Coast & Country - 2022 Fieldays Preview

We keep you growing

Our key reason for being in business is to help you grow. Both in respect to helping you improve the land you farm through technological and innovative techniques, also about helping you improve your bottom line and increasing your work productivity. We believe in providing our customers with the complete package from the start, and ultimately we achieve this with our people. At our dealership you will find highly skilled, passionate, parts, service, and sale’s teams working together to do their utmost to keep your business growing.

- 3rd

Find us at Site C31 . Our knowledgeable team are always ready for a chat about the latest industry developments.

Photo: Courtesy of Fieldays.

While Fieldays has always been about bringing country and town together, the past two years have been about bringing our agricultural and primary sectors together with digital technology.

When the June 2020 Fieldays was cancelled due to Covid-19, the event successfully went online.

In June 2021 the event became a hybrid event.

ere was the relief and re-connection of a face to face event

132,766 people through the gates and 33,000 unique viewers on Fieldays Online over the four days.

is year will o er an even stronger return to the live event, alongside the successful online event.

Covid-19 still had a say though, with Fieldays making the decision to postpone the 2022 event to November 30 to December 3.

It will be a novel experience to visit Fieldays in

Innovative

warmer and drier weather, swapping gumboots for jandals, Swanndris for shirts, and umbrellas for sunblock.

Some of the staple favourites include the tractor pulls, excavator competition and fencing competition.

e early summer setting will provide a di erent experience for spectators and competitors alike.

Hard ground could test the true grit of the fencers and the tractor pulls could be stirring up the dust rather than splattering wet mud.

Partnership

Fieldays have announced a partnership with MPI to launch the Fieldays Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub.

Under Fieldays strategic pillar of education, the hub will be an engaging for attendees to learn about food and bre career pathways and introduce them to careers within the sector that are outside the farm gate.

e Fieldays Innovation Awards o ering a larger prize package thanks to new sponsors joining returning partners of the awards. Fieldays o ers the ideal platform for innovators to showcase their new ideas to the industry to an enthusiastic audience.

For the rst time ever, under the theme of ‘Wood - our low-carbon future’, there will be a Fieldays Forestry Hub. is dedicated space will have more than 40 sector organisations and companies under one roof. e Fieldays Forestry Hub will have plenty to occupy visitors with engaging experiences on forestry growing, climate change, wood products, timber construction, biosecurity and biodiversity.

is valuable new aspect to the event will highlight and explore how vital this sector is in mitigating climate change.

About 32 per cent of the people who attended the 2021 Fieldays live event had been coming for more than 10 years, it’s in our blood, it’s part of our winter calendar… but this time, for one year only, we can enjoy it with warm toes and ngertips!

combined with attracting 800 plus exhibitors at Fieldays Online with Fieldays TV playing the interviews, discussions and demonstrations.

Fencing competition 2018.

Tractor Pulling 2018. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

Science for our future forests showcased

All the activity will take place in the new Fieldays Forestry Hub where Scion will be among more than 40 organisations educating visitors about New Zealand’s dynamic

among more than 40 organisations educating dynamic forestry sector.

Under the theme of ‘Wood – our low-carbon future’, the hub will be the go-to space for anyone wanting to explore the many facets of the forestry and wood processing sector and to learn how the industry has a vital role in mitigating climate change.

and resources and working with state-of-the-art technology.

“We’d also like to open people’s minds up to the possibilities of trees – anything that’s a fossil fuel today can be made from a tree in the future. We’ll have bioplastic vine clips, leather shoes tanned with pine bark tannin, biofuel insights and a showcase of how drone technology is a game changer,” Alex says.

through Te Uru Rākau’s Industry Transformation Plan, to add more value to our forestry sector by processing wood materials in New Zealand, which in turn will create even more career and job opportunities.

Visitors to this year’s Fieldays at Mystery Creek will get a glimpse of the high-tech forestry industry of the future.

Happy to drop their lab coats and push away from the laboratory bench for a few days, scientists from Crown Research Institute Scion will be on hand to discuss exciting research happening on several fronts.

exciting

Visitors will be able to see and touch the tools that contain information on tens of thousands of genes that will help select the next generation of tens of millions of pine trees that will form a large part New Zealand’s forest.

Complementing that are sophisticated computer programmes that can automatically assess how well an embryo will germinate to successfully grow as a pine tree – an important task when the goal is planting a billion new trees.

Bioeconomy

Digging deeper is the theme of soil scientists who have been studying the properties of forest soils. Despite researching New Zealand’s forests for more than 75 years, scientists are only now starting to understand how trees and their soil environment interact.

Recent research into the carbon storage potential of redwood and radiata pine trees is being shared, highlighting the great potential that redwood has for landowners in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato. With Scion focussed on supporting New Zealand to transition to a circular bioeconomy and make better use of waste, scientists will also show how pine tree bark as well as left over grape skins and corn can be used to create novel products for the future – even high fashion items.

Scion

from trees to accelerate economic

Scion chief executive Dr Julian Elder says the hub will showcase the vibrant future in forestry and the capacity for wood and bre from trees to accelerate economic growth in regional communities.

New Zealand has approximately 1.7 million hectares of productive forests around the country and is currently the world’s largest exporter of softwood logs. Plans are also afoot,

Because of this, featuring a new hub centred around forestry and woodprocessing at Fieldays in 2022 was a no-brainer for Peter Nation, the CEO of the National New Zealand Fieldays Society.

Fieldays will be held over four days, starting 30 November, at Mystery Creek near Hamilton.

“Forestry is a sophisticated

“Forestry is a sophisticated industry with a science-based future.

Leather shoes successfully tanned using radiata pine bark tannins are proof of the potential for pine bark to be more widely used as a local replacement for leather tanning agents.

As a renewable resource, forests are key to New Zealand meeting our climate change objectives as we transition to a circular bioeconomy. It’s this environment that provides a rich mosaic of activity for the regions to thrive, through emerging bio-based manufacturing. “Visitors to Scion’s stand in the Fieldays forestry hub will come away with a new appreciation for how forests add value to our economy, our environment and our social wellbeing.”

Collaboration

e hub was the brainchild of collaborative advisory group comprising of Te Uru Rākau –New Zealand Forest Service, Forest Growers Levy Trust, Scion, NZ Forest Owners Association, Red Stag, NZ Farm Forestry Association and Future Foresters. Hub spokesperson Alex Wilson says that the multi-billion-dollar forestry sector is a major employer in New Zealand, employing more than 35,000 people in both year-round and seasonal jobs. “We’re entering an exciting phase in forestry and wood processing, which is creating huge employment opportunities. People of all ages and abilities can nd great careers in this sector - from planting and managing native forests and looking after the forest environment, to managing people

Scion chief executive Julian Elder.

New option for improved rumen digestion and cow health

Probiotic Revolution is o ering a new probiotic - Rumicell - for use in dairy cows.

For the past four years, farmers have used Probiotic Revolution’s premium cow product - BioRumen DFM (direct fed microbial).

e reasons why farmers use this product varies from farm to farm, says Matt Collier, from Probiotic Revolution.

For some it’s used to improve feed conversion, cutting down on subclinical acidosis, improve bre digestion, particularly when

seed head emergence occurs or there is a high component of silage in the ration.

For others the motivation is to help improve submission and conception rates or help lower somatic cell counts.

“We only see an initial lift in production in about 50 per cent of cases,” says Matt.

“With an improvement in feed conversion there can be substitution of feed and an improvement in cow condition, so if there is no lift in production we immediately like to take out up to a kg of feed.

“By reducing feed intake without a drop in production we demonstrate the product is

improving feed conversion.

“Rumicell is now being o ered to the market as a cheaper alternative to BioRumen - coming in at around 55 per cent of the price.

“With fewer components than BioRumen we can’t expect it to do what we have been seeing in all the other cases.

“However there will be times when it has a signi cant part to play.  It all comes down to farmers having the con dence that whether they invest in BioRumen or Rumicell they are going to get a good bang for their buck.”

ere are a number di erent reasons to use Rumicell.

Co-founder and trustee of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust of New Zealand, Geo Brunsden is launching an initiative to conserve and enhance the number of bumble bee species we have in New Zealand.

1970s when he and his wife moved to Te Puke with a vision of turning a derelict apple orchard into a tourist garden full of owers.

“ e journey of experimenting with lots of species of owers, plants and wild owers, led us to connect the importance of food to pollinator insects, particularly the bumblebee.”

Bumblebees live around six to eight weeks and tolerate colder temperatures than a honeybee, and can pollinate up to 800 owers per hour, going to around one kilometre from their underground hive, and carrying 90 percent of its own bodyweight in pollen.

Hives are put in commercial greenhouses to carry out pollination of crops such as tomatoes. Some growers report bumblebee pollination can increase their production by up to 30 percent.

is got Geo thinking about normal everyday people having hives in their own gardens.

e bees would need a food source, and even a couple of square metres sown with wild owers is a start. If surrounding gardens also have owering trees, vegetables and wild owers, a hive could service several gardens.

“Just imagine a small box of live bumblebees arriving on your doorstep via overnight courier. e whole family can watch the comings and goings of bumblebees and get to understand them.

Of the four species found in New Zealand, one is in decline.

All New Zealand’s bumblebees are exotic and were imported from the UK during colonisation times, and they aren’t in any way a threat to our honey or native bees.

Geo started the Bumblebee Conservation Trust of New Zealand, with co-trustee Helen Johnson. It has now been running nationally for seven years and survives with funding and sponsorship.

“ e bumblebee is one representative of our pollinator insects, and in a country like New Zealand pollinator insects are critical to the survival of our agricultural and horticultural industries,” says Geo . e bumblebee is a full-on pollinator working to preserve its own species and population and produces a little honey, whereas the honeybee is out there to do a job of producing honey.

Bumblebees are the perfect pollinator agents to grow, enhance and increase production of our crops as they work from dawn to dusk, rain or shine. Bee friendly owers are ones rich in nectar and pollen.

If it’s any plant that owers then it’s pretty much a resource for pollinator insects with the bumblebee in many cases leading the queue.

Geo rst started his interest in bumblebees in the

“It would be a great Christmas present. e bees will return the next season if food was plentiful for them.”

Bumblebees are very passive and safe to have around.

ey will only sting as a last resort if they or their colony is under threat.

In November 2022, the Trust is launching a national free supply live hive project to destinations where lots of people can see and bumblebee hive at work. Emphasis will be on schools, community and retirement village gardens - anywhere where their fantastic work can be seen by many.

In the meantime, you can help save our bumblebees. If you nd a stranded or sleepy bumblebee, you can help boost her energy levels with a simple sugar-water mix of equal parts sugar and warm water poured onto a container lid.

Place the bee and the arti cial nectar near to some owers, and hopefully the precious bee will be revived and on its busy way again soon. Catherine Fry

A working beehive on Geo ’s Pyes Pa property.

systemInnovative

A unique dairy e uent system, designed, developed and patented by an ex-dairy farmer is in demand across New Zealand and is making inroads into Australia.

e Clean Green E uent System was designed by third generation Southland dairy farmer Lindsay Lewis more than 15 years ago.

“In contrast to traditional systems, the Clean Green capture pit is long and narrow with a parallel timber weeping wall in the centre enabling more solids to be extracted than is possible in a traditional system, with the bulk of NPK captured in the organic humus,” says Lindsay.

“Solids are dried faster so they can be annually dispersed

to pasture. Liquid e uent is either irrigated onto pasture or returned to storage tanks for external yard wash.

“ e system enables farmers to meet the environmental standards which will become mandatory in the near future; low-rate low-depth application rates of 0.25mm which enable zero nitrate leaching, ponding or overland run o .

" e Low-Rate Low-Depth distribution system means e uent can be dispersed on a daily basis, all nutrients staying in the root base and minimal storage is required.

“ e system is 100 per cent user friendly to minimise human error and minimise water wastage.”

A growing number of farmers have

adopted the system and are achieving environmental standards a decade or more ahead of when they will become mandatory.

“ at equates to peace of mind.

“Along with the satisfaction of knowing you are using an environmentally friendly system to turn e uent into liquid gold.”

Sensor focus of research

Two innovative Scion research projects will receive investment funding totalling $1.9 million over three years through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s 2022 Endeavour Fund.

Scion scientists will also contribute their expertise to a further six projects involving other research organisations that secured Government support from the Endeavour Fund – Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest contestable research fund.

e successful science projects were announced by Research, Science and Innovation Minister Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall recently.

Endeavour funding for the two successful Scion projects will come from its Smart Ideas investment mechanism.

Smart Ideas are intended to catalyse and rapidly test promising, innovative research ideas with high potential for bene t to New Zealand.

One pioneering Scion project, in partnership with the University of Cambridge, ‘Implanted sensors monitoring tree health and carbon capture e ciency’, will receive $1 million over three years to design sensors to measure the nutritional status, vitality, carbon capture e ciency and microbiome tness of growing trees.

Precision forestry uses remote sensing tools such as satellites and drones, combined with sophisticated sensors, to detect subtle variations in plant health, nutrient and water status.

Monitoring the physiological processes inside trees in real-time is the only way to fully understand how trees are responding to the environment around them and to future-proo ng their resilience to climate change.

To implement this in practice, Scion will develop sophisticated low-cost bioelectronic sensors which can be implanted inside trees.

An example of the dairy e uent system.

New Zealand Feed Manufacturers Association has partnered with one of New Zealand’s most famous faces to front its latest campaign promoting FeedSafe NZ accredited animal feed.

Top comedian and broadcaster Te Radar is a genuine advocate for quality animal feed.

A lifestyle block owner with a passion for farming, Te Radar was excited by the opportunity to help raise awareness for the FeedSafe NZ accreditation, so stock and animal owners can have con dence that what they are buying and feeding their animals is of the highest quality.

Natural t

“Animal health and welfare is something I feel strongly about, so the opportunity to partner with the NZFMA to help spread the word about their quality assurance programme was a natural t for me,” says Te Radar.

“If we are what we eat, and for many of us that includes animals and what they produce, then what animals eat should also be something we care about.

“No matter what animals you’re feeding – whether you’re farming cows for a living, or maybe just have some backyard chooks - you want them to live well and be healthy.

"What you feed them is an essential part of that,” he says.

NZFMA executive director Michael Brooks says having Te Radar front the organisation’s latest campaign is incredibly valuable as he is an authentic ambassador who resonates with their agricultural audience.

“Te Radar is a fantastic ambassador for FeedSafe NZ. Aside from his knowledge of and interest in farming, he is also the frontman of Fieldays TV, has hosted a panel at Fieldays events we’ve been part of, and is the MC of FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

Campaign

“He is a much-loved and respected member of New Zealand’s agricultural community.

“ e key purpose of our campaign with Te Radar is to help farmers and animal owners understand the importance of choosing o cially accredited FeedSafe NZ feed, and how easily they can go about this by simply going online to our NZFMA website to check if the feed brand or manufacturer they use is accredited.”

As the face of the campaign, Te Radar is presenting two videos to help provide more information about the bene ts of locally produced stock feed and the FeedSafe NZ programme. e videos will be showcased on the NZFMA website and be shown at Fieldays at the end of November.

Te Radar on the farm.

Reef Shoes

Womens Work Boots

Staying in your

e revolutionary light and compact caravans – easily towed by mid-range vehicle –will be launched at 2022 Fieldays in Hamilton.

Bubble Caravans is Richard Dickin’s brain child.

After spending nearly 30 years in the boat building industry, along with picking up skills in CAD design and upholstery, he designed the Bubble for clients who want an convenient, comfortable, compact fun camping experience.

Handcrafted in Tauranga, with a weight of less than 500kg, they are built to last with a double insulated breglass body that sits on a galvanised chassis.

e Bubble is warm in winter and cool in summer. Inside the curved interior there is a queen-sized mattress, LED lighting, bluetooth sound system and heaps of storage.

Outside, the kitchen is complete with LED lighting, microwave, fridge, gas cooktop, barbecue, running water and basin.

e extensive list of features also includes a solar panel, 60ltr fresh water tank and 60ltr grey water

tank, two exterior lockers and 270degree awning with a comprehensive range of optional extras like an entertainment system, bike rack, changing tent and an o -road model. Richard and partner Rebecca say

the Bubble will allow more Kiwis to get away and enjoy camping without signi cant overhead cost.

You can experience the Bubble Caravan for yourself on site RL6 at 2022 Fieldays in Hamilton.

Driving agriculture

A new Ag Drive Team Building Days facility aims to expose more people to Agriculture in a fun and safe way.

Located just 15 minutes from Hamilton CBD at the iconic Mystery Creek site, Ag Drive Team Building Days will give people chance to experience agriculture rst-hand in a built for purpose outdoor facility. Guests will have the chance to oroad drive in Polaris LUV’s (Light Utility Vehicles) and participate in LUV soccer, tyre-pull and digger challenges, experiencing a range of terrains and conditions in an iconic agricultural setting.

Ideal for corporates, businesses and the general public, the Ag Drive Team Building Days venture can cater for up to 20 guests at a time.

Passionate about supporting local, Ag Drive are teaming up with local providers for after activity refreshments, “it’s a three-hour event so participants will certainly build up a healthy appetite”, says company COO Paula Syben.

Managing director Andre Syben says launching Ag Drive Team Building Days is a natural extension of the already successful Ag Drive agricultural vehicle training.

Ag Drive is the Waikato’s largest

For the past two years Ag Drive have been providing fully funded practical training to those in the primary industry.

Ag Drive will continue to supply Tractor, Chainsaw, Motorbike, Quad bike & LUV training alongside the new Team Building venture.

“We wanted to bring agriculture to the wider business community. A lot of the local economy is agriculture related yet not many people get the chance to actually experience it rst hand,” says Andre.

“ e last two years have seen teams working apart, alone, from home. Now is the time to bring everyone back together, have some fun and learn some new skills. It’s about giving more people the opportunity to get out there and give it a go, in a fun and safe environment.”

agricultural vehicle training provider and was winner of two 2020 Waipa Business Awards for excellence in new / emerging business and Innovation and Adaptation Award.

Richard and Rebecca Dickin will be showing o the caravans at Fieldays this year. Photos: Brydie ompson.

Action shots of the Corporate Team Building Days.

Davo’s fencing clip

Inventors Rod and Nicole Davidson are excited to bring the award-winning bit of bent wire to New Zealand.

“Kiwi customers have been crying out for Davo’s Fencing Clip and nally, we are launching at Fieldays 2022,” says Davo’s Fencing

Clip marketing manager Nicole Davidson. ousands of Australian customers have been using Davo’s Fencing Clip in fencing and trellising since 2018.

Quick and easy to install, the clips are screwed to posts providing a much stronger attachment than traditional xings.

“ ey work well and look very neat,” says Bruce from Queensland.

“ e product speaks for itself.”

In 2017, Nicole and her son Jimmy were building a new fence.

After a day of hammering in staples, they came in and exclaimed: “ ere must be an easier way! Why can’t we screw something in?"

Rod listened and within an hour Davo’s Fencing Clip was born.

First launched onto the Australian market in 2018 to wide acclaim, Davo’s Fencing Clip was awarded the Major Award at Hamilton Victoria’s SheepVention Invention Competition.

“In 2019 we returned with Davo’s Insul Clip to receive the District Encouragement Award, for having successfully commercialized our product,” says Nicole.

“And this year, we came second with Davo’s Reel Clip.”

Davo’s Insul Clip and Davo’s Reel Clip provide options for insulating electric fences easily and economically.

Manufactured on the family’s farm in southwest Victoria, on state-of-the-art machinery, this is the rst time Davo’s Fencing Clip have been presented in New Zealand and will be available at Fieldays 2022 from site K24.

Rod and Nicole will be on hand to give demonstrations and talk about the many and varied uses of Davo’s Fencing Clip.

Examples of Davo’s fencing clip and Davo’s insul clip on a post.

Digital agriculture is creating a signi cant opportunity to enhance New Zealand’s primary industries, including economic, environmental, and social outcomes.

e latest AgritechNZ report just released recently creates a baseline of digital adoption across the primary sector to better understand the motivations, pressures and barriers

faced by farmers and growers in adopting new tools, says AgritechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell.

e research was designed to provide actionable insight for agritech businesses, industry groups and public agencies who seek to unleash the potential of digital agriculture and develop strategies to support farmers and growers.

“ ere is a deep richness in the ndings and attitudes to digital adoption. A total of 59 per cent of the

surveyed population lean towards the adoption of digital technologies.

“But this is for very di erent reasons and with di erent pathways to participation depending on the mix of motivations, pressures, and barriers.

“A total of 41 per cent of respondents sided with not seeing much value in using digital technology to run their business.

“ is is a high proportion, though not unexpected considering knowledge levels are low, and the value of data sharing is still to be unlocked.

“While there is a healthy population of trailblazers across all sub-sectors and age groups, on the whole, the willingness to adopt early is lower than outside the primary sector.

“Proudly traditionalist farmers and growers are reluctant to change what has worked for their land for many years.

“ ey may accept technology in the o ce or will tap into the expertise of contractors for speci c jobs, the key though is that someone else is doing it.

“With regards to data sharing, 64 per cent of farmers and growers have con dence in the custodians of their data and 77 per cent are

happy to share data where the data provides direct bene ts to them.

“ is is a seemingly positive result but is balanced by data that shows only half of farmers and growers are data sharing.”

e biggest barriers to data sharing revealed by the survey included that farmers and growers did not believe their data would have value to anyone else.

ere is a low recognition of the value in the data held on farm and a di culty in unlocking the value of shared data. ere is also a lack of clarity around who would want the information and why.

“ is is what can lead to confusion, mistrust and fear.

"Con dence comes from knowing who is using it and for what,” Brendan says.

“Adoption on use of digital

technology is highest in farm business management, such as accounts, payroll and health and safety solutions.

“ is may be the entry point for digital technology on farms, with many tools having been around for a long time.

“Across the primary sector, the lower adoption areas are water, irrigation management, plant and crop management and e uent management.

“However, those with a higher need for precision in these areas are showing higher adoption rates.

"Operational areas with lower current adoption levels are also the areas with lower intended investment levels over the next two years.

“Tracking data over future survey points will provide valuable insights into how technology spend plans change with land use changes, policy changes and as the agritech market develops.”

e report was created as part of a study by AgriTechNZ and insights partner Research First, supported by Zespri, DairyNZ, FAR, the Fertiliser Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.

AgritechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell.

NZ agriculture at a critical point

Widespread digital changes in New Zealand agriculture are occurring at a critical point with increasing global food demand, economic and environmental sustainability, and the response to the climate crisis.

is is according to AgriTechNZ chief executive Brendan O’Connell. ese issues are inextricably linked and technology solutions are the vital answer for improved food and bre production.

e adoption of technology on farms and orchards is just one dynamic in an overall scheme of extensive changes in agricultural practice.

Brendan is reacting to the release of a new AgriTechNZ report just out on technology growing faster throughout the primary industries.

“ e utilisation of tech by New Zealand growers and producers is strong compared to many other farming countries.

“ is is largely due to the close a nity, developed over many decades, between innovators and their farming customers in New Zealand.”

However, the general observation

that adoption of technologies in agriculture occurs at a slower rate than in other industries is also true in New Zealand.

“Technology innovation is the enabler of pro table, sustainable, and inclusive production systems.

"It is also a much-needed source of high value jobs and global impact, beyond food and bre exports.

“ e adoption of technologies in agriculture also needs to be considered in the context of practice change and not just the acquisition of new tools.”

One of New Zealand agriculture’s distinctive features is its ability to adapt.

Farmers build on their experience to re ne their livestock and crop management.

ey are also responding to continual changes in natural conditions and resource availability.

“Inherently, New Zealand producers and growers are pragmatic and capable of change where the right value and conditions exist.

“ is report is just the start. In time, we will carry out an economic and sustainability impact study on future agricultural changes.”

AgriTechNZ chair Bridgit Hawkins says the agritech sector

has two important roles as a contributor to growing the New Zealand economy.

Growing and globalising in

its own right, and, by having stronger and more innovative companies, supporting New Zealand’s pastoral, arable and

Bees will feature as part of the food and bre careers hub at Fieldays this year.

horticultural sectors to grow by taking on the amazing technologies being developed, she says.

Can farmers have their cake and eat it too?

If you are curious about investing in forestry – and want to do the right thing by the environment as well, check out the:

Forestry and Wood Hub at Fieldays Mystery Creek

2022

More than 30 exhibitors from forestry, wood processing, and science

Why wood processing is about to take off globally and timber demand with it

How trees are fighting climate change

Advice on your investment in forestry

Time and time again, New Zealand farmers say they are frustrated with feed going to waste.

Alternative systems like hay and meal feeders can help ensure minimal feed wastage and can protect feed from the elements.

Gary and Glennis Wilson from Wilco Engineering are farmers

themselves and know the importance of quality products that are practical and last a lifetime.

Wilco feeders are user friendly – saving you valuable time and money.To put the feed savings into perspective, if you are paying $10 per bale, this could amount to $20 per bale if your livestock only eat half of it and the rest gets trampled through the mud or water gets into the meal.

Wilco feeders reduce this problem, helping you to cut costs in the long-term.

Whether you have a dairy unit, lifestyle block, alpacas, goats, sheep, or horses, Wilco has a feeder size that will make your life so much easier.

Feeders come as hanging,

skid, or two or three wheeled mobile hay racks (with optional removable meal bins) sized from one to four bale capacity.

Wilco’s many repeat customers are testament to the quality, convenience and value.

Wilco Engineering feeders are designed for everyday use

on the farm and are the ideal solution due to their strength and durability.

All products are made in New Zealand and fully galvanised, to ensure the best quality and performance so contact Wilco today on: 07 322 8196 to order yours

Plants propagated from prehistoric rainforest

Whirinaki Te Pua-a- Tāne Conservation Park is located about 90km southeast of Rotorua and is recognised internationally for its mixed podocarp forests of totara, rimu, kahikatea, matai and miro.

To the iwi of Ngāti Whare, Whirinaki Te Puaa-Tāne is of enormous cultural and spiritual value, containing many wāhi tapu and other sites of signi cance, as well as being the habitat of numerous species of trees, plants, birds, sh and rongoā prized by Ngāti Whare.

e Minginui Nursery, established at Minginui in 2016 by Ngati Whare Holdings, was initially set up to supply trees to regenerate 640 hectares of pine plantation, alongside these were also trees grown for other initiatives like riparian and wetland projects, with some manuka for the

honey industry too.

Plant seed is eco-sourced locally, then plants propagated, and hardened on-site. e local climate has extreme conditions, ranging from dry, hot summers to very cold, sometimes icy, and snowy winters and because of this, the plants are strong and hardy, able to thrive wherever they are grown.

Nursery manager Matt Jackman has noticed the demand for native plants has grown steadily over the last ve years and suggests the nursery’s current plant list and services are attractive to a broad range of customers, either looking to grow plants or perhaps seeking advice on plants too.

Minginui Nursery sells direct to the public – either online www.minginuinursery or by phoning: 027 204 4458 or:a 07 366 3314.

Visits are also available by prior arrangement.

Feeding animals more e ciently.

the forestry hub at Fieldays

exporter of softwood logs.

Plans are also afoot, through Te Uru Rākau’s Industry Transformation Plan, to add more value to our forestry sector by processing wood materials in New Zealand, which in turn will create even more career and job opportunities.

Because of this, featuring a new hub centred around forestry and woodprocessing at Fieldays in 2022 was a no-brainer for Peter Nation, the

CEO of the National New Zealand Fieldays Society.

Children are encouraged to visit the Fieldays Forestry Hub, with the launch of the ‘Kids Grow a Great Tree’ campaign. e Fieldays Forestry Hub joins the Fieldays Innovation Hub, the Fieldays Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub, and the Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health & Wellbeing hub as key focus areas for visitors to explore.

For the rst time ever, visitors to Fieldays will have the opportunity to learn about the forestry sector from more than 40 sector organisations and companies under one roof.

Under the theme of ‘Wood – our low-carbon future’, the Fieldays Forestry Hub will be a dedicated space at this year’s Fieldays event, giving visitors the chance to explore the many facets of the forestry and wood processing sector and how the sector has a vital role in mitigating climate change.

Discovery

At the hub visitors will discover engaging experiences on forestry growing, climate change, wood products, timber construction, biosecurity and biodiversity.

ere will also be two forestry simulators on site so visitors big and small can experience what it’s like to operate machinery in a forest.

e hub is a collaboration between Fieldays and an advisory

group comprising of Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, Forest Growers Levy Trust, Scion, NZ Forest Owners Association, Red Stag, NZ Farm Forestry Association and Future Foresters.

Hub spokesperson Alex Wilson says the multi-billion-dollar forestry sector is a major employer in New Zealand, employing more 35,000 people in both year-round and seasonal jobs.

“We’re entering an exciting phase in forestry and wood processing, which is creating huge employment opportunities.

"People of all ages and abilities can nd great careers in this sector - from planting and managing native forests and looking after the forest environment, to managing people and resources and working with state-of-the-art technology.

“We’d also like to open people’s minds up to the possibilities of trees – anything that’s a fossil fuel today can be made from a tree in the future. We’ll have bioplastic vine clips, leather shoes tanned with pine

bark tannin, biofuel insights and a showcase of how drone technology is a game changer.”

Support

Farm Forestry Association president, Graham West, says FFA strongly supports the Fieldays Forestry Hub and has been heavily engaged in its design and development.

“We wish to reach landowners with the message that farm forestry is working well for our members and is an important option for future sustainable land use in New Zealand.”

Graham West says the farm forestry section of the hub will have practical experts and information available on multiple plantation species, with a focus on Redwoods, Eucalypts, Cypresses, Poplar and Willow, and Radiata pine.

“We also support and facilitate the ‘Grow-a-tree’ competition for children.”

New Zealand has about 1.7 million hectares of productive forests around the country and is currently the world’s largest

IRIS KS530P FERTILISER SPREADER

is year is the rst year Fielday’s will have a Forestry hub.

Doubling the life of farm machinery

An investment of just $50 will lengthen the life of farm machinery like quad bikes, ATVs, trucks, loaders, and fertiliser spreaders just to name a few.

e protection comes from Prolan Extreme, which uses an iconic by-product of New Zealand’s sheep industry – Lanolin.

Prolan NZ director Murray Shaw says the company has an extensive range of products made from lanolin (wool grease) which is secreted by sheep to protect their eece in harsh conditions.

We’ve replicated that action to protect a range of surfaces.

“Prolan Extreme rust treatment more than doubles the life of farm machinery. A quad bike, for example, costs around $20,000 and often only has a life of four to ve years on a dairy farm. Washing and drying that bike

and applying a coating of Prolan Extreme will prevent the chassis of that bike (or any other farm implement) from developing rust – e ectively doubling or tripling its life.”

Prolan Extreme is simply applied by a compressed air paint system and, once dried to a waxy surface, will withstand water-blasting.

“Where paint hardens and cracks as the implement exes under use, the Prolan Extreme coating remains exible, preventing any ingress of moisture, Murray says.

One litre of Prolan Extreme will protect 8 to 10 square metres at a cost of $50 plus GST and freight.

Four litres costs $126 plus GST and freight – an investment more and more farmers are making.

Check-out the range of Prolan NZ products on site F11 at Fieldays 2022.

Fieldays is known by many as a day of all things rural. But what is it really and who runs it?

Fieldays is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere. Fieldays draws people from around the globe – both as exhibitors and visitors. Fieldays 2021 saw 132,776 people visit the event, generating

$675M in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses.

Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing the primary industries.

e New Zealand National Fieldays Society thanks their key partners Hyundai, Ministry of Primary Industries, and Vodafone for their continued support.

BIO LOO

SPECIALISTS IN COMPOSTING TOILETS

BIO LOO

THE SPECIALISTS IN COMPOSTING TOILETS

POWER NO WATER

CHEMICALS NO POLLUTION NO DISCHARGE INTO ENVIRONMENT

These toilets are the good looking, sensible answer to human organic waste management. Environmentally friendly, they are economical, easy to install and require little maintenance.

These toilets are the good looking, sensible answer to human organic waste management. Environmentally friendly, they are economical, easy to install and require little maintenance.

NOW

Toilets are vented so there are no unpleasant odours, no need for toilet cleaners or room deodoriser. They meet all required NZ Standards and building codes and are in use by DOC and regional councils. Right from the start Bio Loo is cost effective to purchase and easy to install compared to other systems. You can leave the system to work for you and in the end will have safe, composted material. Great for you - Better for the planet!

Toilets are vented so there are no unpleasant odours, no need for toilet cleaners or room deodoriser. They meet all required NZ Standards and building codes and are in use by DOC and regional councils. Right from the start Bio Loo is cost effective to purchase and easy to install compared to other systems. You can leave the system to work for you and in the end will have safe, composted material.

Great for you - Better for the planet!

CONTACT ROY 027 740 1299 OR

Photo: Courtesy of Fieldays.

with Prolan Extreme.

“The

of nature can be kind to Nature”

“The call of nature can be kind to Nature”

New project to help farmers

Interest in food produced using regenerative practices is gaining momentum across the globe – and the Ministry for Primary Industries is backing a project to help more New Zealand sheep and beef farmers capture this premium market.

MPI has committed $142,480 over two years through its Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund towards the $356,200 project with Lean Meats Limited (trading as Atkins Ranch).

It aims to scale up the number of veri ed lamb producers that meet the regenerative certi cation requirements of the US Savory Institute’s Land to Market Programme.

Piloting practices

New Zealand-owned company Atkins Ranch has been a partner of the Land to Market Programme since 2019.

It sells premium grass-fed lamb into the US market and has supply contracts across ve regions of New Zealand.

e company has been piloting regenerative farming practices since 2019 with a core group of 23 farmers, and this is now expanding to more than 70 farms.

“I see regenerative agriculture as leaving the land in a better state for future generations,” says Atkins Ranch chief executive o cer Pat Maher.

“ at includes improving soil health, minimising tillage, and encouraging biodiversity rather than monocultures.

“Land to Market is the world’s rst veri ed outcomes-based regenerative certi cation. It requires partners to undertake a range of measures annually, which cover soil health, biodiversity, water in ltration, and ground cover.”

Interest

“Atkins Ranch was one of the rst companies in the world to join the Savory programme. Part of the reason

the programme piqued my interest is that I believe we already have a competitive advantage over other countries due to the way we farm in New Zealand. "By showing that we meet internationally recognised regenerative agriculture standards we’re able to access high-value markets overseas.”

Lifelong farmer Stuart Ellingham is one of the rst farmers to sign up to the pilot. He is managing director of Horizon

Farming, which comprises eight farms on 10,000 hectares in Hawke’s Bay, and has a degree in agricultural commerce from Lincoln University.

“I was sceptical at rst,” says Stuart.

“However, I saw it as an opportunity to put the microscope on New Zealand to see how we stack up under the Savory Institute’s measurement systems.

Good t

“With conventional farming practices in New Zealand I believe most farmers are undertaking continuous improvement anyway. To meet Savory’s regenerative certi cation requirements we just needed to tweak a few things, such as not undertaking full tillage cultivation, and being more aware of the soil.”

MPI’s director of investment programmes Steve Penno says this SFF Futures project is a good t with the goals of the Government and food and bre sector’s Fit for a Better World roadmap, which aims to improve productivity and reduce the impacts of food production on our environment.

“Consumers are increasingly willing to pay a premium for meat produced regeneratively and sustainability is taking a front seat more and more in the way we produce food,” says Steve.

“ is project will help open up a new opportunity for more of our farmers to demonstrate the good work they’re doing – and with a few tweaks they can be rewarded for it.

New Zealand can access high-value markets by meeting regenerative certi cation requirements.