Rural News 23 March 2021 by Rural News Group

MANAGEMENT

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

NEWS

Dairy awards open up doors.

Green machine upgrades for 2022. PAGE 28

Meat man’s mission comes to an end. PAGE 8

PAGE 25

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS MARCH 23, 2021: ISSUE 722

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Rotten times? PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

HAWKES BAY’S multi-million dollar apple industry is facing a crisis like never before – all because there are not enough people available to pick the apple crop. Paul Paynter, director of Johnny Appleseed – one of the largest growers in Hawkes Bay – describes the situation as an impending crisis. He says that unless they get suffi-

cient pickers, there is a serious chance that $100 million worth of apples won’t be picked this season. In the case of his own orchards, Paynter told Rural News that it’s likely that 20% of his fruit will not be picked. Johnny Appleseed has 500ha of apples, a further 200ha in stonefruit and another 30ha in pears. “It’s been traumatic here and you can drive down the road and you can see a Royal Gala block that hasn’t been picked

and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be picked,” he says. “We are better off than most because we are a relatively large organisation and probably about the fourth largest apple producer in NZ – so we are well resourced. We have an HR department and a bit of sophistication and can attract people and we have got pretty good campaigns going – yet we are still really struggling. “We need another 140 pickers in the next week or so and I

have no idea where we are going to find them.” Paynter says the apple industry is worth more than half a billion dollars to the Hawkes Bay economy and with upwards of 20% of the crop not being picked that will have a huge impact on the region. He says if the crop isn’t being picked, and wages are not going into the community, the whole regional economy will suffer financially. • See what’s the cause of the apple picker shortage – page 5

Johnny Appleseed’s Paul Paynter describes the situation as an impending crisis.

MESSAGE SENT!

SHEEP AND beef farmers have sent a clear message to the Beef+Lamb NZ board by voting out one long-time director and nearly dumping another. On the back of a controversial board backed resolution to give directors a hefty pay rise, long-time northern South Island director Phil Smith has been dumped with Ashburton farmer Kate Acland thrashing him by 2,792 votes. Meanwhile, northern North Island director Martin Coup was only re-elected by 547 votes ahead of challenger Gray Baldwin. Beef+Lamb NZ directors have come under criticism about the process and appropriateness of a board resolution, presented at the meeting, asking for a substantial increase in director fees. This move became more controversial, following revelations that the board had disestablished the Directors Independent Remuneration Committee (DIRC) late last year, which was set up in 2016 as an independent body to recommend any changes in director remuneration. Farmers had expressed concerns about the removal of the DIRC, which now sees the BLNZ board deciding for themselves about how much they are to be paid. • Farmers say no! – page 4

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 3

No ‘one trick’ pony!

ISSUE 722

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SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEWS ��1-15 AGRIBUSINESS �� 16-17 MARKETS ��18-19 HOUND, EDNA �� 20 CONTACTS �� 20 OPINION �� 20-23 MANAGEMENT �� 24-25 ANIMAL HEALTH ��26-27 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS �� 28-30 RURAL TRADER �� 30-31

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FONTERRA SAYS its revised strategy, focusing on value rather than volume, is paying off. Chief executive Miles Hurrell says its solid half-year results, released last week, shows the strategy is up and running and delivering outcomes. “The whole team is heading in the same direction; we are chasing value, not volume,” he says. Fonterra announced a net profit of $391m for six months ending January 31, 2021. This was 22% lower than the same period last year, which included gains from the sale of two overseas businesses. The co-operative’s normalised profit after tax was $418m, up 43%. Hurrell says Fonterra isn’t a “onetrick pony”. Its scale and diversity in markets and products gave the co-op the ability to move milk to where the most value can be created. The standout performer continues to be Greater China, which delivered

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says its solid half-year results shows the strategy is up and running and delivering outcomes.

a 38% increase in normalised EBIT to $339 million. Hurrell says this reflected the strength of the co-op’s foodservice business in this region, improvements in consumer business and China’s strong economic recovery following the initial impact of Covid-19.

Asia Pacific, which includes New Zealand, lifted its EBIT 9% to $190 million, predominantly driven by people cooking at home during the Covid lockdowns and cooking more with dairy. Fonterra’s rest of the world business (AMENA) experienced a 7% drop

in normalised EBIT, mainly because of lower sales volumes in Ingredients. But Hurrell says Fonterra moved out of AMENA region into higher returning markets and products. Covid wreaked havoc in many Fonterra markets. Hurrell says despite this, the co-op is staying focused on what it can control – looking after people, making progress on strategy to drive sustainable value for New Zealand milk. “I would like to thank our team for delivering this result,” he says. “While we’ve been fortunate here in New Zealand, many of our people overseas are still in lockdown and have now been working from home for 12 months.” However, Fonterra could not avoid shipping delays caused by Covid. “Our sales book is well contracted, however, as a result of some small shipping delays, our product inventory is higher than it was this time last year and this means our investment in working capital is also higher,” says Hurrell.

Hort picking off meat workers

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SOME ORCHARDISTS in Hawkes Bay are so short of people to pick their fruit that they are resorting to ‘poaching’ workers from the meat companies. Rural News has been told that meat workers in the region are being offered more money than they getting at processing plants to pick fruit, with reports of high absenteeism at some meat processing plants as a result.

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Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says a sustained labour shortage has been an ongoing issue for the meat industry for a number of years. However, she says this time round it’s a little bit different because other sectors are also experiencing similar shortages – particularly in the Hawkes Bay. Karapeeva says her office has been told about the horticultural industry trying to attract workers from the meat sector to pick fruit. “It’s just another complexity in the

whole mix of what Covid is throwing at us,” she told Rural News. “The borders are closed and we can’t find extra workers, despite the idea that there are many New Zealanders who don’t have work due to Covid. We just can’t seem to attract them in the regions and into the industry.” Karapeeva says while much has been made of the issue in Hawkes Bay, she wouldn’t be surprised if other regions were experiencing similar pressure. “I know that there are whole

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bunch of people, who for example, who are trying to find halal workers and are struggling to get them.” She says another complication is that during the summer break there were a number of university students who took up temporary roles in the processing industry. However, they have now gone back to university and left another gap in the labour force which that has compounded the problem. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

4 NEWS

Director fee hike voted down by levypayers DAVID ANDERSON

A CONTROVERSIAL move to increase the director fees was voted down by farmers at Beef + Lamb NZ’s annual meeting in Invercargill, last week. As revealed in Rural News, on March 9, the resolution asking for a substantial increase in director fees for both directors of the Meat

Board and Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) had raised the ire of farmers. All BLNZ directors sit on both the Meat Board and BLNZ boards. Levypayers were also concerned at the board’s sudden disestablishment of the Directors Independent Remuneration Committee (DIRC), set up in 2016 as an independent body to recommend any changes in director

same people – agreed that the best approach in future was for the boards to actively take ownership of remuneration recommendations. “The board has to make a final call on this, so we felt the extra layer [the DIRC] was adding complexity to a marketinformed process.” Rural News also uncovered that management consultants Mitch-

remuneration. The establishment of the DIRC was seen as a sound move and in line with how many other farmerowned organisations operate – including Dairy NZ and Fonterra. Chairman Andrew Morrison told Rural News the DIRC was disestablished primarily because both BLNZ and New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB) directors – basically the

ell Notley and Associates (MNA) had been hired by the BLNZ board to prepare a report on director remuneration. The MNA report suggested a substantial increase in Meat Board director fees and also a lift in BLNZ director payments. This was then put forward in the board’s failed resolution at the annual meeting to substantially increase

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BLNZ chair Andrew Morrison says the board stood by its decision to include the director fee resolution at the meeting despite it being rejected by farmers.

director payments. In defending the proposed increase in director fees, Morrison said that farmers will ultimately have the final say on whether or not a controversial move to increase both BLNZ and NZMB director fees would go ahead. And farmers did reject the resolution – with 51.57% of levypayers who participated in the ballot, voting against any rise in the director fees. BLNZ says the proposed increase will now not go ahead. “We stand by our

decision to include the director fee resolution following the thorough review of NZMB’s director fees undertaken in 2020, which was independently reviewed by Mitchell Notley & Associates Ltd,” Morrison said in a statement. “The final decision was always in the hands of voters and the ‘no’ vote shows we need to do more work to convey the increasing complexity of the NZMB’s role and the environment it operates in, and how this relates to director remuneration.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 5

Gov’t ‘naiveity’ cause of crisis PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

JOHNNY APPLESEED is one of the largest apple growers in New Zealand; director Paul Paynter says the current worker shortage crisis in the sector can be sheeted home to Government naivety. He says when Covid19 first hit the country – with many people losing their jobs and overseas workers stopped from coming to NZ – the Government was quick to claim it would provide an opportunity for Kiwis to take up jobs in the ag and hort sectors. However, he says while there has been some uptake, the reality has fallen well short of the enthusiastic expectations. “It was just naïve optimism on the part of Government,” Paynter told Rural News. He says people are not coming to the Hawkes Bay to pick apples for a number of reasons, the major one being the lack of accommodation. Paynter says there is a housing crisis in the region. “The fact is people would prefer jobs in their own communities,” he explains. “If they came here they’d be leaving their friends and families and the security of their dwelling to come to pick apples for 12 weeks.” Paynter says people

NICE SLOGAN WHILE THE lack of pickers is causing stress to Paynter and his managers there are other unknowns further down the track. Covid-19 is always lurking as a problem waiting to disrupt. However, Paynter and his team have been though a lockdown once and are prepared for another one, should it occur. They have documented systems that can be quickly put in place and staff trained to deal with this. They have also bought new equipment to ensure social distancing. They are also having to deal with the vagaries of the 23 markets they export to and where changes to the way his team handles product can change due to Covid. In the meantime, for Paynter and his staff, the next few weeks will stressful, critical and uncertain as they try to get enough staff to pick and pack their apples. Giving priority to Kiwi workers maybe a nice political slogan, but – like many solutions that come out of the Wellington bureaucracy – it seems to fail the practicality test.

“It was just naïve optimism on the part of Government.” were understandably worried about that, and about coming to Hawkes Bay for a job they may not like. “So, there was all this uncertainty associated with it as well.” Pay rates have been used as a reason for people not taking up the option of fruit picking, but Paynter says this is not the case. His pickers are paid a minimum of $20 an hour, but top pickers can earn over $30 – even $40 per hour if they pick more fruit. He also points to the difference between

NZ workers and RSE or workers from the Pacific Islands. He says Kiwis are understandably less motivated and on average work 43 hours a week, whereas the RSE workers who are in NZ for a limited time make the most of their stay and work an average of 54 hours per week. Paynter says unemployment numbers in Hawkes Bay are somewhere around 2,000, but this should not be seen as an indicator of the number of people who can work. “A lot of those people

Paul Paynter says the current worker shortage crisis in the apple sector can be sheeted home to Government naivety.

have challenges in their lives and we see that and try to employ some of them, but we have a relatively low success rate,” he explains. “It’s not easy and we don’t have the capacity to help them deal with all the problems they present with,” he says. Interestingly, age doesn’t matter when it comes to pickers. Paynter says many older people are very fit and often terrify him as they climb up and down ladders. “The oldest picker on site is 78 and I have a guy who is about 74, who every day is out-picking people a third of his age,” he told Rural News.

MISSING THE BACKPACKERS WHILE THERE has been much talk in the mainstream media about the need for RSE or workers from the Pacific Islands, Paynter says it’s the backpackers they miss the most. He says before Covid 50,000 to 60,000 backpackers made the difference between having and not having fruit picked. Paynter says they were hungry for some work and would stay for a month or so, earning every dollar they could in that time. And when they moved on, a new lot rolled into town. He says backpackers were not worried about accommodation because as long as they had access to showers and toilets they would camp on the orchards in tents or vans. “We’d end up with a small bohemian enclave with up to 80 of them based around local orchards,” Paynter told Rural

News. “In contrast, locals want a bed, and I don’t blame them for that, but the reality is that there isn’t any accommodation.” He says there is not quite the problem getting staff to work in the packhouse at Johnny Appleseed. “The people who work there are those who are better suited and prefer working inside – as opposed to climbing up ladders in the sun a doing more physical work.” Paynter adds that the packhouse season is longer because they also process stonefruit and this is picked in mid-November and the operation runs through until the last of apples are picked. “So, we are well geared-up in the packhouse in terms of rank and file staff, but we are certainly short of people such as forklift drivers and quality controllers who are hard to come by.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

6 NEWS

Government sees sense and pushes pause on winter grazing rules SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS ARE welcoming the Government’s decision to delay intensive winter grazing (IWG) rules until May next year. However, environment and animal welfare lobbyists are crying foul. DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel says farmers can now prepare for winter. “It’s been highly collaborative and we will continue working together to deliver good practice winter grazing,” he says. Environment Minister David Parker says the Government will work with industry stakeholders in Southland and Otago over the next 12

months to develop a farm plan ‘module’ ready for formal incorporation into wider certified freshwater farm plans in 2022. IWG is a farming practice where stock are confined to outdoor feeding areas planted with fodder crops. If done poorly, it can have serious negative effects on animal welfare and the environment, particularly freshwater health and estuaries. Farming leaders accept that these practices need to improve and they want to be part of the solution, says Parker. In return for the farming sector’s commitment, the Government has deferred the introduction of IWG practice regulations for a year until May 2022, while these

improvements are made. However, rules preventing the expansion of IWG will still apply. The Government will work with the farming sector to improve on-theground IWG practices for the benefit of freshwater quality and animal welfare. Van der Poel says collaborative action and the farming sector’s input has delivered practical winter grazing decisions, which sees farmers able to continue delivering on good practice changes. “The Government’s decision to deliver change via an intensive winter grazing module as part of certified farm plans, rather than rules, is good news for farmers,” he says.

The Government has deferred the introduction of IWG practice regulations for a year until May 2022.

“Farmers now have time to continue implementing good management practices that will drive positive progress. These will be supported by the winter grazing module and monitoring.” In December, the Southland Advisory Group recommended the Government make several changes to rules under the National Environmental Standard for Freshwater. These included proposed amendments to pugging and resowing dates. The group is made up of two farmer representatives and DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Environment Southland, Fed-

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NO CHOICE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER David Parker had no choice but to defer the implementation of the intensive winter grazing in Southland for one year, National’s agriculture spokesman David Bennett claims. Bennett says the Government had no choice but to defer implementation of intensive winter grazing rules. “This is the third time there’s been changes to this set of regulations,” he says. Bennett claims Parker rushed the process and failed to consult properly with the sector. “While farmers will welcome the delay, there is still a lot of work to be done to make sure any new regulations can actually be achieved,” he says. “The Minister has developed a policy based on ideological notions and farmers showed up in their hundreds to tell Minister Parker his regulations were rushed and unachievable.”

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concerns about their ability to implement the regulations, wanting fair and pragmatic solutions. Beef + Lamb has also welcomed the news, with chief executive Sam McIvor saying it’s encouraging the Government has accepted some of the Southland winter grazing advisory group’s proposals. “However, we will continue to advocate for changes to the rules the Government is intending to apply from May 2022, including deletion of the pugging standards, the resowing dates, and to the slope trigger, as recommended by the Southland report.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 7

Dairy strong despite ‘correction’ SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA CHIEF executive Miles Hurrell says results of the last two dairy auctions reflect volatility in the global markets. Prices came back in last week’s Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction after an extraordinary rise earlier this month. Hurrell says while New Zealand remains mostly sheltered, many countries have not seen the back end of Covid-19. “There is resurgence of Covid in some parts of Europe,” he says. Downward pressure on dairy prices is also coming from increased milk supply from Europe and the US – two major producers. However, prices remain relatively high: whole milk powder (WMP) prices dropped 6.2% to US$4,083/metric tonne at last week’s auction after recording a whopping 20% rise the previous auction. ASB economist Nat Keall expected the price correction and notes that prices for products remain very strong. “Gains a fortnight ago were so enormous that WMP prices remain well north of US$4,000/MT,” Keall says. RaboResearch senior dairy analyst Emma Higgins says last week’s GDT event was always going to be a test for the market, given how prices spiked in the first week of March. “The additional GDT volumes were significant and so for average WMP prices to remain above the US$4,000/MT mark is a really good result, as too was the (small) price gain for SMP. “We think that global supply and demand dynamics still lend themselves to supporting a strong milk price forecast,” says Higgins. Higgins expects WMP prices to remain strong in the coming months. “We think that the expensive cost of producing milk (and WMP) in China, overlaid with the

complexity of global shipping disruptions, alongside modest global milk production growth, lends itself to elevated WMP prices over the coming months,” she says. Keall agrees that aggressive Chinese purchases continue to fuel the strength in prices. “As we’ve noted in recent commentaries, stockpiles in China haven’t kept pace with consumption, while food insecurity fears have continued to support demand. “The auction a fortnight ago saw shipping disruption fears enter the mix as buyers rushed to secure product, bidding up prices in the process. “That narrative remained evident this auction, with strong demand out of ‘North Asia’ continuing to price other regions out of the mix.” However, Keall says there’s need for caution since WMP prices have moved much more dramatically than other products. “This speaks to the fact that while underlying demand for dairy products remains high, shipping fears and the need to reliably secure product for crucial infant formula in the near term are influencing the figures. “At a certain point, there remains the risk that China will have built sufficient stockpiles and start to take its foot off the accelerator. The timing of such a move remains highly uncertain, and the re-entry of other buyers into the market may help offset the price impact.” Fonterra has reaffirmed its forecast farmgate milk price range of $7.30 - $7.90/kgMS and forecast normalised earnings guidance of 25-35c/ share. “Fortunately, we are in a position where, so far, New Zealand dairy is proving to be resilient in a Covid-19 world. It’s a staple in people’s diets around the world and demand is strong,” says Hurrell.

“The strong milk price is great for farmers. It’s good for New Zealand too – with a mid-point of $7.60/kgMS, it would see us contribute more than $11.5 billion to the New Zealand economy.”

RaboResearch’s Emma Higgins says global supply and demand dynamics still lend themselves to supporting a strong milk price.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

8 NEWS

Meat man’s mission ending SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

IT WAS around 27 years ago when Rod Slater agreed to step in as interim chief executive of Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ). He recalls getting a call from then-chairman Dennis Denton, who was worried about the future of the organisation. The chief executive had “gone AWOL” and things were looking dire. Slater, then a board member of B+LNZ, had just sold out of Mad Butcher, the iconic NZ chain he had started with Sir Peter Leitch. Slater told Rural News that was happy to help bail out B+LNZ. “I told him I’ll give him two weeks. Two weeks is now 27 years,” he says. “I’ll recall those

famous words till my dying days.” B+LNZ is responsible for domestic promotion of beef and lamb. Membership is voluntary and funding comes from New Zealand farmers, retailers and processors. Slater points out that it represents the whole supply chain: farmers, processors, wholesalers and retailers. He says B+LNZ works with all stakeholders, which sometimes can get tricky. “There is tremendous competition between supermarkets and independent butchers. Within retailing there’s huge competition between the two major supermarket chains. “We manage to rise above that and benefit everyone without favour, whether it’s a one-man

Rod Slater agreed to step in as chief executive of Beef + Lamb New Zealand for two weeks, 27 years ago, and will now retire from the role later this year.

shop with an apprentice or a supermarket with 300 outlets. “We treat everyone as best and as fairly as we can”. During his tenure, Slater has overseen some of New Zealand’s most iconic campaigns and programmes. This includes the ‘Iron Maidens’ campaign with

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Olympic athletes Sarah Ulmer and the EversSwindell sisters, turning them into a ‘marketers’ dream’. Slater recalls that shortly after he had started in the role, he reached out to B+LNZ’s Aussie equivalent, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), for help on marketing campaigns.

“We did not have much, so I jumped on a plane and went to meet them; they were so hospitable,” he told Rural News. Slater and B+LNZ borrowed $100,000 to buy campaigns at a hugely discounted price from MLA. “Forever, I’ll be grateful to them…they got us on the road,” he says.

The campaigns with Ulmer and the EversSwindell sisters literally hit gold when they won gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Slater says there were two great spinoffs from the association with the athletes – young and successful athletic women representing NZ products to consumers, and farmers, butchers and meat workers identifying with the sports stars. “They were saying ‘they are us’…so this marketing association had stakeholder goodwill and consumer goodwill,” says Slater. Two locally grown ideas – the Steak of Origin and Glammies competitions – also helped generate excitement around NZ meat products. Slater also names the

World Butcher Challenge, run by subsidiary Retail Meat NZ, and the Quality Mark guarantee programme as other highlights of his time at B+LNZ. Being entrusted with the duty of representing farmers, processors and retailers has been a great honour, he says. “However, I feel the time is right [to step down]. I can assure whoever my successor is, they’re in for a hell of a ride.” Slater plans to leave B+LNZ towards the end of this year. He doesn’t have any plans, but aims to keep himself busy with directorships on charitable organisations. “I want to keep myself challenged intellectually – you can only play so many rounds of golf.”

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 9

HOW DO WE DEFINE A

True Triple WITH A WINNING HAND

The forestry and wood processing sector currently brings in between $6 and $7 billion per year, employing 35,000 people.

Programmes aim to attract workers JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews.co.nz

TE URU Rākau Forestry New Zealand says it is providing funding to nine training and employment programmes in the sector. The $1.5 million in funding comes from the One Billion Trees programme, which was announced in 2018. Acting deputy director-general Henry Weston says the Forestry and Wood Processing Workforce Action Plan 20202024 identifies that the sector will require 5,000 more workers by 2025. Weston says there has not been a further breakdown of that figure to find out how many of the required workers would need to fill entry level positions and how many would need to be skilled workers. He told Rural News the food and fibre sectors are key drivers of the New Zealand economy and that investing in projects that attract people to the sector is a priority. “ As New Zealand continues to recover from the economic impacts of Covid-19, we need people taking up careers in this important sector.” Weston says the forestry and wood processing sector currently brings in between $6 and $7 billion per year, employing 35,000 people. “We want to keep helping New Zealanders find exciting and rewarding training and career opportunities. “It was great to see ten trainees graduate from a 17-week Taranaki-based course

at the end of 2020 and go straight into jobs.” The course, run by Treemachine Services, received $183,240 in the round of funding. Another programme KTM Silviculture Limited, in Masterton, received $200,000 to run a programme for 24 trainees to gain Level 3 NZQA silviculture training qualifications. Also identified in the Forestry and Wood Processing Workforce Action Plan is the issue of diversity in the sector. The document states that the majority of employees in the industry are male, European and older than New Zealand’s median age. Weston says a scholarship was set up by Te Uru Rākau Forestry New Zealand to tackle this issue. “Our Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarship programme aims to increase diversity in forestry sciences and engineering, with a strong focus on encouraging Māori and women to embark on forestry careers,” he says. “These two groups currently represent only a small percentage of the forestry workforce in senior level roles, and Te Uru Rākau is working to ensure the forestry and wood processing sectors are more reflective of our communities.” Weston says both the scholarship and the training programme funding are a part of the organisation’s programme to assist the industry to meet its employment needs in the future.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

10 NEWS

Farmer pinged for multiple employment law breaches SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A SOUTH Canterbury dairy farmer has been fined $30,000 for breaching employment entitlements of 24 workers. Dietmar Kopetschny and his company Greywacke Farms admitted failing to keep time and leave records of employees, failing to pay minimum hourly wage rates and deducting wages without employee consent. The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ordered Greywacke Farms Limited and Kopetschny to pay $20,000 and $10,000 respectively in penalties for failure to

comply with employment law. Of this, $7500 will be paid out to three former employees. The ruling comes as the dairy industry struggles to attract workers to milk cows. The company ran two dairy farms in South Canterbury that supplied milk to Fonterra while Kopetschny also operated as a sole trader, working as a sharemilker. In early 2019 the Labour Inspectorate received complaints from previous and current employees. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says the investigation revealed breaches of minimum employment standards

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in relation to 24 workers across the operations. About half of them were migrants on temporary

work visas. ERA member David Beck noted in his ruling that the Labour Inspector

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did not provide a calculation or estimate of the cost of all of the breaches borne by the employees apart from a few individual examples. In regard to evident minimum wage breaches, the Labour Inspector noted that due to record keeping deficiencies, “it is not possible to accurately calculate how often minimum wage breaches occurred and what the arrears would be”. “Viewing the nature and extent of the breaches, I estimate that the sums involved are likely to be reasonably significant and I must have regard of the value to the employees concerned of not getting additional paid days off for working on public holidays and that as low paid employees, the value of wages forgone or part thereof, can cause significant material hardship,”

ruled Beck. “I also consider that in industries that are at times labour intensive the reduction of the cost of labour overheads by illegitimate means gives the perpetrator an unfair competitive advantage over businesses that comply with legal obligations.” MBIE says the inspectorate found the employer had a complicated rostering system and manually recorded payroll and leave data. “This resulted in failures to keep compliant wage, time, holiday and leave records, failures to calculate and pay correct holiday pay to eight employees, and failure to pay minimum wage to at least one employee. “The employer also failed to obtain consent from one employee for making deductions from wages for providing the

employee with accommodation.” Labour Inspectorate acting regional manager Callum McMillan said the dairy farming industry is a focus area for the Labour Inspectorate. “We have been working together with the dairy industry over a number of years to lift employment law compliance. “The industry made significant improvements to put assurance systems in place and have readily available support for farmers on matters of employment. “This makes it even more disappointing to find there are still dairy farmers that undermine minimum employment standards. Employers cannot cut their overheads by taking advantage of workers.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 11

Vigilance over velvetleaf PERFECT GROWING conditions have led to the further spread of the problem weed velvetleaf in various parts of New Zealand over the summer and autumn. Rural Contractors NZ vice-president Helen Slattery says there have been new finds of velvetleaf in mid-Canterbury, Auckland and Waikato and there are incursions in nearly every region. “There are small blocks in Auckland with absentee owners that were previously in maize that are riddled with it.” A member of the mallow family, velvetleaf is notoriously hard to control; each plant can produce over 30,000 seeds which survive for a long time. If allowed to germinate it could mean 70% reductions in crops. Slattery is a member of MPI’s Velvetleaf Steering group, representing rural contractors. “As contractors we have particular concerns

because we work on a variety of properties and the last thing we want to do is help spread this pest.” She says contractors should report any velvetleaf and clean down machinery between farms. Thousands of velvetleaf plants can appear on infested properties – particularly after land is cultivated. Seeds can be produced from plants at 15cm tall, but these plants can grow to 2m. Stock eating velvetleaf seeds in maize provide a source of spread as seeds are not killed after being digested. Seeds also survive the ensiling process. The South Island has a different strain of velvetleaf and appears to produce less seeds and appears that it is less invasive than the one found in the North Island. However, it is still a concern, Slattery continues reminding rural contrac-

tors to be alert to velvetleaf and to maintain machinery hygiene and biosecurity practices, especially at this time of the year when it presents

most risk of being spread. Some sprays are effective but have to be applied at the right time of year when the weed is immature.

Rural Contractors NZ vicepresident and a member of MPI’s Velvetleaf Steering group Helen Slattery.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

12 NEWS

Pastoral lease review untenable – farmers Federated Farmers team of Kim Reilly (l), Jim Greenslade and Peter Wilson outside parliament after making their submission to the Environment Select Committee.

DAVID ANDERSON

HIGH COUNTRY farmers are questioning the Government’s motives and the legality of its proposed reforms to pastoral land legislation. “The Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill is a solution looking for a problem, and is unnecessary, counterproductive and potentially unlawful,” Federated Farmers South Island policy manager Kim Reilly told the Environment Select Committee that is overseeing the bill. “The existing contractual relationship [under the Crown Pastoral Land system] based on trust and reciprocity would be replaced by an approach of regulation, policing and enforcement.” Reilly says the bill – as proposed – reduces the certainty of leases and the incentives for farmers to continue to invest in enhanced environmental outcomes. “The bill adds nothing except unnecessary costs, delays, complexity and red tape.” South Island farmer and Federated Farmers High Country member Jim Greenslade said a flaw of the bill – as has become apparent with the Essential Freshwater

CONFLICT OF INTEREST? HIGH COUNTRY farmers are concerned about the conflict of interest of the MP chairing Environment Select Committee overseeing Crown Pastoral Land reform Bill. Submission hearings before the Environment Select Committee are underway, with almost 2,000 public submissions. However, there is concern that the select committee is chaired by Greens MP Eugenie Sage. She was the minister in charge of introducing the Bill at its first reading in the previous Parliament. “Being before the Environment Select Committee with a conflict of interest is a concern being expressed by so many, it

swallowed by lawyers, consultants and consents. Federated Farmers has also questioned the lawfulness of many of the changes proposed. “In our view, there are serious questions around the principles of natural justice, and a significant and unjust erosion of the lessee interests and rights,” Reilly added. High Country Accord Trust chair Philip Todhunter reckons the provisions of the bill put at risk the outcomes and objectives it claims to promote. Writing on the Newsroom website, he says that “numerous drafting

regulations – is its onesize-fits-all approach. “High country farmers were very aware of land stewardship responsibilities, in particular so they can pass the Crown lease properties they have worked hard to look after and improve to the next generation,” he told the select committee. “But improving the land, fencing wetlands and managing pest animals and weeds is expensive.” Greenslade warns that the proposed pastoral land reform legislation would undermine that incentive and see money that farmers could spend on that work instead be

“Removing a few sheep will not in and of itself enhance biodiversity,” he argues. “That requires active management: plant and animal pest control initiatives, planting programmes, soil conservation initiatives. Most leaseholders do that work now – because the terms of their lease require it.” Todhunter says requiring farmers to get a consent – at a cost – to carry out day-to-day farming operations will not encourage this behaviour. Meanwhile, ACT’s agriculture spokesman Mark Cameron has accused the Government of showing “extreme arrogance” in its stance

errors” plague the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill, which make it “farcical”. “Requiring a consent to carry out fencing work necessary to comply with other regulations, or to replace a stock water trough; the almost impossible list of conditions that need to be met to clear invasive exotic plants without a consent – even though the terms of the lease require that work to be done.” Todhunter says the bill’s authors “clearly fail to recognise” what is actually required to maintain, let alone enhance, inherent land values.

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restricting leaseholders’ ability to farm profitably will also reduce the funds available for environmental enhancements above and beyond the bare minimum. “Currently, almost all lessees are actively engaged in weed and pest control over and above their contractual obligations,” he adds. “A number have formal conservation covenants; many have informal conservation plans or detailed integrated farm management plans.” Todhunter says the idea that pastoral farming and good environmental outcomes are mutually exclusive is “simply wrong”.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

14 NEWS

Smith to push for more automation in the hort sector PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

MORE AUTOMATION in orchards – that’s what Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith

says he’s going to push hard for in the coming 12 months. He told Rural News that there is real growth in horticulture and the opportunity for more, but New Zealand has not

solved the labour supply problem. “Too much of the horticultural industry has been built off the back of immigrant labour and the risk of that is what we see now,” Smith says.

“If anything goes wrong with that supply chain of workers then you have massive problems. That is why there is a need for the investment in automation and we want to see this directed to what

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can be done in orchards.” Smith says automation is not a packhouse problem. He says the goal must be to develop automation that takes away some of the menial tasks in orchards and vineyards – such as pruning. He says such tasks often need to be done at times of the year when the weather is cold and some of this work is often not highly paid. “If we don’t do this we are asking for large quantities of itinerant and casual labour to do it and that is very hard to manage as a business,” Smith told Rural News. “Kiwifruit is good example. NZ and Italy are probably the biggest producers of kiwifruit and if we don’t develop the automation systems for kiwifruit, who is going to do it?” he asks. Smith does not believe that NZ has invested

enough to get ourselves over the line in this respect. However, while Smith is pushing for more automation in the hort sector, he’ll continue to push to get more New Zealanders into jobs in the sector as well. He says some of the campaigns by individual product groups have been successful and have attracted students who were not aware of the opportunities available. But Smith concedes other campaigns have been less than successful. “The real thing is, how do we get more Kiwis coming through our secondary school systems thinking about a job in the primary sector?” he says. “I would really love to see more New Zealanders saying ‘this is where I really want to go’ and see a pathway and the opportunities.”

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DAIRY FARMERS have heard what will be required to meet the country’s climate change obligations. Last week’s Dairy Environment Leaders Forum, in Wellington, heard Climate Change Commission chair Dr Rodd Carr tell the group that all New Zealanders have a responsibility to begin reducing emissions if we are to rise to the climate challenge. “The science is now so clear that we have to act because greenhouse gases are causing the climate to change,” Carr said. “There is technical feasibility, economic effects and social acceptance we need to address”. However, he conceded that long-term, there will need to be a technological break-through for farming. Climate Change Minister James Shaw echoed that view, saying there are diverse tools farmers can use in different farm conditions across New Zealand and there is time to achieve the changes. Dairy Environment Leaders chair Melissa Slattery said farmers are committed to playing their part to solve environmental challenges, and have a lot of great work underway already. But she said regulations need to be practical behind the farm gate and have pragmatic timeframes.

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

NEWS 15

Ploughing hopes for no disruptions NIGEL MALTHUS

THERE ARE high hopes that the 66th New Zealand Ploughing Championships will go ahead on schedule this year, after the disruptions to last year’s event caused by the Covid lockdown. The championships are being held at Riversdale, Southland, on April 10 and 11. “We got a bit of a scare the other day when Auckland got locked down,” admits organising committee spokesman Mark Dillon. “Covid’s upset the whole world really. I suppose it’s lucky that we can even go ahead.” Last year’s event was supposed to be in Hawkes Bay in April, but was postponed and eventually took place at Kirwee, in Canterbury, in late July.

What, where, when ●● ●● ●●

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What, where and when? What: 2021 NZ Ploughing Championships Where: 230 Riversdale - Waikaia Road, Southland, When: April 10 and 11, from 10am each day.

A former national champion, who represented New Zealand in the 2014 World Championships in France, Dillon is a cropping, sheep and beef and grazing farmer and rural contractor. He is hosting this year’s event on his own farm. He told Rural News entries include 16 conventional, five reversible, nine vintage, and five or six teams of horse drawn ploughs – the latter sponsored by Rural News Group. He expects both Silver Class champion Ian Woolley (Blenheim) and Reversible Champion

Mark Dillon competes in the 2017 NZ Ploughing Championships at Courtenay, Canterbury. Rural News Group

Malcolm Taylor (Putaruru) to defend their titles. Meanwhile, it is still unclear whether this year’s World Champion-

ships, which Woolley and Taylor have qualified for, will be able to go ahead in Ireland in September. Winners of the Riversdale event will qualify

for the 2022 Worlds in St. Petersburg, Russia. Dillon will himself be competing in the conventional class, in which he placed third last year.

He is also a keen competitor in Tractorpull competitions, being the chairman of Southern Tractor Pull. Not surprisingly, a Tractorpull

event will be run this year alongside the ploughing. Dillon says the machine he uses in Tractorpull, a vintage Fordson, is currently “in the shed” having a new Ford truck motor fitted. “It’s not long been done up so it should be a better engine that what I had.” He hopes 40 or 50 machines might turn out for the Tractorpull, but that may depend on the weather. About 20 turned recently out just for a local Tractorpull at the Balfour Backyard Beauties car, motorbike and machinery rally in early March. Another feature of this year’s event will be a demonstration of GPScontrolled ploughing put on by machinery supplier Power Farming. There will also be craft and food stalls and entry is by gold coin donation.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

16 AGRIBUSINESS

Wyeth’s move west welcomed PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A FEW weeks ago, Richard Wyeth took over as chief executive of Yiliowned Westland Milk Products and says his first impressions of the company and its people are positive. It was only a few months ago he was head of the highly-successful Maori owned dairy company Miraka – a company he helped set up from scratch. However, Wyeth says he’s really enjoying the new job at Westland and what’s really impressed him is the people in the business. “There is a really strong desire to see the business do well and people are working really hard to do this,” he told Rural News.

For Wyeth, the move to Westland has some new challenges and differences from his early days at Miraka. “When I started there, I was the only employee, but this time round there are 700 staff,” he explains. “It is certainly different coming into an established business. It is quite a unique business in the sense that it has been around for a long time and is now under Yili’s ownership.” Wyeth says part of his role is helping to make sure that solid foundation at Westland works with the Chinese ownership, and leverage off the strength of the parent company. He says one of differences from Miraka is that he reports to a head office in China to a company that is the fifth largest dairy company in

New chief executive of Yili-owned Westland Milk Products Richard Wyeth says his first impressions of the company are positive.

the world. He says Westland is a small subsidiary of that large business, which is quite different from Miraka that was a

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small company in its own right. However, during his time at Miraka, Wyeth was a frequent visitor

to China and has a good understanding of the culture of Chinese business systems. “What I quite like

is that I can bring my experience in working with the Chinese and help the West Coast to understand those cultural differences because, ultimately, we want the same thing and that is for Westland Milk to be successful – which means that the West Coast will be successful,” he told Rural News. “If I can do a good job with Westland, then Hokitika – and the whole West Coast – will do well and it will help Yili achieve its goal of being the third biggest dairy company in the world by 2025.” Wyeth is working out of Westland’s Canterbury office and has made trips to Hokitika to meet with his leadership team and staff. Not surprisingly, he’s been pre-occupied with focusing on the main business and hasn’t

had the opportunity to get out and meet some of the 429 farmers who supply the company. “Absolutely I am looking forward to getting out on farm and meeting all the farmer’s and am planning to do that in the coming weeks,” he says. It’s early days yet and Wyeth is in the phase of looking at the business and making sure that it is profitable. First impressions are, he says, that the plant and equipment is tidy and everything is where it needs to be. He says the organisation is well positioned to achieve what is required in the coming years. “We have guaranteed to pay a competitive milk price and to do that we need be making high value products and selling them across the globe,” he adds.

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

AGRIBUSINESS 17

Aussie machinery sector booms on back of government incentive last year. This has now improved to around 90% of normal capacity.” Looking at the regions in more detail, year-todate sales in NSW are 107% more than 2020, Victoria 43% more, Queensland 62% more, while Western Australia is 72% ahead of last year. Increases appear to be spread evenly across the four reporting categories, with the under 40hp range up 73% year-todate. The 40-100hp range is up 63%, the 100-200hp category 50% up and the 200hp+ sector now 110% ahead of last year. Until recently, the latter category had been hit hard by supply issues. However, the backlog of orders is now being addressed. Industry sources are suggesting that they expect to see a continuation of this strong demand at least until the Government’s instant asset write-off scheme expires on June 30. Agriview’s Alan Kirsten says the exceptional year is not just limited to tractors, but machinery in general has been in high demand. “In dollar terms, just under $2.7 billion worth of machinery was retailed, which is up 14% on 2019,” he explains. “When you add in the value of parts, service and a clean out of second-hand gear, the total comes to around $4 billion – and that is a huge result.” Kirsten adds this is especially so considering that by mid-year 2020, stock levels had been run down and availability was

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW TRACTOR sales in Australia look to be on track to hit the 14,000 mark for the year. This follows yet another record month in February, with sales up a huge 74% on the same month in 2020. Of course, we now know that rain, ideal growing conditions and the federal government’s instant asset write-off scheme transpired to see sales passing the 13,600 mark for the first time in about 40 years. Reports show that 14,000 units are likely to be surpassed if current demand continues. Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia executive director Gary Northover says sales are now 34% higher compared with the same period last year. “The current level of activity is even more remarkable given the strains with supply being experienced right across the supply chain,” he says. “However, there are early signs that this may be improving.” Northover adds that, since mid-2020, the supply of product from manufacturing facilities in Europe, the US and Asia has been heavily impacted by the Covid-19 lockdowns and social distancing requirements. “An indicator of this is the amount of shipping activity being seen through Australian ports, which is reported to be around 40-50% of normal capacity in the middle of

looking like it might be an issue. Greg Crawford – country manager Australia/ New Zealand for De Lage Landen – expects the coming 12 to 24 months to be relatively buoyant on the back of farmer and

dealer confidence. “Of course, this will depend on the virus outcomes in Europe and America and what effect that has on production as well as shipping to Australia and New Zealand,” he says.

New tractor sales in Australia look to be on track to hit the 14,000 mark for the year.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

global agribusiness research analysts sharing market outlooks

18 MARKETS & TRENDS

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Steady as she goes? Dairy MILK SUPPLY grew by 0.8% for January compared to last year. Seasonal milk production (for the eight months to January 2021) is holding at 0.8% on a tonnage basis. We anticipate

that February 2021 milk collections will remain in positive territory, despite having some shine taken off with dry conditions in the top half of the North Island and east coast of both Islands.

The heat in commodity markets has continued into the second and third months of the new year, driven by several forces. Shipping delays have been a key driver of the recent spike in global pricing as buyers scramble for short term cover in anticipation of interruptions getting product to market. A lift to both the Fonterra farmgate milk price forecast and earnings forecast has provided a shot of confidence to farmers. Fonterra’s most recent forecast range is NZ$ 6.90/ kgMS to NZ$ 7.50/ kgMS: a lift of NZc 20/ kgMS. The cooperative has also narrowed forecast earnings guidance by NZc 5 at the bottom end of the range to NZc 25 NZc 35

per share. RaboResearch has also lifted its price forecast for the current 2020/21 season to NZ$ 7.80/ kgMS.

Beef RABORESEARCH EXPECTS farmgate prices to generally hold steady during March, with the potential for marginal price drops in some parts of the country if climatic conditions and feed availability start to have a meaningful impact on supply flows. There was very little movement in farmgate prices during February. As at the end of February, the North Island bull price was NZ$ 5.00/kg cwt, with the South Island bull price sitting at NZ$ 4.60/ kg cwt. Prices have been very consistent since mid-December, in stark

contrast to the sharp decline experienced during the same period last season. As a result, the YOY pricing gap, which was significant earlier in the season, has all but disappeared in most regions. Prices in

both Islands continue to sit slightly below their five year average. Tightening cattle supplies since Christmas have also helped hold prices steady. Despite supplies slowing, NZ’s season to date cattle slaughter still remains well ahead of where it

was at this stage last season (+8.3% YOY as of January 30).

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MARKETS & TRENDS 19

COUNTRIES

Content supplied by Rabobank - Growing a Better New Zealand Together the globe. The NZ$ is eating into returns and is being reflected in prices that are being paid at the farmgate. Favourable growing conditions in many regions since the start of the year have seen lamb kill fall back to levels similar to last season (+0.9% YOY as of January 30), with a clear split between the North Island kill (2.9% YOY) and the South Island kill (+5.3% YOY).

Climate of Covid 19 lockdowns in China, and associated supply chain disruptions, were starting to materialise. As of the end of February, the price in the North Island averaged NZ$ 6.50/kg cwt 6% YOY) while South Island lamb averaged NZ$ 6.25/ kg cwt 8% YOY). NZ’s key export markets have performed relatively well so far in 2021, considering Covid 19 continues to rage in many parts of

the normal range are expected for the remainder of the country. NIWA is forecasting below-normal soil moisture levels for the north and east of the North Island. Eastern South Island is likely to have normal soil moisture levels. Normal or belownormal soil moisture levels through to April 2021 are most likely for

the remainder of New Zealand.

Exchange rate THE NZ$ closed February higher, despite a late month slip driven by a global asset market fall. On a four month view, the NZ$ has gained over 9% versus the US$. The strength of the NZ$ raises the question of what else, if anything, the RBNZ can do to subdue the

impact on the currency of the reflation trade. In late February, it certainly hosed down expectations that rates would be increased any time soon. It noted that it would take some time for full confidence to return and the need to be mindful of the fact that central banks had been too quick to normalise policy coming out of previous crises around the world. The

US$ will likely be held back through 2021 by a late start to the hiking cycle by the Fed. The NZ$ is likely to remain well supported around current levels as long as reflation is dominating market attention. RaboResearch expects the NZ$ to tap in at USc 74 by Q1 2022. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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– but see reason for optimism beyond the peak supply period. Farmgate prices did ease over the last month, but we saw no major pricing correction once lambs started coming forward in significant numbers, with prices only declining 2% MOM. For comparison, prices in February 2020 fell 6% 7% MOM, although this was during the period that the full impact

NIWA IS forecasting that temperatures through to April 2021 are likely to be aboveaverage for the top of the North Island. The rest of New Zealand has an equal chance of average or above average temperatures. Rainfall levels are anticipated by NIWA to be normal or below normal in the north and east of the North Island, as well as the West Coast of the South Island. Rainfall levels in

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

20 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Sensible pause FINALLY THE Government has made a sensible move to temporarily pause the implementation of the impractical rules that accompany its proposed regulations on winter grazing. Last week Environment Minister David Parker and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced a temporary delay, until 1 May 2022, of intensive winter grazing (IWG) rules taking effect. For months farmers, industry groups and councils around the country have highlighted the unworkability of the rules and that numerous issues need to be addressed. Hopefully, this extra time will ensure that both politicians and bureaucrats will now listen to the real concerns of farmers and councils, and implement rules that will actually work to benefit the environment and farming. It is unbelievable that despite empirical evidence about how the IWG rules, that were part of the Essential Freshwater legislation passed in August last year, had a number of unworkable parts, ministers and bureaucrats took so long to act. This ‘we know best’ attitude needs to change as it is a huge hindrance to making any real progress in improving the country’s water. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has admitted that “over-reach” by Wellington officials and a desire by the Government to have the rules in place prior to last year’s election is an indictment. It shows that it placed far more importance on electioneering and pandering to green-tinged urban voters, than ensuring practical, workable rules would be implemented that actually would improve environmental outcomes. It has taken the outstanding work of the Southland Winter Grazing Advisory Group, made up of a number of farming and environmental groups, to provide a comprehensive report to the ministers outlining a better way forward. Thankfully, the Government has finally listened. This pause in the IWG rules, allows for a proper opportunity to ensure that the final regulations and provisions are practical and workable for farmers, councils and regulators to achieve the environmental outcomes everybody wants to see.

SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND? GOT SOMETHING on your mind about the latest issues affecting our farming industry? Put your pen to paper or your fingers to your keyboard, and let our readers know what you think. Contact us by either post or email. Don’t forget to put your name and address. Note: Letters may be edited. post to: Letter to the Editor PO Box 331100 Takapuna , Auckland 0740. or Email: editor@ruralnews.co.nz

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HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 PUBLISHER: Brian Hight ......................................... Ph 09 307 0399 GENERAL MANAGER: Adam Fricker ....................................... Ph 021-842 226 CONSULTING EDITOR: David Anderson .................................. Ph 09 307 0399 davida@ruralnews.co.nz

“I think we’ll find it’s actually been won by whoever next pays most to host it!”

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

THE HOUND Hypocrites

Shameful

CURRENTLY IT’S the seasonal round of half-yearly financial reporting by NZ companies. Of course, all of these companies – like the rest of New Zealand – endured a very tough time due to the Covid pandemic and ensuing lockdowns in 2020. However, the Hound notes that one particular media outlet – the woke folk at Stuff – cannot help mentioning in its stories, if a company claimed the wage subsidy, how much it claimed and if it has paid it back or not. These articles make a big deal if a company has made any kind of profit and not paid back the wage subsidy – despite the fact making a profit or not was never a condition of companies being eligible for the wage subsidy. Funny thing is that Stuff itself claimed more than $6 million in wage subsidies and has not paid one, single cent of it back! Looks all very hypocritical to this old mutt.

A MATE of the Hound reckons a certain high-profile director of one of the country’s big meat co-ops and recent addition to the board of a NZ wool company is living up to the mantra of: “Do as I say, not as I do.” One would have thought that this person would be a big supporter and staunch advocate of NZ wool – especially given he is a director of a wool company and the meat co-op he’s a director of is behind the recent push to revive NZ wool through the Strong Wool Action Group. However, rumour has it our anti-hero’s holiday home in the South Island (nice what director fees can buy you these days) has just been re-carpeted with synthetic flooring! Apparently, the wool option was “just too expensive”. Wow…As the Hound’s mate says: “What a kick in the guts for the country’s struggling wool producers”.

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Appropriate!

Not so sweet YOUR CANINE crusader picked up on a recent statement from Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor claiming how wonderfully the country’s honey sector is doing. According to O’Connor’s highly spun press statement, everything is hunky dory for the country’s honey industry. However, the reality is somewhat different with NZ’s honey producers saying O’Connor’s sunny claims about the sector “have no relevance to the current situation”. It seems unless they a producing manuka honey, it is very tough going. This can be seen in wholesale prices for tablegrade clover honey at $3 - $4/kg, while production costs are around $6 - $8/kg. Even O’Connor’s own ministry, MPI, acknowledges the struggle the sector is going through with its 2020 Apiculture Monitoring Report. Less spin, more facts please Minister!

A MATE of yours truly reckons it was totally appropriate that last week’s UN ‘International Day of Fruit and Vegetables’ held a function at Parliament, marking this momentous event. According to your canine crusader’s less than woke acquaintance, “you could not find a better place in all of NZ with more fruits and vegetables than Parliament”. Now, some people may very well think that, but the Hound could not possibly comment. Meanwhile, this reminds your old mate of the joke about Margaret Thatcher taking her cabinet out for dinner: The waiter asks her what she will be eating tonight. Thatcher replies, “I’ll have the steak.” The waiter then asks, “What about the vegetables?” To which Thatcher responds, “They’ll have the same as me”

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

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

OPINION 21

A giant step backwards DOUG EDMEADES

LAST MONTH, a white paper on RA was released: “Regenerative Agriculture in Aotearoa New Zealand - research pathway to build science-based evidence and national narratives.” We are told that 200-plus people contributed to this 55-page report. Lead author Dr Gwen Grelet chided the sceptics; “It’s time to stop bickering and focus on identifying any true benefits regenerative agriculture might have for New Zealand.” If bickering is what it is, then bicker I must! I am appalled by some of the junk science dished up in this report. RA practitioners do not like synthetic fertilisers – they are considered “a disturbance to the diversity and function of the soil microbiome.” This is nonsense. There are many studies showing that correcting nutrients deficiencies using synthetic fertiliser enhances soil biological activity. RA advocates suggest: “Using carbon-based products such as humatederived substances to chelate fertiliser...” There is no credible science to support this idea. To stimulate the soil, they recommend the use of fish hydroslyates, seaweed derivatives, diluted seawater, compost, aqueous composts extracts, biochar and isolated fungi/bacterial strains. Have these people not heard of the famous Maxicrop Case and its aftermath? Most of these types of products cannot and do not work as claimed! RA proponents suggest that: “Intentional bale ‘wastage’ creates a fertiliser effect and improves soil health.” As any farmer knows, if you self-feed a bale of hay in winter, animals munch around – shit, piss and pug — and leave behind a giant excreta patch. There is little nutrient value in the hay itself and the nutrients left behind by the animals have been collected from elsewhere around the paddock. No net gain in fertiliser nutrients at the cost of an area of damaged soil! They also comment

that “some practitioners (of RA) use the AlbrechtKinsey soil audit methodology to diagnose balancing requirements” (of soil nutrients). This theory of soil fertility has been rubbished many times by science. It results in higher fertiliser costs for no additional benefit. To cap it off RA promoters note that “some practitioners take into account lunar and other astral cycles to determine the timing of particular interventions on their system, such as planting or harvesting.” Such practices would take agricultural science firmly back to the middle ages when witches were burnt at the stake and the hobgoblins danced in the bottom of the garden. The white paper asks us to “…focus on identifying any true benefits regenerative agriculture might have for New Zealand”. However, in terms of managing the fertility of our soils, RA offers no true benefits for New Zealand agriculture. In fact, it is worse than that – there is only a down side. It is predictable from known science that if farmers do not replace the nutrients that are removed from the farm in product, the soil fertility will decline – and with it pasture and animal production. Because the science has been done, we can put numbers on this – the loss in production will be about 5% per year. To reinforce the point, a recent comparative study in NSW Australia shows that the return on assets on RA farms is about 1% compared to conventional operations at 4%. What galls me is – at the very time we need a strong productive agricultural sector – we are dished up with this nonsense in the name of progress. It galls me that we have had a century of science-driven agricultural progress in New Zealand and are now being invited back to the middle ages in the name of progress. It angers me that the report is presented to give the impression of a widespread and united voice. There are about

200 co-authors, reviewers, research participants etc. listed. That gives a false impression of unity. In December 2020, the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science published a 26 page special edition of its newsletter AgScience containing articles from

11 leading NZ scientists covering all aspects of agricultural science, exposing RA for what it is – pseudo-science. The current crop of politicians and farmer bodies seem enamoured by RA, despite the fact that it is predictable that in the long term RA farmers will go back to farm-

ing like medieval peasants – a low input/low output feudal type of farming. Perhaps that is what the RA enthusiasts want? • Dr Doug Edmeades is a soil scientist and managing director of own science consulting business agKnowledge. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Doug Edmeades says he is appalled by some of the junk science dished up in a recent white paper on regenerative agriculture.

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22 OPINION

Global Britain – is it about to become a reality? Former NZ agriculture and trade minister, and ex-High Commissioner to the UK, Lockwood Smith was the only non-UK member of the UK Trade & Agriculture Commission (TAC), which was tasked by Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss, to look at finding a way forward of Britain supporting trade liberalisation, while ensuring UK standards are not undermined. WHATEVER ITS strengths or weaknesses, the UK has heft. A member of the G7, G20 and hosting COP26 this year, it is a major player. The UK’s trade strategy matters. But while the UK’s political leadership wants that smart global trade strategy implemented, charting the way forward has its challenges. Some of the most difficult of these lie in agriculture

and the agri-foods sector. There is a UK public fear that liberalising trade in agriculture may put at risk their high standards in food safety, animal welfare, the environment, and human rights, not to mention undermining the UK’s work on climate change. Political leaders have given a commitment that the trade strategy will not undermine these deeply held priorities. Making the prob-

lem even more complex is the fact that UK agriculture is just emerging from 40 years under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. Its inherently protectionist nature was hardly the best preparation for an industry about to wade into the competitive international marketplace. The TAC report to the UK Trade Secretary contains an interesting innovation. The proposal

has the potential to take global trade forward and avoid trade stifling ideas such as carbon border taxes, or dual ex ante tariff rates to address differing standards of production. In essence, the proposal would see food safety, plant and animal health, and biosecurity issues determined as at present under the SPS agreement of the WTO. Allaying any UK con-

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Lockwood Smith believes the UK has an opportunity to pursue a smart global trade strategy.

sumer concerns on these issues shouldn’t be difficult as the SPS agreement has proven efficacy. More difficult are the issues relating to methods of production, such as animal welfare, the environment, labour and human rights, and now climate concerns. The TAC proposal would see the UK, in negotiating free trade agreements in the future, providing open access over time to the UK market where trading partners agreed to meet internationally recognised standards in these areas so important UK consumers. Where, in a free trade agreement, a trading partner has agreed to certain animal welfare, environmental, human rights and ethical trade standards, yet fails to enforce those standards, thereby cheap-

ening costs of production and creating a market distortion, the UK would be empowered to impose a remedial tariff on that product. The size of the remedial tariff would be proportionate to the damage inflicted on local producers by the market distortion created by the trading partner. It would apply only to the product in question, and because it formed part of an FTA, could be applied quickly on clear evidence and removed when the problem, or market distortion, had been rectified. Should the UK adopt this proposal, it would show the world that it was walking the talk on its Global Britain aspiration. It would show the world that it is prepared to liberalise key markets, even agriculture, but it

in a way that provides its own producers with the confidence that they would not be competing with products produced to lower standards than those agreed in trade agreements. With climate change still a major matter on the world’s mind, this mechanism may offer a way of dealing with countries that fail to meet their Paris Accord commitments, possibly gaining competitive advantage as a result. It would provide an incentive to ensure trading partners do meet their climate change commitments, and, by avoiding border carbon taxes, facilitate production continuing in countries where their comparative advantage may be more carbon efficient systems. Fundamental to the policy, is the two-pronged approach – which the UK will open its market to trading partners, but those partners must agree to implement internationally recognised standards, or the equivalent of them, as required in the UK. Applied wisely, the proposal has merit; the UK is now in a position to take it to the world.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

OPINION 23

The human being factor! JUST LIKE you, everyone I have ever met, myself included, suffers from what I call “The Human Being Factor”. We all make mistakes, we all make errors of judgement; we’ve all simply got the wrong idea about stuff at times. The safest pair of hands in the team still drops catches, the best of the best still drop passes and knock the ball on. A moment of sporting brilliance can soon be followed up by some sort of “brain fade” and a moment of stupidity. Nobody could put it better than NBA great Michael Jordan: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot, and missed. I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Ahhh…the human being factor! To illustrate again, in the summer of 1986, two ships collided up in the Black Sea off Russia’s coast. One was a passenger liner, the other a freighter. Apparently, the passenger liner went down so quick crew never had the time to launch any lifeboats. Over 400 people of the more than 1,200 onboard perished. Many had gone to bed for the night so they went down with the ship.

may take a while, even repeating the same thing over and over. Then they move on, often with the help of others. 3. Some just don’t seem to want to learn. They seem to revel in excuses, or perhaps they just feel trapped with no way out. When that’s the case, one

FARMER’S CHAPLAIN

Colin Miller

Others never survived the icy waters. The investigation into the tragedy revealed both captains knew the other boat was there. There was no weather incident, the weather was actually good. Nor was there any radar failure or other technical issues to blame. Both captains had plenty of time for any necessary course correction to enable them to steer clear. But both chose not to! One report I read said both captains refused to yield and give way to the other boat, until of course it was all too late. So, were stubbornness, pride and inflated egos involved? With both captains being humans, then most certainly, I’d say! Now with mistakes, here’s some food for thought. It appears to me that usually most folks will take one of three options. 1. They will quickly learn from their mistake and successfully move on. 2. They will learn from it, but not so quickly. It

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PAGE 24

can give up even trying. You will surely benefit from the help and support of others if that’s you. I make no attempt to hide my humanness. Why bother? It’s very obvious to others, so attempting to hide it really is not very intel-

ligent! I can do a few things well, but certainly all of you can do many things way better than I can. Also, I’m very happy to accept help, and do not feel any less of a person for acknowledging that. If you happen to have

sheep, you will know they need the care and help of a shepherd. If you’re not drenching them, then maybe you are jetting or dagging/crutching them, getting them ready for shearing, etc. We have to regularly watch the blackberry, and the muddy wet areas with ours.

Well, there is a great shepherd also. Multi-millions around the globe, like me, acknowledge our need, and constantly seek his help. For me, he’s been the huge difference maker in my journey and time on this planet! Take care and God bless.

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

24 MANAGEMENT

Which pasture would you rather end up with? The result of sowing bare seed (left) next to treated.

Ensure your pasture feeds animals AN AGRONOMIST is warning that unusually high insect pressure has seen spring-sown crops take a real hiding in some regions this season. Blair Cotching – a pasture systems manager for Barenbrug – says farmers about to drill new pasture seed need to plan for similar challenges or risk losing valuable feed. He says that between them, Argentine stem weevil (ASW), black beetle, black field crickets, porina, grass grub and springtails can make a meal of new grass and clover before you realise there’s a problem. Cotching also advises that sowing perennial ryegrass seed with novel endophyte doesn’t give strong protection of the plant from insects until later in life, so even these cultivars can

be heavily hit as seedlings. “That’s why it’s so important to scout your new grass paddocks before sowing, and see what insects are present, in what numbers,” he says. “Otherwise by the time the damage is done, it’s often too late to do much about it. Then you’re left with two outcomes – first, the difficult decision of whether to re-sow, which is costly in its own right; and second, the serious implications of not having feed available later in the season when you need it.” Scouting pests early is especially important for farmers in areas which may once have been considered safe from certain insects such as black beetle. “We used to think black beetle

was restricted to Tokoroa north, for example, but now we’re starting to see it reaching some concerning levels of abundance in places like Foxton,” Cotching adds. He says seed treatment is a must where the most damaging insect pests are expected to be present, he says, and is a key part of a tiered approach to control, with other elements including insecticide applications and/or bait as required. “Seed treatment like AGRICOTE Grass and AGRICOTE Clover will help protect seedlings at their most vulnerable stage from being eaten by ASW, black beetle and grass grub.” Cotching says adult ASW can kill ryegrass seedlings as they first emerge, particularly where dry conditions mean

seedlings take longer to establish. “Adult black beetle can also destroy newly sown autumn pasture, chewing through the base of emerging ryegrass plants and killing them.” He says spray-drilled and undersown pasture is particularly vulnerable as the insect population is not controlled by cultivation. “Treated seed will discourage grass grub larvae from feeding on seedling roots. But the treatment does not kill them outright, so if numbers are high and pastures have been undersown for example at lower rates of seed per ha compared with normal sowing (i.e., 10-15 kg seed/ha) it’s best to plan for additional grass grub control at sowing.” Cotching adds that, longer term, a

minimal tillage programme can allow numbers to stabilise. “Black field crickets can be very prevalent in areas where heavy clay soils have dried out with deep cracks. Populations of more than 10/m2 are economically damaging; baits offer effective control,” he says. “Springtails can damage newly sown clover and plantain in particular out of all proportion with their size, and if this is seen as a risk, it’s best to include an appropriate insecticide with the last herbicide spray out before sowing,” Cotching explains. “Pasture production losses from springtail infestation of up to 20% frequently occur and reductions in clover yield of up to 50% have been recorded.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

MANAGEMENT 25

Awards open up doors SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

THE 2021 AUCKLAND/ HAURAKI dairy manager of the year Stephanie Walker says the dairy industry awards competition has provided her with invaluable networking. “It has been priceless to be able to surround myself with like-minded individuals,” she says. “The awards have been amazing and provided incredible opportunities for my career.” Walker has been farming for five years, and is in her first year managing the 218ha Kauri Moor farm in Huntly, milking 615 cows. She won $6,975 in prizes and two merit awards at the awards night this month. With an urban background, Walker says she was unaware of the variety of jobs within the rural sector. “I have always been involved with large animals since taking a liking to horses at a young age. I originally went to university to become a vet but changed after my first year to agriculture science.” The future of the New Zealand dairy industry looks bright to Walker who is pleased that urban schools are becoming more aware of farm life. “Fonterra operating

milk for schools and open gate farm days allows young people, like me, to question more about our industry and the opportunities it presents,” she says. “I look forward to seeing younger people enter the industry.” Walker identifies Kauri Moor’s environmental focus as a strength of the business. “It gives the next generation the best chance of being able to enjoy the farming lifestyle like I have been fortunate to do.” “Evolving technology is another strength of our farm: from milk quality to feeding levels, the farm is always looking at ways to improve technology to make better decisions on farm.” Feeding and maintaining happy healthy cows, her staff and a desire to do better today than yesterday are a few things that drive Walker during the harder times on farm. “I would change the few employers that still run very tough rosters if I could,” she says. “Mental health is so often compromised in the dairy industry and it is important we all look after our own and provide conditions and rosters that allow staff to perform at their peak.” Future farming goals include fine-tuning management decisions, saving

and building equity to buy into sharemilking within eight years, Quinn Youngman was named Runner-up of the 2021 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager category and says he is driven to work hard and succeed in the dairy industry. “I want to build a solid equity base through farming to ensure we have secure stable future.” He is farm manager

for David Deans on his 320ha, 720-cow Mercer property and believes maximising the farm gate milk price through the A2 and winter milk premium is a hallmark of the business. Future farming goals include contract milking in the 22/23 season and progressing to sharemilking. Rebecca Casidy and Alexander Voysey were third place getters in the

2021Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager category. The couple say their experiences through the awards programme have been invaluable.

2021 Auckland Hauraki dairy manager of the year Stephanie Walker says the dairy industry awards competition has provided her with invaluable networking.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

26 ANIMAL HEALTH

MPI re-checking bovis farms to ensure disease is gone PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

MPI IS doing a double check of farms that have been infected with M.bovis in the past. According to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director of the Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme, Stuart Anderson, it’s a case of ensuring that there is no infection left on any of the farms. Anderson says MPI is coming to the tail end of the eradication programme, although there are still some infected farms in the South Island. He says the number of staff involved in the programme has been reduced and they have also driven efficiencies in the way the programme operates. “We now know a lot more about the disease than we did in the early stages of the programme and over time we have developed some better tools for tracing and modelling the spread,” he told Rural News. “So it’s now a case of going back through, particularly those early cases, to apply these new tools for tracing and using the improved modelling we have developed, as well

MPI director of the Mycoplasma bovis eradication programme Stuart Anderson.

as our better knowledge of the disease. The aim is just to make sure that all the potential sources of risk have been identified and ensuring that, in terms of the risk, we haven’t left any stone unturned.” Anderson says the review has the support of the M. bovis Technical Advisory Group (TAG), which agrees this is about reassurance and best practice. He adds there are no flags that have alerted them to any particular problems on farms that suggest something

might have been missed in the past. He says there is now more awareness of M. bovis than there was in the early stages of the programme and admits it was certainly tough for farmers dealing with the disease. Anderson believes one of the positives to emerge is the general awareness and compliance with NAIT. “We have definitely learned a lot from what happened in the early stages of the programme and there were some hard lessons then – things

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Ashburton dairy farmer Frank Peters had his farm depopulated of cattle in May 2019 after M.bovis was confirmed in a milk sample from one animal taken at the end of March that year.

didn’t always go as well as they should,” he adds. They have worked really hard to gain from these lessons and, in particular, developing better relationships with farmers. “We’ve got people operating at the regional level – who have either got a farming background, an understanding of farming or have a rural connection.”

Anderson says whenever they have to do such things as testing or depopulating animals from a farm, MPI tries its best to understand the farming business. “We know that each farming business is different and we work up a plan and try to do things better,” he says. Anderson says MPI is also focusing more on supporting farmers and

working with Rural Support Trusts and other agencies to help farmers and the wider rural community affected by M. bovis. He says by doing this, they get to feel the pulse of the community and get a better handle on the nature and size of the issues. He admits there is still some more work to be done to finally eradicate M. bovis, but says MPI is

confident that it is tracking in the right direction. “My message to farmers is that this piece of work is also about recognising the sacrifices and commitments made by the 260-plus farmers who have been through bovis,” Anderson says. “To make sure we have swept across everything and that there are no risks that haven’t been addressed.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

ANIMAL HEALTH 27

Small window to lift ewe condition SHEEP FARMERS in many parts of the country have the next few weeks to lift the condition of their lighter ewes before the ram goes out. Body Condition Scoring (BCS) pre-tupping allows farmers to identify any ewes that fall outside the optimum BCS 3–4. These can be then managed strategically to either lift or reduce body condition. This could include running lighter-conditioned ewes on priority pasture or forage crops and/or supplementary feeding. Numerous studies have shown that ewes with a BCS of 3–4 at lambing give birth to heavier lambs, are better mothers, have more milk and wean heavier lambs with a higher survival rate. To determine the body condition score, place a hand behind the ewe’s 13th rib. Using of the balls of the fingers and thumbs, feel the backbone with the thumb and end of the short ribs with the finger tips behind the last rib. Feel the muscle and fat cover around the end of the short ribs and backbone. So, what does BCS 3 feel like? The vertical processes are smooth and rounded; the bone is only felt with pressure. The horizontal processes are also smooth and well-covered; hard pressure with the fingers is needed to find the ends. The loin muscle is full, with a moderate fat cover. The actual numbers are not as important as consistency, so it is preferable for just one or two people to be doing the scoring. More information about Body Condition Scoring: https://beeflambnz.com/search?term=Body+Condition+Scoring

Farmers have the next few weeks to lift the condition of their lighter ewes before the ram goes out. PHOTO: KIEREN SCOTT

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

28 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

JD’s MY22 9 Series line-up includes the wheeled 9R, twin-track 9RT and the four-track 9RX.

Green machine upgrades for 2022 MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

JOHN DEERE’S MY22 9 Series line-up includes the wheeled 9R, twintrack 9RT and the fourtrack 9RX – featuring a larger, more comfortable cab. Meanwhile, the allnew John Deere PowerTech 13.6 litre engine delivers 390 to 590hp, with the larger 9R 640

and 9RX 640 powered by a Cummins 15 litre engine. To put the added horsepower to the ground, several undercarriage, axle, and frontframe components have been strengthened. This makes the tractors heavier and increases the maximum available ballast from 27,200 to 30,300kg. The 9 Series tractors

come equipped from the factory with JDLink connectivity, plus an integrated StarFire GPS receiver, Generation 4 Command Center display, AutoTrac guidance and free access to the John Deere Operations Center. The latest 8 Series, from 230 to 410hp, come with multiple transmission options. This includes the wheeled 8R,

twin-track 8RT and fourtrack 8RX, which have also come with a range of options. The Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS) option changes tyre pressures when “road” or “field” settings are engaged on 8R tractors equipped with Independent-Link Suspension (ILSTM). On the road, increased pressure offers greater

fuel efficiency, reduced tyre wear and improved ride and handling. Meanwhile, in the paddock, lower pressures and a larger footprint provides more lug engagement to reduce slip and ground pressure. New, integrated 3750 L capacity ExactRate Tractor Tanks options on the 8RX provide additional liquid capacity for liquid fertiliser application,

while seeding and planting – delivering more time at work and greater productivity. All 8 Series tractors come standard with JDLink connectivity, plus an integrated StarFire GPS receiver. As well as Generation 4 CommandCenter display, AutoTrac guidance and free access to John Deere’s Operations Center JD offers a number

of models across the 8R, 8RT and 8RX line-up ranging from 230 to 410 horsepower. These machines come with multiple transmission options to help meet the unique needs of diverse farming enterprises. Each of these models also comes with comfort, visibility and technology options. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

A VERY SMART RETROFITTING KIT MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

LEMKEN’S SMART iQblue connect for TIM (tractor implement management) has recently been certified by the independent Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF). This makes the company the first manufacturer to be awarded this certification for implement control. The smart iQblue connect retrofitting kit, already awarded a silver medal at Agritechnica 2019, offers the opportunity to use the benefits of TIM control for smart tillage. Com-

bined with the ISOBUS interface of the tractor, iQblue connect allows data to be exchanged between the tractor and implement. This lets the implement control tractor functions such as ground speed or spool valves automatically. The flexible retrofitting solution permits existing tillage implements to be automated by installing an iQblue connect module, which can also be used on a range of implements. Connected to the tractor via its ISOBUS interface, the module also features GPS and a mobile data connection for communication pur-

poses. The system automatically adapts to the implement it is connected to at any time and therefore substantially reduces the user’s workload. When fitted to a plough, GPSbased working width control is easily achieved. With iQblue connect transmitting implement data on the plough’s GPS position, and current working width, to the TIM which enables the hydraulic control unit on the tractor to automatically control the cylinder for the plough’s working width. This ensures that the plough always produces a precise and

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straight furrow. At the same time, it also allows operators to plough towards a target furrow, vastly increasing the efficiency when ploughing wedgeshaped fields. For semi-mounted cultivators, the working depth can be detected by a sensor, using iQblue connect to collect the area-specific target working depth from digital maps. From this, the TIM adjusts the working depth of the tine section and leveling tools to the changing soil conditions in the field via the tractor’s hydraulic system.

An important prerequisite for using iQblue connect is that the tractor has TIM functionality with AEF certification. AEF is a neutral, multi-vendor organization that works to promote the increased use and standardisation of electronics in agricultural technology. Its members include all leading agricultural technology manufacturers. iQblue connect is compatible with implements by other manufacturers and will be available from October 2021. www.lemken.com

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 29

New highperformance coulters MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AMAZONE’S NEW sixmetre Cirrus 6003-2 and 6003-2C seed drills are now available with TwinTeC+ double disc coulters that are said to enable precise and rapid sowing of large areas. The 380mm diameter high-performance coulters are made of pre-tensioned boron steel for high wear resistance. Fitted on a row spacing of between 12.5cm and 16.6cm, the coulter pressure can be hydraulically adjusted from 15 to 100kg. This ensures accurate contour tracking on hilly terrain and precise seed placement, even with small seeds. Coulter pressure is adjusted using the pressure relief valve, while working depth is altered using the mechanical crank handles. Depth guidance rollers with running widths of 50, 65 or 80mm can be fitted to match to light, medium or heavy soil conditions. A coulter harrow, with adjustable operating intensity, can be fitted to the wheel carriers of the second coulter row. CLAAS Harvest Centre product manager Steve Gorman says the new coulters incorporate sev-

eral technical innovations. “TwinTeC+ coulters provide reliable operation under all soil types and operating conditions,” he explains. “Even with crusted surfaces, heavy soils or undulating ground, the coulter reliably reaches the placement depth. They cut perfect seed furrows with accurate depth at operating speeds of between 10 and 20 km/h.” Gorman says the wide spacing between coulters and rows, together with the relatively flat 10-degree pitch of the seeding discs, ensures good throughput and blockage-free operation – even under different conditions. Alternatively, the Cirrus can be equipped with the existing RoTeC single disc coulters, which are ideal for use on heavy or sticky soils or if there is a high amount of crop residues. The coulter arm, manufactured from forged steel, thickens at the end and is interlocked with tongue and groove – thereby creating a longer and stronger welding seam. The coulters are attached to the machine frame via a special bearing clamp made of highstrength forged steel. Embossing on the

ROOTS OUT PROBLEMS AUSTRIAN MANUFACTURER Pöttinger has introduced the new Durastar narrow share for its Synkro and Synkro-T, mounted stubble cultivators. The new share is 40mm wide, with an elongated profile, which negates the need for separate guide plate that is typically required for a narrow share. In use, soil can be intensively loosened to a working depth of 35cm, which means that plough pans or compacted sub-surface layers are broken up. This action results in the long-term improvement of the soil structure, drainage, oxygen absorption and root penetration. Also introduced in late 2020, the Durastar Plus duck foot share, features a highly wear-resistant cutting edge fitted with cemented carbide tips. Available for the three gang SYNKRO 1030 stubble cultivators, service life is said to be up to four times greater than the Classic duck foot share.

inside of the clamp prevents the four shockabsorbing rubber cords from moving or twisting. There is also a metal stop preventing the coulter arm from swinging up during road transport.

The disc carrier arms also carry a guide extension, which prevents the seed from jumping within the furrow, a closer that presses the seed into the bottom of the furrow for uniform placement.

The Cirrus 6003-2 (pictured) and 6003-2C seed drills are now available with TwinTeC+ double disc coulters.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER

She’s one big feeder MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

FEEDER SPECIALISTS Hustler has released a maxi-sized multi-feeder aimed at large scale farms in New Zealand and further afield. The new RX 218 measures 6.7m long, 2.56m wide, it has a 1.3m high body and tips the scales at around 7 tonnes empty. Offering a capacity of 21.4 cubic metres filled level or 26 cubic metres heaped, the feeder is rated for a load capacity of 20 tonnes. In practical terms, the manufacLASER FF95

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turer suggests this means 10 round bales or 14 large squares. Featuring a Tridem axle configuration with rear wheel steering, the layout incorporates heavy-duty leaf springs and tie rods. This keeps the vehicle on track while eliminating ‘bounce’, with stopping duties falling to hydraulic brakes on all six wheels. The company also suggests that in other units of this type, fitted with only tandem axles, there is a likelihood of exceeding tractor drawbar ratings as the load moved

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forwards, with subsequent poor ride quality. By spreading the load over its three axles, there is a much larger footprint through the

500-45R22.5 tyres, leading to a more constant loading and a smoother ride. Looking at the ‘feeding’ hardware, the main body and unloading areas incorporate a heavy-duty Puckboard floor of up to 15mm thickness. This is

Hustler has released a maxi-sized, multi-feeder aimed at large-scale farms.

said to be naturally slippery, tough and durable. The

looks after the axle assemblies and hard to reach bearings. The drivelines are fitted with bearings throughout, with all chains kept in check by adjustable tensioners. Operators benefit from a host of features, including joystick controls, a large frontal viewing area to monitor the position of the load, bolton fenders, access platform and ladder and a two-speed parking jack. www.hustlerequipment. com

twin-speed pusher plate, running on grease-less slides, brings the load forwards using hydraulic cylinders. The feeding element uses 12,000lb rate chains, running over hardened sprockets, with larger feeder bars for greater strength. Ease of maintenance is taken care of by a central greasing system that

The Doosan system allows operators to “see” blind spots ahead of the bucket, with the view displayed on the in-cab monitor.

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jection mode. In the addition to safety, the company also suggests that the system will lead to better operational efficiencies. This is because it provides a forward view when loading and unloading, carrying loose aggregates, soil or sand and “seeing” over the side of vehicles being loaded. Believed to be the first of its type, Doosan has applied for patents in Europe, North America, Korea and China. The company’s idea is to complement other systems such as Around View Monitors (AVM) to indicate hazards around the machine periphery and rear ultrasonic obstacle warning sensors. – Mark Daniel

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valued at $140

New Zealand owned & operated

EARTHWALK 06 0746 0177988 02 (ANZ)

LEGGINGS

S, M, L, XL, XXL sizes arrive June

sizes: BOOTS 5 - 13 (NZ)

RAINWEAR XS - 4XL

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 23, 2021

RURAL TRADER 31 Quadbar introduces the new

FLEXIBAR

735

+GST

FLY OR LICE PROBLEMS? The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989

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

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

Flexibar includes all the safety and convenience features of the Quadbar with the added advantages of: • A flexible joint that allows the bar to flex rearwards in the event of contact with an overhead obstacle • The joint facilitates some sideways flexibility before locking and becoming more of a traditional crush protection device • In the event of a rearwards flip there is negligible movement from the flexible joint

Recommended by Worksafe. ACC subsidy available

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

• The top section of the Flexibar can also be easily removed for transportation inside a vehicle.

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

SOUT SEE US A T H DAYS ISLAND – SIT FIELD E M8 21

Citrus Cleaner Concentrate Moss Killer Super Strength Moss Killer Hard Surface Dairy Shed, Smokhouse, Butchery and Fishing Boat Cleaner exclusive covid 19

• Grow vegetables all year round and extend your growing season. • Very affordable and easy to install. • Strong construction that resists all weather conditions. t/f

03 214 4262 |

info@morrifield.com

• Over 10,00 happy customers

10%

discount off

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.

GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE QUICK TO SETUP – EASY TO USE – JOB DONE

PH 06-835 6863 • MOB 021-061 1800 JETTER VIDEO: www.craigcojetters.com

Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz

*Discount applies exclusively for lifestock block owners and the rural sector. Promo expires 28th of February 2021

Rubber Safety Matting

• Range of models 2m to 8m long.

www.morrifield.com

SHEEP JETTERS SINCE 1992

Click on ‘enter promo code’ at checkout type ‘summer 2021’ and then lock ‘apply to redeem the discount.

• 100% New Zealand made.

• Nationwide delivery available.

CRAIGCO SENSOR JET • Robust construction • Auto shut gate • Total 20 jets • Lambs only 5 jets • Side jets for lice • Adjustable V panels • Davey Twin Impellor Pump • 6.5 or 9.0hp motors

WWW.toXc.co.nZ 0508 987 363

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

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

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

Phone

06 323 4181

0800 625 826 for your nearest stockist

Joiners supplied FREE with culvert pipes