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Power sport
DeLaval’s ground breaking robotic rotary turns heads in Tasmania and Sweden. page 11
Polaris says its RZR900 is 29% quicker than the competition. page 41
Rural NEWS
top farmer Waipapa station, one of three Ahuwhenua Trophy finalists, in the spotlight.
page 29
to all farmers, for all farmers
may 17, 2011: Issue 492
www.ruralnews.co.nz
Not to be forgotten V ivi e nne H a l da ne
FARMERS DEVASTATED by April’s weather bomb will not be forgotten, local mayor Peter Butler says. Speaking to a packed recovery meeting held in Waipukurau last week the Central Hawkes Bay mayor said coastal farms “have had their hell on earth.” “What has worried me is that with the disaster area being so far from the public eye, you will be forgotten. But, believe me, you will not be,” he reassured the 200 or so people present. “You have blokes here like Mike Barham from the East Coast Rural Support Trust. He’s like a dog with a bone: he won’t let go.” The mood of the meeting was subdued. Some seemed in shock. Others stoically refused to moan despite half their farms being ripped by slips. “You could look at it and throw your hands up and say ‘what are we going to do?’ but we’ll plod along,” Bruce D’ath, farm manager at Mangakuri Station told Rural News. “Some of this meeting was helpful, such as the issues on reseeding, and knowing that there’s help out there makes a difference.” D’ath says he’s got a plan sorted and has sold stock off already, one of the recommendations made at the meeting. “It was going to go. It’s just gone a bit early.” The meeting was called by councils, Federated Farmers, Rural Trust, Beef and Lamb NZ, MAF and MPs. Wairarapa MP John Hayes says MAF’s declaration of a medium adverse event
classification “frees up a lot of money.” “It enables IRD discretion and makes sure funding is all on track.” The meeting heard more assistance will be available from East Coast Rural Support Trust, District Councils, Hawkes Bay Regional Council and Enhanced Taskforce Green. A database of those willing to help is being collated. Offers have come in from other farmers, rural supply companies, machinery firms: some offering free product or service. Farmers are encouraged ‘not to feel proud’, but to take all the help
Taking stock: Central Hawkes Bay farms at last week’s recovery meeeting.
they require. Taking time to assess and define a strategy will aid decision making. Richard Lee of Waipukurau Vet Services recommends getting scanning requests in promptly so they can be prioritised. “Use that data to work out which animals are going to produce you the most money.” Facial eczema is “sneaking in,” so needs watching. Other potential diseases are pneumonia and Leptospirosis. If stock are sent off farm, work out a quarantine protocol to bring them back. More: pages 13-14
When you’ve grown up on the land, you don’t scare easily. Risk is part and parcel of any rural business. And unlike some big city insurers, we don’t do everything we can to avoid it. We stare it in the face, assess it, and provide the advice to put you in control.
Ask around about us, or call for some advice on 0800 366 466.
That’s what works out here. FMG 0034
Circumspect response to bullish lamb forecast to n y b enny
A BULLISH forecast for lamb prices has been met with a cool response from the head of one of the largest meat companies. “This season’s lamb prices have been strong and all indications are that they will remain so for some time to come, thanks to tight global supplies,” executive director of Beef and Lamb’s Economic Service, Rob Davison, says. But Silver Ferns Farms’ chief executive Keith Cooper is more circumspect. “It’s not so much that it can’t last, but history would say that such spikes don’t last,” he says. “Ideally you want it to but I’d be awfully wrong to sit back, like Beef and Lamb is doing, saying it’s all good. to page 3
Water in the news
Three major water policy announcements were made last week. Details and how they affect farming pages 4 & 5.