Coast & Country News - November 2020

Te Aroha teen sisters and Belgian Blue breeders, Summa and Shaye Roskam, have just loved spending time with their first heifer ‘Nessie’. Now, the girls have six heifers and four 2020 season calves. Find out how their love of the country hobby of showing cattle, and the breed, has grown with the blue roan on page 25. Photo: Catherine Fry.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Psa – the journey so far Ten years ago this month, the vine disease Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae – more commonly known as Psa-V – was first identified on a kiwifruit orchard near Te Puke and would become a biosecurity incursion that would cost the kiwifruit industry millions.

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to respond strongly and collaboratively. Many industry groups, representatives and volunteers stood up and worked tirelessly to respond to the crises and look after the welfare of growers. Kiwifruit Vine Health was born out of the response.

Today, the industry is still living with Psa. But the dark days are gone. There is research, knowledge, information, products, biosecurity functions November 5, 2010, was the first and people available to help manage and time Psa had been detected in New respond to the disease.

Zealand. In coming months and And kiwifruit marketer Zespri is years growers went through performing very strongly – even a raft of emotions and in world filled with Covid-19. In experiences associated with recent times it has commercially the impacts of the disease released a new Red variety; on their orchards and reconfirmed its intention to livelihoods. continue the annual SunGold Thankfully, today NZ’s licence release process until kiwifruit industry is in a 2022, and signaled a plan to really good position. But release of 350-750ha per year climbing out of the Psa crisis from 2023 to 2026 – both subject With SunGold, NZ’s didn’t come without heartache, to annual reviews. kiwifruit industry is hard work, heaps of investment For the financial year ending March today thriving. and a heavy industry response.

31, 2020, Zespri’s total operating For some growers it meant cutting revenue was $3.36 billion, with global out Hort16A vines, and replacing them revenue from fruit sales increasing by seven per with the more Psa-tolerant Gold3 variety, known as cent to $3.14 billion in 2019/2020.

SunGold. For others it meant learning how tolerant Returns direct to the NZ industry increased by their Hayward Green vines would be to the new eight per cent on the previous year to $1.96 billion. disease. Either way, a lot of learning was to be had in coming years on how to manage the disease after it was And 164.4 million trays of kiwifruit were delivered to hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. accepted it couldn’t be eradicated.

So while the Psa journey has been extremely tough, From there, attention turned to research and development into how to manage the disease, breeding today NZ’s kiwifruit industry is thriving. Through determination, hard work and collaboration it has of more tolerant varieties; and how to continue to recovered and prospered. And its growers are seen as grow kiwifruit successfully. Orchard management world leaders of growing the fruit as well as responding practices have vastly improved since. to the challenges of doing so.

Psa also brought the industry together, and pushed it Merle Foster

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Talking smart water use early on BOPRC water shortage event manager Steve Pickles and Hort NZ environmental policy advisor Scott Mahupuku say wise water use is needed going into this summer.

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council is working hard to collaborate with primary industries in the region to plan how they can use water wisely as dry conditions follow last summer’s drought, which saw some streams reach their lowest-ever recorded level.

BOPRC water shortage event manager Steve Pickles is putting out a call early to all water users – including dairy farming and horticulture sectors and municipal users – because some water management areas haven’t fully recovered from last summer’s drought due to low rainfall this year. “Last summer 2019/2020 saw some of the lowest-ever recorded rainfall and stream flows in BOP. That was from about 30 years’ worth of data.”

Rainfall deficit

In March the Government notified a drought across the North Island and top of the South Island. And while Covid-19 limited BOPRC’s ability to monitor waterways, Steve says what was seen showed very low stream flows, increased algal growth but no reports of significant adverse effects. “We were really close to implementing water take restrictions last summer, which would have affected horticulture and agriculture in particular. So it’s really important we are prepared for future restrictions and start thinking about how we can manage operations with much lower water use.”

Year-to-date rainfall across the region is 60-80 per cent of normal for the calendar year. “Some areas are not far from having half their normal rainfall,” says Steve.

NIWA forecasts a developing La Niña pattern for latespring/early-summer, which generally brings a higher chance of rainfall and higher temperatures.

In March, BOPRC adopted and implemented a Water Shortage Standard Operating Procedure, which is now being refined. “We developed this based on issuing Water Shortage Directions – allowed for under the Resource Management Act – as we’d never had a policy in place before and this reflects up until now we haven’t really had low streams flows for such an extended time in our region. The SOP has three levels: Level 1 is watching; Level 2 is where we’ve got potential triggers with low flow streams and potentially high demand, making the perfect storm; Level 3, which we didn’t quite get to last summer, is issuing WSDs.” Currently, the BOP is at Level 1. The first BOPRC Situation Report for 2020/2021 states western parts of the region are already very dry compared to normal or approaching

lowest-ever recorded flows for this time of year, however rivers are still above management flow levels.

Used only in exceptional circumstances, an WSD puts temporary extra water use restrictions in place to protect waterways from harm. Steve says an WSD can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. “It’s not prescriptive – council could adopt it in areas, streams or catchments or larger parts of the BOP. Also, the restriction could involve staggered timing for water takes, a reduction in the amount or rate of take, or purposes for water taken.”

understand their water consent conditions, and their region’s water use rules. “One plus for us is regional councils and unitary districts are engaging with industry really early. This is good because it means we can work together.”

Steve also recommends land-users get as much data on their water use as possible. “It’s a regulatory requirement via government that all water consents taking more than 5L/second are metered and records supplied to council. The latest water reform will require these same water users, in coming years, to telemeter that data. Already many farmers and growers are telemetering data as there’s value in it for them; they use it to make better decisions.

“But for BOPRC, as an organisation, to manage the resource better and for industry to step in and do some selfmanagement for themselves, having good quality water data is so important. For example, if we wanted to put restrictions on a certain stream and there was five landowners taking water – the approach we can take at this stage is to stop takes.

But potentially those landowners could work together to share the resource.”

Steve says BOPRC has a toolbox it can use to reduce water use – and stopping takes is not something it wants to do.

“We want to do everything we can, by working with all primary industries, to avoid that. Collaboratively, if we all work together, there will be solutions.”

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BOPRC manages more than 1400 consents for water takes in the BOP. Steve says with the BOP’s current lowflow streams and rainfall deficits “the signals are while we could get a bit more rain than last year, there still could be a real problem”.

Coupled with that – the region has horticultural crops that need water now. Having sufficient soil moisture content now is important for fruit sizing, is beneficial for vine health and allows transfer of fertiliser and nutrition into and through soil.

So his council’s focus is to encourage land users to plan their water use to be better prepared. “Think about what sort of preparation you can do and what sort of advice you can gain from your industry to try to minimise potential impacts of any restrictions.”

Steve says on-farm and on-orchard actions can be taken, plus working with other water users in the same catchments. Horticulture NZ’s BOP/Gisborne environmental policy advisor Scott Mahupuku says most growers have had some of the driest weather they’ve seen in 30-40 years. “Growers are aware of efficient water use, and should have action plans in place for dry weather/ drought events. And, their action plans should be reviewed now – not when an event is happening.”

Scott says it’s also key both farmers and growers

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Keen to learn kiwifruit jobs and see there is all the pruning and thinning jobs.

“And I can now see it’s not seasonal – you can get jobs that take you all year-round if you want. There’s nearly always something to do on the vines.”

Fruition Horticulture’s Sandy Scarrow, who tutored the morning session, says the day is a crash course on everything kiwifruit. “We’ve talked about the kiwifruit industry and growth phase it is in; we’ve focused a lot of health and safety as of course it is important that people are safe when working in the orchards. Then we’ve covered off some theory on how the vine works and had a look of videos in terms of technical aspects of summer pruning and thinning.

Participants eagerly listen and learn from Dave Robertson on how “Now we’re out in the orchard to bud thin and summer prune kiwifruit vines. All Photos: Merle Cave. for the afternoon with Dave Robertson putting this technical kiwifruit workers and I’ve Under the vines of a green work into practice, as he can just come over here and show the vines in real life and and gold kiwifruit orchard need a job and wanted to give them hints and tips that near Maketu last month, 16 try a different industry. they can take home.” participants – young and mature I’ve never thought Sandy says it’s vital to doing anything in encourage people into the – learnt about the summer work about horticulture before and industry via courses like this. required to grow the fruit via a thought I’d give it a go “There’s a number of people and see what it’s like. new free ‘taster’ course. here today who have been UK-born Jenny Tilston, “I really like it actually; displaced from their jobs due to aged 21, from Rotorua.

More than 14,500 people will be it’s really different to Covid-19. required on kiwifruit orchards across the anything I’d do in the UK, “So it’s about encouraging them to have a look at the Bay of Plenty during summer months to so it should be good,” says Jenny, who kiwifruit industry as an opportunity for careers. prepare vines for the 2021 harvest season. finished a university degree in the UK So the New Zealand Kiwifruit Grower before heading to NZ on dual passport.

Permanent jobs too Inc-led and Ministry for Primary She reckons the course has encouraged “And while we need people for the seasonal work Industries-funded initiative is about her to get a job in the kiwifruit industry. right now – we also need permanent workers to giving people an insight into working “Yeah, it has given me more of an manage the significant growth that’s happening in the on a kiwifruit orchard. insight as to what I’d be doing, as you industry.

And it certainly did that, with some don’t really think about it.

“So hopefully some of these people [in the course] participants keen to connect with will get into the industry, like it and stay in it.” potential employers by the end of the day. A lot more to it NZKGI education coordinator Di Holloway says the One was UK-born 21-year-old “You think it’s just picking the fruit initiative provides New Zealanders interested with free Jenny Tilston, who is living with her but there’s lots more than goes on training and assistance to find jobs. “We’re offering grandparents in Rotorua. “My uncle behind the scenes and you don’t realise found an article, saying they needed it until you come to something like this potential employees the opportunity to see if summer work on orchards is something for them, and offer further training to those interested.

“This opportunity may be of interest to those who have recently lost their jobs due to Covid-19, or those seeking a career change,” says Di. “We hope that a large proportion of the people who undertake the oneday training will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of different jobs on offer.”

Following the one-day taster, a two-day training course is offered to those interested in pursuing the opportunity more. “The two-day training will equip participants with the competencies required for the jobs on kiwifruit orchards all the way through to harvest in autumn,” says Di. The Ministry for Primary Industries has invested $130,000 in the initiative. MPI director investment, skills and performance Cheyne Gillooly says working in the kiwifruit industry can be hugely rewarding. “We see enormous value in these types of initiatives in both introducing job-seekers to careers that they might not have considered, or might have considered and want to learn more. “It’s a really exciting time to get into a job in the food and fibres sector and there are a range of opportunities on offer.”

The first course began mid-October with NZ citizens or permanent residents able to apply to participate.

To sign up for the next course, see: https://www.

smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GL3L7F/ To find out more about working in kiwifruit, or job listings, see: https://www.nzkgi.org.nz/what-we-do/ labour-education/find-a-kiwifruit-job-now/#section Or check out the Facebook page at: https://www. facebook.com/KiwifruitJobsNZ Merle Cave

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 5

Picker shortage may prompt more PYO we have enough workers to carry out the harvest, and then to secure air freight space – which is now at a premium thanks to severely reduced airline schedules.”

Whatawhata Berry Farm is going the extra mile to deliver a healthy, sustainable product by reducing their environmental impact as much as possible. “We place a big emphasis on using recyclable packaging and biodegradable PYO boxes instead of plastic ones.

“We also use predator insects, beneficial fungi and bacteria to promote plant health, and cultural practices such as hand-weeding and removing any rotten berries immediately to reduce agrichemical dependence.

Strawberries may be harder to come by on supermarket shelves this year due to an expected shortage of pickers, so a Waikato berry farm is gearing up for a big influx of Kiwis wanting to pick their own.

Hard to predict

“Everything from our biologically-activated wastewater system to our products in-store, is done with environmental best-practice in mind. Our reputation for excellence, plus all the add-ons we offer, means we’re expecting more visitors this summer than we’ve ever had before.”

Darien says it’s hard to predict exactly how this year’s strawberry season will play out price-wise but knows people will always get value for money – “and a terrific Waikato grower Kiwiana experience” from Darien McFadden local berry farms. is asking visitors to Whatawhata Berry Farm pick their own this is open Tuesday-Sunday year at Whatawhata from 10am-6pm at 1099 Berry Farm.

Whatawhata Rd, Hamilton.

Photo: Trefor Ward.

Specialising in

Whatawhata Berry Farm, located five minutes from Hamilton on Raglan Rd, opened for summer on October 23 and expects record crowds during the strawberry picking season, which lasts until late March or Easter if demand exists.

Go local

For three years the farm has offered premium, pre-packed and PYO strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries.

Owner Darien McFadden, who also runs his family’s 24-acre commercial strawberry operation called Strawberry Fields at Matangi, says commercial growers are deeply concerned there won’t be enough overseas Recognised Seasonal Employers scheme workers or those on Working Holiday Visas to pick this year’s crop, leaving fruit to go to waste and creating supply and demand issues for both export and domestic markets.

“The situation could well make

• strawberries more expensive • and harder to come by in the supermarket this year,” says Darien.

“But the answer is to head straight to • your local berry farm and pick them yourself. For many Kiwi families it’s become a tradition in the lead-up to • Christmas, and we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming people at • Whatawhata Berry Farm.”

Darien says this year’s crop is of “exceptional quality” and his • commercial growing operation at

Removal / chipping of whole trees On site chipping for stand off pads Wood chip for sale Orchard shelter removal Stump removal Woodlot marketing of all tree species

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Matangi, Strawberry Fields, is receiving export enquiries from the US and Canada who specifically want New Zealand-grown berries thanks to our clean, green, Covid-19-free status.

Workers and air freight

“All fruit and vegetable exporters are in the same position right now – demand is certainly there thanks to our incredible Covid-19 response. Our produce has never been more soughtafter. But the difficulty is ensuring

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Bird park’s survival hangs in the balance For the last 31 years, Hamilton landowners Murray and Margaret Shaw have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and thousands of hours of their time creating what is now known as Shaw’s Bird Park.

Murray Shaw by one of his ponds. All photos: Catherine Fry.

With the future of the park shrouded with uncertainty, Murray reflects on the journey to this point. In 1989, the ex-dairy farmer, and latterly roading contractor, and his wife Margaret bought the swampy and landfilled gully property just outside Glenview.

“Initially, we just wanted to turn the landfill into trees, and remove the blackberry and gorse,” says Murray. But today thousands of mature trees, a random mixture of natives, exotics and deciduous, provide the graceful backdrop of the seven-hectare park. As the trees grew, the birds came there to live.

The couple turned the swamp area into a series of nine interconnecting ponds running through the property.

There was no plan, Murray dug out ponds using a digger, shaping and sculpting them as he worked. Over the years, water features, bridges, pontoons and bird nesting houses have been incorporated into the environment.

“The water comes from natural springs that are part of the Mangakotukutuku Stream network, and we put in weirs to fill the ponds and slow the flow through the property.”

Once the ponds were established, wild water fowl, including New Zealand dabchicks, grey

teals and Canadian geese came and started breeding. The Shaws have introduced Carolina wood ducks and Mandarin ducks.

Three large pond aviaries house the introduced ducks. Carolina wood duck and Mandarin duck eggs are collected and hatched by hens in pens. “This allows us to have a high duckling survival rate, and breed more than 300 a year.”

Wild bird sanctuary

The park has evolved into a sanctuary for injured native birds and unwanted exotic birds. Birds rescued by Judy Fentress, an established Waikato bird rescuer, are sent to Shaws to rehabilitate and be released into the wild.

Birds that are no longer able to fend for themselves in the wild, ...continued

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS The cottage on the largest pond at the park.

continued...

remain in the aviaries. Park visitors have the opportunity to get up close to them and learn about them. “The ruru aviary is a particular favourite, as people don’t normally get to see these nocturnal birds,” says Murray.

The exotic bird head count increases as birds are surrendered. The display is colourful and noisy, with galahs, yellow crowned Amazon parrots, peacocks and rainbow lorikeets in the mix.

“They all have their personalities and quirks. One likes dancing; one likes being patted on the head; and we are training others to sit on people’s arms.”

The birds are fed at the Shaw’s expense. Maize is the main diet, with some high-protein chook pellets for the hens hatching the ducklings, and meat for the ruru.

Two kilometres of wide concrete paths wind around the ponds and through the trees. It is a tranquil environment, broken by the sound of tui and other birds. Glimpses through the trees of the subdivisions that are forever edging closer to the park’s boundaries are an unexpected reminder of how close to Hamilton the park actually is.

Murray retired 12 years ago and runs the park with Margaret and two others – all of them are volunteers.

The park was opened fully to the public in 2018 and

Page 7 route would be – as a stark indication of the devastation to come. Murray and Margaret have managed to get more than 30,000 signatures on a petition to save the park. They are fighting Hamilton City Council to have the road route moved, but for now the future of the park is still hanging in the balance.

cut off, two ponds lost, 184 20-yearold trees cut down, and a further 550 younger trees destroyed, the park could not operate as it does now and the birds will have to go.”

The Shaws have put a white wooden cross by every tree that would be destroyed, and white stakes where the

Catherine Fry

Left: The Shaws have planted a cross by each one of the hundreds of trees that would be destroyed by the planned new road. is free of charge, whereas previously the public visited in pre-arranged private groups. “The park offers the public a real, and often hands-on, experience with a wide variety of birds, learning about their habits and needs,” says Murray. “Our next venture is to develop an educational facility for schools and early learning centres to visit and experience the birds.”

Plans for the road

It was 2014 when everything changed. The Shaws received notification of plans by Hamilton City Council to build the East/West arterial road between the Dixon Rd roundabout in Glenview and the Southern Links Rd. As reality sank in, the Shaws contemplated the devastation to their property, and the impact on the bird and wildlife sanctuary they had built.

“A 60m corridor would cut through the centre of the park, leaving it in three pieces. With its access road

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Watch out we don’t lose our country There are two essential requirements for New Zealand’s recovery that are slipping away.

Commentators and economists are talking about turning to robotics and artificial intelligence, as if they are a tap that can simply be turned on. Then there are comments about redeploying New Zealanders, and how this is once again something that can happen overnight as if by magic.

Pre-Covid, robotics, artificial intelligence and unemployed New Zealanders were all available options.

How come these options were not taken up back then? And what makes it possible to take these options up now?

At the moment, we face the loss of our productive capability as well as our productive land. Despite what commentators and economists are saying, the only way that NZ is going to recover is through the backbone of our country, the primary sector.

Today and tomorrow, tourism, international education and stunning new technology are not going to be our savours.

GDP down

Gross Domestic Product is down 13.4 per cent for the first six months of 2020, nearly twice the GDP fall of Australia. And $13.9 billion has been spent by the Government on wage subsidies, supporting just under 200,000 jobs – and we are going to need to pay that back. The only ray of sunshine has been the increase in export returns from the primary sector: dairy up 4.1 per cent and fruit up 10.1 per cent. This makes my point that our recovery will be led by the primary sector.

The challenges and risks we face are the loss of our productive land and productive capability. As a nation, we need to move our focus onto these two issues as fast as we can. I recently drove through the western side of the Waikato River, through Pukekohe and north of Auckland along the East Coast. The one remarkable feature was the explosion of lifestyle blocks and urban housing, taking away productive land. It would seem little planning is going into protecting our productive land and the environment from urban expansion. Just under 6000 new lifestyle blocks are created a year.

Houses do not generate the overseas income we need, and houses are major polluters of our environment.

Productive capability

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Productive capability needs to be protected as we move into recovery. It is not as simple as taking 200,000 people and giving them completely new careers. This will take time. Robotics and artificial intelligence will also take time, and are counter-

productive to redeploying 200,000 people. The problem we face with redeploying 200,000 people is they need to get primary sector jobs, not necessarily on the land but in the supply chain. This requires new skills and adaptability.

Flexibility is required by workers, employers and government programmes to help people move out of cities, train and learn to love working outdoors. To protect our productive capability, industry and government need to work in close partnership to ensure we can produce healthy food while transitioning NZers into new careers.

Offshore labour

The situation requires the primary sector to be able to access offshore labour, this year and next, as the transition starts. Industry is working with government to protect and enhance our productive capability.

Careful balancing is needed as during the coming months, we move into harvest.

Net migration from April to July last year was 14,200 but for the same period this year, it was only 800. Offshore labour is therefore not a risk. Our challenge is how to access productive capability, while we re-train and re-locate 200,000 New Zealanders.

For economic survival, we need to protect productive land and boost productive capability, through industry and government partnerships. If we don’t protect our land and boost capability, we will lose our country.

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X MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Page 9

Check crops for weeds and pests The weather has been fickle.

We’ve had small showers – only enough to stop you working. Total rainfall for September was 35ml, compared to 113ml last year, and by late-October we’ve had 31ml versus 118ml last year.

The good news is Fonterra’s lift in payout. The co-op has increased its prediction for the mid-point of its forecast Farmgate Milk Price range to $6.80 per kgMS, up 40 cents, while retaining its current +/-50c per kgMS range. That’s got to give farmers some confidence of a reasonable payout again this season, especially as China is coming out of its Covid-19 response and buying up milk products at the Global Dairy Trade. Hopefully, our meat prices will follow. Meanwhile, other countries are still floundering away in the midst of Covid19. So we’re damn lucky ourselves to be in this position we’re in again.

We won’t talk about the election – only to say if Labour doesn’t go with the Greens that would be good. I think farmers have given Labour some direction. I’m sure most want a Labour-only government. As for the National Party, I don’t know what Judith Collins is up to. And Winnie the Pooh – his choices came back to bite. Regardless, we’ll take what we’ve been delivered.

Maize planting

It’s October 21 and we’ve already 90 per cent through our maize planting. Good weather early has helped us get silage off and get ground cultivated and planted.

We’re running about 10 days ahead of time. We will get Rotorua planted the earliest we’ve ever done.

While the dry has helped us plant early, if it continues there will be some people in trouble because farmers haven’t ordered a lot of maize so far this season. No additional maize has been ordered; there’s actually less orders with people taking a ‘wait and see’ approach to see if La Nina swings in. That’s really dangerous if the La Nina doesn’t come and it goes dry instead.

Years ago we were warned of a major drought, then we had the best summer we’ve ever had. So be warned – forecasters are not always right.

The BOP forecast for October to December is mainly south to south-east meaning less rainfall than normal, and slightly warmer too. With these conditions and forecast you have to ask what the supposed wet summer everyone is talking about or maybe hoping for? So get

orders in early – don’t wait and miss out. There hasn’t been much silage made on hill country, so no genuine surplus on these farms. If farmers don’t get off silage by early-November the quality drops. And you run the risk of exposing cut pastures to drying out. If you’ve got cover you can grow grass – no cover, you can’t. So keep residual covers up – don’t cut silage unless you have a real surplus. It’s better to top paddocks after the cows.

You can also bale a few paddocks if needed.

It can be handy to feed out, when needed.

Silage

We’ve just finished our first round of silage.

Afterwards you need to fertilise the paddock to replenish nutrients you’ve taken out. Just like a crop, you need to keep feeding it.

Our next step is population counts and monitoring emergence. Then weed counts.

If we detect weeds we use a post-emergent spray. If you’ve applied a pre-emergent at planting it doesn’t mean you won’t have to apply a post-emergent spray. With dry weather you need moisture to activate the chemical in the soil in a pre-emergent. No moisture may mean no activation. Farmers need to be diligent about weeds coming through maize crops . Spray weeds when maize is Redband height – well before row cover.

Monitor four-six weeks after planting. Book in your spray contractor early, otherwise you run the risk of row cover. Then you’re wasting your time spraying as weeds won’t get chemical contact and it can affect the crop if sprayed too late. The same applies to turnips and chicory. Week five spray them, then apply nitrogen.

Check turnips for insect damage. If you detect anything mix insecticide with your post-emergent. Only do this if you detect critters – don’t waste chemicals or put on them on land unnecessarily.

When spraying – always notify your neighbours. It’s a courtesy but also a legal requirement. And don’t spray crops with flowers as it could kill or harm our

valuable bees. We have a good supply of quality grass silage bales and maize silage still available – so order now before it turns even dryer.

MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Page 10

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MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING

Page 11

Maize researcher on a mission Preparing to plant after the field is prepared using the strip-till system.

“My vision is to support the New Zealand maize industry with research and extension that focuses on profitability, increases resilience within the maize system, and meets current and future environmental good practice standards,” says David Densley.

The Foundation of Arable Research’s new senior researcher for maize jumped into the job last month.

Australian-born, David brings 30 years of national and international experience within the maize and arable industry to his three-days-a-week role at FAR. David grew up on an arable farm in the northwestern region of New South Wales’ “golden triangle” of cereal and summer crop production, then farmed for many years with his brother.

Leaving the farm, he joined Pioneer Australia. After meeting Kiwi wife, Raewyn, David moved to NZ where he continued to work for Pioneer as

the area sales agronomy manager, and also managed the company’s research programme.

After 15 years with Pioneer, David moved to the Intelact Group, which delivers consultancy services to largescale greenfield confinement dairy and crop production projects in developing countries and economies. “I provided agri advisor services to agribusinesses all over the globe, and managed the dairy consultant team within the Intelact Group in NZ and Australia.”

The arrival of Covid-19 saw David take redundancy from these roles, and he now contracts back to Intelact twodays-a-week on their global projects.

David believes his personal vision and goals, and his passion for the industry, are very much aligned with FAR’s key goal of helping to develop and support profitable arable businesses, and their 11-strand Research Strategy.

“We want to intensify maize research and extension to farms across the whole country, from Northland to

How to choose weed control There’s an old saying that it costs as much to grow a high-yielding maize crop as it does to grow one that yields poorly.

But Nufarm technical specialist Paul Addison says the high-yielding crop will always win when it comes to profitability, because every kilogram of dry matter it delivers will reduce your overall costs of production as measured in cents/kg/DM. “The first step towards achieving successful, high yielding maize crops is preemergence weed control. But post-emergence herbicides may also be required in a range of situations, and it’s important that these be chosen wisely.”

Paul says weeds present will determine which postemergence herbicides are most appropriate. Several options are available, including Kamba 750, Primiera and Emblem Flo for broadleaf weeds, and Latro WG for grass weeds.

Paul says each has its own strengths and attributes, so it’s always a good idea to seek advice if you’re uncertain about which post-emergence herbicides are best for your situation. “Kamba 750, for example, is a highstrength dicamba formulation which controls weeds such as Californian thistles, bindweed, fathen and docks. Primeria has both soil and foliage activity, and provides outstanding broadleaf weed control across a broad spectrum including chickweed, spurrey, mallow, willow weed, and seedling docks. Primiera has activity against triazine resistant fathen.

“Emblem Flo is a fast-acting contact herbicide with no residual activity, excellent for control of many seedling broadleaf weeds including fathen resistant to triazine or dicamba. Latro WG is registered for yellow bristle grass control, and controls a wide range of common grass weeds including couch, ryegrass, kikuyu, Mercer grass, barnyard grass, smooth witchgrass and summer grass.”

In many cases Paul says a tank mix combination of Latro WG, Primiera and Bonza spraying oil has proved highly effective. “It’s an outstanding mix that works very well. It gives growers control of one of the widest weed spectrums of any combination for broadleaf and grass weeds in the market, particularly on long-term maize ground where tough perennial weeds can be a challenge.” Paul says the mix has become popular because Primiera complements Latro WG so well.

“Latro is essentially a grass weed herbicide with some activity on broadleaf weeds; Primiera is essentially a broadleaf herbicide with some activity against grass

weeds. “Together they give the best level of weed control we’ve seen in maize, including problem weeds like black nightshade, fathen and yellow bristle grass.”

Kamba and Latro are registered trademarks of Nufarm Australia Ltd. Bonza and Primiera are registered trademarks of Nufarm Ltd. Emblem is a registered trademark of Nufarm s.a.

South Canterbury.” Part of his vision is to place stronger focus on the research and extension around strip-till and no-till systems. “Strip-till and no-till systems help reduce sediment loss, lessening the amount of phosphate leaching into waterways. This also aligns with some objectives of regional councils’ and the Government’s agri environmental policies,” says David.

David also wants to work closely with the maize industry advisor groups to initially spend time anticipating the future of maize production systems, the role of technologies and evolving global farming systems.

Exploring what the industry might need to look like in future, and developing a future needs research programme, will assist and prepare the maize industry for that time.

“I’d like to think that in 10 years’ time, I have helped FAR and the maize industry make a difference, and my legacy was one of positive change.”

Catherine Fry.

FAR’s new senior researcher for maize, David Densley, measuring the seed depth after planting with Arapuni farmer Richard Strang.

All photos: Catherine Fry.

Page 12

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

New RTF Board chair embraces the role Tranzliquid Logistics director and owner Greg Pert, from Tauranga, has been appointed chair of the Road Transport Forum Board of Directors.

is an honour and I am happy to accept this new challenge. My plan is to respect, listen to, help and appreciate all those in the road freight transport industry.

Greg replaces Neil Reid, who has been the board chair for six years and will remain as a board director.

“All the directors would like to thank Neil for his excellent work unifying our industry and for the leadership he has given us,” says Greg.

“For me, to be chosen as the chair of the RTF board by your industry peers

“I believe that standards, culture, and core values remain integral in all aspects of business operations.”

Greg joined the road freight transport industry as an owner driver 35 years ago. In 2000 the family-owned company grew into a fleet operator with a contract with Gull Petroleum.

Today, Tranzliquid Logistics is a

Standards

logistics and transport operator, with a fleet of tankers delivering fuel or fuelrelated products, mainly in the North Island, servicing all oil companies. It remains family owned and operated.

Greg is a board member of the National Road Carriers Association; a member of the Petroleum Industry Transport Safety Forum; and a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.

“I love being part of this industry and really enjoy working alongside great people who give their time to work on governance of important industry representative groups.

“The RTF provides the over-arching unified industry voice to government on the important matters that enable our success and I fully support a collaborative approach by the other industry associations and their membership to enable that.

Reshape our future

“We are facing interesting times and it is vital that we explore all possibilities to reshape our future in road freight transport to ensure good businesses

Road Transport Forum Board of Directors’ new chair Greg Pert. survive and thrive.

“Pretty much everything spends time on the back of a truck at some point of the supply chain, so we also need a viable operating environment to ensure New Zealanders can continue to enjoy their high standard of living.

“There is some tension in achieving

that, which is why the RTF is so important to advancing the industry’s needs and I will be 100 per cent behind that.”

RTF provides unified national representation for several regional trucking associations.

RTF members include Road Transport Association NZ, National Road Carriers, and NZ Trucking Association. The affiliated representation of the RTF is about 3000 individual road transport companies which in turn, operate 16,00018,000 trucks involved in road freight transport, as well as companies that provide services allied to road freight transport.

The road freight transport industry employs 32,868 people, about two per cent of the workforce; has a gross annual turnover of $6 billion; and transports 93 per cent of total tonnes of freight moved in NZ.

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Page 13

Flood protection projects get underway Flood protection projects getting underway on the lower Rangitaiki have signalled the start of the 2020 construction season for the Bay of Plenty Regional Council engineering team.

Work is underway to replace a 300-metre section of floodwall on Grieg Rd, with contractors making good progress on what is expected to be a fourmonth construction process.

Investigations on the floodwall were carried out after the April 2017 flood, which has led to the design of the new earth stopbank with a sheet-pile centre.

BOPRC engineering team leader Peter Hay says during the construction period that section of West Bank Rd will be reduced to one lane controlled by a traffic light – and council and contractors thank road-users for their continued patience.

“Designs are being finalised for the replacement of another section of Rangitaiki River floodwall on East Bank Rd, near the Thornton School and work is progressing on concept designs to be shared with owners of properties adjoining the remaining flood walls on College Rd, Edgecumbe,” says Peter.

Meanwhile, another contractor is progressing upgrades to the left stopbank of the Rangitaiki Floodway north of McLean Rd. Tenders for the next stage of stopbank upgrade, from State

funding accelerates six major projects that are expected to secure more than 130 full-time equivalent positions with local contractors engaged mostly with earthworks and associated culvert,

Work underway on a section of floodwall on Grieg Rd. Highway 2 at Awakeri Rd to McLean Rd, are currently being evaluated.

Following a decision, work is expected to start mid-November. Work on the right bank is expected to begin in January 2021.

Peter says the purpose of the multistage Rangitaiki Floodway Project is to protect the Edgecumbe township by diverting high river

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flows in times of flood. “Floodwall replacements and completion of the final sections of the Rangitaiki Floodway were among the flood protection and community resilience projects for which the regional council received $23 million from the Crown Infrastructure Partners Fund.

“Across the regional council rohe, the

piping, construction, and site and pasture restoration.

“In addition this stimulus will provide downstream economic and social benefits.”

Page 14

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Subdividing – a win, win, win As the threat of a repeated lockdown continually hovers over us, many are heading for the hills and will indeed be, for the foreseeable future.

Literally they are, because that is where the lifestyle blocks are generally to be had.

Apart from the nice flat rural lands on the edge of town where, it appears, the local council has the right to gobble up farmland for urban sprawl, most lifestyle blocks will be developed on the relatively unproductive land in the foothills.

In some cases, where environmental gains can be promoted to justify the change in focus from ‘production’ to ‘lifestyle’, other land is subdivided. In many cases there is an argument that the small blocks are more productive than the larger farming operations – they certainly have less environmental impact than some of the more intensive alternative land uses.

Environmental outcome

In the Western Bay of Plenty, council’s approach to rural subdivision has evolved during the last 10 years from a very liberal approach to subdivision, based

largely on ‘land size’, to a strictly environmental outcome. For example, if you have half a hectare of wetland or 250 metres of stream that you can revegetate with natives 20 metres wide on both sides, you have a chance of qualifying for a subdivision. With larger features you may well obtain more new titles.

Other rules take into account areas of scrub and bush exceeding several hectares, but the requirements are more complex.

Either side of the Western BOP, in Hauraki district and the Eastern Bay of Plenty – under the Whakatane District Council – there are specific rural zones that allow for lifestyle development. The zone rules cover section sizes, amenity and servicing requirements.

Further afield in the Waikato and Coromandel regions, including Waipa district, the focus shifts back to having a large tract of native vegetation to preserve for all time, balancing the perceived

environmental effects of subdivision.

Other rules allow for protection of recognised ecological or other environmental features, or recognised view shafts.

Rules are evolving

So, as we place more focus on protecting the planet, the rules are evolving to provide limited opportunities for those who want to do it alone and provide a lifestyle for themselves and their families. Provided this development is carefully designed and doesn’t consume huge tracts of productive land, it can be justified as a win for the original farm owner, a win for the environment and a win for those that can grow up learning the rural skills that have shaped this country and continue to support us all. The farmers, being the custodians of our rural land resource, know what land is needed to sustain their operation and what can be spared for the lifestyle dream of many.

The demand for these blocks is certainly on the ‘up and up’. We’re seeing many of our past proposals swinging into action following the recent lockdowns. People seem to be placing much more emphasis on progressing their lifestyle plans right now. If you have any interest in progressing your dream of creating the blocks for them to purchase, feel free to approach me with your ideas and we’ll see how we can assist you.

Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Coromandel. For further information, call 0800 268 632 or email: btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz

How to prevent bloat in cattle Bloat is a common condition seen on both dairy and beef cattle farms.

It can be fatal and occur at any time of the year but is most common in spring when pastures are dominated by high levels of clover.

Bloat is a very rapid build-up of digestive gas in the rumen, the largest of the four stomachs in cattle. Under normal circumstances, cattle belch surplus gas as they chew their ‘cud’. Cud is regurgitated grass/clover from their rumen.

It is a normal process for cattle to re-chew this as part of the digestive process. Clover has high levels of foaming agents, which assist the rumen gas to form numerous small gas bubbles in the rumen as digestion occurs.

These make it very difficult for a beast to belch so the gas just continues to build up in the rumen. As this process continues the rumen expands, putting significant

pressure on the diaphragm. This makes breathing more and more difficult for the beast and eventually causes death by asphyxiation and heart failure. The timeframe for this is usually between 30 minutes and two hours.

The bloat line is caused by the excessive build-up of pressure in the thoracic cavity (chest cavity), pushing blood out of the oesophagus. The oesophagus in the neck becomes engorged with blood, which drain back into the chest cavity. The line observed is at the junction of the lower neck and thorax. This lesion is a highly reliable diagnostic sign of bloat.

If a farmer finds cattle still alive but in obvious distress with an extremely bloated abdomen, the abdomen can be stabbed over the left side of the animal with a large bore needle – a 14 gauge, 2 inch long, milk fever bag needle – a narrow sharp knife or trocar to release the gas. The hole needs to be sufficient to release the gas and allow the animal to breathe. If the stab hole is too big veterinary attention will be required to repair the wound.

In less severe cases of bloat, the herd of cattle can be moved off dangerous pasture until able to belch out excess gas. In these cases bloat oil can be given to animals affected. Bloat oil contains anti-foaming agents, which help in recovery.

Pastures containing significant levels of clover are highest risk. On dairy farms this is likely to be a fastgrowing mixture of ryegrass and clover. In spring this pasture type, with a high feed value, will help improve milk production. On beef properties a mixture that’s become very popular in recent times is a plantain/clover mix. This is a high value feed that promotes rapid weight gain in fast-growing young animals.

Read this column in full at: www.coastandcountrynews.co.nz

Phone: 07 362 8433

A G R I G H T P O U LT RY FA R M

Page 15

Building a chicken farm from scratch A Waikato property with a history of dairying and cropping has been re-created into a chicken meat business.

Agright GP is behind the large-scale venture on Alexandra Rd, between Matamata and Te Aroha.

Managing director Daniel Bryant says the chicken side of the business will produce between 240,000-300,000 birds every eight weeks for Ingham’s Enterprises’ processing plant at Waitoa.

The company bought the 164ha property, previously used for commercial potato and onion cropping, in May 2019. Daniel says Agright was looking to invest “outside the realms of dairy farming”.

The company settled on the Waikato due to existing expertise in the chicken sector – staff, vets, builders and associated trades and services. About 20ha of the 165ha property is used for the chicken operation. “We found the money and found the right people,” says Daniel.

Just 12 months later – including a halt due to Covid-19 – the massive project is up-and-running, with the first chickens arriving on-site in mid-October.

Agright general manager Daniel Bryant inside a chicken shed.

way contractors and suppliers came on-board to make the venture a reality in such a tight timeframe. “Agright consistently used local contractors for the facility’s design and construction, with local staff also employed for 2.5 full-time jobs to run the operation.”

As was the Australian operation, Daniel says Alexandra Rd is a totally modern facility, equipped with leading edge technology to enhance environmental conditions and maximise efficiency of growing of broiler chickens.

“Design features include insulated walls and ceilings, computerised climate control, tunnel ventilation and cooling systems to ensure bird comfort under all

conditions. “There are also automatic feed and drinking systems, plus back-up generators for protection during power outages. Australian technology is used in the design, modified to suit NZ conditions.”

Six sheds were needed, each covering 2688m2. Daniel says temperature and ventilation are key elements of the sheds, which house free-range and commercial chickens. “It’s essential to keep the bedding dry.” The six sheds, built by Te Awamutu-based Gibson Construction 2014 Ltd, consist of concrete pads, steel framework, fi e retardant insulating wall and ceiling panels, and Zincalume Roofing

The business story goes back to humble beginnings, with Daniel’s father Max Bryant starting a chicken meat operation – ProTen – in Feilding more than 20 years ago. ProTen turned its attention across the Tasman, rapidly becoming a major player on the Australian chicken farming scene.

Daniel ran the Sydney-based operation, returning to New Zealand after its sale to start this venture.

Agright includes some former ProTen names, including father Max, with Daniel having an almost 50 per cent share. Daniel is extremely proud of the

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A G R I G H T P O U LT RY FA R M

Page 16

State-of-the-art sheds continued...

Gibson Construction director Blair Atkinson says this was his company’s first time wo king on this type of construction, utilising 40 staff for the chicken and goat shed projects, which took just over three months.

“Gibson Construction was involved in construction of the floor slabs, installation of walls, ceilings, insulation and roofing.” lair says sealing is particularly important to retain a constant temperature in the sheds. “This also ensures there are no gaps for dirt to get into.”

Daniel says a clean shell makes for better air movement. “The chickens live on a bed of wood shavings, changed for

each new batch of birds.” Waste material is used as fertiliser on other properties, with sheds thoroughly washed down during the changeover.

Effluent f om washdown goes into underground tanks to be later spread on adjoining pasture, when required.

Daniel stresses the chickens can wander about freely inside the sheds.

“There is no impediment. An automatic system feeds birds a pressed pellet, with ingredients including maize and wheat.

“It’s high energy, high protein.”

Feed rates are changed as the birds grow, says Daniel. “Water is supplied by a ‘nipple drinker’ system; and food and water is monitored with information

An aerial view of the two 250,000L water tanks and some of the six chicken sheds on the Alexandra Rd property. Photo: Kliptank. recorded on a database.” An alarm sounds if electricity supply is interrupted or for any other environmental variable outside a specific range. The chickens are kept warm by way of gas heating.”

New internal roads were also developed on the property, with 4000 trees planted to add to aesthetics.

Qubik supplied and installed water and wastewater at the chicken operation. Qubik’s Putaruru water technician Karl Hart says water supply on-site was re-designed to suit the application. “The water supply was heavy in manganese and iron, so a filtration system was required, plus in-line chlorine dosing pumps, along with wash-water and drinking water lines, were installed. Water is stored in two 250,000L tanks and fed thorough a pumping station to meet all requirements on demand and is metered to suit.”

Qubik supplied and installed 12 wash-points per shed, which are used in cleaning out sheds. “Effluent is held in three 15,000L underground internally-sealed concrete holding tanks; one for every two sheds,” says Karl. “It is ultimately sprayed on pasture on the property via a fi ed sprinkler system.”

Kliptank provided the two 250,000L water tanks.

Sales engineer Chris Dingle says the prefabricated tanks were manufactured at the company’s Tauranga headquarters and assembled on-site. “The composite tank walls are made of high-density polyethylene, with aluminium structural components and bound by galvanised wire ropes.”

Minimal earthworks are required with tanks sitting on a natural earth base. “This is the biggest chicken farm project Kliptank’s been involved in. We were thrilled to be a part of it.”

Matamata-based King Electrical Qubik fitter arvis Tidd and hooked up power water technician Karl Hart. needed for the chicken and goat operations. Director Jeremy Kidd says they started with a blank canvas in May-June. With more than 50 years’ experience in chicken sheds, King Electrical designed and installed the required systems and equipment. “We provided power to all essential areas on-site.”

In the chicken sheds, Jeremy says this included lighting and environmental controls, such as heating and ventilation, winches used in feed lines, plus alarms and monitoring systems. “In other areas King Electrical wired up water systems and amenities, plus a standby generator, and wastewater irrigation equipment.” ...continued

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A G R I G H T P O U LT RY FA R M

Mark Willcox Builders’ team on the job.

Late-night concrete-laying by A1 Concrete.

continued...

Northpower was tasked with upgrading the power supply from 50kVA to 300kVA to enable the supply of the new chicken sheds. Northpower project delivery manager Pat Watson says the company’s specialised field esource staff removed two spans, about 150m, of existing high voltage overhead line and a transformer on the last pole of the line.

“Northpower also refurbished the crossarm on the existing power pole to enable this pole to become the end of the overhead line termination pole. In order to ensure the overhead line was secure on this pole, installation of a high voltage stay wire was carried out,”

Gibson Construction director Blair Atkinson on-site with chief foreman David Benioni.

says Pat. “The purpose of this is to anchor the line/pole firmly in place.”

Pat says the final task was to install a th ee-phase 35mm aluminium high voltage cable from the pole to a new 300kVA transformer, enabling supply to the chicken sheds. Pat says this work was carried out in conjunction with network owner Powerco. “King Electrical supported our field esources by installing the site metering and service mains.”

Mark Willcox Builders from Matamata, which completed the concrete-laying work, came on-site after earthworks were completed. Director Mark Wilcox, who grew up on a dairy farm nextdoor to the chicken operation, says his team completed the required boxing, reinforcing and slabs for the first four sheds.

“It was right up there for scale of what we’d done in the past. But, all went to schedule.”

Hamilton-based A1 Concrete had some long days, and nights, on-site pumping a massive amount of concrete required for both chicken and goat facilities.

A1 Concrete director Quin Abraham says they liaised with the concrete supplier, usually starting at 1am and working through to 10pm. “With a 42m reach, the

concrete boom used by A1 pumped out the required 160m of concrete per shed in seven-and-a-half-hours. And the whole job went really smoothly. The builders were standing their uprights the following week.” This is one of the biggest projects A1 Concrete, which has been running two decades, has been involved in. The balance of the property is a large-scale dairy goat

Page 17

milking operation. Drill Force created a brand new well to serve the goat farm, says project manager Zane Brown. “A test bore was drilled first to asce tain strength of supply. A permanent bore, which goes down 160m, was then completed by Drill Force, including associated stainless steel screens and casings.” The drilling specialist company serves the North Island.

Steve Edwards

Page 18

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Page 19

Work begins on new dairy research facility farm-scale science research.

“It underpins the close relationship and collaboration between AgResearch and Massey, two significant land-based science institutions,” says Trevor.

Greenfields site

The new facilities will be developed on a greenfields site, so construction will not impact on the farm’s operations and existing research activities underway.

Completion is scheduled for winter 2021.

The Dairy 4 farm is well-known for its research into nutrient losses on heavy

A Massey University dairy farm will host new joint research facilities that will focus on improvements across a range of critical issues, from animal welfare to climate change and environmental impacts.

Work has just begun on the development of the new joint dairy research facility between Massey University and AgResearch on Dairy 4 farm, the largest of two dairy farms owned by the university near the Manawatu campus.

Dairy 4 farm is a 220ha commercial, research and teaching farm with about 600 spring calving cows.

The new facilities will boast two rotary milking platforms, which will allow detailed research projects to take place alongside the farm’s daily operations.

Other new facilities include a covered veterinary area for individual cow measurements and a multi-lane feed pad to enable differential feeding to various groups of cows.

There will also be an effluent treating system, a data centre within the shed to store and manage research data, a teaching room and biosecurity station.

Professor Peter Kemp, of the School of Agriculture and Environment, says the new facilities will help Massey to build on its reputation of contributing world-leading pure and applied research, in partnership with industry, on matters that are of national and international interest including environmental impacts of climate change, biosecurity issues, animal welfare issues and economic threats posed by innovations in food production.

Deepen existing relationships

Peter says the partnership will enable greater interaction between Massey and AgResearch staff and students and allow a range of independent trials to operate at any one time. “These high quality and fitfor-purpose facilities will improve the flexibility in our programme delivery and content, while also helping to attract new researchers, staff and students.”

Peter says new facilities will attract new research partners and deepen existing relationships with industry and communities, nationally and internationally.

soils and recent collaborative work on partial housing systems for dairy cows.

It hosts a large number of visitors each year and is used often by agricultural and veterinary students at Massey.

Dairy 4 farm has been operating for about 46 years and complements Dairy 1 farm, a 260-cow farm beside the Manawatu River that can be seen from the Fitzherbert Bridge.

AgResearch has a range of research farms across New Zealand and has also partnered with DairyNZ and southern dairy farmers in the new Southern Dairy Hub, a large-scale research dairy farm in Southland.

Work has begun on the development of the new joint dairy research facility between Massey University and AgResearch on Dairy 4 farm.

AgResearch Research director Dr Trevor Stuthridge says investing with the university in the development of Dairy 4 farm was identified some years ago as part of the strategic development of science capability at AgResearch’s Grasslands campus.

“The farm’s proximity to Te Ohu Rangahau Kai, a world-class joint food science facility based at the university, and connections with FoodHQ will increase the linkages of research programmes across the whole supply chain from producer to consumer.

“New Zealand communities and farmers will benefit from this significant investment into the future of

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FORESTRY

Jeff Tombleson in a plantation near Rotorua, which he is an investor in, in partnership with Eru Nikorima Lands Trust. Photo: Steve Edwards.

A specialist forestry consultant believes New Zealand can meet its international commitments to reduce carbon emissions without sacrificing productive farmland.

In a report to the Climate Change Commission, Rotorua-based Jeff Tombleson calls for a government grant to farmers with suitable sites to establish ‘nurse crops’ of radiata pine which will eventually transition to native forests.

Jeff says a stand-off currently exists between farming and the Government’s need to encourage the establishment of up to 2.8 million hectares of radiata pine on farms in the next 30 years.

Under the Paris Agreement, New Zealand is committed to achieve net carbon zero emissions by 2050.

With “no show in hell” of satisfactorily reducing gross emissions, Jeff says the only way is not to create new timber production forests – but ‘permanent forests’.

“Under the Paris rules only plantations established on new land qualify for carbon credits, so farm forestry is the only option,” says Jeff.

“Such plantations would be established in the hinterland on properties within sight of native forests to enable birds to naturally ‘seed-in’ native species.

“These areas could include steep hillsides and gully systems with very low agricultural production capacity.”

contributes to lowering NZ’s emissions by 30 per cent.

“Farmers are again the solution to make the largest contribution to achieving NZ’s 2030 and 2050 emission reduction targets,” says Jeff. “They need to again positively embrace the opportunity.”

Permanent forests via nurse crops of radiata pine for the long-term transition to native forests are “the right tree in the right place” and avoids the “short term opportunistic approach” of converting whole farms to forests.

Through natural attrition over 200-300 years, Jeff says the radiata pine would naturally collapse and the native trees would prevail and provide permanent forest cover. “Natives come by default,” says Jeff, who says the plantations could be registered under the Emissions Trading Scheme to claim the carbon that is being stored in this wood for as long as the ETS exists.

Encouragement grant

Based on the current carbon price of $35 per tonne, Jeff says such plantations would produce annual incomes of more than $900 per hectare or the equivalent of $28,000 per hectare during a 30-year period.

“This approach to creating a long-term permanent carbon sink ticks all the boxes and avoids the short-term thinking of converting farms to forests, particularly in districts where the returns from timber production are poor. It also halves the forest area required nationally for NZ to achieve net carbon zero 2050.”

Jeff recommends an ‘encouragement grant’ of $2000 per hectare to get farmers establishing ‘nurse crops’ of radiata pine in marginal areas on their properties.

“This is a small cost compared to the estimated $14 billion required to buy international credits to meet NZ’s anticipated 2030 emissions reduction target shortfall and would achieve NZ’s net carbon zero well prior to 2050.”

Jeff says feedback from farmers indicates there would be a “stampede” for the adoption of permanent forests via a government subsidy if introduced.

If adopted, Jeff says the programme could start in Steve Edwards 2022 and run through until 2035.

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Carbon dioxide

Jeff says a majority of sheep and beef farms in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato are just kilometres from native forests. “There is no natural re-generation of radiata pine.”

In his proposal, Jeff says 100,000ha would need to be converted annually. “There is no Plan B.” Jeff says radiata pine grows quickly and rapidly stores considerable quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“Around 12,000 growers – mainly farmers – commenced the planting boom in the 1990s that now

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Page 21

Tikapa Beach debris ‘markedly different’ Much of the wooden debris strewn across a beach north of Tolaga Bay after storms earlier this year did not come from forestry harvest, an early assessment has found.

Tolaga Bay Uawa received national attention in July, after a deluge of rain left its beaches covered in wooden debris, prompting an apology from the forestry industry and a commitment to clean it up.

At the time, community members questioned why other parts of East Coast also littered with wooden debris weren’t receiving the same degree of support.

An initial assessment was undertaken at Tikapa Beach, south of the Waiapu River and about 90km north of Tolaga Bay. It found only 16 per cent of wooden debris was “potentially associated” with forestry harvest.

Gisborne District Council principal scientist Dr Murry Cave

Initial assessments of the beach found 16 per cent were ‘potentially associated’ with forestry harvest.

of indigenous wood found on Tikapa Beach was the result of a significant number of large eroding gullies in indigenous forest. However, he pointed to maturing forestry blocks that could cause issues in the future.

“While large areas of the Waiapu catchment are planted in pine, the area of active harvest is presently small, but there is a large area of pine at or approaching maturity and more of this is in erosion-prone areas,” says Murry.

For this reason he anticipates the risk of Uawa-type events increasing during the next five years.

Following July’s storms, the council did a detailed aerial assessment of Tikapa Beach, followed by a visit,

Photo: Murry Cave, GDC.

says this is “markedly different” from Tolaga Bay, where 73 per cent of wood deposited on the beach came from pine harvest.

Murry says 36 per cent of wood waste found at Tikapa Beach

was indigenous, 14 per cent was willow or poplar and five per cent comprised farm posts and battens.

The remaining 46 per cent was a mix of pine, including slash, windthrow and riverthrow, longresident logs and clean-cut logs – but only a portion of that could be linked to forestry harvest at this stage. In this instance, the volume

Toroawhi pilot extended for forestry workers Forestry health, safety and wellbeing pilot, Toroawhi, has been given a six-month extension following Covid-19 restrictions.

The joint pilot between WorkSafe and the Forest Industry Safety Council saw the appointment of two ‘roving reps’ in the forestry sector to help increase worker representation in health and safety with an aim of ultimately reducing harm occurring in the sector.

The extension takes the pilot phase for the programme from one year to 18 months.

WorkSafe engagement lead for forestry Grant Duffy says the Toroawhi have proven success in the industry.

“But when forestry workers were stood down in the early months of the pandemic and throughout lockdown this meant our two Toroawhi weren’t able to get out on-site and have the biggest impact.

“Covid-19 has resulted in many cancellations across the country – but for us it’s created an opportunity to continue this successful pilot.

“The Toroawhi are inspiring real change and from their work we are seeing a shift in health and safety attitudes in the sector, as well as a real focus on worker’s wellbeing.”

Grant says throughout lockdown the Toroawhi continued to provide invaluable support through maintaining connections they’d established and supporting return to work planning.

Since the programme’s inception the Toroawhi have engaged with 525 forestry workers in the central North Island and Gisborne/Tairawhiti regions.

Toroawhi Richard Stringfellow has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry. Covering the Central North Island region, one of Richard’s focuses is

engaging with workers around their mental health and wellbeing.

“I am stoked the pilot has been extended, not for me, but for the workers. Being a Toroawhi means I can get out there, get to the ground, and talk to these workers about their health, safety and wellbeing.

“Over the last few months we have set up workers with counselling services, encouraged them to get fit and even helped link some with budgeting services.

“This is really rewarding work; an extension shows this pilot has real value.”

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before using satellite image analysis to look for possible sources of the wood.

In the report, published online ahead of the Sustainable Tairawhiti meeting last month, Dr Cave stresses a full assessment of the woody debris at Tikapa Beach had not yet been undertaken.

Ten forestry companies were initially subject to prosecution by the council after a similar storm event occurred in 2018 in Tologa Bay. The only cases still pending are for Ernslaw One Ltd and TimberGrow Ltd, which have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial by jury.

Alice Angeloni, Local Democracy Reporter

FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 22

Study finds wellbeing linked to on-farm injuries Pongakawa farmer Paul Walker learnt the danger of working when exhausted the hard way – he lost his finger in an accident 10 years ago.

“I was very tired after calving and we were having issues with an old fan belt-driven water pump,” says Paul.

“I went to check it and realised there was a burr in the belt itself but because I was exhausted, rather than turning the machine off, without thinking I put my hand in the middle of the fan belt and it went through the pulley.”

It may have happened more than a decade ago, but Paul and his wife Pip, who run a 300-cow 90ha dairy farm, remember the accident well. “It was a hell of a

lesson – you’re not much use on a farm when you’re tired.”

Farmstrong, a farmer wellbeing organisation, says situations like this happen too often.

In a recent study Farmstrong surveyed 500 farmers who made an injury enquiry with ACC, and 58 per cent reported that an aspect of diminished wellbeing had contributed to their accident.

Nearly one-quarter, or 24 per cent, said diminished wellbeing was a ‘major’ contributor to their injury.

The aspects of diminished wellbeing most mentioned were: having too much to do and not enough time, fatigue, lack of or poor quality of sleep, challenges coping with the ups and downs of farming, and feeling like a break away from the farm.

Prior to the survey, Farmstrong conducted 25

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A common theme was “I did something I wouldn’t normally do” – which resonates with Paul’s story.

“In farming you could just keep going 24/7 if you wanted to. There’s always something else you can do. But no one can go hammer and tongs the whole time. You’ve got to look after yourself or you’re not going last.”

To help maintain work/life balance, Paul started a cricket team with farmers and growers called Benaud’s Backyard Bumpkins, in honour of Australian cricketer and commentator Richie Benaud. “When you live where you work you definitely need an excuse to get away.

“It might be just one night a week but the cricket makes you get off the farm and allows you to let off steam with other guys who can relate to your situation. They’re doing long hours like me. They know how stressful flooding can be. They get it.

“Even though the season starts in the spring when we’re all busy, we

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still make sure we get out there and have a game each week. It relaxes you.

You come back feeling refreshed and motivated.

“Our partners and wives have all commented how beneficial it’s been.

That’s why they’re keen to make it happen too. The trick is to just plan for it and find the time like any other task on the farm.”

Paul encourages fellow farmers to check out the Farmstrong website, something that helps him maintain his wellbeing.

“If you’re feeling stressed or under the pump you’ll soon understand why you feel the way you do and what you can do about it.

“In farming you can get into a pattern of negative thinking. But Farmstrong shows you how you can coach your mind to have more constructive thoughts.

“Nowadays, when I’m in the middle of a wet season, I tell myself: ‘The sun’s going to rise tomorrow and it’s just about taking it a day at a time and I’ll get through’. And it works.”

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Page 23

brother-in-law in 1960. The diesel, four-cylinder, 50hp tractor had been sitting in Norwoods Hamilton for two years before it was sold. “This resulted in some of the original parts being used for other ‘65s.

“When we got it, the parts were replaced with MK 2 parts, so it was a bit of a hybrid!”

Don bought the tractor outright himself when his brotherin-law moved out of

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And he still uses his Massey Ferguson MF 65 MK 1 that he bought back in 1960.

The Shaw family farm in Ohaupo was established

by Don’s grandfather, Robert John Shaw, in 1926, and has always been a predominantly Jersey milking herd. Prior to that the family ran the Kaipaki Creamery, where Don’s father, George Shaw, was born in the creamery homestead.

Don grew up on the family farm, learning all his farming techniques with horses, until tractors were introduced in the 1950s.

“Our first tractor was a Massey Ferguson, and the family seems to have favoured them ever since,” says Don. Don’s first Massey Ferguson was the MF 65 MK 1 he bought while 50/50 sharemilking with his

farming.

Don took over the home farm in 1969, and the MF 65 came with him.

“It was a real general purpose workhorse and we used it for everything around the farm.”

Additions over the years have included a sun canopy and a frontend loader, which extended the l range Massey’sulusefulness to moving silage ASK bales and sanding races. ABOUT The tractor was modified to move with the times, with the addition of hydraulic linkage. “We A tio could then use it with Nmore hydraulicallyC E o pmodern operated mowers, balers, and a tip trailer,” says Don. Although mechanically-maintained, the Massey became a bit dilapidated over the decades, and in 2019 Judy decided to have it restored.

This was carried out by family friend, Bill Reymer, a rural contractor who also has a fondness for Massey Fergusons. It’s now back on the farm, sporting a new Massey Ferguson red paint job, and mechanically overhauled. At 60 years old, it is used for spraying and drainage work.

“It’s familiar, simple, and lower to the ground than

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At every opportunity retired Ohaupo dairy farmer Don Shaw, aged 82, works on the family farm, now run by his daughter-in-law Judy Shaw.

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Don Shaw, and daughter-inlaw Judy Shaw, with the farm’s Massey Ferguson MF 65 MK1 tractor. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

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the modern machine, so it’s easier for me to climb up,” says Don. As the Shaw farm approaches its centenary in 2026, the MF 65 will no doubt be still running strong.

Catherine Fry

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FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Ag equipment sales motor on New Zealand’s ag equipment sector has seen an 18 per cent dip in sales this year compared to 2019, but Tractor and Machinery Association president Kyle Baxter says it was expected – even before Covid-19.

“This reduction had been widely predicted,” says Kyle. “[So] 2019 was one of the highest yearly sales in almost 20 years, and the momentum had been steadily building for the previous three years to reach that level.”

While the reduction may look significant, Kyle says it doesn’t represent the feeling across TAMA members, who are tractor and machinery sellers, and their customers. “They are seeing strong returns from global commodity pricing and a relatively stable currency position.”

Sales locked down

That’s not to say that Covid19 hasn’t had an impact. Sale volumes for the first half of 2020 TAMA president Kyle Baxter. were significantly reduced due to lockdown. But, sales from July to anymore, due to the growth in sectors September showed a lesser reduction from the same like horticulture, viticulture, and period in 2019. lifestyle.

“It’s a really positive sign and 2020 is still predicted to finish in a relatively good position.”

Overseas delays The industry is heading into the busy season – The biggest Covid-19 challenge facing TAMA estimates around 30 per cent of yearly tractor TAMA members is the reduction in sales, and 50 per cent of other ag equipment sales, shipping containers available, says Kyle. happen between September and November.

“Shipping times to NZ have been “This is when the biggest volumes of equipment start delayed between four-to-eight weeks – arriving into the country and are put straight to work although this appears to be improving in the busy spring season.” for shipments out of Europe.

Kyle says there aren’t many “quiet months” for sellers “Airfreight capacity has also come under pressure since Covid-19, mainly due to the vast reduction in airlines carrying out regular passenger services to NZ as a lot of airfreight is transported on these planes.

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International border restrictions are also affecting NZ machinery sellers.

“Many members rely on overseas staff to fill a broad range of roles within dealerships, manufacturing and technical support.”

With uncertainty around when the restrictions will ease TAMA is urging members to look at other employee options, like taking up the Covid-19 government funding for businesses that hire apprentices, or retrain unemployed people from other sectors.

“I extend the invite to anybody who hasn’t, or is considering a career in the sector, to please get in touch with our of TAMA members to find out more.”

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Teen cattle breeders favour Belgian blues Two Te Aroha teenagers are taking on the larger scale breeders and achieving some notable results with the Belgian Blue cattle from their very own mini stud, Mountain View Belgian Blues.

Roskam sisters Summa, 15, and Shaye, 13, were born into a dairy farming family, participating in calf club as soon as they started school. Shaye was the first to use a beef calf when the family were given a ‘blue’ cow from a lifestyle farmer as thanks for loaning him a tractor.

‘Oreo’ was a dairy/Belgium blue cross. The girls fell in love with the breed and sold pumpkins on the side of the road to save enough to get their first pedigree Belgian blue.

In Europe, the breed is raised in barns and grow to a huge

Shaye Roskam’s favourite ‘Paddy’, their two-yearold bull Woodley Mountain View Paddy. size, making natural birth impossible. Their myostatin gene causes them to have double muscle layers, which yields well at the works compared to other beef breeds.

At Woodleigh Belgian Blue stud, they have concentrated on making a smaller breed for NZ conditions that are able to calve naturally.

Shaye’s first heifer was a blue roan called ‘Nessie’, and Summa chose a black-and-white called ‘Harmony’. Now, the girls own six heifers and four 2020 season calves.

While the girls take on all the daily responsibilities of their herd, the bulls are owned

“I love cows, they are quiet animals and easy to handle,” says Summa.

Shaye’s best result to date is winning 2nd yearling heifer in the All Breeds at the Royal Hawke’s Bay show last year with ‘Narla’.

Summa’s best result so far is Champion Youth Handler at the Te

Kauwhata show with ‘Narla’. The girls love the show circuit, and spend hours training and handling their animals.

For show day, the cows are clipped, shampooed, blow-dried, and their ‘hair’ is styled with cow glue. The family have a facebook page called Mountain View Belgian Blues.

Catherine Fry

Summa and Shaye Roskam with the farm’s 2020 dairy-cross calves, with many half Belgian Blue. by their parents, Tim and Jolene.

As well as servicing the Belgian blues, Woodleigh Winchester (Chester) and Woodleigh Mount View Paddy are also used on the dairy farm to produce dairy/Belgium blue crosses.

‘Chester’ is off-farm for semen collecting, and they are looking forward to using his straws next season. “We’re moving towards keeping our bobby calves for beef, and the Belgian blue-cross is a quiet, docile animal, that’s born small and grows quickly,” says Jolene.

From October to April, Summa and Shaye are on the road with mum and their cows. Both girls have had good success up against adults on the agricultural show circuit, winning numerous ribbons in Beef, European Beef, and All Beef Breed classes. “It’s fun, and they are really unusual pets,” says Shaye.

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Page 26

COUNTRY LIVING

Raw, real hunting in TV Show’s new book In 2013 television cameraman Dave Shaw was on his first hunting trip among the spectacular high country of Mt Nicholas Station near Queenstown.

It was here he pulled the trigger, and bagged his first specie, a chamois. Seven years on and Dave’s only pulled the trigger once more – but he’s been on rollercoaster ride of learning about the skills and adventure

of hunting by creating the wildly popular Kiwi TV series ‘The Red Stag Timber Hunters Club’.

For six seasons it has showcased his close-knit team of intrepid and passionate hunters, who put themselves to the test throughout NZ’s spectacular wilderness areas in pursuit of big game.

Now he’s releasing a book titled ‘Off the Beaten Track’ – of his team’s hunting tales that didn’t quite make it onto the show. It covers Dave, Dre, Anto, Dan, Tim and Sam’s most memorable hunting adventures, shining a light on the trials and tribulations, near misses, close calls, and previously unseen material not-fit-for TV broadcast.

And it’s told with humour and heart – written on a laptop during a Christmas holiday on Urupukapuka Island thanks to a camp generator – and punctuated with stunning location photography.

Dave grew up in Tauranga and studied zoology at Otago University

with a dream to do documentary film-making. He’s worked overseas on TV productions such as the Discovery Channel before coming home to join the ITM Fishing Show team with Matt Watson, based at Kerikeri.

“I did that for six years; it was fun but after that long catching fish on a boat it got a little bit old.”

First excursion

A chance invite to go hunting in Otago – his first excursion – led Dave to believe a real, raw hunting show would capture the attention of Kiwis. “On this hunt I realised how liberating it was compared to filming on boats. I was in heaven running around LOTR country filming scenic beauty. Also, the story was very different to what I thought it would be. I thought hunting was just ‘grab a gun, out you go, see something that moves and shoot it’. There’s a whole lot of additional stuff that goes into it –

I figured here’s a mechanism to cover stories that are a bit different.”

Dan – who invited Dave on the Otago hunt – became a mate and is part of the show. Dave wanted Dan to his ‘Matt Watson’. “But with work commitments, he suggested – which was a master stroke – to touch base with some of his mates. Along came Dre, Anto, Tim and Sam. “The guys have really hit their straps in the last four-five years. Everyone has found their niche.”

And, as requested by show sponsor Red Stag Timber boss CEO Marty Verry, Dave’s aim has been to show hunting – warts and all. He insists no sanitising for TV has gone on. “We’ve only had one incident where we’ve wounded an animal and couldn’t recover it. We scratched that episode and learnt from it. Now we have rules in place to minimise the chance of this happening again. The guys also spend a lot of time at the range.”

And while it took time to realise, Dave says failed hunting trips can be as compelling viewing as success stories – “if handled correctly”. “We’ve shown a few trips that were absolute nightmares – bad weather, lack of animals, and biting off more than we could chew. But if you can come out of that with a smile on your face – it’s good viewing. And it shows the realities of hunting – if you gloss over the bad times and focus on the good times – which I have done on other shows – it does give people a false sense of how things are too easy.”

Thanks to Bateman Books, Coast & Country News has a copy of ‘Off the Beaten Track’ to give away. To be in to win, email your name and address to: merle@sunmedia. co.nz with an answer to this question: What species did Dave Shaw shoot on his first hunt? Or post these details to: Hunting book Giveaway, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140 to arrive by November 30. The winner will be contacted thereafter.

‘Off the Beaten Track’ RRP $39.99 will be published November 9. Order at: www.batemanbooks.co.nz Merle Cave

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 27

Don’t try to save sick Monarchs The Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust is calling on butterfly-lovers around New Zealand to not try to save sick Monarch butterflies this summer.

The key reason for this stems from a new study at the School of Biological Sciences, at Victoria University in Wellington, which is helping the Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust be better equipped to help Monarchs.

Dr Phil Lester and Mariana Bulgarella investigated how many monarch butterflies in NZ carried the parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, commonly referred to as Oe. This parasite infects monarch butterflies and

while it can kill or weaken monarchs, it does no harm to anything else.

Samples were taken from 408 adult monarchs from locations between Otago and the Far North. This did not hurt the butterflies.

“Surprisingly, almost all butterflies from warmer areas of the country – such as Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Nelson – carried the parasite Oe,” says Mariana Bulgarella.

“This parasite is absolutely natural. It’s as much a part of the monarch’s environment as fleas are to a dog.”

However, results from the research has raised one very big concern: people trying to ‘save’ sick monarchs, butterflies heavily infested with Oe, or kept in crowded containers or on unhealthy plants.

Now Moths and Butterflies of NZ Trust secretary Jacqui Knight is urging people who

love monarchs to remember they’re wildlife, and not pets.

“They are cold-blooded and do not ‘suffer’ in the cold. Their wings are waterproof and they can cope with rain.”

Jacqui says caterpillars and butterflies know what to do when it’s raining or windy. “They don’t need to be raised indoors or kept warm through the winter. They should be left to do what comes naturally."

This is because there is concern that by saving unhealthy butterflies, people are loving monarchs to death. The fittest will survive and go on to reproduce, says Jacqui, and it is important that unhealthy butterflies do not reproduce.

“The monarchs have been doing just fine without our help for millions of years. While it’s useful to offer some protection against wasps and other predators the current advice, based on scientific

evidence, is to raise monarchs in ways that mimic their natural environment.

Overcrowded conditions are not seen in nature.”

More information on best practices for raising monarchs is at: www. nzbutterflies.org.nz

FOOTWEAR

Osteoarthritis and cartilage loss

z it co.n Vis rite. lity a t las qu w. ore cts w u m w r d fo pro

Osteoarthritis is all about loss of cartilage, subsequent inflammation and changes to bone and joint structure.

M • ore • L Leat pro • W eat her duc or her far ts a k & h mi va ad u Fo ntin ng b ilab e re g oo le to str & y h tra ts or ig mp de h r & ing lo w boo leg ts wo rk bo ot s

M

The result is pain and loss of mobility.

The ends of bones such as the femur are covered in tough, flexible articular cartilage. It may surprise you that despite its tough appearance and texture it is actually 80 per cent water, which acts like a shock absorber.

Cartilage is a combination of living cells, the matrix they produce plus water. These specialised cells are called chondrocytes and their job is to secrete and maintain cartilage. They repair small amounts of damage as it occurs.

Osteoarthritis starts when chondrocyte cells die, causing cartilage to breakdown. While there are a number of things that can damage chondrocytes, in most cases these are a combination of free radical damage from insufficient antioxidants and biochemical changes caused by trauma to the joint. While the triggers vary, the outcome is chondrocyte death and cartilage loss.

This is then followed by unwanted inflammation in the joint capsule that further damages cartilage.

Eventually, the bone itself becomes compromised and the net result is more pain and restricted mobility.

Nutritional therapy can help – especially in reducing

MANUFACTURERS

inflammation, slowing the rate of cartilage loss and improving the function of existing cartilage. For example, therapeutic levels (800+ mg) of chondroitin can have significant effects on the health of chondrocytes and therefore cartilage protection and repair. Glucosamine also helps maintain cartilage while curcumin from turmeric helps reduce inflammation and fluid accumulation.

An ex-builder contacted me two years ago with significant knee pain from advanced osteoarthritis.

An orthopaedic specialist had recommended knee replacement. Two years on a personalised joint health programme and he now has very little pain and no longer needs surgery.

New enhanced formula

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) 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

Abundant Health

KIWIFRUIT

Page 28

New chair keen to build better relationships Building stronger relationships with the growers it represents as well as with local and central governments is vital for New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, according to new chair Mark Mayston.

e

The couple were founders of Apata packhouse and coolstore, along with Brian Earp and Mike Muller.

Mark, who grew up under the vines with his family, says from a young age he wanted to become part of the kiwifruit industry. “When you’ve grown up with it there’s always a bit of a pull back to the land. And you always have that drive to carry on where your family has started from.”

Educated at Kings College, he finished horticultural studies, and worked in different roles in the kiwifruit industry, including two stints for Zespri and three years of post-harvest, before returning to work in his family’s business Bruntwood Farms. Today, he’s general manager and in partnership with brother Robbie. “We share the load.”

Bruntwood Farms own, lease or manage about 100ha of green, gold and red kiwifruit, Mark Mayston is the new mostly in the Omokoroa-Te Puna chair of NZKGI. area.

“I’d like to see the establishment of new methods of grower engagement and create a regular reporting method from Entity Representatives into the Forum,” says Mark.

He says Forum members need to ensure they understand their grower base, and know the challenges and opportunities they face and their views on all industry topics. “Forum members need to have regular conversations with growers about the issues they face so they know what is really important to them. And I want to see Forum members take more leadership roles of their portfolios.”

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Strong emphasis on relationship building with government and ministers, as well as local authorities and their leaders, is also needed, says Mark. “This is really important too, because while I recognise the work in this area by NZKGI staff and Zespri staff – they come and go, but the growers are here always.

We don’t leave, so it is vital we have relationships with local and central government.

“And this goal becomes more poignant with changes in regulation always happening. But it’s also key when having these discussions around labour and the RSE programme – because it is important you have a basis of experience as well. And as staff change over, you can lose that basis of experience.”

Elected chairman unopposed at the September Forum meeting, Mark, aged 43, has been NZKGI’s deputy chair since 2015, and has been part of the organisation, in different capacities, since 2012.

“For me the job of NZKGI is to work with our industry and represent our growers. Big industries like this – not everyone can represent themselves, so it is key for a group of people to give their effort and time to represent everybody.”

Mark’s parents Peter and Jenny started growing kiwifruit at Plummers Point about 44 years ago, opening their own packhouse in the late-1970s-early1980sM9540 whichDH eventually became part of Apata group.

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In his new role Mark is also keen to help further support NZKGI CEO Nikki Johnson and her staff. “I want to continue work on involvement of the board in their portfolios, so there is more of a direct relationship with the portfolio owner and what’s going on to support Nikki and her staff.

“I’m not sure that even growers know how hard these staff work. So giving support to their roles, and building their relationship with the forum, I want to build on that.”

NZKGI also has a big focus on mentoring and succession planning to keep building talent within the organisation. “Bringing people up through the Forum and executive senior roles is so important for the stability of the organisation.”

He believes NZKGI has, in the last five years, got a much better sense of direction due to the restructure of portfolios. Today these include performance and supply; external relations; labour and education; communications; industry stability; and organisational management. “These portfolios allow us to drive our work plans while still capturing things that growers want you to do.”

Although he points out the better the organisation does, the more its members want it to do. “This is difficult because we cannot do everything; we are levy-funded by growers so there is a limitation on the work we can achieve.”

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KIWIFRUIT

Page 29

Historic day for Maori horticulturalists

The Ahuwhenua Trophy Competition judges at the field day. Photos: Alphapix Photography.

Maori in terms of horticulture and it was a special and historic day for Maori to have their efforts in enables landowners to demonstrate the horticultural sector recognised. the importance of legacy, “Maori are major contributors to partnerships and relationships, the wealth generated by the sector. and holding on to their whenua.

It is estimated Maori own more than 10 per cent of the kiwifruit plantings in NZ and this is The trust is one of three increasing.” finalists in Ahuwhenua The other two Trophy competition for the competition top Maori horticulturalist of finalists – Hineora the year.

Orchard, Te Kaha This is the first time 15B Ahu Whenua in its 87-year history the Trust, and Otama competition has widened Marere (Paengaroa from dairy, and sheep and Minister North A5) Block beef, to include horticulture.

Maori Development Ngai – were unable to The field day commenced Nanaia Mahuta with man host field days due with a powhiri at Tukairangi Trust chair to delays from Hungahungatoroa Marae, Ratahi Cross.

Covid-19. followed by presentations from “Post-Covid 19, Maori The 2020 trustees and staff about Ngai producers are going Ahuwhenua Tukairangi Trust’s history, to make a significant Ahuwhenua Trophy Trophy for governance, strategy and business contribution to the future Management Commit- Horticulture planning. Guests were also taken of NZ.” tee chairman Kingi winner will be on a tour of the property.

Smiler bringing the Ahuwhenua Trophy announced in Special guest, Maori Development Management Committee silverware onto Hunga- Rotorua on Minister Nanaia Mahuta, says the hungatoroa Marae.

November 20. competition helps raise the bar for chair Kingi Smiler says

More than 150 people attended a field day at Ngai Tukairangi Trust’s kiwifruit orchard at Matapihi last month.

113 Broadway, Matamata

Page 30

AVOCADOS

Navigating a disrupted export season Vessel delays, potential competition from Chile and a smaller New Zealand fruit size profile is keeping a lid on expectations in terms of what the Australia’s avocado market can deliver for growers here at home.

New Zealand’s avocado export trade has been affected by a disrupted global shipping environment.

Australian-grown avocados are in shorter supply this season, which typically creates a trading environment where demand for New Zealand fruit soars as retailers look to fill any gaps in their supply.

This demand trend is already evident but Avoco, New Zealand’s largest supplier of export avocados to Australia, is closely monitoring signs of any challenges in the market that could impact pool results come season’s end.

Most of these challenges – including disrupted shipping schedules, vessel delays and industrial action at Australian ports – are out of exporters’ control, says Avoco’s marketing and communications manager Steve Trickett.

“Starting our export season knowing that Australia’s avocado harvest was down on previous years gave us confidence that 2020-2021 would generate solid returns for growers, especially with our strong retail programmes put in place with supermarkets early.

Global shipping disrupted

“Two months in and sales values across the Australian market remain strong with favourable demand and generally good quality. But factors relating to shipping, some of which are a hangover from the earlier stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, are negatively impacting the timely delivery of goods to Australia, including avocados.

“This is a real concern to us due to its potential impact on fruit age and quality at the final stage of the supply chain.”

It takes a team effort Unity is our strength CC0820

avoco.co.nz

The global shipping environment has been disrupted by numerous factors, say Steve. Covid19 has been a common denominator to many, as shipping lines try to reset vessel schedules and reposition shipping container inventories to and from various ports around the world. Additionally, the earlier typhoon season in North Asia and bad weather off the East Coast of Australia had also dented the integrity of shipping schedules.

Combined with rolling industrial action taken by Australian port workers, the delays and unreliability of container delivery times has required 24/7 micromanagement to keep programmes on track, says Steve.

“By the time our fruit has cleared and is in Australian warehouses, 26 to 30 days may have passed since the fruit was harvested. This is right on the cut-off boundaries for acceptance by our retailers.”

Ideally, fruit arrives in Australian stores no more than 30 days from being picked.

“We’ve been able to manage the fruit inventory going into retail programmes without compromising quality or the consumer experience so far, but this has also seen us having to reassign older fruit to wholesale market customers.

Fruit age

“The use of processing outlets is also considered when fruit age is no longer suitable for sale in the fresh market. So, between now and February – or certainly until shipping services improve – the issue with the greatest potential to impact the season’s outcome will be fruit age.”

The prospective competition from Chile, which was granted market access to Australia for the first time this season, is a new consideration. However, the impact of this is still unclear, says Steve.

“Albeit shipping relatively small volumes, it appears Chilean exporters are continuing to send semi-regular sea freight consignments to Australia.

“It is possible that they may ramp up supply during the traditionally high-demand summer period, which is a window we target as well. While this is not expected to greatly influence our retail programmes, it has the potential to disrupt the wholesale sector.”

Covid-19 lockdown restrictions have eased in most Australian states and there are still opportunities to benefit from consumers keen to focus on their health and eating well, especially where supermarkets and home delivery services are operating ‘as normal’.

Avocados in that sector are selling well. However, Steve says the food service and hospitality sectors are still struggling in some cities and, in turn, this is impacting the wholesale avocado market that normally serves them.

“With our strong position in the Australian retail sector, this isn’t a major issue for Avoco, but it’s still a consideration that affects the market’s overall performance.”

Avoco expects to ship about 2.5 million export avocado trays this season, with about 90 per cent destined for Australia. The remaining volume will be split across developing Asian markets and marketed under its Avanza brand.

AVOCADOS

Page 31

Improving fruit set in orchards Flowering, pollination, and fruit set is underway in avocado orchards and for Just Avocados, this is the most important stage of growing avocados.

Fruit set can also present the most challenge for growers but there are many ways they can improve the outcome. The flower-to-fruit ratio is very low in avocados with a mature tree producing more than one million flowers with fruit set only ranging from 0.3-0.5 per cent.

There are many factors that affect pollination and growers should be on top of those they can control.

Throughout the year a regular pruning programme will ensure adequate light into the canopy, which in turn results in flowers and fruit throughout the canopy. Pruning also results in better bud quality as by pruning you are essentially flower pruning before the tree expends the energy producing the actual flowers.

Avocado orchards are now currently in the peak of flowering and by this stage growers will have worked through their pre flowering checklist.

High nutrient demand

Pushing spring flush with the appropriate nutrient applications during winter, harvesting some or all of the crop, completing any pruning, correcting nutrient imbalances, and having beehives

based liquid formulation that attracts honeybees to treated blossoms and encourages foraging behaviour.

Soil moisture needs to be managed during fruit set as any water stress can cause higher fruitlet drop. Should you be fortunate to have irrigation, now is the time that this investment pays off.

present from five-10 per cent flowering are some of the ways to set the orchard up for optimal fruit set before full

flowering hits.

Now, the focus is on supporting the tree through very high nutrient demand and withdrawal due to development of flowers and nectar; and in many cases the existing crop is still hanging on the tree as well.

Growers can optimise fertilisation and fruit set by applying foliar fertiliser and flower sprays of specific nutrients.

Boron and zinc are the important nutrients at this time.

If you are not regularly applying foliars then ensure you time at least one boron, zinc and seaweed foliar spray when 50 per cent of the trees are at 50 per cent cauliflower stage, 25 per cent at

Use moisture meters to ensure you’re applying the required amount of water through dry periods.

Erica Faber is technical manager at Just Avocados. Avocado growers can gain assistance or advice on fruit set by contacting the teams at Avoworks at: www.avoworks.co.nz, or Just Avocados at: www.justavocados.co.nz

earlier flower development, and 25 per cent approaching full bloom.

Consider also applying foliar spray products that are high in amino acids to support any heavy flowering or stressed trees.

Beehive numbers

Growers are often conservative with their beehive numbers but depending on orchard density and flowering intensity she recommends having eight to twelve per hectare.

The only way for fruit to set is to have pollen moved onto the flowers, and lots of it. Encourage your bees to stay busy pollinating your flowers by placing a safe source of water close to the hives so they do not have to travel far in search of water.

If, during pollination, the weather conditions are not favourable for bee activity consider applying a pheromone spray.

Bee-Scent is a pheromone-

Big drop in exporting fruit via air cargo The volume of New Zealand-grown avocados exported to foreign markets via air cargo has dropped dramatically for the start of this season, according to an Auckland Airport Cargo Monitor report.

Figures for August, the traditional start of the avocado export season, show a nearly 60 per cent drop in avocados sent by air to overseas markets compared to the same month in 2019. Exports via air freight to Korea and Thailand were particularly hard hit, showing declines of 100 per cent and 31 per cent respectively.

“That’s really reflecting a crunch in air freight capacity into those markets,” says Auckland Airport’s general manager aeronautical commercial, Scott Tasker.

“Cargo capacity between Auckland and Korea was down 44 per cent and 89 per cent through to Thailand. It looks like some of that has shifted across to sea freight, with a 15 per cent increase in avocado leaving ports of Auckland and Tauranga,” says Scott.

“Normally, we’d expect a fair proportion of avocado exports to go via sea freight to Australia, with significant exports flying out to markets further away.

“This mixed-freight strategy allows fruit to arrive in top condition and capitalise on seasonal market peaks.

It’s definitely harder to time the market when you’re planning longer lead times if you’re sending your crop via sea freight. And sea freight is really only an option for crops that ripen further after picking and can have that process slowed by cool storage. More fragile crops, such as cherries and flowers, really rely on air freight for fast connections to overseas markets.”

Overall, capacity was down six per cent in August compared to July, and 46 per cent down year-on-year.

Fewer cargo flights came in during August, with 202 passenger aircraft flying freight compared to 237 in July. There were 99 freighter services, down from 106 in July. A 27 per cent fall in imports during August led to an overall 20 per cent year-on-year drop in air freight tonnage. Forecast data suggests international

cargo capacity from September-November to be stable compared to August, albeit down between 32 per cent and 42 per cent year-on-year. However, capacity in December is likely to reduce further as airlines look to cancel scheduled flights closer to the date if lack of passenger demand due to NZ border closures and elsewhere remains. Auckland Airport handled 90 per cent of NZ’s international air cargo in August.

WE’RE INVESTING IN YOUR GROWTH At Just Avocados, we believe it takes a fresh approach to yield the best results.

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AVOCADOS

Page 32

Energy in trees key to optimal growth Well, the harvest season is well underway and continuing on from previous months, it’s time to keep the forward planning going.

This month I’m pushing the thought of planning ahead for your trees.

The trees are coming out of flowering; and with ground and air temperatures rising, growth will be happening. Now it is about having enough energy available in the tree to ensure optimal growth. To do this we need to have planned our nutrient programme. Timely quantities and type are important.

Soil moisture

It’s also timely to review soil moisture.

Irrigation may be needed if the orchard isn’t getting good rains coming through.

At our peak here in the Western Bay of Plenty, we lose about 4mm moisture in daily evapotranspiration and this needs to be replaced to optimise growth. If irrigating, a good wetting in a single dose is best rather than lots of little doses.

For example, use sprinklers rather than drippers. Also, wetting the entire root area rather than a concentrated spot is more effective.

The opposite applies to fertilising, where little and often is good. If you can, consider fertigation with your irrigation. Always flush the system and before and after. If applying via fertigation, wetting the ground beforehand is good and similarly flushing the lines and wetting the fertigated products into the soil is needed.

Harvest schedule

The message I want to send is planning now is a key tool to get the best from the next few months of growth. This includes considering and reviewing your harvest schedule. Currently, there appears to be

a lot of small fruit around. First round of picking will almost be completed and in AAL we are expecting to see a smaller profile for the second and later rounds.

Generally, fruit grows a size profile every six weeks during the growing phase. But as part of nature avocado trees will have optimal growing phases and periods where growth maybe constrained and have less growth. One such period of lower growth is in the height of summer with high temperatures and water availability constricting growth. This will also limit and impact fruit growth.

So take a realistic look at the fruit left after each pick. Consider if you have had a good fruit set, and take a tougher line on the second pick and picking hard – include in this consideration sending the fruit left to oil. The small fruit could well be too small and never of a size to make it to the market.

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Page 33

More power to help your business Changes in the Bay of Plenty tractor world are heralding in a new era, with Capital Tractors now known as Power Farming Bay of Plenty, say owners Reg and Michelle Hedges.

Covid-19 lockdown we took the opportunity to become a joint venture with Power Farming.”

“We’ve now got more firepower and more efficiencies, with great brands behind us and a couple of new ones on offer,” says Reg. “We’ve got our flagship orchard tractor brand, Deutz-Fahr, and our new Antonio Carraro Not only has the company range – we’re also showcasing beefed up its sales force a new SAM orchard spreader, with new and experienced which is designed specifically staff, but has extended its for kiwifruit and avocado operational area and range orchards and is proving very of brands. popular already,” says “Capital Tractors was Michelle. an independent New sales Power Farming manager Owen dealership for Jessop has more than 25 come to the years,” says Capital Tractors’ Eastern BOP company Michelle. sales representative Andrew Gibbs.

“But during with

“tremendous sales and management experience” and many will recognise new salesman Andrew Gibbs. “He’s been successfully selling in the Whakatane/Opotiki areas for the last four years.”

With plenty of action in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Te Puke and Katikati kiwifruit areas, Power Farming Bay of Plenty is keen to lend its support.

Owen stresses that Eastern BOP farmers don’t have to travel to Tauranga. “Call us for a chat about our products and how they will best suit your application, land contour, and budget. “We can then set up a time that suits to bring the tractor or machinery to try out on your own property.”

Reg says the company also sells the very popular Hustler zero-turn mower range. “This is a US brand

First Chilean avos touch down in Australia af

of

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imported fruit still needs to be of high-quality and in good condition for it to be attractive to Australian consumers. “Chilean avocados are now legally able to be imported into Australia, as long as they meet our ran l ge strict quarantine requirements. We expect that someul importers will look to capitalise on an opportunity ASK ABOUT that we have this year. Australian supply is down a bit, the prices in Australia are likely to be very attractive later this year and I think someone will no doubt A N C E o p tio will try and have a go. But the cost and logistics to get avocados on Australian shelves in peak condition probably shouldn’t be underestimated either.”

Meanwhile, Australia is said to be building its capacity to better supply its domestic market.

FIN

The first consignment of Chilean avocados has been delivered to Australia – but the country’s avocado industry body warns the South American fruit faces G SERIEStough competition.

According to data provided by the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG, Chile has sent 148 tons of Hass avocados to Australia since September 1 when the country’s 2020-2021 fruit export season began.

Avocados Australia says both Chile and NZ have unexpected opportunities in the 2020/21 season, given the cold conditions during the flowering and fruit setting in Western Australia last year and the storms in 2020, which have caused a decline in domestic supply.

But Avocados Australia chief executive John Tyas says

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“Now we are a fully-fledged Power Farming dealership we have all the resources available to help us, help you – and your business.

“From Deutz-Fahr, Kioti and Antonio Carraro tractors, to telehandlers, wheeloaders, grass and cultivation machinery, we will keep you growing,” says Reg. “Remember – you don’t have to come to us, we’ll come to you. Our motto is ‘doing business with integrity!’”

that’s very popular in kiwifruit orchards due to its great quality, ease of use, and reliability. We are the biggest dealer for Hustler in NZ, so trust us to steer you in the right direction.”

Being ex-dairy farmers, Reg and Michelle understand the importance of machinery maintenance and a quick repair turnaround “but that also applies to contractors, construction, drystock farming etc”. “If you’re in business and you need a machine fixed quickly, give us a call – we have dedicated mechanics available 24/7.”

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Page 34

Julian’s stars align through Covid During its 45 years, Julians Berry Farm has become a Whakatane summer staple.

The business operates over two 10ha sites; one for kiwifruit and the other offers a cafe and berry farm.

The berry farm site grows sweetcorn and six varieties of berries used for the pick-your-own service, ice creams and jams that Julian’s is known for. Thanks to good timing, this summer will be no different.

“Covid-19 could’ve been

catastrophic for us, like it has been for so many businesses. There was talk of the kiwifruit being left to rot on the ground,” says Paul Julian, who owns the business with his wife Monica Julian.

“We’re very fortunate with how the timing worked out, both as a horticulture and hospitality business.”

Perfect timing

Lockdown fell perfectly over Julian’s shutdown period – the cafe only opens from September to February, coinciding with the

berry picking season.

Picking the kiwifruit and general maintenance were the only tasks at hand. “We had our eight permanent staff picking kiwifruit over lockdown. We really enjoyed it; it felt like we were doing our bit to help the country.

“The season went off without a hitch – it was a record-setter industry-wide, and a very successful one for us personally.”

Like all businesses, the Julians toyed with ‘what ifs’ when Covid19 hit. “We talked extensively about what we’d do if the country

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Paul Julian finding strawberries ripe for the picking. Photo: Mackenzie Dyer. was in lockdown during summer.

Picking would’ve been able to go ahead as an essential service, but the cafe would be problematic.

“We would’ve closed the cafe completely, and started a ‘click and collect’ service for our berries, jams and other products.”

Luckily it never came to that, and the cafés fortnight open during September’s school holidays was their best ever. “We didn’t have to apply for any funding, because it’s normal for us to have no income during the off-season anyway – the timing was perfect.”

New challenges

But Julians isn’t out of the woods yet – they’re currently filling picking and hospitality roles usually taken up by backpackers. They go from eight permanent staff in winter to 100 in summer – that’s 30 in the cafe and 70 in the field.

“We’ve gone from being inundated with applications for each role to just having a few, which is absolutely fine – you only need one person for each position.

“The visa rules for backpackers who are still in the country remain grey at the moment, as the Government is continuing to find a way forward.”

In September, more changes to holiday visa rules were announced.

People on a Working Holiday Visa due to expire between October 2020 and March 2021 will automatically be granted a Supplementary Seasonal Employer visa, where holders can stay in NZ to work in short-term horticulture and viticulture roles.

“We’re also looking at hiring more school and university students,” says Paul. “It will look different this summer, but I think we’ll come out of it okay.”

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These cleverly designed square bins can be set up with a bag – on a pallet if desired – and when full, it’s simply a matter of pulling out two pins and opening the hinged square, giving you easy access to tie it off and set up the next bag.

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DAIRY

Page 35

Waiu’s expanding capabilities A new dairy factory has come to the Eastern Bay of Plenty, and tikanga Maori is at its core.

Now into its second year, the business is exporting milk powder, milk protein powder and butter, using both conventional and organic milk. Their products are reaching Asia, North America, Europe and beyond. “We're still very much in our inception, we’re a young player,” says general operations manager Phil O’Reilly. “Year two has been about stability, and we’re really pleased with how we’re going.”

Small and simple

The Waiu factory is on 2.5ha of Kawerau land. “It’s a very small site, which keeps it simple.

“We just have a small drier for our quality powder, a butter maker, a little coolstore and warehouse. Our products are then sent on to third party warehouses and coolstores where they await to be loaded into containers for further distribution.”

To help compete, Waiu relies on exporting to key markets and producing specialised products.

“Our strategy was to not focus on products on the Global Dairy Trade, we’d lack the scale of the bigger players. Our products are predominantly used as an ingredient in other organisations’ goods.”

Joint venture

The factory has been awarded a $4.9million loan from the Provincial Growth Fund this year, which will be used to expand the factory’s capabilities.

“So rather than making 25kg blocks of butter, we can once again focus on a niche space selling our product into 125g and 250g blocks as a standalone product.”

Waiu is a joint venture between 11 Maori businesses, as well as Imanaka – a

Japanese organisation that contributes product and sales experience, and Asia Pacific market connections.

“Of our 44 staff, 40 people whakapapa back here,” says Phil. “We’re a whanau here so we run a very flat structure, which allow us to have very open communication with our teams.

“When your values are used to drive and create the tikanga (rules) that you

Award-winning chef Ben Bayly, and Waiu CEO Sam Mikaere.

Phil says Kawerau “ticked a lot of boxes” as a location for the factory. The land is owned by a shareholder business, Putauaki Trust. “We’re fortunate enough to have six farms supply to us, and four of them are iwi-owned and close to the factory.

Kawerau

“Kawerau is also close to the Tuwharetoa Power Station so Waiu can be geothermal-powered. That’s part of The Waiu Dairy factory opening. what makes us special, as we’re reducing our need for fossil fuels. Having access wish to operate by, you start to see to a sustainable resource was a big motivator.” how our team have each other’s back And the business makes its strong ties to Kawerau and take personal accountability for clear in their marketing. “It’s important to Waiu and achieving the collective goal. the tangata whenua that we respect our connection “Being values-based creates culture of with the land and Mount Putauaki – it’s a prominent high achievement, because it gives our part of our brand. work meaning.”

“We want it to be as clear as a badge of honour that Phil says several Waiu Dairy staff come we come from Kawerau, and what we stand for.” from a corporate dairy background, MacKenzie Dyer himself included.

“Corporate organisations are very well-oiled machines, so moving on to develop something completely from scratch was a natural next step for many of us – especially with it being a Maori business. Our CEO Sam Mikaere has had the opportunity to work for some large businesses both here and abroad.

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Page 36

Is Magnesium killing your cows?

The headline might sound extreme and it’s only one possible cause of many on-farm, but the Ministry for Primary industries has recently published an ACVM Guideline highlighting the probable link between magnesium oxide and salmonella – and it could be happening to your cows.

It must be emphasised that Salmonella outbreaks on-farm are often caused by multiple factors, including rapid changes to diet – especially from dry/high fibre to wet fresh grass – poor effluent management and immunity compromised cows…the list goes on.

But our own experience is salmonella can be encouraged by MgO, especially in conjunction with some of the above factors. However, MgO supplementation doesn’t imply that salmonella arrives in the mineral itself.

This suggestion has experienced nutritionists shuddering in their boots.

According to MPI, MgO prills and granules increase the risk of salmonellosis by a factor of 10.

That’s an important distinction.

Some forms of MgO carry more risk than others. But cows need supplemental MgO. We can’t just exclude it from diets, so it’s critical to understand what the differences are that make one MgO product more likely to encourage salmonellosis than another.

Larger particles of MgO are often favoured in blending because they are dust-free.

The problem is MgO particles leaving the rumen intact. This maybe because large particle sizes take too long to react, or that smaller granular MgO were ‘overcooked’ during production, causing their rate of reactivity to drop. This is generally not a problem but if the overall level of MgO added is too high or passage rate is high for some reason – like a fresh flush of grass – a portion can remain unreacted by the time it reaches the small intestine. Once into the small intestine trouble begins to brew.

When MgO reacts in a solution it will drive pH up.

In the rumen this means reducing the risk of acidosis and even potentially improving milk fat percentage.

A great attribute.

However, if it reaches the small intestine unreacted, a lift in pH is not so great. It causes the environment to favour some bad bacteria that may already

be present in the gut at trace levels, especially Salmonella. To make things worse, the symptoms can make think your cows are mag-deficient so you keep pouring more poor-quality mag in to fix the issue, further overloading the small intestine.

This is a risk the Sollus team has always been aware of – so we developed a magnesium to be included in all our product forms, fine enough to react fully before it leaves the abomasum and, at the same time, dust-free.

A high quality MgO is, simply put, just about the best Mag source for dairy cows. It is cost-effective, has multiple effective attributes and should react quickly.

So as a farmer, question your feed suppliers, make them show you their solubility data. And maybe, cheapest is not always best.

Disclaimer – these are the opinions of consulting animal nutritionist to Sollus NZ. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought.

DAIRY

As I write this article, pasture growth in many farming regions is restricted by a lack of moisture and a genuine spring flush has not arrived.

It’s easy to say that we shouldn’t worry about stuff we have no control over, however a lack of rain this early in the season is a concern.

Where it’s possible to rotationally graze animals, our experience during the last 40 years suggests that a genuine 30-day grazing interval is the best management option, along with reducing animal numbers to ensure animals are fully fed.

The counter to a 30-day round is that quality pasture not grazed for 30 days will deteriorate, by which time covers may have declined, and that is a fair argument.

However, going around quickly will result in a farm with very low covers well before the end of the year, with little ability to recover when rain arrives.

Overly-prescriptive

The topic of most concern to the farmers I’ve talked to of late, is not the weather but the recently arrived farming regulations.

The anxiety over new rules is that they may become overly-prescriptive. That’s a real concern as regulation, no matter how well researched and written, cannot cover all farming situations and variables.

We live in a democracy and farmers have the right, and an obligation, to push back on directives that impinge on their ability to manage land in a way that has no negative influence on others. That right is enshrined in law and must be defended.

It’s a concern that groups representing the rights of farmers seem to have bought into the belief that

pastoral farming is an environmentally-negative activity, and that by planting woodlots and shelterbelts farming might just manage to become carbon neutral.

Animals

That is a nonsense and does farming a real disservice.

The quickest way to sequester carbon is under permanent grazed pasture, and animals are a big part of the solution not the problem.

Most sheep and beef properties are continuously sequestering carbon, via the breakdown and incorporation of old root matter, dung, urine, and litter on the soil surface after grazing.

The issue around carbon and pastoral farming is the overuse of synthetic-N, primarily urea.

Nitrogen is an essential element and without a steady supply pasture growth diminishes to the point where low fertility species dominate and farming becomes financially non-viable.

It is the reliance on synthetic nitrogen that puts the industry at risk. When storage, cartage, and spreading is included, a total of close to $500m each year is being spent.

There is an excellent podcast by Dr Richard Mulvaney from the University of Illinois, The Fallacy of Mainstream Potassium and Nitrogen Fertilizers, in which he states that synthetic-N burns soil organic matter.

Page 37

Removing nitrogen from an existing programme will result in less growth unless it is replaced from another source. Clover takes nitrogen from the atmosphere and makes it available for plant uptake.

There are decades of work showing

Soil organic matter

The importance of soil organic matter, in all its forms, cannot be over emphasised. It’s estimated that with every one per cent increase in soil carbon an extra 144,000 litres of water per hectare can be stored.

The amount of carbon in the soil also largely determines the amount of nutrient, including nitrogen that can be held and released for plant uptake.

Rapidly decomposing organic matter, work undertaken primarily by earthworms, fungi, and bacteria, also reduces the amount of nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, lost to groundwater. Carbon is the filter and any loss results in increased leaching of all nutrients.

Miraka on hunt for new CEO After more than 10 years in the role, Richard Wyeth is stepping down as CEO of Miraka. Richard, who was Miraka’s first employee in January 2010, moves to a new position at the year’s end. During his time as CEO the Maori-owned organisation has grown to more 140 employees, producing 240 million UHT units and 35,000 metric tonnes of powdered milk per annum, with a turnover of more than $250m. “Richard’s leadership has enabled Miraka to grow from a small local company to become a strong competitor internationally in the dairy industry,” says Miraka chairman Kingi Smiler.

Richard says being part of Miraka’s story has been an absolute career highlight. “Working to establish a Maori-owned company in a competitive sector has come with its challenges. But I’ve had the support of some pretty incredible people along the way. We set out to show the industry it was possible to make world-leading dairy products using renewable geothermal energy while looking after the land, the people, and our community.

And we’ve more than succeeded.”

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EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS

Page 38

Small tweaks can It has been a year since Willowvale farm owners Fraser and Katherine McGougan were named the Ballance Farm Environment Awards supreme winners for the Bay of Plenty.

A bit has changed on the Whakatane farm since then, as the couple continue working to make their 430 crossbred dairy operation as efficient and envi onmentally friendly as possible.

Fraser and Katherine McGougan.

“Changes that benefit the running of the farm and the environment tend to go hand-in-hand,” says Fraser.

“Now we can reuse the water four or fi e times, as “Even tweaks that seem small can have a big impact.” we can get it out of our effluent pond.

Fraser and Katherine also opted for high pressure Effective effluent pumps and an electronic, automatic shut-off.

Installing a new effluent system has been the bigges “We’ve included all of the small features that change to the 137ha farm since the awards, says Fraser. everyone talks about, and they really pay off.

“Luckily most of the installation was completed at “The additions have given us more usable effluent, the beginning of the year when the ground conditions so the investment was definitely wo th it.” were good, and before the Covid-19 lockdown.”

Their new lined pond can store one million litres Healthy soil of effluent, which is double the amount of their last Fraser and Katherine were already striving to pond – allowing for more strategic placement. It use less fertiliser before installing the pond. They features multiple sediment traps, a solids storage area, purchased a GPS system for their tractors to keep an and a stirrer. “Previously, we couldn’t put a stirrer in accurate record of what areas needed fertilising, and because we had an earth-lined pond,” says Fraser. to avoid over-treatment.

“Having a lined pond and being able to stir the “We’re in our fourth consecutive year of biannual effluent is a esome, because it gives us a better soil testing on every paddock we have, which has effluent mix for our pastu es.” proven that what we’re doing works really well.

Before installing the effluent system, the “It has led to greater soil fertility levels without McGougans were already reusing water for their limiting our pasture growth potential, and saves floodwash system up to th ee times. ...continued money.

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have a big impact continued...

“Under the freshwater act [which will be implemented in July 2021] you’re only allowed to use up to 190kg of nitrogen per hectare annually, so frugal placement is going to become more and more important,” says Fraser.

the wider community.

He is part of the Whakatane-Tauranga Rivers scheme advisory and has been an ambassador for the Dairy Action for Climate Change initiative since 2018.

“I put myself forward to help consult with the Government on some of the programmes that are going through to farmers, to help ensure the targets are realistic and achievable.

“I think farmers have relied a lot on other people to make these decisions for us in the past, so it’s great to be a part of the discussions.

The effluent pond getting installed

Consenting

As well as wanting to improve their fertilising capabilities, the McGougan’s upcoming effluent consen in 2024 was good motivation to invest in a new effluen system. “A lot of people have effluent consents comin up so it’s definitely wo th thinking about.

“We wrote our own consent application, and would definitely encourage other farmers to do the same “You know your land better than anyone, so it’s good to be the one guiding that discussion and controlling the process.”

Getting into governance

Nowadays, Fraser is taking more time off-farm to share his learnings from nine years of farming with

The McGougan’s new pond can store one million litres of effluent “Climate change and water quality are global issues, but solving them starts in our own backyards.

“We have a huge opportunity to help the agriculture industry develop in a sustainable way.”

Discussing how to tackle the big issues at home was a highlight of participating in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, says Fraser.

“It’s a real shame the awards couldn’t go ahead this year, but I would highly encourage farmers to enter for 2021.”

MacKenzie Dyer

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EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS

Measuring region’s peat Aerial surveying to monitor peat soil subsistence in the Waikato is a first step by the regional council to gain greater understanding of the state of the resource and how to protect it in future.

a long time is required between measurements before we can be confident that the changes we might detect are statistically significant.”

The proposed monitoring programme will survey 12 sites around the region. “The original monitoring gave us subsidence information at a limited number of points. Now we’ll cover about 10,000ha so we’ll gain considerable representation across the region,” says Justin.

“Using the Lidar data we will be able to create a model of the ground surface – and we’ll come back and do this again in five years’ time and look at the difference in the two ground surface models to calculate subsidence rate.”

Robust information

Student Jarrod Hall taking ground control measurements for the Lidar method development surveys in 2019 over new pasture.

In coming months helicopter flights will capture baseline ground surface elevation data using a technique called Lidar. This data will be used to estimate regional-scale peat soil subsidence rates in future, as part of a long-term Waikato Regional Council programme.

WRC soil and land scientist Justin Wyatt says the flights represent the first round of region-wide peat subsidence monitoring, with the next round scheduled for 2025.

“Previously, monitoring for peat soil subsidence in the Waikato region used peat depth probing.

Peat depth measurements were taken in the 1920s and in about 2002 and 2012 – these were point measurements, and while useful did not adequately represent the different peat soil types or drainage and land management on peat soils across the region.

“Furthermore, the uncertainty associated with results collected using the peat soil probing method mean that

Justin says the project is very important – the Waikato region has about 89,000ha of peat soils, with about 80 per cent drained for productive land uses.

“Peat drainage results in land subsidence and we need to understand the potential long-term consequences of this ongoing subsidence. To better understand the potential impacts and to enable us to plan and provide good advice for future land and drainage management of our peat soils, we need robust information on peat subsidence.”

WRC has developed the new method and long-term monitoring programme design with support from Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, and Waikato and Canterbury universities. “In time, this work will improve our understanding of how existing peat soil management influences subsidence rates and will provide information on how future changes in land management and other factors, such as climate change, will impact peat subsidence,” says Justin.

The Waikato region has about 40 per cent of NZ’s peatland resource. Drainage allows peat soils to make a valuable contribution to the regional economy, but this results in subsidence and oxidation of the peat and ultimately loss of the peat resource. Oxidation results in loss of carbon from peat soils as carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. WRC has policy that recognises the importance of peat soils and directs it to manage the ...continued effects resulting from use and TH2082 12/10/20

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subsidence from the air

Above: Views from a helicopter during Lidar method development surveys in 2019 show blueberries and pasture on peat. Inset: Drained peat soil in the hand. Photos; supplied. continued... development of these. This includes slowing the rate of peat subsidence and carbon loss. “In our Regional Policy Statement there is guidance that we need to find ways to slow subsidence and carbon loss from peat soils. In time the monitoring programme will help inform this, but more work will be required,” says Justin. “This monitoring will hopefully allow us to understand how subsidence rates vary across the region, and build a solid foundation for other projects to leverage off. It will be better than previous monitoring, and has been designed to provide the best opportunity to specifically answer some key questions – after multiple monitoring rounds – for example, are there differences between land uses? Because historical monitoring was limited to particular locations, so it’s difficult to use the data to determine whether land uses affects subsidence rate, or not.”

Surface oscillation

Subsidence can also adversely affect adjacent infrastructure, such as roads, provision of services and impact on land drainage. “So in these situations, it is important that robust data supports planning and management to preserve these soils,” says Justin.

He’s also keen to understand if the surface of drained peatlands oscillate seasonally, and early work suggests they do. “This will mean surface elevation measurements for the subsidence monitoring programme will need to be collected at about the same time for each round of monitoring. What we know from natural peatlands is the ground oscillates with seasons – during winter it swells and during summer it shrinks. So we were curious to see if this happens on drained peatlands because that would affect when we should do our peat subsidence monitoring.”

Justin says collaborators at the University of Waikato have come up with an elegant solution to continuously monitor the ground surface level of drained peatlands, and with help of Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research have installed equipment in a local peatland. “Early data suggests that yes, the surface of drained peatlands oscillate – but we only have one year’s worth of data.

We’d like to continue with this work and explore other opportunities for this type of high frequency monitoring.” Landowners within monitoring areas have been contacted by WRC about the subsidence monitoring programme. Read this news story in full

at: www.coastandcountry.co.nz

Merle Foster

Proven Product. Best Spread.

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FERTILISER

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Iron and manganese’s special relationship Iron-corrected lemons.

One of the mystery nutrients we must deal with or ignore, is iron.

a Req uest le ! p m a s f re e

It has a special relationship with manganese – but, as always, nothing is that linear. Iron has a two-way relationship – the excess one affects the other – with calcium, copper, potassium, molybdenum, and phosphate. If in excess, it can depress magnesium.

On the other hand, if manganese, nickel, zinc, and bicarbonate are in excess, they can depress iron. It is more available in acid soils and is less available as acid decreases.

Manganese has a two-way relationship with calcium and potassium. If in excess, it can depress copper, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, nitrogen, and phosphate. Excess cobalt, sulphur, and zinc can depress manganese. In the soil we aim to keep the amount of iron at least 5ppm above that of iron.

We do not add manganese until the iron status is determined.

Naturally inverse

In most Waikato and Bay of Plenty soils, this relationship is naturally inverse to what is needed by plants. But there could be reserves of iron and manganese further down the soil profile, below testing depth. Regardless of soil measurements, most leaf samples show adequate iron and manganese, sometimes with Mn higher than Fe. This may be misleading as the tests do not determine whether the

iron is oxidised or reduced.

To further confuse the issue, a laboratory may provide a range of leaf-test figures that does not help determine nutrient effectiveness. How can the acceptable range for iron vary from 80ppm to 200ppm, a range of 2.5 times, and manganese vary from 50ppm to 400ppm, a range of eight times?

Mn varies from 62 per cent of Fe, to 200 per cent of Fe. (Figures vary for different crops vary, but the principles apply). In many cases the iron is likely to be oxidised by the manganese. Oxidised iron is of little use.

Further investigation

This could lead to non-correction of Fe, and/or the potential application of manganese. How do we avoid unnecessary expenditure on the one hand, and crop depression or damage on the other hand? At Kiwi Fertiliser, we advise further investigation of iron status. This can be done by several means.

1. Deeper soil testing to see if low iron, say 20ppm, is better represented at lower levels.

2. A foliar spray of iron on certain leaves to see if the colour darkens. This may need to involve several plants, at various times of the year.

3. Apply iron sulphate to the soil of some plants and observe the reaction of the trees.

If you think you need to check iron levels, please contact us so the correct procedures and materials are used.

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FERTILISER

Remember micronutrients!

Plants need at least 16 elements, and animals need at least 17, to grow.

These can be categorised into major elements, minor elements and trace elements, also known as micronutrients.

Micronutrients are so called because the quantity required by animals and plants are very small in comparison to the major and minor elements, but they are also essential for living things to fully function.

Iodine cobalt and selenium are common deficiencies found in livestock in New Zealand, but they have no known benefit to plants.

Although rhizobia bacteria on legume root nodules do require cobalt.

Molybdenum on the other hand is essential for plants, particularly legumes, yet has little-to-no benefit for animals.

The other five essential micronutrients – iron, manganese, copper, boron and zinc – are important for both plants and animals. Although boron for animals is mainly involved in assisting in the absorption of other elements like calcium and copper.

Soil-related complexes

There are many soil-related complexes that determine the availability of elements – and because a soil test may show adequate levels of a particular element does not necessarily mean that the plant will be able to adequately absorb it. Soil pH, for example, has a bearing on many elements with the likes of selenium, molybdenum and iodine becoming more available as the pH lifts.

Whereas the metallic elements iron, manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt and also boron become less available for plant uptake as the pH rises.

Phosphorus uptake is also affected by the soil pH as it is not as readily bound up by iron and aluminium complexes as the pH lifts – but having too high pH can cause it to be bound up by excessive calcium.

This is why the sweet spot for pH in pastoral agriculture for phosphorus and trace element availability sits in the 5.8-6.3 range.

A higher pH also favours soil microbial and earthworm numbers and better facilitates the whole nitrogen cycle and nutrient recycling in the root zone.

Organic matter content

There are other factors affecting the availability of micronutrients such as the organic matter content and also excesses of competing elements. For example, most dairy farmers in the upper North Island have been giving cows zinc for decades to help mitigate facial eczema and consequently soil zinc levels have risen considerably over this time – sometimes ten-fold from what were natural background levels.

Page 43

Robin Boom

CPAg MBSPC

Independent Agronomy & Soil Fertility Consultant

And in some crops, like kiwifruit, too much boron has resulted in splitting of the vines. Every time the milk tanker leaves the property, it is not just taking away nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur that need to be replaced, but also the nine essential micronutrients which need to be maintained.

Programme

I commonly find significant trace element deficiencies when I pick up a new client who has just been using six element soil tests, and often for the first year or two there is a big focus on getting these micronutrients closer to optimum levels.

And where other elements are excessive, it is about leaving them out of the fertiliser programme for a year or two to try and get everything at the right biological balance for both plant and animal health and production.

Robin Boom, CPAg, member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists. Phone: 0274448764.

Zinc

This does not always reflect in the plant, as high iron or high phosphorus can compete against zinc – so, a herbage test may still show a zinc deficiency even though there is plenty of zinc in the soil.

Plants require zinc for certain enzymatic functions and it is also essential for the production of auxins, a particular group of plant growth hormones.

Likewise, copper activates certain plant enzymes and is also required for carbohydrate and protein metabolism, but it too can be affected by excess phosphorus, iron, zinc and potassium levels. Conversely, too much copper, which I observe becoming more common on kiwifruit properties where copper sprays are used to control Psa-v year-on-year, can inhibit the availability of other elements.

Balancing act

It all becomes a balancing act and knowing what elements affect what is an important consideration.

Molybdenum, for instance, can give huge clover responses when deficient for minimal cost of only a few dollars per hectare, but too much can have a catastrophic effect on copper availability in animals.

Similarly, boron can have a marked effect on clover production when deficient, but too much boron can be toxic to plants.

Miles Pope : 0274 935 659

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Page 44

FERTILISER

The best way to know what’s in the bag Without a Fertmark tick of certification, there is no guarantee that your fertiliser contains what it says on the bag, according to the Fertiliser Quality Council.

Fertmark is New Zealand’s only fertiliser auditing scheme, established in 1996 to provide assurance for famers and growers.

The FQC estimates that 20 per cent of fertiliser being spread is not Fertmark approved.

“If anyone is unscrupulous in the supply chain, the declared values of the nutrients may not actually be supplied,” says FQC chairman Anders Crofoot.

“That is the value in having an independent verification taking place in New Zealand.”

Uncertified products

Anders says uncertified products tend to be cheaper. “There is a small cost associated with independent verification. In a competitive market a small savings can give advantage. The risk is you may not be getting what you think you are.”

Anders also says the types of fertilisers that aren’t Fertmark certified are wide-ranging.

“Some are imported products similar to ones that have been Fertmarked. Others are a variety of more biological products that cannot consistently supply the same level of nutrient, or the nutrient level may vary over time.

“Many organic products or composts do not supply a consistent level of nutrient from batch-to-batch so make it difficult to have an ongoing audit process.”

Anders Crofoot.

FQC executive director Philippa Rawlinson says the effect that spreading sub-par fertiliser can have on business shouldn’t be underestimated.

“The consequences can be highly detrimental,” says Philippa.

“If a farmer has conducted a nutrient test and orders in a fertiliser supply rich in phosphorous, he needs to know that his order is accurate. And if the grass doesn’t grow in line with his expectations and needs, it will have a negative impact on his business.”

Tested

Both New Zealand-made and imported fertilisers can be tested under the Fertmark scheme. It’s completed by a sample of fertiliser being tested in a lab.

As well as ensuring products are true to claim, a Fertmark tick

ensures that, when used correctly, the fertiliser doesn’t pose hazards to food safety or animal welfare as under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act. “Fertiliser is exempt from registration under the ACVM Act, but it still needs to comply,” says Anders.

“It also needs to comply with the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996, Animal Products Act 1999 and Biosecurity Act 1993.

“Basically, it needs to be fit for purpose and shouldn’t be introducing hazardous substances or biosecurity risks.”

The FQC encourages farmers to keep an eye out for the Fertmark tick when buying their fertiliser, or to check the FQC list of certified suppliers at: https://fertqual.co.nz/ understanding-the-marks/fertmark

Spring safety reminder for farm work Four fatalities on New Zealand farms in September has WorkSafe issuing a reminder to those in rural sectors of the need for safety no matter what job in being done on the land.

Investigations have been opened into all four incidents. Meanwhile, WorkSafe engagement lead for agriculture Al McCone says this is the time of year where a lot of work is taking place.

“Farm work consists of a never-ending list of tasks and constant reprioritisation as weather, commodity prices and other factors outside and inside the farmer’s influence change. It is a time of variable weather and growth, and variable ground surface conditions. Slope surfaces are especially tricky at this time of year. There

is also a shortage of contractors and some farmers will be doing tractor work that normally a contractor might do with equipment better suited to the task.

“We cannot let these challenges contribute to loss of life or injury. The people with the most power to influence this are those on the ground each day doing the work.”

Al says seatbelts should be worn when doing farm work. “Mistakes happen and your seatbelt might be the difference between a sore neck and a broken one.”

Understanding the role children play in a farming business is also critical, says Al. “From experience, we know that keeping an eye on them can be hard in a busy workplace. If your kids need to go to work with you, have a system in place that isolates them from where work is happening or risks may be present.”

FERTILISER

Page 45

Making wise spring fert decisions corner, there is an increasing pressure for farmers to improve their farm’s nutrient management.

Due to the effects nitrogen and phosphorus can have on water, and because improving nutrient use efficiency is more important for farm profitability, the issue of nutrient management has become increasingly vital.

Getting the best bang for buck out of fertiliser use while protecting economic and environmental bottom lines is a key goal for farmers.

With spring in the air and soils starting to warm up, farmers will be preparing to fertilise their paddocks.

As there are a range of risks when applying fertiliser and strategies to help avoid them, it is highly recommended that all farmers have a nutrient budget and a nutrient management plan for their properties and discuss their situation with a fertiliser or farm consultant.

There are a range of tools to help practise sustainable nutrient management.

Nutrient budgeting is widely accepted as the appropriate first step in managing nutrient use and it’s also the preferred tool for evaluating the environmental impact of farm management practices.

OverseerFM, a digital decision support model, is used to advise on nutrient management and greenhouse gas emissions.

It predicts what happens to the nutrients that are brought onto the farm in the form of fertilisers and supplementary feed in the same way a financial budget can track money.

Prolonged dry spell

A prolonged dry spell is forecast for the forthcoming summer months. It is therefore strongly recommended that nitrogenous fertilisers be used strategically, looking at feed budgeting.

Another issue to consider is nitrate leaching. Plants need nitrogen for healthy leaf growth. But N is an extremely mobile nutrient. If more nitrogenous fertiliser is applied than plants can take up, most of the unused nitrogen ends up leaching down through the soil into groundwater.

Bala Tikkisetty is a sustainable agriculture advisor at Waikato Regional Council.

Contact him on 0800 800 401 or email: bala.tikkisetty@waikatoregion.govt.nz Bala Tikkisetty

Sometimes N will also be lost to waterways as runoff and some is always released back into the air as gas.

The amount of N leaching from pastures can be reduced by the following.

• Timing fertiliser application to avoid periods when plant uptake of N will be low, such as when soils are saturated, during heavy rain, colder periods and times of low soil temperatures.

• Applying N fertiliser in split dressings – limit to 30kg N/ha/yr and maximum of 190kg N/ha/yr.

• Irrigating farm dairy effluent to a large enough area.

• Adjusting fertiliser policy for effluent irrigated areas to account for the nutrient value of effluent.

• Using fenced wetlands and well-managed open drains as nutrient traps.

The nutrient phosphorus behaves very differently to N because it binds with the soil and only dissolves slowly in water over time. This means it doesn’t readily leach to groundwater. But it can damage the health of waterways through soil erosion and

surface runoff into water.

Farmers can reduce the amount of phosphorus runoff by keeping Olsen P to optimum agronomic levels. Other tips include: following the NZ Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Research Association Code of Practice for Nutrient Management; applying fertiliser when the grass is in an active growing phase; leaving a grassed buffer strip between paddock and waterway – the strip filters the phosphorus before the runoff reaches the water; and controlling runoff from tracks, races, feed and stand-off pads.

Clear assessment

So, a clear assessment of fertiliser requirements will both improve economic returns from pasture and help avoid contamination of ground and surface water with nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus.

With Waikato Regional Plan Change 1, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and National Environmental Standards around the

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Nov 7 Bromeliad Display & Sales Day, 8am-noon, Matua Hall, Levers Rd, Tauranga.

Ph 07 576 7711.

Tauranga Rose Show, 11am, Wesley Hall, 13th Ave, Tauranga, $3.

Includes plants for sale.

Ph/txt 027 222 6081.

Propagation of Summer Softwoods, 9.30am-2.30pm, Whakamarama (near Tauranga). See: tinyurl. com/y6vm379z Crop Swap, 10am-am, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati.Veges, fruit, seeds, baking, books, eggs, etc all welcome. Ph 07 549 4522.

Nov 7-8

Nov 14-15

Poverty Bay Horticultural Society Rose & Iris Show, 1.30-4pm (Sat), 9.30am-3pm (Sun), Showgrounds Events Centre, Gisborne, $5 (under-12 free). Ph Anne 06 868 5245.

Bonsai Convention & Show, Tauranga Racecourse.

See: tinyurl. com/y2lgrfxn

Waihi Garden Ramble.

Ph/txt Liz, 0210 231 7833.

Nov 8 Plant Mini Market, 10am2pm, Te Puna Quarry Park, off SH2 near Tauranga. Devonshire teas.

Rose Garden Sunday, 10am-4pm, Te Awamutu.

Teas and bunches of roses for sale. Vote on the best roses in the gardens.

Nov 14 Amore Roses Open Day, 10am-4pm, Newstead, near Hamilton, free. See amoreroses.co.nz

Nov 19-22 BOP Garden & Art Festival, in and around Tauranga. See: gardenandartfestival.co.nz

Nov 20-22 Pacific Rosebowl Festival, Hamilton Gardens, Gate 2, free. See tinyurl.com/ y4xyzsqr

Nov 21-22 Waikato Rose Show, noon-5pm (Sat); 10am4pm (Sun), Hamilton Gardens, $5.

Nov 21 Weed Management, 9.30am-2.30pm, Whakamarama (near Tauranga). See: tinyurl. com/y6vm379z Worm Composting Workshop, 1pm3pm, Community

Hub, Katikati, $34.50.

Western Bay residents only. See: tinyurl.com/ yxdppdq2

Nov 28-29

Te Puna Quarry Park AGM, 1pm, at the park (off SH2 north of Tauranga). Guest speaker David Brown.

Tauranga Fuchsia Exhibition, noon-3pm (Sat) and 8.30am1pm (Sun), Arts & Crafts Centre, Elizabeth St West, $3. Plants for sale.

Ph Pat 07 579 1655.

Nov 26

Dec 5

Waikato Horticultural Society: Lavender, 7.30pm, Hamilton Gardens Gate 2, Wintec classroom, $5. Ph Carmel 07 855 3404.

Understanding Soils 4, 9.30am-2.30pm, Whakamarama (near Tauranga). See: tinyurl. com/y6vm379z

Nov 28

Iwitahi Native Orchid Reserve Working Bee (between Taupo and Napier). See orchidcouncil.org.nz

Nov 24

Orchid Market Day, plants for sale, 9am-3pm, Wesley Church Hall, 13th Ave, Tauranga.

Ph 07 577 6676.

Home Composting Workshops, Taupo and Turangi. See: tinyurl. com/yygxfnju

December 5-6

Dec 6 Rotorua & Waikato Botanical Societies Field Trip, McLaren Falls Park (near Tauranga). Easymoderate grade. See: tinyurl.com/yxfaxfgh

TECT Park’s 10th birthday celebration Western Bay of Plenty district and Tauranga City councils invite everyone to the TECT Park Ultimate Fun Fest on November 28 for an extravaganza of free fun, entertainment, activities and birthday celebrations.

Pack a picnic, grab a chair, torch and some cash – and join the jam-packed event with a day and night session.

From 10am-3pm there’s the annual Mud Dog Run, bouncy castle, pony rides, face painting and more – Santa Claus is also due to visit.

Sports clubs that call the park home will open their doors to the public for have-a-go activities and demonstrations, including BOP Four Wheel Drive Club, Tauranga Model Aircraft Club and

paintball. From 7pm-10pm enjoy a laser light show and a big screen showing of Six60’s sell-out Western Springs concert.

Western BOP Mayor Garry Webber says the park deserves a special party to celebrate its exceptional record of growth, popularity, reputation and development since it opened. “This park is a source of great pride to both Western BOP and Tauranga councils.”

Tauranga Mayor Tenby Powell says the 10-year anniversary is a significant milestone. “It truly has something for everyone and this celebration is a great way for our community to come together and enjoy all the park has to offer.” TECT chairperson Bill Holland says the park is a community asset the trust is extremely proud to support. “It’s fantastic to see how far TECT Park has come in 10 years.”

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

It’s hard to keep Dyna, 18 months old, and her calf ‘Elsa’ apart.

Luke with ‘Rosie’ who passed away earlier this year and is missed very much.

Charlee, aged 6 and Harper, aged 4, off for a lockdown treasure hunt around the farm in Rangiuru.

Liam, aged 3, on his horse ‘Chaz’ in Rerewhakaaitu.

Isla, aged 4, with her Grandma’s farm dog ‘Joe’.