Coast & Country News - August 2020 by Sun Media

Alan Law and his sons Brandon and Cameron are on a journey to reduce use of synthetic nitrogen on their Thornton farms without sacriﬁcing pasture or proﬁt – thanks to support and mentoring from Alan’s brother David Law (right) and his Total Replacement Therapy program team. Nine months in and the results are staggering. Find out more on pages 4-5. Photo: Merle Cave.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Visitors head along the Law family’s Wyndlea farm raceway to check out how pasture is now ﬁlled with clover since they’ve turned to biological farming methods.

It seems every industry, plan, business, company and group – big or small – in the country is re-charting its future course since Covid-19 hit.

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We’re all looking for ways to work smarter, more sustainably, more intelligently etc etc etc. And while New Zealand’s primary sector really shone as the country’s reliable economic backbone in our time of need, we also have been tossed about and rufﬂed around by what the pandemic brought with it. But one thing it has undoubtedly brought with it – is opportunity. We’re all ﬁnding ways of doing things differently, which work better for us – both privately and professionally. And we seem keener to share these ideas with others as well. Call it collective wellbeing if you will. In this edition, we cover a range of topics where the Government, and farmers and growers on the ground, are sharing new ideas, new plans, journeys they are on, and transformations underway – to better their industries, their own operations – and to encourage others to take a leap of faith too. We look at how the Government wants to transform NZ’s agritech sector – not only to grow it for enhanced domestic use but to build it into a thriving export market as well. See page 3. On pages 4-5 we cover Alan and Wendy Law courageously opening the gates on their Thornton

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dairy farm to show how their family has undertaken a Total Replacement Therapy trial for the last nine months, turning their chemical farming system to a biological one. Alan says the results they’ve seen so far have exceeded their expectations, and they are keen to share them with other farmers who may want to reduce their synthetic nitrogen use but are unsure how to. Over in the Waikato, Ian Brennan and his wife Trisha Wren want their farm to be an example of Continuous Cover Forestry. Find out how and why on pages 6-7. On page 8, the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital is partnering with Biosecurity NZ, singing a MoU that demonstrates a real sense of ownership to deal with biosecurity challenges at a local level. And a Western Bay of Plenty environmental initiative is being touted as a ﬁrst in NZ as it expands to include eight catchments in the Northern Tauranga Harbour. See the Project Parore update on page 9. And we have a range of features – including the upcoming maize, cropping and spring planting season; fertiliser; calving; dairy; efﬂuent and irrigation; new avocado season and much more – to keep you up with recent developments and more sharing of ideas to encourage improvements in a range of industries. Happy reading! Merle Cave

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Agritech our next big export industry? Can New Zealand grow its agritech sector to better serve – and encourage more uptake from – Kiwi farmers and growers while also transforming it into a thriving export market?

Agritech NZ executive director Peter Wren-Hilton says NZ’s agritech industry working together and now collaborating directly with government is a rare-but-respected model. “What other countries are ﬁnding very difﬁcult to do is get all of the different stakeholders together; they still compete with each other, so this collaboration we have is almost uniquely Kiwi. “The advantages are lots of industry representatives are able to talk to government the way they are today; and the fact now there’s now a joint plan that will be funded by government but led by industry. So it’s not a case of the

That’s what the Government wants to achieve via its ﬁrst Industry Transformation Plan – focused on growing NZ’s agritech sector – launched late-July at Zespri’s Mount Maunganui head ofﬁce in front of representatives from across the primary sector spectrum. Announcing an $11.4 million investment into implementing the ITP, as part of Budget 2020, Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford said his Government believes it can grow the agritech sector into a stronger economic contributor “increase agritech exports, and advance sustainable primary production in NZ”.

Key actions

report going back to Wellington to sit on a shelf, it will be very proactive.” Zespri chair Bruce Cameron supports the agritech ITP and the potential it offers NZ’s primary sector. “Anything that is about an investment in innovation and when you also merge that in with collaboration and NZ agribusiness, it has to, in the end, be a positive outcome in terms of ability to function and bring value for our markets. So it will not only bring innovation and new techniques and improvements, it will also bring more value back in over a shorter amount of time.” Merle Cave

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Economic Development Minister Phil Twyford and Agricultural Minister Damien O’Connor talk kiwifruit at Zespri’s head ofﬁce. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

The Agritech ITP – which sets out key actions to lift productivity of the sector – was co-developed with industry by a multi-agency agritech taskforce led by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Key actions his government is supporting include commercialising new products, and establishing a horticultural robotics academy, says Minister Twyford. “The Bay of Plenty has an exciting future as the home of a high-tech agricultural research and business community. We’ve picked this [agritech] as one of our first ITPs because we think it’s got the potential grow into a major cluster of large businesses that can export and take on the world by harnessing the really good science and the day-to-day experience of farmers and horticulturalists here in the BOP.” Minister Twyford says everyone knows NZ has great farmers “but interestingly we haven’t really realised the potential of our agritech firms”. “They’ve all stayed quite small; they’ve been focused on solving problems in NZ. We think there is potential to grow them into large firms that can export their products, inventions across the globe and create a lot of well-paid jobs for NZers and generate export we need as a country.” To help achieve this vision, the Minister says the ITP has a detailed plan to address challenges faced by the sector in a holistic way, with a specific focus on getting better at commercialising our Intellectual Property, attracting more capital investment into the industry, reorienting towards to delivering solutions for global markets “and ensuring we have skilled workers that we need to develop and use that agritech”. Industry representatives will be a key part of governing this work, with industry organisation Agritech NZ working to develop advisory groups to give input into delivery of each of the plan’s workstreams. The Minister hopes growing agritech in NZ will also help lift levels of productivity domestically. “Over the last 30 years NZ has experienced productivity growth that is low by international standards. GDP growth has been largely achieved by more people working harder and longer, rather than improved productivity.”

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Agricultural Minister Damien O’Connor was at the launch to release an industry-led report, ‘Aotearoa Agritech Unleashed’. It recommends strategic opportunities for the sector to pursue include: a strengthened commitment from the sector to the ITP as a joint government-and-industry strategic approach; developing a Trans-Tasman agritech strategy; and maximising local adoption of NZ agritech.

Uptake

A February 2020 MBIE report on the Agritech ITP says though innovations are being developed, uptake of some technology amongst Kiwi farmers has been slow. Minister O’Connor says availability of data, data analytics and decision support tools, and connectivity – particularly in rural areas – all inhibit uptake. But he believes there’s a growing awareness among farmers, and a new generation coming in, that are more connected directly to consumers. “They kind of understand what they [consumers] are looking for – and so farmers will be looking for more modern tools. “And while basic agritech got us to where we are now, it will be the new agritech that takes us to where we need to go. This will give acute awareness of everything we do in our production systems, environmental management etc – that we can sell to our consumers.”

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

A complete farming 360 If Alan Law was told a year ago he could cut synthetic nitrogen use by 60 per cent on his Thornton dairy farm – during a drought – and see pasture growth continue, clover levels multiply and milk production remain steady – he’d have thought it was a joke. But this is exactly what he and sons Brandon and Cameron have achieved on their 260ha milking platform by moving from a chemical farming system to a biological one. More than 70 farmers and rural professionals visited Alan’s farm last month as he shared his family’s journey of turning to a Total Replacement Therapy programme to farm smarter into the future. Alan called on his brother David Law, a biological farming consultant, last September after becoming disillusioned with the negative perception towards Kiwi farmers on freshwater quality impacts and farming practices. Then last spring the Government released its discussion document on a proposed new National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and National Environmental Standards for Freshwater. Lush pasture hides a “Like many fellow farmers, this standard pen in April paper really upset us. If I didn’t have 2020, during regional sons I would’ve probably felt like drought conditions. giving up farming.”

Farmers sit and listen to how David Law has steered the TRT program trial on brother Alan’s dairy farm. Photo: Merle Cave.

So Alan wanted to mitigate any negative environmental impacts their farming system was having. “I wanted to make changes to our system – but on our terms. We were fairly fortunate our soils were in a reasonably good starting place but were aware that our nitrogen use was high.” He asked David’s team of biological experts to put a proposal forward to demonstrate Total Replacement Therapy on his family’s 89ha home farm, Wyndlea. When he met with David and Kiwi Fertiliser’s Ron McLean and Gerry Strange the fertiliser budget for the season had already been set. “The proposal’s costing came in under budget, so we sat down and made some stringent KPIs,” says Alan. “To me, because we’ve got high debt, it was absolutely paramount the transition period was smooth and N applications were based on need. We didn’t want any

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reduction in grass growth and certainly no negative financial impact on the business.” The Law dairying operation is 250ha in total, with 66ha leased, milking 850 cows across three farms. The set-up produces 1600kgms/ha – or 500kgms/ cow. The Law family has owned Wyndlea for 100 years. Cameron contract milks Wyndlea, while Brandon contract milks the Oriini farm. “Our philosophy has always been that the land will go into the next generation in a far better condition,” says Alan.

Albrecht-Kinsey

Historically, Alan used a lot of RPR with less acidic fertiliser and a total of 180 units of synthetic N annually. “As we grew our business, we were using more and more Nitrogen. Every six weeks the truck would come in and apply 30 units of N following the cows.” In an interest to improve, Alan had attended two Albrecht-Kinsey seminars in the past. “I was intrigued by the

...continued

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 5

Reducing N use without sacrificing pasture or profit for synthetic nitrogen.” David talked attendees through Total Replacement Therapy’s procedure and the eight steps to a biological system without profit loss before they took a farm tour. Learn more about the eight steps at: https:// totalreplacementtherapy. com/ David says a new observation from the demonstration is Wyndlea’s Milk Urea Nitrogen figures Alan Law. for this year are markedly lower than the previous five years. “When Total Replacement Therapy was started last October, the reduction

continued...

of applied synthetic N on-farm directly correlates with a reduction in MUN. “Experts say there’s a direct connection between MUN and the amount of N excreted in urine – so cows with low MUN excrete less N as urine. As CRV Ambreed’s R&D head Phil Beatson says: ‘N excreted in urine is particularly important because much of that N is leached into groundwater’.” The next phase of the Total Replacement Therapy on Wyndlea is to measure and monitor carbon status and sequestration, water for pollutants, methane, pasture improvement – and, particularly, look at how better quality soils and pasture transform into better quality milk, meat and other produce which will lead to better human health. Merle Cave

Clover growing up through other grasses on Wyndlea farm – as visitors listen to the Law family talk about the Total Replacement Therapy program trial. Photo: Merle Cave.

concept but was nervous to change my system which is probably quite common among farmers.” Part of the Total Replacement Therapy Program included fertiliser recommendations based on Perry Lab audits. The Albrecht/ Kinsey system of soil fertility forms an integral part of the program and is based on the Perry Lab audit. The success of the program and the speed of change is a result of accurate soil balancing, then introduction and enhancement of soil biology as a liquid spray application. “Spraying is not replacing solid fertiliser at all. The farm has just had its fourth liquid biological application – nine months on, we have applied 70 units of synthetic nitrogen during 12 months, down from 180 units. “That equates to a reduction of 21 tonnes of urea, which is unbelievable,” says Alan. Summer management was also altered and will evolve as the Total Replacement Therapy Program eight-step method progresses.

Chicory

Chicory was sown mid-October with ﬁrst grazing December 7 – with seven rotations until March. The feed rate was 4kgDM/cow/day. “The cows did well off it and we found it was a brilliant summer management tool, especially in the dry.” Instead of continuing chicory as a crop, this autumn the whole farm was oversowed with a seed mix of chicory and three clovers to effectively have a crop in every paddock by developing a longer rotation over summer. One key measurement of Alan’s KPIs was grass growth – and doing visual soil assessment on soil structure. “Today, it’s amazing how soil porosity has changed,” says Alan. “Plant root depth is measured, worm population, pasture composition; and we do annual soil and herbage tests. So we’re really monitoring what’s happening and looking at trends.” Today, clover levels are 70 per cent in the pasture, up from 10 per cent when they began. “And further

reductions of synthetic N are expected because we are needing less,” says Alan.

Trial extension

Brandon says Wyndlea farm’s impressive results has prompted the family to extend the trial to half the Oriini farm, which just had a second liquid application. Alan says the trial’s success is due to support and assistance from a collaborative team, including David from Forward Farming, Kiwi Fertiliser, Terragen Biotech, and an international team of experts including Australian agronomist Peter Norwood, a farmer himself. “And it’s critical to actually commit to the programme and stick to it – and do as you’re told and advised. Because I’m sure if we hadn’t, we wouldn’t have got these good results.” David, the trial facilitator, says the eight steps is crucial to mitigating N and phosphates losses to waterways – but, contrary to popular belief, transition from a chemical farming system to a biological one doesn’t necessarily mean a loss in pasture, production and proﬁt. “Alan’s reduced his farm’s N application by following a method that balances soil nutrients and increases biology under the soil, enabling atmospheric and biological N to be ﬁxed naturally, thus reducing need

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Native way of farming trees Ian Brennan and his wife Trisha Wren are giving more than half of their 88 hectares of land, called Cassie’s Farm, back to nature. Since moving to the hilly Te Miro property in 2005, they’ve planted 70,000 trees on 30ha. Their last big planting will take place next year, bringing the total to 80,000 trees covering around 35ha. Once they ﬁll in the gaps, more than half of their land will be converted into a native forest. Why? Ian wants Cassie’s Farm to be an example of Continuous Cover Forestry – also known as CFF – where the forest canopy is maintained and trees are individually felled as opposed to clear felling, allowing for the ecosystems below to thrive naturally. “CCF has been practised in Europe for centuries, and has been mentioned in New Zealand media more frequently in relation to the Government’s One Billion Trees programme,” says Ian.

Early track work will create easy access to the forest. Photo: MacKenzie Dyer. “Despite this, I don’t think many people in NZ have a clear idea about what it means. The word ‘continuous’ doesn’t refer to the size of the forest – it means the forest continues into the future. “Planting native forest around and between our

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A drone shot of part of the farm. Most of the area within the purple line has been planted. Photo: Ian Brennan.

blocks of QEII covenanted bush will increase the habitat value of both planted and natural stands.

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“The forestry plantings will provide wildlife corridors between our existing bush fragments. In return, plant and animal species from the QEII blocks will spread into the planted areas, providing the species required for a fully functioning forest ecosystem.” For income, Trisha runs an online animal communication business, they rent out a converted woolshed as a farm stay, and Ian grazes dairy heifers. Retiring more steep gullies every year into native forest plantings means that eventually, only their ﬂattest land will be grazed. “During our second summer here, I was spraying thistles at the bottom of a steep gully when a large clod of earth ﬂew down the hill, bouncing and breaking as it neared the stream at the bottom. “I looked up to see heifers dislodging more soil as they jostled each other on the hillside above me. “That’s when I decided to plant all of our steep land into native forest,” says Ian. ...continued

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Ian Brennan amongst trees he’s planted. Photo: MacKenzie Dyer.

Such a largescale project doesn’t come cheap, and has been funded by several grants. “Waikato Regional Council has been a major sponsor, along with Trees That Count, and more recently Te Uru Rakau. “Council has been particularly supportive – they understand that CCF can transform our upper catchments, generating downstream benefits for everyone.” Ian and Trisha invest a significant amount of their own money into building tracks around the farm. “Unlike pine forestry, where access roads are usually built at harvest time and paid for by the first harvest, there is no clear felling allowed under CCF. Therefore, we need to build them before we plant. “The tracks also allow for easy forest maintenance, pest control, and eventually tours for people interested in native forest restoration, CCF, or who simply want to go off-road above Cambridge. “As a farmer and conservationist, I want to maximise value from every dollar spent.” In 2008 Ian discovered Tane’s Tree Trust, and is now a trustee. “For the past 20 years, it’s been the only organisation in NZ entirely dedicated to scientific research of native reforestation, with the

potential for sustainable harvest in future using CCF management. “We have numerous experimental plots spread throughout our plantings. We use GPS to gather data from the plots for the national growth database, which is managed by Tane’s Tree Trust.” Ian says that NZ forestry has been focussed on monocultures and clear felling for so long that the potential for managing planted native forests has been almost entirely overlooked. “While a native forest can cost 10 times more to establish than pine, timbers like Kauri and Totara are a premium product worth much more. It’s not just about beautifying the land.” Ian and Trisha are committed to an incredibly long game – a timber harvest isn’t expected until around 2080. “We hope we can encourage people who are wondering what to do with their land to plant native trees, and create something that provides sustainable income for future generations.” For more information on CCF, email: ofﬁce@ tanestrees.org.nz For Cassie’s Farm tour inquiries, email Ian: ianatcassiesfarm@gmail.com MacKenzie Dyer

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Biosecurity NZ’s John Walsh, with the MoU and TMBC co-chairs Graeme Marshall and Carlton Bidois. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

A new Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital and Biosecurity NZ is seen as signiﬁcant move forward in recognising collective commitment towards achieving best outcomes for biosecurity here in the Bay of Plenty. TMBC signed the MoU with Biosecurity NZ midJuly to build regional capability in preparation for any future biosecurity incursions. From the move, TMBC will now identify skills and expertise across its network and then work with Biosecurity NZ and other partners to train and prepare champions across the region who can participate and support a biosecurity response – should an unwanted pest or disease reach our shores. TMBC’s co-chair Graeme Marshall says it’s a signiﬁcant move forward in recognising TMBC’s collective commitment towards achieving the best outcomes for biosecurity and the positive impact of collaborating to support NZ’s biosecurity system. “It takes all of us to protect what we love about Tauranga

Moana and the wider Bay of Plenty Region,” says Graeme. “Covid-19 demonstrated clearly that if we have a robust plan and people who are capable of implementing that plan, then the response is likely to be far more effective. “That’s what this is about – strengthening our local awareness and preparedness to minimise risks and limit potential damage from pests and diseases.” As has been seen with the successful KiwiNet model, whereby members of the kiwifruit industry are prepared to support biosecurity responses, TMBC will look to identify and train members of their network who can be deployed in a biosecurity response. Biosecurity NZ’s director of readiness and response, John Walsh, says this agreement is a reﬂection of the commitment from the TMBC network to demonstrate a real sense of ownership to deal with biosecurity challenges at a local level. “Biosecurity NZ is pleased to support this capacity building initiative and we look forward to continuing to grow the relationship,” says John.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 9

Environmental initiative a first in NZ Project Parore, an initiative to protect native ﬂora, fauna, waterways and landscapes alongside sustainable commercial and residential land use at Katikati in the Western Bay of Plenty, is planning to expand to include eight catchments in the Northern Tauranga Harbour.

Three local hapu, centred on Otawhiwhi, have indicated their desire to be involved in the initiative. The restoration of the mana of the land and the mauri of the streams is strongly supported. “We have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with sector groups including Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, Zespri and NZ Avocado, Researchers look for invertebrates which represent and fish during a health check of the major the Te Mania Stream. commercial land is developed for Te Mania Stream users in the rohe,” Catchment through a collaborative says Project Parore process with key stakeholders”. steering group member John Catchment monitored Burke. In developing the pilot “The Bay of community-led project, UEM chair Plenty Regional and Project Parore member Lawrie Council is also Donald says the catchment was a party to the monitored “from top to bottom to MOU, making establish what is there, from people it the first of its Karen Smillie and Paul Woodard carrying out to small creepy crawlies”. kind in New “We’ve found new species, birds special night-time stream monitoring, looking for Zealand where eel and other native fish in Te Mania catchment. such as rifleman that are very the community, uncommon in most of the Kaimai, sector groups and freshwater mussels, long tail bats and other interesting regional council are working together in the spirit of and endangered species. collaboration and partnership towards achieving the “Other notable milestones include the remediation of vision and desired objectives of Project Parore.” impediments to fish passage (mainly whitebait) on Te Funding for the project was initially sourced by Mania, Te Rereatukahia, Uretara and Tahawai streams. Uretara Estuary Managers Inc from the Ministry “Hundreds of metres of stream riparian retirement for Environment’s Freshwater Improvement Fund have been established, as well as assistance with the to develop an ‘all issues’ Catchment Management establishment of wetlands in Te Mania catchment.” Plan initiative. The original deed from the MFE set Community engagement in Te Mania catchment out objectives which included: “a freshwater CMP

fresh water requirements – which will include implementing Farm Environmental Plans. These FEPs will highlight farm areas needing attention in terms of leaching and sediment loss. “There’s a freight train of regulations coming our way but landowners in Te Mania catchment have proved it is possible to meet and even exceed those requirements while being environmentally and economically sustainable,” says Rick. Project Parore is planning a number of public events in coming months where members will be able to assist landowners and lifestyle block owners with their plans.

Rick Burke, Lawrie Donald, and John Buke at Pukekauri Farm.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 11

Contributing to NZ’s Covid recovery Our industry’s contribution to the Covid recovery would seem as simple of providing fresh, healthy-grown local vegetables and fruit. But since we emerged from lockdown, this has become much more difﬁcult and can no longer be assured. Recent price increases for vegetables are a very graphic reminder that things are not what they were. During the Covid lockdown, one-third of all outlets for fruit and vegetables were closed: restaurants, independent fruit and vegetable retailers, and farmers’ markets. The growers who supplied these outlets either had nowhere to sell or could not sell all their crops. Their response was to cut back on planting because, why would you grow what

you couldn’t sell? Plus in winter, growing is much slower and so ﬁlling shortages is not quick.

Uncertainty

There is also the issue of labour supply: both permanent and seasonal workers. After Covid struck, around 2000 New Zealanders were redeployed into horticulture to help with harvest. But going forward, there is no certainty that there will be sufﬁcient workers. The horticulture industry relies on Recognised Seasonal Employer seasonal workers from the Paciﬁc as well as NZ seasonal workers for harvest and pruning. These workers used to be topped up

by backpackers on working holidays. We know backpackers will not be available in the coming season. We are also not certain that there will be enough RSE workers remaining in NZ or able to get to and from NZ. This creates uncertainty. If you’re not sure you can harvest your crops, you will not plant them. We do have programmes running to attract and redeploy New Zealanders but, will enough New Zealanders make the change in occupation? Uncertainty about where you are going to sell your produce, and where you are going to get your labour from results in fewer crops being planted. That in turn results in fewer vegetables being available and at higher

prices. The only way to break this cycle is to create certainty. Consumers need to buy more healthy fresh food and our labour programmes need to deliver a stable workforce. With certainty will come planting, sufﬁcient supply of vegetables and fruit, and reasonable prices.

Recovery strategy

To address these concerns the horticulture industry has collectively developed a Covid recovery strategy.

Its goal is to work collectively in partnership with the Government to provide the certainty that growers need to keep planting and keep expanding horticulture, to help NZ recover from Covid. This strategy will have to be an industry-led, government-enabled partnership if it is to succeed. Collectively, we have set ourselves the challenge to make a real contribution to NZ’s Covid recovery, and have put in place a plan to ensure our success.

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Page 12

Growing salads and herbs Growing fresh, crunchy salads and herbs is Liberty Growers’ specialty, and the family behind the business say ditching dirt for hydroponic growing is their secret to success.

“Hydroponic growing makes the produce taste crisp and fresh,” says Liberty Growers owner Debbie Miller. “It’s a cleaner way to grow, and the plants tend to grow more efficiently. We use less water per plant compared to produce grown in soil, which is great from a conservation standpoint.” Liberty Growers was already set up for hydroponic growing when Debbie and Malcolm Miller bought the Katikati business seven years ago. The 1ha property features three large greenhouses, one of which is almost the size of a rugby field, filled with rows of pristine white hydroponic trays – quite a different look to a typical nursery. “We still grow some things outside in the soil, like rhubarb, spring onions and sweet peas, but for our salads and herbs, there’s no beating hydroponic growing.”

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Liberty Growers supply 13 wholesalers and restaurants, and are regular faces at the Katikati, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui farmers’ markets. Debbie and Malcolm work and live in the Hawke’s Bay, but plan to retire in Katikati. The property has become a hub for their four adult children – two of whom have moved from the South Island in turn to run the business. Currently, the business is run by the youngest Miller, Rosie, and her partner Sioeli Tu’itufu, who is the manager. “We love the lifestyle, and are always trying new things when the hours in the day allow it,” says Sioeli.

The Millers, from top, Malcolm, Debbie, Katie, Chris, Rosie and Tim. “As well as ongoing help from the Millers, we have two part-time hydroponic assistants working for us.” Sioeli says he’s interested to see if other hydroponic growers will become certiﬁed organic under the Organic Products Bill, which was introduced in February. “The water solution includes fertilisers so the plant receives the nutrients it usually gets from soil, but it’s an interesting grey area as to whether that ﬁts into what is considered organic. “We have never claimed to be organic, but our hydroponic solution supplier is always keeping us informed and striving to be as natural as possible.” The Covid-19 lockdown gave Liberty Growers more time to experiment. Malcolm’s latest trial was tomatillos, a tart green Mexican tomato commonly used to make dips. ...continued

WESTERN BOP FOCUS

hydroponically Hydroponic assistants Jake Nicol and Ash Rogers planting basil.

continued...

“They grew well. Malcolm used them for his own salsa verde, which earned rave reviews,” says Debbie. “Gardening is his hobby, which is part of the reason we bought the business.” Chris Miller and his partner Jess Covell, who ran Liberty Growers for seven years prior to Rosie and Sioeli, also got creative with the produce. They created Liberty Grower’s range of sugar-free hot sauces, as well as basil pesto and vegan coriander pesto, using locally-grown macadamia nuts.

half, and grow more than 30 different herbs, salads, eatable ﬂowers and a small variety of fruit.” While it presented many challenges, Covid-19 helped kickstart Liberty Growers’ delivery service, which they pulled together in a matter of days. They delivered produce from Waihi to Papamoa every Saturday, as well as goods from their fellow Katikati growers. “It’s been a huge effort, with plenty of trial-and-error and time on the computer. “We were lucky that our market customers wanted to keep buying from us during lockdown.” Delivering in lockdown had its pitfalls. After driving from 10am-10pm on the ﬁrst day of delivery, Debbie and Rosie were caught out with nowhere to buy food, or go to the toilet. Covid-19 also encouraged Sioeli to up Liberty Growers’ social media presence. “Social media has been a great tool to attract new customers,” says Sioeli. “We had Black Fern and Olympic silver medallist Ruby Tui promote our produce, which was really exciting for us.”

Support local

Despite business losses, the family took the challenge of Covid-19 in their stride. They donated more than $1000 worth of watercress and lettuce Branching out to the local marae, foodbank and After a trip to Japan, they started Waihi community. growing red and green shiso, a But they are pleased to be back minty-tasting herb. at the markets. “We do our “Generic herbs and salads are well shopping at farmers markets, too. covered now, so it has been great to It’s a perfect way to support local, branch out. “Since taking over, we’ve increased Debbie Miller at Liberty Growers’ which is important now more than ever.” the range of produce grown here by market stall. MacKenzie Dyer

Page 13

MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Page 14

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MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Page 15

New role a ‘tremendous honour’ When Dr Brent Clothier takes over as president of the Royal Society Te Aparangi in July 2021, he’ll be the first Crown Research Institute scientist in the role in more than 30 years. A leading soil and water expert at Plant & Food Research, Brent will take over from Professor Wendy Larner on July 1, 2021, for a three-year term. He joins the society’s council as presidentelect immediately. The society is an independent, statutory not-for-profit body in NZ providing funding and policy advice in the fields of sciences and humanities. “It is a tremendous honour. I’ve big shoes to fill, and that is very motivating for me,” says Brent. “The global challenges are immense, and we need research to find solutions. Without the knowledge from

Maize herbicides – more than meets the eye A little homework on herbicides this season could make a big difference to your maize yield. That’s the advice from Chris Brenan, who, as territory manager for Nufarm, says it pays to specify exactly which products are used for pre-emergence weed control in maize silage and grain crops. The grass weed killer acetochlor, for example, is often applied to bare ground soon after seed sowing to protect maize yields from weed competition. But not all acetochlor formulations are equal, and this matters as maize is a grass species, says Chris. Roustabout 840 is one of the few acetochlors available with a safener. This ensures the emergence of maize seedlings that are not stressed from the herbicide, and better able to resist other early growth challenges such as cold, wet conditions. “We’ve done research that shows you only have to grow a very small

amount of extra yield – 14kg/ha of grain, or 18-30kg/ha DM silage – to cover the cost of using Roustabout 840 versus an unsafened acetochlor,” says Chris. In a season like this one, when good silage yields in particular are vital to restore supplements depleted by drought, close attention to such details is part of best practice crop establishment, says Chris. “Industry research has shown uncontrolled weed competition can cut maize yields by 10-20 per cent, and pre-emergence herbicides are a key step in preventing this.” Recommended rates of Roustabout 840 mixed with either Nutrazine 900DF or Flowable Atrazine will control a wide range of both grass and broadleaf weeds in maize grain and silage crops, says Chris. Roustabout is a registered trademark of Nufarm Limited. For more information, contact your local Nufarm territory manager on 0800 NUFARM or visit nufarm.co.nz

Roustabout clean rows.

research, we’re not going to be able to ‘organise’ and plan for a sustainable future.” Brent has advanced quantitative understanding of the world’s natural capital assets that deliver ecosystem services to grow crops and enable us to make informed landuse decisions. He’s developed new theories for water and chemicals moving through soil, along with inventing new devices to monitor the parameters controlling these ﬂows. He’s developed new technologies with colleagues to directly measure water use by trees and vines that have helped improve water management in water-short regions globally. P&FR’s CEO David Hughes says Brent has had a proliﬁc and impactful career at his organisation. “He’s worked with collaborators around the world to better the environment and the lives of many. He understands the important role of

environmental and horticultural science in solving the problems of tomorrow’s world. I have no doubt that his experience and knowledge will greatly beneﬁt the society.” It will be exactly 40 years since Dr Ted Bollard started as the royal society’s president when Brent takes over next year. Dr Bollard was former director of the Department of Scientiﬁc and Industrial Research’s Plant Diseases Division, the predecessor of P&FR. Dr Trevor Hatherton, who was director of the DSIR Geophysics Division, succeeded Dr Bollard as royal society president from 1985-1989 and was the last Crown researcher in the role. Dr Clothier will maintain his role as P&FR’s principal scientist in the Cropping Systems & Environment Group, where much of his work involves research, leadership and the mentoring of young scientists.

Page 16

MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Spring sowing intentions on par with 2019 A recent survey of maize areas and volumes in New Zealand shows that the average yield of maize grain for the 2020 harvest was identical to last season, the harvest was completed earlier than normal; and that spring 2020 sowing intentions are similar to last season.

The Arable Industry Marketing Initiative conducted the survey of maize growers in New Zealand to determine the size of the 2020 NZ harvest of maize grain and maize silage, the percentage of the NZ maize harvest sold as at June 1; and growers’ sowing intentions for this coming spring. The data from 102 New Zealand survey farms, as at June 1, 2020, was scaled up to the national level using the most recent NZ Agricultural

a iN &

SEED DrESSi

ID G E CRSEEDS

Production Statistics (the Final 2019 APS) for maize grain and maize silage. As with all surveys, there is a margin of error that needs to be considered in relation to this report. And ﬁgures reﬂect the position at June 1, 2020, and there will have been changes since this time. The key points of the survey are as follows.

Average yield

qua lity paSturE SEED

The average yield of maize grain of 11.7 t/ha for the 2020 NZ harvest was identical to last season at 11.7 t/ha. But the average yield of maize silage – at 20.2 t dry matter (DM)/ha) for the 2020 NZ harvest – was slightly down on last season at 21.4 t DM/ha, primarily due to the dry conditions in parts of the North Island. Please note: these are averages across New Zealand and there will be differences across regions.

Maize grain harvest

The NZ maize grain harvest was 89 per cent complete as at June 1, 2020, which was earlier than normal – during the previous seven years, the average was 76 per cent complete. The estimated total tonnage of 181,800 tonnes – including unharvested grain – was down on last season’s harvest tonnage by seven per cent as a result of an identical yield from a reduced harvest area, down seven per cent. Almost all, 99.7 per cent, of the total crop had been sold, leaving only 600 tonnes unsold, as held by

26.5 x 18cm

growers, at June 1, 2020. At the same time last year 15,200 tonnes was left unsold by growers, and even higher tonnages were unsold at the same time in all of the ﬁve previous years. But please note the quantity of maize grain held by merchants has not been determined in this survey. Also, spring 2020 sowing intentions, as at June 1, 2020, were similar to last season – only an estimated one per cent up.

Maize silage harvest

Meanwhile, the NZ maize silage harvest was 100 per cent complete at June 1, 2020, on all surveyed farms. The estimated total tonnage of 1,178,9 00 tonnes DM was down one per cent compared to last season’s harvest, as the result of a lower yield – being six per cent down – from a higher harvest area, up five per cent. About 67 per cent of the total silage crop had been sold or used, leaving 390,400 tonnes DM unused/ unsold at June 1, 2020 – compared to 456,000 tonnes DM at the same time last year, and 349,000, 457,000, 365,000 and 458,000 tonnes DM at the same time in the four previous years. To view the survey results in full, visit: https://www. far.org.nz/assets/files/blog/files//5a18cbe5-ca11-5ac99768-f5e0a3cfd5d2.pdf (Source: The Arable Industry Marketing Initiative’s New Zealand Survey of Maize Areas and Volumes: June 1, 2020.)

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Aussie pest warning Kiwi dairy farmers and crop growers are being reminded by the Foundation for Arable Research to keep an eye out for anything unusual in the way of insect pests or plant damage this coming maize season, with Australia deciding it is not possible to eradicate Fall armyworm (FAW) across the Tasman. FAW, which has devastated maize crops across the world, was ﬁrst detected in the Torres Strait islands in late-January this year and then in Queensland’s Cape York area and the northwest Gulf region in February – and so has established in mainland Australia. Currently, according to information on FAR’s website, the most southern detections are in Bundaberg, Queensland, and Broome in Western Australia – but the pest is expected to continue to move southwards through Australia in coming months. Authorities there have painted a grim picture, indicating that the adult moth’s ability to travel up to 100km a night means it has never

been eradicated, anywhere. In China, where it ﬁrst arrived in January 2019, it hit more than a million hectares of farmland in one year, mainly damaging corn and sugarcane crops. Now the Australian Government has determined it will not be possible to eradicate FAW and

The fall army worm, pictured here as larvae, continues to present an incursion threat to NZ. Photo: The Food and Agriculture organization of the United Nations.

is moving to prepare affected industries for ongoing, long-term management of this extremely damaging new pest. FAR says FAW “continues to present an incursion threat to New Zealand”. “FAW would be equally devastating in NZ, so all growers are reminded to keep an eye out for anything unusual in the way of insect pests or plant damage.”

Fall armyworm’s ability to spread quickly is matched only by its voracious appetite, according to FAR. “The moths’ larvae will feed on more than 350 types of plants, grasses and other crops, including wheat, corn and many vegetables. A dense infestation of caterpillars can destroy entire ﬁelds overnight.” Back in February FAR said FAW is very much on the radar of NZ border biosecurity services, and international specialists had been invited to meet with MPI and industry to discuss how to combat the threat. “Currently, the main control options are insecticides; often used daily.” How to spot a fall armyworm: • Adults are 32mm to 40mm from wingtip to wingtip, with a brown or grey forewing, and a white hindwing. • Males have more patterns and a white spot on each forewing. • Light-coloured larvae with dark head, become browner as they grow, developing white lengthwise lines and dark spots with spines. Find out more at: https://www. outbreak.gov.au/ And: http://www.sanbi.org/animalof-the-week/fall-armyworm/

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Page 17

work on research, extension and communication projects at sites across NZ. Opportunity exists to learn about all aspects of the industry, be involved in ﬁeld research, spend time with experienced agronomists and internationally recognised researchers, and make industry connections. Applications close August 9, 2020. See: https://www.far.org.nz

Fast feed checks will pay off No matter how busy you are this month, there’s one job your ‘future self ’ will thank you for doing – if you can ﬁt it in.

over-grazing – oversowing clover seed in spring is a great way to improve productivity in these paddocks. “Spin on coated Kotuku or Weka seed (4-5kg/ ha) either one-three days before, or three days after It doesn’t cost anything but time, grazing. and you can even do it when you’re “Kotuku is a high-yielding, picking up calves. large-leaved white clover with fast The job is this: Check the state of establishment. Weka is also high all your pastures. Take note of weeds, yielding, with medium leaves, high bare ground, low clover content, and stolon density and excellent tolerance poor ryegrass populations. to clover root weevil.” Build a picture of how much DM Some paddocks may be weedy, thin you won’t grow this season after a dry or damaged to the extent they need summer/autumn, a wet winter, or under or oversowing. In summer both. wet and irrigated areas, ryegrass seed That’s the advice from Waikato works very well in these situations – agronomist Jen Corkran, of include clover seed if needed. Barenbrug. “In summer dry areas, where ryegrass “If you don’t check paddocks soon, isn’t the best choice, oversowing the true extent of any loss of feed Captain plantain with clover can work production may not become clear very well.” Waikato agronomist Jen until spring growth doesn’t take off Corkran showing how it’s done, In all cases, Jen says you need to like usual.” in the paddock checking pasture. organise seed and contractors early Some paddocks may be so full of “so you can start restoring your feed weeds or thinned out they need to be fully renewed platform as soon as soils warm up and you can get on through spring-sown crop. Others may still have good paddocks”. ryegrass, but little to no clover. “If you leave it until you have a noticeable shortage Jen says if the cause of this is not soil-related – for of growth, weeds will take over and pastures will keep going backwards.” example, soil compaction, nutrient deﬁciencies,

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CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

Subcommittees revived ‘Think big’ in the face Waikato Regional Council is calling for landowners who want a voice in its ﬂood protection programmes in the Lower Waikato and WaihouPiako zones and land drainage programmes in the Waikato and Thames Valley catchments. Last November, the council decided not to re-establish eight catchment committees and four drainage subcommittees due to costs. But councillor Stu Husband, chair of the River and Catchment Management Committee, recognised the need for advisory

subcommittees in areas of the Waikato where there are significant assets. Two advisory subcommittees will be set up to meet on matters relevant to the council’s flood protection programmes in the Lower Waikato and Waihou-Piako zones, and drainage advisory subcommittees will be established in each of the Waikato and Thames Valley catchments. Stu says it became clear in areas where landowners paid a significant amount of money through targeted rates for land drainage or flood protection, they needed opportunity to be able to provide advice, support and feedback to the council’s operations. “It became

clear that we did need some sort of formal process in place, but one that’s not going to come at a big cost,” says Stu. Therefore, to curtail meeting costs, subcommittee members will not be compensated. The subcommittees will comprise of Waikato regional councillors, iwi, landowner, territorial authority and key stakeholder/landowner appointees, and will advise the council’s River and Catchment Management Committee. Appointments will be made every three years to coincide with council triennial elections. Applications close August 7. See: waikatoregion. govt.nz/advisory-subcommittees.

of economic shock

Reading ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’ by David J Schwartz Ph.D, was a lifechanging experience for me in the 1990s. In his book, David says: ‘You need the habit of acting in a manner that brings success’. I have to say the content did help me to change the way I view myself and the world. More than that, I then went on to give ‘motivational-type’ presentations to many conferences and people, including the New Zealand Law Society, based on what I learnt in this book. The message is simple, but so easy to miss. So here we go. • ‘Believe you can succeed, and you will’. Every human being wants success. Believing so will help you on the road to it. • ‘Think success, don’t think failure’ • Remind yourself: ordinary people who have developed a belief in themselves are successful. • Believe big too. Think big goals and believe in them. Absolutely nothing in life gives you more satisfaction than knowing you’re on the road to success and achievement. We all want to feel valued and successful. The ﬂipside of believing you can, is the negativity and lack of conﬁdence that creeps in, especially as we face economic shock that’s about to reset our lives. As humans, we seem to be preprogrammed to failure and negativity. I was lucky to have a mother who encouraged us to achieve and give everything our very best, and we did. Allowing the little negative chatterbox in your head to talk needs to be axed. Examples of bad thoughts include: • I’ve got a bad heart and need to take it easy.

• My family died young and so will I. • I will only give it a try. • If I take on risk, I will go broke. • I should have started years ago. • I attract bad luck. Here’s a few things you can do to beat the health ‘excutitus’: • Refuse to talk about your health. • Refuse to worry about your health. • Be happy, your health is as good as it is. • Remind yourself you’re better to wear out than rust out! • Life is yours to enjoy, don’t waste it. • Do not pass up living by thinking yourself into a hospital bed. • You’ve got to have brains to succeed. It is just not true...stop right there: • We underestimate our own brainpower. • We overestimate the other fellow’s brain power. An example of this was me finding myself addressing 100 lawyers on farm trusts and arguing with some of the best brains in the country that my view on trusts was correct and important to farmers. Was I terrified doing those presentations? You bet! Did I get a sense of purpose out of doing it? You bet! Did I learn something? You bet! Now I’m just an ordinary boy off the farm out the back of Te Awamutu. By changing the way I view the world and its people I was able to change my life for the better and confidently argue my point. More than that, I reminded myself not to overestimate other professionals and not to underestimate myself. Disclaimer – these are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the farming industry. Contact him on 021 777 675.

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

Page 19

Proposed new mining project in Waihi The country town of Waihi could have mining extended to beyond 2036 if OceanaGold can gets its new Project Quattro proposal over the line with authorities and the local community.

leave the town with a net benefit once rehabilitation was completed. “We have a comprehensive current closure plan. Project Quattro would be incorporated into the existing plan to ensure that what we leave will be a positive legacy for the community.” Planning for Project Quattro has involved extensive technical, environmental and cultural studies, The new proposal, called ‘Project Quattro’, was says Bernie. “Waihi has a proud 30-year history of launched mid-July and consists of four major parts: operating to the highest environmental standards. an expansion of the current Martha open pit, mining Over three decades we have demonstrated our ability a second smaller pit on the outskirts of town to work closely with our host communities near OceanaGold’s process plant, and stakeholders.” developing a new tailings storage “We are announcing this project facility, and constructing now and will work extensively a rock stack next to the alongside our communities existing tailings storage to better understand areas. their views before OceanaGold Waihi applying for consents Operation general under the Resource manager Bernie Management Act O’Leary says that, towards the end of if consented, the year.” Project Quattro OceanaGold has the potential shared its proposal to produce nearly with Hauraki 750,000 ounces of District Council gold during a 14-year twice last month, period. with the council saying Mining could continue at Waihi past “Project Quattro it could mean Waihi’s 2036 if Project Quattro is approved. would complement the Cornish Pumphouse is Photo: Daniel Hines. already-consented Project moved once more, plus Martha. It would extend the replacement of council’s elderly life of mining in Waihi past 2036 housing units at a new site and some and maintain our workforce well into realignment of local roads on the table the middle of the next decade.” should the project go ahead. Bernie says when OceanaGold purchased the Waihi Hauraki Mayor Toby Adams says the company Operation in 2015, the mine had a life of less than has announced its intentions to apply for resource three years remaining. “We made a commitment consents from HDC and Waikato Regional Council then to extend the life of the mine and develop the to authorise Project Quattro, but his council has not economic benefits it brings to Waihi and the region. yet received any applications. We are a high value, export-intensive industry that Once council receives an application it will use supports a wide range of businesses and jobs. independent professionals to ensure the information “Project Quattro would employ local people as well received from the company is technically robust, and as bringing skilled staff into the region, all of which independent commissioners will be engaged to listen contributes to the resilience of our community.” to community feedback and make a decision, says Bernie says the company has developed a detailed Toby. plan from mining through to final rehabilitation that “At this stage there are still many unknowns. Once would extend the life of mining in Waihi and also we receive an application from the company there’s a

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robust process to go through that will allow community feedback via formal written submissions

“We’ll ensure all information is available to the community as soon as possible.”

KIWIFRUIT

Page 20

Opening gates to more than just orchards Back in 2010 growers from the Te Whanau-a-Apanui Iwi in Eastern Bay of Plenty needed qualiﬁed horticulturalists for their orchard operations, but saw the many obstacles that made tertiary study almost impossible for their people.

The same year, they introduced a sustainable labour initiative by forming Te Whanau-a-Apanui Fruit Growers Incorporation to ﬁnancially assist people in the area as they studied horticulture at a variety of levels, the highest being a diploma qualiﬁcation. With no government or tertiary buyin, six blocks of Apanui Fruitgrowers put in $10,000 to establish a Trust. Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B,

Te ataarangi Parata has thrived in her career thanks to support from Te Whanau-a-Apanui Fruit Growers Incorporation. which has been instrumental in the project, have four graduates working on the orchard through OPAC, in various managerial roles. Some also work in Te Kaha Gold Sprayers and Te Heriko Nursery, both owned by the Te Kaha Group. They include Te ataarangi Parata, who achieved a level 5 certiﬁcate in Fruit for Production in 2014. Since then she’s

My Name is Neil Woodward. I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother. Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966. We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efﬁciency and accuracy. We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications. We hold all certiﬁcates needed to meet Globalgap compliance. We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

worked as a leading hand at Te Heriko lessons taking place at Tui Lodge, owned Nursery. by two blocks from within the Te Kaha Without the support of Te Whanau-aGroup. Expenses are still significant. Apanui Fruit Growers, Te ataarangi says TWAAFI pay $50 per day for use of Tui there’s no way she would’ve been able to Lodge, and supply desks, laptops and study. “I didn’t have a spare $3000 lying other equipment. around. The Fruit Growers Incorporated “A big deterrent for people going to covered the costs, and paid us while study is not being able to earn a wage, we studied. During the course I fell so we pay them a $100 daily grant, to pregnant and planned to drop out, but help with costs at home,” say Norm. they made sure I was accommodated Travel for field trips and motel for. I’m so pleased I carried on. Six of accommodation for students required to us friends started the course, and we all attend Toi-Ohomai for certain lessons is graduated together three years later. also covered. “The best thing to come out of it is Now, more community initiatives are the pure joy you get from encouraging on the horizon for Te Whanau-a-Apanui others to study. Besides money, Iwi after the Te Kaha Landowners knowledge is the most powerful thing – Group received a Provisional Growth it betters people.” Fund grant for at least $370,000. And Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this access to another $13 million may combined with fully automated sprayer controllers beand available through the PGF, as low Challenge threeTenozzle application efficiencyinterest and loans, to the Te Kaha Group. Kaharings 15B enhances board chairman Norm accuracy. The development will see Te ataarangi Carter says to date, 59 people have 216 Pongakawa Bush Road placed into a new managerial role. horticulture cations Wegained also use a quad bikequalifi for strip weedwith spray Several projects are planned, including applications. Te Puke assistance from TWAAFI. Conducting the programme in a Globalgapdevelopment of 2ha kiwifruit orchard on We hold all certificates needed to meet land next to Te Whanau-a-Apanui Area sustainable way has been a challenge, compliance. ToTecontact School, just north of Kaha. us: says Norm. “Distance is a big thing. WeToi-Ohomai look at all challenges ensure we protect Phone: 021 907 621 Taurangatoishelp the closest your crop with excellence. institute. They provide excellent Removing barriers E-mail: zcl@zanadu.co.nz horticulture training, but are almost Money generated from the orchard three hours from Te Kaha, which is will help remove learning barriers in travel our people can’t afford.” the area early by funding school trips. The initiative began by funding two Norm says this will alleviate stress vans to transport students from as far as from parents, who normally have to Potaka, to Toi-Ohomai. “We did this for fundraise to meet these external costs. close to two 216 years, but at $60,000 yearly, And students will get first-hand orchard Pongakawa Bush Road it was unsustainable.”Te Puke experience. “That experience will create In an effort to cut costs, the group pathways in a variety of subjects outside suggested a different model where Toiof horticulture, including environment, Totutors contact Ohomai came us: to the students legal, accounting and business at the expense of the trust. Two management. “We hope to integrate it Phone: 021 907 621 tutors would travel to Te Kaha once a into the curriculum, so their experience E-mail: fortnight,zcl@zanadu.co.nz for three days. can contribute to NCEA credits.” MacKenzie Dyer They use the same model today with

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KIWIFRUIT

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Research institute builds strong foundation One year on from being formally launched, the team from Tauranga research organisation PlantTech say it has created a great foundation to build from, according to PlantTech CEO Mark Begbie. PlantTech was established through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Regional Research Institute fund, which was awarded to four regional research organisations – all with a different PlantTech CEO Dr Mark Begbie and focus. research director Professor Ian Yule. With support of MBIE and eight stakeholders, the investment into PlantTech totalled $9.4million, dog for the role. “And remarkably, the dog cost the with the organisation broadly focusing on developing same amount to bring here.” AI technology to make plant-based value chains As well as a variety of cultures, the PlantTech team more automated. “We’ve already added value to our stem from different careers. Mark’s background is stakeholders, which we’re really happy about,” says in tech stimulation, and PlantTech research director Mark. Ian Yule, from Scotland, specialises in precision For Bluelab, formally NZ Hydroponics International agriculture. “It’s a real mix. One of our team members Ltd, PlantTech created software to work with their got their PHD in how to detect the evolution and probe, which can give information about the growing dialects of birdsong through machine learning, and environment of a hydroponic plant’s roots. another in cosmology and astronomy. Therefore, alterations “We all bring to the environment can something culturally be made before a plant and professionally becomes unhealthy. unique to the table.” A faster, more accurate PlantTech hired method of predicting their latest two team kiwifruit volume for the members just prior to season was developed lockdown. “We’d also for Zespri, giving them just moved into our new greater opportunity to Kiwifruit identified using machine lea ning in an image. building just days prior plan before going to to Alert Level 4. market. “There was just enough time to see if we could work Other stakeholders include robotics, tech, business remotely, and we didn’t get to use the new office until and machinery companies that contribute to Alert Level 2.” horticulture. The institute differs to many others by being “We help them achieve plant-based value chain demand-driven – their focus is directed by solutions in a variety of ways. For example, Trimax is stakeholders’ needs. “We’re not a product company, looking to automate their commercial lawnmowers, we’re driven to deliver value that our clients can which will have benefits for businesses th oughout the integrate into their own products. sector.” “By coming together and collaborating around preAs well as establishing good stakeholder relationships, competitive challenges, we can create new capabilities Mark says he’s stoked with the team they’ve created. based on research and science that are tuned to “In a year, we’ve grown from a team of four to 12 company needs.” people from 10 different countries.” PlantTech has a research plan for the next few years, Contacted through LinkedIn for the position while and is looking to take on more shareholders. “We’re working in his home country of Scotland, Mark excited for what’s to come,” says Mark. MacKenzie Dyer moved to New Zealand with his wife, daughter and

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Page 22

FORESTRY

Election forestry policy unnecessary Right now, we are in a Covid-19 recovery phase and an election year. Farmers feel good about keeping the economy going, but are challenged by climate change, freshwater regulations and afforestation.

Some press releases strongly defend pastoral farming against encroaching forests, as if we are ﬁghting over land use. We’re not. What both the farming and forestry sectors are doing is searching for the best way forward, post-covid, in terms of investing and adapting.

What neither sector needs are knee-jerk regulations that distract from ﬁnding real solutions of mutual beneﬁt. A diverse range of viewpoints is good for innovation, so let’s encourage it. The NZ Farm Forestry Association suggests we should avoid the myths, maintain perspective and share some new ideas.

Long-term perspective

The long-term perspective is that land use change has and should occur in response to developing markets and scientific guidance. As land values rose from 2002 to 2018 approximately 258,000ha was converted from plantation forests to pasture. Currently, about 16,000ha/year to 35,000ha/year of pasture is being converted into plantation forests. These figures suggest that both farms and forests have been moving, leaving one class of land for another as markets have driven change. In general, forests have moved from flat to rolling land in the Central North Island to steeper and more

remote areas of hill country. Since there is about 12.5 million ha of pasture land in NZ, afforestation of pasture is occurring at less than 0.3 per cent per year. This is hardly blanketing the landscape with forests, or signiﬁcantly impacting on of food production. But this planting might help with the impending carbon bill we will pass to our children. The proposed Labour Party policy regulates only better land – Land Use Classes 1 to 5 – and most of the recent planting is occurring on cheaper marginal hill country that is outside this range. Nonetheless, the NZFFA clearly recognises there is public concern, and we need to explore better ways of achieving the intended goal of meeting New Zealand’s targets for carbon sequestration.

Alternative ideas

Some alternative ideas are emerging. As one example, while pines are quick, cheap and profitable, higher value exotics like redwoods, fir and cypress may be better suited for harvesting on steep, erodible country. The latest report ‘Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Potential’ acknowledges the value of this diversity. As another example, permanent carbon forests need to be fast-growing and long-lived; and while native species don’t have the growth rates to meet the urgency of the situation, they can be used together with exotics to offer both a short and a long term solution. Mixtures of radically different tree types give resilience to biosecurity risks and improve aesthetics. Most natural forest systems are mixtures. In the longer term, we may need to harvest such mixed forests with new low-impact technologies, perhaps selectively taking and replacing the valuable species. If not, we leave it to future generations to decide. In the very long-term, fast-growing exotics forests will naturally convert to native forests. Government regulation has its place in protecting human wellbeing, fair trade and the environment. We’d like it to do that and still leave us with land use flexibility. These are uncertain times, we need to have responsive land use, not regulated land use.

Date

Time

Area

Location

Tuesday 1st September

11am

Taumarunui

Central Park Conf Centre

Tuesday 1st September

4pm

Piopio/Aria

Aria Cosmopolitan Club

Wednesday 2nd September

10.30am

Cambridge

Onyx Cafe

Wednesday 2 September

4pm

Te Waitere

Boat club

Thursday 3 September

10.30am

Te Kuiti

Te Kuiti Plant

Thursday 10th September

11am

Urenui

Café 487

Thursday 10th September

4pm

Whangamomona

Whangamomona hotel

FERTILISER

Page 23

What we know about potassium sulphate I recently found a very interesting scientiﬁc paper titled ‘The potassium paradox: Implications for soil fertility, crop production and human health’.

the difference with the health of the plants and animals affected, by the keeping qualities and ﬂavour of the food produced. But this is not what the paper above, is about.

It contains a list of 280 references. What it documented was not news to some of us. We’ve known that potassium chloride causes more harm than good for many years. We had serious discussions about KCl versus potassium sulphate at kiwifruit ﬁeld days in the 1980s. “If you do not want your children to eat vegetables or fruit, grow them with KCl.” Food grown with this substance tastes bland at best and sour at worst. So why is KCl the standard product for crops? It comes down to highly qualiﬁed academic soil chemists telling farmers and growers that “N is N, P is P, K is K. Use the cheapest one. The plant doesn’t know the difference.” This garbage ignores the fact that plants can tell the difference via their health. They cannot run away. Insects and diseases can tell the difference. That invites more toxic sprays. Humans can tell

Extensive survey

An extensive survey of more than 2100 yield response trials confirmed that KCl fertilisation is unlikely to increase crop yield. Contrary to the persistent instruction perception of KCl as a qualitative commodity, more than 1400 field trials predominately documented a detrimental effect of this fertiliser on the quality of major food, feed, and fibre crops, with serious implications for soil productivity and human health. Here are some of the principles. Forty-seven per cent of KCl is chloride not required for crop production. And 100 per cent of potassium sulphate is beneficial for crop production. K2SO4 has a salt index of 46, while KCl’s is 116. The lower the better. The sulphate form does not overwhelm

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the soil with chloride and cause K to be blocked out by the chloride. Consequently, more potassium is taken up by the plant when in the correct form. Sulphates stimulate microbes. Sulphur levels in soils are usually low, so any source of S is a valuable one. Plants need to make oils and amino acids such as cysteine and methionine that contain sulphur.

Flavour and keeping qualities of food are negatively affected by chlorides.

Flavour

Sulphate enhances ﬂavour. Flavour is quality. Quality is health. In most crops, 100kg/ ha of K2SO4 will give a greater response than 200kg/ha of KCl. Chlorides suppress microbes. We need to nurture them. We do not advocate zero chlorides. If Cl is short, it must be applied. Since the onset of industrialised agriculture, the view has been

drummed in that inputs of KCl are indispensable for maximising crop yield and quality and for the long-term maintenance of soil productivity. This view is not reconciled with the large volume of scientiﬁc evidence presented in the above paper that encompasses soil testing for plant-available K and the consequences of KCl fertilisation for agricultural productivity, food safety and soil degradation. To avoid the adverse consequences of chloride, potassium sulphate is preferred as a fertiliser source.

New fertiliser passes the test Early-2019 I was approached by the owners of Australian fertiliser company Fert Direct PTY Ltd, which market a sulphur-infused triple superphosphate called Triple Plus that they were keen to sell here.

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FERTILISER

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They claimed it out performed superphosphate in trials in Australia, which they believed was due to the very ﬁne elemental sulphur that is below 35 microns in particle size contained in each granule. To convince me of its worth they were prepared to fund a small trial on my own property at Taumarunui, comparing it against other commercially-available phosphate products. With a number of newer fertiliser products coming onto the market in the last three-tofour years, I thought it was a great opportunity to trial some of these. So I ended up comparing Triple Plus with standard superphosphate, Triple Super/Sulphur, Replenish and DCP 18 (both higher analysis dicalcium phosphates), and three RPR products – granulated RPR, Sechura RPR, and Algerian RPR. The trial ran from June 2019 to June 2020 with four replicates for each treatment applied at the equivalent of 45kg P and 30kg S/ha. The top four treatments were the Triple Plus, Superphosphate, Replenish and Sechura, which grew just under 10 tonne of dry matter – all within about 200kg DM of each other. The DCP18 was about 500kg DM behind these, and the Triple Super/Sulphur and Algerian RPR about 1000kg of dry matter behind. The granular RPR was 1000kg DM behind these two, at just under eight tonnes, and the control was 7350kg DM. The upshot was that the site was

Setting up the P fertiliser trial. a statistical headache as there is a lot of very P responsive, and most products performed as expected, but there were ‘noise’ from animal influences such as some surprises. dung and urine as it is being grazed in situ. Surprises In soil scientist Doug Edmeades’ latest I was surprised that Sechura RPR in Fertiliser Review (May 2020, Number the first year was as productive as the 43) he commends the introduction superphosphates. I was also surprised of Triple Plus as real competition how well Algerian performed, and how for Ravensdown and Ballance’s poorly the granulated RPR performed. superphosphate. It costs $610/tonne The poor performance of the triple super is – in my opinion – an anomaly ex-Waharoa and is twice as concentrate because it would normally be expected as standard superphosphate. to perform as good as the other watersoluble P products. Why the granulated This spring RPR performed so poorly I suspect This spring Inphos is also bringing in could be due to the high concentration Sulphate of Ammonia and MAP (Mono of fine RPR powder, which when Ammonium Phosphate), which is a broken up on the soil surface has a mild liming effect that mops up the free acids very popular fertiliser used in Australia. MAP is internationally traded around in the vicinity, slowing down the release of the phosphate. As the granules are the globe, and historically has been quite large (3mm-4mm), if they were sold here in NZ as Ammophos MAP. smaller, say a 1mm-2mm prill, then I It is the highest P fertiliser, at 22-23 suspect it will work faster – and so I per cent, compared to DAP and Triple have suggested to the importer that they Super which are 20 per cent, and also try and change this. has 10-11 per cent N. Ravensdown list The Australian company is now their MAP at just under $900/tonne, so trading in New Zealand as Inphos, and it’s been off the radar for most people at working out of Marsden Agri’s depot that price. Inphos will be selling it for at Waharoa, and from Hastings out of Rorison’s depot there. Their Triple around $200/tonne cheaper. It is 2.5 Plus product on my property worked times more concentrate than standard out the most economic per kg DM superphosphate, so at their price, even grown on my property once cartage excluding the cartage and spreading and spreading costs were factored savings, you get all the nitrogen for free in (8.5c), followed by straight super on a straight per unit of P basis. (9.6c), followed by Sechura RPR (10c), Disclaimer – these are the opinions of independent followed by DCP 18 (12.9c), followed agronomy and soil fertility consultant Robin Boom, by Replenish (13.1c), followed by Triple of Agronomic Advisory Services. Any decisions made Super (13.3c) followed by Algerian should not be based on this article alone and appropriate RPR (14.3c) followed by Granular RPR professional assistance should be sought. Robin Boom, (23.6c). CPAg, is a member of the Institute of Professional Soil However I need to stress that with Scientists. Ph: 0274448764. only four replicates, this trial could be Email: agronomics@xtra.co.nz

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FERTILISER

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Pelletised fert ideal for all types of grazers

Equi-lise is ideal for horses to graze more evenly, as well as sheep, cattle, goats, alpacas, llamas and anything else.

Equi-lise pelletised fertiliser, initially formulated with horse paddocks in mind, contains nutrients that are important for all soil – regardless of what or who is grazing on top of it, according to Emma Stackhouse of CP Lime Solutions, which makes the product in New Zealand.

Equi-lise is free from chemical and acidic-forming nutrients, making it safe to use around animals.” Lime and calcium will ﬂocculate/ aerate the soil and help maintain a good soil pH, improving availability of key nutrients. Sulphur is important for protein production. “The elemental form of sulphur will become available to the plant when required. Magnesium does not store in animals or pasture and therefore needs to be constantly replenished. It also heavily inﬂuences soil pH. “Phosphorus is essential for photosynthesis, as well as plant respiration, energy storage and transfer, and cell division. Selenium

“Healthy soil forms the foundation for healthy animals and agriculture,” says Emma. “What makes Equi-lise unique is the pelletised form it comes in. Also, the pellets break down quickly once they come into contact with moisture.” Emma says Equi-lise is manufactured using natural ingredients – ultra-ﬁne lime, magnesium carbonate, elemental sulphur, guano phosphate and a little bit of selenium. “This means that

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is an essential nutrient for animal health.” Emma says adding a small amount can help improve your animal health on your lifestyle block. The combination of these natural nutrients increases the soil pH and improves the soil nutrient status, creating a sweeter, more balanced pasture. “This is ideal for horses to graze more evenly, as well as sheep, cattle, goats, alpacas, llamas and anything else,” says Emma. Equi-lise comes in pelletised form for ease of application. It can be applied by hand, by push, tow-behind and conventional spreaders, or via aerial application and is available in 25kg, 500kg and 1000kg bags.

Page 26

CALVING

Biosecurity top priority this calving The Mycoplasma bovis programme partners – the Ministry for Primary Industries, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand – are encouraging dairy farmers and calfrearers to make biosecurity a top priority during calving this spring.

M. bovis Programme director Stuart Anderson says the effort to eradicate M. bovis is making excellent progress, but poor biosecurity practices at calving could result in a long tail of M. bovis infections, drawing out the eradication process. “There is very little M. bovis infection left in the national herd. Currently, there are just six Active Conﬁrmed Properties, and only two have infected cattle still on-farm. However, if there are just one or two farms that we haven’t found yet, they can inadvertently spread the infection around the entire country. “Just one untagged or unregistered calf could spread infection to an entire herd – so it’s critical all farmers correctly tag calves, register them in NAIT, and record all movements this spring.” Stuart says achieving lifetime traceability for NZ’s national herd starts at calving. “Accurate NAIT records allow us to quickly track down any calves that have left an infected herd, and to identify all of their close contacts and get them tested to make sure the infection hasn’t spread.”

Raw waste milk also creates a high biosecurity risk – DairyNZ’s advice is farmers should not be feeding waste milk to calves. Waste milk can be a source for many diseases and issues in calves as their systems develop. Read: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/ news/waste-milk-is-it-calf-feed/ Current advice is if you’re supplying raw milk to calf-rearing operations, the milk should be treated – either pasteurised or treated with citric acid – before it leaves your farm. Advice is available at: https:// www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/cow-health/ mycoplasma-bovis/ Dairy farmers should also keep up-to-date records about farms they’vee provided milk. General biosecurity measures to help protect against diseases, including M. bovis, at calving include the following. 1. Tag every calf (put tag in well) born on your farm. Bobby calves going direct to slaughter are exempt from NAIT requirements, but require a speciﬁc tag. 2. Register that calf into the NAIT system against your NAIT number before it is

moved off-farm. 3. Record that movement off-farm in the system within 48 hours. 4. Keep groups of calves separate for 48 hours before mixing them while you observe them for disease. 5. Keep calf-rearing facilities and equipment clean, and limit how many people access calf-rearing areas. 6. Get people accessing calf-rearing areas to clean boots and personal protection equipment, and any other equipment, and clean them again when they leave. 7. Remove sick calves to a dedicated pen. 8. Only buy NAIT-tagged calves with accurate and up-to-date records, and record their arrival on to your farm. 9. If you sell or give away milk for feeding calves, keep a record of who the milk went to. 10. Keep accurate records of all ﬁnancial transactions in case you have to make an insurance or biosecurity compensation claim in future.

Stop feed going to waste and save money Time and time again, New Zealand farmers say they are frustrated with feed going to waste. The answer is a Wilco hay and meal feeder, which ensures minimal wastage and protects feed from the elements, say Gary and Glennis Wilson from Wilco Engineering. “Wilco feeders are user-friendly and easy to move around the farm – which saves you valuable time and money.” Gary and Glennis are farmers themselves and know the importance of quality products that are practical and last a lifetime. “To put the feed savings into perspective, if you are paying $10 per bale, this could end up being $20 per bale if your livestock only eat half of it and the rest gets trampled through the mud. “Wilco feeders reduce this problem, helping you to cut costs in the long-term.” Wilco feeders are ideal for calving season – contact them today by viewing their advert on this page.

Wilco’s three-wheeled gooseneck feeder in action.

DAIRY

Page 27

Inputs, outputs and outcomes all matter Without energy, life does not exist – and the purpose of pasture is to convert energy from sunlight into food, providing the energy essential for human survival. The conversion process is known as photosynthesis, whereby via plant leaves sunlight interacts with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and other essential elements to provide the vegetables, grains, fruits, meat, and milk we require to be useful and productive. There is much more besides this, however it’s a useful start point for this discussion. Without sunlight we cease to exist, and it is only the conversion of this energy via plants that allows our current civilisation to remain. The testing process currently relied on to provide the nutrients that ensure both pasture and crops ﬂourish largely ignores the energetic side of the equation, with the assumption that when all essential elements are available plants and animals thrive. Modern agriculture is based on many years of dedicated work by wellintentioned people and the volumes of research that have resulted has allowed us to progress to this point. However, to go forward we have to evolve our understanding and farming practices.

Disconnect

The historic data is sound, providing the base from which we now progress. Where there is currently a disconnect lies with the industries that have developed from the outstanding work of scientists, thinkers, engineers, and farmers. Over time we’ve come to expect simple answers and an easy fix for the things that haven’t worked as we’ve wanted, and that also has to change. Daily observation is a technique essential to sound farm management, along with the time to process, internalise, and make sense of what is seen, heard, and felt. By making changes we can grow more, harvest it more efficiently, build top-soil, filter water and return nitrogen to the atmosphere. Financial surplus lifts as input costs reduce and those farmers already part of this movement become incredibly enthused by its simplicity. Re-introducing the human factor and

current form are to remain. That’s one example, and where there’s one there will be another nine close to teetering. Few farms are selling and when sales do take place they tend to be at heavily reduced prices. Farmers collectively have the solutions to their current predicament and leaving decisions to outside agencies hoping that somehow the answer will be forthcoming is not sound management. For more information, call Peter on 0800 843 809.

using existing science following two. to put art back into On one hand this is not good, on the other it’s farming is essential, driving these systems rapidly to the point where and the systems fundamental change is essential if farms in their already exist and have been in use by farmers for more than 15 years. Both products and processes will be reﬁned and made more efﬁcient, however it is not necessary or helpful to try to re-invent the wheel. We’ve had recent discussions with intensive dairy operators looking for answers to persistent calcium/ magnesium-related metabolic disorders and empty rates of 15 per cent and above.

System change

They know they must change but are so busy that only a quick ﬁx can be considered, and frustration builds as it becomes obvious that a system change is required. Often a proviso that is put in place is a reduction in animal numbers is not possible. Recently, I was told that an increase in pasture growth along with a reduction in animal ill-health issues and fewer empty cows was most welcome provided the stocking rate of four cows per hectare could be maintained. Four cows require approximate 45kg of DM/day of maintenance feed. Spread over 365 days that’s a total of 16,425kgDM/ha. Even if the property is growing that amount there’s no surplus so production can only be from bought-in feed. With annual N inputs of 300kg/ha that farm will be growing less pasture each year and the outcome will be an ultimatum from the bank, if not this season certainly within the

DAIRY

Page 28

BOP cow scoops Swiss title A Bay of Plenty dairy cow has followed in her grandmother’s footsteps and claimed a coveted milk production title. Thurvalley BK Bree VG86 produced 678kgMS in the 2018-2019 season, making her the top producing registered Brown Swiss cow in New Zealand. She’s owned by Rotorua contract milkers Tony Buehler, Lisa Culligan and their sons Conor and Logan. “Bree’s granddam Pilatus Comet ET Briarrose, who was born in 2001, took out the same title twice,” says Tony. ‘Bree’ is one of the original cows Tony bought when he moved to NZ from Switzerland permanently in 2005. She won the Supreme Champion Brown Swiss title as a three-year-old at Rotorua A&P Show in 2016. The R N R Payoff BrookingsET-sired cow is part of a 550-cow herd, which switches to once-a-day milking each January. Authorised Dealers Authorised Dealers

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“We don’t have in-shed feeding. We rely on grass, grass silage, 120 tonnes of palm kernel during spring, and summer crops to keep the cows milking,” says Tony. “We go OAD because the farm is exposed to the southerly winds and the pumice soils dry out quickly in summer.” Tony, who has been contract milking on the 200ha property for three seasons, grew up in the small village of Ganterschwil in Switzerland where his family milked a herd of 16 Brown Swiss cows. “It was the old way of farming. We could only feed our cows grass or hay because their milk was used to make cheese and silage would taint the milk,” says Tony, who is president of Brown Swiss NZ, and owns about 20 Brown Swiss and Holstein Friesian cows. “Brown Swiss cows have excellent udders and feet and suit high-input farms where cows are fully-fed all season.” Thurvalley BK Bree VG86 won a total of ﬁve awards for her production as a ﬁve-year-

Above: Thurvalley BK Bree VG86 was the top producing registered Brown Swiss cow in New Zealand in 2018-19. Photo:

Tony Buehler

Dean Malcolm Photography.

old in the 2018-2019 season. They were presented to Tony at Brown Swiss NZ’s AGM in late-June. They included accolades for producing the highest total milksolids, milkfat, litres of milk and for having the best lactation worth.

Former farmer pays it forward In 2014, farmers Lisa and Hamish Lile, and their daughters, Dana and Hayley, took the brave decision to go public with their story of Hamish’s ﬁght with depression and Lisa’s struggle with being his support during the darker times. As part of the rural mental health depression programme managed by the Health Promotion Agency and fronted by John Kirwan, they featured in arural video for depression.org.nz

Six years on, Lisa is still involved in supporting rural families who are facing mental health issues. She was approached by DairyNZ to be a support farmer/ person as part of their Dairy Connect initiative. “It was a good ﬁt for me. I had Lisa and Hamish Lile. something to Photo: Catherine Fry. offer from both my 25 years in dairy farming, and my experience with depression,” says Lisa. Farmers who approach Dairy Connect are matched with a suitable support farmer, who then makes contact by phone. Calls are usually around an hour, and further calls can be arranged. “It’s not always the person who is struggling that reaches out; it can be their spouse, or a concerned colleague.” Alongside mental health, business, animal health, pasture and feed, and farm environment support is available. Farmers can be too embarrassed or ashamed to go to a professional to discuss things they feel might be wasting their time, says Lisa. “Often a call starts with a stressed or overwhelmed farmer, but after some talking the issue is frequently something physical or quite simple on the farm that they don’t know how to resolve. “When you’re in that headspace, thinking revolves around making it through to the next day, and sometimes not around logic and forward planning. “A good chat with someone can lead to solutions.” Lisa’s dairy farming knowledge has assisted people solve various problems. However, if she feels that support required is beyond her level of experience, she will recommend a professional, or refer back to Dairy Connect to ﬁnd someone with more knowledge on the issue. After experiencing a tough couple of years on their last farm, and Lisa realising Hamish was slipping downhill again, the pair decided to retire from farming after 25-plus years. She’s restarted a real estate career in Cambridge, and Hamish is fuelling a lifelong passion for large vehicles by driving trucks. Lisa is aware it won’t be too long before new systems, machinery and methods will supersede her farming knowledge. “Then it will be time to move on from my support role.” To know more, or to reach out, see: www.dairynz.co.nz/business/dairy-connect

Catherine Fry

DAIRY

Page 29

Uncertain weather, finances and markets We certainly had a bit more rain in June-July compared to the last six months. For July we’ve had 102mm. But we still have a big deficit compared to the usual 1600mm rainfall in 12 months. Even though it’s got reasonably wet on and off, water tables are still quite low. And it has got colder as winter has arrived. Spring is just around the corner, so farmers are starting to see cows springing up, and some have begun calving. Cows on our dairy grazing blocks are heading home. I’m still hearing of the odd issue with nitrate poisoning. We had one block we had to pull cows off because nitrates were too high. Especially after long dry spells and everything takes off, this seems to accentuate the problem. We made silage from the grass left, but you still have to watch nitrate levels with this – or just leave grazing it until levels drop after a few frosts and fine days if you can. But you’ll still need to add silage or hay to the diet on and off and not put cows on fresh grass hungry. A recent Global Dairy Trade price index was up 8.3 per cent – its biggest lift since November 2016. Since writing this, it’s jumped a further 1.9 per cent - the fifth consecutive gain at the twice-monthly auction. Whole Milk Powder prices – which have the biggest bearing on Fonterra’s farmgate milk price – leapt by 14 per cent to US$3208 a tonne and back to where they were in late January of this year. I don’t think anyone was expecting that – it’s really good news for dairy farmers, Fonterra has upgraded its milk price forecast for the 2021 season to $5.90$6.90/kgMS from $5.40-$6.90/kgMS, but farmers aren’t out of the woods yet. There’s still uncertainty as many countries put states back into lockdown, such as Australia and the US. NZ is doing bloody well, and we’re certainly benefitting from the global situation and we’re not as bad off as we thought we were going to be.

Take timeout

a product you know you’ll need, order it early – so suppliers know what they’re in for so a bottleneck doesn’t happen. If you need maize seed, chemical product etc – order it now. As what used to take three weeks to get here may now take six weeks, and if you leave it too late you will miss the season. Plan now and think ahead.Be proactive rather than reactive. Calf meals, drenches and machinery oils etc – order it now. Remember the maize season last year? When farmers wanted it, and family, and being unable to take a break all add to the risks that a farmer or farm worker will have an accident, the new research shows. So this is real reminder to farmers that they need their time-out. They need to be careful they’re not getting overstressed as the job is 24/7. We know do a lot of different tasks in a day. There’s always something to do on-farm – and something always crops up that has to be dealt with when you already have tasks planned. So monitor your stress levels and get help if you need it.

Covid cliff

For exports and imports, there’s word that supply chains are going to be stretched in the near future. Exports could be worse-affected and imports could be more expensive due to freight costs. So we’ll possibly see an increase in the price of products, and maybe shortages too as things slow down getting into NZ due to Covid. With Australia and US locking down states again, many imports could be affected. They call it the Covid Cliff. So beware when ordering things. If there’s

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Financially, we might not be in as good a position as we were – although ﬁnance analysts are saying we are Ezi-flo pit gates completely Ezi-flo pit gates completely back to our debt levels of the 1980s and early-1990s, clear exit ways and cannot clear exit ways and be touched by cowscannot leaving but with lower interest rates. So we’re not too dire yet. be touched bythe cows leaving milking area. the milking area. We just have to ensure the overzealous spending from the top doesn’t continue and purse strings tighten The fully galvanised gates up. And banks are looking at reassessing the newly are available in kitset for The fully galvanised gates forecasted payout – that’s the silver lining at this stage. speedy are available in installation kitset for speedy installation Back to cows calving, there will be a need for feed. So don’t get complacent with a bit of extra grass growing in this mild weather. And with rain, watch the 0800 226974 pugging. And order feed early because it is a long time 2 C OW S H E D between now and when spring does arrive. Ph Jim 07-850 Mob. 0274 936 693 2 C5971 OW SH ED In the news an ACC-funded study for Farmstrong Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 ezi-flo shows 58 per cent of recently-injured farmers linked Ph JimP.O. 07-850 5971 0274Hamilton 936 693 Box 10 188,Mob. Te Rapa, PITGATES their accident to stress associated with farm work. One-Ph Chris www.dairybuilders.co.nz 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 23/07/20 lack 4:52 quarter saidnzfma-feedsafe-ad.pdf it was a major factor. 1Exhaustion, ofPM P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamilton PITGATES sleep, stresses of farming, being isolated from friends www.dairybuilders.co.nz

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it wasn’t there because some didn’t order well enough in advance. Even supermarkets could be affected too by the possible Covid Cliff. We’re taking orders now for bulk grass, baled silage and maize silage for the coming season. We recommend you order early to avoid disappointment later when you need feed and supply is short and prices high. Remember: ‘Proper planning prevents pitiful performance’ in what is potentially another good payment season ahead of us.

Page 30

COUNTRY LIVING

A forest of plenty for all in the backyard Turning their backyard into a garden for the community has little to do with horticulture and everything to do with people for Chris and Shalom McClimans. The couple have kept an open-gate policy to their two-acre property since moving there 18 months ago with their two sons, Asher, 7, and Benjamin, 5.

They’ve named their land the ‘Forest Plans for Forest of Plenty’ – a wellof Plenty. sectioned area with features including a fernery, glasshouse and fruit trees, to name just a few. “We didn’t know much about gardening before starting this, so we’ve learned a lot,” says Chris. The previous owner used the land to create an English Garden. “That was lucky for us, because the foundations were here for what we wanted to do. “We’ve added more vegetable and fruit plants, but have kept existing features, too. We’ve kept a planter boat that has ﬂowers growing out of it, but have added a co-planting of asparagus and tomatoes.” Their hope is to create a culture of sharing ideas and “viral generosity” through the garden. “We believe in the power of collaboration, and want to encourage that at a grass-roots level. “Ideas are like seeds – if you take them and nurture them, you can make them meaningful to where you are. “Our culture has become very transactional. The maximising of personal beneﬁt at the expense of others and the

Brothers Asher McClimans, 7, and Benjamin McClimans, 5, helping out in the Forest of Plenty.

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Chris McClimans, known in the tech world as ‘Hippie Hacker’. All photos: MacKenzie Dyer. ecosystem is unhealthy. We horde ideas that would grow best with the cooperation of others. “We are trying to create a place where giving something for communal gain is not seen as a personal loss.” Co-planting metaphorically shows Chris’ goal. “A contribution we’ve made from our North American heritage is ‘the three sisters garden’. You plant sweetcorn, beans and pumpkins together and they help each other – the corn provides support beams for the beans, the beans make the soil nitrogen rich, and the pumpkins shade the soil, helping it retain moisture.” Chris also applies his passion for collaboration to his tech business, ii.coop, where the source code is openly available. The McClimans are going back to the US for a break from their New Zealand work, and will hand the running of the property to charity Island Breeze. “Island Breeze has worked with Maori, and indigenous cultures around the world, for 12 years. “We feel that they will uphold Forest of Plenty values, and focus on incubating new hybrid strains of local culture with a global heritage.” The Forest of Plenty featured in Echofest’s Sustainable Home and Garden Ramble in March. For more information, visit: fop.nz

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COUNTRY LIVING

Hedge cutting joins Langsford’s offerings Well-known agricultural and trucking company Langsford N&G Contracting Ltd can now offer hedge cutting services to clients across the Greater Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas following the purchase of a new business – Kaimai Hedge Cutting 2020. Part owners of new business Kaimai Hedge Cutting 2020, Gary Ayling and Mathew Van Groenedaal say they will work in tandem along-side Langsford N&G Contracting Ltd, which will be of great beneﬁt to clients. Kaimai Hedge Cutting 2020 can tackle “It will mean that not only will clients be able to use Langsford’s barberry and farm hedges plus residential, lifestyle, council and equine-land jobs. services – such as earthworks, truck work, cultivation, baling “March-April we’re subcontracting for and fencing – but will now undertake the maize harvest with four truck-andhedge cutting too, offering a complete trailer units with bins running alongside package for on farm services.” the harvesters 24 hours a day with Kaimai Hedge Cutting 2020 has a drivers on rotation.” late-model tractor with a mulching Each year Langsford N&G make an head, which is ideal for tackling estimated 35,000 bales and 4000-plus barberry and farm hedges, and also bales from lease blocks and standing a small hedgecutter for residential, grass that they buy. They grow Lucerne lifestyle, council, thoroughbred on lease blocks for silage and hay, properties and horse racing clubs. getting three-four cuts a year. During Langsford N&G covers the Greater autumn and winter the drivers swap to Waikato and Bay of Plenty area and are construction sites with tractors and tip very keen to widen their client base. trailers. Other drivers go onto muck Gary says Kaimai Hedge Cutting 2020 spreaders cleaning farm ponds, and will do the same. diggers carry out maintenance work on Langsford N&G starts groundwork early-August and by September-October tanker tracks and raceways. For enquires, quotes or advice, contact the baling crew is well into the silage the team by viewing their advert on season. Direct drilling is underway by October and starts again in autumn. this page.

Page 31

Stop horsing around in town Opotiki District Council is encouraging local horse owners to move their equine friends out of town – before there’s an incident or accident. ODC’s planning and regulatory group manager Gerard McCormack says since lockdown the Eastern Bay of Plenty township has seen a huge inﬂux of horses being brought into town “and it is simply not sustainable given the amount of grazing land we have available”. “We’ve had more call-outs for horses on roads and in other people’s property. We’ve also had concerns raised by the SPCA about animal welfare with horses tethered without water or enough grass or in

ﬂood-prone areas. “We’ve had frequent complaints from those with a lease or grazing arrangement in place only to have other people’s horses added to their paddock without permission.” As a result, Gerard says it is clear the township is getting to a critical point “with too much pressure on grazing and horse-owners not looking after their animals”. Gerard says ODC is looking at ways to manage horse numbers in town and is considering a permit or licensing arrangement as part of the Reserves Management Plan. And that council will be identifying which horses should be on council land as part of a formal lease arrangement, and where necessary impounding horses that

should not be there. “Council has some regulatory options that we are exploring to try and help manage the horse numbers in the urban areas. However, regulations and council or SPCA involvement is really the last option and council can’t be everywhere all the time. “It is a matter for horse owners – they need to make sure their horses are well-fed and watered, cannot get out on to roads or create a trafﬁc risk, do not get into other people’s property and cause issues for neighbours,” says Gerard.

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COUNTRY LIVING

Should I take Co Enzyme Q10? – Part 1 Imagine trying to drive your car after someone had crimped the fuel line from your fuel tank to your engine. The car would still run but would quickly lose power on a hill or under load.

This is much like our bodies when they have insufﬁcient Co Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 acts like the fuel line in your car by transporting energy within cell energy factories called mitochondria to make the energy we need.

Co Enzyme Q10 is an essential vitamin-like substance we make in our liver. While we normally make all the CoQ10 we need, some people – because of age, health problems or medications – can beneﬁt from taking good quality CoQ10. Be aware that

Abundant Health

the market is now ﬂooded with low cost semi-synthetic CoQ10 made from tobacco waste. The most common reason for CoQ10 supplementation is for those using cholesterol lowering (statin) medication. The side effects of statins are so common they are a diagnosable disease called statin myopathy. The most common side effects are muscle stiffness, pain and weakness. This can also cause general fatigue, which often feels like a lack of motivation. Statins effectively inhibit the enzyme needed to make cholesterol. Unfortunately, this enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) is also needed to make CoQ10. Blocking this enzyme reduces cholesterol but also CoQ10 by as much as 50 per cent. Drug companies are well aware of this problem and hold patents for combining

CoQ10 with statins. Until such drugs are available I recommend those on statins supplement with 100200mg of naturally fermented CoQ10 such as the patented US product CoQsol. If people have low energy or have other health issues, I often add my MTQ10 complex formula that includes high grade CoQ10. John Arts is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice, contact John on 0800 423559 or email: john@abundant.co.nz Join his newsletter at: www. abundant.co.nz

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EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Page 33

New owners at Numedic Numedic Limited, a Kiwi-owned and operated manufacturer based in Rotorua has been providing the farming industry around the world with superior products and service for many years.

“Since we’ve been here we’ve seen a travelling irrigator come in for service that was almost 20 years old,” says Marina. “After replacing some worn out working parts it was all good to go back into service again – that’s what I would call a great long-term sound investment! The Numedic product range includes both vertical “Our export customers also tell us that our and horizontal effluent pumps, floating pontoons products stand the test of time performing even for ponds or tanks, in the harshest of -ased effluent solutions, conditions. We will stationary and travelling continue supplying irrigators, hydrants, products that effluent stirrers, waterexceed customer saving Hydrofan nozzles expectations, as well as and drench systems, along complementing these with other dairy and with a friendly, fast and agricultural products. knowledgeable service Numedic’s new owners and back-up,” says Andrew and Marina Marina. Millar bring extensive Numedic products mechanical engineering, are built to handle manufacturing, product the conditions and development, innovation, incorporate many years quality and customer of experience in their service skills to the development, and business. progressively improved “Prior to purchasing based on customer the business, we did our requirements, ideas and own market research and feedback. found that customers “Taking all this think very highly of into account it’s not the company and the surprising that our product range. Numedic’s new owners Andrew and Marina Millar. products have such “Since becoming a great reputation. involved in Numedic, this is exactly the feedback we This is an excellent example of NZ manufacturing have been getting – our products are praised for their capability and continuous improvement,” says performance, reliability, robustness of design, along Andrew. with an unmatched support and customer service,” For more information about Numedic products, say the couple. contact the team by viewing their advert on this page.

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EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

An effluent tank that will do the job Ngaere dairy farmer Glenn Taylor is happy to extol the virtues of a French product he installed on his farm back in June 2018. “Basically, it’s done what I wanted it to do. It’s somewhere to put efﬂuent safely.” Glenn has 340 dairy cows on 107 effective hectares, as well as having a 30ha runoff where he grows maize and silage and grazes young stock. Glenn admits he did look at a

number of options when looking for an efﬂuent storage system. “I did the calculations with Dairymaster in town, who recommended Flexi Tanks and we worked out the size we needed.” Glenn says it’s a simple system, which is easy to use and easy to put together without a lot of capital outlay. “There are no consents required and it only took ﬁve people one-hour-and-a-half to roll it out. And with the Flexi Tank being enclosed, there is no chance of rainfall getting in – and there’s the

Glenn Taylor observing his new easy-to-use Flexi Tank.

added beneﬁt that smells are almost non-existent. Flexi Tanks are an increasingly popular option, says Flexi Tanks director Anton Meier. “The tanks have a depreciation rate of 25 per cent

per annum, so can be written off in four-ﬁve years. “The material is sturdy and comes with a 10-year manufacturer’s guarantee and up to 20-year life expectancy.”

An effluent WOF check not a bad idea With calving underway for many dairy farmers, and cows about to come back to the dairy shed for milking, it is timely to check your efﬂuent system is up to scratch for the job ahead.

One way to find out if your dairy’s effluent system and procedures are fit for purpose and meet council compliance is to take an effluent Warrant for Fitness check.

Developed by DairyNZ in association with farmers and other technical experts, the programme consists of a voluntary inspection, risk assessment and reporting process. The assessment is carried out by a trained and certiﬁed independent professional and takes three to four hours. It covers the farm’s efﬂuent consents and permitted rules, storage capacity, nutrient loadings, soil risk, irrigator performance, offpasture infrastructure and general health and safety requirements.

The independent assessor points out areas of risk and suggest practical actions a farmer can take to ensure their system is capable of being compliant 365 days a year. Getting a dairy effluent WOF is voluntary and confidential – and available to farmers and rural professionals nationwide. To find out more, see: https:// www.dairynz.co.nz/environment/ effluent/effluent-wof/ Or to find a certified assessor in your region, see: http://www. effluentwof.co.nz/

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

IrrigationNZ believes recent Government investment in the water sector is a step in the right direction – but it is still calling for a broader strategy to encompass all water infrastructure, including storage and policy development. Early-July Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the Government will invest $761 million for a muchneeded upgrade to water services across the country. IrrigationNZ chief executive Elizabeth Soal says the proposal to reform water service delivery into largescale multi-regional providers – for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater – will provide greater opportunities for investment in water infrastructure such as water storage that will improve outcomes beyond the three waters to include water for irrigation, reallocation, and the environment. “Small local authorities have been constrained from large-scale investments due to restrictions on their borrowing ability, smaller balance sheets, and small

rating bases. An amalgamated model could facilitate borrowing for larger water projects.” IrrigationNZ has been advocating for some time for the need for New Zealand to develop an overarching water strategy to guide our planning at the national and regional levels. “While we are seeing a focus on water from across various policy areas such as the primary sector’s ‘Fit for a Better World’, the Essential Freshwater policy package, the creation of the drinking water authority Taumata Arowai and now water services delivery – we are yet to see a joined up approach,” says Elizabeth. “This will be particularly important if we are to have a national conversation about water allocation and are to address the still unresolved issue of Maori rights and interests in freshwater.” Elizabeth says the early-July announcement by government also signalled incentive funding for rural drinking water supplies. “The irrigation sector already owns some of this infrastructure and we look forward to working with the Government on this.”

Ensuring DIRA remains fit for purpose The Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill – passed lateJuly – will amend legislation created almost 20 years ago to enable creation of Fonterra and that included measures to promote efﬁcient operation of dairy markets in New Zealand. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the dairy sector has changed considerably since 2001 “so the amendments we have made to this very aged legislation ensure

this regulatory regime puts the sector in the best possible position in a post-Covid world”. “We want to ensure the DIRA remains ﬁt for purpose in a changing economic and social environment, and continues to deliver beneﬁts for our farmers, consumers, and NZ’s economy as a whole...I’m grateful for the careful consideration given to the Bill by the Primary Production Select Committee.”

Damien says the committee recommended removing the requirement on Fonterra to accept all applications from dairy farmers wanting to become shareholders and supply milk to Fonterra, or re-enter Fonterra after leaving the co-op. “I agree with the committee on this point. This Government is determined to ensure we move milk up the value chain. This change will enable Fonterra to invest in that higher-value end.”

Page 35

AVOCADOS

Page 36

Watchful eye on challenges ahead Looming challenges in Australia and market disruption in Asia caused by Covid-19 has Avoco on high alert at the start of the avocado export season. While remaining cautiously optimistic about this season’s prospects for New Zealand growers, there are strong signs that the next few months will not

be ‘business as usual’, especially in Asia. Pressure in Asian markets to improve fruit quality has Avoco doubling down on efforts to ensure growers’ fruit is up to expected customer standards. Combine this with high freight costs to Asia and signiﬁcantly reduced airfreight capacity, and the 2020-2021 season is shaping up to be one that keeps Avoco’s export marketing team on its toes.

Avoco’s marketing and communications manager Steve Trickett says improving fruit quality has been an industry priority for some time. However, in the last two years, Avoco has invested considerable time and energy into developing its own systems to ensure the quality of fruit arriving offshore does not undermine all the work achieved to date in positioning NZ avocados as a premium

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quality, ready-to-eat product. “We’ve been successful in rebuilding customer conﬁdence and meeting high quality benchmarks in Australia. This season, we’re turning our attention to our Asian markets where there is growing pressure from customers to improve quality.” Avoco supplies fruit to nine Asian markets under its Avanza brand. This season, Avoco plans to ship around 13 per cent of its total volume of fruit to Asia, where Steve says retail demand appears steady despite the disruption caused by Covid-19.

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to flow plans, should customer demand and the overall retail environment change in Asia.” The main impact on market planning has been due to air freight costs nearly trebling since last year as a result of fewer international flights being available post-Covid-19. This has led to collaborative efforts by some Kiwi avocado exporters looking to consolidate volumes to selected markets in order to reliably secure cargo space and to negotiate lower freight costs. The only other option is to turn to lower-cost sea freight options, which means fruit takes longer to arrive at its destination and raising the risk of quality issues due to added fruit age. Given that Asian markets remain highly competitive, Steve says Avoco and its growers cannot afford to be complacent about fruit quality this season. “Consumers always have options. We’re very aware that Peruvian fruit will still be in the markets until September so we’re planning a later start to promotional activity in South Korea and Thailand.” The market outlook looks more positive in Australia this season. The Western Australian crop is very light compared to last year and the flow of domestic fruit from Queensland is finishing three weeks early, which bodes well

for NZ’s early fruit arriving in Australia. Strong relationships with leading Australian retailers will see Avoco supply 80 per cent of its total volume directto-retail, with the remaining seven per cent planned for the wholesale market.

Chile avocados

A looming threat to favourable market conditions, however, is the expected arrival of avocados from Chile. Australian authorities have granted market access to Chilean avocado exporters and this will be the ﬁrst season their presence will be felt. Steve says it’s too soon to say how Chilean fruit will impact Australia’s wider market environment. “The market is already strong in value and has the potential to get stronger. Despite this, we are aware of Chile’s import plans and we’ll be keeping a watchful eye to see how they perform. “Any impacts caused by an escalation of Covid-19, as seen with the recent six-week lockdown in Victoria, is another factor that tempers our positivity for what is otherwise projected to be a great market.” This season, NZ’s total industry export crop is expected to be up to 4.4 million trays, depending on the impact of a smaller fruit size proﬁle caused by earlier drought conditions.

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AVOCADOS

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Trees vary in age with the majority 12 to 18 years, plus some new plantings.

With three seasoned Far North avocado growers set to retire, a rare opportunity now exists to purchase three adjoining Waiharara avocado orchards located at the base of the Aupouri Peninsula. For sale privately, is three adjoining properties growing more than 3000 avocado trees. The trees vary in age with the majority 12 to 18 years, plus some new plantings. Combined area is in excess of 27 hectares, spread over ﬁve titles. “We thought combining the orchards into one opportunity to purchase a large, producing unit would be attractive to corporate, syndicate, family trusts or buyers looking for the complete package,” says one orchard owner, Sharen Watson. “We prefer to sell under one umbrella, giving a unique opportunity to purchase all three properties, but buyers should move quickly as there is interest in individual orchards, which could mean the opportunity for a large production block could be lost. “We are all of retirement age, so we will consider all offers.” Sharen says total combined kilograms from all three properties received by the packhouse was 358,537kg for 2019/2020; 285,072kg for 2018/2019; 263,068kg for 2017-2018; and 314,301kg for 2016/2017. “Picking has commenced on some blocks for this season and crop sale (hanging bins) will depend on buyer negotiation.” Water for the orchards is via four bores – all with

water rights granted. “Two properties have rights through to 2033; the remaining property has water rights to 2025.” All blocks are irrigated, with good existing shelter and excellent orchard sheds and workshops. The properties have a four-bedroom brick home classed as executive, a three-bedroom home with views classed as managerial, a separate freestanding workers’ cottage, and a one-bedroom accommodation attached to an orchard shed – all with good rental potential for additional income. “Crucial improvements are all ongoing including hedge trimming, pruning of avocado trees, fertilising, spraying, replanting or expanding.” Each property has its own equipment, and purchase of it is optional. “The full list – to be supplied at property viewing – is extensive and includes hydraladas, forklifts, tractors, sprayers, mulchers etc. In essence everything required for working three separate orchards.” Sharen says with the properties located close to beautiful east and west coast beaches, purchasers can run a business, get great returns, and enjoy life in a warm sunny climate. “The nearest town is Kaitaia and the closest shops are at Houhora, which has a wharf, restaurant, liquor store, ﬁshing club, ﬁre brigade, bowling club, postal service and an excellent Four Square, plus an excellent butcher shop at Waiharara. “Community life is one of comradery and assistance, and the Far North offers a laid-back lifestyle.” The properties’ selling price is by negotiation. To contact the sellers, see their advert on this page.

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AVOCADOS

Grabbing the opportunity to change Increasingly, we are seeing a growing pressure on compliance requirements as our avocado industry advances. At AAL, we have come a long way from seeing compliance as an issue. We now embrace some of the structured approach compliance adherence can bring. We apply it to enhance the quality of the fruit we provide, and the services we provide. Compliance has helped us move forward on consistency of our service, consistency in our training and in our people management. We are better communicators with our clients, our market and our fruit marketers. We have better plans both short and long term for growing our fruit, and as a result we can give our property owners better outlooks of their future avocado orcharding. We are better planned so we can better deliver on time to a more consistent standard. We have used our health and safety compliance processes to enhance the quality of our training, and quality of our services. Our food safety programme, which is central to our compliance and our service standards, has enhanced our ability to better understand our business. Similarly GAP has been great for our orcharding.

Taking the time to document review and update regularly provides us with a better outlook. Compliance can be challenging on smaller blocks and we have been able to grab that bunch up from a number of small blocks into a single system and improve their individual performance as a collective. In short, I support grabbing the opportunity to change, taking it to enhance the business and grabbing the opportunity to take the best you can from it. As an example, recently we introduced electronic data capture out in the ďŹ eld. This was challenging for many of our staff. We took a hands-on individual approach. The staff appreciate the opportunity to enhance and simplify their work and the result is while they have a change in their recording activity, they now record less data than previously. The result is our staff are now driving this wider within our business and providing feedback for further improvements. So I say during these late-winter wet, colder months â&#x20AC;&#x201C; get that planning, reviewing and updating done. Spend the time learning how to apply the latest technology and services to your business, and review that in the long term. The short term pain of change is worthwhile.

AVOCADOS

Bumblebees are superstars of pollination, according to Mike Sim of Biobees – a small Kiwi-owned and operated business, producing hives out of the Hawke’s Bay.

makes polliniser trees in avocado orchards much more valuable, as bumblebees are 20 times more effective than honeybees at crossing.” Bumblebees are buzz pollinators – they vibrate flowers at very high frequencies and are able to remove pollen earlier and “They’re hardy and in higher amounts from hardworking – they don’t crops such as blueberries take a day off when it’s a and kiwifruit. “Our hives are bit wet, cold or windy, and fully functional with a queen they work from dawn right bumblebee, workers and through till dusk.” developing young. At the end Mike says this makes them of the life-cycle the hives will highly efficient pollinators, produce significant numbers of moving between flowers new queen bees.” quickly and tirelessly, while Biobees, which has produced making good contact with bumblebees in NZ for more important parts of the than 20 years, is continually flower. “Their peaks of striving to improve their activity – early-morning and product. “Our aim is to mid-to-late afternoon – are provide stronger hives with highly complementary with higher bee activity and greater the midday peak of honeybee standardisation, including activity, which is particularly point of development at sale important in crops such as and overall longevity of hives,” avocado where flowers may says Mike. not be open when honeybees Biobees, which has produced bumblebees in “We’re focused on being the NZ for more than 20 years, is continually are most active.” most cost-effective, consistent striving to improve their product. Mike says bumblebees are and reliable source of also much more efficient at bumblebee hives in NZ’s market and maintain that cross-pollination – taking pollen from one variety position.” to another – by taking a zig zag approach across Biobees offers a range of hive sizes to suit the needs orchards with more movement between plants. “This of indoor and outdoor growers. “This spring we’re

Page 39

introducing a new weather-proofed and insulated box to the outdoor market. This will vastly improve the hive’s ability to maintain a warm and stable environment for its young, no matter the season, and remove the

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Long term view for avocados Commitment to a long-term strategy was the theme of Just Avocados’ recent grower meeting to review the 2019-2020 season and preview plans for 2020-2021. Olympic silver medal winning New Zealand slalom canoeist Luuka Jones was a guest speaker, sharing her own roadmap and lessons on achieving goals. “Something we do, which Andrew [Darling] has talked about, is review and debrief,” says Luuka. “My coach and I review every training block and talk about what is working and what we need to add to the next training block; we have a constant process of learning and reﬁning.”

Review

Just Avocados has supported Luuka for the last six years, initially on her ‘Road to Rio’ and with continued association leading up to Tokyo’s Olympic Games. Andrew Darling, managing director for Darling Group and Just Avocados, says what Luuka is doing resonates with the steps Just Avocados has taken to chart its course. “Twelve months ago, we reviewed what we’re trying to achieve for our growers and how are we going to set ourselves apart. Out of that came our focus on long-term proﬁtability and business sustainability.” Andrew says in NZ, growing avocados is a challenge – and for growers to have a business in future, improvements to orchard management need to be made. “We grow in a temperate climate and in some cases in marginal areas. As a business, we looked at all aspects of that and focussed on what we could do better, how we could support ourselves as growers and how we could support you as growers.” Andrew says the key drivers underpinning Just Avocados’ strategy are market strategy, pool structure, harvest timing, return crop, and ﬁnancial sustainability.

Flexibility

“Our pool structure was one of the biggest changes. We had a season-long pool, which is a common model. We moved away from that as we wanted to give our growers ﬂexibility to model their own business plan and harvest when they wanted depending on their goals.” According to Andrew, harvesting earlier in the season is critical to tree health and return crop. “It’s an overarching philosophy for Just Avocados that most of your fruit needs to be off by ﬂowering. If not, you’re putting extra stress on your trees.” However, Andrew admits that what is good for one orchard is not necessarily good for another – and some

orchards had the ability to hang fruit post-Christmas due to their level of orchard and tree health. “The point is that with our model you have the opportunity and flexibility to consider these factors and make choices that relate to your long-term strategy.” Andrew says some growers in the industry still have crop hanging from last season. “We pride ourselves on the fact that 100 per cent of our growers had 100 per cent of their crop picked last season – another critical aspect influencing tree health and return crop.” Darling Group’s general manager of sales and marketing Jacob Darling, who also presented at the meeting, says tdue to the early pool option, focus around profits and allowing growers to harvest crop prior to flowering, developing key markets and channels in Asia to take the early volume is an important long-term strategy. Read this article in full at: www.coastandcountrynews.co.nz

burden from growers to signiﬁcantly protect the hive. “This will beneﬁt hive development with bees less focused on temperature control, meaning overall greater hive activity.”

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FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

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Rural broadband specialists Farmside, powered by Vodafone NZ, released the statistics on rural data usage as part of their involvement in the ﬁrst Fieldays Online event last month, where they showcased three of the latest innovations driving smarter, and more connected, farms. The Farmside/Vodafone site displayed water quality monitoring system RiverWatch that analyses real-time data on the health of NZ’s waterways; smart traps that run on Vodafone’s narrowband IoT network to keep the bird sanctuary at Punakaiki predator-free; and a Wide Area Network that securely connects all Pamu NZ’s farms with its corporate ofﬁces.

Grow relentlessly

Farmside CEO Jason Sharp says innovations have seen demand for rural connectivity grow relentlessly in the last few years. “Farming methods have come a long way in the last decade – now technologies such as artiﬁcial intelligence, machine learning and

the Internet of Things help optimise resources, automate manual labour and protect the environment. Connectivity is becoming ever more essential as digitisation changes the way rural businesses operate.”

Online capability

According to Farmside, the need for online capability was noticeable during lockdown when rural broadband data usage increased by 74 per cent and satellite data usage increased by 35 per cent. Rural data consumption continues to be high with 16.7 per cent more data used in June 2020 than an average six months pre-lockdown. Jason says lockdown led to a greater need for online capability. “Throughout lockdown farming didn’t stop. The need for technology actually increased as farmers grappled with running their businesses and keeping employees safe.” And many farmers had families at home with the same connectivity needs for home schooling and entertainment that the majority of NZ had. “We’ve seen stock auctions go online, our major agriculture exhibition become Fieldays Online and online discussion groups replace face-to-face gatherings. Combine this with a trend towards on-farm monitoring and cloud-based applications, and data consumption will continue to rise.”

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Rare winnower brought back to life Retired dairy farmer Colin Pinkerton has been farming a smaller block on the outskirts of Te Awamutu for the last 17 years.

remove the husks from seeds. “It would have been mainly grass seed, but there are several well-preserved metal mesh seed trays of d i f f e r e n t size, and a gauge which indicates they could have fed other seeds through.”

He has also amassed a substantial collection of machinery, ranging from horsepowered farm machines mainly from the 1920s and 1930s to old cars. One of his rarest pieces, is a manual winnower, which he has restored to good working order. The heritage green painted machine has cast iron plates with its serial number of 4375, and its maker – Henry Cooch from Harlestone, Northampton in England. He has only once seen another one, and that was in the UK. Colin’s cousin in Manawatu had pulled No 4375 out of a rubbish dump around 40 years ago. “It had sat in his shed for 30 years, rotting slowly, until he offered it to me,” says Colin. Once he had it in his possession, Colin restored it himself. “It actually wasn’t in too bad a condition. “The bottom had rotted away so I replaced all the timber and treated the remaining wood for borer.” Colin could see some of the old paint colour, and after stripping and sanding all the wood, he applied a similar heritage green paint. To ‘winnow’ means to blow air through something, and in this context Cast iron plate with a serial it is done to number and place of origin.

Colin is still adding to his collection, and enjoys coming across rare pieces from the earlier days. Catherine Fry

Retired dairy farmer Colin Pinkerton and his circa 1920s winnower. All photos: Catherine Fry. The wooden blades of the fan housed in the body of the machine are original and the cast iron gearing and cogs system was also in surprisingly good condition. “That type of iron doesn’t rust much, so a rust treatment and a coat of paint brought it back to life.” A friend turned a lovely piece of wood for the handle. Colin predicts it probably took three men to operate the winnower. One to pour seeds into the top, one to turn the handle and operate the seed gauge, and one to collect and bag up the resulting chaff and husks. It may have sat in the shed or been hauled out into the paddock. It takes at least three to move it now, and it’s raised off the ground on a macrocarpa frame so the The adjustment gauge for the size wood doesn’t get wet and rot. of seed being fed through.

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Aug 5 Growing food with Supergrans, 10am-11.30am, Katikati, free. Ph 07 549 4522.

Aug 6 Waste-free workshop with Kate Meads, 10am, Great Lake Centre, Taupo, $15. See: katemeads.co.nz

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Scientist recognised for work developing SunGold The Kiwi scientist responsible for developing Zespri’s popular SunGold kiwifruit has received another accolade for his work, this time being awarded the 2020 Plant Raiser’s Award by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture. The institute bestowed the award to Russell Lowe, a respected kiwifruit breeder and scientist at Plant & Food Research, for his work on breeding and selection of ‘Zesy002’. The cultivar, beloved by consumers around the world, has arguably saved the New Zealand kiwifruit industry from plant disease epidemic Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae almost 10 years ago.

Team effort

Russell is pleased be to be recognised by RNZIH and is grateful for the support by his colleagues at P&FR. “This breeding success has been very much a team effort by breeders, our operations team, research orchard network team and subsequent evaluation systems. “It is interesting to consider how a single seedling plant produced by conventional breeding methods has developed into a multi-billion-dollar Zespri product, supporting NZ’s horticulture industry.” The yellow-ﬂeshed fruit was a result

Russell Lowe is a respected kiwifruit breeder and P&FR scientist. of Lowe’s work. Before ‘Zesy002’, gold cultivar at the time, ‘Hort16A’, marketed as Zespri Gold kiwifruit, became susceptible to the Psa outbreak in NZ. Thousands of hectares of ‘Hort16A’ orchards have been destroyed since Psa’s discovery in 2010. ‘Zesy002’ was ﬁrst selected for commercialisation in the P&FR-Zespri breeding programme in 2002 and commercially released in 2010. It was eventually chosen as a replacement for Hort16A for its higher tolerance to Psa and has since become one of the greatest success stories in NZ’s primary industries given the huge consumer demand and strong returns

it generates. Transition from Hort16A to Zesy002 was achieved remarkably quickly.

Fifty countries

By 2020, more than 5000ha of Zesy002 orchards have been established and produced a record 74 million trays of fruit. Zespri’s SunGold is now enjoyed in more than 50 countries worldwide and more SunGold kiwifruit than green was supplied to consumers for the ﬁrst time last season. RNZIH’s Plant Raiser’s Award recognises individuals or organisations that have raised a cultivar considered to be sufﬁciently meritorious in NZ.

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Spring first aid for calves Prompt and effective management of newborn calves is critical to give them the best chance of getting through the first few vulnerable months of life in good health. While not exhaustive, below are some of the key ways to minimise issues developing when rearing young calves. Ensure colostrum intake – 2L in first six hours and 4L in first 12 hours of life is advised for maximal immunity to be absorbed. It might be necessary to use a stomach tube if they will not suckle. Courtesy of a modern design by a Waikato vet, there is now a safer and more

And make sure you identify and isolate sick calves early. Rectal temperatures above 39.5 degrees Celsius are considered high/ feverish and need attention. Compare with other calves in the same pen if you are unsure. Scouring calves die from dehydration not infection in most cases. So ensure you use a good quality electrolyte – the outcome you get is related to what you pay for. Most sick scouring calves will need around 8L – depending on how dehydrated they are – of ﬂuid a day to rehydrate and maintain hydration divided into

MIDDAY PM

OVERNIGHT

Feed milk

Electrolyte

Feed milk

Offer electrolyte

Day 1

Electrolyte

Day 2

Electrolyte

Feed milk

Electrolyte

Day 3

Feed milk

Electrolyte

Feed milk

Electrolyte

Mild scours Moderatesevere scours

effective stomach tube to deliver ﬂuids. See your local vet for more details. Use good quality colostrum – ideally from the ﬁrst milking for newborn calves. Offer access to fresh water and hay from day one as well as meal from one week of age to assist with rumen development. Good shed hygiene is key to preventing spread of disease. This includes a virucidal spray twice-weekly, using a freedraining litter to prevent wet areas, all-in all-out systems, no movement between pens, and using footbaths and separate equipment for isolation/sick pen.

Retirement blocks – they’re dying fast I remember a time when it was relatively easy to subdivide yourself a small block off your farm to build that dream home and ‘stay on the land’. Those days are gone! This is something that elected councillors, over the years, have recognised and District Plans once allowed for. But the Resource Management Act and subsequent legislation has all but completely scuttled this opportunity now. These days it can be a real challenge for landowners to stay on the land. Often, they are selling out to a family member but need to hang around for continuity of management and even labour. However, they may have a life beyond the family and farm and, therefore, need the ownership of a property that can provide them independence and security. Unless they have planned well ahead, this can pose a real challenge. The rules relating to subdividing a small retirement or lifestyle block off your farm are very quickly tightening up, or in fact disappearing. Those that plan ahead will deﬁnitely beneﬁt here. Many farms are made up of multiple titles. This is the result of either accumulation of land over many years, as adjoining blocks have come on the market, or a savvy owner taking advantage of subdivision rules over the years whilst they’ve been accommodating. If you have done this, then well done. You can possibly adjust these boundaries now to create your ideal smaller block. If you don’t have those extra titles there may still be some opportunities depending on your locality. But I wouldn’t advise waiting as it will never be easier than today – it will get worse fast, as already seen in many areas we work in. Some opportunities still exist in the Waikato, Matamata-Piako, Hauraki foothills, Waipa, ThamesCoromandel, South Waikato, Otorohanga and Waitomo. Outside these areas, like the Western Bay of Plenty and Whakatane, the creation of lifestyle

blocks relies on speciﬁc zoning or the ability to protect ecological features such as wetland, bush and stream margins in the rural zones. So, if as I suspect, you do want to retire sometime, there is some planning to do. It is essential to look closely at the overall farm and consider your options for the future, particularly if you want to hang around for a while. But equally, you may want to lock in future options for the family. If you don’t start something soon the opportunity may well disappear. Please feel free to give me a call and discuss your situation. We’ll see how we can ‘help you make the most of your land’. Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. For further information call 0800 268 632 or email: btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz

three-four feeds. All electrolytes have insufficient energy to maintain bodyweight/ growth so ensure some milk feeds after 24hrs of electrolytes. See the table below. Calves that are unwell with scours can benefit and recover faster by using an antiinflammatory. Contact your local vet clinic for more details.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Wayne Scott, aged 4, loves to help his mum feed the calves - rain, hail or shine in Puahue, Te Awamutu.

Deisel Johnston, aged 2, hanging out with dad on the farm in Ngaroma.

Kingston Williams, aged 4, helping his dad Matt on the farm in Tirau.

Zoe, aged 8, with her favourite cow â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Georginaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, aged 17, in Ohaupo.

Jai, aged 16 months, learning the ropes in Waitetuna.