AGRIBUSINESS
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Dispelling wool’s myths.
Hilux ups the ante - yet again.
PAGE 14
NEWS Focus on farm environment plans PAGE 9
PAGE 31
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS NOVEMBER 17, 2020: ISSUE 714 www.ruralnews.co.nz
A dangerous precedent DAVID ANDERSON
A PROPOSAL by the Timaru District Council (TDC) to include larger setbacks in rural areas from roads, boundaries and neighbouring houses for dairy sheds, stock yards and “intensively farmed animals” in its draft district plan is raising eyebrows.
Farming groups are concerned that if successful, many other councils around the country may implement similar restrictions in rural areas. Hort NZ South Island environmental policy advisor Rachel McClung describes TDC’s proposal as “quite extreme” and believes it would have a major impact on
farmers and growers’ bottom lines. “How do you physically keep the ‘intensively farmed stock’ 100m back from boundaries?” she asks. “Do farmers retire a paddock, put in new fencing or change farming type? Surely this would devalue rural land in the district if it came into effect.” Federated Farmers senior
policy advisor Angela Johnson shares similar concerns. “We have never seen in a district plan anything so unnecessarily restrictive for animals on pasture – particularly given we’re talking about farm animals in the rural zone,” she told Rural News. Johnson says that, typically, this
type of setback relates to intensive farm building structures. However, Timaru’s proposed approach restricts where on paddocks farmers can have animals on their farm. “It’s significantly more restrictive than any government Essential Freshwater regulation rule,” she adds. “It’s worse in fact, as it doesn’t relate to intensity, or environmental effects. “There’s no logical connection between district plan considerations and grazing animals or feeding animals on winter crops or irrigated land.” Johnson says matters that relate to environmental impacts on waterways etc are dealt with through regional TO PAGE 3
Chipping away at N losses
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Hew Dalrymple of Waitatapia Station, near Bulls, in the Manawatu pictured at a recent a field day on the property, where an innovative drainage technology trial is capturing nitrogen and stopping it going into waterways. The large sheep and beef, arable, commercial growing and forestry operation is owned by Hew and his brother Roger Dalrymple, and preventing nitrogen getting into waterways is high on the priority list – as it is for many farmers and growers around the country. Hew Dalrymple says the brothers got involved in the trial because it enables them to stay ahead of the political game in terms of new regulations. He adds that it has also given them a better understanding about nitrogen movement and losses and how to control it. See the full story on pages 24-25
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 3
‘Crap’ situation as shortage bites
ISSUE 714
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SOME WAIKATO farmers are jumping on harvesters to help rural contractors overcome driver shortages. Waikato Federated Farmers dairy chair Ben Moore told Rural News he drove a harvester for half a day on his farm recently to make grass silage. Moore, who drove a harvester in the UK for four seasons, is expecting to be called up again by the contractor. He says farmers are trying to help out contractors as best as they can, but the situation is “crap”. Moore says farmers can’t understand why there aren’t more rooms available at quarantine facilities for overseas drivers. He says contractors are trying to mobilise all locally-available resources to get all the jobs done, but it’s an uphill battle. He says hiring suitable locals remains an issue for contractors. “At a meeting to try and help put jobless people into contractor jobs recently, it was mentioned to contractors that their drug and alcohol poli-
RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton says time is fast running out to get the problem sorted.
cies were too tough and needed to be relaxed. “The last thing anyone wants is someone high or drunk driving a million dollars worth of machinery that weighs 25 tonne or more. “It seems we cannot win.” Moore says the new Government must sort out the mess. Rural Contractors New Zealand chief executive Roger Parton says 60-70 contractors have completed their two-week quarantine and are
working here. However, another 25 have been unable to secure vouchers for quarantine. “They just can’t get vouchers until mid-December,” he told Rural News. The Government allowed RCNZ 210 overseas drivers, however only 149 have gone through the process of getting visas. Parton says some drivers withdrew after getting their visas because they either don’t want to travel or the UK
has gone into a lockdown. “The whole thing is falling apart…it has only been a partial success.” He admits initially there was a delay on “the immigration side of things”. “We all did not understand the process, but that’s been sorted out now. We have established good contacts with key immigration officials should any urgent case arise.” The Government allocated an extra 100 rooms at quarantine facilities, but Parton says they were snapped up like “tickets to a rock concert” by people wanting to return home for Christmas. Parton says RCNZ remains hopeful that something can be sorted out but he admits that time is running out. He says securing quarantine rooms in January would mean the drivers would come out of their two-week isolation as the harvesting season is winding up. Parton notes that it’s not just the rural contractors who are suffering. “It’s not just us. The horticulture sector and others also need people for the short term, but we have reached a choke point.”
Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: Inkwise NZ Ltd
Dangerous precedent
CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz
be set back 100m from a road, 100m from an internal property boundary, 400m from houses on adjoining sites or 100m from named zones. “This would mean that farmers would lose a massive amount of productive land for no environmental reason,” Johnson explains. “It’s effectively the Timaru District Council saying that the very sight
FROM PAGE 1
council plans. “So, this really does fall under the ‘bizarre’ category.” As proposed, the TDC district plan would mean any cattle or deer grazed on irrigated land, or breakfed on winter crops – as well as any pigs, dairy cattle (cows, calves, bulls, dry or in milk) – would all need to
Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 79,553 as at 31.03.2019
by’ didn’t have to look at animals in the country. “In our view, Timaru District Council is considerably overstepping the bounds of district plan considerations,” she concludes. “Either that, or they completely misunderstand farming.”
of cows or deer in the countryside, within 100m of a road or 400m of a house is repugnant and unacceptable. “Suffice to say that Federated Farmers will be challenging this all the way to court if necessary.” Johnson says there is no cost-benefit evaluation that could substantiate taking out this massive area of productive land just to ensure ‘passers-
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
4 NEWS
New Fonterra chair’s smooth handover SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
NEW FONTERRA chairman Peter McBride’s first official engagement was an address to the cooperative’s unit holders.
Speaking at the Fonterra Shareholders Fund annual meeting in Auckland last week, McBride says part of the co-op’s planned governance succession happened in June when he was announced
as chairman-elect. “We made the announcement early to provide the co-op and the management team with the stability to push on with embedding our strategy and cultural
change,” he says. McBride took over from John Monaghan at Fonterra’s annual general in Masterton on November 5. McBride was elected to Fonterra’s board in 2018. A former Zespri chairman, he remains a member of the Zespri China Advisory Board. He is also the chief executive officer of Trinity Lands Limited. The new chairman says Fonterra must keep up with the rapid rate of changing customer and community expectations. “We are confident this can be achieved through further investment in science and by using advances in technology and innovations to help protect or enhance the premium reputation of our milk.” McBride praised Fonterra’s new strategy and the co-op’s performance
New Fonterra chair Peter McBride (centre) with re-elected director Brent Goldsack and new director Cathy Quinn.
during a challenging 2020 financial year. He says the dairy co-op was privileged to be recognised by the Government as an essential business, which allowed it to continue operating through the various Covid-19 lockdowns. “The co-op is not immune to Covid-19, but this year’s performance shows the diversity of our earnings, which is helping us to manage the impact of the global pandemic. “International scale is one of the reasons our co-op was established, and it remains a key strength. “Our people have
worked hard to leverage that scale, shifting our New Zealand milk into the products and places where we can earn the highest possible value under the circumstances. “Importantly, this year has demonstrated that, even in the middle of a global pandemic, our strategy will deliver.” McBride says there is still a high level of uncertainty as to how the global recession and new waves of Covid-19 will impact demand globally. The co-op must stick with its strategy and focus on what is within its control. As chairman, McBride
heads an 11-member board, comprising seven farmer-elected shareholders and four appointed members. Fonterra shareholders voted to ratify the appointment of Holly Kramer, who joined the board in April, as an independent director. The reappointment of another independent director, Bruce Hassall, was also ratified. Fonterra shareholders also re-elected Brent Goldsack for a second term and voted in a new director, Auckland lawyer Cathy Quinn. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
HORT KEEN TO WORK HORTICULTURE NEW Zealand says it is keen to work with the new government to ensure the industry can continue to grow and support New Zealand’s post-Covid economic and social recovery. “We’re keen to continue to work constructively with Minister Damien O’Conner, including in his new role as Trade and Export Growth Economic Minister,” says HortNZ president, Barry O’Neil. The grower organisation says it also wants to ensure the horticulture industry is enabled to grow, while at the same time responding to its environmental and climate change obligations.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 5
A Minister for Europe? WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL BIDEN MAKE?
PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
JACINDA ARDERN should consider basing one of her senior cabinet ministers in Europe, early next year, to strengthen New Zealand’s efforts to negotiate FTAs with both the EU and the UK. Trade commentator Mike Petersen says, because of Covid, the ability of NZ politicians, farming and industry leaders to personally get alongside their overseas counterparts has virtually stopped. Trade Minister Damien O’Connor acknowledged this in a separate interview with Rural News and noted that he would be spending hours on Zoom trying to do what he’d normally do in person. Petersen believes the going is tough for NZ in its negotiations with the UK and EU, both with Covid and the political upheaval in the United States. He says there isn’t an ability to engage personally with people and this is made harder because there are now new faces on the political scene in the EU. Petersen says the biggest problem NZ has is the inability to travel. “This is very frustrating for us and I am seeing our counterpart organisations off-shore loving
Trade commentator Mike Petersen says PM Jacinda Ardern should consider basing one of her senior cabinet ministers in Europe to strengthen New Zealand’s efforts to negotiate FTAs with both the EU and the UK.
the fact that we can’t go up there and tout our credentials and counter some of the myths that are being spread when it comes to NZ,” he told Rural News. “That is sadly lacking at the moment. Yes, we have got our embassy people who are being put on to do that work on our behalf. I am not saying I don’t trust them.
But nothing beats us having politicians, farmers, our special ag trade envoy Mel Poulton, or the companies going into the market and doing the work themselves,” he adds. Petersen says the longer the lack of engagement goes on, the more difficult it becomes for NZ. He says it makes sense for a nation that
exports 95% of its produce offshore to have a senior minister based in Europe to put the NZ case at a political level. There is a precedent for the proposal. In 1942, the then Prime Minister Peter Fraser appointed his Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, Walter Nash as the ambassador to the USA. This move was designed
to ensure NZ’s position on the war was communicated first-hand to the US President Franklin D Roosevelt. Fraser’s view was that NZ’s relationship with the US was so important that it needed a permanent presence of a very senior minister in Washington. Nash served in the role until early 1944.
TRADE COMMENTATOR Mike Petersen says there is a pretty high expectation that US president elect Joe Biden is going to return the US to basically what it was before. However, he’s not sure that this will be the case. Petersen believes Biden is going to take into account that more than 70 million Americans voted for what Trump was doing. Petersen says there will be change, but he believes it will be a different approach. “I think it will be softly, softly. I think his team will take their time to work through and re-engage on a lot of the key issues we’d like them to do. I am President elect hoping for better but I Joe Biden. just get the feeling that it will take a bit of time,” he told Rural News. Petersen says the underlying philosophy of the Democratic Party is traditionally protectionist, while the Republicans are the traders. Despite this, he believes Biden is likely to become more involved in the WTO and will probably support the nomination of the new head of that organisation – something which Trump refused to do. “In terms of trading issues and the Democrats, I vividly remember being told that their direction of travel is still protectionism – it’s either protectionist light or protectionist heavy,” he says. “You are not going to get a massive switch to suddenly engaging in multilateral discussions when it comes to the US. “The other point is that the Democrat Party of today is quite different to the party that was led by Obama. You have a much harder left edge side led by Bernie Sanders’ people and their supporters and they are anti trade. People claim it will just be like Obama, but I question that and I think that the Democrats today are more left than when Obama was president.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
6 NEWS
Grass growing, milk flowing SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE DAIRY industry is humming with strong pasture growth, thanks to a kind winter and a mild
spring. Many farmers are already turning surplus pasture into silage. DairyNZ acting general manager farm performance Sharon Morrell
says the good grass growing conditions are a “get out of jail free card” for many farmers who endured a prolonged drought last season. “It’s been a good
spring so far and winter growth rates were fantastic, comparatively...It has allowed a lot of people to recover much quicker from the drought,” she told Rural News.
DairyNZ’s Sharon Morrell says good grass growth is setting things up well for farmers in terms of milk production.
Morrell says the good grass growth was setting things up well for farmers in term of milk production. “Farmers are always thinking that if I can get X amount of milk in the vat before Christmas, the rest of the season is a bonus. “This is the part that really counts.” While DairyNZ doesn’t collect figures on milk production, Fonterra says its peak milk – the highest daily collection of the season – was on October 18 when it processed over 80 million litres of milk. “Last year we processed over 80 million litres on our peak day and we processed about the same this year – all with the extra challenge of significant Covid-19 precautions still in place across our manufacturing sites,” a spokeswoman told Rural News. She says October is a busy time right across the co-operative, with Fonterra tankers are picking up milk from farms every nine seconds. October milk collection data will be released at the end of this month. Despite the good pasture growth on farms, DairyNZ is urging farmers to be ready for a dry summer. Morrell says NIWA suggests La Niña conditions – warmer than average ocean and air temperatures for New Zealand – are coming.
She says some farmers are setting themselves up by storing away silage and planning extra summer crops like maize. “Their recent experience with how dry last summer was and how long it extended, there’s probably more proactive thinking about putting as much silage away as they can,” she says. “Some farmers are planting little bit more maize than they might normally have. Some are also thinking about summer crops. “With recent experience, it tends to remind everybody to approach things in the best practice way.” She points out farms were getting dry around the country, but several bouts of heavy rain last week have been a blessing. However, North Otago and South Canterbury still remain areas of concern. Morrell says even irrigators are starting to think about how to manage their summers if the current weather persists in these areas. Her message to farmers is to be actively thinking about setting up for summer. “Review plans and make decisions early. During the last summer drought, those who were decisive fared much better than those who were hopeful that things would change.”
Read us until the cows come home!
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 7
The Minister of Zoom PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
DAMIEN O’CONNOR, who now has the trade portfolio along with agriculture, says he and other trade ministers around the world will have to get used to developing relationships via new technologies such as Zoom. O’Connor told Rural News that Covid-19 will limit the normal face-toface encounters between NZ politicians and their counterparts around the world and they will just have to get used to the new environment and do the best they can. O’Connor praised his predecessor David Parker for the relationships he has developed with other trade ministers over the past three years and says he will do his best to build on this.
ALSO RANS WHILE DAMIEN O’Connor is firmly in charge of the overall primary sector in the new Cabinet, there are a number of other portfolios which relate to the primary sector. This includes David Parker who remains in the somewhat controversial role as Environment Minister. Willie Jackson takes over from Nanaia Mahuta as the Minister of Maori Development, meaning he will have a significant role in shaping Maori development in the primary sector through Te Puni Kokiri and Te Tumu Paeroa. Stuart Nash has Forestry, Ayesha Verrall is Minister of Food Safety and Kiri Allan is Minister of Conservation. O’Connor will also have two ministers outside Cabinet who will assist him. Phil Twyford is Minister of State for Trade and Export, while Meka Whaitiri makes a comeback with the role of Associate Minister for Agriculture with responsibility for animal welfare.
“Nothing good comes easy, and as a small nation at the bottom of the Pacific we have always had to battle hard to get access and be heard. We have done well and I hope to con-
“I guess there will be more calls at all hours of the day across the world to remind people that we still exist and are committed to get around the table and do a deal,” he told Rural News.
Damien O’Connor now has the trade role, on top of agriculture, as his ministerial responsibilities in the new government.
tinue with that. We are regarded as honest brokers who are up-front and treat people as equals and I will continue to do that,” O’Connor says. At present, NZ has
a number of negotiations under way – specifically an FTA with the EU and a similar preliminary negotiation with the UK, which aside from the normal trade differences
are further complicated by the impact of Covid 19. This uncertainty is further complicated – although maybe for the better – with the election of Joe Biden as the US President elect. O’Connor is now in a unique position in the Labour Government’s new cabinet line-up with his combined portfolios of agriculture, and now trade and export growth. In that sense, he has control over the primary sector from paddock to plate. “I am very excited, happy and humbled to be given the opportunity to contribute positively in these crucial areas of the NZ economy,” he told Rural News. “We are a nation of food and fibre producers and 95% of our efforts all have to go offshore
so that we can survive. There are too few of us to consume the production that we generate and we have to knock on doors and ask governments to allow their people to buy our products.” O’Connor believes there is a growing recognition across the primary sectors that consumers drive the success of NZ primary producers. He takes up his new roles at a time when worldwide there is a lot of protectionist views being expressed. “But because of Covid, there is also a growing awareness of food security and the interdependence between the trade of food between countries and the production of food within them,” he says. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
8 NEWS
Fonterra’s capital structure needs tweaking – outgoing chair SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FORMER FONTERRA chairman John Monaghan says the co-operative’s capital structure isn’t broken, but needs tweak-
ing to ensure it remains fit for the future. He told the co-operative’s annual meeting in Masterton that a revised capital structure will help Fonterra execute its strategy successfully.
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“The objective of our review is to ensure our capital structure is fit for the future,” says Monaghan who stepped down from the board this month after 12 years. “We’re not trying to fix something that is broken.” Monaghan gave shareholders a glimpse into the capital structure review currently being conducted behind closed doors by management and the board. “We started by identifying what the key elements of a financially sustainable co-op are, and then defined our ‘problems to solve’. “To address these challenges, we are now
looking at a whole range of alternative structures, as well as options within our current structure, and we are thoroughly testing them against the design principles.” Monaghan hinted that there would be some difficult decisions for shareholders ahead. “There is no easy answer…every structure involves trade-offs,” he says. Fonterra’s board and management are expected to take their proposals to farmers soon. “When we are in a position to do so, we will work with farmers and the Shareholders Council to reach a decision
that takes us forward, together,” he says. Fonterra’s new strategy, unveiled last year after two consecutive years of losses, focuses on three goals – healthy people, healthy environment and healthy business. It also focuses on New Zealand milk, rather than setting up milk pools overseas. Monaghan noted that there was still a high level of uncertainty as to how the global recession and new waves of Covid-19 will impact demand for dairy globally. He believes the best way of coping with uncertainty is to stay on strategy and to focus on what
JOHN MONAGHAN says he hopes that Fonterra’s ownership structure will never change. “One of the things I’m most proud of about this co-op is that, despite being one of New Zealand’s few truly international businesses, we are still owned and controlled by 10,000 Kiwi farming families. I hope that never changes,” he says. But he says the co-op needs to keep evolving and making improvements “for those of us who are already owners, but also with the next generation in mind”. “Young farmers are the future of our co-op. We must consider their interests, helping them to move into farm ownership and becoming fully shared-up members of our co-op.” He also pointed out the importance of Fonterra’s staff. “I have often said that, with the right motivation and desire, you could probably find the milk and the capital, and it would be possible to create a scale business like Fonterra. The one thing you could never replicate is our people.”
is within the co-op’s control. “We were match fit when Covid struck, with a new strategy, structure, and culture. That has us well positioned to come out the other side where there will be new opportunities,” he says. Monaghan says he remains very optimistic about the future of the industry and Fonterra. “Roughly six billion people around the world rely on dairy products as one of their most important sources of protein
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and energy. We’re not out to feed the whole planet; the point here is that the opportunity for us is significant. “People will always pay for quality, and we produce what I believe is the best milk in the world. “Our continued success will rely on our ability to balance sustainable economic returns with the continued regeneration of our environment. I firmly believe that through a strong co-op we can achieve both.”
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 9
Focus on farm environment plans PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
MASSEY UNIVERSITY is cashing in on the fact that most farmers need to have farm environment plans by 2025 as part of the Government’s new freshwater regulations. Massey’s Environmental Group is busy designing and planning to run a series of special short courses in the New Year to inform rural professionals about the specific
have to construct a farm environment plan. However, Burkitt is quick to add that completion of this course will not be enough for person to go out and prepare a farm environment plan for a client. She says they will need additional experience and the help of a good mentor before they are qualified to do this. “We are expecting a range of people who will be interested and who are already working
of the RMA requirement. “Farm environment planners themselves will need to be accredited, so there will be quite high
in the agricultural area as consultants, but not necessarily in the farm environment space. We have all sorts of inquiries from people who might work in the wider agribusiness space including finance and banking who want to get a better understanding about the new requirements,” she says. Burkitt says farm environment plans require a multi-disciplinary approach and lot of experience in the field working with farmers. She says even those who do the advanced course will need further help from a mentor to reach the skill level required to produce such a plan. The advanced course will be based at Massey and will involve students going out onto three different farm types – dairy, sheep and beef and arable. “Students will be on the ground with the farmer identifying all the aspect that will be important for a farm environment plan and will then be tasked with developing three different environment plans which will be assessed.” Burkitt says the farm environment plans are important documents for farmers and these will be accredited, which is part
students $2,250 plus GST for the intermediate course and $3,000 plus GST for the advance course.
Massey University senior researcher Dr Lucy Burkitt says farm environment plans are important documents for farmers.
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“The objectives of the intermediate course is to get students familiar with all the aspects and issues they need to understand to develop a farm environment plan.” requirements of these plans. Senior researcher Dr Lucy Burkitt says two types of course are planned. One is what she calls an ‘intermediate level’ course and the other is an ‘advanced’ one. Burkitt says they are currently piloting the intermediate course, which has a small group of rural professionals on it and they will be looking for feedback from them. “The objectives of the intermediate course is to get students familiar with all the aspects and issues they need to understand to develop a farm environment plan,” Burkitt told Rural News. “This is about the importance of soil types and how they can influence both erosion and sediment loss, as well as understanding critical source areas of farms and understanding the importance of land management units and inputting that information into Overseer.” Burkitt says the intermediate course will be online and last for about 12 weeks. She says while the students won’t get out on a farm, digital resources will enable students to get a really good sense of what a farm is like. Given this, they then
expectations placed on them.” The courses will get underway early in the New Year and it will cost
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
10 NEWS
Investors shedding Fonterra units SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FONTERRA’S UNIT trading scheme continued to bleed investors in the financial year ending July 2020. Total institution holdings in Fonterra Shareholders Fund (FSF) declined from 15% to 13% and private wealth dropped from 7% to 5%. There was also a reduction in offshore investors; New Zealanders now make up 86% of total investors, up 3% from last year. The number of Australian investors dipped 3%.
FSF chairman John Shewan says as Fonterra’s performance continues to improve, it will regain investor confidence. He says the FSF would like to see institutional and private wealth holdings grow. Shewan says Fonterra’s two years of consecutive losses in 2017-18 and 2018-19 eroded investor confidence. Speaking at the fund’s annual meeting in Auckland last week, he noted that at the start of the 2020 financial year the unit price dipped into the low $3 territory. This occurred midAugust 2019 as Fonterra
advised the market there was going to be a number of write-downs, with an expected loss of $590$675 million for the previous year. The unit price recovered in late September 2019 when the co-operative announced the sale of its 50% share in DFE Pharma as part of a strategy review. Shewan says during the last financial year the unit price broadly followed the NZX50 index, however, it held better than some other listed companies during Covid lockdowns. The fund finished the
Fonterra Shareholders Fund chairman John Shewan (left) and former agriculture minister Nathan Guy.
financial year, August 1 2019 to July 31 2020, up 8% at $4.06/share, from $3.77 – slightly up relative to the NZX50 index, which had growth of 7% for the same period. The unit price earlier this month stood at $4.40, an increase of
17% since the start of the 2020 financial year and an increase of 29% on the low point of $3.41 in midMay. The fund allows investors to invest in the performance of Fonterra by buying units, giving them economic rights only and
no access to Fonterra shares. For 12 months ending October 30, units on issue jumped 4 million to 106 million units on issue. During the 12-month period, units issued peaked at 107 million
units on issue at mid October 2020. Shewan noted the increase was predominantly due to farmer share compliance activity. When a farmer ceases to supply milk to Fonterra, they have three years to reduce their holding in Fonterra shares. He says in recent times a number of ceased farmers, instead of exiting Fonterra completely, have opted to sell their shares and buy units simultaneously – effectively transferring their Fonterra shares to units. “There is a significant portion of retired farmers that no longer supply Fonterra milk who are classified as retail holders in the fund, and it is this group who made up a notable portion of the 4% point increase in retail holdings this year.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 11
Spud dumping to be investigated DAVID ANDERSON
NEW ZEALAND government officials have started an investigation into cheap frozen chip imports being dumped into the country after concerns raised by local potato growers earlier this year. Industry body Potatoes NZ (PNZ) says it is relieved that the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) trade remedies team has
by virtue of Covid-19 restrictions, has led to huge surpluses of frozen fries in major production centres – in particular the European Union (EU).” PNZ says this has led to extraordinary surpluses in frozen potato chips and processing tubers in the EU. According to PNZ, the NZ industry remains concerned that, along with the existing domestic impact of the pandemic crisis, any
FAST FACTS: The NZ potato industry value is just over $1 billion dollars per annum NZ processed potatoes account for 55% of NZ potato industry value 85% of all fries eaten in NZ are NZ fries 15% of fries consumed in NZ are imported 50% of NZ fries produced are exported = $100 million
launched an investigation into the proven threat of surplus frozen fries being imported into New Zealand. However, any outcome of this investigation is likely to be many months away. PNZ first raised concerns about European suppliers dumping surplus frozen fries cheaply into the local market in the wake of the Covid pandemic. In September, the New Zealand potato industry applied to MBIE’s trade response team to investigate the threat of increased dumped imports of surplus European frozen fries to the NZ potato processing sector. “This MBIE decision was based on the positive evidence the New Zealand potato industry provided in this application,” PNZ says. “The dumping and threat, combined with the effects of supply chain disruption caused by Covid-19, created an extraordinary situation that required investigation. “Globally, the disruption of supply chains, and particularly sales to hospitality,
profiteering activity from overseas exporters, will in turn cause further damage to the New Zealand potato-growing and potato-processing industries. It says, at the time of the application, the potato surplus in Europe was 1.5M tonnes, today it is estimated at 2.6M tonnes and growing by the minute due to the impacts of further lockdowns in parts of Europe. PNZ says the situation is not unique to the NZ potato industry. “In recent months, the US and Australia have also called for duties or actions to limit what they see as underpriced EU fry imports,” it explained. “The South African Vegetable Processors Forum, which includes Potato South Africa, McCain Foods South Africa and Lamberts Bay Foods, wants to see the South African Government take anti-dumping measures against EU exports, echoing calls coming from Australia and New Zealand.” PNZ claims that other NZ industries may also be facing trade threats as a consequence of Covid-
19 and believes it has led the way in New Zealand, by quickly utilising the toolbox available through the World Trade Organisation and MBIE. It may take up to six
months for MBIE to investigate, with both foreign exporters and NZ importers notified of the investigation. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
NZ government officials have started an investigation into cheap frozen chip imports being dumped into the country.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
12 NEWS
Not all GHGs are the same
NZRSB chair Grant Bunting believes methane emissions should be accounted for differently from carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide .
THE NEW Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (NZRSB) is calling for a new, more accurate, method for calculating methane emissions. The new approach – called Global Warming Potential Star (GWP*) – has been developed based on the traditional emissions calculation method GWP100. The GPW100 method assumes all greenhouse gasses are cumulative (i.e. they never reduce). However, while this is correct for both carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, methane has a lifespan of approximately 10 years before it disintegrates. The NZRSB –
described as a multistakeholder forum focused on producing sustainable beef in New Zealand – says this proves that different greenhouse gases behave differently. “Modifying the use of GWP so that it accounts for the differences between short-lived and long-lived gases better connects emissions and warming. For countries with high methane emissions, this can make a big difference in how reducing emissions is understood and progressed,” says NZRSB chair Grant Bunting. He acknowledges that methane has a climate impact and says the NZRSB is not advocat-
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ing for this impact to be treated softer than other greenhouse gases. “However, given that methane survives in the atmosphere for 10 years – whereas the other two main greenhouse gases survive for thousands of years – we think methane emissions should be accounted for differently from carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.” Bunting says for the beef industry GWP* means that if herd numbers remain the same after 10 years then methane levels remain constant, with the quantity emitted equalling the quantity disintegrating. “Importantly, if methane emissions are held constant, climate impact will remain constant,” he adds. “The New Zealand red
meat sector has already reduced methane emissions by more than 30% since 1990, so we’re already making good progress.” Bunting explains that if all GHG emissions are treated the same – as they are using GWP100 – short-lived emissions are unequally accounted for. “As we learn more, and the science develops, we need to ensure our approach remains relevant.” Bunting believes the GWP* approach is gaining traction around the world. “If New Zealand wants to be a world leader in this space it is time we started using an accurate measure that correlates to actual warming,” he adds. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
14 NEWS
Dispelling wool’s myths DAVID ANDERSON
PAUL ALSTON believes that when comparing wool and synthetic carpets, wool wins every
time. “It is time we started dispelling the myths about wool,” he told Rural News. “Wool is a far better product. It is
the forgotten fibre, and we need to be telling its story.” Alston, as chief executive of Bremworth, is putting his company’s
money where his mouth with its recent move to only produce 100% wool and natural fibre carpets. “We didn’t believe we could be authentic
Paul Alston says wool is the forgotten fibre and we need to be telling its story.
“NZ is the best at making wool carpets; we cannot compete in size and scale in synthetics. We need to concentrate on what we do best.”
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about promoting the wool story if we were selling synthetic carpets and that is why we have moved to 100% natural fibres only,” he says. Alston believes the key to telling the wool ‘story’ is reconnecting with consumers. “It will see us heavily promoting wool’s benefits to consumers, as well as incentivising retailers,” he explains. “Science will also play an important role. We have to back up all our claims with the appropriate science and research.” Alston says the company is already working with MPI’s Sustainable Food and Fibre Fund (SFF) in regard to things such as the superior odour, staining and fire-retardant properties of wool carpets compared with synthetics. Alston concedes that while strong wool growers in NZ are facing tough times with record low prices, he believes that there is a good future. “The reality 60% of NZ’s strong wool goes into soft flooring, so if more people buy wool carpets – wool prices will
increase. “The industry needs a north star that it can rally behind and follow.” Alston hopes that Bremworth’s move to 100% wool and natural fibres will be the NZ wool industry’s ‘north star’ and a catalyst for change. He claims that the company’s move to 100% natural fibre is already creating waves in the industry – with reports of competitors following suit. “NZ is the best at making wool carpets; we cannot compete in size and scale in synthetics. We need to concentrate on what we do best.” Alston believes the world is ready as sustainability becomes a more and more important factor in consumer decisions. “It takes something likes 22,000 plastic bag equivalents to carpet a house in synthetic carpet. In the US, around 5% of landfill is taken up with synthetic carpets,” he explains. “That is not sustainable; things have to change – wool is the answer.”
LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS ALSTON WAS part of the Wool Industry Project Action Group (PAG) convened by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, which released a report on the future of the industry earlier this year. “The PAG came up with some recommendations, which have now been taken on board by the Strong Wool Action Group,” he says. “I am also part of this group, which is chaired by Rob Hewett and we have met a few times already.” Alston says the group will be announcing some exciting moves in the very near future.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
AGRIBUSINESS 15
Carpet maker’s blast from the past! DAVID ANDERSON
FOLLOWING ITS announcement earlier this year of quitting synthetics and only using 100% NZ wool, carpet manufacturer Cavalier Bremworth has now also changed its name. In a back to the future move, the 60-year-old company is returning to its original moniker Bremworth. “At the centre of the new brand is the focus on natural fibre design and innovation to make home interiors and our planet, healthier and more sustainable,” explains chief executive Paul Alston. “A key pillar of the
company’s long-term vision to be a global leader in designing and creating desirable, high performing, safe and sustainable interior products, is its recommitment to focus on 100% pure New Zealand wool.” In July, the company announced it was exiting the synthetic carpet market – a move that will reduce its use of imported synthetic fibre by 2.5 million kilograms a year. Alston says the immediate focus is on introducing new products such as its recently released felted wool carpet and promoting the “true
worth” of wool and allnatural fibres. “We are also investing in R&D, pushing the limits of what wool can do and looking at how we can innovate nature’s miracle fibre into a next-generation material. We are excited about the future and our change for good,” he adds. “Going all-in on wool is the right move for our business, our customers, our local communities and the planet. Wool is durable, safe, natural, renewable and proudly produced in New Zealand. Experience shows that, for design, innovation and performance on the
floor, you can’t beat wool, particularly New Zealand wool.” Alyson claims that since the July announcement that it was exiting the synthetic carpet market and returning to wool, it had been “blown away” by the positive feedback from retailers, customers and the rural sector. “We’ve received fantastic support from the wider industry – with developers, designers and architects just as excited as we are about the direction the company is heading in.” Meanwhile, Cavalier chairman George Adams says the company has taken the first few steps
towards a natural, more sustainable future. “Being authentic is important to us and our transformation runs much deeper than simply exiting synthetic carpet
production,” he says. “It’s about becoming transformative thinkers, being united in our beliefs, introducing disruptive innovation, creating
new product categories and incorporating sustainability throughout our design and manufacturing process.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
16 AGRIBUSINESS
US holds up NZ meat exports DAVID ANDERSON
NEW ZEALAND’S red meat sector exports to the United States grew by 50% during the three months from July to September this year compared to a year earlier. The Meat Industry Associations (MIA) says the lift in exports to the US helped stem the flow of the decline to China, which were down by 25% for the same period compared in 2019. These figures come from MIA’s recently released third quarter report, which show that overall meat exports for the year ended September 2020 were up 8% to $9.39 billion compared the same period last year. Total meat exports
to the US reached $400 million for the July-September quarter, followed by a 42% rise to the UK ($71m). Germany saw a 25% increase to $70m. MIA says this offset the 25% decline in exports to China ($530m), although the value of sheepmeat and beef exports to that country remains at an historically high level. Overall, exports in the third quarter earned $1.69 billion, unchanged from the same period in 2019. For the year ending September 2020, the value of NZ meat exports in nearly all of our top 10 markets (except the Netherlands) increased. However, the report shows that in September, overall red meat exports were worth $501 million
NZ’s meat exports to the United States grew by 50% during the three months from July to September 2020 compared with the same period last year.
– down 6% from September 2019. MIA says exports to both China and Japan were down. However, there were increases to United States, Germany and UK. Meanwhile, sheepmeat exports to the
US, Germany and the UK rose, as did beef exports to the US and Canada. Chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says this is a positive outcome, especially given the volatility and impact of Covid-19 on world markets.
“There has been some shift from chilled to frozen product for sheepmeat as the industry pivoted away from the challenging food service sector into retail and e-commerce,” she explains.
“There was also some re-balancing to other markets from the record levels that were going to China last year. This demonstrates the industry’s ability to adjust product specifications and destinations to meet the demand from our global markets.” Karapeeva says there are indications that demand in China will continue to increase and we anticipate strong buying patterns as it prepares for the Chinese New Year celebrations next year. “The red meat processing and exporting sector has been a real success story during the Covid-19 crisis and continues to generate crucial export revenue for the country when other sec-
tors are facing significant headwinds,” she adds. “However, we cannot be complacent. We are yet to see the full economic and social impact of Covid-19. With the UK, Europe and parts of the US going into a second lockdown, we can expect further disruptions in our global markets.” Karapeeva adds that the industry is also concerned about potential disruptions to shipping lines from Europe, the impact of the last drought in New Zealand and the prospect of extreme dry conditions in the coming months. “This means the uncertainty and volatility will continue for some time.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
NO SPACE AT THE INN(S) FOR AG CONTRACTORS A DESPERATE shortage of Managed Isolation Quarantine (MIQ) space is the latest delay frustrating agricultural contractors around the country. The situation has gotten so bad that Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ) chief executive Roger Parton has written to Agriculture Minister, Damien O’Connor, as well as the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Immigration and Covid-19 Response, outlining how the industry is at crisis level in attempting to bring in suffi-
cient foreign skilled machinery operators to meet seasonal demand. Parton says that while in September the Government approved bringing in 210 skilled operators, mostly from Ireland and the UK, as critical workers for the 2020/21 harvest season, only 58 workers had arrived to be either in MIQ or working. “My members who need to bring in workers but cannot get MIQ vouchers this month are beside themselves with frustration and des-
peration,” Parton says. He points out that in September the Prime Minister advised 10% of MIQ facilities would be reserved for critical workers. However, Parton’s been advised there are no spaces available now until February. Parton says the critical issue is the availability of MIQ facilities. Currently 61 workers still overseas cannot get MIQ vouchers until February; another 16 who have flights booked are holding vouchers.
“That means that unless MIQ facilities are found urgently for these workers, only about one third of the workers approved by Cabinet will actually work in New Zealand,” he says. Parton says the bulk of work for rural contractors starts in September so they are now well into the season. “The workers are needed now, not in middle to late February,” he explains. “Already some contractors have given up and decided not
to bring in the overseas workers and not provide the level of service which they normally do for the clients.” Parton says these delays threaten the crop harvesting and resulting lack of animal feed, which was the basis for the Cabinet decision. His letter asks the Government to urgently secure 61 MIQ facilities vouchers to allow remaining critical workers to fly to New Zealand and complete the essential harvest work which Cabinet has already approved.
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global agribusiness research analysts sharing market outlooks
Covid sets commodity outlook Dairy
MILK FLOWS continue to grow this season, compared to last year –but fickle spring weather has reduced the growth rate. New Zealand milk production for September 2020 bounced 1.7% higher on a tonnage basis compared to the previous September. Total milk flows are
ahead of last season by 2.9%. For now, Rabobank still anticipates milk volumes to grow up to 2% YOY for the full 2020/21 season. However, milk supply growth through to Christmas could further slow with the strengthening La Niña conditions, which presents a downside risk to this forecast via drier
soil moisture levels for inland and eastern coastal areas of New Zealand. Elsewhere around the globe, production volumes are also strong. Commodity prices remain healthy in the face of global milk production growth.
North Island Bull prices
Beef
RABOBANK EXPECTS farmgate prices to soften over the coming months as supplies lift against a backdrop of weakening returns for manufacturing beef from the US market. Farmgate prices began to fall across all cattle classes in the last month as higher-than-normal supplies for this point in the season saw an easing of the procurement pressure that had underpinned prices through recent months. As of the end of Octo-
ber, the North Island bull price was NZ$ 5.40/ kg cwt, down 4% MOM, with the South Island bull price sitting at NZ$ 5.10/ kg cwt, down 1% MOM. High levels of domestic supplies saw US imported beef prices weaken over the last month. With NZ export supplies set to lift from their current seasonal lows,
there is potential for further downward pressure on US prices in the coming months. An important counter to increasing supplies could be Chinese demand, which helped to force prices to record levels at this stage last year. However, that dynamic is unlikely to occur this year, with
strong competition from South American beef exporters currently reducing China’s need for NZ beef imports.
Sheepmeat
RABOBANK EXPECTS farmgate prices to come under downward pressure over the next month, as is normal at this stage of the year, as new season lamb supplies start to
come forward in increasing volumes. Farmgate prices remained largely unchanged over the last month, continuing the uncharacteristically flat trend that has seen very little pricing movement since June. Over the winter period, the procurement pressure that traditionally pushes prices up as lamb supplies drop off has effectively been offset by deteriorating market conditions. As of the end of October, the price in the North Island averaged NZD 7.20/kg cwt (unchanged MOM), while South Island lamb averaged NZD 7.00/kg cwt (-1% MOM). September export data revealed some positive signs about market resilience, as greater volumes of NZ lamb exports start to hit
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
MARKETS & TRENDS 19
Content supplied by Rabobank - Growing a Better New Zealand Together world’s key import markets as well as significant New Zealand export markets, has remained resilient overall during the pandemic. Import growth (in USD terms) for each has risen by 3%, which is positive in light of the foodservice shutdowns and economic impacts in these economies. The growing value of China’s fresh produce imports has stalled across 2020 YTD. We expect that it will return to growth in 2021. Moving forward, we
up MOM, with the average value received by NZ exporters in each market either holding or lifting. While this is encouraging, overall average export returns for September were still down 10% YOY, at NZ$ 10.67/ kg.
Horticulture
the global market. Export volumes to the
key markets of China, the UK, EU, and US were all
DEMAND FOR fresh produce imports has remained resilient in key horticulture import markets. Fresh produce demand in the US and the EU-28, two of the
also expect that e-commerce sales will play an ever increasing role in sales of fresh produce in China. With kiwifruit shipments now largely complete, the allure of New Zealand kiwifruit’s characteristics to global consumers has become ever more evident across 2020, based upon pricing received. FOB value (in NZ$ terms) for the export year to August is up by 8% YOY.
Foreign exchange
AFTER FALLING substantially in September, the NZ$ stabilised against
the US$ in October. It was worth USc66.9 on October 28, up half a cent for the month. While the recovery is uneven and dependent on the virus, the global economy is recovering from the severe contraction evident in the first half of the year. On the wrong side of that uneven recovery is likely to be the US and EU – where an alarming autumn resurgence of the virus will impact economic recovery through the balance of 2020 – and hence the prospects for world GDP. China sits of the
other side of the ledger. Its economy expanded by 4.9% above prior year levels in the three months to September. The early recovery in the Chinese economy should help New Zealand back into economic expansion, and hence reduce the likely downside in the NZ$/US$ rate in the next 12 months. Nonetheless, we expect the NZ$ to fall to USc64 cents by the end of April 2021, as we see investors adjust their expectations for global growth downwards and risk appetite continues to wane.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
20 OPINION EDITORIAL
EDNA
Zooming in hope! MIKE PETERSEN’S proposal (see story, page 5) for NZ to base a senior cabinet minister in Europe early next year to head our trade negotiations with both the EU and UK is a no brainer. As Petersen rightly points out, the FTA negotiations with Britain and Europe are now at a crucial stage. It’s time to front up with the heavyweights in the form of a senior and respected NZ politician – not a junior one with little credibility. Yes, we have Covid issues back home that need attention by competent ministers. However, our trade with the northern hemisphere is about the future and can’t be put on hold. In the 1970s and ‘80s, hardly a month went by without a senior minister, and often it was the prime minister, heading off to Brussels, London and other European capitals to press the flesh. It was this persistent approach by our politicians and primary sector leaders that clinched the deals that have served us so well up until now. Let’s not forget the role of our professional trade negotiators, who have paved the way for the politicians, as they have done an excellent job. But the reality is that trade and politics are inextricably linked and relationships at the top level can tip the deal one way or the other. Talboys, Moore, Muldoon, Macintyre and Sutton are some names that spring to mind who served NZ well. Petersen himself has done a great job to, but at another level: talking to overseas farmer organisations, dispelling the myths about NZ agriculture and getting them to see sense. The writing was on the wall when the EU presented NZ, earlier this year, with a totally unacceptable first FTA offer. It felt like they were laughing at us behind our backs when they put this up. Britain has made the usual sounds about the history and mother country, etc. But in the end, politicians will first and foremost serve the people who vote them in well ahead of any nation who spilled blood for them in the past. Jacinda Ardern must take a leaf out of history and make a bold decision that one of her predecessors, Peter Fraser, made in 1942. Fraser saw the NZ/US relationships in danger of losing traction and going sour and appointed a high level politico to rescue the situation. Doing nothing and zooming in hope is not an option. Just who should – or could – do the job is a discussion for another day.
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THE HOUND Good riddance!
Tough gig!
Who cares?
Cow killer
A MATE of the Hound’s reckons the end of Beef + Lamb NZ independent director Melisa Clark-Reynolds’ term can’t come soon enough. Clark-Reynolds was appointed to the BLNZ board back in 2017 and finishes her stint soon. Apparently she has: “challenged us to think differently,” according to BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison. However, one wonders if this ‘different thinking’ includes ClarkReynolds enthusiastic endorsement of a recent Heart Foundation claim that people should reduce their red meat consumption intake to “less than 350g a week to prevent heart disease and strokes”? According to the Hound’s source, the outgoing director – who has picked up around $100K in board fees care of red meat levypayers during the past three years – happily promoted the Heart Foundation recommendation under her @ HoneyBeeGeek twitter handle.
THIS OLD mutt has a fair amount of sympathy for Ag Minister Damien O’Connor with the two associate ministers he’s landed with in the recent Cabinet selections made by PM Jacinda Ardern. He gets Phil Twyford as his associate in trade and export growth, which is essentially about building trade relationships. Let’s hope Twyford’s better at building trade relationships than he was houses under KiwiBuild! Meanwhile, O’Connor has as his associate ag minister (responsible for animal welfare) Meka Whaitiri – who was dumped from the last Cabinet over bullying allegations. Again, the Hound hopes that Whaitiri’s kindness to animals will prevail – and maybe humans this time as well! Meanwhile, O’Connor’s “good mate” David Parker keeps the Environment portfolio, which is likely to make the Ag Minister’s job of keeping farmers onside just as difficult as in the previous term.
MEANWHILE, YOUR canine crusader is left a little bemused about all the crowing and cooing from the media and commentators about the “amazing diversity” of Ardern’s new Cabinet. Much has been made about the high number of Maori, Pasifika, women, and gay members of the new line-up. Really? Who actually gives a flying fig about what the ethnic, gender or sexual orientation of any member of the executive is? Your old mate is far more concerned about whether or not a Cabinet Minister is actually capable and competent of the doing the job – rather than what boxes they may or may not tick in the census form. Surely the ability of a person to successfully carry out the role is a far higher priority than who they may sleep with or who their grandparents were?
THE HOUND was not surprised to hear well-known end-of-theworld doom-merchant ‘Dr’ Mike Joy is still as joyless as ever about the state of NZ. The Victoria University ‘academic’ recently published an article on the ever-so-woke Wellington-insider website Newsroom, begging the new Government to end dairy farming. “I am convinced in the future we will look back and see dairy production in the way we do it now is the worst possible land use for this country,” Joy opined. “As for the industry’s ‘backbone of the economy’ rhetoric, it simply does not bear scrutiny. When the externalities are included in analyses, dairy farming adds up to a negative outcome for all New Zealanders.” It appears ‘Dr’ Joy seems to forget that the export income earned by the country’s dairy sector pays for things like schools, hospitals and, oh yes … universities!
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
OPINION 21
The results are in – now what? Beef + Lamb NZ chair Andrew Morrison says that, now voters have had their say, the incoming Government has some important decisions to make about farming in New Zealand. TOP OF the list is how much further it can drive its regulatory agenda in light of the large volume of changes it has already made to environmental rules in the last couple of years. It’s time to focus on fixing and implementing the new rules before introducing any new ones. There’s a lot of work to do to implement changes over the coming years under the essential freshwater rules and climate change commitments. We’ve always supported the intent of the new rules but delivery is the crucial bit – it needs to be as easy as possible for farmers to do the right thing. Some of the current rules make it too hard because they’re impractical – we’re focused on trying to get them fixed so farmers can then focus on implementation. That will deliver the best environmental outcomes for New Zealand. Now is not the time for even more new rules. There’s only so much change and cost a sector can handle at one time. With agriculture expected to play a major role in New Zealand’s Covid-19 recovery we need to be careful about how hard we drive things. It’s important to note that sheep and beef farmers are committed to protecting their environment. This includes an absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining similar levels of production, major work on erosion control and preservation of biodiversity. Farmers aren’t being unreasonable – the concerns they’ve raised about the new freshwater rules relate to specific provisions that are simply impractical on the ground. For example, many farmers across the country are unable to meet the sowing dates this year because of late rain and snow. It’s also
unclear how the pugging rules will be enforced and there are major issues with the low slope map for stock exclusion. We need to work with the Government to get these things right. B+LNZ is engaging intensively in the Environment Southlandled process to review the winter grazing rules and will be advocating for our new farm plan approach to be accepted as a certified farm plan, as we strongly believe it’s critical the farm plan is not just a regulatory tool. Our industry is also committed to working constructively with the Government on climate change through He Waka Eke Noa and will be seeking recognition of the genuine sequestration happening on sheep and beef farms, as shown by recent research measuring the sequestration from the woody vegetation on these farms. However, concerns remain about the major surge in conversion of productive land into carbon farms as a result of the Zero Carbon Bill and Emissions Trading Reform legislation introduced in the last two years, and about the proposed new regulations around biodiversity. The last Government acknowledged a need to restrict the amount of pastoral farmland being converted into exotic forestry for the purposes of carbon farming, before too much damage is done to our rural communities and the long-term viability of our sector and economy. We’ll be looking to hold them to this promise. We’ll also be asking the Government to maintain the pause on the proposed National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity. It’s important to give farmers and industry a chance to work their way through the latest environmental rules before new ones are
introduced. Our belief that the Government should be taking a holistic view of
environmental policy, developing policies in isolation won’t get the desired environmental outcomes. An integrated approach is best, considering climate change, biodiversity, soils and water together. Environmental policy is one of B+LNZ’s top pri-
orities and we’ll continue working hard on farmers’ behalf for sensible policy outcomes from the new Government. We’ll then be focused on supporting farmers with the tools they need when they need them.
Beef+Lamb NZ chairman Andrew Morrison.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
22 OPINION
Running on empty no good FUELLING THINGS We know running on empty up is a constant part of simply doesn’t work for our our everyday lives on the farm. vehicles and tools. Most farmers have a tractor, some have a Dr Bert Quin comes to looking after happen to have an truck, most have a quad ourselves. That’s right, employee who never or side-by-side. There we don’t make time deems it necessary to may be the farm bike to pull out of the fast recharge or refuel anyor ute in the mix, also a FARMER’S CHAPLAIN lane and refuel … all the thing, no doubt you will whole range of tools: the Colin Miller “gauges” have been readrun out of patience real chainsaws and the posting empty for too long!P becomes available fast. He or she will be All sustained-release hole borer, to name a • 89% less P in leachable form than Surephos. Consider for a I’m sure, absolutely noth- your former employee couple, the lawn mowers, moment, we humans shortly! It’s such a basic, of course, plus all the bat- ing seems to operate absolutely no Boucraa manufacturing is present! have a body, a rock soul and right? Theslimes ABC’s ofor life. well on -empty! Trying to tery-operated hand tools. a spirit. Most refuel the Don’t you think it’s force it to or getting furiBatteries have to be several times coverage. a day. rather odd then, thatP). weFinebody ous with your quad and charged or fuelled-up • Only 11 ppm cadmium (140 mgCd/kg form for best Low dust. Apart from fluids, there’s do all of the above so giving it a kick will defiregularly. Checking or in. Often that’s not brekky, lunch, and then watching fuel gauges is as nitely prove to be a rather effortlessly and so well, • Excellent value! Waharoa $278 ; MaungaTapere $299 ; Dannevirke $299 ; the evening meal – with a enough, we have supper yet many of us bomb natural as breathing to us. senseless exercise. to finish! couple of smokos added out rather badly when it Now, should you You would have noticed, • Timaru $329 ; Otautau $362. Prices excl. GST While the fuel may not always be as good as it should be, we nonethe• Also available (limited supply): PhoS-eco ‘Triple8’ 8-8-8 NPS $399 + GST less make time through our day to put fuel in our physical tanks. Yes, we can tick that box. Dr Bert Quin With the soul, the mind, will and emotions, agronomic performance than North Caroline RPR. too often we don’t do so well. The mental gauges read empty and the chime is going off. HowQuinfert Algerian RPR V2 does meet the Fertmark Code meaning of RPR (some of the coarse dolomite is ever, we tend to ignore all simply removed to achieve this). that to keep up our “foot “The (Ballance) Hi P RPR example does show the rather arbitary nature of the reliance to the floor” schedule. on the citsol test for determining what is RPR in New Zealand”; and I am sure you will have heard the term “burning the candle at both ends”. Well some have taken that to a whole new level; they have broken the candle Phone now on 0800 QUINFERT (784 633) or Bert Quin on 021 427 572 in half and are burning it Or email bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz at all four ends! The end
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results for that one ought to be obvious! Sadly, the spirit seems to get neglected even more so. Honestly, we cannot tick that box! Inner strength, fortitude and resilience, all flow from here. Inner freshness and yes peace, all come from here as well. Inner peace is truly a most wonderful thing! The difference between calm still waters compared to roiling or boiling waters is the picture here. That inner boiling waters thing will affect your physical and mental health and wellbeing, seriously too, if it is not addressed. Your key relationships will take a hammering as well. We know running on empty simply doesn’t work for our vehicles and
tools. Trust me, ultimately it doesn’t work for us humans either. Take some time out, some hours off the farm. Find some activity you can get involved with where you enjoy it enough it gets your attention and gets your mind off the farm. A hobby can help. Even simple things like a weekend away with friends can be refreshing. For the spiritual one, please don’t be afraid to ask for help. And ask someone who knows what they are talking about. You do that for the farm; do that for you as well! I have found it to be the most important of the three by far. God bless. • To contact Colin Millar email: farmerschaplain@ ruralnews.co.nz
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS 23
Ambassadors don their farm boots SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
IT’S NOT every day that New Zealand farmers get high ranking European diplomats through their farm gates. But when Wellingtonbased EU ambassadors arrived in the Wairarapa for a two-day tour this month, the host farmers were ready to showcase their farming practices. Federated Farmers vice president Karen Williams and husband Mick were one of the host farms for the ambassadors of France, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands and Spain and the European Union. Williams told Rural News the trip, organised by NZ special trade envoy Mel Poulson, was timely as the EU and NZ are locked in free trade deal negotiations. “In NZ, overall we farm pretty sustainably. We want our trading partners to see and understand how we do it,” she told Rural News. “We have a great story to tell the world.” Williams noted that sustainability was now part of free trade negotiations. “From our perspective, we want to produce food more sustainably and, at
the same time, there is more and more demand from our consumers for sustainable food.” As well as the Williams’ arable farm, the ambassadors visited a dairy farm, an apple orchard, a sheep and beef operation and met with a farm forestry owner and a winery operator. They were also treated to food and wines produced by local farms. Williams says the ambassadors were impressed with the production systems. “They saw the passion we have for growing good food, the way we take care of land and water,” she says. “They were happy to meet the people behind food production and there were open and robust discussions with farmers. “For us, it was an opportunity to talk to those who represent the markets where we sell our food.” At the Williams’ farm, the ambassadors were shown how they direct drill seeds and don’t cultivate the land. Barley was dissected to show them different stages of growth. The ambassadors also strolled through 2ha of native bush that is under a Queen Elizabeth 2
National Trust covenant. The visit ended with a visit to the Ruamahanga River – 2.8km of which runs through the property. During the trip, the
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MACHINERY REVIEWS MANAGEMENT HEADER AND MUCH MORE... HEADER Ferist et quati aut pedici te vollab imod quamet atur soleniet quiatibu. PAGE 23
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PAGE 24
ambassadors enjoyed dinner of pork, lamb and beef from local farms, local Ata Rangi wines and bread made from Durum wheat grown on the Williams’ farm.
EU ambassadors and Wairarapa farmers enjoy drinks at Ruamahanga River on the Williams’ Farm.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
24 MANAGEMENT
Wood chips to help solve N problem Preventing nitrogen getting into waterways is high on the priority list for many farmers and growers. There is no silver bullet because farms are different and what works on one property won’t work on another. Peter Burke recently went along to a field day where a solution using innovative drainage technology, which is based on good science and with minimal cost to the farmer, is being trialled. THE SETTING is Waitatapia Station near Bulls in the Manawatu. It’s a large sheep and beef, arable, commercial growing and forestry operation owned by brothers Hew and Roger Dalrymple. As well as the 1,500 hectare main block, there are two other blocks, bringing the total land area to just over 2,000ha. The actual farm is about four kilometres as the crow flies from the coast. The soils are sandy or coarse textured and are known as leaky soils because they leach nitro-
gen. The trial is all about capturing that nitrogen and stopping it going beyond the farm into waterways and treating the water on farm to remove the nitrogen – a bit like a sewerage treatment plant for nitrogen. It started when local farmer Stu Taylor was keen to find a solution to this issue. Taylor and Hew Dalrymple got together, enlisted the expertise of Massey University and AgFirst, and got funding from the Sustainable Farming Fund. The trial has been going since 2018 and the field
day attracted a diverse group from the agri sector. The solution to the N leaching issue on Waitatapia is utilising the extensive drainage system on the farm. There are large deep drains on the boundary and water runoff is fed into these by smaller drains. Massey soil scientist, associate professor David Horne says the farm is complicated in that while the soils are leaky, the rainfall is low. However, this is somewhat offset by the farm being irrigated and N losses can be high.
Horne says the property lends itself to what it is doing – intensive dairying and cropping. “Because the large drains are on the boundary, this gives us the opportunity to intercept the flow of water carrying nitrogen and manage losses by treating it by installing mitigation measures at edge of field which are practical and low cost,” he told Rural News. “The result is that we can strip out almost as much nitrogen as we like,” he says. At the field day much interest was centred on
Hew Dalrymple pictured beside the woodchip bioreactor, which has been installed at the end of one of the drains on his farm.
a woodchip bioreactor, which has been installed at the end of one of the drains. It looks like an effluent pond in terms of shape and with a lining. But there is no water to be seen – just a flattened out area of woodchips that you can walk on. However, underneath is where the action is taking place. As water from the drain is released
into the bioreactor, the woodchips absorb the nitrogen and, in a matter of minutes, nitrogen-free water flows out. Another Massey scientist working on the project is associate professor Ranvir Singh, an environmental hydrologist who’s worked in farm drainage systems in the USA and Australia before coming to the university about a
decade ago. Singh says when he and Horne first visited the farm, they realised that the drains held the key to dealing with nitrogen loss. Water held in the large drains, which has nitrogen in it, can at certain times of the year be allowed to flow back into the soil and this is TO PAGE 25
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
MANAGEMENT 25 STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME HEW DALRYMPLE, who along with brother Roger, owns Waitatapia Station, says they got involved in the trial because the brothers welcome researchers from Massey University – and other industry organisations – on to their land to do various trials. He says there are also benefits for them. “For a start, it enables us to stay ahead of the political game in terms of new regulations and this has given us a better understanding about nitrogen movement and losses and how to control this,” Hew Dalrymple told Rural
News. “I’m very pleased with the results so far, which show there are virtually no N losses going out the end of the bioreactor. I accept there is no such thing as no loses, but the losses are so minimal that it’s not causing any harm on the environment.” Dalrymple says putting in an extensive drainage system was one of the most important things that’s been done on the farm. He says there are quite a lot of mini dams all the way up the drains and these are used to control water levels. He says putting in the biore-
Ag First’s Juliet Hurley is pleased with the way the trial is progressing.
actor was not a major task and was completed within a few days. Although the present trial is on a mainly sheep and beef farm, the system – especially the installation of the bioreactor – has created much interest from other sectors and regions. For example, two staff from the Gisborne-based commercial growing company LeaderBrand attended the field day. LeaderBrand’s Stefan Stewart says they have similar issues with the leaching of nitrogen into waterways in certain areas and want to know how to control this better. He says the field day
Nelson y Hawkes Ba
Marlborough
another way of removing the nitrogen. “The soil is used as a filter to get rid of the N as opposed to putting it through the bioreactor,” he explains. Singh says the water levels in the main drains can be simply controlled and this is a significant factor in the process. He says the work being done in NZ is similar to that being undertaken in the
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Massey University soil scientist, associate professor David Horne has been involved in the research being carried out on the Dalrymple farm. FROM PAGE 24
was a great opportunity to see what is being done and how this may apply to their situation. “We were thinking along the lines of a bioreactor and this has helped cement how we are going to do it and is also proof that it works well,” Stewart told Rural News. “It’s good see Massey involved and learn from their research.” Facilitator for the day, Ag First’s Juliet Hurley was pleased with the turnout to the field day and the way the trial is progressing. She says there has been a lot of goodwill between the farmers and researchers and this has helped.
And this is why
Manawatu USA, Denmark and Ireland. Wairarapa “Nitrate is an issue in the all the places I have worked in. The systems are a little bit different than in Ireland and Denmark where they Hastings have more arable systems, whereas in NZ we have more open grazing,” CERTIFICATE OF LICENCE Singh told Rural News. “But the issue around Farmgear Ltd managing drainage and a bioreactor are similar to those places, so we exchange our knowledge.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
26 MANAGEMENT
What makes high performing farmers tick? High-performing farmers are front-footing challenges facing the sheep and beef sector and adapting their businesses, according to new research by the Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP). ACCORDING TO the study, consistency of execution, attention to detail and measuring and recording performance
were all critical to driving performance on sheep and beef farms. RMPP commissioned the study to ask a group
of New Zealand’s highest performing sheep and beef farmers to identify the main drivers of their performance. This
year’s research, which followed a similar study in 2015, identified the critical characteristics that enabled them to consistently achieve good results. It also focused on what had changed for these farmers, particularly the challenges they
Measuring and recording performance is critical to driving performance on sheep and beef farms – CREDIT: PAUL SUTHERLAND PHOTOGRAPHY
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The research shows most high-performing farmers are continuing to do what they have already been successfully focusing on for many years. “These farmers do not blindly follow trends, rather when they introduce new practices, they tweak them to suit both their style of farming and the environment they operate in.” The research found that high-performing farmers, through a strong sense of self-awareness, are particularly good at translating their values or what’s important to them into a ‘style of farming’ that is profitable and sustainable for the environment they occupy. It also suggests that a way to support other farmers to improve their performance is to first help them to understand what they value most in farming and then translate this into a plan that suits their circumstances. “This may take some time and require facilitation and peer support. While each plan may be slightly different, measuring and recording performance should be universal and small steps adopted.”
HOW THEY DO IT
High in dry matter content
SOWING RATE LEAF : (KGS/HA) STEM RATIO
were facing and how they were responding to the issues compared to five years ago. The research found there was a stronger focus among high performing farmers on addressing environmental challenges through quality assurance programmes. However, these farmers noted feeling that additional regulations had led to an increasingly negative public perception towards farming. Many high performing farmers want to take ownership of this issue with some wishing to help show the public how they farm with integrity, especially regarding animal welfare and the environment. Facing droughts, dealing with climate change, and the need to map pathways towards becoming carbon neutral were also more prominent issues compared to 2015. Meanwhile, the farmers recognised the changing consumer preferences and what this meant for the long-term viability of their businesses. Covid19 also presented a range of challenges and opportunities.
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THE STUDY also found a range of other highperforming farmer practices that other farmers could consider adopting including: • Using technology to target inputs more efficiently, especially fertiliser and animal health interventions. • Making early decisions to pre-empt the loss of stock and pasture condition using an in-depth knowledge of their farm and animals via close observation over many years. • Having a clear picture of the three to five aspects of their farm that drive performance and almost always getting these right. • Investing in quality infrastructure (over time), as the consequences of not doing so, are a distraction from focusing on what is most important – animals and grass. • Ensuring they are alert to what is happening on the farm by remaining physically close to pasture and animals.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
28 ANIMAL HEALTH
On of the biggest causes of ill-thrift in livestock is parasitism.
Getting to the bottom of ill thrift ILL THRIFT is a term used to describe when stock grow at a slower growth rate than expected, given their feed allocation. It is defined as when lambs or young cattle have more than 30% slower growth rates than expected. Traditionally, farmers identify if their flock is affected by ill-thrift by: • Comparing performance from one year to the next, e.g. hogget weight gain in January was 25% behind last year. • Visually notice stock aren’t “doing well”. • Use specific tests, e.g. FEC test to identify parasite burden in stock. A recent project showed that farmers can also use Beef+Lamb New Zealand Q-Graze software (which predicts liveweight gain given pasture intake and quality) to show that stock have illthrift. Actual performance (e.g. hoggets growing at 75 g/hd/day over summer) can be compared to Q-Graze’s prediction of what they should be doing (e.g. 100g).
On-farm data from this project showed that, over summer and autumn, ill-thrift occurred 36% of the time in cattle and 62% of the time in sheep. The most common reason for stock growing slower than farmers expected over summer and autumn was poor pasture quality. However, when pasture quality was taken into consideration, the next biggest cause of ill-thrift was parasitism—around 45% of the time in young sheep. The project monitored actual growth rates of young cattle mobs in the Waikato and compared them to Q-Graze predictions. It was shown that 36% of the cattle were suffering from ill-thrift. Further analysis indicated that 30% was due to parasites and 20% was linked to fusaria toxicity. Some 50% of the causes were undiagnosed. In sheep, healthy ewe lambs were growing at 142 g/day. However, those with ill-thrift grew only 46 g/day. Over
62% of the flocks monitored through the project had ill-thrift. Of these, 45% was due to parasitism, 19% due to fusaria toxicity and 36% had undiagnosed causes. Ill-thrift is caused by a number of different factors so it is important that tests can identify a particular cause. The project investigated and validated tests for parasite levels in faeces, rumen fluid and pasture, as well as for two fusaria toxins/nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON). Using the on-farm data, scientists were able to show the relationship between the levels of fungi, spores, larvae, etc and liveweight gain (LWG)/ suppression. The key links were: • For fungi: when the NIV and DON levels in pasture are at 0.8 mg/kgDM, then it is likely that the toxic Trichothecenes will be reducing LWG by 40 g/day in lambs and 0.2 kg/day in cattle. Urine patches may have very high levels of fungi (200 times higher than
inter-urine patches). However, this hypothesis requires further research. • 318 pasture samples were collected as part of the project and around 70% of samples were shown to have fungi that produce toxins. However, the presence of toxic fungi does not mean that toxins are being produced, as was shown in further tests where fungi were present and growing, but no toxins could be detected. • For trace elements: in sheep, predicting LWG suppression is possible using blood tests for selenium and cobalt, but not for copper. This is not possible in cattle. The degree of LWG suppression was not able to be related to FEC in lambs, ewes or cattle. Very high FEC (>1000 epg) is often associated with reduced animal performance. However, this is not always the case. The mix of worm species in the infection (contributing to the FEC) is possibly more important than the level of egg output (FEC) in influencing the
effect on stock. That is, some parasite species produce lots of eggs but have low impact on the animal, while others produce few eggs but have high impact. Low egg count does not necessarily indicate that parasitism is not impacting on animal performance— high levels of larval intake from grazing contaminated pasture can affect LWG before the worms have developed to the stage of egg-laying adults. The good news is that the biggest causes of ill-thrift (parasitism and pasture quality) can be reduced by management (e.g. providing stock with higher quality pasture, management to reduce larval contamination of pastures, worm control). It is best that farmers eliminate these causes first, before tackling the more complex pasture fungi issues. • Source: https://beeflambnz.com/ knowledge-hub/PDF/ill-thriftidentifying-causes-and-measuring-theireffects.pdf
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH 29
Ram selection should include Facial Eczema tolerance AS RAM buying season gets underway, Beef+Lamb New Zealand is encouraging farmers in at-risk areas to consider including Facial Eczema (FE) resistance in their selection criteria. B+LNZ’s general manager farming excellence Dan Brier says a changing climate means stock in some non-traditional FE areas will be at greater risk from the disease in the near future. “We have already seen it spread into the top of the South Island so it would be prudent for sheep farmers to think about using genetics now to future-proof their flocks.” Brier says even if commercial farmers started this year with a team for highly tolerant FE rams, it would take six years of breeding before any significant degree of FE tolerance was bred into the flock. The New Zealand sheep industry has been proactive about identifying and selecting for FE tolerant genetics, so commercial ram buyers are well-placed to benefit from generations of breeding carried out by stud breeders in high-risk areas.
are measuring FE but are not connected and therefore are unable to be compared fairly (or benchmarked). “Most importantly, commercial farmers
looking to include FE tolerance in their selection criteria should talk to their ram breeder and ask them about whether they have been selecting for FE tolerance
and for how long.” Brier says FE is a significant productionlimiting disease which, in extreme cases, can have animal welfare implications.
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A changing climate means stock in some non-traditional FE areas will be at greater risk from the disease.
FE STUDY A PILOT study is underway to determine the efficacy of a ground-breaking facial eczema (FE) tolerance test. The purpose of this study, which is being led by AgResearch’s Dr Axel Heiser and funded by Beef+Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), is to test the feasibility of a laboratory-based test to determine an animal’s tolerance to the toxin associated with FE. If initial results look promising, the test will require further development and full validation to make it a readily available test for breeders and commercial farmers. Farmer who want more information or to be involved contact: research@beeflambnz.com
FE tolerance is included in the recently launched nProve genetic selection tool
and this will help commercial breeders identify breeders who are not only recording
Go to www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz
FE tolerance, but who are also connected. Connectedness is needed to validly compare the BVs or indexes for animals in different flocks. Brier says it is as simple as moving the slider for FE under the Health Traits section of nProve. This will generate a list of breeders benchmarked for FE tolerance and the search can then be refined to breed type and/or location There will be some breeders who appear in the list of results with no value for FE. They
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
30 ANIMAL HEALTH
Car-racing AI technician motors through her work DANNEVIRKE DAIRY farmer Tania Cresswell manages her parents’ 55ha dairy farm at Papatawa, milking 160 predominately Holstein Friesian cows. “An easy-going tem-
perament is one of the main traits I strive for in a cow. I work alone a lot of the time, so having a docile animal is crucial,” she says. “Plus, I also give the cows a mineral drench in
the milking shed, things like magnesium and iodine, and quiet cows are easier to drench.” During milking, the 29-year-old zig-zags her way down the pit, changing clusters and identi-
fying cows to draft for artificial insemination. “At this time of the year it’s a daily race against the clock to get my farm jobs done and be on the road by 7.15am,” she says.
Creswell works as an artificial insemination (AI) technician with genetics company LIC, a seasonal position she has held for 10 years. “I did my training with LIC in 2011. After
Tania Cresswell with one of her Holstein Friesian heifers.
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a month working as an apprentice, I was given my own AI run.” The job sees her driving between up to 12 local dairy farms each day, inseminating cows on heat. “It’s a really rewarding job. The aspect I enjoy the most is getting out and talking to other farmers,” she says. “Mating is one of the busiest times of the year and people can often get stuck in their farm bubbles for long periods. “If the grass isn’t growing and feed is in short supply, it’s nice to be able to let farmers know others in the district are in a similar situation.” The biggest farm on Creswell’s run milks about 700 cows. “When they synchronise a large number of cows to come on heat together, I have to inseminate 120 cows in one
visit,” she explains. “It can take up to two hours.” Creswell has inseminated 25,611 cows since she started as an LIC AI technician. That is roughly 2,561 inseminations a year. Talking cows and genetics is not her only hobby. The thrill seeker can often be found in the front seat of a rally car hurtling down a gravel road at speeds of more than 200km/h. She is a co-driver for Ashburton drystock farmer Wayne Muckle in the New Zealand Rally Championship. “We used to have a hill climb on the public road that goes past our support block. I’d go and watch, and thought it looked fun,” she says. “One year I got to go for a ride in one of the cars and, as they say, the rest is history.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 31
Hilux highlights 18 Variants (19 with Special Edition Mako) Single Cab/Double Cab/Extra Cab Cab Chassis/Wellside Four Trim Levels-Workmate/SR/SR5/SR5 Cruiser 8 two-wheel drives/ 10 four-wheel drives 2.8 litre-4cyl turbo engine-150kW /500Nm
The 2021 Hilux delivers more power and comfort, balanced by reduced fuel consumption and less noise.
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Hilux ups the ante - yet again MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
WHEN THE 8th generation Toyota Hilux arrived in late 2015, it was a major departure from the Hilux of old. Fast forward five years and 2020 sees the arrival of the MY 2021 versions with the biggest changes yet. Marketed with the slogan “tougher than we can imagine”, the 2021 models show that Toyota has taken notice of customer feedback to deliver more power and more comfort, balanced by less fuel consumption and less noise. First impressions see styling that is much bolder, with a distinct nod to the global Toyota family, particularly North America. Bold accent lines
are complemented with a particularly striking frontal aspect, alongside dark alloy wheels and front and rear LED light packages. Hopping into the vehicle for a first drive, the standout impression is one of quietness. There is a new engine – up 20kW from the previous version. This includes a new block, pistons and turbo, with increased fuel pressures and a revised cooling package. Indeed, at start up and idle, there is little engine noise and only when pushed very hard does the serenity depart. While that extra power isn’t immediately apparent, a glance at the speedo tells us were going quite quickly – even when the tacho is only showing about
1600rpm. This fact was confirmed by the driver of a very gaudy looking car with blue roof lights, who handed over his first paper-based prize one morning at 6.30am! Also, quickly apparent is the improved ride quality, with a set-up that has lost the typical “bouncy” rear end associated with unloaded utes. In this area, Toyota has modified, and in some models, increased the number of leaf springs, recalibrated the shock absorbers and beefed up the suspension mounts. These improvements, along with a new variable rate power steering pump, deliver a more pliable ride that is largely unaffected by bumps or corrugations and steers in the direction
you point it. In addition, the revised cab mounts also serve to reduce vibration from the road and appear to help to reduce tyre noise. Living with an SR5 Cruiser for a week proved a pleasant surprise for this reviewer who usually favours the softer ride of an SUV – while also having those impressions confirmed by the domestic manager who dislikes utes for their “jarring” ride. On a Sunday jaunt from Raglan to Kawhia, that took in more than 60km of gravel along the Whanga Coast, ‘Er indoors’ had a smile most of the way – made wider by a double scoop of Hokey Pokey at the seaside. In the cab, the seats were comfortable and supportive with plenty of
adjustment. The controls fell easily to hand, with the main 8-inch and supplementary 4.2-inch screens offering plenty of control and information. As we’ve come to expect from Toyota, the excellent Safety Sense package includes the likes of Autonomous Cruise Control and Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Road Sign Assist, while SR5 and SR5 Cruiser also get front and rear parking sensors. Off-road drivers are aided by Hill Start Assist and Down Hill Assist to take the guesswork out of difficult terrain. Meanwhile, new for 2021 is a rear automatic Limited Slip Differential on all 4WD double cab variants that also works in 2WD mode.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
32 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
V8 – a baler with grunt
SNIPPETS Still going strong
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY manufacturer Belarus – once the by-word for no-nonsense, valuefor-money tractors and not seen in NZ for many years – produced a total of 40,000 tractors in 2019. Recently celebrating the 74th anniversary of its Minsk tractor plant, and with 22,754 employees on the books, the Belarusian giant has put plans in place to produce around 60,000 tractors and reduce its workforce to 15,000 people by 2030.
MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
FOLLOWING THREE years of testing with clients worldwide, Ireland-based manufacturer McHale has added a bigger model to its range of variable-chamber round balers with the new V8 series. For the 2021 season, McHale will introduce the V8940 non-chopper and the V8950 15-knife chopper balers, which can produce high density bales from 0.6 to 1.9 metres in diameter. Marketing and sales director Martin McHale says the increase in bale size, and
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be achieved in a current 1.68m, V6 machine. The new V8 range will also feature new pick-ups. There is a choice of cam track or cam-less design, bigger lateral feed augers, larger rotors, a drop floor unblocking system, automated greasing and bale chambers with three heavy-duty endless belts. “The new McHale V8 variable chamber baler range is fitted with heavyduty components ensuring long life, high levels of reliability and a machine that is rugged enough to handle the toughest of crops and ground conditions,” McHale says. “Our new V8940 and V8950 have brought baling to a new level with higher density, increased bale size, better intake and easier maintenance. All balers in the new V8 range come with a new adaptive intake which has been specifically designed to allow the intake area
to automatically adjust to changes in material flow,” he adds. As standard, a 15-knife chopper unit is available on the McHale V8950. This delivers a theoretical chop length of about 65mm, with engage and disengage selected from the tractor cab. An optional selectable knife system consists of two knife banks allows the choice of 0, 7, 8, or 15 knife configurations in work. “The endless belts are reinforced with synthetic material to ensure they can absorb shock loading and apply high pressure to the material in the bale chamber,” McHale says. Graeme Leigh, general manager machinery division – Power Farming NZ, confirms that the machine will be available in NZ, but on an indentonly basis. He suggests that the market for such machines is relatively small.
A DRIVE for healthier soils has led large-scale, fresh food producer LeaderBrand to invest in a top of the line Case IH Quadtrac. Based at the company’s Gisborne headquarters, the machine features four individually driven oscillating tracks and an exclusive five-axle design, which distributes weight evenly and consistently for increased traction with less compaction. The Quadtrac joins the company’s extensive Case IH fleet that delivers around 3,500ha of fresh produce from sites in the East Cape, Waikato and Canterbury.
A bit of French
CARRFIELDS MACHINERY, based in Canterbury, has become the exclusive distributors for Frenchmade Novag no-tillage, low-disturbance seed drills for New Zealand and Australia. Based in Fressines, south-west France, Novag manufactures seed drills that feature low-disturbance, T-ForcePlus openers and IntelliForcePlus automated electro-hydraulic control systems. The machines are said to help farmers reduce costs, regenerate soils and increase yield reliability. GM for regenerative agriculture at Carrfields Machinery, Guy Fordham, says, “In a changing world it is important to challenge the norm and look for improved ways of adding value to agricultural production”.
Limited range
FORD NZ’S latest addition to the Ranger series is the Wildtrak X. This features the popular 157kW and 500Nm innovative Bi-Turbo diesel engine, combined with a 10-speed auto transmission. It also includes more than $7,000 worth of components for only $2,000. These include the unique, 18-inch alloy wheels in a tough matte black finish, fender flares, finished in black, and a black nudge bar – complete with an LED light bar for improved nighttime vision as a work light or to light up a campsite. Additionally, an A-pillar-mounted, snorkel air intake allows the powertrain to breathe better on dusty roads. Ranger Wildtrak X will be limited to 150 units for the NZ marketplace.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 33
Front hopper seed drill eases sowing pressure MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
AUSTRIAN TILLAGE and seed drill manufacturer Pöttinger has expanded its range of Aerosem pneumatic seed drills, with the addition of 4 metre and 5 metre folding versions units with a front hopper. A key benefit of the layout is said to be convenient operation, making settings such as working depth, coulter pressure and seed rate calibration easy to perform, as there are no access issues, which can be a problem with conventionally mounted seed hoppers. The front hopper, available in 1700 or 2300
Pöttinger has expanded its range of Aerosem pneumatic seed drills, with the addition of 4 metre and 5 metre folding versions units with a front hopper.
litre capacities, is fitted with an airtight cover. It features a service platform to provide better visibility into the hopper during filling. The hopper can be configured with a standard single metering
unit, or the newly developed dual metering unit. This new, Single Shoot metering system, lets you apply not only seed but also fertiliser into the seed slot in one pass, so offers maximum flexibility during the planting
season. The coulter rail on the Aerosem FDD is mounted on the power harrow using a quickfit locking system. It can be configured with an optional hydraulic lifting system for the coul-
ter rail to increase ground clearance. The unit uses a short headstock to place the centre of gravity closer to the tractor, while the distributor head – mounted on the coulter rail – features a patented system to ensure it
is always kept in a vertical position. Seed distribution is controlled using the distributor head, which can be provided with individually controllable outlets (IDS) as an option. While using the fully-equipped version, the driver can easily adjust the tramline widths and tyre widths directly at the control terminal to set up a perfect tramline system. At the same time, Pöttinger has also introduced its new LION 403 C and LION 503 C folding power harrows, with working widths of 4 or 5 metres and suitable for tractors up to 320hp. The folding frame concept, with the head-
stock and entire folding frame mounted on the machine, results in a short and compact power harrow that is up to 30cm shorter than many others. This brings the centre of gravity is closer to the rear axle and better weight transfer to the front axle. Both models fold to a transport width of 2.55 metres. An integrated levelling board, adjust automatically with depth control, retaining its set distance above the soil and distance from the rotor tines. A choice of rollers includes toothed, prism packer and rubber options, with a choice of diameters on the toothed and prism packer.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
34 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER
Weeds in for a shock WITH AN increasing focus on reducing chemical herbicides, largely
because of crop resistance and a potential build-up of residues, new
Be Safer With Clic Dual Wheels
methods of weed control are appearing. XPower by AGXTEND,
DOLOMITE
NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call... 0800 436 566
new 300w LED on Duals for more traction, stability, flotation, towing power, versatility.
Clic Wheel Systems Ltd, ROTORUA
Ph 07-347 2292 / 027 28 28 360 www.clicdualwheels.co.nz
ORDER ONLINE WWW.TRADE-ME.CO.NZ ‘D2D SOLAR’
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tunnel houses Grow vegetables all year round Very affordable and easy to install New Zealand designed and made 40 years producing tunnel houses Range of models sized from 2m - 10m t/f
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e
1 1 1 1 1
a CNH Industrial aftermarket brand, in cooperation with Zasso, offers a new, disruptive and efficient way of combating weeds without herbicides. The tractor-based system allows the effective control of unwanted vegetation thanks to the tested XPower system and electrophysical technology. As well as being residue-free, the unit can be used at any time of the year and largely independent of the time of day and temperature. The system consists of two components that
are attached to the front and rear of tractors. The rear unit includes a generator, up to 12 high-voltage transformers, with an output of 36 kW (including Power Boost option) and an electrical control cabinet. The swivelling front attachment, able to deal with vegetation outside the tractor wheel tracks, consists of three rows of static electrodes. The rear-mounted generator is driven by the tractor’s PTO shaft and produces high-voltage electricity, which flows into the
Rubber Safety Matting
www.morrifield.com
info@morrifield.com
The tractor-based system allows for the effective control of unwanted vegetation.
• ATV Carrier Mats • Exit/Entry Areas • Calf Trailers • Horse Floats & Trucks • Weigh Platforms • Bale Mats • Comfort Mats for Wet & Dry Areas • Utility Deck Matting
Phone: 0800 80 8570
plants and then into the ground via the applicator. The circuit is com-
pleted via a second applicator that either touches other plants or the soil. This allows the electrical energy to systemically deactivate the chlorophyll – as well as the water and nutrient system of the plants. This means the cells and vascular bundles are irreparably destroyed down to the roots. Weighing in a total of around 1400 kg, divided into 250 kg/1200kg front to rear, the unit has a power requirement of around 100-130-hp. – Mark Daniel
SNIPPETS Towards full autonomy
KUBOTA IS working with U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to continue its development of autonomous tractors. These machines will be equipped with Nvidia graphics processing units and artificial intelligence, coupled with cameras to process collected data. The Japanese company launched the Agrirobo line of tractors in 2017, using radar to account for the farm’s surroundings. However, these machines require human supervision and don’t use artificial intelligence.
Magnum’s flagship 400 hp
CASE IH’S flagship for the new AFS Connect Magnum range, due to arrive in New Zealand, now tops out at 400hp. Available in wheeled or RowTrac configuration, the tractor features a 21F/5R speed full powershift transmission. A host of new features includes a new multi-function armrest control system, alongside cutting-edge connectivity – such as remote display viewing, remote servicing ability and the new AFS Connect mobile app.
www.burgessmatting.co.nz
FLY OR LICE PROBLEMS?
Free Range & Barn Eggs
The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989
SUPPLIERS OF:
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• Nest boxes - manual or automated • Feed & Drinking •
Featuring...
QUALITY PRODUCTS MADE IN EUROPE OR BY PPP
A trusted name in Poultry Industry for over 50 years 07 573 8512 | dipping@electrodip.co.nz – www.electrodip.com
BUFFALO BOOTS!
After 25 years of providing workwear to New Zealand farmers - our rainwear & footwear is the best it has ever been. We have a reasonable amount of stock arriving mid-October, but anticipate this will sell quickly. Thank you to all our customers who have supported us over the years!
0800 16 00 24
SLIP ON
$145
ZIP STRIP quick lacing
valued at $320
$20
STEEL TOE X (with Scuff Guard) PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard)
New Zealand owned & operated 9am-5pm
FREE SHIPPING!
LACE UP
175% more crack and water resistant than normal leather. The nitrile rubber outsole won’t crack, split or break down in soil. It is stitched
PHONE
ENDS 2 december
ONLINE
earthwalk.co.nz
$140 valued at $280
STEEL TOE X (with Scuff Guard) STEEL TOE (without Scuff Guard) PLAIN TOE (without Scuff Guard)
NEW WAXY BUFFALO LEATHER! 175% more crack resistant Leather Traditional Stitched on soles Wide Fit Nitrile Rubber Outsole Heavy Duty Elastic Sides (Slip On) Outsole won’t Crack or Split Calfskin Tongue & Collar (Lace Up) NEW WATERPROOF INSOLE! NEW DURABLE LUXURY FOOTBED
sizes: 5 - 13 (NZ) CHEQUES
earthwalk, r d 2, palmerston north
(free shipping - order between now & 2 December)
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 17, 2020
RURAL TRADER 35 WILTSHIRE AND SHIRE
STOP BIRDS NOW!
ZON BIRDSCARER
From
$685.00 + GST
®
Rams and Ewes for sale HARDY, LOW INPUT EASY CARE MEAT SHEEP • No dagging • No shearing • No dip, drench or chemicals since 1989 ®
Also Tufty (polled Highland) bulls, cows and calves available
CONTROL FLYSTRIKE & LICE INCLUDES:
• Jetter unit • Pump & Hose kit • Delivery to nearest main centre
7680
$
+GST
For details contact: JULIE BEECH Ph 09-307 0399 •
SUPPLYING FARMERS SINCE 1962
Ph 03-225 5283
julieb@ruralnews.co.nz
www.organic-rams.co.nz • tim@organic-rams.co.nz
QUADBAR
595
$
+GST delivered
Proven beyo nd do ubt! “I have no doubt that if I did not have a – Rozel Farms
• Hard surface dairy shed, smokehouse, butchery and fishing boat cleaner • Citrus cleaner concentrate
Recommended by Worksafe. ACC subsidy available
• Super strength moss kill • Moss killer
– Colin van der Geest
For a Quadbar, call me, Stuart Davidson, owner of Quadbar NZ, on 021-182 8115. Email sales@quadbar.co.nz or for more info go to www.quadbar.co.nz
YOUR ADVERT HERE
(MPI approvals and SDS sheets on the ‘info’ pages) 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
QUADBAR 5 YEAR SURVEY
NUMBER OF QUADBARS 479
ROLLOVERS 61
Exclusive Covid-19 discount code for all NZ farmers. 10% discount right through spring 2020. Just click on ‘enter promo code’ and type ‘spring2020’ and then click ‘apply’ to redeem the discount. (Promo code expires November 30, 2020)
NUMBER OF DEATHS 0
New website: www.toxc.co.nz New freephone: 0508 987 363 or ph 021-683 332
FREE
New model arrives soon for the smaller lawn... and a small price!
nationwide delivery
CALL NOW FOR DISCOUNTS ON DEVON TANKS WATER TANKS, PUMPS & FILTRATION DEVAN • RX • CALPEDA • AQUA • OASIS CLEARWATER
0800 38 44 50
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.
P: 0508 326 8888 • www.thetankguy.co.nz A: 30 Turners Road – Feilding
CULVERT PIPES
New Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes! FREE joiners supplied on request. • Lightweight, easy to install • Made from polyethylene
Check out our NEW website www.mckeeplastics.co.nz
Phone
06 323 4181
or
0800 625 826 for your nearest stockist
Joiners supplied FREE with culvert pipes
GROW SOME ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY
TRACTA63289_RN_GS
Great deals on NZ’s most advanced Livestock Equipment Solutions...
Pay 50% Now & the remaining 50% in 12 Month’s Interest Free
TAKE THE WORK OUT OF SHEEP HANDLING Racewell Sheep Handling Systems bring you the latest products and systems in sheep management designed and produced in New Zealand and used by sheep producers across the globe.
SHEEP PRODUCER BUNDLE 1 • 4th Drafting Gate • Auto Backing Hook in lead up race
well Race
ndler
T30 Scale System
Ha HD4
PAY
*
14,6OW25
$
N
nce in + balaonths 12 m
Revolution Dosing Gun 14ML
600mm Loadbars
SHEEP PRODUCER BUNDLE 2 PAY
* 5 7 9,9
$
NOW
nce in + balaonths 12 m
T30 Scale System
INTEGRATED LOADCELLS IN OVERHEAD STEEL FRAME Keeps loadcells clear of animals and dirt plus it creates a suspended weigh create which makes for more accurate weighing.
DRAFTS O V E R 700+ SHEEP/HR
Racewell DR3 Auto Drafter and trailer
FREE ON-FARM DELIVERY & TRAINING
ASK ABOUT TRADING IN YOUR OLD SHEEP HANDLER
* Prices quoted are the 50% now and exclude GST. Balance in 12 months interest free. GST component is payable at 4 month period. Prices include delivery. Terms & Conditions apply. See more at www.tepari.com.
0800 837 274 www.tepari.com
Get in touch for a free on-site demo M AT T S H I E F F E L B I E N Racewell Sales
Ph: 027 565 0260
F R E E P H O N E : 0 800 8 37 274 • T E PA R I . C O M
NEW FEATURES!
10 FEATURES
PREMIUM QUALITY
of the Racewell HD4 Sheep Handler.
NZ MADE
3. Unobstructed overhead access is ideal for reading and
4. Backing hook in main clamp
or applying ear tags.
prevents sheep from backing up after weighing. Hook operates independent to clamp and only releases when sheep has cleared
2. Compact clamp area due to the
the sensors.
accurate catching from the 4 sensors makes it easier to access the front and rear of the sheep.
1. 4 way auto drafting based on weight or animal criteria.
2
3
7
4 6
1
9
10
5 10. Rugged, hot dip galvanised NZ-made steel construction. Proven design for long life and high resale value.
Want more info... Download our free Te Pari Handbook online at www.tepari.com. Over 100 pages of products and information.
Handheld remote for all functions including proportional side tilt control.
NEW RELEASE! 6. Removable plastic panel on weighing.
7. Adjustable lead up race to prevent young lambs turning around.
8. Backing hook in lead up race activated by sensor to
7
8
prevent next animal from backing up.
RACEWELL JR SHEEP HANDLER THE NEW RACEWELL JR HANDLER IS OUR ENTRY LEVEL UNIT DESIGNED TO MAKE H A N D L I N G S H E E P E A S Y. It features an air operated clamp wall that allows you to handle a wide range of stock sizes with ease. The clamp wall is activated by a switch on the dashboard or lead up race. When the sheep is clamped the operator is free to move away from the unit and the sheep will not be released as is the case with some manual handlers. The lead up race and auto closing entry gate help ensure you always have the next sheep waiting. With no electrical requirements the Racewell JR Sheep Handler is a
F E AT U R E S • Air operated clamp ideal for drenching, vaccinating etc... • Ready for loadbars. No extra brackets required • Hot dip galvanised for long life • • •
OPTIONS: • 3 Way Draft Gates are air operated for super easy sorting • Air Operated Side Tilt tips sheep 90 degrees for easy crutching and dagging.
FROM
* 5 9 9,9
$
+ G S T RY E D E L IV FREE
EASY, SAFE, SIMPLE. 9. Automatic closing of the entry gate activated by the sensors. Four adjustable optical sensors to allow different catch positions.
Upgrade to Draft Gates
AR
RANTY FO R
10 DIP
NI
S
H
OT
G
YEARS
IN
ON
HANDLE CATTLE ON YOUR TERMS…
W
G A LV A
Total control, total safety – that’s what our hot dip galvanised steel cattle crushes provide. Use weighing and animal data to
Heather Dell Angus using their Classic Deluxe Vet Crush to prepare their bulls for sale
BEEF PRODUCER BUNDLE 1 PAY
*
10,500
$
NOWmonths
nce + bala
in 12
Revolution
Dosing Gun - 70ML
ic
Class
ru Gate C Vet EID
h sh wit
ueeze
el Sq Parall
T1 Scale App System
FREE ON FARM DELIVERY
1000mm Loadbars
CLASSIC MC CRUSH RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE - A POPULAR ALL-ROUNDER The iconic Classic Crush is the ideal crush for small to handling. Capable of handling all sizes of cattle with designed for a one-person operation to provide fast, easy and accurate weighing and handling.
W A N T M O R E I N F O. . . Download our free Te Pari Handbook online at www.tepari.com. Over 100 pages of products and information.
TITAN HY CRUSH THE GOLD STANDARD IN THE BUSINESS OF HANDLING CATTLE. The Titan Hydraulic Crush has a host of innovative features to ensure optimal safety for the operator and
BEEF PRODUCER BUNDLE 2 PAY
T30 Scale System E Series
Revolution k r Pac owe ith P
Titan
Dosing Gun - 70ML
1000mm Loadbars
ERail EID Gate Antenna
sh w t Cru
e HY V
* Prices quoted are 50% now and exclude GST. Balance in 12 months interest free. Terms & Conditions apply. See more at www.tepari.com
CALL NOW 0800 837 274
*
18,950
$
VISIT tepari.com
NOWmonths
nce in
+ bala
12
F R E E P H O N E : 0 800 8 37 274 â&#x20AC;¢ T E PA R I . C O M
ease of animal ID and stock management. The extra long 2.75m animal compartment makes this crush ideal for stud breeders.
YARDS AHEAD IN EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY
PROFESSIONAL YARD
W
AR
RANTY FO R
10 G
YEARS DIP
NI
S
H
OT
IN
ON
Building a new set of cattle yards is a major capital investment and one that most people will only do a few times in their life. It is imperative to get the best advice on the design and location of your new facilities. That’s why we offer free on-site consultation so you know that the yard you are purchasing is the right yard for your operation.
TURNKEY
G A LV A
TESTIMONIALS
George Kucka
Ian Webb
Guys Forest, Victoria
Waimamaku, North Island
“We worked together on the custom design and when we needed to make a change to accommodate something, Te Pari were more than happy to help. They only took three days to install the yards which was amazing. We went with Te Pari because the yards are safer and for the ease of
“I can have 100% control over that animal even if I’m working on my own, and not feel afraid that that animal has any way of getting to me. Personal safety is absolutely critical and especially when I’m doing it on my own. If I don’t have anyone else over here, I need to be able to run
set of yards through Te Pari.”
to get hurt or injured. So these yards were designed
Knowledge and innovation combined to offer a superior experience.
A TURNKEY SOLUTION.
TURNKEY PROFESSIONAL YARD
Te Pari can provide you with a complete cattle handling solution from initial concepts through to a complete functioning
DELIVERY & INSTALL INCLUDED
PAY
*
$16,479
in NainOinW g 50% e
e + rem rest fr s inte 12mth
PLAN PACKAGE SY79 With 3 pens and 3-way drafting this yard is operations, handling up to 79 head.
F E AT U R E S • For up to 79 head • 4 working pens • Includes timber for catwalk
• 3 way drafting • Includes Te Pari C1000 Headbail • Install included
PLAN PACKAGE SY107 A yard designed for handling up to 107 head
F E AT U R E S
PAY
* 0 1 $22,9 NOW
50% in aining t free + rem res s inte th m 2 1
• For up to 107 head • 4 working pens • Super C-Force gate system • Ideal all mid-sized round yard
• Excellent for fattening operations • Includes timber for catwalk • Install included • Cattle Crush is extra
PLAN PACKAGE SY167 With 4 holding pens taking 50 head each and a cattle free operating area this yard is truly a pleasure to use. F E AT U R E S
PAY
* 0 4 $26,2 NOW
50% in aining t free s + rem intere s th 12m
• Includes timber for • For up to 167 head catwalk • 4 working pens • Includes a Super C-Force • Install included • Cattle Crush is extra circular forcing pen • Superb drafting options • Provision for cattle crush
* Prices quoted are the 50% now and exclude GST. Balance in 12 months interest free. GST component is payable at 4 month period. Prices include delivery and installation. Terms & Conditions apply. See more at www.tepari.com. TE PARI
TOP 20 YARDS A selection of our most popular yard plans
Download our Free Top 20 Cattle Yards Plans online at www.tepari.com Talk to us about which plan best suits your operation. Call us direct on 0800 837 274
LIVESTOCK SOLU TIONS FOR BET TER FARMING.
THE BEATING HEART OF CATTLE MANAGEMENT. The Taurus HD3 is THE machine to collect stock data. Utilising the cattle EID tags and the unique Te Pari eRail Gate EID reader, individual animals can be weighed, tracked and recorded easily without any operator intervention.
W AT C H T H E V I D E O ONLINE. SCAN HERE
BEEF PRODUCER BUNDLE 3 PAY
* 0 5 19,7
$
NOW
50% in aining t free + rem res s inte th m 2 1
t Auto
Ve s HD3 Tauru
T30 Scale System E Series
Draft
Crush
Revolution Dosing Gun - 70ML
1000mm Loadbars
ERail EID Gate Antenna
FREE ON FARM DELIVERY & TRAINING * Prices quoted are the 50% now and exclude GST. Balance in 12 months interest free. GST component is payable at 4 month period. Prices include delivery. Terms & Conditions apply. See more at www.tepari.com.
0800 837 274 www.tepari.com
JOSH GARTON
Cattle Yard Sales Ph: 021 220 2071
T O M H O LT
SI Cattle Yard Sales Ph: 021 228 4551
LEON SMITH
NI Cattle Yard Sales Ph: 021 198 5103
Get in touch for a free on-site consultation