires 31/10/2020 or while stock lasts.
03 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
SVL SERIES SVL75-2 AND SVL95-2S
POWERED RAKES
SKID GRADERS SKID AUGER DRIVES
Operator comfort with the largest cab space and unique front-sliding door
TRENCHERS
Lift heavy loads with vertical lift and self-levelling function
SKID SEEDER
Operate various CE attachments from road profilers to tree mulchers due to high flow
ANGLING BROOMS
Powered with a clean-burning Tier 4 Final Kubota engine, 74.3HP for the SVL75-2 or 96.4HP for SVL95-2s
kubota.co.nz
04 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
CO MP ET ITIVE F IN AN C E AVAIL A BL E a sk yo u r loc al d eal er
across the SSV ISO & R Series
SSV ISO SERIES SSV65
MAKE SHORT WORK OF HARD JOBS SSV65/75 ISO SERIES SKID STEER LOADER
SSV Series all driven by the powerful world-renowned Kubota engine ISO PILOT CONTROLS
ISO Pilot controls with multifunction levers for fingertip control QUICK COUPLER AND COMFORT
POWERED RAKES
ENGINE
Hydraulic quick coupling and Kubota Shockless ride for the ultimate in comfort VERTICAL LIFT
Vertical lift design making it easy to dump into trucks OPERATOR COMFORT
Operator comfort with large cab design and unique front sliding window
~Refer to page 2 for promotion terms.
SSV ATTACHMENTS OFFER ˜ Purchase a new Kubota SSV, add a Kubota CE attachment and get $500 off that CE attachment. Add a second Kubota CE attachment and get $750 off that CE attachment.
05 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
R065 WHEEL LOADER
Save on fuel with the Kubota 48.9HP engine Available in Cab or Canopy models Newly designed spacious cab with air-conditioning for operator comfort Bucket lifting capacity of 1365kg (50% tipping load) for cab model Standard bucket, pallet forks or 4-in-1 bucket options available
R SERIES R065
R430 WHEEL LOADER NEW R430 ENGINE
Superior performance with a new powerful Kubota T4 engine producing 47.6HP MODELS
Available in Canopy model only and comes with a standard bucket, operating weight of 3080kg. ROC
Rated Operating Capacity with bucket of 868kg (50% tipping load) OTHER FEATURES
Other features include 4WD with limited slip differential, adjustable suspension seat and optional LED headlights
R430
kubota.co.nz
06 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
0.9%
P.A.
FINANCE FOR 36 MONTHS* across the U Series FINANCE PROVIDED BY
UDC FINANCE LIMITED
THE POWER TO GET IT DONE U55-4 *This finance offer from UDC Finance Limited is only available to eligible business applicants on loans with a term of up to 36 months. The 0.9% p.a. interest rate is fixed for the term of the loan and is only available with a minimum 20% deposit and applies to new U Series models. UDC Finance credit criteria, fees, terms and conditions apply. The finance offer is valid to 31/10/20.
07 / CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
U SERIES – 1.7 TONNE TO 5.5 TONNE ZERO-TAIL SWING EXCAVATORS KUBOTA ENGINE
All Kubota excavators are driven by the world-renowned powerful Kubota engine OPERATOR COMFORT
Available in canopy and cab models with enhanced ergonomics designed for operator comfort ZERO-TAIL SWING
Amazing manoeuvrability with zero-tail swing to meet every operator’s needs PERFORMANCE
Best-in-class breakout performance while maintaining fast and smooth operation
U SERIES U17-3
CO M P E T I T I V E F I NA NCE AVA I L A BL E a s k y our l oc al d e a l e r
across the KX Series
KX SERIES CONVENTIONAL SWING EXCAVATORS
Extensive KX Series lineup with models from 0.8 tonne all the way to 8.2 tonne Conventional swing ensures excellent stability and safety Spacious cab models with enhanced ergonomics designed for operator comfort All-round versatility with exceptional breakout force
KX SERIES KX080-3S
kubota.co.nz
Spring Catalogue 2020
PROVEN PERFORMANCE
GEAR UP
SAVE ON
ATTACHMENTS˜
Purchase a new Kubota SSV or SVL, add a Kubota attachment and get $500 off that attachment. Add a second attachment for even more savings! ˜
˜ SEE PAGES 2 & 3 FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
KUBOTA.CO.NZ