Coast & Country News April 2016

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

KIWIFRUIT PAGE 10

AUTUMN FERT PAGE 16-17

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

SHEEP & BEEF PAGE 16-17

DAIRY PAGE 20-23

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

FORESTRY PAGE 28-29

RETIREMENT PAGE 35- 37

LIFESTYLE FARMING PAGE 40-45

April 2016 Issue No.188

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Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural Lifestyle

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S PAGE 8-9

Eel-dairy farm future?

Dairy farmers may also be eel farmers in future, using cow effluent to grow algae and zooplankton to feed them. Charlie Young, of Raglan Eels, a colleague of the late Charlie Mitchell who successfully bred eels and whitebait at Raglan, was among the presenters at a field day outlining the results of a trial investigating an alternative use for dairy effluent – see stories pages 30-31. Photo Elaine Fisher.

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Page 2

COAST & COUNTRY

Award winners’ faith in industry There’s nothing private about dairy farmers’ incomes – every time there’s a movement in the payout, the whole nation knows, a situation few other businesses would tolerate.

countr countr

However, the fact dairy incomes make headline news puts pressure on the children of farmers too.

Maybe their parents aren’t experiencing severe financial hardship, but with constant bad news about milk prices and the dairy sector, many children are worried.

Rural schools and teachers who have experienced dairying’s ups and downs before will know what signs of stress to watch out for among their students.

The Rural Support Trust is once again to the fore, offering support and information for farmers and their families. The trust proved very successful when the disease Psa-V hit the kiwifruit

industry – see page 34.

DairyNZ has a number of initiatives and practical advice on how to manage in a low pay out environment – see its website www.dairynz.co.nz The headlines are pretty depressing and predictions are dairy prices won’t improve for some time, but that hasn’t daunted those taking part in this year’s New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. The 2016 winners all display the talents, optimism and skills the industry needs going forward – and none of them are about to leave because times have once again got tough. See pages 24-25.

Innovation within the industry doesn’t stop either, and as has always been the case with New Zealand farmers tight finances lead to clever and efficient cost savings and solutions.

One such example may well be the cow-effluent-to-fish-food trial

underway on a Katikati dairy farm – see pages 30-31.

The kiwifruit harvest is about to begin and growers will be hoping for good weather for picking and extra vigilance by MPI to keep out pests and disease. There’s even a call for tougher penalties for yachties who don’t declare food on board their boats – see page 7.

Border security is nothing new either – Matiu Somes Island has been playing its part since the 1870s – see pages 4-5.

And the New Zealand Avocado industry has ended its season on a high and is looking forward to a record harvest this year. It’s on track to meet its goal to quadruple sales to $280m and triple productivity by 2023 – see stories on pages 8-9.

COAST & COUNTRY

Doug Leeder- shorter timeframes needed.

Page 3

Future should focus on environmental efficiency

A mindshift from intensification and production per hectare to a system that focuses on environmental efficiency as the primary driver is required in New Zealand’s pastoral industry.

That’s the view of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s chairman Doug Leeder, who also believes progress so far on changes toward more sustainable farming is “significant but could have been achieved sooner with a future focus and better commitment from industry”.

The same is true of the recently released consultation document on freshwater management by the Ministry for the Environment and Ministry for Primary Industries, which Doug says is well intended “but essentially it is endeavouring to drag the unwilling or naysayers into the new expectation from communities, iwi and markets”.

The document addresses how fresh water quality is measured; on improving the way the resource is managed and used; improving its quality; and the role of iwi and hapu.

“Essentially, my view is that this is all very good but I would suggest the timeframes could be shorter. Is it acceptable that dairy support properties, both owners and third parties, should be differentiated and have the next decade to fence off waterways?

“I think not. Let’s note that this requirement only applies to land with topography of up to 15 degrees.

Dry stock (beef ) have until 2030.”

Doug says many farmers have already taken the initiative and met most of the requirements without the need for direction and regulation.

Efficient conversion

“In future it should be about the efficient conversion of inputs – for example, fertiliser, pasture – and water into outputs that ensure sustainable environmental outcomes.

“Overall the range of nitrogen efficiency conversion is between 20 and 45 with 45 being really efficient.”

Regardless of the region, farmers who are already operating at this environmentally efficient level will be disproportionately affected by a generalist approach requiring everyone to make reduction or improvements, Doug believes.

“Whether it be water, fertiliser or nitrogen, the challenge for regulatory agencies and industry will be to ensure that we assist those environmentally inefficient converters to reach the levels environmentally focused farmers have already achieved.

“This is scientifically complex stuff but unless we have good data it is difficult to make good decisions.”

Same outcomes

Doug encourages Government Ministers and MPs to support any initiatives that will assist the transition to much more “ground truthing” of modelling systems such as OVERSEER and SPASMO. Going forward, the role of iwi/hapu to many will be a major challenge, he warns.

“Te Mana o Te Wai is the tikanga for iwi and iwi approach to matters water. If you take the opportunity to avail yourselves of the chance to hear a presentation about or read ‘Te Mana o Te Wai’ you will see we all want the same outcomes.

“This matter is not going to go away and I would suggest that everyone actively participate in a partnership approach so the joint outcomes are achieved.”

In 2014 the Government provided $5 million to create the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund. The concept of Te Mana o Te Wai reflects the recognition of fresh water as a natural resource whose health is integral to the social, cultural, economic and environmental wellbeing of communities.

The purpose of the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund is to provide funding to enable Maori to improve the water quality of freshwater bodies – including lakes, rivers, streams, estuaries and lagoons – that are of importance to them by: • Supporting iwi/hapu to play an active part in improving the water quality of their local freshwater bodies.

• Enabling iwi/hapu to actively participate in managing their local freshwater bodies.

• Developing partnerships and working in collaboration with others.

• Assisting iwi/hapu and the wider community recognise the importance of fresh water in supporting a healthy ecosystem, including supporting human health.

For more information on the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund, see: www.mfe.govt.nz/more/funding/te-manaElaine Fisher o-te-wai-fund

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 4

Island’s history of keeping New Zealand safe Keeping the nation safe from infectious diseases and “dangerous” individuals had – for more than 100 years – been the role of a small island in Wellington’s harbour.

There was even a time in the 1870s when those landing on Matiu Somes Island had to sit in a smoke house, filled with chlorine, potassium nitrate and sulphur fumes to rid them of lice.

Today’s biosecurity process is a little kinder. In a special building, visitors are required to clean their shoes of any dirt or seeds, check their bags for seeds, insects, rats or mice, and walk across a disinfected mat before “escaping” to the island’s nature reserve.

Because where once the goal was to keep anything

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Wellington’s and spotted Queen’s skinks, the Wharf run a regular common, forest service to and from the island for day-trippers, or those and Wellington green geckoes and who wish to stay overnight, and the island provides an Brothers Island tuatara. appealing escape from the city’s hustle and bustle.

The island’s known history goes At just under 25ha, it’s not very big and it is easy to back to the Polynesian explorer Kupe walk the tracks in half a day, but there’s much more to 1000 years ago who called it Matiu, the island than tramping. probably after his daughter who he It is a wildlife sanctuary, with native vegetation is said to have left there for a while. planted largely by volunteers, now well established Early European settlers named it for providing a habitat for red-crowned parakeet (kakariki) deputy governor of the New Zealand and North Island robin, (toutouwai), fantail, KingCompany, Joseph Somes. In 1997, in fisher, silvereye and a variety of sea birds. recognition of its bicultural heritIt’s also a critical habitat for the world’s smallest age, the Geographic Board assigned penguin – the little blue penguin (korora) – which nest the island its current name of Matiu on the island.

Somes Island.

In the 1870s immigrants to New Zealand were cleared through Somes Weta motel island, where they were checked for There are 500 species of invertebrates on Matiu disease such as typhoid or smallpox.

Somes and neighbouring Mokopuna island, including Those suspected of being ill where several species of weta and their “motels” give visitors kept on the island, and many, including children and babies, died there.

Their names on a memorial make sad reading.

Livestock quarantine

Just as today New Zealand tries to keep out unwanted pests and disease, so too did governments of the past, using Somes island to isolate imported livestock. In 1853 the island quarantined sheep and perma-

nent facilities were established in 1893. By 1908 it was considered to be the country’s principal quarantine station.

That role was to continue for nearly 90 years, and in 1971 the new maximum security animal quarantine station built on the island was the most sophisticated facility of its kind in the world.

The complex closed in 1995 but the buildings, including livestock pens, a laboratory and large furnaces, remain and are open to visitors.

The idea of building the maximum security animal station was to enable scientists and geneticists to study new exotic breeds from outside what were considered the ‘safe’ countries of Britain, Australia and Canada from where animals were mainly imported.

Exotic animals

Thanks to the Somes island facility exotic livestock including elk, red deer, alpaca and llama could be brought into New Zealand, along with the more traditional sheep and cattle.

By the mid-1980s advancements in technology meant ova, embryos and semen could be imported for implantation into New Zealand livestock, so bringing in live animals was no longer required, and the station was closed.

However, during its time the facility did contribute to the diversity and productivity of New Zealand’s livestock farming, while keeping the country free of many of the diseases imported animals may have brought in.

It was protection of another kind which Somes island afforded during both world wars when it served as detention centre for “enemy aliens”.

During World War I, between 1914 and 1918, about 300 prisoners where held on the island. Most were German nationals but some were born in New Zealand.

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The island provides an appealing escape from Wellington City’s hustle and bustle.

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 5

Delegation visit brings access to China closer Gaining access to China for New Zealand avocados may have moved a step closer following the visit by 11 representatives from China Entry and Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association and the primary sector in March.

At the same time, they aimed to facilitate bilateral trade of horticulture products between both countries.

NZ Avocado led the visit in collaboration with the Ministry for Primary Industries, PipfruitNZ and Zespri. The party also visited pipfruit growers in the Waikato.

The New Zealand avocado industry is currently working towards gaining access to

CIQA is an administrative body of the AQSIQ which ensures collaboration between government and commercial/ industry members and safeguards Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s industry and agriculture.

The delegation spent two days in Tauranga learning more about the New Zealand avocado and kiwifruit industries by visiting Bay of Plenty avocado and kiwifruit production sites.

The delegation met with local growers, packers and exporters to learn production practices and to formulate collaborative programmes to improve the capability of the supply chain in China.

the Chinese market.

The industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy is to quadruple sales to $280m and triple productivity by 2023. To this end it is pursuing opportunities in both export and the New Zealand markets, supported by innovation and collaboration with stakeholders and with new partnerships with the Crown and Crown Research Institutes.

Representatives from the China Entry and Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association and NZ Avocado photographed during a visit to the Katikati avocado orchard owned by Cindy and John Cotterell.

Enemy aliens imprisoned In World War II, from 1939 to 1945, the island was again used as an internment camp, housing Germans, Italian and Japanese prisoners.

Many were nationalised New Zealander but considered a risk to national security.

When Japan bombed Pearl Harbour and then Darwin, Australia, the threat to New Zealand from a Japanese invasion became all too real.

So it was in 1942 that prisoners were removed from the island and four 3.7-inch heavy anti-aircraft guns were mounted on its small summit to combat high-ďŹ&#x201A;ying enemy aircraft.

The guns could project a shell to 10,000 feet in 14 seconds. The position was manned from January 1943 to September 1944 but was never called into action.

The ďŹ ve concrete structures, a command post and four gun positions remain much as they were when

decommissioned after the war.

In yet another â&#x20AC;&#x153;safetyâ&#x20AC;? role, Matiu Somes Island is also the site of a working lighthouse.

The ďŹ rst lighthouse entered service on February 17, 1866, burning colza (rapeseed) oil and shining a white light down the centre of the channel and a red or green light at either side.

By 1895, there were calls for a stronger light that could be seen further out to sea, and a new lighthouse was built and began operation on February 21, 1900.

Its light was visible for 16 miles into the Cook Strait, fuelled by parafďŹ n oil which wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t particularly fuel-efďŹ cient and over the years was replaced by an incandescent burner which vaporised oil under pressure, then acetone acetylene gas.

After World War II it was converted to electricity, provided by a generator.

There has been a lighthou se on Matiu Somes Island since 1866.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Help nature help you with pasture growth We’re all aware nitrogen is one of the essential elements to get plants to grow.

What some farmers don’t seem to realise is there is already tonnes

of it in our soils, not to mention being a major part of the air around us. The only hitch is this soil or air nitrogen needs help from nature to make it suitable for plants to use.

And the help could come from those mycorrhizaL fungi and bacteria we keep banging on about, which do the trick of turning the soil and air nitrogen into plant usable forms.

In the late 1970s, before we started on the ‘urea track’, our scientists had estimated there could be a reservoir of up to 14,000kgN/ha, with between 3400kg and 6800kg of organic N/ha in the top 150mm of soil.

But if the soil life isn’t there, or not in sufficient quantities, then all that “free N” can’t be got at by plants. The answer should have been to boost the soil life and let nature get on with it. But what happened was the chemists came up with a great money-making idea, and produced urea, and the big fertiliser companies leapt at the chance to sell a product which they could encourage farmers to use all the time.

Nitrogen for free

What we are now hearing from farmers is “you can’t grow grass without urea”, and they believe it. How do they think grass grows in places where urea hasn’t been spread?

And it’s not just this misperception going around.

Regular urea applications tend to decimate the very mycorrhizae and bacteria which could and should be doing the job. Not only this, but the clover plants, which used to be part of the process in fixing nitrogen for free, now get discouraged by the constant urea dumps, and give up on doing their job.

We pride ourselves on growing ryegrass/clover pastures, but how much clover can still be seen in many of them? It’s got tired of not being able to do what it does best, and faded away.

What our pastures really need is sweetening up with regular calcium (lime), trace elements applied

where soil tests have shown shortages, and mixtures enhanced with carefully chosen mycorrhizae and bacteria to help the soil life that’s already there.

Urea is expensive to make and uses a lot of energy to do so. Even with discounts it costs a lot to buy and spread. When the milk price crashes, and budgets don’t add up, it’s a farm expense most could do without.

Add to this growth tests are proving we are now producing less kgDM/ ha in pasture than we did in the mid-1980s, despite using up about 750,000 tonnes of urea per year, most of which goes on dairy land. That’s about 200kgN/ha (440kg of urea), and probably more in some places.

Copious soil life

Functional Fertiliser Ltd has been measuring dry matter growth levels on several farms using its products for more than a decade now. And these levels are getting bigger every year, with recent measures showing more than 100kgDM/ha growth every day in January.

No added N, as tests have proved there is already about 9400kgN/ha in the top 300mm of the soil – the depth to which plant roots can penetrate freely.

Just lots of calcium, trace elements where needed, and copious amounts of soil life.

When the payout looks like never recovering, and the need is to keep production high, why spend the precious budgets on something you don’t need?

When you could be spending it on something really useful that makes low-cost, highly-nutritious grass grow?

And the prize to top it all off is you could soon be leaching up to 70 per cent less N into our streams and groundwater. Solving two problems in one go.

For more info, call Peter on 0800 843 809.

BayGold orchard is to host open day BayGold, the supreme winner of the 2016 Ballance Farm Environment Awards, will host a field day at its Te Puke orchard on Tuesday April 5 and organisers are urging farmers, growers and rural busi-

ness people to attend.

“Anyone with an interest in sustainable farming should come along,” says Margaret Wright from the NZ Farm Environment Trust’s Bay of Plenty branch, which organises the awards and field day.

“Although the field day is hosted by BayGold, which is a kiwifruit business, there is a lot to be learned for other farming and business ventures in how they do things and the level of understanding of what they do,” says Margaret.

BayGold general manager Leighton Oats hopes the field day attracts a wide range of visitors.

“We’re looking forward to showcasing what we do at BayGold and what we do in the kiwifruit industry, including how we focus on developing people and helping grow their skills.”

The BayGold field day is at 80 Roydon Downs Rd, Te Puke, from 9.30am-2.30pm on Tuesday, April 5.

Anyone wishing to attend is asked to register by emailing bop@bfea.org.nz For updates on the times of the field day, see www.bfea.org.nz

REE FELLERS BIG OR SMALL - WE DO IT ALL

HORTICULTURE

Page 7

Firmer message needed for yachties not declaring fresh foods On February 23, 2016, a resident of Australia was fined a total of $3000 in the New Zealand courts having pleaded guilty to possessing unauthorised goods and providing a false statement to a quarantine officer.

The woman was a yacht skipper who had hidden fruit, vegetables and meat in her vessel instead of declaring them to a quarantine officer in Opua, Bay of Islands, in November 2014. She had just arrived from Fiji.

During a search of the vessel a Ministry for Primary Industries’ quarantine officer found an assortment of fresh items hidden in different compartments – eggs, oranges, apples, tomatoes, pumpkin, pineapple, onions, kumara, ginger, garlic, spring onions, meat patties, ham, eggplant, bok choy, cabbage, cucumber, capsicum and lettuce.

This is not the first time MPI has found fresh produce in yachts arriving from the Pacific. A French skipper was convicted and fined $3000 last year for similar offences after deliberately hiding risk goods when her vessel was inspected

in Opua after arriving from New Caledonia in November 2014.

The time of year for both incidents is considered high risk for fruit flies potentially entering New Zealand on fruit and successfully establishing a population.

All New Zealand fruit growers remember the two fruit fly finds in the environs of the Whangarei yacht basin on January 21 and April 1, 2014. These fruit flies likely came from yachts arriving from the Pacific.

she had not shown the MPI quarantine officer all of her fruit and vegetables as she had intended to eat them on-board her boat and didn’t want to waste them. Both yachties wilfully deceived the quarantine officers. They knew the rules and chose to break them for their own selfinterest.

These cases show the biosecurity system working effectively, detecting fresh fruit and vegetables before they pose a serious financial risk to New Zealand. However, the fact these visitors are being caught knowingly cheating shows that a strong and clear message needs to be sent to all yachties.

I do not think a $3000 fine sends that message. Especially after two responses to fruit fly in Whangarei. Clearly, the message has not gotten through yet, as people continue to bring in undeclared and hidden fresh fruit and vegetables.

Millions of dollars

The cost of responding to these finds was many millions of dollars. In all these cases we can be grateful MPI has detected the undeclared fruit and trapped the fruit flies before the situation escalates and a breeding population of fruit flies establishes.

Full marks to MPI. If a breeding population was to establish itself our fruit exports would be severely restricted and growers would lose millions of dollars in return. In short, our billion-dollar fruit industries would be put at risk.

The latest yachtie to be convicted said

send the message to the yachties of the Pacific.

We need the Government and the courts to treat biosecurity as seriously as they do fishing offences, where a person’s boat can be seized. Now that would send a message.

This is what we in horticulture need to protect our billion-dollar industries. A biosecurity system that not only detects offenders, but also sends them an appropriate message through the courts when they flagrantly breach our biosecurity laws.

The views expressed are those of the author.

Prison sentence

The maximum fine for bringing in hidden fresh produce is $100,000 and there is the ability to impose imprisonment.

A significant fine or a short period behind bars would

40-year-old resource improves soil A 40-year-old, previously untapped resource is now helping farmers and orchardists significantly improve soil quality, thanks to a lucky find by a Tokoroa company.

John McIntosh of Bark & Soil Growing Media discovered the carbonrich material at the Kinleith Mill while on the search for bark for the company’s potting mixes.

“For years people have driven passed the mounds of aged sawdust, bark and wood chips at the Kinleith Mill and given no thought to their value.

“However, when we tested what the mounds contained we discovered it is 30 to 40 per cent

carbon and has absolutely zero residues.

“In fact, it’s so pure we have had it BioGro-certified as a soil conditioner.”

John says because the mill’s furnace cannot burn treated timber, every load of fuel which arrives at the site is tested. “Only about six to eight different suppliers have provided wood for the mill in the last 40 years so we know where the raw product has come from.”

During the years nature has turned the material into compost – thousands of tonnes of it, which Bark & Soil Growing Media now sells to farmers and growers either direct or through Wealleans and Farmlands.

“We can mix the product with anything

else clients need such as magnesium or lime, and it is applied by a fertiliser spreader.

“The amount used depends on soil type and what is grown. We advise clients to talk to their consultants about application rates.

“Clients growing kiwifruit, maize and pasture have achieved great results; and what’s more this product is very cost effective,” says John.

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Biosecurity readiness reaches ‘critical mass’ The Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response now has the critical mass to begin delivering improved biosecurity readiness and response activities, says GIA secretariat manager Steve Rich.

The NZ Avocado Growers’ Association Incorporated became the deed’s seventh signatory in February, joining Kiwifruit Vine Health, Pipfruit New Zealand, New Zealand Pork, New Zealand Equine Health Association, Onions New Zealand and the New Zealand Forestry Owners Association, along with the Ministry for Primary Industries representing the Government as GIA partners.

Steve welcomes New Zealand Avocado to the partnership, saying the new addition will further strengthen efforts to better deliver biosecurity outcomes.

“It’s pleasing to see more industry groups joining the growing partnership.

GIA now has the critical mass to begin delivering improved biosecurity readiness and response activities.

Best outcomes

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“The development of the GIA partnership has taken time and great commitment from participants, but we are now beginning to see the benefits of the collective strength of participants working together to achieve common goals.”

The NZ Avocado’s signing was attended by the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, NZAGA chair Ashby Whitehead, NZ Avocado CEO Jen Scoular and representatives from the MPI, the GIA Secretariat and the avocado industry.

“Working in partnership with Government will enable us to deliver the best biosecurity outcomes that we can

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, NZAGA chair Ashby Whitehead and deputy chair John Schnackenberg sign the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response. for the New Zealand avocado industry,” says Ashby.

Avocados are New Zealand’s third largest fresh fruit export industry, with a value of $135 million from sales to export markets and the NZ market in the 2014-2015 season.

There are more than 1300 avocado growers, with production spread across three main growing regions: Bay of Plenty has 65 per cent, Mid North with 22 per cent and the Far North with 13 per cent.

“Signing the GIA Deed will give the avocado industry the opportunity to influence how we are impacted in the event of a biosecurity response, and influence readiness activity,” says Jen. “It’s very pleasing to have the avocado industry on-board, working with MPI and other industry partners to manage and respond to the most important biosecurity risks,” says Nathan.

Effective system

In the 2014-2015 season the industry produced 7.1 million trays of avocados worth about $135m.

“The GIA means the industry can work in partnership and contribute their time, expertise, and resources to achieve better biosecurity outcomes.

“Biosecurity is a shared responsibility and we need the input of industry and the wider public to make the system as effective as possible,” Nathan says.

Progressive strategy for further growth While the 2015/2016 harvest was short on the volume expected by the industry, Just Avocados is buoyed by the record return outcomes achieved for growers and with the consolidation of its share of industry crop.

As experienced growers ourselves, we know Avocados. From harvesting and packing, to exporting and marketing, our fully integrated and flexible service model ensures the best results for you - our growers.

Talk to us today about putting your Avocados in experienced hands.

Call us: (07) 549 3027 Email us: steve@justavocados.co.nz www.justavocados.co.nz

With market share typically between 15 to 20 per cent depending on regional production dynamics, Just Avocados has now firmly cemented its position as the industry’s third largest exporter.

“At the same time the company is making a strong contribution to the AVANZA group export programmes beyond Australia, in collaboration with the other two industry exporter heavyweights Primor and Southern Produce,” says Andrew Darling, managing director of Just Avocados.

“Turning an eye to the future and a projected record crop of about five million trays, Just Avocados is investing in post-harvest infrastructure and additional resource both in New Zealand and Australia, our premium market which is expected to enjoy an 80 per cent share of exports.”

Asian markets are primed to get the balance of what will be significantly increased programmes volumes in 2016/2017.

In March Jarrod Redwood, formerly avocado manager at Freshmax, joined the Katikati-based company as general manager operations and procurement, with national responsibilities managing all operational components required to accommodate ongoing business growth.

Securing a greater share of the major Australian retail chain shelf space has been a key objective for the last two years since establishing an in-market presence via Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd, to complement the strong position held in the wholesale sector nationwide, says Andrew.

“Just Avocados has identified how this can be achieved through a mix of strategic in-market partnerships as well as levering off our somewhat unique position in being a fully integrated supply company, offering customers seamless and efficient service throughout the supply chain.”

Moving forward, Just Avocados has identified a need to extend its value to customers beyond being simply involved in growing, harvesting, packing, logistics and exporting, into further “value add” areas of warehousing, ripening, repacking, prepacking, distribution as well as “just in time” sales and marketing.

“Such a fully-fledged service company benefits not only the customer in-market, but most importantly those involved in the first step of the supply chain, the growers.”

An exciting new development and substantial investment is set to be announced in coming weeks, so “watch this space”, says Andrew.

AVOCADO

Page 9

Nursery growing to meet world demand A worldwide boom in the avocado industry is fuelling growth for New Zealand company Lynwood Avocado Nursery.

Company director Stephen Wade, who operates the Whangarei business with wife Samantha, says global consumption of avocados is increasing by 10 per cent per annum, and has been for the last decade.

“Avocados are recognised as a super-fruit.

‘The Guinness Book of Records’ has even termed avocados as the world’s most nutritious fruit.”

Although Stephen says the avocado industry worldwide is planting to keep up with demand, market growth for avocados is still exceeding this by six to seven per cent each year.

The 13ha Lynwood Avocado Nursery property was purchased by the Wade family in 1941. It was in 1983 that the first 4ha of orchards was planted. In 1988 the nursery started producing its first trees.

In 2000 the company commenced trialling of clonal rootstock production. The company predominantly supplies trees to the New Zealand avocado industry – retail nurseries and orchards.

Huge growth

In the last three years the business has doubled each year as Lynwood struggles to keep up with demand driven by needs of the international market for the fruit. In 2015 the company propagated 70,000 trees and predicts this figure will rise to 100,000 trees in 2016.

To cope with the huge growth the com-

pany has built additional greenhouses as well as hiring greenhouse space. Other challenges have included a significant increase in staff as well as upskilling existing staff to cope with the growth. In the last year staff numbers have increased from eight to 22 and Stephen expects numbers to increase to 30 by the end of 2016.

Although the focus of the business is on the nursery the Wade family has a small orchard, currently 7ha producing about 15 tonnes of fruit per hectare.

“We have to advise our clients so we have to be on the cutting edge of new production techniques,” says Stephen.

Futureproofing

age bigger crops but large trees come with their own management issues. Smaller trees can be sheltered and sprayed better and are easier to pick, making harvesting costs cheaper.

“With smaller trees and high density planting you also get a full canopy area and therefore full fruiting potential in year five as opposed to year nine or 10 with larger trees.

“The industry worldwide is trending towards high density planting so three years ago we followed. We now plant 600 trees per hectare and trees will never get more than three metres high so we can do the entire avocado picking from the ground.

High density planting will ultimately help with fruit quality and size.”

Expansion will be ongoing as predicted increases in demand from new markets such as China and India come into play.

The Wades are also exploring the option of offering their services in an advisory role to these burgeoning markets.

“These markets are at the very beginning of knowing what an avocado is, so the growth potential for the industry worldwide is enormous. Of course you have some growing pains when a business increases as much as ours is at the moment, but it’s very exciting.”

The company has also undergone a new management strategy to futureproof the growing business.

“Avocados are known to be biannual bearers so we need to manage our way through that. We average 15 tonnes per hectare, which by industry standards is good, but there are some growers in the Far North averaging more like 30 tonnes so we are always trying to do better.

“The old thinking was not to prune trees too much Growing avocados in the Lynwood Nursery. to encour-

Delight at predicted avocado returns

Market conditions of high demand and low supply have held up values of New Zealand avocados across the Tasman, which is New Zealand’s largest and highest-paying export market. These high values are expected to be passed down to AVOCO growers when the final OGR is announced.

About 2.5 million 5.5kg trays were exported out of a national crop of about four million trays. More than 61 per cent of the industry’s total exports were handled by AVOCO. A little more than 80 per cent of shipments went to Australia while the remainder was sent to mostly Asian markets and marketed through AVANZA. AVOCO director John Carroll says final payments will be made to growers in April. Representatives on the AVOCO Grower Relations Committee, led by chairman Hugh Moore, are delighted with the estimated returns.

“It’s fair to say those growers who were able to supply a good size crop for export will be feeling very happy about their season,” says John.

“The demand out of Australia is exceptional. There is a lot of confidence in the industry right now and in the ability of AVOCO to maximise returns to growers through careful flow planning and collaboration.”

AVOCO is made up of Team Avocado and Primor.

More than 700 growers have supplied AVOCO since its inception in 2013.

The group works with a third exporter to supply fruit under the AVANZA banner to Asian markets as well as the US. Countries like Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore are considered real growth markets for New Zealand due to rising middle-class populations and the value consumers there place on health and nutrition.

This season, AVANZA dominated in Japan, supplying 100 per cent of the fruit from NZ. While the lighter national crop forced AVANZA to ship 100,000 fewer trays than in 2014/2015, it was able to maintain a positive market presence and build on its reputation as a supplier of premium quality avocados.

“This approach ensures that New Zealand avocados stay top of mind for consumers and that in more productive seasons – like the one expected next year – the Japan market will welcome even more fruit.”

The export crop for 2016/2017 is predicted to be five million trays-plus – at least half a million trays more than the record crop of 4.5 million in 2014/2015.

AVOCO director Alistair Young says the AVANZA markets will be important next season as exporters look to shift the huge volume of fruit without overburdening Australia.

“Next season presents us with a new set of challenges but AVOCO and AVANZA demonstrated what it can achieve during the last ‘big one’ two years ago. We’re looking forward to doing it all again thi season.

“We filter out the information.

If you ask 10 different people, you’ll get 10 different answers. We figure out what’s the best for us.”

ROY ORLOWSKI, TEAM AVOCADO AND AVOCO GROWER OF THE YEAR 2014-15

www.avoco.co.nz

CCQP0316

Avocado growers supporting AVOCO, New Zealand’s largest export supply group, are expected to be rewarded with strong Orchard Gate Returns after a season which saw their fruit peak at $7 in Australian supermarkets.

KIWIFRUIT

Page 10

Biosecurity, market access among new CEO’s skills Nikki Johnson.

Nikki Johnson, who among other chievements, has helped transform NZ Citrus Growers Inc from a voluntary grower group to a professional organisation, now turns her attention and skills to the kiwifruit industry.

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Nikki is the new CEO of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc and her role includes helping guide the industry through the next stage of its development – the implementation of regulatory amendments and changes to the constitutions of Zespri and NZKGI, which have resulted from the Kiwifruit Industry Strategy Project.

It’s a challenge she’s looking forward to, after 14 years as a founding director of Market Access Solutionz, a specialist biosecurity, regulatory systems, market access, international trade issues management and strategic industry management advisory company based in Wellington.

Nikki leaves that role, and Wellington, moving north to the Bay of Plenty to take up the NZKGI position on April 11.

“This is an exciting move for me. The kiwifruit industry and its single desk marketing structure is the envy of many other primary industries. Ensuring the Single Point of Entry endures is vital.

“If it lost the SPE the industry would never get it back and would lose the significant benefits it brings,” says Nikki.

Grower support

The industry strategy project tackled a number of difficult issues and resulted in strong grower support and a clear direction for the future, says Nikki.

In helping ensure that future Nikki will work alongside new NZKGI chairman Doug Brown, the NZKGI executive, Kiwifruit New Zealand, Zespri, industry leaders, growers and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

She will also be working with NZKGI’s Grower Forum made up of 17 regional and district representatives and 10 industry group representatives, elected every three years by all kiwifruit growers via a postal ballot.

Horticulture is not new to Nikki but it isn’t the industry which formed her early career path.

From the well-known South Canterbury Penno family, she grew up on her father David’s mixed cropping farm, which grew wheat, seed and potato crops and grazed sheep and cattle.

My Name is Neil Woodward.

“It was initially dry land but is now irrigated I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my and my father was heavson and my brother. ily involved in the wheat industry.”

Our organisation has been established for over 18 Nikki attended Waimyears. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966. ate High School before moving to Lincoln We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We University, where she have the equipment to spray orchards with our two gained a BAgrSc (Hons).

Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching In the third year of the and mowing. four-year degree, Nikki studied at Oregon State Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this University. combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and Back in New Zealand, accuracy.

Nikki’s first full-time position was with the We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray Foundation for Arable applications.

Research, where she was We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap involved with maize compliance. project management and We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect technology transfer. your crop with excellence.

“Maize was an important crop in the

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Gisborne region in particular.

“This was also the early stages of maize becoming a cattle feed and the development of maize silage.”

Her next move was to Wellington and the then Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry where she was part of the plant export team, working on market access.

“Some of my work involved working with Zespri on access issues in Japan and Israel.”

Fourteen years ago, Stephen Ogden and Nikki formed Market Access Solutionz offering a flexible external service to industry, focused initially on market access and phytosanitary measures but expanding to meet the demand for plant protection of fruit and vegetable crops grown in New Zealand too.

“Biosecurity has become an increasingly important part of our work,” says Nikki, who has been executive manager for NZ Citrus Growers for the last 10 years.

When she took on the role NZCGI was mostly a voluntary grower organisation.

Today it’s a professional body with sustainable, compulsory levy funding across all product groups and a strategic approach to investment of grower funds and research and development.

“While some fruit is exported, the domestic market is the biggest market for citrus growers and the industry is vulnerable to unwanted pests and diseases, as are other crops.”

Citrus psyllid

Of particular concern is the disease called citrus greening which affects all citrus cultivars and can be transmitted by plant material or the citrus psyllid.

“We have neither the insect nor the disease in New Zealand as yet so it is vital to ensure no infected plant material comes into the country, and that the insect which transmits the disease is kept out.”

Citrus growers’ livelihoods are also at risk from fruit fly, which affects a wide range of fruits, so the industry shares a common interest with others in ensuring New Zealand’s borders are well protected.

Although not directly involved, Nikki took a keen interest in the kiwifruit industry’s battle against the vine killing bacterial disease Psa-V. “This disease really tested the industry and how well it has recovered is a credit to the industry and its united structure.

“Ensuring grower welfare was part of the response to the disease outbreak and those lessons learned are now being adopted by other industries.”

Nikki’s background may not be in kiwifruit but she’s well-versed in the fruit growing industry and working with large corporates, including Turners & Growers.

“It’s great to see the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between Turners & Growers and Zespri to work together to sell Zespri kiwifruit in Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos this season, as there are mutual benefits to be gained from the relationship.”

As well as the challenges of her new job, Nikki is looking forward to living in the Bay of Plenty, and sailing its harbour and coastline.

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KING COUNTRY

Page 11

In Pamplona, Spain, bulls charge through the streets but at Te Kuiti itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sheep which put on the annual spectacle as part of The Great New Zealand Muster on Saturday, April 2.

The muster has become a tradition in the town which considers itself â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Sheep Shearing Capital of the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and this year up to 1000 sheep will run down Rora St as part of the huge community day out.

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Musterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is a traditional Kiwi country fair with shearing events, fantastic food, entertainment, arts and crafts and up to 100 stalls. The event promotes the rural delights of the

Waitomo District and is the perfect free fun family event from 10am to 4pm.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrity guest is comedian Te Radar, whose dry humour is perfect for the country theme of the day. There will be a bouncy castle, rock climbing and an extreme air event too.

St Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School is holding a rubber duck race as a fundraiser on the day, and on the main stage performers will include Mihirangi Fleming, The DC Boys and The Big MufďŹ n Band.

Te Kuiti is in

the north of the King Country, at the junction of State Highways 3 and 30 and on the North Island Main Trunk Railway, 80km south of Hamilton and not far from the famous Waitomo Caves.

In fact, the limestone which forms the caves is also common in the Te Kuiti hinterland which consist mainly of farmland and limestone quarries.

The town is also famous for its The Great huge statue of a NZ Muster. sheep shearer and Photo Credit: Waitomo its other attracDistrict Council tions include the

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Te Kuitiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great New Zealand Muster on again Tatsuno Japanese Garden at the southern end of the main street.

A Revitalisation Project for the Te Kuiti railway station was started in 2014 to provide for arts and crafts groups, an education centre, youth projects, historical displays and a meeting room.

The Rail Heritage Trust describes the station as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the ďŹ nest remaining example of a standard class B stationâ&#x20AC;? in the country.

The Mangokewa Reserve ďŹ ve kilometres south of Te Kuiti is a popular attraction for rock climbers, hikers, picnic goers, swimmers and trout ďŹ shermen.

To ďŹ nd out more about The Great New Zealand Muster, see www.waitomo.govt.nz/events/the-great-nz-muster

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PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 12

Supporting our farmers

The dairy industry is once again headline news and I acknowledge this is a tough time for farmers.

We know the dairy payout is volatile – it rises and it dips – and as a result of this it has evolved as one of the most financially enduring industries in the agricultural sector. Falling dairy prices means it will be a tight year for many, and budgets are being adapted to counter this.

We all want to protect our environment and our water, but you tell me often that red tape is getting in the way of productivity. The Government’s second phase of reforms is about reducing the bureaucracy that gets in the way of creating business and jobs, while supporting good environmental management.

Finally, the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement will have a significant positive effect on the agribusiness sectors. Benefits for the kiwifruit industry are significant, and this will save the industry $15 million per year.

More markets

There has been much emotive talk by opposition about how our Government is “failing the dairy industry”, because it can’t actively step into this situation and raise the dairy payout back to $8 per kilogram of milksolids. But the Government does have in progress three incredibly gutsy pieces of legislation that will assist the dairy industry, for which the benefits to dairy are widely unreported.

Common sense clauses can be found in the reformed health and safety legislation. It’s important for our farming people to identify and separate work, home and recreational spaces.

The effect of Psa-V on the industry was significant but we are seeing a strong recovery of plantings and export market development that will be supported by the elimination of tariffs.

The effects of the TPPA for the dairy industry are also significant as farmers will be able to sell their products into more markets, which means more money in their back pockets. TPPA will provide New Zealand with improved access into regions where current access is highly restricted by high tariffs or small quotas. This will unlock access to 800 million consumers for our dairy and other exporters. It’s about helping our local producers, on the international stage.

But for our dairy farmers, times are tough. It’s great to see local farmers looking after each other the way they are doing today. But this is under-reported, because the deteriorating financial aspect is more attractive as headline material.

Health reform

Rural support

These changes are important in that we are all responsible for workplace safety but your home is your haven – and we all know how important recreational activities are socially for our provincial communities. We would not want this to stop.

Worksafe NZ is now focused on engaging and educating to ensure you understand your obligations and that you’re able to comply in a way that’s less costly and complex than has been previously thought.

Resource Management Act reforms have been introduced. The intent is to deliver simplified consenting processes. The RMA’s slow processes are one of the more often expressed concerns in that it is considered to be a significant factor in impeding growth in our provincial areas.

Our Rural Support Trusts do a great job across the country. Every day members of rural communities are heading out, running support groups, checking on their neighbours, motivating farmers at local field days, and providing financial hardship assistance.

In collaboration with DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ, up to 100 support people are being trained to work for Rural Support Trusts, providing guidance and support to farmers around the country.

They increase awareness of wellbeing among farmers, and highlight the concerns about high levels of stress, fatigue, and burnout in the industry. If you need any assistance make sure you seek out support.

The Government remains focused on the underpinning issues that matter.

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PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 13

Glyphosate ‘profoundly harmful chemical’ Glyphosate, the active chemical in Roundup, is now considered by independent scientists to be a profoundly harmful chemical.

That’s the belief of Jodie Bruning of RITE Demand, a group campaigning for the “Requirement for Independent Toxicity Evaluations” of chemicals used in agriculture. Jodie, who has an agri-business degree from Monash University Australia, has extensively researched independent international reports on glyphosate and here gives her views on the chemical in response to an article in last month’s Coast & Country News ‘ Glyphosate still ‘safest weed chemical’.

The science our EPA considers is old and biased.

EPA base their current understanding on the 2004 World Health Organisation Toxicological assessment, and an ERMA report from 2009 that only used science supplied by Dow Agroscience. The EPA, like all regulators, are massively underfunded – it costs a lot of money to conduct a proper review of any chemical.

The problem with both sources is that the science used to provide the critical safe exposure levels are supplied directly by the chemical industry, or manufacturer. Regulators then claim that glyphosate ‘is of low toxicity’. This means no testing in our food, groundwater or drinking water for exposure levels.

Old science

Worryingly, scientists have established that glyphosate – and the full formulation we use – is harmful at the levels we are exposed to now. Every person out spraying is relying on the safety of really old industryproduced science for the AOEL – Accepted Operator Exposure Level.

Contractors and councils need to weigh up the risks – published scientific literature deems glyphosate is a probable carcinogen. If an employee becomes sick, they have the science behind them to confirm they were using a harmful chemical.

Today’s science tells us glyphosate damages fertility,

reduces drought tolerance and is neurotoxic. It damages our hormones, the endocrine system, at parts per billion. Regulators only look at parts per million.

Science tells us the full formulation – for example, Roundup – is much more toxic. Every applicator knows this. Women respond differently to men. The EPA also hasn’t considered long-term, sub-chronic effects – the damage low level exposures cause over a lifetime. Today’s 60-year-olds didn’t have glyphosate sprayed around them when they were kids, nor did they consume it in their bread (wheat), beer (barley), oil seeds (canola) and sugar (glyphosate is a common sugar cane ripener). Cereal and oilseed crops in New Zealand are sprayed before harvest.

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Internationally, about 90 per cent of corn and soy crops are treated before harvest, as they are ‘Roundup Ready’. These are the tiny corn and soy-derived ingredients in your supermarket foods. Our kids are exposed to glyphosate every single day. The old WHO data assumes glyphosate is fully excreted. It can’t be.

In New Zealand, glyphosate is sprayed in drains that trickle into our water table. Internationally, cases of glyphosate resistance have occurred following repetitive roadside spraying, the Foundation for Arable Research will confirm. We welcome news that Tauranga City Council rarely sprays glyphosate in urban parks.

We require a wide ranging and thoughtful discussion about how to manage invasive weed populations longterm. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide – anything that kills as effectively will likely be harmful.

We urgently need to discuss the impact of glyphosate in our waterways and drinking water, question strict service delivery standards that bind contractors to intensive spray regimes. Perhaps trials should be started to establish how a mowing regime could replace roadside spraying.

The solution will never be perfect. It will likely be more expensive. But health should be our bottom line. I welcome open and frank discussion on this topic. Email: jodie@rite-demands.org or www.rite-demands.org

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AUTUMN FERTILISER

Proof of product is in the growing maize miss,” says John, who is a New Zealander and agricultural scientist living in Sydney but working with farmers in Australia and New Zealand. He started the company 13 years ago in response to farmers looking for a more biological and holistic approach to farming.

So last October half a hectare of maize was planted the products were by growing a block of to be grown using Ectol products by Brent McFarlane maize, to compare with blocks treated of McFarlane Contracting on whose property the with conventional fertiliser programmes. event is staged, alongside another crops grown under “It was an opportunity too good to a conventional fertiliser programme by Brent on the same property.

When Australia company Ectol was offered the opportunity to demonstrate the effectiveness of its product by growing a trail crop of maize as part of 2016 Grasslandz event, the decision to take it was easy.

John McKay of Ectol says when he contacted Grasslandz event manager Andrew Reymer about having a stand, Andrew suggested he prove how good

Cost less

By January 28 this year, when the gates opened for Grasslandz at Eureka, both crops were doing well, with no discernable difference in height or cob numbers.

But John says the Ectol block cost less to grow and required much less nitrogen. He’s also convinced its ME content would be higher than the control block.

That’s because, John says, the Ectol bio-nutrients improve yield and plant health while reducing nitrogen leaching.

For 16 years the company has been working with farmers, glaziers and horticulturalists throughout Australia and New Zealand developing what it calls sustainable crop nutrients aimed at optimising production, plant and soil health and increasing returns for farmers.

The Grasslandz maize received applications of the Ectol products at a rate of 20 to 25 litres per hectare.

That included the bio-nutrient containing growth promotants from marine algae, plus amino acids, complex sugars, organic acids, potassium and trace elements.

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“This provides stress protection and increases photosynthetic efficiency, which has been demonstrated by University of Tasmania studies, resulting in improved yields and plant health,” says John.

Ectol Humic-Phos was also applied. This is a mix of humic phosphorous and trace elements aimed to provide a phosphorous complex which reduces the locking up of the mineral in many soils.

NitrotrainTE was also applied. “This is a highly efficient form of slow release nitrogen which reduces the incidence of nitrogen loss.”

Leaching of nitrogen and phosphorous is an issue for Australian farmers, just as it is in New Zealand – and John says using products which reduce leaching is becoming increasingly vital for the future of farming.

John McKay of Ectol, the company which grew a trial crop of maize at Grasslandz to demonstrate what its products could do.

Since 2014 a programme has been developed in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, an important area for the production of irrigated corn and maize silage, where growers have been challenged by the increasing costs of water and fertiliser, says John.

“Over three years, field trials on maize silage are demonstrating that Ectol/ NitrotrainTE programme is highly effective and improves a conventional fertiliser programme; and importantly is saving growers money without any loss of yield or quality.”

The company has also had trails of its product Ectol Protect and Grow conducted by Weldon Studies, carried in wheat and pasture in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Ectol has been working with David McConnell, a leading Waikato farmer milking more than 300 cows in a fully robotic system, who is currently growing more than 25ha of maize using the Ectol/ NitrotainTE programme. It was David who introduced John to Brent McFarlane and Andrew Reymar of Grasslandz.

Nutrient efficiency

“While the Grasslandz demonstration trial was limited, the outcomes are consistent with the Australian experience where improved nutrient efficiency, especially under irrigation or high rainfall is saving growers up to $200 per hectare on total fertiliser input costs,” says John.

Ectol Australia is an Australian owned and operated business which for more than 10 years has been developing a range of traditional and sustainable plant nutrients and fertilisers for agricultural growers, councils, landscape professionals and home gardeners.

It products have been refined to improve plant, crop and soil health; improve plant growth and increase yields; protect plants and crops from stress such as heat, draught, frost and saline pressures; increase plant disease resistance; and reduce environmental impact of alternative harsh chemicals used in agriculture.

Nine Australian farmers travelled with John to the Grasslandz event as well as visiting local growers and farmers. “It proved to be a great opportunity to share farming skills and see the latest innovations,” says John.

AUTUMN FERTILISER

Page 15

Is drive for profits threat to farming art? baled in less than 48 hours. The key is to grow qualSpending needs to be correctly ity forage. When the phosphate, calcium, magnesium targeted at profit from a sound base, and boron are at luxury levels in the plants, the plants to build natural capital. That natural are packed solid full of sugars, not urea-induced capital will carry you through the water. When stock eat the forage, baled or not, they respond with extra weight gain or milk, and they eat less of it.

The farming ‘system’ is heavily geared to production. In general, the Government, universities, DairyNZ, Beef + lamb NZ, Fonterra and consultants peddle what is good for the industry; not what is good for the individual farmer.

Quality is neglected in favour of quantity; its farming by numbers; 0800 UREA or 0800 PKE. Urea was first used in NZ in 1979, Palm Kernel Extract about 2000. Animal health has since declined and veterinary costs have increased.

The top infant formula in the world is the NZ Dairy Goat Co-op. They banned PKE about five years ago because it degraded the milk. Also, the PKE farms’ return for supplements fed was well short of the return experienced by non-PKE farms that used local grain instead.

It’s really very simple. Cows are designed to consume pasture. Change the input, and the output changes. Both urea and PKE are in the ‘addiction’ class, a substitute for reality.

Currently I farm drystock, but I used to be very involved with dairying. Production was never chased; only profit.

A while back, the payout was around the $3.60$6.60 kg/ms mark. Interest rates hit 22.5 per cent, but capital reduction of the mortgage took first

The solid oats on the right will dry down faster and contain more nutrition and be heavier than the hollow oats on the left. preference every month, rain, hail or snow. When the money was there, the improvements were done. If it wasn’t, the farm had to wait. When the season went our way, the return on total investment was up to 13 per cent. When they didn’t, as in the 2004/2005 floods, with a 25 per cent reduction in milk solids the return was 6.5 per cent.

At that stage, the Lincoln University Dairy Unit’s best return was 6.4 per cent, but they had to produce twice as much milk per ha for that return. I left one farm with no mortgage and $0.7m in its bank account.

This year my place grossed $6700/ha with cattle and netted $3950/ha. That’s the direct costs, including making supplement using contractors and growing crops. The pasture just kept growing all through the cold winter and spring. The cattle, run at 5/ha, just got fatter and fatter. The key to good returns lies in superior soil fertility.

Quality forage

When the farmer and the contractor both know what they are doing, pasture and other crops can be baled for silage in less than 24 hours. Hay can be

Fix the soil The reality is if you want to make profit; stop buying production. Use the urea money, the PKE money, the herbicide money, the animal health money to get off the not-so-merry-goround and fix the soil. It all starts there.

For every 200kg of nitrogen applied, 400kg of lime is required to keep pH from falling. If pastures are producing 15tDM/ha, an additional 450kg of lime is required to keep pH static.

If pH drops by 0.5, milk production will decrease by three litres per cow per day. That’s huge. If you add calcium, you need to add magnesium.

Charges laid in calf cruelty case One person has been charged in relation to alleged cruelty to bobby calves, following investigations sparked by footage of calves being kicked and thrown released by animal rights groups last year.

Now the Ministry for Primary Industries has filed charges against an individual at the Huntly District Court under the Animal Welfare Act, in relation to an investigation into animal welfare offences involving bobby calves.

The investigation began in September 2015, when MPI received hours of footage containing alleged offences involving bobby calves in the Waikato region. Save

Animals From Exploitation’s head of campaigns Mandy Carter is pleased with the action.

“We welcome these charges being laid over six months after footage was received, and hope MPI will continue to pursue other incidents of animal abuse as shown in the footage.

“We also hope the judiciary will impose appropriate penalties. In the past we have seen animal abusers given little more than a slap on the wrists. “The people that abused animals to the point they were kicking and throwing them cannot be allowed to get away with it.”

tough times. With less PKE being fed this season, milk quality has increased.

Will Fonterra show some leadership and ban PKE?

SHEEP & BEEF

Page 16

Lifting of TB restrictions aids farmers Moving livestock is about to get a little easier for farmers as TB stock movement restrictions are lifted and testing requirements reduced in many parts of the country.

The changes have come about because the farming industry’s investment in the eradication of the disease bovine tuberculosis is proving to be effective, says Michelle Edge, who is chief executive officer of OSPRI, the organisation charged with managing the disease.

“The progress of OSPRI’s TBfree programme is a credit to farmers and the industry and government

organisations that are shareholders and investors in the TBfree programme and is another step towards New Zealand becoming TB-free.”

Since 2011, OSPRI’s TBfree programme has eradicated TB, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium bovis, from 1.2 million hectares and infected herds are down to 35 – a huge decrease from nearly 1700 in 1994.

The reductions to disease control areas affects 5.3 million hectares and nearly 10,000 herds, resulting in 500,000 fewer TB tests and the changes are effective from March 1.

Farmers in regions where movement control areas have been removed will benefit from the freedom to move stock without

any pre-movement tests, or from significantly less TB tests as special testing area requirements are reduced.

Michelle says as OSPRI’s work proves successful in each area, disease control areas are reviewed based on detailed scientific analysis and data modelling. Accordingly, where TB eradication targets have been met the testing requirements are reduced.

The plan for how OSPRI manages TB is likely to change from July 1, 2016, after a recent review of the National Pest Management Plan. A proposal in response to the review was developed by an independent group comprising key investors and stake-

TB testing requirements are likel reduced for some New Zealand y to be farmers. holders of both industry and government.

This process included scientific modelling, a review of operational outcomes and a full public consultation process. The review established that eradication of TB is achievable. The proposal is currently with the Minister for Primary Industries for approval.

Cobalt deficiency serious problem in sheep Cobalt is required by ruminants for the synthesis of vitamin B12 – cobalamin – by the ruminal microflora.

Thus, a diet deficient in cobalt causes a secondary deficiency in B12 which is required for the metabolism of propionic acid by the liver for energy production.

This leads to reduced appetite and subsequent ‘ill thrift’ – the generic condition in which production and growth are impaired in affected animals. B12 is also used for the metabolism of some sulphur containing amino acids which are then used for wool growth.

The concentration of cobalt in crops and forages is highly variable and

depends on a variety of factors including soil concentration, plant species rate of growth, soil pH and drainage. Soils are generally considered deficient in cobalt if they contain less than two parts per million.

Widely distributed

Cobalt deficient soils are widely distributed across the globe and thus the condition affects sheep internationally.

Incidence is generally higher in coastal areas hence its common name, ‘Coastal disease’.

Sheep are most susceptible to cobalt/ cobalamin deficiency but cattle, goats and deer can also be affected. This may

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be partly due to their use of it in optimal wool growth. Growing lambs are most likely to be clinically affected as their requirements are highest.

Pre-ruminant animals have a low requirement for cobalt due to their reliance on glucose as an energy source, rather than propionate, thus the condition is rarely seen in those younger than five weeks. B12 is also present in large amounts in colostrum but far less in milk.

Retarded growth, muscular weakness, anaemia, ketosis, poor fleece and poor body condition score are the non-specific hallmarks of the deficiency, usually seen in lambs. A mild conjunctivitis is also common. Anaemia develops and may be clinical in severe cases. Deficiency in pregnant sheep has been associated with poor milk production and high lamb mortality.

As many cases are multi-factorial and ‘ill thrift’ is very non-specific in its presentation, diagnosis is difficult.

History or identification of low soil cobalt content of poor clover growth may raise suspicion or predict the onset of an outbreak. Cobalt and vitamin B12 can both be measured in serum.

Affected animals are often anaemic but this may not always be evident on routine blood screens. Liver enzymes GGT and AST are also often raised.

Diagnosis can be made, perhaps most accurately, by response to treatment, ideally as a controlled trial with an un-supplemented group from the same population as a comparison.

Cobalt can be supplemented by spraying pastures and, or, top dressing with cobalt salts. This can be performed prior to the turnout of sheep and lambs.

Vitamin B12 can also be given as individual injections.

Monitoring/testing and management of soil and forage cobalt content is the foundation for prevention of deficiency with appropriate supplementation measures implemented both in the short and longer term if pasture cannot be manipulated.

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Are stock drowning in worm tsunami?

Traditional drenching practices to remove parasitic worms from your stock only ensures they’re worm-free for a short period of time.

Within a few days they will start accumulating new worm infections and eventually need to be bought back into the yards and drenched again.

No one wants to have to drench stock more than necessary.

In most situations a 28-day drench interval will minimise the impact of worms on animal health and reduce the selection for drench resistant worms.

In reality, the actual frequency stock require drenching is going to be determined by how quickly they are picking up worm infections.

If pastures are ‘wormy’ then they pick up infections quickly and require more drenching. A combination of variables will contribute to the level of larval challenge on pastures at any one time, including: season, temperature, humid-

ity, type of parasite, grazing history, time since last grazing, pasture species, stock age, etc.

Autumn climatic variables come together in a way that is highly favourable for worm development and survival. This can result in a ‘tsunami’ of infective larvae on pasture that if not correctly managed can quickly overcome grazing stock.

Sometimes this can mean the ‘normal’ four weeks between drench treatments is too long.

If you have stock that start to show signs of ill-thrift – reduced live-weight gains, dagging, lethargy, etc – three weeks after being treated with an effective drench, then it is possible they are grazing pastures with very high larval challenges.

Importantly, in these situations waiting until four weeks has passed before re-drenching the mob can result in reduced animal health and production. Always drench when the evidence suggest parasites are limiting animal performance, which sometimes means at intervals less than 28 days.

If you are struggling to get four weeks between drenches, then you need to

look at reducing larval challenge on pastures. Central to any plan to reduce pasture larval challenges is to always use effective drenches.

Using ineffective drenches not only reduces the time it takes animals to build up worm burdens, it also increases the buildup of drench resistant parasites on pastures.

A well-managed parasite control programme will reduce larval challenge and the development of drench resistance.

Page 17

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Buying bulls workshop topic How to buy the best bulls for your farming operation is the subject of a Beef + Lamb workshop in May. Beef + Lamb is hosting a bull-buying workshop at Ngakuru, Rotorua, on May 4, from 10am-3pm.

Targeted at the commercial bull buyer and facilitated

by B+LNZ Genetics, the workshop is designed to help farmers make good decisions about bull-buying to add value to their farming system.

Key steps to be covered: • Setting a breeding objective.

• Choosing a bull breeder that

matches that objective.

• Using genetic information to assess sale bulls.

• Using physical information to assess sale bulls.

• Settling your new purchase in and ensuring he is annually evaluated for breeding soundness.

The day includes practical live cattle demonstrations and mock helmsman auction. Lunch is supplied by AngusPure beef and as spaces are limited, registrations essential. For more information, email Andrew J olly (B+LNZ)andrew.jolly@ beeflambnz.com or call him on 027 5568 836.

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Page 18

Don’t climb the mountain – use the tunnel!

With the recent announcement of a payout drop, it seems farmers have to bite the bullet to keep Fonterra viable. If that sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been here before.

Cast your mind back to May 2008, the season where Fonterra announced the payout to Farmers at 7.50 per kilogram of milk solids. Back then a farmer could bank on that payout, which enabled him to make plans and commit the coming cash surplus to projects and investments.

Then in November that same year, Fonterra took back $2 kg/ms, leaving an adjusted payout of $5.50 kg/ms. Why? Because their financial position didn’t look too good. That 27 per cent drop in income forced farmers to go to their banks to finance the projects they had committed to just a few months earlier.

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The effects of that 27 per cent financial back-track is still showing in farming balance sheets today. My own farming enterprise suffered a $400,000 hit that season.

But there were other challenges that year.

The housing and sharemarket crash and the drought of 2008 combined with the payout drop formed a perfect storm. Many progressive farmers got hammered and were made to look naive and reckless in front of their bank managers.

That experience changed everything for me. I began to trust outside institutions – like banks and Fonterra – less.

Believing Fonterra would turn farmers into peasants, I began formulating my farming

exit strategy. We started selling off non-income-producing assets, which included two lifestyle blocks.

Scary decision

One of these properties was our pride and joy home of 10 years. The other was a new lifestyle block next door. In a falling market, dropping these very personal assets was a scary thing to do.

Armed with expert advice, we foresaw the coming market fall and sold two months ahead of the crash. This grabbed the attention of interested parties who thought they were getting a bargain.

Selling in a lower market isn’t easy to do.

But if you think selling at a reduced price is a bad idea, try calculating the interest payments for the next nine months; you might see that selling at a lower price is a better option than keeping it.

Of course, after selling the market kept dropping which made us thankful for our decisions. Within six months we then began our exit strategy, which ended in the family farm being sold at the peak of the market in June 2014.

Having been through this experience, what advice would I now give to people in this very daunting position? I would say: Go into survival mode. To get through this, you cannot afford to be emotional about your position or the assets you have accumulated.

In this fight for survival, here are your best weapons: 1. Get the best advice and support you

can – from your partner, your family, and your friends. Make use of older farmers, even retired ones. They’ve survived tough times before and know what it takes to come out the other side.

2. Seek people outside the bank to help with cashflow and verifying your real position.

Remember, banks will protect their assets first, which is the money they have loaned you.

That means their interests and ideas may conflict with yours.

Use an independant financial person; make them part of your survival team.

Survival mode

So eight years later, the bad cycle is back. If Sue and I had stayed milking our 500 cows, it would be like climbing a mountain that has no peak, no end in sight.

But we didn’t climb. Some journeys just aren’t worth travelling.

I’m on a better path now and enjoying it.

But here’s the thing; when I left the farm, I had no map with me. I wasn’t certain about where I was going or how things would turn out. We just made the best decisions we could and made it through.

If you think it would help, don’t hesitate to ring me for a talk. I have been where you are and I can tell you there is a way through.

Maybe it’s taking the tunnel instead of climbing that mountain.

David Law, managing director, Forward Farming Consultancy. Email: david@forwardfarming.co.nz or phone 0274 909896.

DAIRY

How fast is it getting worse? And how is it affecting Maori, with all that under-utilised land?

Those were among the questions posed at the recent Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities two-day conference in Rotorua to bring their people and other iwi up-to-date with the global situation, and to share their views on what is, or what’s not, happening here in climate action and mitigation. A very interesting second day gave much food for thought.

Dr Sam Dean of NIWA sopke of the extreme rainfall and drought events in New Zealand since 2011, and the likelihood that these will become not one-in-100year events, but much more frequent.

He also showed the results of the Argo satellite measurements of ocean acidification, collected since 2006, showing wide pink areas where this is worst, much of it is south of Australia and both sides of New Zealand.

This is already affecting our aquaculture industries, and we are now collaborating with the USA where the same problems occur, and getting good baseline data from this work.

Absorption effect A new NIWA project is measuring actual CO2 in the air at different heights to accurately calculate the absorption effect of forest sinks, and quoted levels of 314 immediately above local forests and 396 at the top of Rainbow Mountain. To date, these have only been estimated by the Ministry for the Environment.

Professor David Hamilton advised Rotorua’s lakes, along with all those worldwide, actually take up more CO2 each than the ocean, but so far these have not been included in global inventories.

Also lakes are warming faster than air temperatures.

Although our lakes were not warming until two years ago, they are now reaching temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius. Such events used to be caused only by volcanic eruptions, but now are because of land use change.

Erick Brenstrum of the Metservice showed records of huge and long-lasting snowfalls here between 1878 and 1939, none of which have occurred in the last 60 years.

He also talked about a cyclone which visited NZ in 1936 and caused untold damage. Although there might be the same number of storms they are much worse – Category 4 or 5 hurricanes.

Increasing temperatures causes greater condensation, and when this precipitates it releases huge amounts of heat which make the storms worse.

Chris Insley from the Maori unit at Waikato University claims existing government efforts are short-term, narrowly focused and reward the polluters.

Buying cheap overseas carbon credits reduces the price of carbon to well below that involved in forest planting, and Maori have suffered huge losses as a result.

3D printers

The result of net deforestation has been bolstered by the ‘2 for 1’ subsidy to industry in the Emissions Trading Scheme, minimising any effort to reduce emissions.

He calls for a quick end to this, and also for agriculture to be included in the ETS to make the scheme effective and fair.

Scion CEO Dr Warren Parker says forest planting need to take advantage of the new uses for wood fibres, including reinforced plastics, biomaterials and wood fibre use in 3D printers, used to create whole buildings and motor parts.

On current progression there could be 70 days or more where the temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius and more frequent droughts of at least a month, while there would be less rain in winter and more intense, rain in summer. The latter could cause more soil loss.

If, as described by many speakers, the process of warming is speeding up, one wonders when real adaptation will get underway in New Zealand, and what part Maori, and their land, will play in the process.

Sue Edmonds

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Climate change – a Maori view

Page 19

DAIRY

Page 20

Like selling ice blocks to broke Eskimos One of the few positives for dairy farmers this season has been the unprecedented grass growth – in fact many have so much grass it’s an embarrassment.

What was predicted to be a summer drought from hell instead turned out to be one of the best growing seasons we’ve had in a very long time. If we’d had a drought, coupled with the dramatic drop in payout, farmers would have been hurting even more than they are now.

While we are pleased for farmers that the drought didn’t eventuated – for our business the combination of reduced incomes and lots of grass means selling maize silage this season has been like trying to sell ice blocks to Eskimos who have no money.

In the last few weeks we’ve been talking to hundreds of farmers throughout the North Island and many of them are facing real hardship.

The reality is they are working just as hard, if not harder than ever, and their fixed costs are just as high – but each day they are earning less.

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The current situation is especially hard on sharemilkers who’ve recently entered the industry, or have borrowed heavily to increase their herd size and buy the machinery needed to do their jobs. It is to be hoped farm owners are willing and able to help them where they can, so these young people can continue in farming.

Definite future

Well established farmers have experienced similar hard times, either financial or climatic, in the past and while it’s never easy, they have come through.

As rural contractors we’ve been there too, however, if you are new to the industry it may be hard to see a future – but there is definitely one.

It’s not all doom and gloom out there.

As with almost any adversity, there are opportunities as well – it’s a matter of looking for them.

The dairy industry which emerges from this downturn will undoubtedly be more efficient, cost-effective and resilient.

The most important things at first are to get good advice from people you trust, including other farmers, and most of all keep talking to your banks and accountants. It may be possible to get some relief on provisional tax payments so check that out.

Look carefully at your farming systems and reassess all costs. There will be areas where you can make savings but cheapest is not always the best. If you

are buying in feed, make sure it is the best quality because cheap feed that you don’t know the feed analysis of could be of little benefit to your cows.

Consider pasture renewal too. Sure there’s costs involved in preparation, fertiliser and seed, but good quality pasture come spring will pay you back in healthy, well-producing cows. The same is true when finding offfarm grazing for your cows.

Check out the quality of the pasture as poor, rank pasture is probably going to cost as much as good pasture, with a much poorer outcome. We have good quality pasture available for grazers so give us a call.

If you have assets such as a run-off or even a holiday property, this might be the time to consider selling them to free up some capital – and lease or rent instead.

Time out

It’s tough to have worked so hard to get where you are and then have to sell assets but the length of time this dairy downturn has gone on, and the very real likelihood it won’t improve for another 12 months, means steps have to be taken to enable you to stay farming.

While you are looking after your business, you also need to look after yourself and your family.

Take time out from the farm, talk about your concerns, don’t bottle them up and remember the Rural Support Trust has experienced people who understand farming you can call to talk to – phone 0800 787 254.

Te Radar and ‘Goodboy’ on patrol

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Comedian Te Radar has joined the fight to protect New Zealand’s borders, in a new inflight biosecurity video aimed at arriving international passengers.

Te Radar is the voice of the animated beagle character called ‘Officer Goodboy’ in the video, which has been translated into seven languages, including a

dubbed-over Chinese version.

The Ministry for Primary Industries-produced video aims to get passengers to declare or dispose items that pose a biosecurity risk to NZ. “It’s very important to educate travellers from overseas on how important biosecurity is to New Zealand, and the importance of declaring

risk items,” says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. “This aims to grab people’s attention and deliver a serious message at the same time, often at the end of a long, tiring flight.”

The ‘Officer Goodboy’ video can be viewed on YouTube at https:// www.youtube.com/ watch?v=1zZv9O7Y60k

DAIRY

Page 21

Elder abuse in farming? Yes – it happens With my work I’m increasingly seeing children demanding cash and or money from their parents – now.

Given the average age of farmers is my age, I thought a ‘heads-up’ might be advisable.

The ‘abuse’ I talk of is often around money, but not necessarily. If I give a few examples, plus an explanation, you may get an ‘aha’ moment.

A senior couple were leasing their farm to their family. I was asked to “discuss/ assist/help” with getting the rent up.

It was one-third of what the market rent was. Some advantages to family is accepted, but this was blatant. As soon as I suggested what it should be, I was yelled down and virtually chased out of the house by the kids. Don’t forget there are taxation issues here too.

A family member moving in with mum and dad or onto the farm and occupying the spare cottage.

Then writing cash cheques out to cash for themselves, much to their parents’ amazement.

The Police got involved and said they could do nothing as it was a civil matter.

Aging parents relying on family to manage their money being refused hearing aids by the kids. “It’s a waste of money as dad will be dead soon.”

Mum is a widow, wanting to upgrade a substandard beach cottage. She has enough money but the kids did not want her to spend “their money” upgrading her beach bach, and she was a sprightly 65-year-old.

Parents forming trusts and leaving family as trustees and beneficiaries. How could that possibly work? Only to find the lawyer was “friends” with the kids and a trustee and they were all ganging up on dad.

Son is farming close by, taking dad’s well maintained tractor, mowers etc,

wrecking them, then leaving the equipment at their farm for dad to collect and repair.

Family not paying interest on loans or rent to the parents on land occupied.

Dad making all his five kids trustees of a large trust.

I could go on…

The key issues are: • It is better not to have your children as trustees of the trust they will be beneficiaries of.

• Find some independent trustees.

• Lawyers do not make the best trustees, as they won’t make objective decisions.

• Stand up to your trust beneficiary kids and tell them point blank it is yours until you both are gone and then, and only then, will they get control or get money.

• If you do not leave them anything in your will for any reason, make sure you write a brief explanation for your reasons and logic.

As an example; a farmer left all his assets to the dog pound and nothing to his only daughter. Obviously, she challenged the will but it stated quite clearly she had never been to see him in the previous 20 years, let alone the last few in a resthome. It was all set out in a letter attached to his will. The judge threw the appeal out.

So, in summary, these are just some examples that might make you think about how you set things up.

• Have good records.

• Formalise family leases and loans.

Any documentation is better than nothing.

Healthy queens vital for beehives New Zealand honey bee population is growing, despite the fact queen problems are at the heart of bee health issues.

The Ministry for Primary Industries and the beekeeping industry have released findings of the inaugural NZ Colony Loss and Survival Survey which demonstrates New Zealand honey bee loss is low on an international scale.

Queen problems are the main contributing factor to the honey bee losses, which averaged 10.73 per cent during the 2015 winter season. This

is because “a well-mated healthy queen drives the reproduction and growth of the colony”, according to the report.

Starvation is the most common cause for colony loss. Weak, unhealthy, and sick bees are less likely to survive wintering, which leads to losses of entire colonies.

The parasitic varroa mite is also one of the biggest challenges to the health of the bee population.

Evidence of the mite ranged from 72.7 per cent in Marlborough/Nelson/ West Coast area to 28 per cent in Otago/Southland

– which is the last region of NZ to be infested by varroa.

Agcarm chief executive Mark Ross says the survey is critical “not only because it informs us on bee health, but because it allows us to make better choices to protect our bee population and to track changes on colony loss and survival for the future”.

• Have a proper will with good detail.

• Get a ‘list of wishes’ written to go with your trust document.

• Focus down on this stuff, as failure will see your affairs in tatters after you’ve gone.

• Pretend you have died, now look back and try to imagine how it might look!

Scary eh?

Disclaimer – These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance.

Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is the Principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the Farming Industry. Contact him on 0800 777 675 or 021 777 675 A disclosure document is available on request.

DAIRY

Page 22

PKE digestibility is 50 -60% Palm Kernel digestibility is lower than some feeds such as spring pasture, maize silage or maize grain, due to the low digestibility of the fibre fraction of PKE, says DairyNZ scientist Dr Jane Kay. “When evaluating the ‘quality’ of a particular feed for dairy cows, Metabolisable Energy – known as ME – not digestibility – is the most important measure.

This is because, in the vast majority of situations, ME is the primary factor limiting milk production in grazing dairy cows,” says Jane.

ME is the amount of energy left over after some of the Digestible Energy – referred to as DE – is lost in faeces, urine and methane. ME is the energy used by the cow for maintenance, activity, milk production, pregnancy and weight gain.

With an estimated nutritive value of about 11 MJ ME (megajoules of metabolisable energy), palm kernel is a reasonable quality feed for dairy cows when short of pasture.

Estimates for PKE digestibility in a cow’s rumen range from 50 per cent to 60 per cent.

“However, this does not accurately portray the nutritive value of PKE for dairy cows as the digestibility of the fat and protein fraction of PKE is high.

Estimates conservative

“ME is, as commented above, the correct measure to determine the quality of feed. While there is no equation to accurately determine the ME value for PKE, estimates provided by laboratories in New Zealand and the USA indicate ME to be about 11 MJ ME which is comparable to good quality pasture silage.”

But Jane says the findings from two recent research studies (see references below) suggest that the ME estimate for PKE may be conservative, as PKE was found to be more efficient for body condition score gain and for milk production in late lactation cows compared with other feeds such as maize or pasture.

“PKE provides dairy cows with a source of energy, fat, protein and fibre and based on the research to date is a cost effective supplement (cents/MJ ME) to use during periods of feed deficit for BCS gain and milk production.

No transition

“It is low in starch, thus there is no risk of acidosis when it is introduced into a pasture-based diet. Consequently, there is no need for a transition period as is the case with high starch supplements such as maize grain, barley or wheat.”

However, Jane says when feeding PKE as a supplementary feed, farmers do need to be aware of the following: • PKE contains no effective fibre so it needs to be fed with a long chop forage – for example, pasture or maize silage.

• PKE contains high levels of copper. However, these do not exceed daily requirements of the dairy cow.

• PKE contains high levels of phosphorous. If cows are prone to milk fever, the use of PKE prior to calving should be limited.

Jane is unaware of any studies studies into the effects on effluent ponds of effluent produced by cows fed on PKE. “I can’t see the impact of PKE on effluent is any different than other feeds of similar digestibility – for example, hay and summer pastures.”

The two papers Jane reference to on recent New Zealand studies on PKE are: Mandok et al., 2015. Efficiency of use of metabolizable energy for body weight gain in pasture-based, non-lactating dairy cows. ‘Journal of Dairy Science 2015’.Kay et al., 2016. Effect of PKE on milksolids production in late lactation cows, ‘DairyNZ Technical Series March 2016’.

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DAIRY

Page 23

Pure dicalcium phosphate fertiliser may be ‘game-changer’ Ca; and is pH neutral or only mildly acid, depending on lime quality and quantity mixed in.

I’m sometimes asked by farmers what I think about dicalcium phosphate fertilisers.

My response has normally been I have no issue with them as far as their agronomic performance goes.

Burned limes

However, most dicalcium phosphate fertilisers work out to be about 25-30 per cent more expensive per unit of phosphate and calcium compared to applying superphosphate and lime separately. So I have struggled to justify their use economically. Whether there are situations where dicalcium phosphates outperform equivalent amounts of nutrients applied as super and lime separately is debatable.

One of the arguments put forward by advocates is that because of the high acidity of superphosphate (1.5-2 pH), the P is rapidly locked up by the aluminium around the fertiliser granule on high phosphate retention soils, and using a non-acidic form of phosphate avoids some of this phosphate fixation.

Also it is claimed the stable tri-valent aluminium abundant in all soils changes around the fertiliser granule from the very acid superphosphate into a phytotoxic mono valent or divalent form of aluminium around plant roots, which does not happen when using dicalcium phosphate.

Sparing effect There is also science which shows lime has a phosphate sparing-effect on some soils, and when using dicalcium phosphate on these soils not as much overall P is required to get the same pasture growth compared to superphosphate.

There are a number of different fertiliser companies selling dicalcium phosphate fertilisers such as Avoca, Fertilisers Direct and Parker Lime in Northland, Terracare in Te Awamutu, Fertco at the Mount, Rorisons in the King Country, Hatuma from Wairarapa, and both Ballance and Ravensdown sell their own dicalcium phosphate fertilisers.

Traditionally, dicalcium phosphate fertilisers in NZ are lime-reverted superphosphates, where a 1:1 blend of lime and superphosphate are mixed together and wetted so a chemical reaction occurs and the blend cooks up, reverts, hardens and cools over several weeks and is then crushed and screened.

The once acid superphosphate (monocalcium phosphate) with about nine per cent P and 20 per cent Ca becomes about 4.5 per cent P and 26-28 per cent

Some companies use burned limes to revert the superphosphate faster or use triple super (20.5 per cent P 14 per cent Ca) in the blend to increase the total P content of the fertiliser. Some are semigranulated and others are a combination of larger lumps and fine material and the price differences and quality from the companies vary, each maintaining that theirs has a superior advantage in some particular way.

For me, price per unit of element is probably the most important factor to consider and compared to super and lime applied separately, they don’t stack up.

However, there are two non-superphosphate options that are very competitively priced, high analysis feed grade dicalcium phosphate products of which few farmers are aware.

The first is alamin – also known as Phoscal – which is 15 per cent P and 30 per cent Ca which used to be sold for about $1500-2000/tonne, but dropped to $450/tonne at the same time superphosphate doubled in price to about $480/tonne in 2008.

from ingesting recently applied superphosphate is actually the high fluoride content in phosphate rock material causing fluorosis of the liver in animals which can be fatal.

This pure dicalcium phosphate product will be very appealing to hill country farmers in particular as a phosphate and liming material all-in-one, where its high analysis means significantly lower cartage and spreading costs.

In my 27 years of providing independent soil consultancy work to farmers I haven’t come across such a product before that has the potential of becoming a real game-changer in the fertiliser industry as farmers get to learn about it.

Robin Boom

CPAg MBSPC

Independent Agronomy & Soil Fertility Consultant

Robin Boom CPAg, Member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists Mobile: 0212684615 Email: agronomics@xtra.co.nz

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Extreme fineness

I had a number of clients who used alamin that year, although it does have spreading issues due to its extreme fineness. It is down to 12 microns in particle size – four times finer than lime flour which is typically around 50 microns – so the only way of getting it applied onto farms was by mixing it with water and spraying on with flood jets, or through a Cyclone sprayer or using a Tow & Fert machine.

Some biological farmers who have specialised spray systems still use alamin as a phosphorous and calcium source.

Alamin (Phoscal) is currently just under $700/tonne.

Within the last month I’ve learned of an importer of pure dicalcium phosphate (18 per cent P, 28 per cent Ca) which has a pH around nine which is extremely competitively priced working out about 15-20 per cent cheaper than superphosphate landed on farms and about 40-45 per cent cheaper than other dicalcium phosphates per unit of P. This too is feed grade quality with no rock base, and consequently has no nasty heavy metals like cadmium and only 0.4 per cent fluoride so stock will not get phosphate poisoning from eating it if on pasture – because so-called phosphate poisoning of stock

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DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

Page 24

Waikato winners’ efficiency focus on dairying The major winners in the 2016 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards are heading dairy farming operations with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and profitability.

Bobby and Jade Millner are the 2016 Waikato Share Farmers of the Year, Leyton Evans is the 2016 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year and Chris Ferguson is 2016’s Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Bobby and Jade Millner aim to operate a sustainable, profitable and compliant dairy farm business that benefits all parties.

“One of our strengths is our focus on low-cost pas-

DeLaval are proud to sponsor the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards

Year, Leyton Evans, enjoys the co-operative ture first, as well as operating a sustainable nature and efficient farming system of the and profitable business.” dairy property he is managing.

The couple, aged 27 and 26, is in their “As we run an efficient system it keeps third season 50 per cent sharemilking 265 everyone aware of what needs to be achieved cows for Jim and Judy Barrett at Morrinand keeps everysville. They won thing on track.” $13,800 in prizes.

Leyton is a farm “Our strengths manager on Graeme complement each and Rebecca Daviother well and we son’s 685-cow farm take charge of our on the outskirts of own areas while Hamilton City. He still consulting one won $12,550 in another,” the couple prizes. Leyton says say. the farm is one of Bobby takes charge three that are part of livestock, farm environment, dairy Waikato Dairy Industry Award winners: of Moeraki Farms.

“I believe this is a hygiene, and health Chris Ferguson, Bobby strength, as it creates and safety while Jade and Jade Millner and Leyton Evans. a co-operative work– who will complete a ing team environment which makes it an Bachelor of Business majoring in accounting enjoyable place to work.” this year – is responsible for pasture, finan“My ambitions are to go 50 per cent cials, human resources and calf-rearing. sharemilking 250 cows in 2017 and within Their goal is to progress to a larger sharethree years progress to a larger sharemilking milking position in the next year. “We want position, and then on to farm ownership.” to build enough equity to allow us to be in The 2016 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the the position to enter into an equity partnerYear, Chris Ferguson, was encouraged to ship or land ownership within 10 years.” enter the competition for the first time by his The 2016 Waikato Dairy Manager of the

boss, who is a Primary ITO tutor and training advisor.

“I thought it would be a really beneficial experience, that it would be good for networking and good for future employment opportunities.”

Chris, aged 20, is currently second-incharge on Alan Rogers’ Otorohanga farm milking 600 cows. He won $6050 in prizes.

He has a farming background and left school in Year 13 to go full-time dairy farming and has quickly progressed. He’s in his third season and is training to become the farm’s manager.

The Waikato Dairy Industry Awards field day is on April 6 on the Morrinsville farm where Share Farmers of the Year Bobby and Jade Millner, sharemilk.

Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year Leyton Evans, Dairy Trainee of the Year Chris Ferguson, as well as the 2011 New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year Jason and Lisa Suisted. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

The benefits of entering more than once

Congratulations to all the finalists and award winners

All three major winners in the 2016 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards have entered the awards previously, enjoying the experience and gaining from the ability to make personal and business improvements.

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ship with Ross’ parents, Jim and Helen Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year, and Olivia Wade is Central Plateau Shaw, on a 500-cow Reporoa property.

Dairy Trainee of the Year for 2016.

It’s the third time Ross and Karla Shaw, and Olivia Wade, have entered the awards, and is the second time for Leighton Swan.

“Entering the awards has given us an in-depth analysis of all our farm systems, great feedback from the judges and networking opportunities within the industry,” say the Shaws.

Central Plateau Dairy Industry awards “The awards had helped me winners are from left: Olivia Wade, Karla identify where I can improve in and Ross Shaw and Leighton Swan. the business and I’ve found the process of preparing for the judgAged 33 and 32, the couple has ing presentation beneficial,” says Ross. been in the position since 2010 and Olivia used the awards for experience aim to increase their share in the farm and to enhance her skillset.

The 2016 Central Plateau Share Farm- to 40 per cent in the short-term and ultimately take full ownership in the ers of the Year Ross and Karla Shaw are property, called Sangro Farm.

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Page 25

Profit over production BOP winners’ aim The 2016 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards winners back the dairy industry to increase productivity using the best farm practices and techniques.

“The dairy industry is continually coming up with innovative ways to use resources more Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry awards winners efficiently so that our dairy is are from left: Michael Simpson, Glen and sustainable, which can lower our Donna Sparrow and Thomas Chatfield. environmental footprint and give New Zealand’s milk a competiover production. “Focusing on profit tive edge,” say 2016 Bay of Plenty Share increases your awareness of costs and Farmers of the Year Glen and Donna stock requirements, ensuring stock are Sparrow. well cared for and in good condition.

The other major winners are Thomas “It also means we use existing resources Chatfield, who is the 2016 Bay of to their full potential, especially pasPlenty Dairy Manager of the Year, and tures.”

Michael Simpson, who is 2016’s Bay of It’s two out of two for 2016 Bay Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year. of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year Glen and Donna say their goal is to Thomas Chatfield. create profitable and sustainable shareIn 2013 the former physiotherapist milking businesses that provide them entered and won the region’s Dairy with a good income and ensure financial Trainee of the Year title and went on to security for their family. place second in the national competiThe couple, aged 38 and 35, and with tion. This year he’s won $7750 in prizes. four children, is currently contract milkThomas, aged 30, says the awards give ing 450 cows for Craig and Marianne him an opportunity to assess how he Hammond at Whakatane. They won is progressing. He’s the farm manager $13,000 in prizes. for Bruce and Judy Woods on their They were third in the Dairy Manager 500-cow Whakatane property and is competition last year and say the awards also positioning himself for his next have raised their profile, increased their opportunity. knowledge, tested their skills, provided “I want to build my assets to one day own a farm.” networking opportunities, pushed their The 2016 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee personal boundaries and given them of the Year Michael Simpson is passionrecognition. ate about his dairy farming work and The Sparrows say their strengths are their personnel and their focus on profit seeks to make a difference.

“I’m always looking for ways that things on-farm could be done better or easier and am always willing to try new things. I enjoy learning and gaining knowledge on all things farming related.”

The 20-year-old is currently second-in-charge on Eddie and Kath Lambert’s 450-cow farm at Whakatane. He won $4550 in prizes.

“A big benefit of entering the awards is I can list on my CV that I have competed and previously progressed to the finals. Any future employers would look at this and make the assumption that I’m passionate about the industry and my career.”

The Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards field day is on April 5 on the Whakatane farm where Share Farmers of the Year, Glen and Donna Sparrow, contract milk.

Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year Thomas Chatfield, and Dairy Trainee of the Year Michael Simpson, as well as the region’s 2000 Sharemilkers of the Year Di and Colin Wilson. Further details on winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

Reporoa farm field day The Shaws, who were runners-up in the competition last year, won $18,700 in prizes.

The 2016 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year Leighton Swan plans to work his way to farm ownership before retiring on his own drystock farm.

Aged 32, Leighton has been in the industry for 15 years and has spent the last two seasons managing the 940-cow Mangakino farm owned by the Wairarapa Moana Incorporation. It’s the first time he’s farmed outside of Taranaki, his home region. He won $11,200 in prizes.

“A real strength at Wairarapa Moana is the support given, both in terms of professional development and mentoring. Mangakino is also a great community to be involved with personally.”

Olivia, aged 23, won $7850 in prizes and is employed on her parents Nigel and Suzanne Wade’s Atiamuri farm. She’s been dairy farming for three years and is focused on gaining more knowledge and experience to assist in her career plans to progress to contract milking and lower order sharemilking.

“I’m working towards gaining my New Zealand Diploma in Agribusiness through Primary ITO, having

gained my human resources paper and I’m also working towards my business management paper.”

The Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards field day is on April 7 on the Reporoa farm where Share Farmers of the Year Ross and Karla Shaw, equity manage.

Also presenting at the field day will be the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year Leighton Swan, Dairy Trainee of the Year Olivia Wade, as well as the region’s 2008 Sharemilker of the Year Bryan Gibson. Further details on the winners and the field day can be found www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

Thriving together

Bay of Plenty Regional Council congratulates the 2016 Dairy Industry Awards winners.

They’re helping to care for the region’s soil and water. You can too.

Find out how you can boost on-farm productivity and keep your land and waterways healthy. Contact your local Land Management Officer: Visit www.boprc.govt.nz/contactlandmanagement Phone 0800 884 880

Page g 26

RURAL DRIVER

Journo’s hopes to make smashing news Th say a journalist’s job is to write the news They news not be the news – but come April 9, I’m hoping to make the headlines as the Baypark Speedway Demolition Ramp Derby champion.

Actually, I’m just hoping to last longer than my workmate David Tauranga who drove in last year’s event.

Now according to David, the entire field of 70 drivers ganged up on him and he was taken out in the first five minutes.

But my sources say he was just distracted and was often seen looking at himself in the mirror and hitting replay on a Justin Bieber song. Okay I’m stretching the story a little bit – there are no radios or mirrors allowed in the cars.

Whatever the case case, the challenge of driving around the track trying to take out other drivers has some appeal to me.

I’ve often wanted to do exactly that when another car has pulled out in front of me then driven 30km/h under the speed limit.

ASB Stadium Baypark will be the venue for my debut on the track – and I can’t wait.

I’ve already contacted Baypark Family Speedway promoter Bernie Gillon asking him for any tips for an enthusiastic newbie whose only thing he has in common with race car driver Greg Murphy is that we share the same first name.

His advice was simple: “Don’t get hit”. Not exactly groundbreaking news, considering I intend to cause as much havoc as possible.

If you’re interested in taking part in the event, check out their website www.bayparkspeedway. co.nz for more details.

Greg Taipari is hoping to do better behind the wheel of the SunLive car than his workmate David Tauranga did in last year’s Baypark Speedway Demolition Ramp Derby.

Greg Taipari

Local event ‘more economical’ road courses.

“Thanks must go to local residents who were very courteous to cyclists on the open roads. It is now hoped to become an annual local and international event.”

The event is organised by SportsForce Parafed development officer Carol Armstrong and Parafed Waikato board member and keen cyclist Tiffiney Perry. Bev and Dave May from Morrinsville Wheelers were the official race commissaries.

Parafed Waikato is a non-profit organisation that aims to provide opportunities and support people with physical disabilities and visual impairments to be active.

The Aciv8 series encompasses eight sports comprising of wheelchair tennis, wheelchair rugby, powerchair football, boccia, shooting, bowls, cycling and goalball.

Following several years at Hampton Downs and Pukekohe Raceway, Activ8 Paracycling is hoped to become an annual local and international event hosted by Parafed Waikato.

Parafed Waikato held its fourth annual Activ8 Paracycling event on March 5-6, with individual entries in the Time Trial and Road Race events on local Te Kowhai roads.

Activ8 Paracycling has been held at Hampton Downs and Pukekohe Raceway for several years.

Parafed Waikato board member and keen cyclist Tiffiney Perry says now it has been decided a local event is more economical and athletes loved the new

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Page 27

Expressway final stage begins Motorists can look forward to better travel times and improved safety, with the final project of the Waikato Expressway now underway.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has turned the first sod on the 21km Hamilton Section, which is the biggest-ever roading project in the Waikato, valued at about $970 million.

AA president Trevor Follows says it’s great to see the pieces of the Waikato Expressway coming together.

“What we’re going to end up with is a four-star highway through the heart of the Waikato,” says Trevor.

“That means faster journeys, safer driving, and more

economic growth – a lot of people still don’t realise what a big win this is for the region.”

Once complete, the project will reduce travel times between Auckland and south of Cambridge by up to 35 minutes, and Trevor says it represents excellent reinvestment of fuel tax revenue.

“It’s great to see the petrol tax and road user charges paid by AA Members and all motorists going towards projects that benefit the whole network.

“This is going to bring the different parts of the Waikato, and the upper North Island, closer together.

It’s just the sort of result we want to see from the Roads of National Significance programme.”

Both the Hamilton and Huntly Sections are due for completion in 2020, bringing construction of the Expressway to an end.

The Cambridge section of the Waikato Expressway starts south of the Tamahere interchange and runs for 16km ending around 2.5 km south of Cambridge, where it connects with SH1. It was completed in December 2015.

Strongest new registrations since 1984 Kiwi businesses and consumers continued to buy new vehicles at an unprecedented rate with 10,313 new vehicle registrations in February.

There were 7,192 passenger vehicles and 3,121 commercial vehicles sold in February 2016, and in total registrations were up 4.4 per cent on the same month last year.

Toyota was the most popular make with a 15 per cent market share, followed by Ford with 12 per cent and Holden with nine per cent.

The top three selling models were all light com-

mercial vehicles – the Ford Ranger with six per cent market share, the Toyota Hilux with four per cent and the Mitsubishi Triton with three per cent.

Passenger vehicle registrations were up 1.9 per cent and Toyota took top spot with 13 per cent market share, while the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 tied for bestselling passenger car with 236 registrations each.

Commercial vehicle registrations were up 10.6 per cent, with Ford at the top with 21 per cent market share while the Ford Ranger continued as top selling commercial model with 19 per cent.

FORESTRY

Page 28

Industry looks beyond radiata Future generations of New Zealanders may live in a patchwork landscape where several different forest species compete on the hills for growing space with the familiar pinus radiata.

PROFESSIONAL HARVESTING SYSTEMS

“Radiata is a great multi-purpose tree that grows well in many places. But it is not perfect for all growing situations or market needs. And there are obvious risks in having all our eggs in one species basket,” says Forest Owners Association research and development manager Russell Dale.

“We are therefore thrilled as an industry that the Government is joining us in the Specialty Woods Products Research Partnership. This is a major programme that will investigate new products and markets for alternative species and build the confidence of forest growers in planting those species that show promise.”

Value chain

The seven-year programme, which has an annual budget of $1.97 million, is unique in the forest industry in that it spans the value chain from the end product to the trees themselves, their genetics and how they are grown.

The Government, through the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment research partnership scheme, is matching an annual $710,000 contribution from forest growers. The balance of $550,000 is coming from the crown research institute Scion.

“The species being explored – douglas-fir, cypresses and a number of eucalypts – have been popular with farm foresters for decades and douglas fir is still planted by larger growers in cooler South Island areas. However, until now, they have not been the subject of a concerted research effort.

“Unlike radiata and to a lesser extent douglas-fir, our knowledge about growing, processing and marketing them is limited to the experience of a few keen individuals.

“We want to provide forest owners with recommendations for growing viable alternatives to radiata pine on particular classes of land. For example, eucalypts in low rainfall areas and coppicing species on steep erosion-prone hill country.

“Some of these species produce timber that is better suited than radiata to a range of applications.

For example, eucalypts with high natural strength and durability for use as posts on organic vineyards, orchards and farms; or power pole cross-arms, railway sleepers and landscaping,” says Russell.

“There are also non-durable species that are ideal for use where visual appearance is important, like joinery and flooring. There is strong demand for sustainably-grown appearance timbers both in New Zealand and internationally.”

Drying issues

The programme will also try to find answers for some of the processing and drying issues that present special challenges for some of these species.

The research will be carried out by Scion, the University of Canterbury, Marlborough Research Centre, which has considerable experience growing eucalypts in dry environments, and eight international science collaborators, with assistance from industry participants.

“We expect the success of the programme will be reflected in better returns to the growers of the 142,000ha of eucalypts, douglas-fir and cypresses already in the ground. This in turn is likely to result in a big increase in the planting of these species,” says Russell.

“There are three big long-term opportunities: naturally durable and appearance grade timbers, and the use of eucalypts to enhance the strength of radiata pine engineered wood products.

“By adding value to these species, our exporters will be able to offer a diversified product mix of timbers with superior wood properties – sustainably managed alternatives to increasingly scarce international high-value timbers like teak, rosewood and kwila.

“This in turn will result in more investment and employment in the regions.”

Be careful how you answer this A husband and wife are sitting quietly in bed reading, when the wife looks over at him and asks the question: “What would you do if I died? Would you get

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married again?”

Husband: “Definitely not!”

Wife: “Why not? Don’t you like being married?” Husband: “Of course I do..” Wife: “Then why wouldn’t you remarry?”

Husband: “Okay, okay, I’d get married again”. Wife: “You would?” (with a hurt look).

Husband: (makes audible groan).

Wife: “Would you live in our house?” Husband: “Sure, it’s a great house…”

Wife: “Would you sleep with her in our bed?”

Husband: “Where else would we sleep?”

Wife: “Would you let her drive my car?” Husband: “Probably, it is almost new”. Wife: “Would you replace my pictures with hers?” Husband: “That would seem like the proper thing to do”. Wife: “Would you give her my jewellery?” Husband: “No, I’m sure she’d want her own”.

Wife: “Would you take her golfing with you?” Husband: “Yes, those are always good times”. Wife: “Would she use my clubs?” Husband: “No, she’s left-handed”.

Wife: -- silence -- Husband: “S***!”

FORESTRY

Kinky GE laws need ironing out Forest owners say kinks in the laws covering the release of Genetically Modified Organisms need to be ironed out.

They say it’s no longer clear what’s a GMO and what’s not. Also, the decision by some regional councils to regulate GMOs in their regions is “simply unworkable”.

Forest Owners Association technical manager Glen Mackie says the Forest Owners and Farm Forestry associations have decided to support Federated Farmers’ appeal about a rule in the draft Northland Regional Plan that will allow the council to regulate GMOs in their region.

Glen says foresters also support a change to the GMO regulations to clarify the definition of a GMO. This follows a 2014 High Court decision, which changed the commonly accepted definition, making many crops and animals bred in New Zealand technically GMOs and therefore illegal. “These legal kinks have got to go,” says Glen.

“Forest owners totally accept that GMOs need to be regulated, but it needs to be the responsibility of one authority, by people with the right skills, using a risk-based definition of a GMO.” GMO orchard trees, including virusresistant papaya, are widely grown in the United States and elsewhere. But with the exception of insect-resistant poplar trees in China and eucalypts in Brazil, no GM forest trees have been released internationally for commercial use.

Complex analysis

“This will change. Sooner or later someone will come up with a straighter, stronger, faster growing pine tree – one that is sterile and doesn’t produce pollen. When that happens, the decision whether or not to release it needs to be made by people who can analyse complex scientific data,” says Glen.

“Clearly, the Environmental Protection Agency is best equipped to do this. That’s what it’s set up to do. But the Environment Court has recently decided regional councillors should also be given the power to regulate GMOs in their regions.

“This means, if a superior forest tree, a disease-resistant tamarillo, a psyllid resistant potato or drought-tolerant ryegrass that was developed using GM technology, it would need the approval of the EPA as well as each of the councils where the cultivar might be planted.”

Glen describes this as “bureaucracy gone mad”. He also scratches his head about people in the regions wanting to give this power to the same councillors they criticise for their planning and resource management decisions.

To add to the head-scratching, the definition of a GMO was been changed by a 2014 High Court decision.

“GMOs are regulated by the EPA,

which has never allowed transgenic animals or plants to be released into the environment. However, it does permit a wide range of crops – including grapes, fruit trees and grasses – to be bred using sophisticated chemical and radiation treatments,” says Glen.

“Basically, if a technique was in commercial use before 1998, the EPA has been giving it the green light. This includes those propagated and bred by tissue culture, artificial inseminaForest Owners tion, clonal Association technical propagation manager Glen Mackie. and other in-vitro treatments.

“The High Court ruling says that’s wrong. It says that unless a sophisticated breeding technique is listed as exempt in the GMO regulations, the resulting organism is a GMO.” The EPA is now proposing a change in the regulations so all organisms created using treatments in use before July 29, 1998, are not treated as GMOs. Organisms resulting from treatments developed after this date would continue to be regulated as GMOs.

More precise Glen says these changes restore the status quo. But in a submission to the EPA, the FOA argues this fails to take into account scientific progress and innovation since 1998.

“Regulation should be based on the risks posed by a technology, not how old it is. That’s illogical. Indeed, modern GMO technologies tend to be more precise and potentially pose less risk than those being used more than 18 years ago.

“Australia and the USA, two of our major trading partners, define a GMO as one created by the introduction of genetic material from an unrelated species. Such as introducing a jellyfish gene into a kumara or a human gene into a dairy cow.

“That definition needs to be adopted

by New Zealand. It’s one that I’m sure most members of the public would be comfortable with.

“Our failure to do this is already stifling innovation and in the long-term will make our exports less competitive with countries that have embraced GMOs such as Brazil, China and the United States.”

GMO orchard trees, including virusresistant papaya, are widely grown in the United States.

Glen says the forest industry has immediate use for herbicide-resistant plants, sterile plants, lignin-modified plants and disease-resistant plants. Their development is being delayed by the current legislation for no logical reason.

Page 29

Page 30

FARM REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

Turning dairy effluent into food for fish

One green bottle of ‘good’ algae – Dr Rupert Craggs, a principal scientist and manager of NIWA’s Aquatic Pollution Group, explains the workings of the algae ponds on the Noble farm.

Nature doesn’t waste a thing, and a new initiative on a Katikati farm to convert dairy effluent into fish food aims to replicate that practice.

Jointly funded by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Farming Fund, and involving NIWA and DairyNZ, the trial converts nutrients from dairy effluent into algae and zooplankton to become feed for wild fish.

BOPRC rivers and drainage manager Bruce Crabbe says the idea was inspired by the work of freshwater scientist the late Charlie Mitchell of Raglan, who was well-respected for his 40 years of freshwater fisheries research.

While spreading dairy effluent on pastures is the accepted use, nutrient leaching is still an issue – and Bruce says investigating other uses for the effluent has merit. The potential implications of this project for farmers around the country are significant, he believes.

“A successful trial will provide options for resilient and sustainable farming systems that reduce nutrient loss, improve water quality and aquatic habitats, and provide additional income from aquaculture.”

Significant benefits

The trial, which began with construction of special algae ponds mid-2015, at a cost of about $100,000, is in its early stages but should it prove successful, could see dairy farmers, aquaculturalists and the environment benefit from a new use of existing technology.

“It is still early days for the project but if everything works as it should, we expect to see improved water quality in the drainage system and an increase in numbers of fish species such as tuna (eel), inanga (whitebait), and mullet.”

In late-February an open day to outline the trial results to date was held on the Matahui Rd farm owned by Ian Noble. He was approached to allow

the trial on his property because it has on its boundaries the Aongatete Stream, two roads and kiwifruit orchards, making it effectively isolated from other dairy farms.

Bruce is pleased with the open day and the enthusiasm of visitors to the farm.

“The project is really just kicking off so we don’t have any long-term monitoring results or data to share.

But having the ponds built and some of the associated infrastructure in place meant that we could have some great in-depth conversations about what the project expects to achieve and some of the blue-sky possibilities for the technology.

“Farmers showed a natural interest in the economic possibilities around creating a feed source or energy source from the ponds or selling the products produced. While the project isn’t focused on that aspect of the process, it was great to see visitors catch on to the possibilities that open up if we can show that the technology works in this trial.”

On the Noble farm, sharemilker Andrew White milks 240 cows through a herringbone dairy and effluent is captured in an existing pond, before being irrigated on to pasture.

The project has involved the construction of two purpose-built high rate algal earth ponds into which some of the effluent is pumped. Under the oversight of NIWA, these ponds have been set up to encourage the growth of algae.

Green algae

Dr Rupert Craggs, a principal scientist and manager of NIWA’s Aquatic Pollution Group, told field day attendees that two small paddlewheels, one in each large U-shaped pond, keep the liquid moving which adds oxygen to the water and encourages the growth of ‘good’ green algae, while discouraging the growth of unwanted anaerobic algae.

During the process algae takes up ammonia, phosphorus and carbon, helping to improve water quality.

R ura l E ngi ne e ri ng Lt d Ltd

FARM REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

Page 31

Farming fish and cows a future possibility On a regular basis, the algae is pumped to small inverted funnel-shaped algal harvest ponds, where it is settled and harvested and then piped in slurry form to a separate zooplankton pond constructed within the farm drainage system.

Charlie Young, of Raglan Eels, a colleague of Charlie Mitchell and the company’s director of business management, product development, tourism and marketing, was also among experts to speak at the field day.

Charlie Mitchell, he says was a kind of “mad scientist” like Doctor Emmett Lathrop ‘Doc’ Brown in the movie ‘Back to the Future’.

Charlie was continually coming up with new ideas and finding innovative solutions to challenges, many of them driven by lack of funds.

Whitebait godfather “He was the godfather of whitebait and the first person to successfully achieve life-cycle closings of any marine migratory native fish when he spawned and reared common whitebait, banded kokopu and giant kokopu in captivity. His frustration was with the cost of imported fish food to keep the project going.”

Charlie Young says he realised dairy effluent could form a source to grow algae, and then zooplankton and suggested the idea to Charlie Mitchell, who worked on developing the concept.

On the Noble farm, algae from the ponds are piped to an existing drain, which has been cleaned and widened to create the zooplankton pond where these crustaceans feed on the algae and provide food for wild fish.

Charlie says if the trial is successful, it may open opportunities for farmers to harvest eels and whitebait for sale, or to form partnerships with fishermen who have quota to do so, bringing in another source of revenue, while reducing nitrogen leaching and making good use of dairy effluent. It may also be possible for farmers to establish fish farming ventures alongside dairying.

Two purpose-built high rate algal earth ponds on the Noble farm near Katikati are the first stage in a system to turn effluent into fish food.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s David Guccione outlines how the level control structure at the end of the zooplankton pond works.

David Guccione, of Bay of Plenty Polytehcnic, who also knew Charlie Mitchell well, was another of the experts taking part in the field day.

Fish smorgasbord He explained the workings of the control structure at the end of the zooplankton pond, where it meets the farm drain, which controls its water levels.

Screens within the structure also allow zooplankton to pass through to the drain while stopping fish, other than the occasional eel travelling overland, from entering the zooplankton pond.

Fish-friendly floodgates, at the drain’s outlet to the Aongatete River, enable native fish species to enter the farm drain. “They will find this smorgasbord of food and will come to feed.”

David says the quality of the water entering the river is high, but also rich in nutrients which fish require. Providing extra food for native fish should help boost fish stocks, something David says will be of significant benefit, in the face of declining fish number.

Further open days will be held during the coming three years of the trial.

Elaine Fisher

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 32

44 years’ service to agriculture by top company Beck Helicopters was founded in 1972 by Alan and Margaret Beck, who still actively run the company today ably assisted by family members including operations manager and pilot David Beck.

“We specialise in agricultural topdressing and spraying, but also perform firefighting and a large range of other general construction and power-line work,” says Alan.

“We currently operate three Bell Super Huey Iroquois helicopters, and a Jet Ranger, as well as a sophisticated fertiliser transporting and loading system.

“In addition to our current operational helicopter activities, we are deeply involved in the repair, maintenance and overhaul of the Huey, with a certified Pt 145 workshop.

“We employ 12 staff, and our engineering division is now operating in four continents, with our latest entry being into Africa.

“As with all companies that that have stood the test of time, it is our staff that make the difference, and we are blessed with competent and loyal staff.”

Recently Beck Helicopters was awarded a Platinum Safety certificate, for more than 25 years’ continuous service accident free, a tribute to the teamwork and work safe ethic of its crews, even though the company’s pilots work in some of the most demanding type of flying in areas all over New Zealand.

“With the current financial stress being put on the dairy industry, it is imperative that farmers consider their options very

carefully in how they apply their fertiliser, and we at Beck Helicopters have 44 years of living with the vagaries of fluctuating prices,” says Alan.

“We can assure you that when you ring our trustworthy and unflappable office manager Marie, she will work out the most economic price how to fit your requirements.

“Co-ordination is the key. The most cost effective way to apply farm fertiliser is to spread for a number of farms in the same area. So talk to your neighbours and co-

ordinate fertiliser applications if you can.”

As current chairman of the New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association, Alan urges farmers to check their farms for dangerous wires.

“If they are not needed please take them down, or relocate to fence height. We don’t want any more deaths or injuries to pilots, and you don’t want to go to jail for causing a death in a workplace.

“If unsure of your responsibilities, contact Federated Farmers, or myself, Alan Beck, on 0274 425 939.”

Beck Helicopters operate three Bell Super Huey Iroquois helicopters, and a Jet Ranger.

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The Ministry for Primary Industries is encouraging farmers and growers who have planted certain varieties of imported fodder beet seed to check their crops for the presence of an aggressive agricultural weed, velvetleaf.

The plant velvetleaf, or Abutilon theophrastri, is considered one of the world’s worst weeds for cropping farmers.

Plants and environment surveillance manager Mark Bullians says MPI has now positively identified velvetleaf on 10 properties across the South Island and some in the Waikato.

“The common denominator is fodder beet crops and, in particular, crops grown from two varieties of imported fodder beet seed.

“Velvetleaf plants are appearing in rows where this fodder beet seed has been drilled and farms concerned have planted either Kyros and/or Bangor seed.

“While we are not certain this is the full picture, we now know that some lines of these two seed varieties are very likely to have been contaminated with velvetleaf seed.

“For this reason we urge anyone who has planted Kyros and Bangor fodder beet seed to check their fields immediately for the presence of velvetleaf. The seed has been distributed mostly in the South Island but some has been sold in the North Island,” says Mark.

“If you believe you have found this distinctive weed, call MPI immediately on 0800 80 99 66.”

Velvetleaf is a tall-growing weed reaching heights of up to two metre high. It has buttery yellow flowers and large velvety heart shaped leaves.

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 33

Page 34

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Rural Support Trust - ‘farmers are not alone’ The tough financial times dairy farmers are facing due to the low dairy payout has members of the Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust concerned about farmers and their families.

“Things are going to be tough for some time. We need to ensure that all farmers have someone to talk to if they find themselves in trouble,” says Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers’ dairy chair Steve Bailey. Bay

of Plenty Rural Support Trust chairperson Sandy Scarrow says the organisation played an important role in supporting kiwifruit growers affected by the vine disease Psa-V. “We knew then the importance of working together as a community to ensure that no one fell through the cracks. We want to work with all those around us to ensure farmers and the people around them get the support they need.”

A recent meeting of the Rural Support Trust and others, including Federated Farmers, Dairy Women New Zealand, Fonterra and the Rural Health Alliance, discussed ways reach those farmers who need some help to get through. Trust members urge anyone feeling under pressure because of the current situation to call the trust on phone 0800 787 254.

“You are not alone,” says Sandy.

“When an event leads to crisis, whether it is financial, climatic, or personal, Rural Support Trust is ready to assist. Assistance is free and confidential.”

Rural Support Trusts have now been set up throughout New Zealand and their goal is to assist rural people and their families in the rural community during adverse events.

The Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust was formed in 2004, when farms throughout the region were hit with severe floods. Since then the trust has become the template for other support trusts throughout New Zealand.

“BOPRST provides such services as necessary to counsel, advise and assist rural persons in adverse events, financial, emotional or otherwise,” says Sandy.

“It has three facilitators at present for this purpose. The trust members are local people who have themselves faced the challenges rural life brings. The trust has access to networks and services to help people get back on their feet.

“Help is available through specially trained trust facilitators who travel to where they are needed.

“Contact is one-on-one at a location of your choice.”

The Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust is a charitable trust that encompasses the following district council areas: Western Bay of Plenty, Tauranga City, Whakatane, Opotiki, Kawerau and Rotorua.

“Farmers – if you or your family are experiencing hardship in these difficult times the BOPRST may be able to assist,” says Sandy.

For this confidential and free service phone 0800 787 254.

Gorse to production forestry part of lake plan Converting gorse-covered land to production forestry, native bush or other low nitrogen leaching activities is among the aims of the proposed Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management Rules.

Phone: 07 362 8433

Approved by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Regional Direction and Delivery Committee, the rules aim to remove 30 tonne of nitrogen from the lake through

the voluntary removal of gorse within the Rotorua catchment.

In 2014 the Gorse Conversion Project was established to fund the conversion of mature gorse to more suitable land uses.

The rules are part of the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme, which is responsible for meeting water quality targets set out in the Resource Management Act for the 12 Rotorua-Te Arawa lakes.

The rules are in relation to a required

140 tonne reduction in nitrogen in Lake Rotorua by 2032 through land use change in the Lake Rotorua catchment.

Fifty tonne will be achieved through engineering initiatives; 100t through voluntary land use change and 140t through proposed land use rules.

A funding pool of $40m has been provided and an incentives board was established in 2014 to manage the distribution of these funds.

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RETIREMENT

Page 35

Now’s the time for doing more of what you enjoy It’s all systems go at Copper Crest Village Estate where villas are available and new ones are under construction.

“It’s a perfect time for a visit to check out this much-applauded retirement village, and perhaps ensure you secure a slice of the action,” says village manager Astrid Martin.

Available are quality villas – including stand-alone options – all on elevated, north-facing

sites at this Pyes Pa address where independent living is on offer within a secure environment. The villas feature all the convenience of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sunroom and double garaging.

To keep up with demand, 25 new villas are under construction, due to be completed during the course of the next 10 months.

Various housing options are available at Copper Crest, with prices starting at $499,000. At Copper Crest there are more than 97 impeccably built and highly spec’d homes that are

either two or three bedroomed with the option of single or double garaging.

“Copper Crest offers all the essential amenities required by those of retirement age…and then some. The list of facilities is lengthy.”

Copper Crest has a library, gym, indoor heated swimming pool, spa, cinema, indoor bowls,

Copper Crest’s Movanners took part in a rally at Pirongia recently.

Bowling greens are among the facilities at Copper Crest Village.

Find retirement freedom at Putaruru Longing for the freedom a retirement village can give but unsure of what to expect? Ellie Davies, Nicole Tidmarsh and the team at Rangiura Retirement Village can help.

“We can put your mind at ease and help you to start that new journey,” says Ellie, who is the village’s general manager.

Rangiura Retirement Village is set in the friendly rural town of Putaruru, within easy driving distance of Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua and Taupo – an area which really does have something for everyone.

Ellie invites you to view the purpose-built village complex which features 85 thoughtfully designed homes which offer increased privacy, added safety and a real sense of space – both inside and out.

“There is so much on offer with villa prices ranging from $239,000 to $259,000.

“Why worry about mowing that lawn, maintaining the exterior of your home or noisy neighbours?

Rangiura Retirement Village is set in the friendly rural town of Putaruru.

Come and check us out and you can see for yourself what being retired can really mean.

“Don’t delay – call today for an information pack or to arrange for a private viewing of our wonderful homes and make that first step towards worry free retirement,” says Ellie.

snooker and table tennis tables, hair and beauty salon, bar and dancing and dining areas, and a luxurious common area with gas fireplace. There’s also communal and individual vegetable gardens, bowling greens and a hobby room.

“All these can be enjoyed with other residents in this wonderful, caring, village community. In addition, Copper Crest has campervan parking, plus

outdoor seating areas to make the most of the quiet surroundings.”

Astrid says Copper Crest also has an active social and events committee and a van for outings.

“At Copper Crest there is a healthy understanding that retirement isn’t necessarily about doing less; it’s about doing more of what you enjoy. Come and join the fun.”

RETIREMENT

Page 36

Murder and mystery at Waihi A play within a play with intriguing twists and turns will keep audiences entertained and guessing when the Waihi Drama Society stages its latest production in May. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s afootâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by Ken Ludwigg is a Samuel French acting edition play which won the Edgar Allan Poe best mystery play award in 2012. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The play begins with the last act of a Sherlock Holmes play in which Holmes confronts his arch enemy Moriatry and then the action switches to a weekend

party hosted by the Holmes playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s author William Gillett,â&#x20AC;? says Carol Hayden, who is producing the play for the Waihi Drama Society.

The partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s setting is Gillettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Connecticut USA in 1936 and the guests are all actors involved in the play he wrote. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The play has cast of eight, who each have their time in the spotlight. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at least one murder and the action deďŹ nitely keeps the audience in suspense.â&#x20AC;?

The Waihi Drama Society is well-known for the talents of its members, and the

quality of the productions it regularly presents at its theatre at 21 Boyd St, Waihi. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s afootâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; opens on Thursday, May 5, at 7.30pm with another evening performance on Friday, May 6. There are 2pm matinee shows on May 7-8. On Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13 the performance times are 7.30pm. On Saturday, May 14 thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 2pm matinee and the ďŹ nal performance is at 7.30pm that evening.

Tickets cost $20 from the Waihi i-Site. For further information, call 07 863 7292.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s afootâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is the Waihi Drama Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production for May.

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Are You a Small Business Owner?...

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is this a case of trying a hair of the dog that bit you?â&#x20AC;? Garland, it is well illustrated with full colour plates of both great foods, and great outdoor places. and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you want sauce with that hot dog?â&#x20AC;?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a rather surprising insight into suggests Linda McCready of Te Puke. just how well you can eat with little "I must have a cold coming on. I'm more than a portable stove or ďŹ re to feeling a little 'Husky!' is the caption cook over, using ingredients carried in sent in by Morry Lawton of Te Puke. your backpack.

For her caption â&#x20AC;&#x153;and they talk The book begins with a section on about cows polluting waterways!â&#x20AC;? food preparation and planning, readyLinda Peters of Otorohanga has won made packaged foods, dehydrated a copy of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Return to Lucifer Creekâ&#x20AC;? foods, camping cooking equipment and

by Gary Joll. cooking techniques.

This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photo Then there are recipes for weekend trampis from Tracey ing, for multi-day tramping, for Clarke of Camfamily tramps and of course the bridge. Send in gourmet tramps. your captions to be Paul Garlind has been tramping for 50 in to win the book years and has professional training as a chef â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;New Zealand Backin commercial kitchens and the army. His country Cookingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. daughter Rebecca, who is a medical doctor, Written by experihas inherited his love of tramping and cookenced trampers and ing. In this book theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve joined forces to share outdoor enthusiasts, s of husky a w o ot h p their knowledge of the outdoors and love of father and daughter Februaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a in a trough. great food.

Paul and Rebecca Keish

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The February photo of a dog in a water trough attracted a number of captions including â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said, replace the ballcock, not use a dog â&#x20AC;Ś.â&#x20AC;? from Rob Graham, of Gisborne.

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Farm animals caught on camera are the subject of Coast & Country Newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Country Funniesâ&#x20AC;?.

RETIREMENT

Page 37

Questions helps find the right builder for you If you’re thinking of building a home, great.

The most important decision now is which builder to trust with the job.

Asking builders for testimonials from both suppliers and clients helps ensure you choose the right builder for your home.

Get this right and their help should make the whole process easy and enjoyable.

Further than looking at pretty brochures and lovely show homes, you need to ask good questions of your builder and their clients, to see which builder you can trust. Keeping the following things in mind will enable you to make the best choice on the most important decision you’ll make in building a new home.

If you have a short list of builders: Are they organised? Are they paid on time? Is the builder what

they claim in relation to market position and size? Visit construction sites of different builders. Is the site tidy and progressing as it should? Have the confidence to approach the owners and ask their opinion.

Ask for five customers they are currently, and have previously built for, to see their journey and hear their thoughts. Any good builder can supply this in an instant.

You may only call one or two but the fact they could give you live customer testimonials shows the builder is confident of a good report from all their customers.

For a builder, a reputation is not built off having one amazing show home. If customers’ home after home is consistently great, that builds a strong reputation.

When asking these questions,

always seek explanations and reasons for the viewpoints expressed. People can sometimes be biased with their opinion as personal or professional relationships cloud judgements.

Remember, research before you start is invaluable in ensuring the process and finished home is what you expect. If this sounds a bit over the top, some disappointed people have told us they chose a builder purely because they went to the same school, or based on the fact a showhome kitchen had soft close drawers when the others didn’t, or the showhome was a plaster, or brick finish.

Scarily, many have admitted they spent more time choosing a new TV than choosing their builder.

If you want to build, start by talking to New Zealand’s best. G.J. Gardner Homes has recently been named New Zealand’s Most Trusted Home Builders, through independent research commissioned by ‘Reader’s Digest’. Make the decision to talk with your local franchise today, and see why more New Zealanders trust us to build their home, than any other builder.

Grant Porteous, managing director, G.J. Gardner Homes NZ

Cook book funny prize To be in to win a copy of this book, email captions for the photo (at right), along with your name and address, with Country Funnies as the subject, to: elaine@ thesun.co.nz Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to: Country Funnies, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140.

‘New Zealand Backcountry Cooking’ is the book prize for this month’s Country Funnies. Caption this photo to be in to win our book prize.

Retirement Villages

Enjoy life at St Kilda Cambridge.

At St Kilda we offer you private, independent living options with the benefit of a small and friendly community. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that our care home is right next door, should your needs change.

Our village consists of 67 stylish north-facing villas (19 villas left).

One and two bedroom options available priced from $290,000 to $340,000.

“After looking at several villages, I found St Kilda was the best.

The layout and villa styles are lovely! Planning means a lot and these villas are very well designed.” – Val Easthope, village resident “I just love the social aspect of the village. Happy hour, shared dinners and chatting with my neighbours. Any special arranged event and I’m there!” – Lesley Willey, village resident

Chri Call st wou ine she to sh ld love ow arou you nd

91 Alan Livingston Drive, Cambridge, 3434 Call Christine Bax on (07) 823 9026 or 027 886 1219 bupa.co.nz

Page 38

EDUCATION

Nurturing achievement is goal in the core subjects for each year level 9-12 and provide a minivan to transport students to a wide variety of sporting and cultural activities.â&#x20AC;?

The boarding facilities include computer laboratories, wireless internet, a solar heated swimming pool; tennis, netball and basketball court, a games room with gymnasium equipment and a media suite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our commitment extends beyond education and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sonninghill students develop wonderful leaderachievement; and we encourage the balance ship skills, time management, patience and of wellbeing in a genuinely caring envirespect. ronment,â&#x20AC;? says the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s principal â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our team of staff is experienced Marie Gordon. and enjoys working with young â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am committed to conpeople day and night. They solidating and lifting the bar understand the privilege and achievement across the four signiďŹ cance of nurturing young cornerstones of academic, leadwomen through their formaership, cultural and sporting tive years and strive to support endeavours. Our young women a well-rounded education and are encouraged to achieve in memorable experience.â&#x20AC;? the classroom and to combine Sonninghill Hostel head girl this success with involvement in Kendal Lawrence says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Being at sporting and cultural activitiesâ&#x20AC;?

Sonninghill Hostel has opened my Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; High says Marie.

Hamilton ie Gordon. eyes to see many different possibiliar M l Sonninghill Hostel works in synergy pa ci in pr ties in many different ways. with this commitment and students â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has shaped me to be the independent, have ample opportunity to achieve their positive young woman I am today. Living with 130 educational and other goals in a safe and supportive other girls has been an amazing experience which I environment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A balanced education embraces whole-person learn- have been so grateful to have been a part of â&#x20AC;?.

Families are welcome to visit or stay overnight in the ing and allows them to be challenged, extended and parent accommodation and share the hostel experience motivated in all aspects of their life. ďŹ rst-hand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We employ tutors to prepare and support students

Sonninghill Hostel at Hamilton Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; High provides full boarding facilities for young women while they complete their secondary school education from Year 9 through to Year 13.

Scholarships help meet the costs of education Many universities, polytechs and other education providers offer scholarships, grants and awards to help students with study costs.

There's often a scholarships ofďŹ cer or career adviser who can tell you what scholarships you may be eligible for (whether

they're offered by the university or by someone else).

Tertiary education providers may also have a list of scholarships on their websites, including eligibility criteria and application forms Government agencies offer or administer a large number of

scholarships, grants and awards.

Industry training organisations usually provide training and job information to hands-on industries such as agriculture.

To ďŹ nd out more about what scholarships are available go to www.careers.govt.nz

Sonninghill Hostel

OURVISION: Each young woman aspires to achieve her personal best.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;A wise woman shapes her own destinyâ&#x20AC;?

EDUCATION

Page 39

LandEd launched as new rural training brand The Waiariki Institute of Technology has launched LandEd as its new brand to lead the delivery of training to the rural sector, providing the opportunity for farmers, orchardists and managers to upskill the rural workforce.

The institute has for a number of years used external contractors to deliver training but will now provide

this itself, allowing greater emphasis on quality assurance and educational outcomes.

The training has been designed to meet the needs of the sector and is an opportunity to enhance the performance of rural NZ. A recent review of qualifications by NZQA will see new qualifications and training programmes offered to the sector.

Module-based training as part of a wider qualification is available on skills relating to tractors, motorcycles, chainsaw operation, quad bikes and

light utility vehicles, orchard machinery, infrastructure and risk mitigation.

Assessment against unit standards is available and can be used to meet the requirements of nationally recognised qualifications.

Te Puke farmer Andrew Primrose, who has 13 years’ experience as a training provider, is LandEd’s Bay of Plenty-based trainer and supervisor. Gill Petersen who has moe than twoyears’ experience, is the training coordinator in the Waikato.

Andrew says training is offered for

groups of six to eight at a time and involves both theory and practical work, followed by a formal assessment process some weeks later.

“Those who pass the assessment gain NZQA accredited unit standards. For New Zealand citizens or those who have been resident for two or more years, training is subsidised.”

Further information on LandEd and the training opportunities are available from regional supervisor Andrew Primrose or by phoning 0800 367 001.

Hostel’s warm, caring secure environment New Plymouth Girls’ High School has shaped and influenced the lives of young women since 1885.

“Our vision, to develop educated, confident young women of outstanding character, is timeless.

“It is the individual and collective contribution of many that makes it possible for us to enjoy and be a part of this very special school,” says principal Jenny Ellis.

“Our school hostel is a tremendous asset that offers quality residential accommodation for our students.

Scotlands Hostel provides a caring and supportive environment where students are encouraged to do well academically and participate fully in the sporting, cultural and social life of the school.”

The hostel is the ‘heart’ of the school and thrives on teamwork and the friendships made among the students of all nationalities.

Features of life at Scotlands: • Fee guarantee. From 2016 your hostel fees are assured for the time your daughter is enrolled. A family guarantee also applies.

• Warm, caring and secure environment.

• Full access to school grounds and facilities.

• 150 boarders – Years 9 to 13.

• Homework supervised by a trained teacher.

The lifelong friendships formed at New Plymouth Girls’ High are excellent foundations for adult life.

• Active and supportive extra-curricular programme.

• High expectations of courtesy and acceptable behavior.

• Leadership opportunities and training.

• Increased independence encouraged at all levels.

• The independence, maturity and lifelong friendships that boarding encourages are excellent foundations for adult life.

“New Plymouth Girls’ High School undertakes to ensure the young women entering its gates will receive an education that enhances learning and is responsive to individual needs.What we offer is a unique opportunity to be educated at one of New Zealand’s oldest, most prestigious State girls’ schools.”

EMILIO’S TIMBERS EST1981

LandEd is offering training workshops in your area.

Speak to our Advisors about training available on:

Quad Bikes

Chainsaws

Motorbikes

LUVs

Tractors

Hazard ID and Management

For general enquiries:

0800 367 001

Contact your area representative: Bay of Plenty Andrew Primrose M: 027 247 7283

Waikato Gill Petersen M: 020 438 3898

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 40

Waikato drafting new district plan rules Waikato District Council is well into the pre-notification stage of its district plan review. As a result of the amalgamation of the Waikato district and the southern portion of the former Franklin district in 2010, the operative district plan currently consists of the Waikato section and the Franklin section. This confusing situation is intended to be remedied with a single new document.

Last year at workshops and open days to discuss issues including rural subdivision and environmental protection, many people sought more flexibility in rural land use and subdivision rules. As usual, the only thing that is certain is there will be change in the subdivision rules under the new plan. As requested by the public, it would be great to see flexibility around subdividing land for both rural productive use and lifestyle blocks on less productive land. Currently, the minimum area is 40 hectares in ‘Franklin’ and there is no rule for general rural subdivision in the ‘Waikato’ part.

Currently, in the original Waikato area, an application is allowed for a single lifestyle block to be subdivided off ‘older titles’ more than 20 hectares in size. This ‘parent block’ size was

increased significantly in the recent review and is likely to increase significantly again – nothing is more certain in my opinion.

In both plans, there is an allowance for subdividing blocks where significant ecological features are protected so it would be great to see that rationalised across the district to enable the protection of these sensitive areas – a win-win for landowners and the public.

Many believe the old Franklin area subdivision rule that relies upon the transfer of a title from another rural property will not survive this round. Currently, an owner who protects an ecological feature or owns several adjoining titles can transfer, at a price, the subdivision potential to somebody else in the district who qualifies.

Waikato has resisted this idea in the past.

Many hope that subdivision will free up with this new plan, however I don’t agree. Waikato Regional Council has been pushing for larger blocks for some time and has specifically requested a minimum of 40 hectares in the past, so my advice to those who need to subdivide is to utilise the current rules in your particular area and don’t hold out hope that things are going to get easier. They won’t.

The new rules will come around fast but you have an opportunity to make submissions. It is an increasingly complex process but worth being involved in if you stand to be disadvantaged. However, taking action now is by far the best approach.If you’re interested in finding out what opportunities for your land might potentially be lost, feel free to give me a call.

Hip osteoarthritis - how it occurs

PLA SY

TIC T E M S LIMITED

Hip osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of osteoarthritis. It occurs as the cartilage, a soft tissue that provides cushioning and a smooth surface for joint movement, begins to degrade due to wear and tear caused by mechanical stress.

The joint begins to function abnormally and small bony deposits can form around the joint. As this process progresses, movement of the joint begins to be painful and can eventually lead to significant disability.

The most common symptom is pain, followed closely by joint stiffness. The location of arthritic pain is usually around the hip joint but it can also appear in the groin, buttocks, thigh or knee.

Other symptoms include a grating or cracking sensation with joint move-

ment, tenderness around the joint, and swelling.

Pain is most noticeable with weight-bearing activities such as walking, running or negotiating stairs. After a period of prolonged rest, the arthritic joint will often feel quite stiff.

In osteoarthritis, complete elimination of pain is not always a possibility as physiotherapy is not able to change the structure of an arthritic joint. However, it can assist in improving the function and strength of the surrounding muscles which often contribute to pain.

Physiotherapy management for osteoarthritis of the hip will usually include stretching, exercises and joint mobilisation to increase the joint’s mobility, as well as resistive exercise to the muscles surrounding the hip, allowing them to better support the joint.

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 41

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 42

Meet the locals on Trafalgar holidays Experience every destination like a local on your chosen holiday with Trafalgar in 2016.

With 70 years of guided travel expertise and local knowledge, Trafalgar is simply the best at creating unforgettable holidays.

These years of experience are leveraged to design the perfect itineraries to suit each destination and give you the knowledge that only a local could share.

Trafalgar offers more than 100 trips to the UK and Europe with a range of options to satisfy most New Zealand travellers. Options include multi-country tours that cover the “must see” sights through to regional leisurely paced holidays offering up to seven nights in a single destination.

Each Trafalgar holiday includes “insider

experiences”, an opportunity to interact with the locals as places are brought to life by expert travel directors. Accommodation is in the right hotel in the right location and Trafalgar guests gain exclusive access to sights and avoid queues at attractions.

New for 2016 in Europe, Trafalgar has ‘Explorer itineraries’ in each of London, Paris and Rome so you can simply relax and get the inside story on each city from expert travel directors.

Each of the new holidays include seven nights’ hotel accommodation in the right location, breakfast daily plus some other meals, sightseeing, transport as well as airport transfers. Fantastic inclusions in London are

dinner at a Gordon Ramsay restaurant, a day trip to Stonehenge and Windsor Castle, a guided tour of Westminster Abbey, cream tea in the Kensington palace, a visit to the Borough Food market as well as a river cruise on the Thames.

Perfect for first time visitors to Italy, who want to explore the city in depth and also see the Vatican City and Tivoli, the Rome Explorer holiday is leisurely paced with a good balance of inclusions and free time.

Meet a professional Italian chef who will educate guests about fresh produce and the basic principles of local cuisine and visit an apartment that belonged to a famous film director.

Trafalgar also offers a range of itineraries to Asia and throughout the Americas.

Sweet treats Just one of the many unique experiences you’ll enjoy on a Trafalgar guided holiday.

Activities for all ages. Jet boating, mountain biking, wake-boarding, golf, prawn fishing, bouncy castles and face painting. Wairakei Tourist Park, Karetoto Rd, Wairakei, Taupo 9am-5pm.

Free admission.

Celebrate Awhitu Peninsula, at Awhitu School from 9.30am. Featuring a selection of activities and locations to visit. For example, local history, family sports, archery, wine tasting and more. Free event. Maps with programme from Waiuku Information Centre, Queen St, Waiuku & Bhana’s Foodmarket, Matakawau. Build a Bar from recycled materials and bring your creation to the Matakawau Memorial Domain between 8.309.15am to share. Prizes!

Friday 8 April

Goodyarn Wellness Workshop, Morrinsville

Wednesday 13 April Goodyarn Wellness Workshop, Rotorua

Both from 10am-2pm.

Enabling communities to talk about mental health.

These half-day workshops cover: how to recognise signs of stress and other mental health problems; how to reduce and manage stress; how to initiate a conversation with someone when you’re concerned about them; how to find appropriate support services. Venue details will be supplied when you register.

Numbers are limited so register here: http://analytics.clickdimensions.com/ dairycom-akwpb/pages/klpwl8aeew5zgbqvroacw.html

Bay of Plenty Orchid Show. From 10am-4pm,

The Travel Directors | Hamilton & Bayfair 07 847 1571 | hamilton@traveldirectors.co.nz | www.worldtravellers.co.nz/traveldirectorshamilton Shop One, The Village Quarter, 34 Lake Road, Frankton, Hamilton 07 574 1150 | bayfair@traveldirectors.co.nz | www.worldtravellers.co.nz/traveldirectorsbayfair 43 Girven Road, Bayfair, Mt Maunganui

The quality of our products is equal to the very best of our out-of-town competitors, so there is no penalty when taking our cheaper option.

Sunday 17 April

April 8-9

Europe and Britain on sale now book by 28 April 2016 and save up to 5%! CONDITIONS APPLY

Bay Blinds sells directly to the public as well as other blind re-seller throughout New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, supplying a comprehensive range of vertical blinds, venetian blinds, roller blinds, wood venetians and roller sunscreens.

Sunday 3 April

Wairakei Tourist Park Local’s Day

War Memorial Hall (main street), Te Puke, $3. Plant display, plants for sale, growing advice. Ph Pam 07 572 3914.

April 16-21

Permaculture Teacher Training, Raglan Costs $480-$960. See permacultureteachertraining.org.nz

PHONE 0800 BAYBLINDS NOW FOR A FREE MEASURE & QUOTE Huge Savings direct from the manufacturer Quality Blinds | 100% made in the Bay 8 Maleme street, Greerton 07 578 7794 | bayblinds.co.nz

Awhi Tour, Awhitu School

April 20-23

Matamata Festival of Flowers, Memorial Centre, Tainui St, 9am-8pm (Weds-Fri), 9am-5pm (Sat), $10 adults; $2.50 under 16.

Demonstrations and 14 display courts. Ph Matamata i-Site, 07 888 7260.

April 23

Waikato Chrysanthemum Show, 10am-3pm, Knox Presbyterian Church, Morrinsville, free. Ph Adele 07 843 4485.

April 23-25 – National Permaculture Hui, Don Rowlands Centre, Mighty River Domain, Lake Karapiro, Waikato. See tinyurl.com/j4lgo2v

April 28

Waikato Horticultural Society talk on Giant Pumpkins, 7.30pm, Wintec classroom, Hamilton Gardens (Gate 2), $5 for non-members. Ph Carmel 07 859 0158.

To list your rural event please email: julie@thesun. co.nz with Rural Event in the subject heading.

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 43

Melanoma kills more than crashes We live in a beautiful part of New Zealand but unfortunately we also have the highest rate of malignant melanoma in the world.

The recent drama about lack of government funding for melanoma medicines highlights that more of us die from melanoma every year than in motor vehicle accidents on the road. And at least half of these deaths are now avoidable with the very, very expensive new melanoma medicines.

Melanoma is not the commonest of skin cancers but it has the potential to be the most serious â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and most of us know of somebody who has been affected and even died from it. Although the treatment options for metastatic melanoma, when the cancer has spread to other organs, have improved in recent years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if you can afford the medications â&#x20AC;&#x201C; early detection and treatment is the most important tool and in most cases offers a complete cure.

Timely identiďŹ cation and treatment is dependent on examination by a doctor specially trained in picking up skin cancers and by regular self-examinations.

Self-examinations should be performed every three months, especially if you have had other types of skin cancer, have a close relative who has had melanoma or have more than one 100 moles. Most early melanomas are not painful or itchy and could go unnoticed for some time with potentially deadly implications.

The ABCD rule is a guide to the usual signs of skin cancer. If you notice any spots that match the following description, tell your doctor:

A is for asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.

B is for border: Normal spots have smooth edges.

Cancerous spots may have irregular, ragged, or blurred edges.

C is for colour: The colour is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black or sometimes with patches of red, white or blue.

D is for diameter: Normal spots are about the size of a pencil end â&#x20AC;&#x201C; about Âź inch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; anything larger is worrisome.

E is for evolving: Any spot that is changing, is suspicious, should be checked by a doctor. Some melanomas, do not ďŹ t the ABCD rule described above, so it is very important for you to notice changes in skin markings or new spots on your skin.

Other warning signs include a sore that does not heal, a new growth, spread of pigment from the border of a spot to surrounding skin, redness or a new swelling beyond the border, change in sensation such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain, change in the surface of a mole including scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a new bump or nodule within an existing mole.

There are three important ways to keep yourself safe from melanoma: check the spots on your skin every three months, reduce your UV exposure by wearing clothing with long sleeves and a hat and SPF30 sunscreen on all the areas you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cover with clothing; and stay in the shade and out of the sun in the middle of the day.

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Phone and email scammers are out in force Waikato residents should be wary of phone and email scammers, warns Miranda Smith, owner of New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longest running private homecare agency.

Ministry of Justice survey ďŹ gures show 24 per cent of elderly people acknowledged they were worried they will be targeted for a crime because of their age.

The number increased greatly when asked about being out late at night and entering town centres. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although the majority of people are very careful about their personal safety, thieves focus on targeting people in their own homes and people need to be equally vigilant about in-home safety,â&#x20AC;? says Miranda. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Phone and email scammers target elderly people who are more likely to be available during the day and who may be less tech savvy.â&#x20AC;?

The Ministry of Social Development has released statistics showing one in 10 people who are approached by a scammer will hand over some money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have you heard of the scam where a Nigerian Prince offers you $1,000,000 and all you have to do is share your bank account details?

What about when someone calls telling you there was a problem with your power bill and if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay with your card over the phone your power will be disconnected?â&#x20AC;?

How do you recognise a scam? â&#x20AC;&#x153;A thief will disguise their scam with seemingly legitimate reasons for you to hand over your money, such as offering to sell you a life-changing tool over the phone or telling you they are from a company you currently use and that

you need to pay them money. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They may even have some details about you, like your name, address or even who provides your services.

Remember: Never offer any personal information to someone you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know. If you feel suspicious the caller is not from the company, ask them to contact you via post or even give you the total of your previous bill.â&#x20AC;?

What should you do if you are worried? â&#x20AC;&#x153;If in doubt always speak to someone.

Phone a friend or family member for advice and if you are feeling threatened phone the Police to report malicious callers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From time to time clients at Miranda Smith Homecare will call us when they are concerned about an email or phone call. We are always here to listen if you need someone to talk to 0800 600 026,â&#x20AC;? says Miranda.

HOMECARE

Attention Farmers

Problems with Iron and Manganese?

NZ Designed Rural Filtration Systems for the Removal of Iron and Manganese and Other Rural Problems

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Independence is vital to maintaining a quality of life.

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Page 44

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Ready for duckshooting Fourteen-year-old Thomas Box.

FARMOSH Helping Farmers Reduce OSH Risk

Having lived in Australia for the last decade I haven’t picked up a shotgun in years, so needless to say I was delighted but somewhat nervous when invited to a 100 target sporting clay shoot at the Bay of Plenty Clay Target Association by vice president Ben Tuck.

Ben also owns Bronco’s Outdoors just around the corner from SunMedia’s office in Willow St, Tauranga, so before I could say “pull” he had me kitted out with a Bronco’s cap, earplugs, a shooting jacket and 250 rounds of ammunition.

Arriving at TECT All Terrain Park – which if you didn’t already know is just 30-35 minutes south of the Tauranga CBD on Pyes Pa Rd – I was blown away by what is on offer.

From a high wire adventure park, to off-road 4x4 and motorbiking, equestrian, mountain biking and good old-fashioned bushwalking, this place is pretty awesome.

However, the jewel in the crown for both novice and experienced shooters and even those who have never fired a gun, has to be the Clay Target Club.

Constructed just three years ago thanks to more than $1 million worth of sponsorship, donations and voluntary work courtesy of supporters such as Porter Hire, Higgins Contractors, Farmlands, Tauranga Energy Consumers Trust and of course Target Club members, their families and friends, the purpose-built facility became home to the Tauranga and Mount Maunganui Clay Target Clubs after they amalgamated in 2013.

Camouflage apparel

With one of the most modern clay target shooting facilities in the country, the 10-stand 24-trap range has produced local marksman who regularly win gold at national competition level.

Offering competitive, social and practice days throughout the club’s busy calendar, Sundays are their big day. If it wasn’t for the smell of gun powder in the air and the abundance of camouflage apparel on the masses converging on the clubhouse tucked among the pine trees at 9am, you could be forgiven thinking you were off to church.

It is just as friendly as church but a whole lot more fun; the members are so friendly and are more than willing to share safety and shooting tips with qualified tutors onsite to provide full tuition if required.

Club president Way to go Colin – teams he ad claybird sh Pritchard ooting at T ing out for ECT Park. was quick

to point out that the club also caters to corporate groups, staff functions, team building events even Hen or Stag do’s. Whether you’ve got 15 people or 60 people to entertain, these guys are set up for learners, novices and pros and offer tuition, targets, ammo and even guns with no firearms licence required.

They offer a range of catering options including a barbecue and are fully licensed too, although there is a strictly enforced rule that there is to be no drinking until shooting is finished.

Target shooting has come a long way since the club was founded in 1877, according to club cook Warrick Hamilton. In the early days they used domestically bred live pigeons instead of clay targets. The birds were released from under a trap and had to be shot before they flew outside a prescribed area.

Bets off

He reckons wagers were placed by the participants and prizes were often up to £20-£30. To put this in perspective, a teacher’s wage was about just £15 a year in those days.

Hopefully no one bet on me – 57 out of 100 targets wouldn’t be safe odds in anyone’s book.

Luckily, the club has another 100-Target Sport Shoot on April 10, just in time for duck shooting season – all are welcome, myself included. Be sure to check out their website for details. See www. bayofplentyclaytarget.com

Matt Batchelor taking aim at claybirds in the lead-up to duck shooting at the Bay of Plenty Clay Target Association’s TECT Park site.

Photo by: Cameron Avery

Matt Batchelor

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Tree croppersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fruitful conference An apple a day may truly keep the doctor away, or at least help manage diabetes, according to new research to be discussed at the NZ Tree Crops Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference in Pukekohe on April 22-24.

Andrew Dare of Plant & Food Research will describe recent studies which have identiďŹ ed a compound called phloridzin, found in signiďŹ cant amounts in apples, which has the ability to remove sugar from the bloodstream and the potential to manage diseases like Type 2 diabetes.

He will be among the speakers at the conference hosted by the Franklin Branch of the NZ Tree Crops Association at Wesley College, where tree croppers from around New Zealand will congregate to hear speakers on a range topics connected to tree cropping. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is open to the public and is suitable for anyone who has a desire to increase their knowledge on tree crops which produce an income, or just give pleasure and product,â&#x20AC;? says conference convener Heather Douglas.

Topics covered include stone fruits, pip fruits, nuts, timber and bee foraging trees.

Among the other speakers and exhibitors are Southland food forester Robert Guyton, Andrew Bolan of Incredible Edibles and

on Choice TV, speaker and workshop host, Taupo Natives Nursery. is the guest speaker after dinner on Saturday.

Speakers from Australia include Jack MilThe conference also includes a number bank, a former NufďŹ eld Scholar, of Hortus of ďŹ eld trips taking in some of the many Technical Services, products Franklin has Bundaberg, who will to offer. be presenting on soil Buses will be going and leaf monitoring, to Punchbowl Fruit integrated pest manPackhouse, Organic agement for greater Feijoas and Lime fertility. orchard, chestnut and The keynote persimmon orchards, speaker is Graham a boutique olive grove, Sait of Nutri-Tech The Clevedon Markets Solutions, Australia, for morning tea, and who will present on the Hunua Falls for the link between Th e N ZT CA co lunch. soil nutrition and Pearce, Keith mmittee members Val â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will be a human health.

Dixon, Joan Le H itc ea h th an er d Douglas. Miss demonstration at the Locals are also ing are John Al len Franklin Food Forest featuring at the and Virginia Warren. site on manufacturing conference with biochar and the beekeepGavin Hedley talking on bio fuels ers will demonstrate how vital bees are to (syngas and bio diesel) and John McDonaldmost crops.

Wharry on biochar. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All in all some fantastic visits not to be The focus will be on which trees are suitable for these bio fuels, and will touch on the missed,â&#x20AC;? says Heather.

Anyone wishing to ďŹ nd out more about manufacturing process and characteristics of attending this conference please contact the end products. conference Convenor Heather Douglas on Lynda Hallinan Hinton, editor-at-large of 021 320 828, or email: franklin@treecrops. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;NZ Gardenerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; magazine, a weekly columnorg.nz or visit www.treecropsconference.nz ist for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sunday Star-Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, a gardening to register for the conference. broadcaster, TV presenter of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Get Growingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Teaching skills for living with the land learn how to do it for themselves.â&#x20AC;?

For the last 10 years Sheryn and husband Steve have been hosting Woofers, overseas travellers who work alongside them, helping out while learning about organic farming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it was one of these visitors who suggested she held courses and shared her skills with locals.

Sheryn now teaches a range of courses throughout the year, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I grew up on an targeting a wide East Coast farm, range of knowledge living off the land out levels, intensities and of necessity and with subjects. parents who farmed The entry level organically before it course is for those just was trendy. To me, it starting and looking was just a way of life. for ideas. Then there â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now I have my are specialised courses own lifestyle block in on pruning or plancentral Waikato that ning a home orchard, produces much more milking a house cow yummy food than we can eat, and friends Sheryn Clothier with cows on her and making butter and cheese while keep on telling me Waikato lifestyle block. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Paddock to Plateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is how lucky I am. about time-effective â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not luck. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowing how to do it and doing it. And I ways of turning a wide range of raw produce into food. am in the position to be able to share my â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am time poor so everything has to be know-how and experience so others can

Living off your own organic, sustainable, food sounds idyllic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but the reality requires work, planning and a wide variety of skills. Sharing and teaching those skills is what Sheryn Clothier does.

efďŹ cient. It is great to have old-fashioned healthy organic food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it without my dishwasher and kitchen mixer,â&#x20AC;? said Sheryn.

The ďŹ ve-day retreat â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Living with the Landâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been considered a holiday by those who have come â&#x20AC;&#x201C; though Sheryn says the course is full on and those taking part want to know everything. Subjects include everything from making bread and butter through to maintaining your chainsaw, grafting trees and saving seed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To produce your own food from the land you need to be a jack of all trades and have that Kiwi conďŹ dence to give things a go,â&#x20AC;? says Sheryn. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the Living with the Land course is all about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; setting you up with the skills so you can do it on your block, effectively, efďŹ ciently and sustainably.â&#x20AC;?

See www.LaLs.nz for details on upcoming courses.

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