Coast & Country News March 2016

Page 1

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

AWARD WINNING EDITOR PAGE 3

FREE RANGE PIGS PAGE 4-5

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

DAIRY AWARDS PAGE 6-11

EFFLUENT PAGE 20-21

WINNER BEST ASSOCIATE NEWSPAPER 2015

FARM MACHINERY PAGE 35-39

DEMO DERBY PAGE 31

COUNTRY FUNNIES PAGE 51

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March 2016 Issue No.187

Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural Lifestyle

Action attraction Four-year-old Lachland Berry of Maitland Hunter Valley, Australia, was fascinated by the big machinery in action at Grasslandz. He attended the event with his parents Brian and Kelly who were among a number of Australian farmers visiting the two day expo at Eureka in February. Read more about Grasslanndz on pages 12 to 14. Photo Elaine Fisher

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COAST & COUNTRY

Setting nets to farm air – or fleece consumers? You know the world has gone mad when “air farmers” are making more money per litre than dairy farmers. Yes, it’s true. Some Chinese consumers will pay NZ$22 and more for a bottle of “farmed” fresh air and it’s an industry which is floating high.

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Among the first to take advantage of the marketing opportunity presented by Beijing’s appalling air quality was Vitality Air, which says its sales of fresh air bottles from Canada's Rocky Mountains have skyrocketed. The bottles containing 7.7L of fresh air from the Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains are sold for 100 yuan, a price that’s 50 times higher than China’s mineral water. Most of their clients are residents of cosmopolitan cities affected by the air pollution. Now British businessman Leo De Watts has seen an opportunity too, recently telling Jesse Mulligan

on Radio NZ that he farms air by setting up converted fishing nets in places renowned for air quality, placing jars beneath them and when they are full – sealing the jars ready for delivery to clients. It’s not a joke, he claims, and most customers buy the jars as gifts because in their polluted world, fresh air is a luxury. Quite how they enjoy the air within isn’t clear. Some may use straws, other put the can to their face, or just gulp the contents down. Okay, so it’s a clever and novel marketing idea, but the sad part is some people may truly believe they can enhance their lives by buying cans filled with nothing but fresh air. Pollution in some of the world’s cities, China in particular, is so bad it’s killing people; and selling

fresh air is playing on their fears. Unlike Whakatane’s clever idea developed by the town’s promotion manager John Dreifuss – canned fresh air may not be taken as a light-hearted joke. Whakatane is so proud of its reputation for record sunshine hours that about 40 years ago it created cans of “100% Pure Whakatane Sunshine” which sold as a novelty souvenir and several versions of the can have been released since then. Fortunately, New Zealand farmers aren’t out to dupe anyone with the quality of the products they produce. It’s a pity consumers don’t fully understand that – but maybe there are lessons to be learned from the ‘air farming” marketing ploy – find a niche market, touch a nerve, and make sales – but only of products which will truly enhance lives, not fleece pockets.

COAST & COUNTRY

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Elaine’s horticultural expertise recognised for fourth time Coast & Country News editor and SunMedia senior journalist Elaine Fisher has won the Horticulture New Zealand Journalism award for a fourth time in her career, recognising her extensive knowledge of and relationships in New Zealand’s horticulture industry. Elaine was presented the award for excellence in horticultural journalism at the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators’ awards dinner in Wellington on February 19. “I appreciate HortNZ sponsoring this award and the guild for organising the annual awards for rural journalists – and of course, the judges for selecting my entry,” says Elaine. “These awards are important for not only recognising good journalism, but also helping raise the standards of rural reporting. Entering the awards is a useful benchmark and one that keeps me striving to meet high standards. “I am privileged to be able to write about and meet the people involved in our diverse primary industries and am continually impressed with their ingenuity, tenacity and positivity despite the volatility of their industries.” Two stories won Elaine the highly recognised accolade. The first was ‘Elite soils threatened by city sprawl’ in Coast & Country News’ March 2015 edition, which highlighted the threat to Pukekohe soils from Auckland’s growth. The second ‘Resurgence of confidence’ in Avoscene’s May 2015 edition, extensively covered the New Zealand avocado industry’s remarkable

Coast & Country News editor Elaine Fisher has been recognised for her extensive horticultural reporting expertise with the Horticulture NZ Journalism award for 2015.

economic turnaround. Horticulture NZ chief executive, and former NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc CEO, Mike Chapman says Elaine has long been an enthusiastic journalistic supporter of horticulture in New Zealand. “It probably helps that she lives right in the middle of kiwifruit country in the Bay of Plenty, and has built up a career’s worth of great relationships with many, many folk in the kiwifruit and wider horticulture industries,” says Mike. “She is well liked and respected in the HortNZ and Kiwifruit Growers Inc offices and it is a great pleasure for us to honour her work, and her commitment, with this award.” Elaine first won the HortNZ Journalism Award when editing the ‘Kiwifruit Journal’ in 1993 – and won again in 2011, 2014 and 2015. SunMedia directors Claire and Brian Rogers are very proud to see Elaine win the award for the second time as the editor of Coast & Country News. “It is excellent to see Elaine’s extensive expertise in horticultural journalism recognised. “She is very well respected in the rural news sector and is highly skilled at bringing fresh, engaging and well-researched horticultural and agricultural news direct to Coast & Country News readers and advertisers on a monthly basis. “This award celebrates that – and Elaine continues to lead the region’s rural news industry with Coast & Country News.” Elaine began writing for a newspaper while in sixth form, aged 17, at Otamatea College, Northland, “after my school bus driver Gus Dallas suggested I become a journalist”. “He arranged an introduction for me to Lincoln Gould who was then the editor of the Lower North Weekly News, for which I became the Paparoa/

Maungaturoto correspondent.” After school she joined the Plateau Gazette in Taumarunui as a cadet reporter, then worked at the Taupo Times and Waikato Times. She met husband Graham from Tauranga, when working at Whakatane Beacon. “I moved to Tauranga to edit the Bay Sun and start a family. “My first introduction to specialist horticultural reporting was in 1993 when I became editor of the Kiwifruit Journal. “In 1993 Graham and I bought a 50

acre deer farm in Works Rd, Katikati, and for 10 years farmed and raised our three children Rebecca, Roydon and Owen there. In 1998 Elaine became Katikati Advertiser’s reporter, and in 2008 she became Bay of Plenty Times rural reporter – and since joining SunMedia in 2012 has won the horticultural award twice. “Now Graham and I live in the recreational fishing village of Tanners Point near Katikati, where we operate a small bed and breakfast, grow lots of vegetables, catch fish and I work from home. Life is good.” Merle Foster

COAST & COUNTRY

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From city streets to pig farming – and loving it Having children is certainly a life-altering experience but few parents make the extreme career and lifestyle changes Lorraine and Brendon Hogan have done. Just a few years back the couple were living in Auckland where Brendon was a soft wear developer and Lorraine a nurse. Today they and their sons Cooper, age four, and Sheldon, age six, are free-range pig farmers near Paengaroa. Admittedly, Lorraine is still nursing part-time at Grace Hospital in Tauranga, but while Brendon works three days a week as a software developer, he also spends 50 hours-plus working on the farm.

“After Cooper was born we started thinking about living closer to family in the Bay of Plenty and having a lifestyle block and some land,� says Brendon. They moved to about onehectare of land in Oropi and decided to rear some pigs for their own consumption. Before long they had eight sows and were rapidly outgrowing the small block. By then Brendon, whose only experience of farming was holidays spent on an uncle’s farm, had decided pig farming would be his future and the search was on for a larger piece of land. The couple found that in Maungarangi Rd near Paengaroa, where 16 months ago they bought 9ha of former deer farm and began their commercial business Highcrest Free Range.

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“I think there is a misconception that free range and ‘free farmed’ means the same thing, but it doesn’t. Free farmed pigs do have more space and for the ďŹ rst four weeks of their life are reared outdoors. “When free farmed pigs are weaned they are moved to ‘Eco Barns’ which are enclosures with a straw oor with one wall open so light manages to get inside the enclosure.

Free range

“Our pigs are truly free-range, not kept indoors at all, but have the freedom to move about outside, or go into their shelters as and when they wish. “The sows give birth in the shelters provided, but on occasion they have birthed outdoors and we have had to bring shelters to the sow to keep the piglets safe and warm.â€? The Highcrest property is rolling to steep, and while the paddocks are a little big for pigs, Brendon uses electric fences to control their grazing, with plans to install permanent fencing in future. “Pigs do well on grass, supplemented by other foods, and they seem to enjoy the steeper parts of the farm, which I think helps keep them ďŹ t.â€? The breeding stock is bought from PIC Pigs. The sows are Landrace Large whites and the boar is a Hampshire-Pietraincross, selected for its attributes which include lean, well-muscled meat and fast growth. “The Landrace sows are great mothers and generally have 14 to 18 piglets in a litter, raising 12 to 14 of them to wean-

ing. We often hand-rear the runts who might not otherwise survive.�

Weaner pigs

Sows can accidently stand or lie on their piglets, so they have A-frame shelters, the shape of which gives the piglets room to get away from their mother. A sow can have two to three litters a year and will continue to breed effectively for ďŹ ve or more years. Piglets are weaned at six weeks and Brendon gives them skim milk for the ďŹ rst few weeks to help the weaning process, and improve their gut health.

Highcrest Free Range pigs have the freedom to move about outside, or go into their shelters as and when they wish.

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 5

Varied diet for free range pigs “We have a good market for our weaner pigs too, as people know our pigs are healthy and will grow well. Sometimes we have more demand than we can meet but regular customers are happy to go on a waiting list.” Once the pigs are old enough to begin grazing, Brendon inserts rings in their noses to stop them rooting up pasture. In addition to grass they and the breeding pigs, enjoy a mixed diet which includes food Brendon collects three times a week from restaurants, which is cooked up in a large stainless steel, gas-fired cooker.

Cooked food

“All food like this must be cooked before being fed to pigs to stop the spread of disease.” Ground maize, canola, and a mix of vitamin and minerals are added and in the last three to four weeks of their lives, the pigs are fed almost exclusively on fruit and vegetables which Brendon believes adds to the flavour of the meat. Keeping the herd disease-free is vital. “The biggest threats to the health of the herd are from parvovirus, leptospirosis and erysipelas and we use a vaccine called LeptoEryvac. We also give the young pigs a five-in-one vaccine, and there is a withholding period of course before they are slaughtered.” The

pigs are also dosed for worms. Each week Brendon takes a small number of pigs to an Auckland abattoir and the meat is cut, processed and packaged to his requirements by a Tauranga butcher.

Tauranga Farmers Market, where they enjoy meeting customers and talking about their pigs and their products. “Our most popular products are sausages and bacon. We are developing some of our own sausage recipes and our cranberry and macadamia nut sausages are really popular.” Farmers market With plans to increase the number of Late last year Lorraine and Brendon gained breeding sows, Highcrest Free Range will approval to sell their pork products at the eventually produce more meat than can be sold through the farmers’ market so Brendon has developed a website for online sales which brings with it the opportunity to reach more customers throughout the North Island. Life is busy but Brendon and Lorraine have no regrets about their change of lifestyle and Sheldon and Cooper love the farm – especially the pigs. Elaine Fisher Photos by Chris Callinan Lorraine and Brendon Hogan of Highcrest Free Range retailing free range pork at the Tauranga Farmer’s Market.

Cooper, (4), and Sheldon, (6) with their dad Brendon Hogan offer Tauranga Farmer’s Market customers a chance to sample sausages from their free-range pigs.

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NZ DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

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Awards build resilience among farmers Entering the Dairy Industry Awards helps focus on the positives in the industry and builds resilience among competitors, says Kirsten Watson who with husband Donald, is coordinator for the 2016 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards. This year 19 dairy trainees, seven share farmers and nine managers have entered the regional awards, and they come from throughout the district. “The current dairy payout may have put some people off entering but we are really happy with the number and standard of entrants. “Taking part in the awards gives entrants the chance to focus on the positives within their business, and the things over which they have influence. What price the milk earns is out of their control.

“Entrants also have a good chance of winning prizes, and being rewarded for what they are doing in farming.” Taking a long hard look at their farming practices when preparing their entries, followed by the useful and informed feedback from judges is of real benefit, says Kirsten. “Those who enter the awards show they are optimistic about the future of dairying.” The process also helps entrants cope better in tough times and develop resilience needed in an industry which is known for its volatility of returns. The awards also promote personal growth and career development, opening opportunities which might not otherwise arise, says Kirsten. “Helping coordinate the awards has helped develop new skills for us too – I’ve never done event management before but it’s been fun and we have worked with Authorised Dealers

Kirsten and Donald Watson are coordinators for the 2016 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards.

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a lot of people, growing our network and helping us feel even more a part of the Central Plateau region.” Kirsten and Donald won the 2014 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year award but farming was not their first career choice. The couple trained and worked as vets before deciding to go dairy farming. Entering the awards brought significant benefits to their business, they say. “The close scrutiny the judging process

puts upon your operation really helps to identify areas where you can improve,” says Donald. “We’d definitely recommend the competition,” says Kirsten, who says “there is a lot to be gained from putting yourselves out there”. The 2016 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards dinner is on March 19 at the Rotorua Events Centre and tickets can be purchased at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz Be sure to select the Central Plateau region.

‘Fish bowl’ farm opens to public Andrew and Robyn McLeod describe their dairy farm as a “fish bowl” because it is so open to public view – and on Sunday March 20, people will have the chance to get up close and personal with what happens on the Welcome Bay property. For the sixth year Andrew and Robyn are opening their gates and welcoming anyone who wants to find out more about farming, to the annual Bay of Plenty Farm Day. “We held the first Farm Day in 2010 and have done it every year since. We are very happy to welcome people and give them a chance to understand more about farming,” says Robyn. The farm’s location on Welcome Bay Rd means it is easily accessible for urban residents. The free day runs from 10am-2pm and is ideal for families in particular. “We just ask that people wear covered shoes or gumboots, bring a drink, sun hats or rain coats if its wet, and come and enjoy the day.” Farm Day at the McLeod’s property has become so popular at least 1000 – and up to 1700 – people have attended. “Some enjoy it so much they come more than once. While it is mainly locals who attend, we do get overseas visitors too. “It’s a chance for people who have little contact with farming to see what it is really all about and we encourage them to ask any questions they have. “One question we often get asked is why cows need to have calves to produce milk – it’s not a silly question – if you are not involved in farming you maybe don’t know that in order to produce milk, cows must have calves.”

Robyn says the day is a chance to showcase good farming practices. “To be a successful business your operation has to be sustainable and that means animal welfare is vitally important, as is looking after the environment.” Cows will be milked throughout the day, there will be shearing demonstrations, hopefully a sheep dog working sheep and tractors on display. DairyNZ will have a stand outlining the kinds of feed eaten by cows, there will be a station explaining the use of fertiliser and Fonterra will have one of its tankers on site, and be demonstrating milk testing. Fun activities include gum boot throwing, a lolly in a hay stack search and a petting zoo. A coffee cart will be on site and a local volunteer fire brigade will be selling barbecue food. Up to 60 volunteers, including neighbouring farmers and community groups, help run the day and parking is provided in paddock on the farm. Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers’ spokesperson Steve Bailey says the day is an important one for many reasons. “People who have never visited a farm have the chance to get some idea of what happens,” explains Steve. “It’s also an opportunity for anyone interested in farming as a career to find out more – and most of all it’s a free, fun day out for families.” Steve says Federated Farmers holds Farm Day events as a way of bridging the growing divide between rural and urban populations. “Fewer urban people have connections with farming today and Farm Day is a great way to help change that,” he says. BOP’s Farmday 2016 on Sunday, March 20, is at 1189 Welcome Bay Rd, and will be signposted from both ends of the road. Gates open 10am-2pm.

NZ DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

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Dairy woman’s award way to celebrate industry a ripple effect of negativity throughout families and communities. “But what we’ve also noticed is dairying women, in particular, are making an enormous positive impact on their families, their communities and the wider industry through their resilience and perseverance. “The positive inuence and impact these women make for the industry and for NZ does not uctuate with payout. And that is something we should celebrate,â€? says Zelda. Sponsored by Fonterra, the Dairy Woman of the Year award recognises an outstanding woman who has signiďŹ cantly contributed to the dairy industry with passion, drive, innovation and leadership. The main prize for the winner is a 12-month Breakthrough Leaders’ Programme delivered by Global Women valued at $25,000. Fonterra’s People, Culture & Strategy managing director Maury Leyland says the drop in global dairy prices is making it a difďŹ cult year for farmers. “Despite the tough conditions there is still a lot of innovative work going on in our rural communities

Nominations are open for the 2016 Dairy Woman of the Year Award and Dairy Women’s Network CEO Zelda de Villiers is urging the industry to support the award, saying it’s more important than ever to unite and celebrate as an industry. “The NZ dairy industry is in the midst of a very challenging time. In the work we do across the country with dairying women, we’ve certainly seen how tough ďŹ nancial times can create

The 2015 Dairy Woman of the Year Katie Milne is encouraging women to enter this year’s award.

that will help build resilience and strength into our industry. “The Dairy Woman of the Year Award is a real opportunity to take some time to recognise and celebrate those who are making a difference in business and their communities.â€? The Dairy Woman of the Year is announced at the national Dairy Women’s Network conference, on May 4-5 in Hamilton. The current Dairy Woman of the Year is Katie Milne – a position she holds alongside her role as Federated Farmers national board member. To ďŹ nd out more about the Dairy Woman of the Year, or to nominate someone in your community, visit www.dwn.co.nz. Nominations close March 11.

Concerns for farmer welfare as price falls Fonterra’s falling payout forecasts are a further blow to farmers, heightening concerns about not only their incomes but also their personal welfare, says Federated Farmers’ Bay of Plenty Dairy chairperson Steve Bailey. “We are urging farmers not to bottle up their concerns but to talk about them. Keep talking to their bank managers and when they can, take time out from the farm.â€? Current forecasts are well below the cost of production for many farmers and have potential economic ramiďŹ cations for not just farmers and their staff but for employment and businesses in the provinces too. “The payout is now back to what it was 20 years ago but the cost of production has ballooned over that time.â€? On current ďŹ gures Steve says his own farming business will earn half of what it did last year, and last year’s income was also down on previous years. “This could be the ďŹ nal straw for some farmers, but others will get through it. As an industry, we will get through this but it won’t be easy. As an industry we are used to volatility but farmers are in for a tough winter. “The silver lining is that we have had an amazing January and February in the Bay as far as rainfall and pasture growth has gone.â€? While there are some things farmers can cut back on, animal welfare isn’t

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one and feeding, milking and caring for stock is an absolute priority. “But farmers must also look after themselves and their families.â€? Steve worries some farmers don’t fully understand their ďŹ nancial situations until they realise the cost of the bills coming in is more than their income. “I’m also concerned that too many decisions are being made based on emotion, often fueled by what people read and hear in the media. There’s no room for emotion in business, decisions have to be based on cold hard facts – including is there enough money to pay the bills? “If you are worried and stressed, talk about it. It’s not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength to do so, and its helps.â€? Steve says it’s easy to blame Fonterra for the drop in price but much of what is driving the price down is beyond the company’s control. The biggest factors are a worldwide over-supply of milk and international tensions, including embargoes which have encouraged Russia to increase its dairy industry and the huge growth in China’s agricultural sector. New Zealand’s milk production has risen dramatically too, fueled partly by the record payout of 2010/2011 and what Steve describes as “speculator farmsâ€? where land is being converted to dairying. “Unlike dairy companies such as Tatua, which has a moratorium on its supply and can pick and choose which farms it collects from, under regulations Fonterra must collect all the milk from every farmer who wants to supply it.â€? The Dairy Industry Restructuring

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Act, known as DIRA, was brought in to ensure there was competition within New Zealand when Fonterra was formed, but Steve believes there is now sufďŹ cient domestic competition and regulators should carefully look at the legislation and how it is impacting on Fonterra farmers. Farmers are also facing increasing costs of compliance and around environmental issues, which, while important, don’t add to their income. “We just hope that decision-makers in central government truly understand what is happening on farms and are making decisions which will not make the situation worse for farmers.â€? Rural Support Bay of Plenty has a website and phone number with people willing to listen and offer assistance. See http://bayofplenty.rural-support.org.nz or phone 0800 787 254. By Elaine Fisher

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NZ DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

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Benefits don’t end with winning The NZ Dairy Awards “just keep giving,” says Natasha Grindrod, who with husband Brett, is coordinating the 2016 Bay of Plenty awards.

The couple, who won the 2014 Bay of Plenty Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year award, have now stepped up to the regional coordination role – and it’s one Natasha says they’ve enjoyed. “There’s a lot to do and we work with a fantastic committee. Through the coordinator’s role you get to network with those in other regions, as well as sponsors. It’s a great experience,” says Natasha. Despite the tough financial times for dairying, five share farmers, 13 managers and 15 trainees have entered the Bay of Plenty awards this year. “Entering in a year like this might

seem hard, but everyone is in the same boat and judging is not just about financial performance.” Entering the awards is an opportunity to take a long hard look at your own farming business, and have input from judges who have wide experience in the industry, she says. Both Natasha and Brett were teachers before taking up dairying and the skills they learned from teaching have certainly come in handy in helping coordinate the awards. The regional committee includes other farmers and also representatives from a number of industry-related companies and organisations. Final judging in each of the three categories was carried out in February and the winners will be announced at a gala dinner on March 18, at the Awakeri Events Centre. For more information and tickets, see www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

Natasha an d coordinat Brett Grindrod ar ing the 2 e Plenty aw 016 Bay of ards.

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Fifty-five DairyNZ scholarships have been awarded this year to Lincoln, Massey and Waikato university students as part of a wider drive to attract more motivated young talent into the dairy industry. DairyNZ has awarded the annual scholarships to successful students undertaking degrees in agriculture or related fields, with a particular interest in the dairy industry. DairyNZ industry education facilitator Susan Stokes says the quality of applications this year was particularly high and bodes well for future talent coming into the dairy industry. “This support for outstanding young scholars is part of the industry’s drive to encourage talented, motivated

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people into the industry as future research scientists, farm advisors, farm managers, farm owners and rural professionals,” says Susan. Thirty-one students at Lincoln University, 22 at Massey University and two at the University of Waikato will receive a DairyNZ scholarship, funded by the levy invested by DairyNZ on behalf of dairy farmers. “We received applications from 168 students from 135 schools and the high standard made our selection process challenging – a good problem to have, but it does mean some very good students missed out this time round,” says Susan. The scholarship assists with the costs of university study up to $6325 per year and continues until course completion, as long as grades are acceptable. Scholars are mentored and supported through their university years, often continuing into employment on-farm or in a role supporting the dairy industry. In the last three years 80 scholarship recipients have graduated from the scholarship programme. Twentyfour per cent of these graduates are employed on-farm, 40 per cent are employed as rural professionals and 13 per cent are employed in science. The closing date for 2017 scholarship applications is December 7, 2016. Information on DairyNZ scholarships, the application process and criteria to qualify can be found at www.dairynz.co.nz/scholarships

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Three secondary school students will each have the opportunity to be mentored by one of New Zealand’s best professional authors in order to develop their craft and hone their writing skills. The NZSA Youth Mentorship Programme 2016 offers these aspiring young writers, aged 15-18, a mentorship, from May to November, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable skills and knowledge. The intent of the mentor programme is to foster and develop emerging writing talent with the support of established authors. Applications close on April 1. Go to: authors.org. nz/opportunities/nzsa-programmes-and-services/ or contact Claire Hill 09 379 4801 or email office@ nzauthors.org.nz

COAST & COUNTRY

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NZ DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

The employer’s obligation for safety in the workplace The national statistics on safety in the workplace on farms are sobering. Since the Pike River mining disaster, the number of deaths on farms has been greater than the loss of lives at Pike River. The farm employer’s obligations under health and safety legislation are to ensure the workplace is safe.

Difficult employees tend to be people who shun authority and rules. These people are not only dangerous to themselves in a farming environment but are also potentially dangerous to others. Safety on the farm is of paramount importance. An employer must remember that disciplinary action with respect to safety has to be treated in the employment agreement as serious misconduct. An employer is often reluctant to take immediate steps with a recalci-

trant employee for fear of breaching the disciplinary procedures required by the law. However, it is vitally important employers understand that they must – not ‘may’ – act immediately and decisively where safety in the workplace is at risk. In order to strengthen the employer’s position, the

Chris Spargo, Sandy Van Den Heuvel, Rachel Petterson and Ian Blackman of BlackmanSpargo Rural Law Limited are legal specialists to the rural sector.

employment contract should: Impose clear health and safety obligations of compliance on the employee. Impose a strict policy on drugs and alcohol. Provide a comprehensive set of codes setting out those obligations. Allow the employer to dismiss the employee summarily where a serious breach of health and safety has occurred. If an employer is having difficulty with a careless, unmotivated or uncommitted employee, it is important to ensure the person complies with health and safety. The drug and alcohol policy goes handin-hand with health and safety. A breach of those obligations will give the employer the right to suspend and ultimately lawfully dismiss that person. The employer has a legal duty to act decisively to ensure that the workplace is safe. BlackmanSpargo Rural Law Limited are legal specialists to the rural sector.

Agri-tourism benefits flow both ways Ten Australians, keen to find out more about New Zealand’s agriculture and horticulture, were among the visitors to Grasslandz 2016, on a tour organised by Karen Baldwin of Agritravel. “They all enjoyed Grasslandz because it gave them the chance to see live demonstrations. Every time a tractor or big piece of machinery started up they were

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Karen Baldwin of Agritravel with Australian farmers Russell Speed and Joel Greenwood at Grasslandz 2016. off – like bees to honey pot,” says Karen, who last year bought Agritravel after working for the company for two-and-a-half years. “Buying the business was a big step but it’s a natural fit for me. I’m a farmer’s daughter, married to a farmer and for many years worked in tourism for Thomas Cook Travel.” Karen was asked to organise the Australians’ tour by John McKay of the Australian company Ectol. All those taking part were his clients, and at Grasslandz they also saw a trial block of maize grown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the company’s products. As well as Grasslandz, the group visited an onion and potato grower, two dairy farms, where one used robotic milking, an agricultural contractor, the demonstration farm at St Peter’s School and the FAR arable research site in the Waikato. “New Zealand is seen as the place to come to see agriculture and horticulture at its best. New Zealanders are very generous with their time and information and while our visitors gain a lot from the experience, New Zealand’s farmers and growers benefit from the exchange of ideas and information too.”

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NZ DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

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Awards build skills and focus on positives in industry ence as you put in; and being part of the awards is a chance to focus on the positives in the industry too. “Since entering I’ve improved pasture recording and my health and safety practices, I’ve lifted livestock targets, improved business monitoring and system analysis, and I’m continuing to make improvements.” Now involved in coordinating the awards, Aaron says he’s gaining even more from the experience including learning new skills and networking with other farmers, leaders from within the industry and sponsors. Aaron wants to use the experiences gained through the awards to help other young people progress through dairying and “enhance the natural environment with a

Fifty-three farmers have entered the 2016 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards, a number regional co-ordinator Aaron Price says is pleasing, especially given the current downturn in dairy incomes. “Dairy trainee numbers are down on last year which is probably a reflection of the fact some farmers are employing fewer staff.” There are 23 dairy trainees, 16 share farmers and 14 managers vying for the region’s top title, but Aaron says it’s not all about winning. He entered five times, and was runnerup twice before winning the 2015 Waikato Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year award. “You get twice as much out of the experi-

long-term vision”. Work-life balance is important to Aaron, whose recreational pursuits – like his occupation – are far from laid back. As well as being a dairy farmer he also competes in ironman events and is a volunteer firefighter for the Tahuna fire brigade. The 2016 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards dinner is on March 16 at Mystery Creek, Hamilton. Tickets can be purchased online at: www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

The 2016 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards co-ordinator Aaron Price took part in the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman last year.

Kids lap up milk at school Fonterra has delivered more than 50 million packs of milk to Kiwi kids since its Milk for Schools programme began – that’s more than 10 million litres of milk. Throughout New Zealand including the Chatham, Great Barrier and Stewart islands, 1480 primary schools are part of the programme that sees thousands of children enjoying Anchor milk every school day. Fonterra director of social responsibility Carolyn Mortland says it’s great to mark the start of the new school year with such an achievement. “Delivering 50 million packs is a significant milestone and a lot of work has gone into making this happen. “The biggest thanks must go to our 10,500 farmers who provide the milk for our children. As well as providing

the milk they also support the programme by hosting school farm visits, or visit schools to talk about being a Fonterra farmer. “A big thanks also goes to our partners in the programme – the schools. The teachers and milk monitors do a great job in making sure the kids get their milk every day.” The programme also teaches kids valuable lessons around leadership and recycling. During the years the 50 million packs have been folded flat and sent to Thailand and Malaysia to be recycled into roof tiles and school exercise books. Fonterra Milk for Schools is New Zealand’s largest corporate social responsibility programme and was offered to all primary schools in 2013. Seventy per cent of schools now take part.

Children have consumed more than 10 million litres of milk through the Milk for Schools programme.

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GRASSLANDZ

World-leading technology ensures quality Rural contractors John Austin Ltd, which continually seeks world-leading technology to improve the quality of its products and services, had some of its harvesting machinery and equipment in action at Grasslandz. One of the company’s John Deere tractors operating a Bergmann Repex Loader Wagon attracted attention from the farmers attending the two-day event. Operating first class equipment is a hallmark of the company, which constantly strives to improve efficiency and develop new or improved methods to serve its clients’ requirements. Since the inception of John Austin Ltd, the company’s ongoing standard has always been to maximise the quality of workmanship, processes and all it does for customers. The quality of that service is influenced by the quality of the company’s equipment, knowledge and staff – and together

these components combine to deliver the value and quality farmers require from their agricultural contracting partner. Company founder, John Austin, regularly travels overseas and maintains contact with researchers, leading farmers, and agricultural machinery companies worldwide. The company’s staff have many years of practical experience operating machinery in the various soil conditions and environments throughout the Waikato. The practical knowledge of staff, combined with internal field operations manuals and established technical and agronomic knowhow ensure the delivery of maximum quality in all of its operations. John Austin Ltd is also ISO 9001:2008 certificated. ISO9001 is a world-renowned standard to ensure the methodology and processes employed by a business are well designed, robust, relevant, and dependable. It provides an independent means to check that processes are clearly defined, and will be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the company meets and exceed requirements in every aspect of its business.

John Austin Ltd had one of its Bergmann Repex Loader Wagons on display as part of the live demonstrations at Grasslandz.

Pond facilitates effluent demonstrations Pondco’s Centroid design effluent pond, installed as part of the effluent hub at Grasslandz 2016, is likely to be used for other effluent events in future. The pond is lined with Aquaflex VLDPE liner, a liner that can be used for effluent ponds, irrigation ponds and natural swimming pools and decorative ponds, says Hamish Forbes of Pondco. “Aqua-Flex is a very flexible thermoplastic VLDPE pond liner, manufactured using virgin resins. “Aquaflex does not contain plasticizers which can migrate to the surface, causing premature ageing and degradation. “Underneath the liner is base water and gas drainage, as well as geotextile cloth which helps with water dispersion behind the liner, holding off embankment structures and is extra protection for the liner. “A huge thank you to Geotech Ltd and Humes for their kind sponsorship of geotextile underlay and gas drainage materials used in our display pond.” The pond enabled a range of effluent equipment to

be demonstrated to farmers keen to find the best solutions to their effluent issues. It is the first time Grasslandz has featured an effluent hub and organisers say it was so successful it is likely to become a permanent part of the two-yearly event.

A GEA Haule PTO Superpump, used for pumping and agitation, in action in the Pondco effluent pond at Grasslandz.

GRASSLANDZ

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Fittest farming nation in world – the aim One of the biggest health and wellbeing initiatives rural New Zealand has ever seen will step up a gear in March with the inaugural Farmstrong Fit4Farming Cycle tour. From March 18, Ian Handcock will lead a core peloton of 20 riders, all with strong connections to rural New Zealand, cycling from Ngatea to Bluff – and with five event days planned along the way and he wants farmers and growers to get involved. “My motivation to create the tour came from the research I carried out through Kelloggs on the physical health of farmers – the results of which were a huge eye-opener for me. “I thought us farmers were pretty fit given we’re out and about all day – and some certainly are. “However, with the increased use of farm machinery coupled with other factors such poor diet and stress, many of us are not in good trim and are in fact at risk of some serious illnesses such as heart disease.” Like all industries, farming has its challenges – and these aren’t going away. Long hours, uncontrollable stress factors such as environmental and financial pressure and the opportunity for solitude can induce a negative mind-set – “so we need to develop strategies to manage them”.

Overall wellbeing

“We know there is an established link between increased exercise and improved physical health and wellbeing, so I thought I could either park myself in an office and keep talking about the problem, or better still, park myself on a bike and take this incredibly serious message to all farmers and growers throughout the country,” says Ian. The Farmstrong Fit4Farming Cycle Tour will head

through the North and South islands cycling 1400km to raise awareness about the role exercise can have on improving overall physical and mental wellbeing. At five locations, the peloton will host an event day which is a chance for all farmers, growers, their families, and staff and in fact anyone connected with rural New Zealand, to get off the farm, meet up with others in the community and take part in a fun exercise challenge. “The event days are a great way for people to turn their good intentions – to exercise more – into action. It’s about taking small steps to begin with – sticking to an exercise routine and committing yourself and your family to a fitter The Farmstrong future,” says Ian. Fit4Farming “We’ve also set up the Cycle tour begins Farmstrong Challenge in Ngatea on which farmers and growMarch 18. ers can take part in right now. Farmstrong has initiated a goal for the rural community to collectively exercise a total of 4 million kilometres through to July 2. You can walk, run, cycle or swim the distance you pledge and registration is done at www.farmstrong.co.nz/challenge

Ian Kirkpatrick

“The feedback and support I’ve received since announcing the tour has been overwhelmingly positive, and will even see former All Black Ian Kirkpatrick cycle the first couple of legs.” Kirky tells it straight when he says “it’s really important that farmers look at other ways of being active other than the day-to-day duties of the job. Farming can help with strength, but the aerobic fitness side of things is equally important too”. “It’s no big deal actually, just be realistic. Keep it simple and do something sustainable so that you will stick with it,” he says. “With a bit more exercise imagine the benefits you’ll gain personally and in business. And collectively, just think how much more efficient a fitter and healthier rural New Zealand would be,” says Ian. “Today’s a great day to start and the Farmstrong

website has all the information you need to live well and farm well. “While there, sign up to the challenge and register for an event day in your

region. I look forward to seeing you there and getting in behind a drive to make New Zealand the fittest farming nation in the world.”

PIAKO & DISTRICTS

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Quality not quantity strikes right note Attendance was down at Grasslandz 2016 but event coordinator Andrew Reymar says most exhibitors are happy with the smaller crowds. “We were initially a bit disappointed not to have so many people through the gate, which could have been a reection of the current economy for farmers

and also that we didn’t have some of the big name brands exhibiting. “However, many of our exhibitors said afterwards they were pleased that we had ‘quality rather than quantity’ and fewer numbers meant they could spend time talking to prospective clients and demonstrating their machinery and equipment. “Many exhibitors have already booked space for the

Andrew Raymar says Grasslandz 2016 has reafďŹ rmed the event’s format is right for both exhibitors and farmers.

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next Grasslandz in 2018, even though “There is some talk that the Waikato we haven’t conďŹ rmed the dates yet.â€? Efuent Expo in 2017 may be held on Instead of touring the North Island the same site,â€? says Andrew. to demonstrate machinery and equipThe opening day at Grasslandz, on ment, Andrew says some exhibitors are January 28, coincided with yet another inviting their clients to Grasslandz to drop in Fonterra’s payout forecast, view machinery in action. The positive feedback and comments has reafďŹ rmed that the format of the event is right, and that it is bringing in the clients exhibitors want, says Andrew. Grasslandz is held every two years at Eureka near Hamilton; and as well as plenty of room to demonstrate machinery and equipment of all sizes, it also has extensive plantings of pasture which is cut and bailed during the event, and of maize and sugar and fodder beet crops. “The site is used yearFor the ďŹ rst time this year Grasslandz featured round by exhibitors. Seed an efuent hub with two permanent ponds and a Force held a demonstration range of equipment in action. day on their site shortly after Grasslandz and Piowhich put a bit of a dampener on the neer is planning an event for its clients day. when the maize is harvested.â€? “However, it was an opportunity For the ďŹ rst time this year Grasslandz for farmers to get off the farm and featured an efuent hub with two relax for a bit, networking with other permanent efuent ponds installed, farmers. That’s one of the reasons we which, as well as being the focus of invited the vintage tractor club along a number of live demonstrations to put on demonstrations too because during the two-day event, can also be it’s something different to watch used throughout the year for other and talk about.â€? By Elaine Fisher industry-related demonstrations.

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DAIRY

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Form hero to zero –what’s the next step? Because of the noise generated from the Hero to Zero philosophy I wrote about in my last column, I’ve been asked to write about the three questions I posed. First; where do you choose to live when you ‘retire’ from farming? There are a lot of conflicting thoughts and ideas here. From what I can see staying near your existing locality with familiar friends, roads and services seems to be a logical idea. Loneliness seems to be a big issue as we age. How do we make new friends if we shift? It’s a skill we seem to lose as we age and is particularly pertinent to men. Being around family is really important but it appears that being around friends is even more important. Can you stay on the farm in the house and lease the land out? If you go to town how will you find a suitable home? And what are the issues there? An old friend of mine moved into Cambridge from the land and after the house was all unpacked he commented: “Well it has got a great kitchen and I like the home, but where is my shed?” Sadly some people find they are living alone together.

Alone together

Their relationship is worn out and there is little communication going on and that can be really lonely. Maybe that is a very good reason to stay where you are known. What do you do? The process of redirecting effort and focus really needs to start before you shift off the farm. Some men drive trucks, go back to the farm and help out if it is owned by the

family. Hence, RD1 and Farmlands are full of ex-cockies. Can you (or do you want to) get a job mowing lawns or helping out on community work? Join clubs, walking groups, golf, biking, bowls, RSA, cards, caravan association, and so. You can now even go and join a coffin club where you build your own coffin. Having something to do and get up for every morning is paramount for mental health and longevity. Failure to focus on this will considerably shorten your life. Nothing beats a determined, feisty man or woman with a mission to have a good long life, who keep themselves and their minds busy.

Money questions

Finally, where do you invest your money? Next month I will explore this in more depth. A client of mine sold his farm for about $3 million. So, $1million went into a new home on a lifestyle block. The balance wet into a $2 million commercial building with a good tenant. Their take home gross income was $170,000 – not bad huh! The short answers would include the following; it is paramount to determine the difference between income and capital. Ordinarily you invest capital to give you return which is income. If you have enough ‘capital’ invested it may not be an issue. But as pointed out in my previous article, I’ve seen plenty of people who have not determined the difference between income and capital and have run out of money fast and ended up poor. So, you could stay in your farm house and lease the land to somebody. This

Accident of Biblical proportions A woman ran a red traffic light and crashed into a man’s car. Both of their cars are demolished but amazingly neither of them were hurt. After they crawled out of their cars, the woman said: “Wow, just look at our cars! There’s nothing left, but fortunately we are unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends and live together in peace for the rest of our days”. The man replied: “I agree with you completely. This must be a sign from God!” The woman continued: “And look at this, here’s another miracle. My car

is completely demolished, but my bottle of 75-year-old scotch didn’t break. Surely God meant for us to drink this vintage delicacy and celebrate our good fortune”. Then she handed the bottle to the man. The man noded his head in agreement, opened it, drank half the bottle and then handed it back to the woman. The woman took the bottle, immediately put the cap back on, and handed it back to the man. The man asks: “Aren’t you having any?” She replies: “Nah. I think I’ll just wait for the Police”. Remember, Adam ate the apple, too. Men will never learn!

is a good option with an excellent business model. You can buy a home handy and get somebody to manage your money for you. A balanced portfolio of shares and cash depending on your appetite for risk may follow. There are some excellent companies doing just that. You may like to invest your surplus capital yourself. You could buy shares, or maybe commercial property.

Return on investment

I personally love commercial property as distinct from residential. The tenants normally pay a six to eight per cent return and pay rates and insurance; and on top of that they maintain much of the building. As opposed to residential tenancy, you seem to have a lot of issues for a two to four per cent return after you pay all maintenance and the rates and insurance. In summary, where you live, what you do and where to put your money are huge issues and require a lot of focus and attention. This is particularly pertinent for farmers as it is all uncharted and new territory with a lot of pitfalls. Failure to focus down on this could see you like a “fish out of water” and quickly changing

to an “ocean-going tadpole”. Again, seek qualified, wise advice and take it. Ps: Remember to consider the agenda of the person who is helping you invest your hard-earned capital. 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 16

Peach aphid infecting fodder beet

DAIRY TECH

Ever wondered why your fodder beet has gone yellow? Ravensdown agronomist Chris Lowe has been looking for the cause and found it in the aphids that transport the Beet Western Yellow Virus.

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“I have lost count of the number of enquires I have had recently about these symptoms, with most people putting it down to nutrient deficiencies.” A common response, Chris says, is to apply a large amount of nitrogen and potassium fertiliser. “The fact of the matter is that the beet below is not suffering from a nutrient deficiency at all. We tissue test many beet paddocks for nutrients through our Analytical Research Laboratory and most come back absolutely fine.” Chris adds that since seeing signs of infection last year Ravensdown has brought AgResearch on to assist in monitoring the situation. Using plant diagnostics, Chris has had the cause of many yellowing paddocks confirmed as Beet Western Yellow Virus, known as BWYV for short. This is transmitted by aphids, with the biggest culprit being the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae).

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Green peach aphid are often found on the underside of the leaves where they lays eggs in winter. In spring they hatch and

produce stem mothers that give birth to female aphids. These then fly to the summer hosts, like fodder beet, where they suck the plant sap and transmit the virus. “The virus persists in the aphids for more than 50 days, while the aphid only needs to feed from the plant for a minimum of five minutes to transmit the disease to the plant.” Yellowing of fodder beat leaves is often BWYV is extremely caused by the green peach aphid. hard to control because kill your friends.” of its wide host range and Unfortunately, globally there persistent aphid transmission, with is a huge amount of resistance to the minimum inoculation feeding insecticides with the green peach period being 10 minutes. aphid. “While it is not confirmed in Best defences • Insecticide seed treatments – for New Zealand yet, we should take every precaution to reduce the example, imidacloprid or thiapotential of resistance. Your best methoxam + tefluthrin. form of defence is correct crop • Later drilling to avoid aphid rotations and sowing insecticide flights. treated seed. • Avoiding host plant cover crops “Fodder beet seed is generally – for example, beet, radish, coated to allow precision sowing, peas, potatoes and wild/weed which only has a fungicide treatcrucifers like mustard, between ment. Ensure the seed you are drillings. sowing has Combi Coat, which • Adequate rotations (best contains both a fungicide and defence). insecticide to reduce your risks of Chris adds foliar insecticides can virus infection.” help but they have to be timed Chris recommends doing everyright. “Last year I was finding aphids underneath leaves about the thing practicable to reduce the risk of aphids infecting the fodder beet middle of November. plants with BWYV. “A good indication of whether “Starting with the correct padyour beet crop has aphids is the dock choice, with no-host species presence of lady birds as they prior to fodder beet, and using are a natural predator and where insecticide treated seed will put the possible I would advise using odds in you favour significantly.” an insecticide that does not

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Unexpected summer throws up surprises tractors, trucks and machinery will be on the roads at all times of the day and night. Watch out for heavy machinery entering and exiting gateways in places you don’t normally expect and be patient for slower-moving machinery too – drivers will pull over to let you pass when they can, but on narrow country roads that’s not always easy.

It’s not the summer we expected. Instead of the El Nino hot and dry, we got warm and wet and so much grass growth it’s almost embarrassing. Due to the predicted drought, many farmers reduced cow numbers and culled early in preparation for a shortage of pasture, but instead the rain kept falling and the grass kept growing. The upside is the costs of milk production towards the end of the season are lower – but, of course, so are the returns with little prospect of an upswing any time soon. With both the weather and the payout beyond their control, all dairy farmers can do is “stick to their knitting” and do what they know works best for their farm at the lowest possible cost.

High quality

Turnip crops

All that rain does mean our maize harvest will be of a high quality. It hasn’t grown quite as tall as normal, due to the cold dry start to spring and summer, but the rain has helped with pollination and to fill out the cobs, meaning our silage will have a high ME. Without the normal spells of long dry weather, getting the maize in will be a juggling act, and now is the time for drivers throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato to be aware that

The gloomy weather appears to have affected turnip crops which have grown well but are not lasting as well as normal because this plant likes lots of sun and warm dry weather to mature. This unusual humid wet weather may throw up some other unpleasant surprises, like pests and diseases not seen in the normal summer, including army caterpillar and black beetle. Once again vigilance is needed with regular inspections of pasture and crops. While there’s plenty of grass out there, it pays to have a good hard look at exactly what is growing. Those previously bare patches might have been filled in by summer grasses, and even native species, which won’t last through the winter. Pasture renewal should be seriously considered for previously underperforming paddocks and autumn is the time to do it. When winter comes, and those summer species have died away, it is too late to re-sow.

I noticed mushrooms in my lawn recently – far too early I reckon, but also an indication that as farmers are well aware – facial eczema is around and measures need to be taken to protect stock. The days are getting shorter and there’s not a lot to look forward to in the dairy industry right now but if there’s one things farmers know it’s that they have been down this road before and come out the other side. There are other sectors of the agriculture industry that are doing well and posting really good results. We all need to remain as positive as we can, and most of all – take time away from our farms or businesses, to minimise stress and to mentally refresh.

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New option for managing facial eczema With the high humidity levels and extensive grass growth through the upper North Island this summer, spore counts have soared in some districts making facial eczema a headache for many pastoral farmers. With some district spore counts topping 100,000 in mid-February, animal health experts are warning farmers to be extremely vigilant after a couple of years where lower feed levels have meant facial eczema has been less of an issue. Dr Joe McGrath, ruminant specialist speaking on

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behalf of Sollus Nutrition, says the company’s release of LactiSol Z in New Zealand is very timely, offering farmers a valuable option to manage facial eczema risks this season. LactiSol Z is based on world leading animal nutrition and health company DSM’s vitamin HyD. LactiSol Z contains HyD in combination with anti-oxidants, trace minerals as well as the recommended level of zinc oxide (TS-99 ACVM Registration No: A10933) for facial eczema prevention. HyD is a vitamin D metabolite that is proven to increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the cow’s diet. “HyD has been well-proven in production animals, playing a vital role in skeletal health, mineral absorption and vitamin health in several species. With the addition of zinc, LactiSol Z also delivers a valuable level of protection alongside antioxidant supplementation, shown to improve the resistance of animals to symptoms of facial eczema. “Therapeutic doses of zinc have been proven to reduce mineral availability and even shown to cause hypocalcaemia in extreme cases. HyD increases the active absorption of calcium, helping to maintain adequate calcium intake during the mid to late lactation when cows are replenishing the skeleton.” Joe says the addition of zinc oxide comes with a history of being proven as an effective means of managing and

Sollus Nutrition ruminant specialist Joe McGrath. minimising facial eczema’s impact. Work on its effectiveness has its roots back in the 1960s thanks to work done by a dental nurse, Gladys Reid, in Te Aroha. “Sollus takes the preventative treatment approach a step further by combining the zinc oxide with our HyD and anti-oxidant formulations. “We believe we have a product that is the highest quality, based on proven science with a formulation that is very relevant to New Zealand farmers wanting to protect their livestock from this debilitating disease.” LactiSol Z is available through Sollus NZ and sold through SourceNZ and Farmlands.

DAIRY

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Hill country focus of Rotorua symposium For the first time in more than 30 years, farmers, scientists, policy makers and agribusiness leaders are being invited to help shape the future of New Zealand’s iconic hill country. Online registrations are now open for the Hill Country Symposium at Rotorua on April 12-13 at www.grassland.org.nz A joint effort by the NZ Grassland Association, the NZ Society of Animal Production and the NZ Grassland Trust, the two-day event is the first of its kind to focus exclusively on hill country research and direction since the early 1980s. Those involved say it’s well past time for the engine powering NZ’s $8 billion red meat sector to receive some serious attention. As well as providing a forum in

which to review current research and celebrate industry achievers, they’re determined the symposium will result in a collective vision that will help set hill country farming on track for profitable and resilient future. “At present 75 per cent of NZ lambs are born on hill country,” points out symposium convenor Graham Kerr, of the NZ Grassland Association. “This number is only going to increase as flat land is lost to other enterprises, as will the need to finish more stock on hills.”

Profit squeeze

Yet at the same time, says Graham, hill country profitability is being squeezed; the drive for greater efficiency means fewer people on farms; soil and vegetation is deteriorating in some areas; climate change means more extreme weather is likely; and tighter environmental restraints are

becoming a reality. “There’s a lot of good news, too, however. “Productivity has steadily increased, we are producing a lot more per stock unit, and many innovative hill country farmers and practitioners are using novel technologies in pasture, animals and monitoring.”

Embrace change

NZ Grassland Trust chairman Gavin Sheath says the symposium presents an opportunity for all stakeholders in the red meat industry to embrace change, improve profitability and care for the resources with which they farm. “This is not only about physical resources such as land and water, but also staff and the rural communities that provide essential services.” For more detail, visit www.grassland.org.nz.

Symposium convenor Graham Kerr, of the NZ Grassland Association.

Quick treatment vital for pink eye irritation in your animals deserves a closer look especially during these warm late summer months. An important part of control is to separate out affected animals from the rest of the Pink eye is caused by highly group and contacting your contagious bacteria called local vet clinic for assistance. Moraxella bovis, which can be Blindness can develop as transferred easily from animal soon as two to three days to animal by way after the initial of flies or simply infection so time brushing up against is of the essence in common things like terms of tendthe seed heads on ing to pink eye long grass. affected individuPink eye can als. Fortunately, range from a mild there is effective irritation to painful medication for eye ulcers and if this condition that advanced lead to can be provided Pink eye is highly contagious irreversible blindby your local and can lead to blindness. ness. Any sign of eye veterinarian.

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EFFLUENT

Fully contained system solving effluent issues EcoBag Nutrient Capture effluent storage systems offer new possibilities of effluent storage and management for New Zealand farmers, says Harmen Hessen, CEO of TechniPharm Group. “With lower payouts and pressure on farmers to improve environmental durability it’s not easy to decide what to do when it comes to upgrading or renovating older ponds. “It’s in everyone’s interest to ensure Because the EcoBag is a fully contained system there are no dollars spent are spent effectively and issues with rainfall infiltration or smell. where possible create a return on investof site and layout, thus a no-smelling, be phased out, or where ment made.” TechniPharm installed this 1000 cube EcoBag last month tidy setup was very much desired. more cows have entered TechniPharm installed a 1000 cube (20m x 20m on an Atiamuri farm. “Regional council, under condithe herd or a feed pad embankment) EcoBag Nutrient Capture effluent tions with local rain fall etc, required a has been added, need increased storage. ing asset there is absolutely no sense in spending that storage system last month on an Atiamuri farm in 2500m3 open pond but we have been sort of money for so little result. Farms with just three days’ storage just one day after earthworks and side weed matting able to reduce that to 1000 cube with “With EcoBag we offer 100 per cent of the funds need to move to 90 days’ or more. was done by a local contractor. invested for 100 per cent of the real effluent being “Some farmers and providers think “There is a house 40m away from the pond, and the the closed system.” Effluent drains from the dairy direct solutions are in massive concrete basins stored. That is what TechniPharm calls effective storpond could not go anywhere else due to limitations to the EcoBag and can be drained back and open storage, but often these age. into the sump from where it goes to do nothing more than waste a lot of More storage the paddock via spray irrigation. money and collect more rainwater, Most older ponds are structurally sound but not which then turns into effluent, exacerOld ponds environmentally sound (they often leak) but with the bating the issues. “Due to the layout of the land this right technology they could be remodeled and used “Rainwater, freeboard and sludge in EcoBag was more or less built in the to be both compliant and offer more storage on the the bottom of the pond or tank make site where three sides of the embanksame footprint. up almost 50 per cent of most pond’s ment are ‘in the bank’ and one is above storage capacity. That means you spent “Lining these ponds with a conventional HDPE or the ground. The EcoBag when full, MDPE liner is almost impossible as often these older 100 per cent of your money for only will be just under a metre higher than ponds do not meet engineering standards. However, 50 per cent of the result. That almost the embankment.” with EcoBag Nutrient Capture Effluent storage syssounds like a con. Harmen says many farms still have “Maybe at an $8 payout no one cares, tems that is not an issue. oxidation ponds which will need to “EcoBag does not require expensive engineering or but at $4? If we call storage a depreciatan engineered structure, just an embankment and what’s more this embankment can hold effluent up TH1886M - 18/2/2016 to 75-100cm over and above the highest level of the ™ embankment this means more storage at no extra cost. “In addition EcoBag does not need freeboard nor NUTRIENT CAPTURE sludge residual in the bottom, this means an addiEFFLUENT STORAGE tional 600mm storage, over a 20m x 20m pond that is 240,000 litres extra storage or 240 cube. SOLUTION “This together with EcoBag not storing rainwater Effective storage means another of at least 1000mm is freed up for actual storage, for the same 20m x 20m pond. That is Basin and cover in one, no rain water entry an additional 160,000L, or 1600 cube. to storage “Combine the two and we have an almost 100 per cent increase of storage capacity on the same footNo freeboard needed print.” Harmen says old ponds are often too close to the No smell dairy which means when the pond is enlarged or No engineering fees replaced it needs to move, however in some cases through the use of EcoBag it may be possible to meet 500-10,000 Cube storage compliance without shifting the pond location. EcoBag is fully certified by international standards, Mixing options PTO or electrical and offers farmers a real cost effective futureproof storage system. More N to Pastiure

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EFFLUENT

Don’t focus on things you cannot change The current dairy farming situation is a disaster. It is time to get serious. There are some things happening around us which are outside our control: one is the weather and two is the payout. Although there is a lot of daily discussion about these two points, there is little we can do to change them. Anyone can allow themselves to be completely overwhelmed if they focus on the disaster itself and how it is affecting them. One factor which is true in today’s payout is there are many farmers feeling the same way. It is of paramount importance to stop worrying about what cannnot be changed and focus on the things that can. During 35 years of farming, similar to many longer term farmers, I’ve been challenged by floods, droughts, earthquakes, family upheavals, and plenty of times when there is too much month left at the end of the money. What I have learned, is your family and friends are the most important units which will help you through – so focus on a plan ahead, utilising help from experienced people willing to share it. Never underestimate the counsel from the

old boys who have long since put their gumboots away. This is not a short-term problem so we can not have a short-term plan. There are times where drastic action can be taken, which could be detrimental to long-term farm performance. Signs of a short-term plan which can end up costing you include: Long-term contracts and high use of palm kernel should be avoided. PK should be used strategically unless this can be proven to be cost efficient relative to your system. High and regular use of urea nitrogen in any form.This practice over time will burn off the humus in your soil, strip out calcium and block copper restricting the soil’s ability to grow nutrient-rich grass. Analysing your complete system from and including soil, grass, feed, stock, effluent, finance and family are needed before a plan can be made. Every aspect of the entire system needs efficient management. Every area of management needs to be measured. If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it. The cheapest and most important asset you have is your grass. Your most important

investment is the fuel to grow it. There are several points which I’ve observed which can be applied for a long- term sustainable plan. Soil audit and apply fertiliser custom blends prioritising where any deficiencies lie. Don’t waste money on generic blends which will increase nutrients which are already adequate. Don’t guess. A good soil audit will save you money. Obviously this column doesn’t allow coverage of the whole system, yet most problems related to feed quality, animal health, effluent, positive cashflow and profitability all originate from the soil. Soil is the engine room of your entire farming operation. A balanced approach will not only increase quality grass growth, it will reduce reliance on buying in feed, improve animal health and reduce crusting problems in your effluent pond. Forward Farming Consultancy offers a service which seeks solutions to help farmers and includes specialists in soil fertility, grazing management, ruminant nutrition, effluent management and financial assistance.

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Maori farming finalists named For the first time in recent history, two South Island farms are among the finalists in the Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award for Dairy. The third finalist in the 2016 awards, is in the South Waikato area. The finalist are: Ngai Tahu Farming Limited, which has farms near the Canterbury township of Oxford; Rakaia Incorporation’s Tahu a Tao near Ashburton and Tewi Trust near Okoroire. Ahuwhenua Trophy Management committee chairman Kingi Smiler says all three farms are worthy finalists which have made a brave call to showcase their operations in challenging times and take the positive approach Sir Apirana Ngata, who inaugurated the competition, would have wished.

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Chinese chefs experience NZ drystock farming Beef + Lamb New Zealand teamed up with Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand Institute recently to host six chefs from China who are winners of the global Chef par Excellence culinary competition. The institute and Sealord New Zealand were the main sponsors and Beef + Lamb New Zealand was invited to arrange a day’s activity for the chefs. B+LNZ general manager market development Nick Beeby says the opportunity was too good to pass up, particularly given the group’s influential travel members. The chefs were accompanied by a representative from ‘Global Gourmet’ magazine and Robert Oliver – a New Zealand chef, author, television presenter and ambassador for Le Cordon Bleu (New Zealand and Pacific).

Nick’s team arranged a visit to Waiorongomai Station in South Wairarapa. “Station owner Charlie Matthews showed the group around his sheep and beef farm, explaining farming methods and talking about the qualities of beef and lamb raised on pasture.” The chefs then Chinese chefs, who are winners of the global Chef travelled 30 minpar Excellence culinary competition, watch a utes down the road cooking demonstration at Wharekauhau Estate. to Wharekauhau comes from quality farming and a pure Estate, where they were treated to a environment. cooking demonstration. “For these chefs, New Zealand beef They carried on to enjoy a beef and lamb will no longer be just a and lamb-focused degustation lunch plastic-wrapped product that arrives at prepared by B+LNZ ambassador chef their restaurant door.” Marc Soper. Lunch was accompanied The six winning chefs were: Philippe by a selection of Wairarapa regional Bruneau, The W Guangzhou; Andy wines, presented for tasting by Ata Choy, Brasserie FLO, Beijing; Cai Rangi winemaker Helen Masters. Huaijia, Grand Hyatt Macau; Wang Robert Oliver says it was terrific for the chefs to see the hands-on approach Hao, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing; and Wang Wei, Da Dong Roast Duck to meat production in New Zealand. Restaurant Tuanjiehu, Beijing. “And to appreciate that quality meat

Find the right feed for the season Just as animals’ dietary requirements change during a season, so too does pasture quality and quantity. It is important for farmers at all times to know what is in their animals’ diet and if these will be meeting the animal’s needs. Dietary requirements will depend on a number of variables including age, reproductive status, and the weather. For example, animals have an increased demand for energy during pregnancy or lactation, or when the fibre level in pasture is high and limiting feed intake in summer. Metabolisable energy, known as ME,

protein, carbohydrates and fibre are some of the important feed values that need to be known. The level of nutrients in any feed will help determine how much animals need to eat to achieve growth and production goals. If the pasture is unable to provide all the animals’ requirements then farmers can look to utilise supplementary feeds to make up the shortfall. Farmers are encouraged to regularly test pasture and feed sources as part of their nutrition programme. Analytical Research Laboratory is stateof-the-art testing laboratory that can do all your pasture and feed testing to develop better feeding programmes for stock.

AUTUMN FERTILISER

So you think nitrogen comes out of a bag? Cells construct protein from nitrogen. Chlorophyll is created from protein and photosynthesis. Photosynthesis, the most important process in the planet, takes place in the presence of chlorophyll.

gen leading to the death of azotobacter. They were the creatures responsible for the high yields of grain obtained in Ukraine, up until the 20th Century, without fertiliser inputs.

Free nitrogen

To increase humus levels in soil and employ this free way to supply nitrogen to our pastures and crops naturally; Nitrogen is critical to life itself, manure has to be composted and being the most abundant applied as compost and not as nutrient required for plant manure. The legume content growth. It forms 16 per cent of pastures and crops needs of all plant proteins, and to be increased – for examis a vital component in ple, as in herbal leys – and chloroplasts – the factowe need to employ cover ries that synthesise energy crops and inter-cropping to from sunlight. Nitrogen is supply deficient trace ele78 per cent of the air we ments to the soil, especially breathe. There are 74,000 cobalt. We also need to tonnes of nitrogen above improve the environment every hectare on earth, but for microbiology through pastures and crops struggle better soil calcium and to get enough. How can we magnesium percentage. change that? Plus, we need to reduce the Several types of bacteria amount of water-soluble fix atmospheric nitrogen. fertiliser used. They include rhizobia, Legumes can supply associated with legume up to 400kg/ha of nodules, and azotobacter nitrogen. In addition being free-living bacteria soil fungi can supply up that are assisted by comto 180kg/ha, and high post, but not by manure. earthworm populations Nitrogen produced by up to 600kg/ha. If four leguminous nodules can per cent humus soil benefit associated plants, amounts to 40t, and especially if the pH is contains five per cent above 6. nitrogen; that equates to Nodules housing rhizobia. Azotobacter in the 2000kg of organically bound nitrogen per hectare. rhizosphere need oxygen and carbon to This form is not leached from the soil survive. They cannot live in anaerobic on a yearly basis and is safe. To supply conditions so often created in modern farming. The highest numbers are found that much with urea would cost $1150/ ha and be harmful to soil, crop, and in soils with the most humus. environment. Excess unbound nitrogen Our soils are losing humus. When burns out organic carbon and conchlorophyll is produced in a new plant, a specific flora develops in the root zone. tributes to climate change. When the conditions are right, bacteria on maize The majority of them are the same as those found in animals and humans, namely those that produce lactic acid. Azotobacter These are also the ones required in a under the healthy effluent pond. microscope. They also need cobalt which enables them to construct vitamin B12. In general, water-soluble mineral salts hinder the binding of molecular nitro-

A mixture of lucerne, oats and Persian clover.

plants can produce up to 30 per cent of the total nitrogen requirement from the atmosphere. And 200kg/ha of chemical nitrogen requires 400kg/ ha of lime to prevent a pH decrease. Nitrogen management is one of the most important issues in our quest to build both profitability and sustainability. Nitrogen toxicity is a significant cause of loss in production when nitrogen is overused or misused. Potassium and calcium will inevitably be deficient when plant nitrogen levels are excessive, and this can lead to increasing pest and disease pressure.

Bacterial species

Biological nitrogen fixation can be carried out by free-living, associative as well as symbiotic species of bacteria, providing three or four times the nitrogen for plants as chemical fertilizers produced by industrial processes. Plants correctly growing in healthy high organic matter soils, free from agrochemicals, are not limited by nitrogen. Furthermore, such soils provide other nutrients and include enhanced capacity to retain water.

Page 23

AUTUMN FERTILISER

Page 24

Ensuring fairness in all environmental policy-making Both the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regional councils are fraught with the task of determining which system they will use for enforcing farmers to reduce contaminants entering waterways. The contaminants of concern are nitrogen, phosphorus, E.Coli and sediment.

Using the Overseer software programme, which has been developed in collaboration with AgResearch, Ministry of Primary Industries and NZ Fertiliser Association farms, can be audited to determine how much nitrogen is leaking out of the farm ecosystem. With rivers and lakes of national importance in both

the Waikato and BOP regions, both councils appear to be keen to use the nitrogen ďŹ gures Overseer produces as a regulatory tool to determine limits on farms within their various catchments. When the Waikato Regional Council set nitrogen limits 10 years ago under Regional Plan Variation 5 for farms within the Lake Taupo Catchment to reduce the amount of nitrogen entering the lake by 20 per cent, they used what is referred to as ‘grand-parenting’ where each farm was given a Nitrogen Discharge Allowance, known as a NDA, based on the highest amount of N leached in a single year during the benchmarking period between 20012005.

Animal urine

Farms which leached a lot of nitrogen, say 60kg N/ha had to reduce their leaching by 20 per cent down to 48kg N/ha, and a farm leaching 25kg N/ha had to reduce their leaching to 20kg N/ ha, and a farm leaching 15kg N/ha had to drop to 12kg N/ha. Much of the N leached in pastoral farming comes from animal urine patches where the nitrogen concentration is too high for plants to be able to utilise and recycle it. And because of the sheer volume of liquid, female cattle are worse than male cattle, which are worse than deer, which are worse than sheep. This meant that highly stocked dairy farms had much higher NDAs than sheep farms and forestry, and those dairy farms which had higher stocking rates with higher inputs of urea and brought in supplements were granted higher NDAs than those dairy farms farmed more conservatively with little or no urea of brought in feed. Effectively this allowed the worst

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polluters to continue polluting, except 20 per cent less, whereas more conservative farmers were forced to reduce their N leaching by 20 per cent also, even though their level of pollution may have been relatively benign. Consequently, some farmers were forced to sell and their land was planted into trees. There was never an opportunity to develop their land to its full potential. Such a system is highly inequitable and for the landowner, who is doing things right in terms of the environment is being unfairly penalised whereas polluters can continue their polluting ways. The Waikato Regional Council helped establish the Collaborative Stakeholder Group made up of representatives of dairy, sheep and beef, forestry, horticulture, iwi, community representatives, rural professionals, industry, tourism and government to thrash out the best approach to take for improving water quality across the Waikato.

Equitable approach

Many of my dairy farmer clients, according to Overseer, are farming very sustainably with minimal negative environmental harm. Interestingly, I’ve noted those with lower N leaching levels tend to be the most proďŹ table, and at a $4 kg/ms payout can still survive, suggesting that proďŹ tability, and environmental sustainability go handin-hand. For my sheep and beef clients, grand-parenting prevents them from improving fertility and land development, and this is highly inequitable. Forestry is similarly disadvantaged. Natural capital based on LUCs, in my opinion, seems the fairest system for councils to pursue. ROBIN BOOM 021-2684615.

AUTUMN FERTILISER

Page 25

A need to publicly address use of fertiliser nitrogen In a recent news article, Dairy NZ chief executive Tim Mackle says dairy farming’s reputation with the public matters. Tim says the industry’s standing with New Zealanders and its markets impacts the ability to operate profitably and successfully. “We have to invest in our reputation as we would in any other asset that underpins our competitiveness,” he says. In our view, if Dairy NZ genuinely wishes to improve its standing with New Zealand public it is going to have to publicly address the use of fertiliser nitrogen. A recent price release from Ravensdown stated the $50 reduction in the price of urea provided a potential annual saving to NZ farmers of $37.5m. That equates to 750,000 tonnes of urea being applied to our pastures every year. If 85 per cent of the 750,000 tonnes of urea is sold to dairy farmers, it means on average more than 200kgN/ ha is being applied. With a significant number of dairy properties receiving less than that amount, and a growing number none at all, it means there’s a large area of dairy land in the country receiving in excess of 250kgN/ha.

Withdrawal symptoms

The research supporting the long-term application of nitrogen as an essential driver of permanent pasture growth in this country either doesn’t exist, or it hasn’t been made readily available. In which

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case we’re keen to see it. The argument of taking nitrogen out of a pastoral system that’s become dependent on it results in lessened growth, and therefore it’s essential, is logically little different to arguing an alcoholic is better off with alcohol because of the withdrawal symptoms suffered when it’s no longer available. It’s an argument based on a false premise that even primary children don’t buy into. Some years ago I was shown a project by 12-year-olds at a primary school in the Hauraki Plains that tied the loss of top soil and excess nutrient run-off into the Firth of Thames to the overuse of fertiliser nitrogen.

Charm offensive If those children are wrong Dairy NZ best launch a charm offensive and clearly state the benefits of the current annual application of three-quarters of a million tonnes of urea. The argument put forward so far in its defence is without its application, total farm production would decline; the logic being that less nitrogen results in lessened pasture growth, fewer cows, lower incomes, with farmers and rural communities bearing the costs. A paper by Peter Fraser et al, delivered at an Agricultural Economics conference in Wellington in 2014, entitled ‘The Intensification of the NZ Dairy Industry – Ferrari cows being run on two-stroke fuel on a

road to nowhere?’ states the argument that less environmental ‘nasties’ means fewer cows and lower revenue is an argument that’s intuitively appealing but “without some form of analytical foundation it is merely unsubstantiated rhetoric masquerading as fact”. There is much scientific data we treat with reverence, and scientists we regard as very fine individuals. However, until the issue of dairy farm production being driven by excessive nitrogen applications is proven to be environmentally ‘safe’ long-term, the current advice from AgResearch and DairyNZ would seem to be leading farmers up a very short garden path. We’re heartened by the statement by Richard McDowell, the AgResearch professor heading the land and water challenge, that he and his fellow researchers face a tight timeframe for achieving the initiative’s twin goals of improving land and water quality while enhancing

primary sector productivity, as the longer the present situation remains the more expensive the clean-up will be. Part of their challenge, says Richard, is identifying rural entrepreneurs whose work may not have been fully researched, but does offer some solutions. We’re keen to assist, and our contact is: info@esi.org.nz or phone 0800 843 809.

PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 26

Resilient cropping to cope with climate change In moderate climate change scenarios, most Hawke’s Bay crops will increase or maintain their yields, unless there are more damaging extreme weather events and higher pest and disease pressures. That’s the prediction of the ‘Resilient Cropping’ which is an initiative aiming to build resilience into crop farming. It is a joint venture between FAR, LandWISE, Horticulture NZ and Tahuri Whenua the Maori Vegetable Growers Collective. The work is funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The main focus of ‘Resilient Cropping’ is preparing for adversity such as extreme weather events, fuel cost spikes and restricted access to irrigation water; and it has produced a series of online resilient cropping

fact sheets, including one which looks at the long term climate change impacts for Hawke’s Bay growers. Farms handle adverse events better if the soil is healthy, water available, and infrastructure and capital in place. And the reverse is true too. Beaten up soils, lack of water, inadequate or poorly maintained infrastructure and high gearing leaves a farm and its people at higher risk when bad things happen.

Maize hybrids

Adaptation under moderate climate change could include a change of crop varieties and sowing dates. For example, use longer maturity maize hybrids and

late maturity wheat and sowing forage crops earlier. Improve irrigation efficiency including using scheduling and application technology, improved farming practices and fertiliser management will also be required. Under more severe climate change the breeding and/or adopting of varieties better adapted to warmer and drier climate may be required. Regional investment in irrigation infrastructure and expansion including storage dams and increase the financial resilience of business by reducing debt load and diversifying activities will also be needed.

What isn’t known is how the rainfall patterns, amounts and distribution, will really change in the future; how much photosynthesis will increase with elevated CO2 levels and the yield losses from the impact of climate change on by insect, weed and pathogen populations. The impact of extreme events such as floods, storms and heat waves on crops is also unknown.

Irrigation practices

To prepare for the future, farmers must continue to improve their farm management practices including irrigation, fertiliser and pest management to exploit improved yield potentials. Water availability and water use efficiency will be critical for resilience to climate change.Under severe climate change scenarios, long term investment in infrastructure including irrigation) and research, crop varieties with new traits will be necessary to ensure resilience. (Source: www.far.org.nz/resources/ other_resources/resilient_cropping)

New partnership for strong wool ‘Wool Unleashed’, or W3, is a new seven-year $22.1 million Primary Growth Partnership programme between the Ministry for Primary Industries and The New Zealand Merino Company, which is expected to contribute an estimated $335 million towards New Zealand’s economy by 2025. “The wool industry was once one of New Zealand’s highest earners, with strong wool making up the majority of this, but it has been in decline since the 1990s,” says Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. “The W3 PGP programme aims to reverse this trend by delivering higher premiums for New Zealand’s strong wool sector. “This will be achieved through connecting strong wool farmers with markets, increasing on-shore processing, developing new and niche products and sharing best practice information across the wool industry.” The programme will build on the considerable success to date from another PGP programme – the New Zealand Sheep Industry Transformation Project – also led by The New Zealand Merino Company, which is focused on fine and mid-micron wool. MPI and The New Zealand Merino Company have signed a contract so W3 can formally begin.

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Page 27

Glyphosate still ‘safest weed chemical’ Glyphosate, more commonly known as RoundUp, remains the safest and most effective weed control chemical, provided it is used as directed, says Bill Jackson of Papamoa, who was involved in early trials of the product in New Zealand. Bill is concerned public pressure may encourage Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City councils to use less effective, and but costly weed control measures, including hot water and salt water sprays, instead of RoundUp. “I well remember back in the mid-1990s when council used hot water and salt water sprays at Papamoa. They spent a lot of money on specialist equipment and although the sprays initially killed the leaves of weeds, they didn’t kill the roots and the weeds quickly grew back.

“Roundup/glyphosate is certainly a lot safer and far less expensive than what ‘Do Gooders’ want councils to revert to with hot water spraying to control the weeds within both our councils.” Bill says his views of the safety of the chemical are backed up by a report in the newspaper the UK Farmers Guardian which quotes the European Food Safety Authority as saying glyphosate is “unlikely to cause cancer in humans”. However, the EFSA’s peer review which assessed the active ingredient in the chemical did recommend a new exposure limit safety measure regarding glyphosate residues in food. Crop Protection Association is quoted in the article as saying numerous health assessments during 40 years concluded there was no risk to human health, when the product was used correctly. The article also quoted the Soil Association, which has been campaigning to stop glyphosate being sprayed on wheat destined for use in UK bread, as pointing to a World Health Organisation’s International Agency study which found the chemical was “probably carcinogenic to humans”. Bill says he welcomes the findings of the EFSA and has sent the article to councillors in the hope they will continue to allow

the glyphosate/Roundup to be used for weed control in reserves and along roads sides. Bill was farm supervisor for J.Wattie Canneries and then advisor in agrochemicals and seeds for Shell Chemicals for many years before changing directions into property development. “I had a lot to do with the early development of Roundup/glyphosate undertaking many spraying trials myself both aerial and ground on established willow trees along rivers as well as barberry/blackberry control right through to its many uses with farmers and councils.” There are concerns about resistance to RoundUp with the first New Zealand case of glyphosate resistance confirmed in annual ryegrass on a Marlborough vineyard. Mike Parker, the project manager for the Avoiding Glyphosate Resistance team, says glyphosate is the most frequently used herbicide in New Zealand agriculture and although there have been some anecdotal reports of resistance, this is the first confirmed occurrence. Mike says the resistance finding should provide a wake-up call for all users of the broad spectrum weed killer. Resistance means that some individuals in the target species have developed a means of avoiding the effects of the chemical. Foundation for Arable Research CEO Nick Pyke says this is a warning to users of glyphosate that they need to be aware of the danger of resistance developing and be careful how they use it. He says glyphosate is one of the most environmentally friendly herbicides on the market, and the repercussions of losing the

Four innovative irrigators vie for 2016 national award IrrigationNZ has shortlisted four finalists for its Innovation in Irrigation Award sponsored by Aqualinc – which will be presented at the organisation’s biennial conference in early-April. New technologies, products, practices or community collaborations that reflect innovation within the irrigation sector are the focus of the award, which is only presented every second year. IrrigationNZ CEO Andrew Curtis says the external judging panel had struggled to keep the shortlist to the normal three, so four finalists have been chosen this year. They include Next Farm’s smart control systems for grid irrigation; Lindsay Corporation’s new pivot control; Carrfields Irrigation’s Hydrofix irrigator stabiliser system; and Central Plains Water Ltd for its environmental innovations and management of its stage one development. The highly prestigious award – which comes with a

cash prize of $2500 – will be announced at IrrigationNZ’s conference dinner in Oamaru on April 6. Next Farm’s smart control system for fixed grid irrigation is an integrated farm sensor technology and cloud-based dashboard that allows farmers to operate, manage and understand their farm resources from a computer or mobile device. Lindsay Corporation’s pivot control retrofitted to an existing irrigator allows farmers to access Lindsay Corporation’s FieldNET web and mobile app capabilities, which include real-time alerts and status updates. Carrfields’ Hydrofix irrigator stabiliser system consists of a series of inflatable water tanks connected to pulley and counterweight systems along the length of an irrigator. I Central Plains Water Ltd won both the Champion Canterbury Infrastructure/Trade (medium/large category), and The Press Supreme awards, at the Champion Canterbury Business Awards last year.

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use of it would be serious. Bill remembers cases of blackberry being apparently resistant to the chemical in Northland and coastal Gisborne many years ago. “It was found that sea sprays had provided a protective coasting over the leaves of the plants, so Monsanto developed a penetrating agent which ensured the glyphosate got into the plant, and that worked.” By Elaine Fisher

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FORESTRY

Harvesting the financial benefits of woodlots If harvested at the right time for both maturity and markets, even small woodlots may be financially rewarding – and Ben Bax is the man to call to find out if that’s the case. With more than 40 years’ experience in the industry, the co-founder and director of Bax Contractors is happy to visit farms and orchards to give woodlot owners an assessment of the value of their trees and

have his team carry out the felling work too. “Even small stands of 20 to 100 trees may have a value and Ben is not only able to assess the quality of the timber, but also, because he is in touch with what’s happening in international markets, advise on the best time to harvest,” says Bax Contractors’ co-founder and director Denise Bax. Ben has spent the last 40 years working within the industry and has valuable, reputable knowledge of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions, particularly regarding farm woodlots, orchard clearing, specialised tree removal and council requirements. The company harvests pine and gum

trees from woodlots or shelter belts and has the experienced staff and the heavy machinery to carry out the work required, including a digger, bulldozer and logging truck. “All our staff are highly skilled and compliant with modern health and safety regulations including undergoing regular training and ensuring all safety requirements, equipment and systems are in place on every work site.” Ben’s assessment of woodlots includes gauging access to the trees. “In some cases metaled tracks will have to be formed for safe access for the trucks which can weigh between 40 to 50 tonne,” says Denise.

While Bax Contractors carries out the tree felling, it works with major marketing companies to sell the timber for the best possible price. Ben can also give advice on the future use of the cleared land, especially if it is to be replanted in trees. As well as woodlots, Bax Contractors also clears sites for houses or farm buildings, removes trees, tops, trims or removes shelter belts and clears orchards too.

Bax Contractors has the experience and machinery to harvest woodlots, remove individual trees, or clear building sites.

New appointments aimed to strengthen bank’s operations Rabobank has appointed Els Kamphof to the position of group executive, wholesale banking, to lead a strengthened corporate banking operation for Rabobank in New Zealand and Australia. Announcing the appointment, Rabobank Australia and New Zealand

group managing director Thos Gieskes says Els has an “impressive track record and extensive experience” in international wholesale banking – including eight years building Rabobank’s client and corporate lending business in the Netherlands. “Coupled with this, Els has a close

and long-standing connection with food and agribusiness, coming from a dairy farming family. “With this experience and background, Els is ideally placed to lead the bank’s strengthened focus on providing wholesale banking to the New Zealand food and Australian agribusiness corporate market – a key part of the bank’s future growth ambitions.” In addition to Els’ role, Rabobank has also appointed Karin Van Selm to the role of head of loan products group, leading the bank’s wholesale client coverage. Prior to taking on her new role with Rabobank in New Zealand and Australia, Els led the global establishment of Rabobank’s Financial Institutions Group, based at the bank’s international headquarters in the Netherlands. From 2006 to 2014, she held senior management positions in Rabobank’s Dutch wholesale banking division, including head of corporate lending and spent 14 years in wholesale banking with ABN AMRO, working in the areas of project finance, structured finance, private equity and capital structuring. Raised on dairy farm, she holds a Master’s degree in Econometrics from the University of Groningen, the Netherlands.

RURAL DRIVER

Page 29

Day out ‘heaven’ for Ford Fans vehicles which carry the Ford badge. “If people have enjoyed a good run with a Ford, they are likely to stay with the brand,” says Gus, who with wife Wendy owns two Ford Mustangs and a brand new Ford Focus Sport. “Mustangs have always been popular and now rs of all ages, because of demand from sh ap es and ag ai n be on displa The long-running All Baby Boomers, Ford can’t y at the 2016 sizes will at Blake Park Al Ford Day is a highlight keep up with the demand , as they were l Ford Day last year. for Ford owners for brand new right-hand and Ford drive Mustangs. There’s a fanciers and worldwide shortage and once again, will waiting list for the cars.” raise funds for Anyone with a Ford Tauranga Child is welcome to take it Caner as well. along to the All Ford Gus Olds, of the Day. “There are spot Forde Muscle Car prizes throughout Club’s organising the day and the committee, says the main prizegivday brings together ing is in the members of Ford afternoon at clubs from 2.30pm.” throughout the The Ford Bay of Plenty Muscle Club is and Waikato, based in Tauranga including the and says Gus its members Waikato Mus“have a passion for Ford tang Club and the and anything to do with the Whakatane Ford big blue oval”. Falcon Club. “We hold a number of events “It’s a chance for these club throughout the year, including the All members to display their cars, share Ford Day, track days, car shows, family outthem with the public and possibly win prizes. ings and just getting together to socialise. Our club There are eight classes of competition on the day, welcomes anyone that has a passion for Ford just like with trophies for each winner. We also have, thanks the rest of us, whether you own a Ford muscle car or to our sponsors, spot prizes too.” just aspire to.” The Ultimate Motor Group Tauranga is the event’s The gates for the All Ford Day at Blake Park open major sponsor once again, says Gus. to cars from 8am and entry costs $5 per vehicle. Quite why people are Ford Fans isn’t something The show opens to the public from 10am-3pm with admission costing $5 for adults, and under 14 years Gus can pin down, but he believes their loyalty are free. comes down to the reliability and versatility of the

For Ford fans, Sunday, March 6, will be one not to miss because that’s when upwards of 400 Fords of all ages, shapes and sizes, gather at Mount Maunganui’s Blake Park. Ford ca

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RURAL DRIVER

More than 210 pets, children rescued from cars There is an alarming rise in children and pets locked inside vehicles this summer, creating a spike in emergency AA Roadservice callouts. About 210 children and pets were rescued from vehicles by the AA from December 1, 2015, to January 31, 2016, which is an increase of more than 20 per cent compared to the same period last summer. AA national roadservice manager John Healy says the upsurge in incidences is deeply concerning.

“These types of lockouts are happening far more often than people think. “AA Roadservice officers attended more than 1500 emergency callouts last year – that’s 1500 times a child or animal was put at risk because they were either consciously left in a vehicle, or car keys were accidentally lost or locked inside with them,” says John. While these emergency lockouts are only a small fraction of the AA’s total Roadservice calls, the high number of them indicates a need for greater awareness of the risks posed to animals and children. “The temperature inside a vehicle

The AA has rescued more than 210 animals and children from vehicles this summer creating a spike in emergency AA Roadservice callouts. with no ventilation rises rapidly, particularly in summer; and it doesn’t take long before a child or a pet gets agitated and suffers the effects of heat exhaustion with its potentially fatal consequences.” Some people think leaving windows slightly open will alleviate the heat inside a vehicle and is a safe alternative, but it isn’t and puts the child or pet in just as much risk. “The best thing you can do is never leave your kids or pets locked in the car, no matter what,” says John. However, many AA Roadservice callouts are triggered by accidental lockouts. “Vehicle technologies have changed with automatic deadlocking which makes them harder to get into and easier to get caught out if you’re not paying

attention to where your keys are. “We often find people have locked their keys in the boot, thrown them on the passenger seat or have given them to their children to play with, but parents and caregivers need to make sure they always have their keys on them when they’re in and around their vehicles, especially if kids and pets are inside.” The AA immediately prioritises any calls involving children or pets locked inside a vehicle. Two roadservice officers arrive at the scene regardless of whether the person is an AA member or not. If the situation is deemed to be serious, the AA also notifies the Fire Service in case there is a delay in arrival. To call the AA for emergency lockout assistance, dial 0800 500 222 or *222 from mobile phones.

RURAL DRIVER

Page 31

Registrations open for demolition derby Road rage, it’s often frowned upon and can usually get yourself some time in front of a judge. But come April 9, it could earn you a share of $3000 cold, hard cash.

Bernie says the derby never fails to deliver great entertainment. But if that’s not enough adrenalinpumping, fuel-stomping action then there is also the thrills and spills from the FMX motorcycle stunt riders who will be making a welcome return this year. The entry fee for drivers competing with their own car is $200, or $500 for drivers who wish to hire a car for the event. For more information on how to enter the demolition ramp derby, go to the Baypark Family Speedway website www.bayparkspeedway.co.nz or Greg Taipari give Bernie a call on 07 571 0630.

The annual Baypark Family Speedway Demolition Ramp Derby is back and as promoter Bernie Gillon describes it as “the only time you can crash into someone else and not get into trouble with the law”. Yes that’s right folks, at least 70 drivers will line up and bash and crash for cash. Registration is now open for members of the public who want to take part in the event. Racing is open to anyone with a current driver’s licence and Bernie says they are making it easy for those wanting to take part. “Last year we tried something new for the first time that was we prepared some cars. If people weren’t able to find a car or didn’t have time to get it ready. They could hire a car off us. I think last year we did 16 of those in our 70-car field.” But if you have the skills and time to make your own car up for the derby, then Bernie says you’re more than welcome. Just remember to remove all the glass from the vehicle and strip out the inside and of course make sure there is a safety bar behind the driver. FMX motorcycle stunt riders will be making a welcome return to this year’s Baypark Family Speedway Demolition Ramp Derby in April.

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Page 32

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

High price for budgeting on average not marginal costs

There seem to be many things wrong with agriculture at present, not least the fact that nobody seems to be making profits – either in dairy or meat – at farm level. With things not looking so good in the dairy industry, when I recently received a copy of a paper given at an Agricultural Economics conference in 2014 on the economics of dairy intensification, I studied it very carefully. The aim to intensify production, by having more cows, has been around the New Zealand farming literature since 1951, when Sir E Bruce Levy wrote his first version of ‘Grasslands of New Zealand’. But in those days we didn’t worry about the climate, irrigation was just a dream, and we relied on pasture to give us low-cost production. And as grass didn’t grow too well on high country, or down South, we didn’t attempt to put cows in those places. Since then science, chemistry, and so-called experts have put huge numbers of cows everywhere, and somehow we, and others, have glutted the markets, costs have soared, and our environment has suffered. And after living in a ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land’ of continuously rising export prices, we’ve come down with a bump.

Hazy ideas

So what have we been doing wrong? Firstly, it has been our obsession with production and only hazy ideas about profit. And secondly, as the economics paper pointed out, we’ve done all our costings on average cost and not marginal cost. So what does that mean? Well average cost is what the experts from the likes of DairyNZ have come out with. Such as: “Supplements are cheap [quoting $/ kg/DM], so you can carry more cows and make more milk”. Marginal cost is what each individual farmer racks up when they buy in such things as supplements, and then find they need a new trailer, perhaps a bigger tractor, extra labour to feed out etc.

But these things are seen as separate issues, and nothing to do with the cost of the feed itself. And with more cows there may well be more vet bills, more handling costs, or even a new and bigger farm dairy. I even discovered that the reason every male farmer had to have a new tractor was that the old small one couldn’t pick up big bales without suffering a hernia.

Payout of $8 the norm

So farm working expenses have risen and risen, farm debt has leaped skywards, and everyone trusted that an $8 payout was the norm. Then we’ve had the incessant blaming on farmers for messing up our rivers. Of course more cows means more effluent and more urine patches, so let’s blame the cows. And the assumption has been there would be a lot more money floating round from rich farmers, which would counteract the costs of cleaning up the water. The mantra for not changing things went like this, and I quote the paper: “less environment ‘nasties’ means fewer cows, which implies lower revenue due to reduced milk production”. According to the media our cow population plummeted after last season, but farms are still producing about as much milk, even if it isn’t worth much. And many farms are still working on average costs of dry matter in their calculations, and possibly still have more cows than they need. Despite the horror stories of average loss levels this season, some farmers have seen the light and recognised what profit actually is. So they’ve dispensed with bought-in supplements, reduced stocking rates, trimmed the trendy expenses, and turned their attention to managing their pasture, preferably without resorting to endless applications of urea. So my advice is to stop thinking of farmers as “saviours of the economy” and focus on your own business, take a hard look at marginal costs, work on real profit for your farm business, and let the dairy companies work out how to sell the stuff. By Sue Edmonds

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

Page 33

Submissions on Lake Rotorua plan opened to public The Resource Management Act process for land-use change surrounding Lake Rotorua has begun with the proposed Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management Rules being unanimously adopted at the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Regional Direction and Delivery Committee. The proposed rules require on-land practices in the Lake Rotorua catchment to reduce nitrogen entering Lake Rotorua by 140 tonnes by 2032, in order to meet the lake water quality targets set by the community in 2008. RDD chair Paula Thompson says adoption of the

proposed rules is just the beginning of the formal process, leading on from pre-consultation which has occurred during the last two-and-a-half years. “It has been a long process to get to this point, but it’s still just the beginning of formal engagement,” says Paula.

Water quality “The proposed rules being adopted is not a sign that the process or the rules are finalised – in fact, a change was made in the meeting after the Lake Water Quality Society put forward a proposal to increase the thresh-

old for properties to be excluded from nitrogen limits from four hectares to five hectares, which was agreed upon by council. “The past two-and-a-half years signals a greater focus on engagement and collaboration between the community and regional council, marking a change in how council approaches plan changes. “Now we are at the beginning of the formal process, but this doesn’t mean we have finished talking – we want to hear from people, particularly those that will be directly affected by the rules.” Now the proposed rules have been adopted, the first step in the formal consultation process is to request feedback specifically on the technical documents referenced in the rules. These technical documents

“Tourism in the Bay is in great shape and there is a real flow-on effect to the rest of the local economy,” says Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller. “As well as accommodation providers, extra guest nights benefit many local businesses including food outlets and retail. “In our local area, I have seen the positive impact of tourism growth. Our community is buzzing with people from every walk of life who have come to visit our region. “We have so much to offer here and it’s great to see the growth in tourism to the region as more people

assist, and how you can use that information to create a submission for the formal notification period,” says Paula. This work is part of the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme, which is a collaborative partnership between the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Rotorua Lakes Council and Te Arawa Lakes Trust. To provide comment on the technical documents and for more information, visit www.rotorualakes.co.nz/draftrotorua-rules

have been available online for some time, and people had until January 29, 2016, to provide their feedback to council.

Submission period

The technical documents include data used to create reference files that are designed to represent dairy and drystock farm systems in the catchment as an average of respective allocations, and how best practice is established around fertiliser management within nitrogen management plans. Council notified the proposed rules on February 29,

Tourists aid regional economy Tourism gave the Bay’s local economy a real boost during summer. Guest nights for December were up 27 on the same month the year before.

2016, and this is now followed by an extended submission period. This will enable everyone to provide feedback on the proposed rules to help refine them, prior to becoming operative. “We are committed to working alongside farmers and our community to make sure these rules are fit for purpose. The rules will have a minimal impact on some people and properties and a greater impact on others,” says Paula. “Come and talk to us about how the rules affect you, what we can do to

realise that. “Nationwide, guest nights were 6.2 per cent higher than the year to December 2014, representing 21 months of consecutive monthly increases. In the Bay we saw a larger increase with a 7.8 per cent in guest nights. It really goes to show how popular our region is. “Tourism is supporting jobs both locally and around the country. More people are coming, staying longer and spending more. “Tourism helps support our regions with 11 out of 12 having increased guest nights and more than half of international tourism expenditure spent outside the three main cities. “Last year was a big year with tourism directly contributing $10.6 billion or almost five per cent to GDP. “Since 2008, the National-led Government has invested over $700 million in tourism and tourism promotion. These impressive results show it is paying off.”

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Page 34

TPP roadshows to explain agreement The signing of the TransPacific Partnership trade deal in Auckland recently was an exciting milestone for New Zealand and great news for the rural sector.

We’ve been trying for years to get a free trade deal with countries like the US and Japan to help our farmers and exporters, so this is well worth celebrating. There has been a lot of misinformation out there so it’s worth just reflecting on why the TPP is so important. In simple terms, it removes most of the tariffs and

quotas other countries impose on our exports. All tariffs on horticulture, wine, seafood and forestry and wine will be wiped upon ratification, as will most tariffs on red meat - except for Japan where the beef tariff will be reduced from 39.5 per cent to just 9 per cent. We would have liked more on dairy, but it is still the biggest beneficiary with savings of over $100 million a year. Many critics of the TPP don’t seem to understand what it is about, and that we would miss out on all of these savings if we didn’t sign up.

trade between our countries has quickly doubled to $20 billion. Many of the criticisms of the TPP have been wildly exaggerated, especially around Investor State Dispute Settlements. In reality, these are designed to help New Zealand companies investing overseas (like Fonterra) in countries where the rule of law might not be so strong.

Public roadshows

The threshold is set so high that’s its unlikely New Zealand would ever have a case brought against us. In fact, these have been a part of our trade deals for Australian competitor years now and it’s never happened once. Imagine what a massive disadvantage our Overall the benefits of the TPP greatly primary sector would face if we didn’t sign outweigh any costs, especially for an up while our major competitors like AusNathan Guy, tralia do. Minister for Primary exporting nation like us. Not signing up would put us at a huge disadvantage Imagine a shopper in the US looking at Industries. against our competitors. New Zealand steaks in the supermarket next A large amount of information is pubto Australian steaks, the same cut and quallicly available including fact sheets, a National Interest ity, but theirs would be around 40 per cent cheaper. The same shopper would then move onto the seafood analysis and the full text. Public roadshows are being held around the country and it will also be considered section, wine, fruit and vegetables, and notice the by a Parliamentary Select Committee. same price difference. This would be the same for The primary sector is the backbone of New Zea800 million consumers in some of the world’s biggest land’s economy and helps pay for things like schools, economies. hospitals and roads. We need to support it by opening Overall the TPP is expected to add an extra $2.7 up new markets and removing trade barriers, which is billion a year to our economy by 2030, but I think exactly what the TPP does. this is a conservative estimate given the success of the Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries China FTA. From the start of that agreement in 2008,

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Concrete ways of helping environment Counties Ready Mix based in Drury, Auckland, are known to be leaders and innovators in the concrete market – and that innovation extends to environmental issues too.

“When we assessed how much concrete was going to waste, we knew we could do something better, for both the company and the environment,” says the company’s managing director Andrew Payne.

Counties Ready Mix uses waste concrete to construct its versatile ‘BigBlocks’.

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 35

Tractor at home in sensitive environment When you think about conserving a precious remnant of swamp forest that is home to native birds, or about educating young people to care for our environment, your mental picture probably doesn’t include an Iseki tractor. Perhaps it should. The Nga Manu Trust runs a reserve of 13 hectares of protected land on the Kapiti Coast. It is home to more than 700 species of native plants, 56 species of birds including kiwi and blue duck, and other cool critters like tuatara, geckos and skinks. Nga Manu Reserve has a visitors’ centre that focuses on education and conservation, and the trust prides itself on the reserve’s accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers. Along with the native flora and fauna, the reserve is home to an Iseki TM3245. The tractor is 22hp of quiet efficiency that works around the Nga Manu’s tracks and pedestrian bridges. The tractor has lawn tires so it doesn’t damage the tracks, and it has a hydrostatic transmission and springloaded seat, so it is super easy and comfortable for staff and volunteers to drive. It is also safe. It has an adjustable safety frame; and if the driver leaves

the seat without engaging the brake while it is in neutral, it will turn itself off. Just like a larger tractor, the Iseki TM3245 has front and rear hydraulics, a loader, and a PTO that is used to run the slasher mower. Nga Manu’s tractor is a gift from Goodmans Contracting. Goodmans dug out the ponds when the reserve was first established in 1974. During a recent fundraising drive to upgrade the visitor centre, Nga Manu manager Dave Banks approached Rick Goodman who is one of five directors at Goodman Contracting. He says his company has a long association with the Nga Manu and he decided it could help in its area of expertise: machinery.

So why Iseki? “Iseki are well made and easy to operate,” says Rick. “The service from TRC Tractors in Feilding has been very good. We have a good relationship with TRC and we like them.”

Reliable machine

Dave says the trust did not want a big tractor because it has to go over footbridges, and Nga Manu has a lot of peat and swampy areas where a larger tractor could get bogged. “We have had the Iseki since August and it’s been used at least

every second day. We have to clear away trees that fall on the tracks, and trim trees near buildings. “We used it to clear and level the ground for the shed from Goodmans and to lower a track that was too high. The bucket is also used to grade the carpark. “These tractors have been a boon. We’re very fortunate to have them.” TRC Tractors supplied the Iseki TM3245 and dealer Aaron Meurk says TRC sells Iseki because they are great for lifestyle farmers, councils, golf courses or anyone

else who needs a reliable machine of up to 60hp. Aaron has been to the Iseki factory in Japan and says it’s reassuring to see the pride that goes into producing a top-rate machine. “The Iseki is a great utility tractor, and fits the bill perfectly for Nga Manu. “There will be a lot of operators, and with hydrostatic transmission anyone can hop onto it.” Aaron says TRC is privileged to do business with both Nga Manu and Goodmans Contracting.

QUALITY HORTICULTURAL EQUIPMENT

Easy to operate

“Both of their tractors were at the end of their life so we decided to help by buying a tractor for them,” says Rick. “We still own it and we do all the maintenance so it is a continuing donation to the trust. They ring up the hours every month and we send around mechanics with the oils and filters.” Rick’s team also refurbished one of its old Iseki tractors for Nga Manu and has given them a tipping trailer and a shed. The trailer carts gravel for the tracks and supplies for building projects.

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Demo days chance for hands-on test drives The team at Capital Tractors is organising two demo days on Friday, March 11 and and Saturday, March 12, at the Tauranga Racecourse. “We want to give anyone who is interested in a tractor, zero turn mower, wheel loader or ride on mower the opportunity to try their hand at it,” says Capital Tractors owner Reg Hedges. The Friday demo day starts at 10am and finishes at 4pm, and Saturday demo day starts at 10am and goes until 3pm, with plenty of off street parking and cordoned off demonstration areas to allow different machines to be used. “We have dirt piles so people can try Giant wheel loaders and Kioti lifestyle tractors to get an idea of how versatile they are, and we have a steeper area to mow with our new Masport Goliath so customers can gauge it against the steepness of their own property; this really gives people an opportunity to try things out,” says Reg. “We are hoping for good weather and have organised a sausage sizzle, cold drinks and giveaways and prizes and we will have plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand to help out on both days,” says Capital Tractors advertising manager Michelle Hedges. “We expect this opportunity will suit anyone from contractors, to orchardists, dairy/goat farmers, beekeepers, arborists and lifestyle block owners as we will have tractors, Giant wheel loaders, Masport ride on mowers, and Hustler zero turn mowers available.” Capital Tractors is also welcoming its newest salesman, James Schofield, on board. James has worked for PowerFarming in sales roles previously and for Hazard Co for the last five years selling Health and Safety systems into farms and orchards in the greater Waikato and Bay of Plenty. “So given James’ previous experience he will a great asset to an already robust sales team.”

Orchards added to hazardous list Adding kiwifruit orchard properties to the Hazardous Activities and Industries List should not have major implications for most owners, says Kiwifruit Growers Inc chairman Doug Brown. With more than 3000 kiwifruit orchards already on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council list, this means the majority of properties are recorded. Council is contacting orchard owners throughout the region about their property being added to the Hazardous Activities and Industries List, known as the HAIL register. “NZKGI became aware of the list last year and ran a seminar with a lawyer to look at any potential legal implications but there didn’t seem to be anything significant. “It is more around what might happen if there is a change in land use in future. However, kiwifruit growers already have good orchard practices around chemical use under the requirements of Zespri and EuroGAP and are audited regularly. “With the introduction of the KiwiGreen integrated pest monitoring programme in 1997 kiwifruit growers led the way in the reduction of chemical use,” says Doug. Ministry for the Environment developed the HAIL database of activities as a way to help identify potentially contaminated sites. Orchards have been included on this list because of their use and storage of bulk pesticides (including organic orchards). Pesticide spray residues can affect human health when they accumulate in soils. The regional council has a responsibility under the Resource Management Act 1991 to identify and monitor potentially contaminated land explains, Bay of Plenty Regional Council project implementation officer Emma Joss. “To fulfil these obligations, we are required to register all sites that are potentially contaminated. This doesn’t mean their land is contaminated, just that it might be. Overall this won’t affect land owners unless they plan to repurpose the land in the future. “If this happens we would want to ensure the land was suitable and safe for this new purpose and the site would need to be investigated.” For more information, visit www.boprc.govt.nz/

Capital Tractors’ Tony Johnston, new salesman James Schofield and owner Reg Hedges.

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FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Max keeps plough on straight and narrow erty at Morrinsville is too small to use the plough, so he must wait for live demonstrations days like that at Grasslandz to perfect its performance “which is why it’s taken so long to get it right”. Max is a member of the Waikato Vintage Tractor & Machinery Club Inc which put on live displays at Grasslandz. The club was established at Cambridge in 1988 for the purpose of fostering interest and encouraging members in the restoration of vintage tractors, stationary engines, agricultural equipment and the preservation of all associated historical information. It regularly organises rallies, shed tours,

Max Campbell is a perfectionist when it comes to creating a straight furrow. It’s taken him three-and-a-half years to set up his plough exactly as he wants it – but then he doesn’t often get the chance to try it out. Grasslandz 2016 at Eureka in February was one such opportunity and he took full advantage of it, stopping his David Brown tractor and plough from time to time to make minor adjustments. “This tractor was bought by my father in 1965 and I bought the plough around 13 years ago,” says Max. The 600-pound plough is three-point mounted to the 42hp tractor and creates four furrows, each 12 inches apart, generally to a depth of 6 inches. Max has made a number of adaptions and improvements to the plough, including a device designed to keep it travelling in a perfectly straight line. “It works a bit like a rudder on a boat – when it’s set right the tractor and plough will continue straight ahead. If it’s slightly off – they will go off course.” The keen ploughman that he is, Max’s own prop-

ploughing competitions and many other associated activities and meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Prince Albert Tavern, Cambridge at 8pm. After the meeting, members and visitors enjoy the opportunity to chat amongst themselves over a cup of tea. The club’s next live event is the Morrinsville Vintage Tractor & Machinery Memorabilia Display at the Morrinsville Recreation Grounds on March 12-13. For more information, contact Noel Hilford phone 07 883 1103 or Kevin Beck, phone 07 889 6292 or visit www.vintagetractors.co.nz Elaine Fisher

Above: Max Campbell makes minor adjustments to his plough.

Max Campbell ploughing with his 1965 David Brown tractor at the Grasslandz event at Eureka.

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Flying high to put excitement back in farming blackberry and willows in hard to access or dangerous sites. It offers cost effective, accurate and efficient spraying without the risk to the pilot, or causing any soil compaction. The RMAX was demonstrated at Grasslandz in January, flying over a maize crop, but Geoff says spraying maize isn’t what it is designed for. “The remote control

Putting excitement back into farming and encouraging young people to consider it as a career are among the reasons Yamaha has developed the RMAX UAV remote control agricultural helicopter. “The rural workforce in Japan in particular is getting older, and the RMAX is helping create excitement and innovation to attract the next generation,” says Yahama’s Sky Division business development manager Geoff Lamb. The machine is ideal for spraying weeds and pest plants such as gorse, woolly nightshade,

helicopter is ideal for applying liquid sprays to weeds, granules, coated grains, seeds and fertiliser. I recently looked at a job where a client needs to spray willows in an almost inaccessible waterway, with power lines running over it. “The RMAX is the ideal

machine for the job as it can target just the willows and there are no safety issues.” Liquid spray or granular spray cassette-type hoppers can be easily mounted or dismounted and the helicopter has self-monitoring features which check each part of

machine before flying. Civil Aviation rules mean the helicopter must only be operated in line of sight. Geoff says anyone who can operate a normal remote control helicopter can learn to fly the machine and Yamaha offers training for pilots.

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Oldest powder dryer to close Fonterra Whareroa’s oldest powder dryer will take an extended break from April, as the plant is decommissioned to bolster the site’s value-added operations. The temporary closure of the iconic dryer, known as ‘P1’, will see more milk turned into a range of high value products, including milk protein concentrate which is currently in high demand. Fonterra Managing Director Global Operations, Robert Spurway says P1 has served the business well but is coming to the end of its lifespan. “P1 was one of the country’s flagship dryers when it was first opened in 1973, and has been an important part of our asset mix ever since. Over its 43 years, it has produced more than half a million metric tonnes of milk and protein powder.” “However, as technology advances and markets continue to evolve, so too must

our co-operative. We are constantly honing and improving our asset base in order to maintain operational excellence, achieve greater efficiencies and deliver on our value add strategy.” The P1 building will remain on the site, giving the option to re-open the plant in the future to help meet milk growth in the central North Island. Staff from the plant, as well as its machinery and technology, will assume new roles across the site’s nine other plants. This project is part of a businesswide review to identify efficiencies and ensure the co-operative is well-placed to respond in an increasingly volatile and competitive environment. “We have a responsibility to our farmer shareholders and our customers to be more efficient in all facets of business, and identify areas where we can make significant and sustained cost savings.”

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KIWIFRUIT

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Seeka’s new HQ will be ‘centre of excellence’ Seeka Kiwifruit Industries will move into its new headquarters in Te Puke by the middle of this year and plans to make it a centre of excellence for its produce and grower-focused business, says chief executive Michael Franks. “Our new HQ will reflect the passion we and our growers bring to the romance that is inherent in raising a valuable crop of fruit from the land every year,” says Michael. Seeka has also begun a rebranding exercise with renowned Australian expert Peter Singline, with the launch expected to coincide with the move to the new head office. The headquarters will be located on the 7.4ha site Seeka bought in Te Puke late last year, together with an adjoin-

ing 5.4ha kiwifruit orchard. In April Seeka will take over and begin converting the building previously occupied by Kiwi360 into the company’s new head office. As part of its capacity planning, Seeka has also acquired an additional 1.1ha adjacent to the existing KKP Packhouse for coolstore expansion. Construction is already underway for 1.02 million trays of static cool storage at the KKP site, as well as new daily pre-cooling capacity of 70,000 trays. The build effectively doubles the onsite cool storage at KKP and will include changes to improve the flow of trucks onto and off the site. Seeka is also adding 528,000 trays of static cool storage and 50,000 trays of pre-cooling storage on land at the rear of its Katikati site. Trucking on-site will be changed to take advantage of new loadout areas, which include new container docking facilities.

Seeka is expecting to pack 28.2 million trays in the coming season, up on the 27.5 million trays last year and is planning for long-term growth. This year’s planned capital expenditure of $15-20 million includes purchasing an additional 9000 plastic bins. This will see Seeka’s Oakside operations become 100 per cent plastic, with a further 4000 plastic bins deployed at Huka Pack in Tauranga. “We are well on our way to having 100 per cent of our bins plastic within three years, which will enhance fruit handling and storage,” says Seeka general manager growers Simon Wells.

Seeka will be purchasing an additional 9000 plastic bins to use during this season’s harvest.

Nikki new kiwifruit growers CEO Nikki Johnson has been appointed as the new CEO of New Zealand Kiwifruit Grower Inc, and will assume the role from April 11. NZKGI chairman Doug Brown says this is an exciting opportunity for NZKGI to bring on board Nikki’s energy and passion for the horticulture industry and to support NZKGI’s strategic direction. Nikki has managed NZ Citrus Growers Inc for more than 10 years, transitioning the industry from a voluntary grower organisation to a professional organisation

ing for more than 13 years. with sustainable, compulNikki has expertise in market sory levy funding and a access negotiation and biosstrategic approach to ecurity regulations and policy, investment of grower and has been involved in the funds. agriculture and horticulture She’s also a foundsectors throughout her career ing director of Market both in the public and private Access Solutionz, a sectors. Nikki has strengths in specialist biosecurity, regurisk analysis, project manlatory systems, agement and strategic market access, internaindustry representational trade issues tion. management and She succeeds Mike strategic indusChapman, who try management advisory company Nikki Johnson is the new stepped down to take CEO of New Zealand on the role of CEO which has been Horticulture NZ. successfully operat- Kiwifruit Growers Inc.

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HORTICULTURE

Page 41

Single avocados sell for $7 in Australian summer Australia’s love affair with avocados has continued for another year – much to the delight of New Zealand’s largest avocado supply group and its pool of growers. Retail prices for avocados in Australia reached as high as NZ$7 for a single piece of fruit at the end of January, fuelled by a combination of strong demand from consumers and low volumes being available. 2015-16 was a low crop year nationally with AVOCO handling about 1.53 million export trays – down from 2.8 million trays the year before. However, the shortage of fruit hasn’t slowed customer demand and the supply/demand imbalance means AVOCO’s 700-plus growers can now look forward to rewarding Orchard Gate Returns.

Fruit value

AVOCO director Alistair Young says Australia is still New Zealand’s largest export market for avocados and market activity there greatly influences

the value of growers’ fruit. “There’s been an incredible upswing in Australia’s avocado consumption over the past two years which has been one of the biggest drivers of retail sales. “But importantly for AVOCO growers, they’re now seeing the benefits of the collaboration between Team Avocado and Primor and the effort we put in to working together to achieve maximum values for their fruit,” he says.

Asian markets

The 2015-16 export season got underway in Northland at the end of August and a few weeks later in the Bay of Plenty. Larger volumes of fruit were flowing by the start of October, with some of the earliest sea shipments destined for the AVANZA markets of Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore. Various Asian markets made up about 20 per cent of all fruit supplied to AVOCO and exported through the AVANZA marketing channel this season. Packing for Australia finished in the second week of February following seven weeks of incredibly high demand from consumers, Alistair says. “Our strategy has been to target the strong retail market window we identified for January and February

as this is the period when Australia’s domestic crop is very light. We struck it right as values during this period reached unprecedented levels.” AVOCO predicts the New Year period will continue to generate high values for its growers in years to come, especially after new avocado plantings in Western Australia reach maturity. This season AVOCO growers were offered compensation payments to delay harvesting their fruit in order to meet the two-month value window being targeted. Director John Carroll says the scheme is likely to continue next season when a much larger

national crop is anticipated. “Our third season operating as AVOCO has been another successful one but we know next season we’ll be handling much bigger volumes. “This presents us with some exciting opportunities to extend AVANZA’s reach through Asia where the markets are poised to expand quite rapidly off the back of some really innovative promotional activity and investment. “At the same time, we’ll be looking to satisfy the growth aspirations of our Australian retail customers who we predict will require good volumes of AVOCO fruit throughout the season.”

Understanding the TPPA and its benefits Finding an independent and authoritative analysis of the Trans Pacific Partnership or TPPA is not easy. However, there is one commentary from the US-based Peterson Institute for International Economics that can be relied upon. Their assessment is that New Zealand, along with the other TPPA signatories, will get substantial benefits from the TPPA particularly from the removal of trade barriers which will advance growth in trade. The Peterson Institute assesses that the TPPA will increase annual real incomes in New Zealand by $US6 billion, which is 2.2 per cent of our gross domestic product. The TPPA will increase our annual exports by $US9 billion or 10.2 per cent of our exports over baseline projections by 2030. This is because the TPPA will eliminate 75 per cent of tariffs when it comes into force and 99 per cent of tariffs when it is fully in force. The Peterson Institute also assesses that the reduction in trade barriers through the TPPA will facilitate reallocations of labour and capital to the more efficient exporters. Therefore small to medium sized enterprises are likely to benefit from the provisions of the TPPA.

or vegetables to be labelled with the product’s country of origin. Furthermore, there is no requirement for supermarkets to ensure the fruit and vegetables they are selling are labelled with the correct country of origin. This change in labelling requirements will be a significant advance for New Zealand and will allow consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing fruit and vegetables. In summary, there are significant advantages for exporters and horticultural exporters from the TPPA that will translate to increased real earnings for New Zealand as a country. The comments are those of the authors.

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This is because its sets common and high standards across the TPPA countries on all aspects of trading, including access to the digital economy, importation requirements, and country of origin rules. This will create a level playing field and reduce the advantages that large companies currently have. Environmental reforms are also included in the TPPA. It deals with issues such as wildlife trafficking, illegal logging and illegal fishing. Labour reform will see countries such as Vietnam allowing independent unions and giving the unions freedom to operate. This will ultimately result in better standards for workers in all TPPA countries. For horticulture there are real trade benefits totalling around $26 million per annum due directly to reduced tariffs. New Zealand apples, kiwifruit, buttercup squash and onions are the big winners when TPPA comes into force.

“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

For kiwifruit growers this is worth around $6,000 for each grower. However, the liberalisation of trade access rules to all the TPPA countries will progressively benefit other products as well. Often the difficulties associated with exporting to a new country take many years to overcome and even then changes in these rules can make continued exporting difficult. The TPPA will open the door for existing and new exporters no matter how big or small their company is. Country of origin labelling in each of the TPPA countries will also become a requirement. New Zealand law does not currently require goods, fruit,

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LIFESTYLE FARMING

SPE is the industry’s biggest prize Kiwifruit growers overwhelmingly endorse their single desk marketing structure but must not become complacent about its future, believes Doug Brown, who is the newly elected chairman of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. Last year growers gave the marketing structure 97 per cent support in the referendum conducted as part of the Kiwifruit Industry Strategy Project. That, says Doug, sends a very clear message to Government about how growers want the industry structured and controlled. In his previous role as vice-chairman of NZKGI, Doug was closely involved in the KISP project which included 100 grower and industry meetings, 650 submissions and three rounds of consultation. Late last year he was elected NZKGI chairman when Neil Trebilco stepped down after four years. In his new role Doug is focused on the implementation phase of KISP which requires regulatory amendments, and changes to the constitutions of Zespri and NZKGI. These changes are already underway and will result in

measures to increase grower ownership and control of their marketer Zespri, and strengthen grower control and enhance the performance of the industry. Protecting the single desk marketing structure is vital. “The vine disease Psa-V and international geo-political tensions will continue to be potential threats to our industry but the biggest prize we have is the SPE. Losing that represents our greatest risk and we have got to protect it.” Under existing government regulations, Zespri is the only company which can export New Zealand kiwifruit to international markets, other than Australia. Ensuring that doesn’t change will be among the main focus of his term as chairman, says Doug. Although the majority of kiwifruit growers support Zespri and the single desk structure – which also allows for collaborative marketing by exporters other than Zespri – Doug is concerned at the actions of a small but vocal group of growers who want to undermine it. “We have to ensure government knows our industry supports Zespri and the SPE and we must remain vigilant.” Doug, who is chief executive officer of Riverlock Packhouse and Coolstore, has been involved in the

Landowners can help stop spread of wallabies Landowners around the greater Rotorua area are being surveyed in an effort by Bay of Plenty and Waikato Regional Councils, together with Department of Conservation to update information on the spread of dama wallabies. “Dama wallabies are unwanted pests. They can damage forests, farms and native bush because of the way they graze on pasture grasses and seedlings. They were released near Lake k reka in 1912 and have since become well established across a 180,000 hectare area, mainly between Lake Rotorua and Kawerau,” says Bay of Plenty Regional Council Biosecurity Officer Dale Williams. “We’re working hard to stop wallabies spreading further. They’re shy, mainly nocturnal and hard to find, so reports from the public are a key tool in helping us to find and remove them from new areas.”

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The extent of wallaby spread was last assessed in 2007. Wildlands Consultants have been contracted to complete 2016 survey work which will include direct calls to some landowners. “We’re unlikely to be able to directly contact everyone that could help though, so we’re asking anyone who’s seen a wallaby outside the 2007 known distribution area to be proactive and let us know by reporting it online at www.boprc.govt.nz/wallaby or by calling us on 0800 STOP PESTS (0800 786 773).” Dale says the updated wallaby distribution information will help the joint agency wallaby management group to identify and plan for any further work that’s needed to keep dama wallabies contained. “We’re focusing on preventing further spread, developing improved detection and control

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methods, and eradicating satellite populations of wallaby.” Further information including wallaby identification tips and a factsheet is available at www.boprc. govt.nz/wallaby

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 43

Experience, independence assets to chairman’s role he is CEO is both a grower and a post-harvest Brown family business since 1980 and operator, meaning he not only has an in-depth knows only too well the negative understanding of both aspects of the industry, impacts on grower incomes of multiple but he’s also independent of links to other kiwifruit exporters competing against industry players. each other in international markets. Being independent means it’s easier for him to “The strength of the Zespri brand be outspoken on industry issues, and he makes is impressive and good for NZ Inc as no apology for expressing strong opinions. well as for the kiwifruit industry. “We have some very robust debates within the “I was in Shanghai recently and in industry and at NZKGI forum meetings and the subway Zespri advertising was that’s good. evident everywhere. Just imagine “Overall, the majority of us want the same how many millions of people see thing – what is best for our industry. But that each day. I know Zespri invests to achieve that growers need to be engaged. a lot on marketing but that, and our Apathy can be a threat too as you never know fruit quality, is among the reasons what challenge is around the corner. we receive a premium over our “My vision is for the smaller forum to take competitors.” NZKGI to the next level, to do more and Doug brings a unique perspective Doug Brown chair of NZ to get growers actively involved in their to his role as NZKGI chairman. Kiwifruit Growers Inc. industry.” The family business for which

Horticulture wasn’t Doug’s original career choice. He grew up in Opotiki on land owned by his family since the 1940s, and after leaving school, trained as a radiographer in Auckland. “Once I was qualified there were not a lot of jobs around so I came back to Opotiki to help my family out and found I really enjoyed orcharding.” Elaine Fisher

Flexiblity in farm boundary rules is required When juggling the challenges thrown at us these days we could really do with flexible boundaries. Global issues affecting exchange rates, commodity prices, interest rates and even the weather make farming a continuing challenge. Depending on the market conditions you’ve either got too much land or not enough – right? At the same time it’s getting harder to change the size of your farm without relocating completely. Prior to the Resource Management Act and regular district plan changes, subdivisions to carry out boundary adjustments with your neighbour were generally allowed and obtaining consent was even quite straight forward. In more recent times councils have adopted much stricter rules around boundary adjustments to the extent they often require a discretionary subdivision application. Those that know the RMA will understand this can be a much more complex route to approval.

With enough effort, approval can be gained in many circumstances, however councils can decline at their discretion and at the very least such an application demands much more information. We recently handled an application to exchange 10 hectares between two 60ha farms and even this was discretionary. All we were doing was enabling a dairy farmer to sell some of his land to a thriving goat farmer next door. Still in grass, still producing milk – but a different owner in a different economic cycle. I have to wonder, as these farmers are able to lease each other’s land, does the actual line on a plan have much significance? Now that the rules have tightened up – with a 40ha minimum lot size in some districts – the benefit of holding several titles in the farm really comes into its own. These titles can be readily traded without

the need for council consent – a major reason why we encourage people to subdivide when they can, and hold on to the titles. For years smaller blocks were allowed to be surveyed and these have been the building blocks of our rural economy, enabling people to trade up and down as the economy and farming fashions dictate. Today, if you or your neighbour don’t have a number of titles in hand, you might have to go through the hoops to adjust your boundaries, but that’s where we can help. If you need to sell some land and have a progressive goat farmer next door it might be a good time to talk over the fence too. If you wish to clarify any subdivision or boundary adjustment issues feel free to give me a call. I’m happy to discuss the situation with you to see if it is worth pursuing.

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LIFESTYLE FARMING

SAFE can’t ‘take down dairy industry’ The animal rights group SAFE doesn’t believe it can take down New Zealand’s billion-dollar dairy industry by highlighting the plight of bobby calves and cruelty to the newborn animals, but it does want people to understand the consequences of their food choices. That’s the message from Mandy Carter, SAFE’s head of campaigns. In January, Coast & Country featured an article about Waikato farmer Marc Gascoigne who says upwards of six million dairy cows would have to die if everyone stopped consuming dairy products. He also says growing vegetables instead of animals for milk and meat, causes animal deaths as a result of the processes involved. He doesn’t condone the actions of those shown in the SAFE video, which went worldwide and shows bobby calves being thrown onto trucks, and kicked and hit at a slaughter house. Coast & Country emailed SAFE asking for its response to a number of questions and points raised by Marc but the organisation failed to respond by deadline. In February, after a follow-up by Coast & Country News, Mandy did respond, saying the questions were not ones it was able to answer at present.

The questions

If it is SAFE’s aim to get people to question their consumption of dairy products, and turn to alternatives – how does SAFE see the transition from dairy to other forms of agriculture taking place? What would happen if people did this in sufficient numbers to force farmers out of dairying – ie would millions of cows and calves have to be slaughtered? Would the dairy cow then become virtually extinct as the breeds don’t exist in the wild? What sources of milk substitute and dairy protein would SAFE prefer NZ farmers produce? Do we (NZ) have the right environment – ie flat land, climatic conditions etc – to do so?

Would growing crops have less environmental impacts than dairying? What about farming sheep and beef animals for meat – does SAFE have views on this as well?

Raise awareness

While SAFE wouldn’t answer those questions, Mandy says SAFE does aim, through its campaigns, to make people aware of what animals go through so humans can eat dairy products and meat. “I know farmers think it is silly, but the fact is some people don’t understand cows must get pregnant, and give birth to a calf in order to produce milk. They also don’t realise that the calf is an unwanted byproduct of the dairy industry. “People today have become so distanced from the source of their food they don’t think about where it comes from when they buy food from supermarkets.” SAFE doesn’t claim that every farmer, truck driver or slaughter house worker treats bobby calves the way those captured in the videos did, but says everyone, from the farmers to those who consume dairy products, has some responsibility for the lives and welfare of the calves.

Assure welfare

“Farmers bring these calves into the world but their responsibility for them shouldn’t end when they are removed from their farm. They should make sure of their welfare at every point.” When it comes to consumers, anyone who is uncomfortable with the way bobby calves are treated, or with the fact that they are born solely so cows can produce milk, should carefully consider their role as a consumers of dairy products. “We are not blaming farmers. They are producing a product in response to a perceived need. “There are two million excess calves produced each year.” SAFE met with DairyNZ, Fonterra and the Ministry for Primary Industries before Christmas and is now awaiting to see what actions are taken over cruelty to calves.

By Elaine Fisher

LIFESTYLE FARMING

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Removing nasties out of drinking water filters, through to a full system with three or more filters plus a final Ultra Violet unit, providing 99 per cent-plus protection.” The pre-filter removes dirt, sediment, and rust. They come in densities (microns) from about 100 down to the more usual five microns. Carbon Block filters are the workhorses of the system, removing algae, and assisting in removing “The rain has helped in keeping the bacteria lower than microscopic worms, giardia, cryptosporidium, normal. Don’t be complacent though, because the danger and E.coli. Impurities such as chlorine, chemicals, multiplies very quickly if the supply is not replaced regularly. and volatile organic compounds are also absorbed, “A week to 10 days of little or no rain, and away the bugs greatly improving the taste and safety of the water. go. There is nothing worse than having sick, grumpy kids at Carbon is one of the most absorbent materials home from school due to bad water, especially if you are known to man, and can absorb thousands of This Arctica Pure Water feeling unwell too.” tiny pores. For example, 500 grams of activated 30watt UV system is Arctica Pure Water provides an efficient, economical carbon can give up to 125 acres of filtering among the solutions to solution to your problem. surface. A carbon block is essential in any safe making water safe and “We have a range of filtration options, from a basic filtration system pleasant to drink. three-stage design with a sediment filter, plus carbon block “The Ultra Violet unit is the final protec-

So much for the El Nino effect causing widespread drought – most of us have been pretty happy with the rain which has filled our tanks and kept the streams flowing well, says Alan Jones of Arctica Pure Water.

tion. This kills any of the small remaining organisms of bacteria and their spores. The unit needs to be sufficiently large for your consumption, but small enough not to be excessively expensive to purchase and operate,” says Alan.

Loneliness among elderly affects survival rates Loneliness among the elderly can be almost as deadly as smoking, according to international research which slows those who are not lonely have a greater survival rate. The study, along with others on loneliness, is featured on Age Concern’s website. It found people with adequate social relationships have a 50 per cent greater likelihood of survival when compared to people with poor or insufficient relationships. This effect is comparable to stopping smoking, and greater than the effect of risk factors such as obesity or inactivity. A US review article on the health effects of loneliness collates evidence showing loneliness is a risk factor for a range of physical, mental and emotional health issues including raised blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.

The authors state: “Overall, it appears that something about our sense of connectedness with others penetrates the physical organism and compromises the integrity of physical and mental health and wellbeing”. Loneliness among the elderly is also an issue in New Zealand, with nine per cent of Auckland residents aged over 50 saying they are severely lonely, and 44.5 per cent moderately lonely, an Auckland Council commissioned a study found. The study used the De Jong Giervald 11-point loneliness scale, which includes items relating to both emotional (lack of a close confidant), and social (limited social network) loneliness. A New Zealand wide study surveying 332 community-dwelling older people using the same loneliness scale revealed eight per cent of the sample was severely lonely, and 44 per cent moderately

lonely. Both lonely groups scored lower on selfreported health measures than the ‘not lonely’ group. These findings are similar to those from studies conducted in Western Australia, Northern Europe, the US, and the Middle East. They also equate to UK findings that about 10 per cent of people over 65 are lonely all or most of the time. (Source: www.ageconcern.org.nz)

HOMECARE

Independence is vital to maintaining a quality of life.

Page 46

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Taking the roads less travelled – in 4x4s The majority of customers on NZ Adventures’ guided four wheel drive tours South Island tours are farmers or rural people from the North Island. “They are keen to take the opportunity to look at and drive through the iconic back country of a region many have only seen in calendar images or from a distance traveling on major highways,” says Connie Crickett.

NZ Adventures is owned and operated by long time farming couple Robbie and Connie Crickett who are passionate and knowledgeable about the high country. NZ Adventures offers six tours, all different and certainly through different regions but of these, the High Country Heritage six day from Blenheim to Cardrona and the West Coast Explorer are the most popular. “These are also the only tours that are run multiple times each season from November to April while the tracks used are open. “The High Country Heritage is the most popular tour and with a very high level of repeat business it’s almost always the first tour that customers choose.” Setting off from Blenheim the trip covers over 1200 kilometers along the eastern side of the Southern Alps with overnights in Hanmer Springs, Methven, Lake Tekapo, Omarama, Cromwell, with the final night in Cardrona at the historic old hotel. A feature of this and all the NZ Adventures trips is the access to the farms and stations of the back country. There are also DOC

Conservation Reserves along the way, principally Oteake on the northern fringes of Central Otago. th The inclusion How Nor the see of Molesworth, Islanders with – the largest farm Mainland ture’s in New Zealand is NZ Adven wheel ur certainly a selling guided fo urs. point for the comdrive to pany’s longest trip but the other properties offer a more off road driving and all will be memorable parts of the trip. The West Coast Explorer tour could not be more different. A five day trip, Hanmer Springs is the start point. From St Arnaud onwards to the first and second night in Murchison this trip is about being close up with the bush. The mining history of the region is also a

feature as the trip visits historic Denniston and then the Big River mine site out of Reefton after a visit and presentation at the highly regarded Reefton Information Centre. The last day tends to be the highlight as the tour heads into the hills behind Ikamatua for a taste of all that the West Coast has to offer the back country four wheel driver. The West Coast Explorer is very different but is certain not to disappoint.

Ubco 2x2 wheel drive electric bikes now in NZ The first shipment of production Ubco 2x2 wheel drive electric bikes are now in the country and ZTR Mowers are the retail agent for the Tauranga area and the rural distributor bringing on rural retail outlets. “We are excited to be retailing the

Ubco 2x2 which is an all-terrain heavy duty electric bike for use in rural and wilderness areas,” says Andrew Peacock of ZTR Mowers. “This is very new and innovative bike developed by two New Zealanders. Ubco stands for the Utility Bike

Company, which has designed the electric powered 2x2 wheel drive bike with the vision of redefining the way people work outdoors.” The Ubco bike features 2x2 All-terrain performance with powerful dual wheel drive with full suspension. It’s electric drive has low noise and is emission-free. Running cost are low – it can run for up to 100km on one charge at a cost of about 60 cents. The bike weighs just 58kg and has a strong alloy frame, but can carry loads of up to 200kg. It has 12V and USB power outlets for charging tools and personal hand held electronic devices on the go. The bike is fitted with accessory lugs that allow the user to customise and attach whatever they need to carry, says Andrew. Anthony Clyde and Daryl Neal are the brains behind Ubco. They’ve each worked independently in the electric bike industry for a decade. Once they put their heads together, they set their sights on creating a lightweight electric off-road bike that can carry tools and be used in an agricultural environment.

Ubco 2x2 electric bikes are ideal for farm work.

LIFESTYLE FARMING

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EDUCATION

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Best of both worlds for pupils at Tibbs House Young men who live beyond the Auckland Grammar School zone still have the chance to attend the school by living at Tibbs House. “Our boarders get the best of both worlds: a structured, caring environment at Tibbs House and a superior education at school,” says director of boarding Daniel Oram. “Not only are they given access to

some of the best teachers in the country but they are enriched further by the variety and quality of co-curricular activities on offer.” Tibbs House was opened opposite the school in 1962 with the express purpose to allow students from outside the local area to benefit from attending Auckland Grammar School. Named after the school’s fourth headmaster – Mr J W Tibbs, who was headmaster from 1893 to 1922 – Tibbs House opened its doors to 46 boys. The

roll of Tibbs has now grown to 120 young men. Often referred to as “the backbone of the school”, Tibbs House boarders are expected to uphold high standards of behaviour and to participate widely in school life. “It is our hope when taking boys in at Form 3 that over time we, along with the school, can develop them into well-educated and well-adjusted young men.” Since its establishment in 1869, Auckland Grammar School’s vision has been for all of the young men who attend the school to reach their full potential in all aspects of their lives. Today, the school holds tight to its traditional values while remaining committed to offering young men the best opportunity to succeed in the classroom,

on the sports field and in musical, cultural and social activities. Tibbs House is equipped with modern and comfortable facilities, making it one of the leading boarding institutions in the country. Boys have comfortable rooms with no more than five to a room at junior level and even fewer at senior level. In addition to these excellent facilities, eight fulltime teaching masters and two “gap” tutors provide daily supervision and pastoral guidance. During the nightly prep sessions – also run by the masters – additional academic support is also provided by specialist tutors to ensure that all boarders are given every chance to achieve academically. As well as the male staff, a dedicated team of matrons meet the boys’ maternal and medical needs.

Boarders at Tibbs House have the chance to succeed in the classroom, on the sports field and in musical, cultural and social activities.

Steady progress in rural broadband rollout

To apply please download an enrolment application at www.ags. school.nz/at-grammar boarding/ or or contact contact Mr Daniel Oram, Director of of Boarding at d.oram@ags.school.nz or (09) 623 5432. Tibbs House 87 Mountain Road Epsom Auckland 1023 New Zealand www.ags.school.nz

Eighty-seven per cent of new and upgraded rural broadband towers, which are part of the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative, are now complete says Communications Minister Amy Adams. “Compared to a year ago, there has been a 32 per cent increase in rural New Zealand households and businesses able to connect to faster and more reliable broadband. “As a result of the strong progress of RBI, almost 280,000 rural households and businesses can now access fixed wireless or improved fixed line broadband.” RBI towers built in the last year

have increased by 23 per cent to total 135 new towers, and there are now 336 upgraded towers nationwide. “The RBI is also extending mobile coverage to rural areas across New Zealand. Rural users are already taking advantage of these benefits - in the last three months, almost 1.8 million individual mobile devices accessed services from the new RBI towers on just one network. “Chorus has upgraded more than 1180 cabinets in rural areas under the RBI, which means more than 106,000 rural households and businesses can now access faster broadband. “As we move into 2016 I look forward to more and more New

Zealanders connecting to RBI and maximising the benefits of this exciting, next generation infrastructure. The full quarterly update can be found at: http://goo.gl/g6JGXv Progress to date: • 280,000 households can now access fixed wireless or improved fixed line broadband • 36.7 per cent uptake across RBI programme • 1183 rural cabinets upgraded • 135 new towers built and 336 towers upgraded – programme 87 per cent complete • 106,880 fixed lines upgraded to receive faster copper-based broadband • 266,340 addresses able to connect to fixed wireless RBI • 4G is being rolled out on RBI towers.

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A week to raise herb awareness “A herb to me is something that can be used medicinally as well; in which case so many other things come under that definition.” Jenny finds it interesting bullrush was chosen. “Raupo is another name of it. The plant itself can be used for water purification. Medicinally, it can soothe sores, wounds and ulcers.” Chicory was traditionally used as a sub“How many times I’ve seen dandelions stitute for coffee in war-times. “The growing up through concrete in the leaves can go in salads. Medicicity going ‘look at me, look at me’ nally, it can be used for jaundice, and on television people spray liver and spleen problems. In a it,” says Katikati Herb Society poultice, chicory root can calm president Jenny Ager-Pratt. inflammation.” “It’s one of the most useful Meanwhile lovage leaves dried herbs.” in tea stimulate digestive organs. March 7-13 is Herb Aware“In cosmetics, it can be used as ness Week – and Jenny hopes a deodorising herb and a cleanser to encourage people to enter the to help acquire clear skin; so after a world of herbs. And she doesn’t hard day’s work put it in the bath,” mean buying a dried packet of says Jenny. rosemary at the supermarket. She believes herb week is about Many plants around you – on Katikati Herb Society president the sidewalk, along the drain or in Jenny Ager-Pratt says chicory can be boosting people’s awareness that they have plants all around them the weed-pile – can be of use for eaten as a food or used medicinally. they can use in their everyday lives. all sorts, says Jenny. “And best are Jenny is hosting a workshop at her home on March those which haven’t been sprayed.” 12 on how to use herbs from the backyard – whether For 2016 the New Zealand Herb Federation has grown purposefully or wild. four Herbs of the Year: chicory, capsicum, lovage and Katikati Herb Society will also host an introduction bulrush. night on March 10 at St Paul’s Presbyterian Church Capsicum you say? It’s a herb? “It’s known more as a from 7pm. vegetable but it depends on your definition of a herb,” To learn more, call 07 552 0697. says Jenny.

If you have a pocket-sized garden – or a crack in your concrete – the likelihood is you have a herb you can put to use – whether as a food, drink, natural medicine or cosmetic.

Gold miners used one of these A silage or peat cutting spade is what last month’s mystery item from the Western Bay Museum is, believes Ian Treloar. “My dad had something similar and we used to cut silage into manageable blocks to lift out with a set of front end loader forks,” he writes. Museum manager Paula Gaelic thinks Ian may be right but has yet to positively identify the device so welcomes

This may be a peat cutting spade.

any more information about its use. Call the museum on 07 549 0651. This month’s mystery item from the Te Aroha and District Museum was used by those working in the district’s gold mines. If you know what it is, and have a story to share about its use, you could be in to win a visit for two to the Te Aroha and District Museum. Send your entry to: elaine@thesun.co.nz with ‘Mystery item’ in the subject line, or post to Mystery Item, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140.

This item was used by gold miners – do you know what it is?

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Toxin free, constant pest control for your backyard… however big. See the traps in action at www.goodnature.co.nz *Traps also available for stoats and possums.

EPSOM HOUSE Boarding Positions 2017

COAST & COUNTRY

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%(5 75 7,0 ( 6

17 0( $7

3 (33( 5

trades & services

To list your rural event please email: julie@thesun.co.nz with Rural Event in the subject heading.

Thursday 3 March

Saturday 5 March

Tuesday 8 March

Practical tips, advice and ideas for milking smarter, finding another hour and saving another dollar. For all experience and skill levels, featuring new topics as well as popular sessions. Registration essential – venue address will be provided by email confirmation upon registration. See www.dairynz.co.nz/milking/ milksmart

At Morrinsville Recreation Grounds, Ave Rd, Morrinsville, 9am-3pm. Numerous competitive events including equestrian, beef, dairy, alpacas, dogs and goats. Markets, gourmet food, fairground, fun activities and more. Adults $8, children 12-16 years $4, under 12s free.

group is open to any women involved in dairying or dairy related agri-business. Held 11am-1.30pm. For details phone Willy 021 242 2127.

3-14 March

A free family day out, celebrating its 40th anniversary, with Teddy Bears Picnic for the littlies, red brigade games, BMX obstacle course, roving puppeteer, Waikato bubble soccer, street performers and the balloon man, bands playing in the Rotunda, including Hamilton Bluegrass Band, and Wai Taiko drummers. For a full line-up of events, see www.domainday.co.nz

Milksmart - Hamilton

2016 Hamilton Fringe Festival Visual arts, theatre, spoken word, multi art form performance and music events all make for a fantastic line-up. From sword swallowers to poetry and everything in between. Check out the full line-up at www.hamiltonfringe.co.nz.

Morrinsville A&P Show

Sunday 6 March Te Aroha Day in the Domain

Hauraki Plains Women in Dairy. This discussion

Saturday/Sunday 12-13 March Morrinsville Vintage Tractor & Machinery Memorabilia Display at the Morrinsville Recreation Grounds. For more informa-

tion, contact Noel Hilford phone 07 883 1103 or Kevin Beck, phone 07 889 6292 or see www.vintagetractors.co.nz

Friday 18 March Whakamarama Harvest Festival

Guest speaker edible weed expert Julia Sich. Chance for young & old to grow, pick and/ or preserve their produce to display. Harvest entries have to be in between 5pm-5.30pm on March 18 at Whakamarama Hall, with festivities starting 6pm. Entry: adults via gold coin donation & children are free.

runon listings curriculum vitae NEED A C.V.? A C.V. For You can provide you with the professional touch. From scratch or alterations. “Get the interview….Land the job” Contact via www.facebook.com/ acvforyou or 0204 037 6034

for sale PULLETS HY-LINE BROWN, great layers. Phone 07 824 1762 www.eurekapoultryfarm.weebly.com

advertise ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT or service in the listing every month. Phone Julie on 07 578 0030 or email julie@thesun.co.nz

Action on lamb prices needed Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre Chair Rick Powdrell is calling for action to be taken to address issues in the marketing of kiwi lamb overseas – particularly in the UK – to prevent our sheep farmers continuing to face low returns. Rick says meals featuring lamb has fallen seven per cent in the UK, while lamb consumption in the US is rising at 10 per cent per year. Rick, who farms south of the Te Puke, has just returned from the American Sheep Industry Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he had seen first-hand some of the initiatives that are underpinning this growth. “The US is a market where we have a Trilamb programme, jointly funded by industry bodies in Australia, New Zealand and the US, which is designed to influence consumer choice by raising awareness of the nutritional benefits of eating lamb. “The American industry is also working to improve the quality of their product, and chefs are playing their part by responding to changing consumer tastes through the cuts that feature on their menus, with many increasingly opting for lower grade cuts and offal.” But Rick says the UK is a market far removed from the US. “Falling consumption of lamb in the UK reflects a failing of the industry to adapt to changing consumer tastes and the necessity to have a whole of industry approach that would best enable is to identify and respond to this. “It’s a huge concern and asks the question of whether those responsible for marketing lamb overseas are doing enough on behalf of kiwi sheep farmers?” Rick is calling on meat industry leaders - industry bodies, meat companies and government agencies - to work together with Federated Farmers to develop a long-term sheep meat strategy. “We need to unite our industry and work with others in the UK and other markets to ensure we are identifying and addressing changing consumer tastes and how lamb is marketed, cut packed and sold.”

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COAST & COUNTRY

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Caption cool image to win a book prize prize, published by Exilse Publishing, s by a doctor – Craig Hassed, and calligrapher Deirdre Hassed. The book unites two of the world’s most popular current trends – the desire to live better in a lovely home and the ever-increasing interest in the practice of mindfulness. “Our home is not grand, and we have not learnt Last month’s image anything about interior design or spent significant of a toddler in a fouramounts of money on decorating (or having someone wheel buggy attracted else decorate it). We have simply taken care to create a several suggested space we feel at home in and that we enjoy living in. captions. Those from “A place that is restful, that reminds us of things Tracy Harvey of beautiful and edifying, and one that is also Tauranga welcoming to visitors. It is our wish, in this were: book, to share with you the philosophy “Going on and principles that have informed our a lion hunt, and I’m not scared” and choice,” the authors write. “Dinner..check! Now to go show The book is beautifully illustrated daddy!” and “Come on Mr Deer, I’ll and as well as the save you from the bush. You can sleep text, has inspirational with me”. quotes from some of Carolyn Hooton of the world’s greatest Waharoa suggested: thinkers. “If only I could get It is divided into this GPS to find the sections which way out of this huntfocus on the five ing block”. senses, the five For her caption: spaces and home as “Go, go, go, I am a healthy environment. going to have a tanTo be in to win a trum”; Christine Oates copy of ‘The Mindof Katikati has won a ful Home’, email copy of the book ‘Poscaptions for the ture and Performance photo (left), along - Principles of Trainwith your name ing Horses from an and address, with Anatomical Perspective’ Caption this image, sent in by Karen Britten of Taupo, Country Funnies as by Gillian Higgins. the subject, to: to be in to win a copy of ‘The Mindful Home’. This month’s book

O U NT R

‘The Mindful Home’ is the Country Funnies book prize for March.

N NIE

S

FU

elaine@thesun.co.nz Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to: Country Funnies, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140. If you have Country Funnies photo we’d love to publish it and invite readers to caption it. Please send hi-res Jpeg images to email address above.

Y

C

This month’s Country Funnies picture to caption is from Karen Britten of Taupo and the writer of the best caption for this image will win a copy of the book ‘The Mindful Home’ by Dr Craig and Deirdre Hassed.

AUCTION

Tauranga Central Office – 07 578 0879 Cherrywood Office – 07 576 8770 Bethlehem Office – 07 579 2206 Mount Central Office – 07 575 6384 Papamoa Office – 07 542 9012 Te Puke Office – 07 573 4754

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 52

Harry tak ing his bike for a spin !

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holiday

Lucy learning

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Templeton Grandkids . rm visit the fa

Bo having a go

COAST & COUNTRY PRIZE UP FOR GRABS!

.

at leading Rosie

Pictures and details can be emailed (high resolution jpgs) to amy@thesun.co.nz “Country Camera” or posted to Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga. Please include a name, address and phone number with every entry.

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