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F�r�e�s u�g�d t� t�k� a s�c�n� l�o� a� b�l�i�n t�e� g�a�t� While there has been a lot of debate over sheep & beef farms being converted to plantation forests in Wairarapa, one land use consultant says the situation is much more nuanced than it might appear. Stuart Orme, Manager Land Use, Carbon and Consultancy at full value chain consultancy and management company, Forest360, says while it is true that some farms have been sold in the region for conversion to plantation forestry, that has nothing to do with the government’s One Billion Trees Programme. Rather, the conversions are being driven by good commercial returns on forestry when the trees are harvested, along with additional cash fl ow from carbon credits. Stuart also points out that the majority of farms that have been sold in the lower North Island are going to new New Zealand owners, rather than overseas investors. Interest in plantation forests has not necessarily been a bad thing for the Wairarapa’s hill country farmers, Stuart says.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 PHOTO/JANICE DAGG
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A positive fl ow-on effect has been that prices for hill country farms has gone up, he says.
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“The new forestry opportunities are making hill country farms in Wairarapa more attractive. Buyers are competing for land so the prices are good. “This provides an exit strategy for some owners who were not previously able to sell, and some of them have gone on to buy better farming platforms.
may not always be available. Grants from $1500 to $5000 per hectare are available, depending on the species and erosion classifi cation, and as a bonus these are tax-free grants. Where hill country farmers are wanting to stick with sheep & beef, some are converting their less profi table paddocks to different forms of forestry.
Stuart gives one example of a 483 Stuart Orme. hectare sheep & beef farm where 45 hectares have “Other properties that people been planted in plantation had thought would go to pine, 26 hectares have been forestry have gone to other planted in poplars and willows farmers.” for soil stability and shade for stock, there have been Where farmers are not new plantings of manuka planning to convert wholesale and kanuka for erosion to plantation forests, partial control and possible nursing planting of exotic and of indigenous forests, plus indigenous species offers there have been plantings of multiple benefi ts and there riparian and stock exclusion are several funds they can tap areas, all of which were ETS into, such as the One Billion eligible. The farm already Trees programme, Stuart has some mature indigenous says. forest. He is urging farmers to look more closely now at These new and existing what government funds are plantings will provide food for available to them, as these hive rentals.
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“Grants from $1500 to $5000 per hectare are available, depending on the species and erosion classification, and as a bonus these are taxfree grants.” By 2050 the farm will have achieved a 48% reduction in Farm emissions (Gross), equivalent to the top end of any discussion around the Carbon Zero bill targets of 10% on current by 2030 and 24 to 47% by 2050. It will also be earning income from tree harvesting and hive rental. Meanwhile, the rest of the farm will remain in stock. While on average the farm carried nine stock per hectare, the planted areas only had carrying capacity of three stock per hectare, and there would have been a major capital cost to continue using that land to carry stock, Stuart says. Farmers are focusing on the Emissions Trading Scheme and how it will affect them, but few people are engaging with the opportunities that are available, Stuart says.
“If farmers take advantage of the variety of options available and the cash fl ows that can come with these, they can still farm in the traditional sense and still meet current and future ETS liabilities.” The One Billion Trees Fund will not be around forever, Stuart predicts. “Sooner or later it is going to go, either because there are enough trees planted or they run out of money, or political opposition gets too strong. “Farmers should sit down, engage, look at the numbers and make an informed business decision. You have to compare what you are making per hectare to the profi tability of other options. “Governments can make the policy but it is the farmers who have to turn that into a profi t,” Stuart says. Despite challenges to the One Billion Trees Fund from some parts of the farming community, plenty of Wairarapa farmers are planting trees on their farms, Stuart says. “There are many more opportunities than obligations and farmers nationwide are taking advantage of these opportunities.”
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A plethora of forestry funds available The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been supporting landowners to integrate trees into their landscapes for over 20 years. There are two direct tree planting grants schemes available to landowners.
HILL COUNTRY EROSION FUND The HCEF was launched during 2007/2008 and provides funding to protect an estimated 1.14 million hectares of pastoral hill country nationwide. Funding is contested in a 4-yearly cycle, aligned with planning cycles for regional councils. www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-andprogrammes/forestry/sustainableland-management-and-hill-countryerosion-programme/
Landowners can apply to their regional councils for funding. Wellington Regional Council’s initiative under this Fund is called the Wellington Regional Erosion Control Initiative. www.gw.govt.nz/wreci-strategy/
ONE BILLION TREES FUND (LANDOWNER GRANTS) To kick-start new tree planting the Government launched the One Billion Trees Fund last year with $240 million over
three years allocated from the Provincial Growth Fund. One Billion Trees wants to see a broad range of exotic and native trees established for both permanent and plantation forests – trees that are suitable for the site and that are integrated into existing landscapes. The Programme does not encourage whole farm conversion. It also wants to see planting that is wellplanned and considers the long-term use of the trees. www.teururakau.govt.nz/fundingand-programmes/forestry/ planting-one-billion-trees/onebillion-tree-fund/direct-landownergrants-from-the-one-billion-treesfund/
The following are funds that indirectly offer opportunities for government support of new plantings on farms. SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FIBRE FUTURES (SFF FUTURES) Late last year, MPI launched SFF Futures, a gateway for farmers, growers, businesses, researchers (including Crown Research Institutes), industry organisations, and community groups to secure co-investment for projects that will make a positive and
measurable impact in the food and fibre sectors, from the paddock, forest or ocean to consumers. SFF Futures can provide coinvestment including grants of less than $100,000, right up to multi-million dollar, multiyear partnerships and all the exciting projects in between. This gives MPI the flexibility to co-invest in many projects and with different types and sizes of organisations, and the ability to work with applicants on the most appropriate way to invest in their projects. MPI has $40 million available each year to co-invest in SFF Futures projects. sff-futures.mpi.govt.nz for more information, along with examples of projects underway.
PRODUCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE LAND USE Budget 2019 allocated $122 million to MPI to help farmers and growers improve productive and sustainable land use. This funding will be used to provide practical advice, information, tools and support to help farmers and growers to improve their operations on the ground and build primary industry adviser capabilities.
As part of this work, MPI is setting up regional extension projects to support groups of farmers and growers to lead and support each other to make practical on-farm changes. The aim is to help improve their environmental sustainability, profit and well-being. This work sits alongside other initiatives already under way to support farmers such as Integrated Farm Planning, where MPI are working with industry to take a more holistic and streamlined approach for farm planning, in areas like environment, biosecurity, animal welfare, health and safety, and employment regulatory requirements. The funding will also help improve on-farm emissions data and tools to support better decision-making. It will also support resilience in our exports and ensure we have a modern official assurance system. MĀORI AGRIBUSINESS MPI also assists Māori to make the most of their primary sector assets and by
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doing so, contribute towards New Zealand’s regional economies. MPI has worked with several Māori land owning trusts across the country, to help them achieve their aspirations. This includes assessing the opportunities for different land uses, and bringing together smaller land blocks to build economic scale. MPI has a network of experts across the primary industries that can provide tailored help to Māori to help them make informed decisions about developing their land, including for afforestation, as part of a wider farm management plan or the development of commercial pine or mānuka plantations. The team is contactable at MAPIP@mpi.govt.nz
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U�d�r�t�n�i�g y�u� b�d�e� m�a�s u�d�r�t�n�i�g y�u� b�s�n�s� With farming businesses having just rolled into the new fi nancial year, farmers are being reminded of the value of budgeting and benchmarking. Rabobank Agribusiness Manager Bernard Lynch is a strong advocate for budgeting and benchmarking. “From a banking perspective, it’s about understanding your cashfl ow – your income, your expenditure – and what infl uences them. The better you understand that, the better able you are to make decisions.” Mr Lynch says farmers often comment that budgets aren’t worth doing because they change all the time. “My reply is that’s why you should budget. It’s not something you do at the start of the season, and
then review at the end. It’s a living document that should be reviewed, say, monthly or as circumstances change.” He suggests looking at one month for a start. “How are you going, relative to that month last year? Is there a difference? Why is there a difference? “For example, has slow pasture growth pushed your lamb income out by a month? Has it been too wet to put on fertiliser to date?” Most farmers do budgets in their heads, but if they do it formally, they can identify areas where changes can be made to improve cashfl ow, Mr Lynch says. “It will help identify what parts of the business make the most money. You only know that for sure, if you do a cashfl ow budget.”
Kate facilitates a Measuring Farm Performance module. [Right] Agri-Women’s Development Trust Technical Facilitator Kate Wyeth.
For farmers new to benchmarking, Mr Lynch points them towards the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Benchmarking tool. “I encourage farmers to look at the expenditure items, in particular. Do they spend more on, say, animal health and less on, say fertiliser. Some farmers’ working expenses are very high and
others are very low. “It’s worth remembering that you don’t have to be the most productive farm, to be the most profi table.” Mr Lynch is a big fan of the “Understanding Your Farming Business” programme for women, delivered by the AgriWomen’s Development Trust. “I have several clients who
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equip and support women in playing a vital role in the primary sector and rural communities and this includes fi nances. The Understanding Your Farming Business (UYFB) programme has proved to be hugely popular. It is fully funded by the Red Meat Profi t Partnership (RMPP) and so is free to participants with its three modules and a graduation delivered throughout New Zealand. Participants include women of all ages, stages and experiences – women new to a farming business with no prior knowledge, women who have been farming for many years, and even rural professionals. say it’s the best course they’ve ever attended.” The Trust is based out of Eketahuna, where it was founded in 2009 by Lindy Nelson. The Trust’s purpose is to
The programme equips them with the skills to play a greater part in decisionmaking and be able to communicate powerfully with farming partners, fi nancial advisers and rural professionals.
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contributing to the fi nancial side of farming businesses, Kate points out, often doing the banking, cash fl ow or accounting.
“They argue that things change a lot, so why budget, but the whole reason to budget is because things do change. Farmers feel much more in control of their situation when they can manage these changes, and adapt accordingly.” One of the Trust’s Technical Facilitators is Kate Wyeth who is also a sheep & beef farmer with her husband James in Wairarapa. Kate is one of the facilitators of the “Measuring Farm Performance” module, which includes budgeting and benchmarking. Her work has her travelling all around New Zealand, as well as holding modules in Wairarapa with one in Carterton this week and another in Masterton in a few weeks’ time. Kate believes Wairarapa farmers are relatively fi nancially literate compared with other parts of New Zealand, thanks in part to the number and quality of farming consultancy businesses in the region. A lot of people interpret “budgeting” as managing the cash fl ow of their business, Kate says, “and that is defi nitely a part of budgeting, along with the compliance
“Many have come to farming from other careers and lifestyles and so bring a huge range of other untapped skills as well.”
side such as GST. “But budgeting is also looking at the profi t side of the business - how it is tracking in terms of profi tability from month to month.”
Graduates of Understanding Your Farming Business are now contributing at a deeper level within their farming businesses, Kate says.
What has historically put off farmers focusing on this side of the business is the inevitable variability and unpredictability of farming, she says. “They argue that things change a lot, so why budget, but the whole reason to budget is because things do change. Farmers feel much more in control of their situation when they can manage these changes, and adapt accordingly.”
“They are making a bigger contribution to the more strategic view of the business with their partners.” As the Agri-Women’s Development Trust approaches the end of its fi rst decade, the demand for Understanding Your Farming Business is only increasing with over 1900 women graduating from the programme by the end of 2019.
“Focusing on this side of budgeting allows you to understand where your business is heading, and to make more profi table decisions. It is very empowering.”
For more information on the Understanding Your Farming Business programme or to register your interest for 2020 please visit www.awdt. org.nz/programmes/.
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B�o�a�s o�e�s p�t�n�i�l�y t�d� i�c�m� f�r f�r�e�s Terms like “biomass”, “biogas” and “bioenergy” may sound a millions miles away from your typical Wairarapa beef & sheep, dairy, or cropping farm.
potential for farmers to turn their untapped biomass and biogas into a revenue stream.
But in fact Wairarapa farms are likely to already be producing biomass and biogas.
Bioenergy is already the most used form of renewable energy globally, Mr Cox points out.
And converting these into bioenergy for profi t may not be as challenging as one thinks.
It is bigger than hydroelectricity or wind, providing heat, electricity and fuel for transport.
On a farm, biomass is essentially anything that can be turned into woodchips or wood pellets, such as ageing shelterbelts, woodlots and left over residue from maize, corn and other crops. Dairy farmers with effl uent ponds will already be producing biogas. Based in New Zealand, the Bioenergy Association promotes bioenergy use through Australasia, and the Pacific. The Association’s Executive Offi cer Brian Cox says there is
This could also be used to offset farmer liabilities under the Emission Trading Scheme.
Mr Cox believes it will play an expanding part in New Zealand’s energy mix, especially as emission reduction targets are introduced. A surprising 10 percent of New Zealand’s energy comes from bioenergy. Wood biomass is the main source of biomass energy in New Zealand. It comes in several forms, including fi rewood, shavings, sawdust, wood chips, and bark, with the forestry industry the main
supplier. Agricultural crop residues are also a source of biomass, which can be used as a fuel. On the demand side, companies such as Fonterra, Danone and DB Breweries, as well as Christchurch and Dunedin hospitals have
committed to using biomass fuels. There is a place for farmers in the industry as well, at a smaller and more localised level, Mr Cox says. Many farmers already have a source of biomass in the form
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Mr Cox suggests. Even dairy farms with irrigators can plant fastgrowing species such as miscanthus for shelterbelts, as they only grow up to five metres and can fit under the irrigators. Residue from annual crops like maize are another potential biomass source, instead of being burned or mowed into the ground. Dairy farmers with effluent ponds will already have a ready source of biogas. “Processing of dairy effluent and food wastes by anaerobic digestion provides biogas which can be used to produce on-farm electricity, heating and cooling and can be used as a fuel in farm vehicles. [Above] Planned shelter belts could provide both animal shelter and a source of income. [Left] It is relatively easy to tap into the biogas being produced by effluent ponds.
“The bio-fertiliser also produced can be used to replace inorganic fertilisers, thus reducing emissions from fertiliser use.”
of shelterbelts, woodlots, crop residue and so on.
The technology to capture both wood waste and biogas is already available and relatively inexpensive, Mr Cox says.
By planning ahead, they can start growing shelterbelts that will also be a future source of biomass for fuel. Planted in three parallel rows, shelterbelts can be regularly harvested at the same time as providing shelter,
But two things are going to be required to develop the industry at a farmer level, he says. The first is finding markets for the biomass, and the second
is being able to provide them with a steady and reliable supply. Possible customers include sawmills, laundries, hospitals and schools who either already use wood for heat, or could convert to it from gas or coal. Individual farms are not going to be able to provide a large enough and steady supply on their own, so what is needed is an “aggregator” to source the biomass from multiple sources and provide a steady and sufficient supply to end users.
“There is a big future for utilisation of biomass for energy and farmers can gain from that by becoming food plus fuel producers.” The two most obvious groups for this broker-type role are agricultural contractors and arborists who may already have most, if not all, the equipment needed. Mr Cox concedes that most farmers would prefer to concentrate on their core activity whether it is sheep &
beef, dairy or cropping. But he sees diversification as good business practice, and points out that on average eight percent of any farm is inefficiently used. “Farmers are already diversifying into honey, goat milk, forestry and so on. This is just another revenue stream for them, so why throw the dollars away?” He also thinks the demand for bioenergy is going to increase in New Zealand. “Sixty percent of coal use could be replaced in New Zealand from existing forest harvest residues but that still leaves another 40 percent for which a replacement needs to be found. That is the gap which farmers could fill.” In the end, Mr Cox says the biggest driver is simply going to be tighter regulations around such things as greenhouse gas emissions and effluent disposal. “Farmers are going to have to think about what they are going to do with their waste.” In its submission to the government on proposals for inclusion of agriculture within the emissions trading scheme, the Association promoted the idea of farmers being able to offset their
greenhouse gas emission liabilities against credits from their production of bioenergy. “There is a big future for utilisation of biomass for energy and farmers can gain from that by becoming food plus fuel producers,” Mr Cox says. “At present only the liability is counted and there is little recognition of the very significant carbon absorption that farmers already do. “With a better regulatory framework, farmers will get recognition of the wide range of sustainable agricultural initiatives they have available. “Shelterbelts and woodlots can produce around 2 PJ of energy, and that is a tenth of the amount of coal currently used for process heat, so would be a significant contribution from farmers to reducing national greenhouse gases. Many of the biomass fuel options available on farms are outside the emission trading scheme rules and farmers therefore get no credit for what they can already do. They need to ensure that the regulations support these opportunities. It is worth a lot of money to every farmer.”
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S�e�s o� s�c�e�s l�e i� l�w c�a�g� It’s not hard to pick up the frustration in DJ (Mack) McIntosh’s voice when he talks down the phone from his Otago home. But then, the history of the hemp industry in New Zealand has always been a frustrating one. A crop that could be a profi table addition to any type of farm in Wairarapa, seems forever to be taking one step forward followed by two steps back. The potential uses of hemp seem almost inexhaustible - from textiles, paper, and building material, to health foods, industrial products, personal hygiene and medicine. What hemp would offer farmers in Wairarapa, Mack says, is fl exibility. “Farming in New Zealand is always going through cycles of highs and lows. One year lamb and milk prices are up and the next year they are down. Hemp has a multiplicity of end uses rather than the current feast or famine New Zealand model.” Mack was the chairman
Mack with some of the huge number of products that can be made with hemp.
of the New Zealand Hemp Industry Association for 29 years, but now 70, he has “retired” to focus on developing cultivars suited to New Zealand conditions, something he has been doing since 2002 when the fi rst industrial hemp testing took place. “I realised almost immediately that most offshore cultivars were not
great in terms of modern productivity. It was like where wheat was 100 years ago. Back then we did not produce the record 20 tonnes per hectare of wheat that we do now.” Since then Mack has developed several cultivars specifi cally suited to New Zealand conditions. These new cultivars can be grown anywhere in New
Zealand and could be a useful crop on any type of Wairarapa farm, Mack says. While growing hemp “is not idiot proof, it requires nil to few sprays and all things being equal grows well throughout New Zealand”, Mack says. After last year’s amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Industrial Hemp 2006 Act, several hemp products are
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“To date seed-only prices have varied from $3 pkg to $6 pkg. The industry expectation/standard per hectare is 1 to 1.5 tonnes. Therefore just seeds could or should generate between $3000 and $9000 per hectare gross.” now able to be legally sold in New Zealand including hulledonly hemp seeds, hemp oils made from seed, and soap. Even with such a limited range of products, it is possible to make money, Mack says. “To date seed-only prices have varied from $3 pkg to $6 pkg. The industry expectation/standard per hectare is 1 to 1.5 tonnes. “Therefore just seeds could or should generate between $3000 and $9000 per hectare gross.” Mack says his method and cultivar can produce many times that. “Having said that, my common saying lately is there will be a lot of tears and dollars on the ground before the price settles to anything
like a normal standard.” To get started farmers will need the following: • An Industrial Hemp Licence from the Ministry of Health, $500 plus GST for General another $150+ for R&B. These can be rolled over for a maximum of three years. • A Police Clearance • Suitable location and facilities, ie, not visible from road, lockable containers etc • First time THC test by ESR before harvest which is $700 to $1000. • Harvesting drying and possibly some processing facilities. There is the problem of a lack of sufficient sowing seed, and also few contractors with any knowledge of contracting hemp. New Zealand products are quite expensive compared with those imported from overseas, Mack says. “Partly this is due to dehulling where you lose 2/3rds by weight re what goes in to what comes out. Canada, China and Australia all have fabulous hulling technologies in place, and Canada and China are
currently making up the balance in New Zealand, specifically for hulled hempseeds or hearts.” Because only the seeds are legal, all the other parts of the plant go to waste which also reduces the New Zealand products’ profitability. But the biggest problem, and the one holding the industry back, is its classification as a drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, says Mack. “Hemp’s status must be removed from the Act for the hemp industry to develop.” It is the THC in hemp that puts it in this category, but in fact this is miniscule, says Mack. “Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, a plant has to have 0.35 or more percent of THC to be illegal. My cultivars have 0.02 percent but they are still classified as illegal.” Meanwhile, other countries aren’t having any problems distinguishing hemp from cannabis and are reaping the rewards with hemp already a huge industry in Australia, the United States, Europe and Ireland, Mack says. Mack has developed hemp cultivators specifically for New Zealand conditions.
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R�R�L
O�T�O�K – AUGUST 2019 –
N�w i�i�i�t�v�s h�p� t� m�k� d�n� i� s�r�o�s s�i�l� s�o�t�g� The announcement this month that the primary sector will get the fi rst of the government’s new Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) has found favour with the farming sector. The primary sector CoVE will bring together education and industry bodies to develop vocational education. Primary ITO chief executive Linda Sissons says “it’s a real vote of confi dence in New Zealand’s primary industry which employs 350,000 people and is our biggest export earner”. Beef & Lamb New Zealand Chief Insight Offi cer Jeremy Baker who made that organisation’s submissions on the CoVEs also supported the announcement, saying that “the primary sector faces some considerable challenges in meeting its workforce and skills needs”. Gladstone farmer Paul Crick says the sheep & beef industry has been suffering from a serious shortage of skilled staff. The former Director of Farming
at Taratahi Agricultural Training College and Chairman of the Eastern North Island Farmer Council of Beef & Lamb says he is regularly hearing “anecdotally from farm discussion groups, council members and farmers at large that there is a general lack of skilled people coming into the industry and working up the career ladder from junior shepherd’s upwards”.
working with their hands. “We need to get students getting interested and started on the pathway.” This is a view Paul shares with Primary ITO which is working with schools to ensure that it gets the right students entering the primary industry once they leave school
It is not so much a lack of candidates as a lack of candidates with skills and the right attitude, Paul says.
Primary ITO offers two programmes that allow students to work towards gaining a qualifi cation before they enter the workforce.
“We need skilled and qualifi ed people on-farm with a range of skills from health & safety to animal husbandry.
“Gateway” allows senior students (Year 11, 12 and 13) to undertake work experience one day per week.
“It is incredibly important to have on board staff with practical experience and qualifi cations.”
This is a partnership between Primary ITO and secondary schools with work experience, formal knowledge, skills training and assessment. The student is fully funded through Gateway Funding and their school.
Paul feels the industry suffers a bit from students at schools not getting exposure to farming as a career option. He says farming offers excellent career prospects to anyone who loves combining theoretical knowledge with
WE CUSTOM DESIGN AND BUILD...
The “Trades Academy” programme works alongside NCEA. This has Year 11 or 12 students combining their NCEA studies with a National
Giving school students a taste of working in the agricultural industry is seen as one way to overcome staff shortages.
Certifi cate in Agriculture, or Horticulture (Level 1 or 2). Blending classroom study with on-job learning, the Trades Academy includes one day per week industry placement in Year 12. As the Academy is Government funded there are limited spaces available. Getting good people into the industry is one thing, keeping them in it is another, says Paul, and farmers have a part to play. “Farmers need to support and encourage their current staff in their personal and professional development. It’s not just one way – you’ve got to look at both sides.”
We provide a full range of legal services to private, local body, and corporate clients throughout the Wairarapa and New Zealand. We currently have a team of over 25, partners, consultants, and staff working at all levels of expertise.
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For legal enquiries, contact: 06 370 0000 4 Church Street, Masterton Martinborough Office Open by Appointment legal@gawith.co.nz | www.gawith.co.nz
35
www.age.co.nz Thursday, August 29, 2019
Don’t make it to our events?
BY FARMERS. FOR FARMERS Beef and Lamb New Zealand have a wide range of options that you can tap into to get the information you need or find out what B+LNZ are doing on your behalf. See below how you can access and use our website: www.beeflambnz.com
Learning Modules, heard of these?
Like Videos? Check out YouTube! Search Beef + Lamb New Zealand on YouTube. Here you can watch clips from forage and pastures through to webinars. Some examples are:
B+LNZ’s Zero Carbon Bill submission explained
FACTSHEET Winter Forage Crops: Management during grazing
Leaning modules are a great way to learn new techniques for your farm. Modules are organized content presented in a logical order. Best to try these to find out what they are! Find these by searching leaning modules at www.beeflambnz.com. Try these ones first:
Understanding your soils
- This factsheet is double sided and looks into key points of grazing, including an AgResearch Pastoral 21 programme and its findings.
BOOK
- B+LNZ’s Chief Insight Officer Jeremy Baker explains the reasoning and science-based approach behind our submission on the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill currently being considered by Parliament.
Strategic grazing of winter crops
Making every mating count
- This module will help you: know the physical characteristics of soil, how to assess your soil and understand soil management practices that match your farm practices with your soil resource to get the right balance for sustainable production.
Stock reconciliation - This module will help you: know why stock reconciliations are important, know what stock reconciliations are and how to do stock reconciliations.
Body Condition Scoring (Sheep) - West Otago farmer, Simon O’Meara speaks about strategic grazing of winter crops to help reduce sediment and nutrient loss into waterways.
Listen to Podcasts? We’ve got them!
- Completing this module will help you: Understand the value of Body Condition Scoring (BCS) and how to make it part of your farm practice; get to know the BSC scale and how to BSC; know the key times to BCS and have some ideas of how to deal with different BCS mobs.
- Now retired from the farm and working as a farm advisor, Peter is in demand to share his knowledge. He joined us to share some of what he’s learned and answer callers’ questions. Clear tips on getting the best out of your flock, from someone with the track record to prove them.
Heifer mating: breed ‘em, feed ‘em - Dr Jason Archer of AbacusBio and Max Tweedie, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics’ National Beef Genetics Manager, discuss the keys to successfully calving beef heifers and to getting them back in calf as a 3 year old.
Interactive online tools, that are easy. We have free online tools to help you make the best farming business decisions that you can. These have been developed from our economic team that survey 550 farms over New Zealand. You can find these at: www.beeflambnz.com/data-tools
Long Scanning Calculator
All the above technology sounds a bit too much?
Either search them on www.beeflambnz.com, by visiting: www.beeflambnz.podbean.com or find them on your podcasts app on your smartphone! Some examples are:
Peter Young: More profit from sheep
- This book digs into the sheep reproductive cycle and looks into lambing in detail on farm. From here we break the year into segments and focus on what should be happening from weaning to mating; mating to early pregnancy; mid to late pregnancy and then lambing.
Good old resource books and factsheets. Don’t worry, we have you covered with a large collection of resource books and factsheets. These can be downloaded or printed at home, but also can be ordered by ringing 0800 233 352 or emailing resources@beeflambnz.com, why not check out the following:
BOOK Guide to New Zealand Cattle Farming - If you love cattle, this large book covers everything. From pasture management, reproduction and animal health through to feeding efficiency and the beef industry.
- Using long scanning percentages when calculating on farm performance will provide a more accurate measure of true performance.
Lambing Calculator - See where you are in the Wairarapa and compare yourself to other lambing %’s.
FeedSmart—this is also an app! - The FeedSmart feed calculator uses a model developed by FarmIQ to calculate feed requirements for animals, and allows you to calculate pasture/crop usage when moving animals to paddocks.
0800 BEEFLAMB (0800 233 352) | WWW.BEEFLAMBNZ.COM | BY FARMERS. FOR FARMERS
36
Thursday, August 29, 2019 Wairarapa Times-Age
– WAIRARAPA –
R�R�L
O�T�O�K – AUGUST 2019 –
F�r�s�r� i�v�s�m�n� p�o�i�g a�t�a�t�v� under way in both Wairarapa and Gisborne, those who invested with the company in the 1990s are now starting to receive distribution payments from their harvest. Forest Enterprises has paid investors over $40 million in the past two years.
Forestry investment in New Zealand is not new. For nearly 50 years, Masterton company Forest Enterprises has been helping people grow their wealth through investments in high-quality local forestry. More than 6600 people are invested with Forest Enterprises from all over New Zealand. The company is once again promoting affordable new opportunities for the next generation of investors. And it’s proving attractive.
FORESTRY IS A LONG˜ TERM INVESTMENT
Forestry investment is long term and that’s why people like it.
People invest in forestry because, as an alternative asset, it is complementary to equities, ÿ xed income and property for diversifying an investment portfolio. Forest investment performance is not correlated to share market returns. As a longer-term investment, the income from harvest is timed to suit people’s retirement, providing an important supplement to the likes of KiwiSaver.
˜ e Rangiora block is one of three high-quality second rotation forest properties comprising Forest Enterprises’ new Wairarapa Group Forest Investment.
INCREASED FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE INVESTING
Interest in sustainable or responsible investing is growing globally. The range of environmental and social beneÿ ts of forestry are being considered alongside the projected forest investment returns. “It’s really important that people have choices when it comes to investing,” says CEO Bert Hughes. “There’s got to be a return – we’re putting up a product that has a return, but as well as that, you’re doing good”. “If the forest is managed well, and we work hard to improve outcomes from land, then you’ll get a good outcome”, Hughes says.
This could mean increasing the biodiversity, improving soil stability and air quality, improving water quality and controlling water ° ow. It is well-established that trees reduce atmospheric carbon, which can help reduce the impact of climate change. Timber is a natural product and takes less energy to produce than other products. Plantation forests help to generate a future timber resource. Wood is the most renewable material and the most sustainable of all primary industries.
INVESTORS ARE SEEING THE RETURNS
Forest Enterprises has a proven track record of generating investment returns from harvest. With harvesting
NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
Forest Enterprises’ Wairarapa Group Forest Investment is 970-hectares of forestry, comprising three secondrotation blocks in Bideford, Ngahape and Te Wharau. Forest Enterprises managed this land through to the successful harvest of the ÿ rst crop and subsequent replant. This existing forest land beneÿ ts from the characteristics of being a second-rotation forest – improved soil condition for pine trees, superior tree stock genetics, and established roads and landings for the next harvest. All of these can help enhance the return on investment. Harvest income for Wairarapa Group Forest Investment is projected to start in around 20 years.