Rural News 13 February 2024 by Rural News Group

AGRIBUSINESS

MANAGEMENT

Avocado growers are taking a major hit .

Reconnection and innovation key at East Coast Farm Expo.

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NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

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Organisers hoping for better weather, turnout at field days. PAGE 17

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS FEBRUARY 13, 2024: ISSUE 794

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Optimism in the air SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

THERE IS a feeling of optimism in the dairy industry, says Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre. Despite high interest rates and input costs, farmers feel things will get better, he says. His comments came as global dairy prices recorded their fifth consecutive

rise on Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction. Since the start of summer, prices have risen by 12% cumulatively, with last week’s GDT gains being their largest gain so far. Whole milk powder and butter prices have been the big movers, rising 13% and 32% over that period. Overall prices continue to sit at their highest since June 2023 and have lifted

by around 29% since last year’s low in August 2023. McIntyre acknowledges that dairy farmers have been struggling under the burden of high interest rates, high input costs and a below breakeven milk price. However, there is a feeling of optimism that things will get better, he told Rural News. “Last year’s general election brought in a government that has promised to

resolve many of the dairy industry’s concerns, although now it is a matter of ensuring that these promises are put into action. “Interest rates appear to have reached their peak and are putting considerable strain on farmers carrying high levels of debt.” He says the rise in GDT prices in recent months has provided relief and hope for dairy farmers.

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VINTAGE KING! At age 98, Otaki dairy farmer Carl Lutz is still restoring farm tractors. He was one of many enthusiasts from vintage machinery clubs around the lower North Island who held a ‘Harvest Weekend’ on a farm just outside Levin. The two-day event attracted great crowds and a huge array of tractors and other implements once used on NZ farms. Lutz has restored 26 tractors and is still restoring some farm implements. He bought his first tractor, a Fordson Irish N, when he was just 18 and although he traded this in back in 1949, in recent years he managed to acquire a similar model and add it to his collection. Look out for the next issue of Rural News for a full feature showcasing the machines that made the ag sector what it is today. Photo: Peter Burke

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“Fonterra’s milk price has already risen 75 cents since the low in August and there is talk that another rise could be on the cards.” Fonterra’s forecast milk price midpoint, on Thursday last week, was $7.50/ kgMS. Westpac has lifted its forecast milk price to $7.90/kgMS, just 10c short of the upper end of Fonterra’s guidance range. Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold noted that the uptrend in dairy prices is interesting now that it seems to be extending into 2024. He says Chinese consumers still appear cautious which also makes them cautious about the strength of demand in the coming year. “But forecasts of Chinese growth have stabilised in recent months as the authorities have increasingly provided support to the economy. “Much of this support seems more focused on the industrial sector as opposed to consumers but it may be the case that some of this support might increasingly spill over into the soft commodities we export to China.” ASB now expects farmers to get around $8/kgMS for this season. ASB economist Nat Keall says the resilience in prices has been such that their estimate for the season’s farmgate milk price continues to be “mechanically pushed higher”. “As such, we now think farmers can expect a price at or around the $8/kgMS mark. “Increasingly, the question is whether prices can build on their current levels over the next season in the face of another year of deceleration in the Chinese economy.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NEWS 3 ISSUE 794

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Roller coaster ride for red meat prices PETER BURKE

NEWS �� 1-9 AGRIBUSINESS ��11 HOUND, EDNA �� 12 CONTACTS �� 12 OPINION �� 12-14 MANAGEMENT �� 15 ANIMAL HEALTH �� 16 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS ��17-30 RURAL TRADER �� 30-31

HEAD OFFICE Lower Ground Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: Inkwise NZ Ltd CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz

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THE VALUE of New Zealand’s red meat exports last year suffered an 11% drop to $10.2 billion, compared with the 2022. But according to the Meat Industry Association (MIA), this was despite the fact the actual volume of meat exported was up. The drop in value, according to Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva, was mainly due to tough economic conditions and inflationary pressures in many of our key markets. “Consumers around the world still want to buy red meat but they are not paying as much for it,” she says. Karapeeva says increased supply

from other exporters, including a significant increase in Australian sheepmeat exports, also had an impact. She says the top five markets were unchanged from 2022, but the value of New Zealand exports was mostly down, reflecting the overall trend. The bogey man in the equation is China – NZ’s largest market – where exports fell 16% to $3.6 billion. It continued to be NZ’s largest sheepmeat market at 216,079 tonnes – 56% of total sheepmeat exports. Volumes rose by 10% but value also fell 10% to $1.4 billion. But Karapeeva says China has now cut tariffs on Australian sheepmeat exports there, meaning NZ no longer enjoys a tariff advantage in the market. At the same time, China remains NZ’s largest beef market by volume at

203,509 tonnes, but this is down 6%. “The weak Chinese economy, high inventory levels and large volumes of Brazilian exports saw value drop 26 percent to $1.56 billion,” she says. In terms of sheepmeat, the US, our third largest market by volume at 27,567 tonnes but the second largest by value at $544 million, is a concern. In the past year, volumes exported to the USA fell 5% and 8% by value. The UK, the second largest sheepmeat market at 30,133 tonnes, was down 7% by volume and 29% by value to $291 million. “The drop was mostly due to the effect of high inflation and food prices on consumer spending, with some impact from increased Australian supply following Australia’s FTA with the UK coming into force mid-year,”

says Karapeeva. Overall beef exports showed signs of recovery with volumes up by 7% but the value fell 9% to $4.4 billion. However, there was a significant recovery of beef exports to the US. Drought conditions that led to high US domestic production during 2022 eased in some regions and New Zealand and Australia benefited from the increased demand, with both having good quota access. Karapeeva says NZ’s beef exports to the US grew by 46% to 181,040 tonnes and 28% by value to $1.6 billion. Finally on the positive side, she says the NZ red meat sector has a diverse export market strategy and this has helped mitigate the impact of the weakening demand and pricing in any one single market.

FARMERS ARE DOING MORE ON SUSTAINABILITY

FORMER FEDERATED Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says farmers should be commended for their work around sustainability. Delivering his maiden speech in Parliament this month, the Manawatū dairy farmer noted that farmers are always trying something new in their farming systems. “Some work, some don’t; we adopt, we adapt, and it’s incremental. Like all good things, they take time. “The biggest change I have seen isn’t the physical one on the farms, but it’s one of a mindset shift and what many farmers are looking at, as to what more they can do. “We have seen the growth of catchment groups, and I

see dairy farmers talking with pride at how much fencing of waterways they have done.” Hoggard recalled speaking on a farming panel at the World Dairy Summit in Rotterdam. He says all the other farmers got up and talked about what they were going to do and maybe intended to do, whereas he was able to get up and speak about what we had done, all without subsidies—”a point that got a few laughs, but probably more grumpy looks from the EU”. He says the biggest risk to further progress is ignoring this change. “If the feeling amongst farmers becomes, ‘Why do I bother to do all this, because there is nothing I am doing that

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is being recognised?’, they will give up. “They lose hope; they stop doing. Farming will continue to evolve.” Hoggard acknowledged his former Feds colleagues who are in Parliament – Miles Anderson, Mike Butterick and Mark Patterson. “My time in Feds has also prepared me for this role, from gaining knowledge around a myriad of issues to trying to find compromise amongst that broad church that is the Fed Farmers national council— to the most difficult challenge of all, presenting at a select committee and trying to understand what the hell the question they just asked me meant in English.

ACT MPs Andrew Hoggard and Mark Cameron wore gumboots to Parliament to highlight the role of farmers.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

4 NEWS

Are farmers ready for the waves of change? PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

WHAT WILL the Reserve Bank do with interest rates, when will the

Chinese economy recover and will the geopolitical situation in the world get better or worse? These are just some of the questions posed

in the latest Rabobank Agricultural Outlook for 2024. It says that the New Zealand ag sector will have to ride the wave of change in the coming

year, pointing to the three key areas mentioned above, all of which have implications for farmers. The question, says one of the authors of the

report, senior agricultural analyst, Emma Higgins, is will the waves of change be relatively smooth or will the sea be choppy? She says success in Emma Higgins, Rabobank, says the New Zealand ag sector will have to ride the wave of change in the coming year.

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navigating the year will depend on people having a strategic mindset, agility and collaborating – something that NZ farmers are well practised at. Higgins says it’s likely the Reserve Bank will hold off official cash rate cuts until the second half of the year and then the cuts will be modest. She says wholesale interest rates have eased back since Christmas and are flowing through to retail, meaning some good news for those with loans and mortgages. “The second undercurrent NZ agribusiness could face in 2024 will be the Chinese market which is expected to create a challenging course for exporters. “This is our key export market and is likely to continue to have a slow economy this year. This is due to property price pressures, weak consumer confidence, dwindling demographics, and lethargic global consumer demand for Chinese exports,” she says. Higgins says this doesn’t bode well for strong commodity prices for New Zealand food and fibre export products which are heavily reliant

on China. The other major challenge for NZ agri is the geopolitical situation with wars in Ukraine, Israel and Gaza and attacks on ships trying to go to the northern hemisphere via the Suez Canal. The latter problem could see a rise in freight rates to and from NZ. On top of the conflicts, there is the looming threat or political uncertainty among some of the economic superpowers, such as the EU, the US, India and Russia, who all have elections this year. Higgins says some of our key trading partners, the UK, Korea and Indonesia, also have elections. “Closer to home, we have the new coalition Government settling in with priorities still being decided,” she says. She says what happens with the weather in NZ will create another ripple of uncertainty. She says the message to farmers is to keep a close eye on feed supply and quality, and stocking rates heading towards winter. “Sustainability and emission reductions will remain a key theme for the sector in the years ahead,” she says.

COMMODITIES OUTLOOK EMMA HIGGINS has put out a few predictions about the outlook for individual commodities for the coming year: • Dairy - While dairy commodity prices are back to long-term averages, current fundamentals provide the perfect ingredients for price volatility to be a key theme for 2024. • Beef - Rabobank expects resilient beef pricing in NZ over the next 12 months with good demand forecast from the US. • Sheepmeat - This remains a subdued waiting game for 2024 but there is hope that the second half of the year will see a more positive upward correction in pricing. • Horticulture - The kiwifruit industry is expecting a year of record returns as progress has been made to improve fruit quality over the past few years. • Farm inputs - After a few seasons of persisting rising prices, the coming year will see a reversal in the trend and lower costs from fertilisers and agrochemicals are expected.

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NEWS 5

‘Don’t forget the East Coast’ DON’T FORGET East Coast growers hit by Cyclone Gabrielle one year ago. That’s the message for the Government from Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Nadine Tunley. The cyclone wreaked devastation upon growing areas across the Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, Northland, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and northern Manawatū last February with many growers still rebuilding their businesses. “We must not forget those still working to recover and focus on building resilience to such extreme weather events,” says Tunley. “For many growers, the rebuild and renewal process will take many years and the investment required to enable these regions to once again thrive will be massive.” HortNZ wants the Government to press ahead with its 100 Day Plan, including meeting councils and communities to establish regional requirements for the recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle. It also wants the Government to make good on its pledge to use additional Orders in Council to speed up cyclone and flood recovery efforts. “The industry and the communities across these regions have made remarkable progress but more help is needed,” says Tunley.

Nadine Tunley

“Stakeholders across the sectors continue to work together to meet the immediate necessities and ensure the long-term recovery of impacted areas. “As the frequency and severity of adverse weather events increase, steps to mitigate or reduce damage have become even more crucial.” The hort sector wants to see changes to various policy settings, including a whole of catchment approach to flood protection and water use. “We want highly productive land protected for primary production and primary production prioritised on highly productive land,” says Tunley. “This approach would see more bush on hill country, fewer houses in flood prone valleys, and more water storage throughout the catchment. “Prioritising highly productive land for primary production requires maintaining flexibility of land use and

providing reliable access to water, supported by consenting timeframes that enable growers to invest in using and sharing water in the most efficient and sustainable ways.” Tunley believes all of these steps will further support the process of recovery and development of the industry in the most severely affected areas. “The level of indebtedness means the East Coast region has a huge mountain to climb. We may also face another significant economic or geopolitical shock in the next decade. “That means some innovative solutions are needed. Some growers have told me they would like the government to put in place a model that engages the private sector through targeted incentives. “This could include easing of overseas investment rules for investment in affected businesses, the ability to retain tax losses on all restructuring of affected

Onions among the debris in and around Karamu Stream, near Whakatu a rural community in Hastings after Cyclone Gabrielle last year. Photographer Mark Sudfelt.

businesses and tax write offs on all cyclone related capital purchases over five years. Nothing should be off the table.” Tunley points out that the horticulture sector plays a critical role – employing over 40,000 people. The benefits from growing operations flow out into the wider community in so many of our rural and often remote communities, she says. “On a national level, it makes a significant contribution to growing a prosperous and sustainable economy, exporting to 125 markets, while ensuring food security for New Zealanders.”

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6 NEWS

Funding injection sought for ailing rural general practices recommendations found in the report, such as an analysis of afterhours care and a renewed model of funding, would enable general practices to provide more comprehensive and

LEO ARGENT

WITH THE beginning of the new year and the end of the government recess, Rural Health Network is calling on the coalition Government to keep its promises on investment into ailing rural general practices. Chair of Rural Health Network Dr Fiona Bolden says that despite providing essential services and preventative care to patients, rural general practices are under-resourced, overstretched and understaffed. “Historically, many rural services have offered 24/7 care because there are no other options. It’s a

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real concern seeing the provision of 24/7 care changing because when the practice is closed the only option for that person is to travel many hours to get to a hospital if they’re even able to do that.” A 2022 Sapere report on general practice funding found that the current funding mechanisms for primary health care are inequitable. Hauora Taiwhenua says that implementing the

integrated care for their communities, keeping them from hospital admissions and the associated costs in many instances. With approximately one million people in

New Zealand reporting that it takes too long to access timely and affordable primary care, and 5000 nurses lost to Australia in 2023, Bolden says that immediate investment and support

HELP IS ON THE WAY – GOVT HEALTH NEW Zealand contacted Rural News with further information about other initiatives they are undertaking to address the issues of the rural healthcare workforce. Director Workforce, Development and Planning, John Snook, says 20 additional places in the Rural Medical Immersion Programme will ensure more fifth-year medical students can be supported through their training from their local rural community, with a long term plan to develop rural hubs for continued and expanded education in rural settings.

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It is also undertaking a design process with tertiary, primary, and community providers and rural communities to develop a national rural training system. The Voluntary Bonding Scheme for 2024 is being expanded to include two new categories – Anaesthetic Technicians and Pharmacists – to encourage and retain recently qualified health professionals. A $9,100 accommodation allowance has been introduced for General Practice Education Programme (GPEP) trainees who live within 30km of their rural GP practice.

in primary care – as promised during the election by National and ACT – is the best way to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequities for all New Zealanders. “Sixty per cent of rural practices are advertising for one or more doctors, with some having been unsuccessful after advertising for more than two years.” Speaking to Rural News, Minister of Health Shane Reti said that increasing the number of home-grown doctors was an “absolute priority”. “The first initiative in support of this goal will be to add another 50 medical school placements at Auckland

and Otago from 2025 and our plan for establishing a third medical school in Hamilton,” he said. “I’ll also be working with officials on exploring other opportunities around improving recruitment and retention of medical staff to support all our communities. “Being able to access primary care close to home plays a vital role in supporting better health outcomes for New Zealanders and preventing an escalation of issues. My colleague Matt Doocey will have a delegation for rural health and we are fully committed to exploring ways we can support rural health providers.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NEWS 7

Brighter news for dairy PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE COUNTRY’S dairy farmers are a lot happier and a lot less concerned than they were before Christmas, according to DairyNZ’s head of farm performance Sarah Speight. She says overall conditions are looking better than forecast and the onus is now on farmers to make the most out of the few months while the cows are milking happily.

places around the country are starting to get a bit dry – such as patches of the Waikato and the pumice country in the Bay of Plenty. Taranaki, she says, is dry, but not drier than normal. Horowhenua is also dry and, not unexpectedly, the Wairarapa is also dry, but this is not a major dairying region and is not something to panic about. “South Otago is probably a little bit drier than normal for this

“The problem is that no one really knows what the weather is going to do in the coming months. What we are seeing now is quite different to what NIWA was predicting, which was it was going to be a mother of all summer droughts.” Speight agrees with other commentators who are saying that the dairy industry has pulled out of the slump that has affected sheep and beef and that the price correction for dairy farmers has been short and sharp. She says farmers had been anxious about the money they were likely to be paid for their milk but the improvement in the GDT has taken away some of their concerns, along with a drop in farm inflation. But Speight told Rural News that people are still concerned about cost pressures. She says on-farm conditions in some

time of the year while Canterbury is quite dry, but irrigation seems to be helping, apart from the areas where there are water take restriction,” Speight told Rural News. “But such restrictions on the some of the smaller schemes are normal for this time of the year.” She adds that here is some good news around milk production. Anecdotally, Speight says it looks like the Bay of Plenty and Waikato are about 5% above normal and across the country the figure seems to be about 2-3% above normal. She says people have been taking extra cuts of silage. This is partly due to farmers

concerned about a potentially dry period. Speight says, at the same time, summer crops are coming on and these have to be used now, which means that there is going to be a good build-up of supplements on farm should they be needed.

Speight adds that there is concern the drought may come later and go into autumn and winter. But she says some people are saying the drought has already peaked. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Sarah Speight

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BOOK ‘EM IN! SPEIGHT SAYS given the weather and economic conditions, dairy farmers should ensure they have their cull cows booked in with meat processors early. She says with lots of grass around, many livestock farmers are holding onto stock – especially sheep farmers who are trying to get extra weight on their stock to help make up for poor prices. But Speight says there is a potential problem if everyone wants their stock killed at the same time. “We are urging dairy farmers to be proactive in this regard and book space as soon as possible so as not to be caught with extra animals if feed supplies on farm suddenly start to disappear.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

8 NEWS

Farm critics given a serve LEO ARGENT

WAITAKI MP and primary production select committee deputy chair Miles Anderson has taken a swing at “uninformed” farming critics during his maiden speech to Parliament. Anderson, a South Canterbury sheep and crop farmer and former Federated Farmers meat and wool chair, won the Waitaki seat for National at last year’s election. During his speech, the new MP outlined his family background, motivation for entering the political fray, as well his long association with Fed Farmers. “Fed Farmers is an incredible organisation that does an enormous amount of policy and advocacy at a local, regional and national

level that goes unnoticed by many in the rural sector,” Anderson told the House. “Being on the board gave me a good introduction to crisis management because of the myriad of unplanned disasters that occur in any given year – whether they are climatic, bureaucratic or biologic.” He added that when his term at Feds ended in 2020, he was drawn into politics “mainly because I feel farming has been given a raw deal by decision makers and mainstream media who, for the most part don’t understand the first thing about the rural sector”. Anderson told Parliament that current farming sentiment is the worst he has ever seen. “Farmers are leaving the industry due

New MP Miles Anderson told Parliament during his maiden speech that current farming sentiment is the worst he has ever seen.

to unworkable regulations. These are costing enormous amounts of money, eroding property rights and are ridiculously time consuming,” he explained. “It is the family farms that have been most affected: generally a husband and wife team who work long hours, for not a lot, because they love the land, the environment and have an intimate understanding of their property.” Anderson added that to see farmers unfairly targeted by decision makers, NGOs and some media was “disgraceful”.

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“It has come to a point where a number of my farming colleagues won’t admit they are farmers when socialising in urban settings due to the amount of vitriol they receive from people whose information has come from unbalanced media and NGOs pushing a narrative that is far from truthful,” he told Parliament. “The simple fact is, it’s hard to be green if you are in the red!” Anderson also acknowledged the numerous other new MPs with a direct link to the primary industries who have been elected to the House. “It (the primary sector) is the driver of our economy, which I believe has been underrepresented in Parliament for decades.”

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NEWS 9

Limmer signs off from SFF DAVID ANDERSON

SILVER FERN Farms chief executive Simon Limmer has signed off after six years at the helm of the meat processor and exporter optimistic about the future of New Zealand red meat. “Current conditions provide a clear reminder that we are still exposed to global cycles and other challenges,” he told suppliers in his final newsletter. “However, I am optimistic that our strategy is the right one and we have the momentum and capability to ensure a prosperous future.” Limmer said he’d spent his final week at the company in Shanghai, alongside incoming chief executive Dan Boulton. “This is a reminder of the opportunities and challenges that incredible markets such as China present to us,” he told suppliers. “We will need to earn the rewards on offer by being better connected, agile and creative if we are to deliver to the expectations of a discerning customer who is spoiled for choice.”

Limmer claims that the ‘nature positive promise’ has positioned the Silver Fern Farms brand as a global leader, catching the attention of consumers around the world. However, he concedes this also imposes an ongoing expectation of continuous improvement and integrity beyond reproach. “We will always be confronted by an ever-changing set of uncontrollable,” Limmer added. “Economies, market trends, trade access, logistics, or the weather, all continue to throw curve balls at us, without wanting to reference a regulatory environment which is uncertain and imposing at best.” Limmer says the NZ red meat has enjoyed some tailwinds over the past few years. “But the volatility remains and challenges still lie ahead as current conditions remind us.” Limmer told suppliers that incoming chief executive Dan Bolton will keep SFF progressing. “His knowledge of our industry and determination to drive

the business forward is clear.” Limmer paid tribute to both the farmer suppliers and workers at SFF saying the greatest privilege in his job was

to work alongside some incredibly passionate and progressive people. “New Zealand farming systems are the best in the world and continue to respond to those ongoing

challenges, setting the reference for others,” he added. “Consumers will always place real value on the goodness we create from the farms the world needs.”

Simon Limmer

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WEATHER BACK TO NORMAL? PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

METSERVICE METEOROLOGIST James Millward says the country’s weather patterns are now on a much more even footing. He says that will give farmers more certainty as to where they are and where they are going. Millward told Rural News that up until now, the weather has been going through something of a transitional period and the full effect of the El Nino weather pattern is likely to kick in during the coming weeks. He says this will bring some higher pressures across the North Island, resulting in prolonged dry summer weather. Millwards adds, the good news for farmers is that conditions will be more typical, unlike last year’s weird, wet weather. He says, at present, the North Island is drying out and in terms of soil moisture the country is not far away from where it would normally be. He says the exception is southern Wairarapa, which is particularly dry. But he adds that the expected early dry has not eventuated, with rain falling in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay and the possibility of further rains depending on what might happen with weather systems in the tropics.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

A million trays down! SUDESH KISSUN

DIVERSE EXPORT MARKETS

sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

AVOCADO GROWERS are taking a major hit from weather-related impacts this season. Grower body NZ Avocados is forecasting that export volumes will be down over a million trays this season due to weather-related impacts on fruit quality. It has forecast volume of around 4.4 million trays, with 1.4 million of those trays bound for export. However, things are looking better for next season. NZ Avocados chief executive Brad Siebert says they are at the tail end of a challenging season where grower export pack-outs are down while operating costs are rising. He adds that increased competition in some key markets

AGRIBUSINESS 11

NZ Avocados is forecasting that export volumes will be down over a million trays this season due to weather-related impacts on fruit quality.

is also impacting export returns. “NZ has had multiple seasons of terrible weather and this has contributed to significant volumes of fruit diverted to the local market, leading to lower overall returns,” he told Rural News. Commenting on the impact of lower volumes

through the supply chain whilst increasing demand. Siebert says growers are looking forward to the 2024-25 season where fruit volumes are significantly up. “And if Mother Nature plays her part, we should be able to capitalise on these export opportunities and bring much needed value back to our growers.”

able shipping schedules,” Siebert explains. “For an orchard business, the other half of the equation is expenditure on fuel, fertiliser, labour and supply chain costs that have been increasing exponentially.” He says the challenge ahead is to understand where efficiencies can be gained on orchard and

on grower earnings, he points out that it’s more realistic to look at grower profitability than simple returns. “The downgrading of fruit due to past wind events has of course created significant reductions in export volumes and this has been exacerbated by fruit age to market from unreli-

NEW ZEALAND avocados are exported to over 30 countries, helped by our growers’ relative pest free status. This season the industry has exported to South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, China, Japan, India, Singapore, Pacific Islands, UAE and Malaysia Australia remains a priority market but an oversupply there means that country’s producers are also looking at export opportunities. Siebert says Australia remains a priority market for NZ particularly at certain times of the season. “We also have positive news from the season relating to new market opportunities with Canada being serviced for the first time and we are back exporting to the US.” But the biggest development this season has been the local market becoming the biggest market. Siebert says NZ Avocado needs to look after that. “We do not import any avocados into the country, which means every avocado purchased in NZ is supporting local growers. “We therefore need to increase consumption in New Zealand towards the per capita consumption rates that other countries like the US have achieved. “That will come with a united sector delivering quality fruit to consumers who consistently purchase the world’s most versatile and nutritious fruit.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

12 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Turn off the TV! “THE TREATY is our past, present and future. It has shaped the country we have become, and the obligations it imposes on both sides will always be with us. However, we must aspire to go forward not as two sides, but together as New Zealanders because there is more that unites us than divides us.” That short excerpt from Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s full speech at Waitangi last week sums up the overall theme of his speech. And it seemed in tune with the way most Kiwis chose to celebrate Waitangi Day, coming together with friends, family, fellow concert goers, to have a classic Kiwi summer day and celebrate our way of life. Contrast this with the media coverage of the day, and of the PM’s speech: ‘Luxon’s outrageous speech’, ‘The spiders are coming – Kelvin Davis’, ‘I lift my gun, I let the shots do the talking – Pene Henare’. This negativity was delivered by the media with the usual lecturing and editorialising about how the Government was somehow being ‘divisive’. The evidence for this claim is thin, but the ‘divisive’ accusation has become a favourite for those stoking the division. It won’t be lost on people that those in the media hellbent on pushing this ‘divisive’ line – thereby silencing efforts to debate the Treaty – are the same ones who signed up for the $55m slush fund that required them to swear fealty to a particular view of the Treaty. Luckily, the real world rarely resembles the view projected by the mainstream media; normal New Zealanders aren’t at each other’s throats, we’re just getting on with it, together, and working to get the country back on its feet. The challenges we face are real and exist across all sectors, not the least in farming and hort – where, again, the media claims of ‘division’ don’t reflect the reality – where the majority are just getting on with it. Maybe it’s time to turn off the ‘divisive’ news and focus on that.

RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Phone 09-307 0399 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

THE HOUND

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

Not funded by NZ On Air

Prisoners?

Get nominating!

Two-faced?

Sacre bleu!

Your old mate had a bit of giggle at the recent maiden speech to Parliament by new Waitaki MP and primary production deputy chair Miles Anderson. The former Fed Farmers national council member made a number of good points in his speech about the unfair criticism of farmers by policy makers and NGOs and the huge contribution to the nation made by the primary sector. However, Anderson raised a few laughs when he acknowledged the presence – right across the house – of MPs he had worked with prior to entering politics. He made special mention of Labour MPs Damien O’Connor and Jo Luxton who he saw as “sharing National Party values”. He then went on to say both have “been held hostage by the Labour Party for so long that they suffer from Stockholm syndrome”. Someone release them from captivity!

The Hound was given a bit of a rev-up from a reader and a NZ Honours recipient for his comments back in January about the lack of rural representation in the 2024 New Year’s Honours list. According to the 85-yearold retired dairy farmer, he was awarded a Member of New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to the local community back in 2007 – thanks to nominations from friends and associates. He goes on to say, “The farming community needs to find out a lot more about the NZ Honours process, spread the word around and nominate more of our hard working farmers and do it— don’t just think about it. I have done just that successfully for two of my friends and am proud and happy to have done so.” That is very good advice and with Kings Birthday coming up, it is time people in the rural community get nominating!

Your canine crusader notes that Red Radio (RNZ), still smarting about the change of government, recently ran ‘an in-depth investigation’ about a potential lobbying campaign to persuade the Government to restart live animal exports that has been launched by key players in the agriculture industry. The gist of the report was that this is an unscrupulous thing to be happening. The report then went on to quote anti-live export groups SAFE and the SPCA saying how terrible it was that an interest group would look at raising funds to try and garner public support to put pressure on the Government to back its cause. However, nowhere in said ‘investigation’ did RNZ ask how much money both SAFE and the SPCA had spent on pressuring the previous government to implement the live export ban, which they both furiously lobbied for.

This old mutt hears some of the world’s favourite cheeses could soon disappear off shop shelves unless science can find a way to save the mould that makes them. Apparently, both Camembert and Brie have been highlighted as ‘at risk’ in a report from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), which has found that the strain of penicillium mould used in the production of the popular soft cheeses is losing the ability to reproduce. “It is now very difficult for the entire industry to obtain enough spores to inoculate their production,” the report said. However, all hope is not lost as a new bug has been recently discovered in a cheese called Termignon blue and it is hoped it will be able to reproduce with the existing Camembert and Brie mould to create a fungus that will endure.

PRODUCTION: Dave Ferguson ................... Ph 027 272 5372 davef@ruralnews.co.nz Becky Williams ......................Ph 021 100 4381 beckyw@ruralnews.co.nz REPORTERS: Sudesh Kissun ........................ Ph 021 963 177 sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz Peter Burke ........................... Ph 021 224 2184 peterb@ruralnews.co.nz MACHINERY EDITOR: Mark Daniel ..............................Ph 021 906 723 markd@ruralnews.co.nz

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

OPINION 13

Testing for M. bovis complicated! JOHN ROCHE

THE MYCOPLASMA bovis (M. bovis) Programme is now in the sixth year of the 10-year eradication programme. The number of infected farms decreasing each year. While this trend is expected to continue, it is important we all keep our foot on the pedal. Our world class surveillance tools are ensuring we are finding any remaining cases of M. bovis in New Zealand and continue to follow up cattle movements that carry a risk of infection. The programme is continuing to put the welfare of farmers front and centre. There is a continuous improvement approach to ensure eradication activities are fit-for-purpose while minimising impact on farmers and achieving value for the programme’s funders – farmers via levies and taxpayers via Crown funding. Following the eradication decision in May 2018, M. bovis partners put $8m towards science and research, including the development of improved diagnostics, to support the eradication effort. While this work was underway, work towards eradication has continued and we have gained a good understanding of how to eradicate. The ELISA test we use for milk and blood testing has proven successful and has been internationally critiqued. It is considered very good at identifying infection when it is there, especially when applied at the herd-level. We have optimised our current test to be very specific, meaning very few false positive results. Combined with our disease control protocols, we are able to minimise the impact on farmers as much as possible while still getting

crucial information to achieve eradication. New tests and tools are always considered, especially when there are opportunities for improvement and reduced impact on farmers. But changes can have unin-

MPI’s John Roche

tended consequences. Therefore, with the potential impact on farmers front of mind, all new tests must be independently considered and validated against the existing processes. When tests are more sensitive, they have the potential to come at a cost of decreased specificity. This means there is a risk of more false positives, and therefore, more farms under legal controls while further testing is carried out. Decisions about changes to new tests, tools and technology are not taken lightly. This is due to the impact it could have on costs, the risk of increased on-farm disruption, potential changes to programme processes, lab technicians expertise and training. As well as to the overall outcome of the eradication effort. Applications must be carefully considered and weighed up against the current tools and processes which can take time and comes at additional cost to the programme. A new screening test on the market is under consideration, with a Diagnostic Tests Validation Evaluation Panel being formed by MPI to consider the test and the argument for change. If

the Evaluation Panel recommends validation trials are undertaken, a process will begin running the new test in parallel with the existing test for a period of time. This will give us information about how it works in the field, whether it is more effective than our current test and protocols, and how

the results impact and inform eradication activities. Once these exercises have been completed, a recommendation will be made to decision-makers. Importantly, however, there is no known test that allows us to accurately identify individual infected cattle within a

herd. It is unlikely there ever will be – especially for use in an eradication attempt. Because of the nature of the disease and the type of bacteria, only animals that are mounting an immune response will test positive. Furthermore, we know from New Zealand and international

data that if any cows in a dairy herd are positive, within a very short period of time, all cows will be infected, whether they test positive or not. It is important that farmers realise M. bovis still poses a risk and know what to do to mitigate it. Keeping accurate and up to date

NAIT and animal movement records by farmers enables the quick identification of risk events and movements, which can play a big part in achieving the eradication of M. bovis in New Zealand. • Dr John Roche, is MPI’s chief departmental science adviser and M. bovis SSAG chair

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

14 OPINION

Rural health conference coming! ASHLEY DARBYSHIRE

THIS YEAR’S National Rural Health Conference, being held in Wellington, has attracted a record number of interested rural health experts passionate about improving equity for rural communities in all areas of health and wellbeing.

SIGN UP! REGISTRATION FOR the annual National Rural Health Conference, being a held at Tākina: Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on April 5-6 is now available. Get it before February 29 for the early bird price. https://www.nationalruralhealthconference.org.nz/ register

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network

chief executive Dr Grant Davidson says the annual

conference is the most important conference for rural health professionals. “It provides an opportunity to connect with peers, share learnings and insights, have deep and broad conversations and be involved in long-term strategy discussions that will drive change within our health system.”

Happening over three days the programme includes the Minister of Health’s opening address. There will be more than 70 presentations ranging from dynamic lightning talks to immersive workshops. Each year the political panel is a conference highlight. Former Health Min-

Rural Health Network chief executive Dr Grant Davidson says the annual conference is the most important conference for rural health professionals.

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ister Andrew Little will open dialogue on the pressing issue of future funding and business models for robust rural health services. In 2022, Little enraged the sector by stating, “Part of the problem with rural health services is that there are old-fashioned business models that don’t work anymore.” The conference will offer practical insights and applicable solutions that attendees can take back to their communities. Day One of the conference is dedicated to professional development opportunities such as PRIME, the Division of Rural Hospital Medicine Registrars’ Day and Rural Health and Research workshops. Days two and three are packed with opportunities to hear about all aspects of medicine from maternity and midwifery. As well as the understanding of rural specific illnesses, preparing and thriving in a climate of constant change, building resilient rural communities, and looking to the future. This will include what the role of technology will play in creating healthy and thriving rural communities.

Conference MC and keynote speaker, Jehan Casinader, brings his personal and professional touch to the event. An award-winning journalist, speaker and mental health advocate, he was named “Broadcast Reporter of the Year” at the Voyager Media Awards in 2020 and “Reporter of the Year” at the New Zealand Television Awards in 2018. Alongside his journalism work, he will speak about the transformative power of storytelling – in the areas of well-being, leadership, and diversity. He’s passionate about health and well-being in rural communities. Along with Jehan and other keynote speakers, conference attendees will be able to connect with a raft of medical services providers showcasing services and products in the Exhibition Hall. “There is always a great buzz at our rural conference. It is a rare occurrence that rural health professionals and rural community representatives can get together, so they really make the most of it,” says Davidson. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

MANAGEMENT 15

Reconnection and innovation key at East Coast Farm Expo AGRI-INNOVATORS, TOP-FLIGHT speakers and two full days of networking are the promise of the 2024 East Coast Farming Expo. The two-day event (February 21-22) is hosted at the Wairoa Racecourse and aimed at East Coast sheep and beef farmers. It’s touted as a chance to fill one’s cup with a focus on reconnection, education and a chance to speak to some of the nation’s best. The Expo is known for its quality of speakers and 2024 is no different. Included in the line-up is television personality and mental wellbeing exponent Matt Chisholm, Craigs Investment Partners investment adviser Fleur Gardiner, Lincoln University adjunct professor Dr Jaqueline Rowarth and John Roche, the chief WHAT: East Coast Farming Expo science advisor at WHEN: February 21-22, 2024 Ministry for PriWHERE: Wairoa Race Course mary Industries. MORE INFO: their land, PalAll are excited http://www.eastcoastexpo.co.nz/ liser Ridge’s to be back in the Kurt Portas on rural sector sharequity partnering their knowlship and farm provoking questions that edge, and reconnecting diversification opportuboth inform and educate with people. nities. Beef+Lamb NZ urban listeners. Hamish McKay is the will lead a discussion on The Thursday semikeynote speaker at the worm challenges, farm nar programme is chock Property Brokers Evemanagement consulfull of excellent info with ning Muster (Wednestant Hilton Collier (Ngāti presentations from the day, 21 February) and Porou), Keith Woodford Hawke’s Bay Regional he’s chuffed to be back on the need for pastoral Council’s Land for Life in familiar territory. He’s agriculture, and a discusProject director Michael happy to help bridge the sion around team culture Bassett-Foss on supportrural-urban divide by with the crew from Hereing farmers’ vision for asking those thought-

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The East Coast Farming Expo is a chance to fill one’s cup with a focus on reconnection, education and a chance to speak to some of the nation’s best.

heretau Station. Doug the Digger from Northland will be at the Expo so any would-be excavator drivers can try their hand. In the wellbeing space, Craig ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins has his team offering rural wellness check-ups from the Carr Family Foundation van and he will be there to chat to one and all. The FMG Spot Check Roadie is cruising in as well with partners Mela-

noma New Zealand for skin checks and handing out life-saving information. Event organiser Sue Wilson says post Cyclone Gabrielle, farmers are keen to get together and reconnect. “Last year was a tough one for farmers,” she says. “It is a chance for them to get off farm, meet agri-innovators, see what opportunities are out there to help

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with their businesses, and catch up with other farmers from across the region.” The Expo is deliberately held mid-week so farmers can spend a day off farm working on their businesses without losing the weekend. This year there are two new initiatives – the Rural News Cadet Challenge and the Beef+Lamb NZ Station Challenge which while include

plenty of fun, highlight the importance of team work. “Many of the younger shepherds and shepherdesses experience so far has been more hands-on farm work, and the Expo is a chance to introduce them to so many other aspects of farming. All farmers should think of it as a team building day working on your business.” There will also be working dog demos from highly regarded trainer and triallist Guy Peacock. The trade is a huge component of the Expo and includes agricultural drone spraying, the latest technology from Gallagher, examples of limitless rotational grazing for the dairy and beef industries, advice on how to unlock precision pasture management, and Halter guidance on a drive to more profitable farms. “Farmers will hear the facts that are backed by the science,” says Wilson. “The past couple of years of extreme weather have been very challenging for us all, and this is an opportunity to talk to people who can help them build back to smarter. It is all about innovation. The support from trade this year has been fantastic and has attracted such a diverse range of agri-business. They see the value of face-to-face connections.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

16 ANIMAL HEALTH

Beware – FE is here! PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A DISEASE that costs the primary industry more than $200 million a year is potentially coming to a place near you soon. Facial eczema (FE) is a disease that affects livestock and can only be prevented but never cured. In some cases, it strikes animals before the symptoms are recognisable. Dr Kristina Mueller from Massey University’s School of Veterinarian Science says while at present there are only serious outbreaks in about 10% of the country, it’s time for farmers to start watching for signs of

it and paying close attention to the condition in which it thrives – namely humid circumstances. “This is the time of the year when we start spore count monitoring, including sending grass samples to Gribbles, a nationwide laboratory that analyses grass samples and provides spore count readings, which warn farmers about the need to act quickly. They can also take samples to their local vets, most of whom will also analyse samples,” she says. FE is a disease that causes liver damage, lowers production, causes skin irritation and peeling, and sometimes death. It is caused by a toxin

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(sporidesmin) produced by the spores of the fungus Pithomyces chartarum growing on pasture. The fungus grows in the dead litter at the base of pasture in warm moist conditions. When seen under a microscope, the spores look like tiny hand grenades. Mueller says the key to prevention is having a well-prepared plan to

deal with the disease – the same as a farmer would have for dealing with an adverse weather event. She says farmers should keep in touch with their local vet, who will be monitoring the situation and give them a clear picture about what is happening with FE in their district. Mueller says when spore counts start to

reach up to 20,000 to 30,000 per gram of pasture, that is a signal for farmers to take preventive measures. She says, at present, there are some farms around the country with spores counts of up to 50,000, but at this stage, outbreaks of FE are patchy. She says the only way of dealing with FE is prevention and that

includes spraying pasture with zinc. “Research shows that putting zinc into stock water or water troughs is not particularly reliable and somewhat variable. We recommend the use of zinc boluses which are seen as far more reliable and give 100% protection when administered at the correct dose rate and time,” she says.

NO CURE AS MENTIONED before, FE can be a deadly disease and once the liver of an animal is damaged there is no cure and the liver may never heal. The damaged liver cannot get rid of a breakdown product of chlorophyll that builds up in the blood, causing sensitivity to sunlight, which in turn causes inflammation of the skin. As their skin becomes damaged, animals will seek shade. In the case of cows they may become restless and start licking their udder and milk production will drop. Interestingly not all animals affected with FE show physical or clinical signs of the disease and it’s estimated that for every clinical case there will be 10 cows with subclinical FE. The cost of FE to a farmer can be significant if they don’t prevent it. Mueller says DairyNZ has a calculator on its website that can tell a farmer what it might cost them. Like DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ also have a very good website with lots of excellent information about facial eczema, as do Gribbles and local vets. Once upon a time, FE was seen as a North Island disease, but research shows that it is moving south and so all farmers should be on the lookout in the coming months for it.

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NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS FEBRUARY 13, 2024: ISSUE 794 www.ruralnews.co.nz

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RURAL NEW RURAL NEWS DARGAVILLE FEBRUARY 29 to MARCH 2, 2024

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TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

Organisers hoping for better weather, turnout at field days SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

ORGANISERS OF the Northland Field Days are banking on better weather and a better turnout this year. This time last year, the region was inundated with flooding triggered by Cyclone Gabrielle. In the weeks leading up to the event, many residents and businesses in the area were busy cleaning up their properties. Northland Field Days Inc president John Phillips says last year’s event was a challenge. It was the first one in three years, thanks to Covid lockdowns. The floods forced some exhibitors to pull out and impacted turnout. “The main reason TICKET PRICES for this year’s event remains people unchanged. didn’t turn • $13 for adults up was 8 $30 family – 2 adults and 3 kids because • $5 child – u2nder 14s they were • Under 5s are free boosted grass busy cleangrowth, dry ing up after weather this the floods,” year has left many houses and businesses Phillips told Rural News. farmers facing feed that were flooded out.” “We even had some shortage and buying extra While last year’s rain residents who lost their

Northland Field Days president John Phillips is hoping for better weather and more people at the three-day event.

feed like palm kernel expeller. Dry weather also impacts water supply and organisers have had to cart in water by trucks for

the three-day event. However, Phillips says there aren’t any water restrictions in place yet. “We are keeping our fingers crossed,” he adds.

Northland is renowned for its dry and hot summers. Phillips, a dairy farmer milking 400 cows, says bores and water on his

farm are drying up. “While we had too much rain last year, grass growth was good; this year grass growth is weak which is normal for the region.” For dairy farmers, the forecast milk price is rising but still lags the $8.22/kgMS plus 50c dividend/share paid by Fonterra last season. Phillips says the drop in the payout is costing farmers, as most of them have overdrafts and are paying higher interest. “If Fonterra gave us a true price and keep it there, that would be great,” he says. “If you talk to the businesses here, it’s quite tough as farmers are not spending.” Despite the downturn, Phillips is hoping for a successful show. “All we can do is put on a great show and try and get people through the gates. “We are grateful to our sponsors – Ravensdown, Gallagher and Hansens and all the exhibitors. “We won’t be in business if we don’t have support of exhibitors and the patrons.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

18 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

Volunteers make it happen! SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

AN AMAZING team of volunteers are working behind the scenes to get the Dargaville-based show grounds ready for the three-day event. A core group of 15 – made up Northland Field Days Association committee members and volunteers – have been preparing the showgrounds. Some volunteers are also providing their tractors and diggers to prepare the site. President John Phillips says their dedicated voluntary committee, associate members, and community helpers along with sole employee, have worked hard over the last 12 months to bring another great event. During the event,

Some of the volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make Northland Field Days happen.

about 100 volunteers are in action – from manning the ticket booth to helping visitors with parking. Phillips says the vol-

unteer help keep costs down. “We normally have three or four tractors and diggers on site belonging

“We have maintained, in line with our charitable trust status, the commitment to invest in Northland’s agricultural future.”

to volunteers. “If we were to get in contractors, we wouldn’t be able to afford it.” Keeping costs down

means the association can channel more proceeds to charity and community organisations. Recipients of

donations are Rotary Club of Dargaville, Dargaville Fire Brigade, local schools, rugby clubs and students who get scholarships. “We have maintained, in line with our charitable trust status, the commitment to invest in Northland’s agricultural future,” says Phillips. “We are pleased to again give financial support to numerous Northland organisations and clubs.” Phillips sees the event as an opportunity for both town and country to unite.

“An event to share and promote the wonderful lifestyle sectors that our country has to offer to ensure a solid foundation of support for our primary industry through the partnership we have with exhibitors. “Exhibitors will be offering technological expertise, support, and the best deals to be had over the three days. This event creates an opportune time for farmers and the public to have dealers, service providers and attractions in one place to talk to at their convenience.”

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 19

300 exhibitors locked in for three-day event SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

PREPARATIONS FOR the three-day Northland Field Days are progressing smoothly, says president John Phillips. He expects around 300 exhibitors, about the same number as last year. However, he says some exhibitors, like Norwood, are buying a bigger site this year. Highlights this year include a small maze within a maize field. Phillips says the new attractions should be popular with kids and adults alike. Over 24 food vendors are locked in to keep visitors fed during the field days. The Civil Contractors of NZ will be on site, encouraging young people to make a career

Highlights this year include a small maze within a maize field at the showgrounds.

The three-days Northland Field Days kick off at the Dargaville showgrounds on February 29.

in civil contracting. Also, for the first time, agricultural drones will be on display. Other attractions from

last year making a comeback are sheep dog trials, tractor pull competition, laser clay shooting and lawnmower racing.

Bikies show to follow field days TWO WEEKS after the Northland field days end, bikies will descend on the showgrounds for the ‘Hotrods and Harleys Show’. The day-long event on Saturday, March 16, is being organised by the Dargaville Rod and Custom Club. Gates open at 10am and close 4pm. Organisers are urging enthusiast “to come along for a great day out with live music, food trucks, swap meet and spot prizes”. Entry is $5 for adults; kids get in free.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

20 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

From grazed valley to a lush wetland THE COMPLETION of the second stage of an ambitious project

to rewild a once grazed Northland valley into a lush wetland has been

celebrated with an event to mark World Wetlands Day this month.

The Underwood Wetland project near Dargaville commenced seven

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Underwood Wetland celebrated on World Wetland Day, attendees tour the wetland.

years ago in 2017 with an opening ceremony attended by then Associate Minister for Conservation, Nicky Wagner. The project has been a partnership led by Fish & Game New Zealand, and protects an area of precious native forest, wetland and river flats. The 342ha area includes remnant kauri, hardwood forest and wetland, and river flats containing scatterings of kahikatea. Sited along the northern and eastern frontages of the Manganui and Northern Wairoa rivers, it is home to threatened species, including the kauri snail, the North Island fernbird, marsh crakes and Australasian bittern. The creation of wetlands adjacent to these river margins is expected to create important habitat for spawning inanga (whitebait) and threatened eel populations. The land was purchased from local farmers David and Gloria Under-

SEE US AT NORTHERN FIELD DAYS - SITE H5B

wood by a $600,000 grant from the Nature Heritage Fund with $55,000 from the Northland Fish & Game Council for survey costs in 2016. Three hundred hectares of the native forest was then classified as scenic reserve to be administered by the Department of Conservation. The remaining 40ha of grassed valley floor and surrounds was vested to Northland Fish & Game Council as Local Purpose Reserve for the development of a wetland. Access work to create public tracks and to allow machinery into the property began in 2016. A series of ponds starting from the head of the valley were created as Stage 1 of the project. This was followed by a second stage in 2022, which saw a 210m long and 4m high bund wall created to block the valley floor and flood it, creating over 5ha of open water and vegetated shallows. It now features

almost 10ha of pools and ponds with the remaining area being remnant native forest, native plantings, grassland and newly created access tracks. The development work for the wetland has primarily been funded by $122,000 from the Northland Fish & Game Council and the Game Bird Habitat Trust, who gave $137,900 to fund the project. This totals $259,900 of money derived from the sale of hunting licences going directly back into the creation of wildlife habitat. Costs for access to the property were shared with the Department of Conservation, and grants for plantings have also been received from Kaipara Moana Remediation and the One Billion Trees Programme for native plantings. Planting work has been completed by Fish & Game staff as well as a significant volunteer effort from hunters and other supporters of the project.

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 21

Fix our roads, MP demands! SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW NORTHLAND MP Grant McCallum says people in the region have had enough of road closures. The National MP and Maungaturoto dairy farmer told Parliament last month that Northlanders have had enough. “It is time to stop politicising Northland’s roads. It is time all the members of this house release the handbrake on Northlands prosperity and back the four-lane highway. “It is a vital part of lifting families out of poverty by enabling businesses to invest, creating jobs and opportunities across a range of sectors and breathing new life into Northland. “Northland will not prosper by increasing the size of the welfare cheque.” McCallum noted Northland is a community of small communities – with towns like Kaitaia,

Mangonui, Kawakawa, Dargaville, Maungaturoto and Mangawhai. “The two towns I wish to focus on are Kerikeri and Kaikohe. They are 30 minutes apart, but in some cases worlds apart. “They symbolise the challenges and opportunities in Northland. They need each other. “This is not an eitheror-story, it’s an and-and one. In 1953, Kaikohe was the hub of the North where Queen Elizabeth stayed during her tour of New Zealand. Kerikeri was a smaller village to the east.” So, what changed? McCallum says it’s all about water. In the 1970’s and 80’s, two dams were built to irrigate the fertile land around Kerikeri. He says the results are obvious. “Economic growth resulting in jobs in a town that now has a population of 8500 and is still growing. It has become a significant economic driver for Northland.

“I am pleased to see that in the Kaikohe area we now have one dam that has been built and another in Waimate North being built. “There is also the Ngawha Geothermal power station, the first carbon neutral plant in New Zealand, and the Ngawha innovation park.” McCallum says if ever there is a region that has untapped potential – it is Northland. “We are located next to the biggest city in the country, and we have a great coastline and beaches. “We are blessed with quality soils that can grow a large range of crops. “We have one of the highest percentages of young people under 15 in the country, yet we are struggling economically and socially and have done for a long time. The single biggest factor holding us back is connectivity, and particularly the quality of our roading infrastructure.”

It is time to stop politicising Northland’s roads, Parliament was told.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

22 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

The sky’s the limit to solar farming NIGEL MALTHUS

THERE ARE plenty of possibilities for successful farming operations in, under and around largescale solar electricity generation installations. That’s the claim of one of New Zealand’s foremost agrisolar companies, Lodestone Energy. “There’s a lot of ways to do this, there’s a lot of examples in America, in Europe, where these practices are evolving,” says Lodestone managing director Gary Holden. Lodestone came online late last year with what is currently the country’s largest gridconnected solar farm, at Kaitaia. It has four more in development in the North Island, and recently revealed a push into the South Island with consents granted for three sites in Canterbury. Its current three-phase expansion plan envisages a total of 19 farms around the country. Holden told Rural News that will mean 19 slightly different farming arrangements because at the end of the day it will be each farmer’s decision

Lodestone’s Kaitaia solar farm, which came online late last year. Inset: Lodestone Energy managing director Gary Holden.

on how they use the land under the rows of 2.3m high panels. “The very simple version is you just run sheep like you would if you were rotating them through paddocks in a

typical grazing scenario,” he explains. “But it’s early days and we’ve got a lot to learn. And then over time, we’ll try other things. We’ll try horticulture, we’ll try cattle. So far, sheep looks like

it’s going to work really well.” Holden says it’s important to realise that farming isn’t a big part of the overall economics of a solar plant but it was about creating a sce-

nario where the farm can be retained as a productive unit. Stocking numbers can be maintained at 80-85% of what they might have been without the panels, while studies have shown

that the shade can actually be beneficial, he said. “You think about the way that summer heat bakes grass and turns it brown – a bit of shade can actually yield more volume of grass through the summer period,” he adds. “The sheep also apparently do better in shade. They can hide from rain. They overheat less. We are expecting to find that the sheep do better. “If there’s a wool production component to the operation then we’ve heard that potentially the wool quality will be better because it’s got those degrees of protection.” Holden says there’s a “growing brains trust” building knowledge on how to farm under solar panels and more will be known in three, four or five years from now. “But there is nothing we’ve heard that would suggest that it’s a bad idea,” he told Rural News. “As long as we’re not, you know, putting goats and things that might want to climb on the panels, we are pretty safe to start out with sheep and then

evolve from there.” While some operators may choose fixed panels, Holden says Lodestone had made a design decision to standardize on electrically operated swivelling solar panels that track the sun through the day. This was because Lodestone sells electricity direct to customers – such as a recent deal to supply power to 260 stores for the Warehouse retail group. He claims investing in the tracking mechanisms meant Lodestone could get a lot more production in the shoulders of the day to better match the stores’ long opening hours. Holden agrees that horticulture could be more complicated to integrate, particularly in choosing crops that won’t interfere with the rotating mechanism. “Again, it’ll be experimenting. We’ll probably do a bunch of trials – we’ll take parts of different farms in different parts of the country to experiment with different things. It’s a work in progress.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Join us at the Northland Field Days – Sites B13 to B15.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

24 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

New Scottish trailer set for field days debut MARK DANIEL

MOVING SHOWCASE

markd@ruralnews.co.nz

GIVEN THAT agriculture revolves around the logistics of moving inputs and resultant crops, productive and reliable trailers are a must. Stewart Trailers, built in North-East Scotland, are distributed in New Zealand’s North Island by TRC Tractors in Feilding, who offer the manufacturer’s extensive range. This includes tipping, dumper, flat bed, low loader and livestock floats, all built to clever designs with sound engineering, state of the art manufacturing processes and attention to detail. Working with customers, TRC set out about to configure a trailer that would be an ideal fit for the New Zealand market and resulted in Stewart Trailers building the bespoke NZ5500 units. As the designation suggests, the trailer is 5500mm long, 2700mm wide, carries a 16,000kg rating and importantly allows two rows of bales to be carried comfortably. As part of the standard package, the NZ5500 is supplied with dirt sides and a removable silage bin, to offer a versatile package to meet a wide range of needs. With regional field days just around the

TO PROMOTE the benefits of the Stewart Trailer range and showcase the new NZ 6100, TRC will be undertaking a travelling showcase, that heads south after the Northland Field Days, following the maize harvest, to allow farmers and contractors to try out the new variant at their own locations. FOR MORE details contact Logan Berg - 0272247679 or email logan@trctractors.co.nz.

body, offers exceptional stability on rolling or hilly terrain. The extensive use of Hardox steel in the base and walls of the main tub, offers substantial weight saving, allied with greater strength and durability, with maximum impact resistance against rocks and stones dropped into the body. The attention to detail is carried forward with the painting process. That starts with steel shot blasting to provide an effective key for the paint to adhere to, but importantly, also ensures a dust free process to ensure a perfect finish. The paint itself contains plastic polymers to result in a “Flexipaint” finish that resists impact damage and surface penetration, helping to retain the finish and extend the working life. Running on Granning, 10-stud commercial grade axles, equipped with 420 by 180mm braking equipment, the system is air activated and load sens-

Working with customers, TRC set out about to configure a trailer that would be an ideal fit for the New Zealand market.

The new NZ 5500 offers a versatile package to meet a wide range of needs.

corner TRC will use the Northland and Central Districts events to launch the latest evolution of their NZ bespoke with the New NZ6100 trailer. Building on the

outstanding reputation of the NZ5500, the 6100 stretches the body to 6100mm long, retains the 2700mm bed width and increases the load capacity to 20,000kg.

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Product Code

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Product codeCode Explanation Coil length (metres) Product code Coil length (metres)

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Code Explanation

OD (mm) OD (mm)

Code Explanation

Product Code

PVC CULVERT PIPE

Length (metres)

OD (mm)

Length (metres)

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400-110-100 OD (mm)

Product Code

Coil length (metres)

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Product Code

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Coil length (metres)

400-110-100

Code Explanation

Product Code

300-40-50 360.40PN9.50 300-40-50

Product Code

3500.63PN25.100B

ODExplanation (mm) Code

ID (mm)300-40-50

12.5 16 16

CodeExplanation Explanation Code

Code Explanation Product Pressure Class IDCode (mm)

Code Explanation

Product Code

Length (metres)

ID (mm)

Product300-40-50 code Coil length (metres)

Product code

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Product Code

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PVC CULVERT PIPE HP METRIC COMPRESSION FITTINGS for for GREENLINE, REDLINE™, COMPRESSION FITTINGS GREENLINE, REDLINE™, Code Explanation Code COMPRESSION FITTINGS Code Explanation Explanation METRIC COMPRESSION FITTINGS 550-200-5 S0E Product Pressure Class PNPN16 RURAL BLACK andand BLACKLINE. 16Code RURAL BLACK BLACKLINE. SMOOTH LAND DRAINAGE PIPE FARM MAPPINGBORE USING PE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS 340.32PN12.5.50 SMOOTH BORE PE LAND DRAINAGE PIPE 550-200-5 S0E 300-40-50

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Code Explanation

OD (mm)

Code Explanation

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Product code Coil length (metres) Code Explanation Coil Length (metres) OD (mm) Product code400-110-100 Coil length (metres)

Code Explanation

12.5 BAR - PE 100 PRESSURE PIPE

Pressure Class Black

Product Code

Code Explanation

Product Code Socketed one end Code Explanation

Product Code

go with the flow

pipe PVC CULVERT3500.63PN25.100B PIPE Black

Product Code

PVC CULVERT PIPE PVC CULVERT PIPE Code Explanation SMOOTH BORE PE LAND DRAINAGE PIPE 550-200-5 S0E Product code Coil length (metres)

Pressure class

OD (mm)

PE LAND DRAINAGE PIPE Product Code Code Pressure Class Explanation

OD (mm) Pressure Class Product Code

Product Code Pressure Class 340.32PN12.5.50

OD (mm)

2200-90PN8-100

Code Explanation

Coil Length (metres)

OD (mm)

20 & 25 BAR - PE 100 PRESSURE PIPE

PE or PVC PRESSURE PIPE Bar PE or PVC PRESSURE PIPE Bar

Product Code Pressure Class Code Explanation

Coil length (metres)

NEXUS110.100

Code Explanation OD (mm) Product Code Coil length (metres)

20 & 25 BAR - PE 100 PRESSURE PIPE

340.32PN12.5.50

Bar

OD (mm)

Code Explanation

Product code

Coil Length (metres)

Product Code

Product Code Pressure Class 360.40PN9.50

360.40PN9.50 Coil Length (metres) OD (mm)

Coil length (metres)

OD (mm) NEXUS110.100

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OD (mm)

12.5 PIPE 9 Bar Bar pipe 9 pipe pipe 12.5 FARM DAIRY OD (mm)

go with the flow

Code Explanation

Product code

400-110-100

PE or PVC PRESSURE PIPE BarCULVERT HP

SMOOTH BORE LAND Coil Length (metres) DRAINAGE PIPE OD (mm) PE 340.32PN12.5.50

Coil Length (metres)

PE PRESSURE PIPE SMOOTH BORE PE LAND DRAINAGE PIPE SMOOTH BORE PE LAND DRAINAGE PIPE NEXUS110.100 12.5 BAR - PE 100 PRESSURE PIPE go with the flow go with the flow

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Code Explanation

340.32PN12.5.50 Product Code Pressure Class

360.40PN9.50

OD (mm)

Bar Bar

Code Explanation

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the NZ5500, the design detail sees the body’s chassis rails set inside the main chassis rails, resulting in a lower centre of gravity, which, complemented by the 2700mm

ing, so is well suited to high-speed transport situations. An extensive range of standard fitments offers ease of use, while the trailer is also “cover ready” to allow the subsequent fitment of a folding top cover for load security. Product specialist Berg from TRC Tractors says farmers and contractors are recognising that by spending a little more, they are “investing in the best quality available in the market”. “This results in durability, longevity, ease of use and most importantly, reduced maintenance costs. While we have designed the NZ 5500 and now the new 6100 specifically for NZ conditions, we can also create bespoke specifications for other models in the range to suit individual requirements.” Visit www.trc.co.nz or see them at northland on site E22 or Central districts at site C25-C27.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 25

A solution to forestry’s woes MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

FORESTRY IS never far from the news, not least because of the damage attributed to slash washing downstream during storms. The industry, even the smaller players, have come to realise that reduction or removal is

Mulcher range is the bigger sibling, offered in 1200 to 1800mm working widths, weighing in at 1100 to 1500kg and designed for machines in the 18 to 30 tonne sectors. It is equipped with a 300mm rotor, running on a 90mm shaft, delivering a 540mm overall diameter, the hardware includes

The Retro Boxing Range is designed for all types of excavator or backhoe loaders in the 8 to 20 tonne sectors, offering the ability to shred or mulch branches, small trees, stumps, and general felling debris. the best course of action. This had led to many contractors choosing to use excavator or backhoe loader-mounted mulchers to deal with the problem. Agriline, already well known in the agricultural chipping and mulching arena, has introduced a range of forestryspec machines, built by Picursa, based in Zaragoza NE Spain. The Retro Boxing Range is designed for all types of excavator or backhoe loaders in the 8 to 20 tonne sectors, offering the ability to shred or mulch branches, small trees, stumps, and general felling debris. At the heart of the machine, carbide-tipped, fixed teeth offer strength and durability, while their helical positioning on the 440mm overall diameter rotor help ensure a fine chop and even distribution across the underlying terrain. It is equipped with a 75mm diameter rotor shaft and an integral fixed piston pump. Heads are available in 600mm to 1500mm working widths, weighing in at 520 to 780kg and utilising 12 to 28 hammers. The Retro Tekken

28 to 44 carbide-tipped, fixed teeth. Like the smaller machine, height control is achieved with heavyduty adjustable skids, flying debris protection is undertaken by chain guards and discharge is controlled by a manually adjusted hinged hood. Offering equipment for those not using tracked machines, the Tekken tractor-mounted version is designed for prime movers between 160 and 320hp. Said to be the most popular model in New Zealand, with many examples working countywide, the machine features a 300mm rotor configuration, carried on a 100mm rotor shaft. Offered in 2000, 2200 and 2400mm working widths, the machine is fitted as standard with a wear-resistant Hardox steel body liner and double row safety chains. Standard equipment includes over-run clutches on the main gearbox and a hydraulically adjusted discharge hood. Options include hydraulic pusher bars, auto-level gearboxes, hydraulic raker bars and hydraulic clutches. www.agriline.co.nz

Picursa’s backhoe loadermounted mulchers may be the answer to slash issues faced by the forestry sector.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

26 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

World’s first hybrid clover PLANT BREEDER Germinal has announced the release of the world’s first hybrid of white and Caucasian clover. Called DoubleRoot, the company says it is a ground-breaking cross of Caucasian clover and white clover, the result being an efficient clover that can produce both above-ground stolons and underground rhizomes, “combining the advantages of both parent plants”. Germinal says the technology represents a significant step forward as farmers tackle the challenges of being environmentally responsible while remaining profitable. Switching to a DoubleRoot cultivar effectively delivers two clover cultivars for the price of one, it says. Initially, DoubleRoot

Below the ground, like Caucasian clover, a network of rhizomes is also being formed. These are well protected from climatic conditions like drought and extremely cold temperatures down to -30°C. behaves like white clover by establishing a deep taproot while spreading above-ground stolons develop and daughter plants establish. Below the ground, like Cauca-

Germinal has released the world’s first hybrid of white and Caucasian clover.

sian clover, a network of rhizomes is also being formed. These are well protected from climatic conditions like drought and extremely cold temperatures down to -30°C.

The dual growth habit of DoubleRoot produces a unique plant with the ability to reproduce and fix nitrogen efficiently and under climate extremes. The company

says farmers who use DoubleRoot are investing in a solution that has a “plan B” established in its DNA, and eliminates the need to sow two clover species.

Global plant breeder Germinal was established in Belfast, Northern Ireland and has world-class research facilities embedded at the Institute of Biological, Environmen-

tal and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University in Wales, dedicated to developing innovative new varieties. Committed to supporting a New Zealand customer base, a progressive plant breeding site, Horizon Broadfield, has been established locally at Lincoln. DoubleRoot cultivars such as AberLasting have been performing well on forward here in New Zealand. Germinal says, “These compelling results and the growing need for solutions to climate change make DoubleRoot a timely innovation” that can improve farmers’ bottom lines by incorporating it into their pasture mixes, “helping to take care of the land and minimising their carbon footprint in one step”.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 27

The sprayers come with 1500 or 1800 litre capacities, complemented by Pro Series booms with 15-18 metre working widths.

Linkage mounted sprayers come with sleek modern design MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE LATEST Hardi Mega range of linkage mounted sprayers offers a sleek modern design with 1500 or 1800 lire capacities, complemented by Pro Series booms with 15-18 metre working widths. Equipped with Hardi’s 184 or 280 litre/minute diaphragm pumps, the Dynamic Fluid 4 regulation valve oversees pressure, flow, pump speed, forward speed, boom section control and application rates, with data being analysed up to twenty times per second. Designed to offer simple connectivity to the prime mover, the Mega Series is fully ISOBUS compatible, offering “plug and play” operation, while the Hardi SmartCom system offers diagnostics in conjunction

with the Hardi Service Tool. Clever design features are included to promote ease of operation, with a defined work zone that incorporates an intuitive manifold featuring colour coded valve controls aimed at reducing the risk of mishaps. The main tank lid has been offset to place it in a position that is closer to the access ladder, allowing operators to make easier inspections without having to climb onto the tank. Any electronic componentry is located in a waterproof box behind the main controls, while all filters are easily accessed from ground level, the suction filter to the right and the pressure filter to the left. The turbo filler induction point is located beneath the main control valves, offering fast filling speeds and a powerful

A defined work zone includes a manifold featuring colour-coded valve controls.

liquid circulation function to thoroughly mix chemicals. To avoid any ‘blind

spots’ within the tank, venturi nozzles serve to increase input agita-

tion, by up to four times, making the machine well suited to both liquid and

powder-based chemicals. The Dilution Kit allows users to flush and rinse the boom and tank together, or singly without leaving the tractor seat, while precision application can be delivered with the optional Single Nozzle Control function, that offers automation of a spray job, with a 50cm nozzle spacing allowing accurate section control, switching nozzles on or off as bouts are matched or headlands crossed – offering up to 10% chemical saving and reducing environmental impact. The standard PRO booms or the optional 24-28 booms can both be optioned with electrohydraulic controls, with the wider VPZ units also available with anti-yaw dampers on the wings. Further options include the AntiSlant system, that as the name suggests

SEE US AT NORTHERN FIELD DAYS - SITE H5B

automates boom height control and angle to the ground via ultrasonic sensors. The AirRide system offers active suspension that helps isolate any shock loads from the tractor, improves operator comfort and allows the ability to travel at higher speeds. Standard equipment also includes a 170-litre rinse tank, complemented by a 210-litre clean water tank. Operators can also specify 1200 or 1500 litre capacity front tanks to offer a nurse capability, either to carry clean, transferrable water to the rear, or when equipped with an agitator and electric valve, can be used to carry a separate premixed solution. Both size options included a 135 litre wash tank. www.hardi.co.nz @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

28 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

Killing weed seeds in a single pass MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

Redekop’s Seed Control Unit (SCU) which destroys harvestable weed seeds in a single pass.

JOHN DEERE’S X-Series Combine Harvesters can now be complemented by the advanced weed

FIELD DAY HOT DEALS Come and see the Croplands team at the Northern field day at site D6 and ask them about the current HOT DEALS.

LAC1000L/12ML 12m MAX manual-fold boom with self-leveller fitted – 3 sections

$16,741 RRP

$12,150 EX. GST P. 0800 106 898 C RO P L A N D S .C O M/N Z

control capability of Redekop’s Seed Control Unit (SCU) which destroys harvestable weed seeds in a single pass. The Redekop SCU mounts to the combine

chopper and injects processed chaff directly into the residue stream for excellent distribution over the entire cutting width. In doing so, it destroys weed seed, helping to manage weed resistance for the next seasons. Mounted behind the cleaning shoe of the harvester and fully integrated with the machine, the system is designed to work in all crop conditions using one set of mills, negating the need to swap mills in response to changing crop or harvest conditions. The reversible mills can destroy up to 98% of harvestable seeds before the material is directed back to the residue stream, mixed with straw and spread evenly over the entire cutting width, to ensure minimal weed pressure and better crop establishment in subsequent seasons. SCU for X-Series will be available from 1 February, following three years of testing on X-Series working in Canada, Australia and Germany. JD Production System Manager, Ben Kelly, said all the benefits already seen with the SCU on S-Series Harvesters are now available to the owners and operators of X-Series. “The SCU is already a proven performer on the smaller S-Series and we are excited to have collaborated with the team at Redekop to adapt the technology to be suited to the power and

capacity of the bigger machines,” Kelly said. “The collaboration with Redekop now opens the door for the X9 to be fitted with an effective weed control system, helping to grow the efficiency of small grain and cereal cropping operations.” Redekop’s Trevor Thiessen said the trials of the past three years had created an iteration of SCU that could manage the additional volume presented by the X-Series, without compromising throughput. “The X9 has significantly more capacity than the S-Series, so we had to ensure the mills taking the material off the rear of the harvester could manage that,” Thiessen explained. “We tested in Australia and Canada, but we were particularly concerned about the amount of MOG it would encounter in European conditions. Testing in high yielding German wheat and barley crops of up to 11.5 tonnes/ ha, gave us confidence the unit could perform anywhere.” Redekop worked closely with JD using a pre-production X9 for initial fit-up, fabrication, and design tweaks, with fine tuning of air flow, shoe pressure, load limits on the drive line and other key components. The SCU is fully integrated with the G5PLUS CommandCenter and can be easily engaged or disengaged as required.

GET SOCIAL Keep up with the latest stories from Rural News by following us on:

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 29

‘Good bugger’ calls it a day MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

MUCH OF the rural industry is made up of an army of characters who tend to be “good buggers” or rogues, while a small number might fall into the “you need to count your fingers after a handshake” category. In the case of the New Zealand tractor and agricultural machinery ranks, one name that falls into the good bugger rating has decided to take the batteries out of his calculator and consign his notebook to the office, as he heads for his retirement.

“Of course, there were many overseas trips to meet suppliers or visit trade fairs, with many remembered for all types of hospitality.” Brian Matchett, often referred to by his surname, is a larger than life character who seems to have been in the industry for a lifetime and his working history would tend to confirm that. Those associations with NZ ag machinery date back to 1967, when he set off down the route of apprentice mechanic, at well known Maber Motors in Morrinsville, which itself is known for turning out many industry stalwarts. After eight years, Matchett moved southwest to Tauwhare Contractors where he plied his mechanical aptitude, before moving back to Morrinsville in 1978 to the then new Power Farming Wholesale business started up by Geoff Maber. Firstly, Brian looked after the Iseki and Belarus products, before a spell as the South Island sales manager, then a move to national sales

manager in 1985. In 1990, the urge to seek pastures new kicked in and Brian jumped ship to the Case IH Group for the next twelve years or so, eventually ending up as the NZ national manager. Then in 2003 came a move to another manufacturer in the shape of AGCO, the distributors of the Massey Ferguson, Fendt and Valtra brands, taking the title of director of sales and marketing ANZ. In 2007, the lure of the capital of Waikato dairying saw Brian returning to Morrinsville to take up a position of marketing and development manager at the rapidly expanding Piako Group, led by another Maber Motors product, Darrell Russell. Choosing Christmas 2023 to call it a day, Rural News caught up with Matchett to talk about his most memorable moments in more than 55 years in the industry. Brian talked of the plethora of people, many of whom became lifelong acquaintances and importantly great friends. “For me, the second part of 1985 was memorable as farmers scrambled to buy tractors ahead of the arrival of GST on purchases in 1986,” said Brian. This was followed not long after by the NZ tractor market falling to only 1100 units a year and everyone wondering if they had a job to go to on Monday morning. “Of course, there were many overseas trips to meet suppliers or visit trade fairs, with many remembered for all types of hospitality – and I mean all types of hospitality, and a number best forgotten. But as the saying goes: what goes on tour-stays on tour.” Rural News understands that Matchett plans to retire disgracefully, setting aside some time for one of his many, best unmentioned vices – racing his Holden Commodore. Ah well, you can’t always be perfect!

Brian Matchett, a well-known figure in the NZ ag machinery sales, has retired after a memorable 55 years in the industry.

Come and see us at site G20 Can’t wait? Call us today

29 February to 02 March 2024

0800 227 228

MASSIVE Discounts on our Sheep and Cattle Gear!! for a limited time and while stocks last

RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

30 NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS / RURAL TRADER

French machinery show canned MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

IF YOU got a French dictionary, a striped Breton jersey or a beret for Christmas, it’s time to pack them away for a couple of years, as the giant French machinery Show SIMA has been called off for November 2024. While there are currently no confirmed dates, the next event is planned for 2026. Axema, the French trade association for manufacturers of agricultural machinery, says that the show, which was planned to run over four days from November 24 to 27 at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition complex, has been cancelled because of the decline in the agricultural equipment market, alongside the current agricultural crisis in France. The latter sees rural folk frustrated by low commodity prices and excessive environmental protection regulations, with angry French farmers continuing to block roads across much of the country.

It is suggested that this situation could continue for the foreseeable future. A drop in exhibitor numbers is also given as another reason to cancel the 2024 event, with John Deere and Pöttinger stating in mid-2023 that they would not attend Sima 2024, while Rural News understands there has more recently been a lot of last-minute cancellations. It’s interesting that since moving the French show from its traditional Northern Hemisphere spring timing at the end of February to a new November slot, visitor numbers to the first November Sima timing in 2022 were down by a third to 153,000 people. In contrast, EIMA 2022, held in Bologna, Italy welcomed nearly 330,000 people, while visitor numbers to Agritechnica, the largest of the three premier European exhibitions, welcomed more than 473,000 visitors through the gate. Looking at the rescheduling in more detail, with Agritechnica being held in Germany during

Massive protests by French farmers are partly responsible for SIMA Show being cancelled this year.

the odd November years and EIMA held in Italy in the even years, it makes November a

busy month on the international show circuit. This has led to

manufacturers suggesting that another major event in the same month puts a huge

strain on budgets, logistics and resources that they appear reluctant to support.

NORWOOD’S DEAL WITH SKY NORWOOD HAS signed an exclusive New Zealand distribution agreement with the Burel Group for the SKY Agriculture brand. Effective immediately, the deal is an extension of the existing relationship Norwood has with the Burel Group that will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024. As previously reported, the Burel Group has consolidated its Sulky, Sky, and Prolog retail brands into the SKY Agriculture, single brand strategy with a new look and feel. This new partnership will mean Norwood has continued access to the traditional Sulky fertiliser spreader range and the range of seeding products, previously imported under the Sky

brand by a different NZ distributor. “The Sky brand, with products like the EasyDrill direct drill, is already well known in the market thanks to the great work done by the previous distributor, Tulloch Farm Machinery, the previous distributor. We thank John and his team for developing the Sky brand in New Zealand and we’re keen to build on their success,” says Rod Gardner, Norwood national product manager. The refreshed SKY Agriculture brand will see a change in livery across all products, with Sulky’s traditional pale blue and red colour scheme to be replaced with two-tone grey and the new SKY Agriculture badge. Norwood will supply the products across its 19 locations throughout New Zealand.

The Sky brand, with products like the EasyDrill direct drill, is already well known in the market.

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RURAL NEWS // FEBRUARY 13, 2024

RURAL TRADER 31 tunnel houses

LASER FF95

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NORTH ISLAND

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23 Mahinui St, Feilding

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Ph 0800 625 826

Single Dog Box – no steel work ........... $625.00 Single Dog Box - with steel work ........ $699.00 Wellside Dog Box ................................ $985.00 Flatdeck Dog Box ................................ $985.00 ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST BUT MAY INCUR FREIGHT

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CLOSING DOWN sale! BOOTS & RAINWEAR

Due to market conditions - Earthwalk will be closing down sometime in 2024.

BIB OVERALLS

$145

We anticipate the stock on hand will sell out over the next 2-3 months - so now is a good time to buy up your favorite items.

JACKET

valued at $320

$140 $100 valued at $230

valued at $280

Thank you to all of our customers - it has been a pleasure serving you during Earthwalk’s 27 years of business!

PHONE

9am-5pm

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