National Farming Review December 2012 by APN Media Services

DECEMBER 2012

Federated Farmers’ Rural Photography award

p23

NATIONAL POLICY LaWF final report Communities finally have a road map to setting water quality limits p3

Reform Bill progress The Local Government Reform Bill may be passed before Christmas, if all politicians start to work together P3

REGIONAL POLICY Not just water Regional policy issues around the country cover more than just water P8

Provincial Spotlight Taranaki tackles rural mental health P9

LOOKING TO 2013

Diving in to agriculture’s issues: From water to broadband and beyond — p10

INDUSTRY GROUPS Meat & Fibre Practical industry training receives a much-needed boost P14

Dairy Diazinon findings now available

P15

BOOK GIVEAWAY We have a copy of German photographer Antonia Steeg’s book, High Country New Zealand: The Land, The People, The Seasons to give away. ■ To enter, email your name, address and telephone number before December 14 to: competitions@fedfarm.org.nz.

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National Farming Review December 2012

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PERSPECTIVE

Progress made on water

INSIDE Feature:

Farmers’ big year ahead

Regulars: Perspective . .

National Policy

3-6

Counterpoint

6-7

Regional Policy

8-9

Weather

Economy

Employment

Meat & Fibre

Dairy

Other Industry Groups 16, 17 Insider . .

Managing Editor: Conor English Ph: 04 494 9189 cenglish@fedfarm.org.nz Editor: Felicity Wolfe Ph: 04 494 9181 fwolfe@fedfarm.org.nz Memberships: Miriam Bravenboer Ph: 0800 327 646 mbravenboer@fedfarm.org.nz Advertising Sales Manager: Matthew Sherry Ph: 07 343 6881 matthew.sherry@apn.co.nz ■ ISSN 1179-4526

Water has been the major issue of the year, writes Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills. It is nearly Christmas again and I cannot believe I am almost 18 months into my term as president of Federated Farmers. It is a bigger job than I envisaged, but I know we are making good progress. Federated Farmers has achieved strong membership growth this year and the job of supporting farmers to achieve sustainable and profitable farming is more important than ever. I am continually humbled by the enormous effort so many farmers commit to our organisation, in many cases at considerable cost. Your efforts are noted and very appreciated. This year’s number one issue was water, particularly our efforts on the Land and Water Forum (LaWF). LaWF is about compromise and the collaborative process has been long and arduous, but my hope is the outcome will be more enduring for it all. Decisions about how we farm with water are better made by affected communities than distant judges. Yes, we have given some ground, but so have those who have rallied against us. Our over-riding focus has been that farming must remain

BRUCE WILLS President

mal effluent. None of this is new and many farmers already meet these obligations, but we will need to collectively ‘up’ our efforts. Sustainable farming is in all our interests. As we head toward the summer holiday season there are a few clouds on our horizon. Our determinedly high currency and the economic weakness in our major trade partners is having a negative effect on farm-gate returns. There is little the Federation can do to alleviate this, but we are fighting for

My father always used to say, ‘‘it’s a good idea to go look over the hill’’. In this spirit of seeking different views and learning, I recently attended the ANZ Bank’s first agribusiness conference in Singapore. With chief executives attending from around the Asia-Pacific region and from various parts of the supply chain, there were a range of perspectives brought to the forum. Central to the conference was an ANZ insight paper titled, Greener Pastures: the Global Soft Commodity Opportunity for Australia and New Zealand. Among other things, this identified six key characteristics of successful agricultural industries. ■ Access to and management of resources — this includes access to key agricultural inputs such as skilled labour as well as land and water. ■ Targeted research and development investment — this consists of fundamental R&D, often publicly funded, supported by applied R&D where private invest-

ment is more prevalent. ■ Effective adoption of tailored knowledge — building and applying knowledge tailored to local operating environments to maximise adopCONOR ENGLISH tion. Chief executive ■ Exposure to high-value markets — strong trading and marketing networks provide access to key global markets, supported by robust trade alliances. ■ Sufficient access to capital — ability to attract sufficient funds to support industry consolidation, farm turnover and growth-oriented investment. ■ Robust and cost-effective supply chain — highly competitive, wellcapitalised and co-ordinated with the

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I am continually humbled by the enormous effort so many farmers commit to our organisation. farmers in areas where we can make a difference. The Federation remains committed to reducing the regulation and unreasonable restrictions to the way we farm, such as the Manawatu-Wanganui regional council’s One Plan. Hopefully, with the end-of-year holidays coming up, there will be enough sunshine to be able to make the most of the summer, with just enough rain to keep those pastures growing — the ideal Christmas present for all! I wish you all the very best for a happy and prosperous New Year.

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profitable and must be allowed to grow. Yes, we must do better at excluding stock from water, put more effort into ensuring our soils stay where they are supposed to and yes, we need to better manage ani-

ability of long-term investments. These key success factors made sense to me, because they are very similar to the strategic policy goals Federated Farmers has in place as part of our strategic plan. It is good to see the banking sector investing in thought leadership, especially so when it aligns with what we seek to achieve. Now we need our politicians to take a similar strategic approach. As Federated Farmers often says — we do not care who is in government, as long as they agree with us. With party policy formulation under discussion, I hope that all politicians not only take notice of Federated Farmers’ well-articulated views, but also those of our largest rural banker. Both are about strategic solutions that enhance profitable and sustainable farming for the benefit of all New Zealand. ■ Conor English was funded to this conference by the ANZ Bank.

Ph 0800 327 646 www.fedfarm.org.nz

December 2012 National Farming Review

NATIONAL POLICY

Federation backs land and water report By Felicity Wolfe Federated Farmers senior communication advisor After three years working collaboratively with industry, environmental and recreational stakeholders, iwi, scientists and other organisations, Federated Farmers backs the third and final Land and Water Forum (LaWF) report, released last month. The Federation’s water and environment spokesman Ian Mackenzie said the report’s recommendations set processes for everyone to take the steps toward raising New Zealand’s already high level of water quality throughout the country. ‘‘New Zealand still enjoys some of the highest-quality water on earth,’’ Mackenzie says. ‘‘The recommendations give rural and urban communities a pathway to protect this and make improvements.’’ The aim is to better manage water resources to fulfil the social, economic, environmental and cultural needs of communities, using collaborative processes to set water-quality limits. ‘‘We know the way we farm will need to change and changes are also needed beyond agriculture,’’ Mackenzie says. ‘‘These recommendations cover all

WORKING TOGETHER: Federated Farmers water and environment spokesperson Ian Mackenzie, on left of stage, talks to farmers about finding collaborative solutions to the country’s water challenges.

water, rural or urban, and we are all in this together.’’ He said the Federation was concerned some councils were setting limits before the report’s release, meaning communities were not be-

ing informed about the effects these would have on jobs and living standards. There needs to be debate and consensus on what are reasonable costs and timeframes, for farmers as

well as other sectors, including local councils. Some councils have raised concerns about implementation costs of limits around wastewater. This is why Federated Farmers supports having communities make decisions after being informed about the realistic costs and timeframes for setting and achieving targets, not just for agriculture but across all sectors of society. The Federation supports recommendations around embedding good management practice, the inclusion of farm environmental plans and, where appropriate, audited self-management in the regulatory process as the preferred method. Mackenzie says these are a more holistic way to address waterquality issues, rather than focussing on nitrate. ‘‘At the heart of the LaWF recommendations is getting communities to use collaborative process in setting water-quality limits.’’ There needs to be genuine information available about what limits will mean for individual communities so they could make an informed decision on what is feasible and what is not. ‘‘This is about empowering communities to decide where limits should be set, so as not to cause social and economic damage,’’ Mackenzie says.

Local Government Bill progresses The Local Government Act Amendment Bill is progressing through Parliament and, with the right support, could be passed before Christmas, reports Federated Farmers general policy manager Nick Clark. The controversial Bill reforming what local government should and should not do could be passed before Christmas. Federated Farmers sees this Bill as necessary to focus councils on the basics and to keep rates down, but also says that reform of local government funding is needed to reduce the reliance on rates to fund council activities. The reforms are a response to excessive growth in the public sector in both local and central government, over the past decade. In this time, local government spending grew more than

119 per cent, rates revenue by 95 per cent and its debt quadrupled. Because of the way local government is funded, through property value rates, farmers get hammered particularly hard by these increases. The Government wants councils to be more fiscally responsible and efficient. The Bill will change local government’s purpose by replacing the activist promotion of the ‘four wellbeings’ with an emphasis on good quality local infrastructure, local public services and regulation. The Bill will also put in place financial prudence requirements and

performance benchmarks, give the Minister of Local Government more powers to assist and intervene in the affairs of individual councils and streamline local authority reorganisation procedures. Many in local government strongly oppose the Bill with hundreds of submissions made to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee. The Select Committee is evenly split between Government and Opposition members with Labour, the Greens, and New Zealand First all opposed to the changes.

The Bill has been reported back to the House with the Select Committee unable to agree that it be passed. Given these parties’ stated concern about the cost of living, it is disappointing they oppose the Bill. At the hearings they sided firmly with the local government sector and those who want local government to be doing more, rather than less. At the time of writing it is unclear whether the Government has the numbers to pass the Bill in its current form. As is often the case, a lot will depend on Peter Dunne. Watch this space.

Prince Charles supports New Zealand wool With the Wools of New Zealand share offer on the table, last month’s visit by Global Campaign for Wool patron Prince Charles was right on time. Federated Farmers national president Bruce Wills and Meat & Fibre chairperson Jeanette Maxwell met Prince Charles to discuss the future of the industry here and abroad at the Shear Brilliance showcase, which was held in The Cloud at Auckland’s Queens Wharf. ‘‘Prince Charles spent more than an hour at the Shear Brilliance wool exhibitions, showing his real passion for the fibre and his ongoing commitment to the global Campaign for Wool,’’ Maxwell says. The prince announced to the guests that his suit was made from ‘‘beautiful New Zealand wool’’, giving his support to the industry here. Maxwell said the meeting of the Wool Unity Group also included Primary Industries Minister David Carter and the importance of wool to New Zealand’s sheep industry was made clear to all. ‘‘At present the wool is underperforming but it has the potential to earn

billions of dollars in export receipts, rather than the hundreds of millions it currently does,’’ Maxwell says. ‘‘That is why the global Campaign for Wool and His Royal Highness’ patronage is central to wooing consumers back to wool. ‘‘The innumerable health, safety and natural benefits of wool are real, but underleveraged.’’ Unlike oil-based materials, wool is a renewable and sustainable resource. The Federation was doing all it could to support cohesion in the wool industry, which is currently lacking. ‘‘Perhaps it is now time for Federated Farmers to step up. ‘‘This is something we do rarely and only when something breaks down. ‘‘Wool is arguably at that point right now, given it was drifting even before the wool levy was lost,’’ Maxwell says. ‘‘Perhaps Federated Farmers could help drive unity from the grower up. ‘‘That came through loud and clear during the Wool Unity group meeting with HRH and Minister Carter.’’

IT SUITED: New Zealand’s next monarch, Prince Charles, wore his grey New Zealand wool suit with pride during his visit here last month.

National Farming Review December 2012

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NATIONAL POLICY

Biosecurity adapts to times By Mark Ross Federated Farmers General manager of policy and advocacy The Biosecurity Reform Bill was passed into law in September. This updates the Biosecurity Act 1993 accounting for new technology and risk management approaches and improved efficiency. This was a much-needed piece of reformed legislation as the Biosecurity Act, last amended in 1997, had not kept up with the changing face of New Zealand’s biosecurity system. The reformed Act covers all aspects of the biosecurity system, including; ■ Border risk management — preventing the introduction of harmful organisms while facilitating safe trade. ■ Readiness — preparing for the possible introduction of harmful organisms. ■ Response — responding to the discovery of new harmful organisms. ■ Pest management — managing the impacts of established harmful organisms. As a key part of the Act’s consultation process, Federated Farmers endorses the changes as a means of improving our biosecurity systems. The primary sector must have confidence in the Government agencies keeping New Zealand free of unwanted pests and diseases. The Federation believes the Act achieves this, allowing for tighter regu-

MAJOR MENACE: The Queensland fruit fly scare in Auckland this year raised the spectre of another pest with the potential to damage New Zealand’s primary industry.

lation for transitional and containment facilities, better collaboration between agencies, improvements in the Import Health Standard process and improved powers to access information necessary for risk assessments of cargo and passengers.

The Act also guides regional councils, agencies such as the Animal Health Board and the Crown on managing established pests and diseases. Government’s function as the leader of pest management systems and regional councils’ role is also specified.

Crown land will be required to be part of pest management strategies, enhancing the previously unclear good neighbour principle. We anticipate the changes will lead to a more effective pest management process, especially for private landowners. For the primary sector, the most significant changes relate to the Government Industry Agreement (GIA) provisions. GIA’s will create partnerships more focussed on joint decision-making and cost sharing for readiness and response.. The partnerships will focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for biosecurity activities. To ensure the GIA is not a financial burden to industry groups, a joint working party is working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to develop a Deed of Agreement and determine the value of entering into such agreements. There are a variety of sticky issues to be overcome. Cost sharing for biosecurity outside current arrangements is one. Some sectors will find it hard to justify entering into a GIA. Although the new Act allows for sector levies to obtain funds, it is hoped this does not occur. Government and industry need to work together to ensure effective biosecurity systems without unfairly burdening costs onto the primary industry.

Statistics New Zealand needs census support

Freshwater management review

The 2013 Census of Population and Dwellings has been set for Tuesday, March 5, 2013. This replaces the 2011 Census, which was cancelled following the February Christchurch earthquake. The Census is the official count of all the people and dwellings in the country at that time, including all New Zealand farms. The information collected will be used by many groups to decide how to provide the services New Zealand needs, from hospitals, to schools and kohanga reo and roads. Everyone in the country must fill out a census form, either online or on paper. The paper forms will be delivered after February 16 and will be collected by March 17, including from all farms in the country.

The Government will be taking a pragmatic approach to changes to freshwater management and the RMA, says Environment Minister Amy Adams. Speaking to Federated Farmers’ National Council, Ms Adams made it clear that during the coming months a lot of work will be going into ensuring new rules for water allocation and water quality will help unlock gains in agricultural productivity, while also protecting the environment. The minister also assured the audience that although urban-dwellers hadn’t yet grasped this, both she and the Government were well aware all New Zealanders, not just farmers, needed to do their bit to improve water quality. Adams indicated reforms to the

■ To find out more about the Census and delivery and collection of forms, go to www.census.govt.nz.

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RMA were on their way to reduce the long timeframes and excessive costs for decisions, be they for regional and district plans, or for processing of simple resource consents. She also promised changes to improve the quality and robustness of councils’ ‘section 32 analyses’ — cost-benefit analyses that have proven woefully inadequate at assessing the impacts of council plans and policies on primary production and the economy. Adams also touched on the ‘huge’ public and private investment being made through the Government’s ultra fast broadband and rural broadband initiatives. Given farmers’ increasing use of and reliance on technology for their

Adams indicated reforms to the RMA were on the way to reduce the long timeframes and excessive costs for decisions. businesses, Adams said farmers stood to benefit the most from the investment.

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December 2012 National Farming Review

NATIONAL POLICY

Road funding review welcome By David Cooper Federated Farmers senior regional policy advisor During 2013 the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) is reviewing the local road funding system, the Funding Assistance Rate (FAR). This could have a significant impact on local roads’ quality and the costs of district and city council rates. The FAR is the percentage of the total cost of roading investment paid for by NZTA. It applies to the non-state highway, or local, portion of the roading network. The remainder is paid for by councils, usually through rates. Given New Zealand’s economic reliance on primary industry exports, poor roading investment decisions have serious implications. Primary goods travel largely on the local road network to processors and ports. According to the NZTA, local and regional roads make up 88 per cent of New Zealand’s total road length with 83,000km. While roughly half the local roading network’s costs come from NZTA, this is the average. Funding received by individual councils differs significantly. For example, the base FAR for 2012/13, providing funding for maintenance, operation and renewal activities, contributes 88 per cent to roading

costs on the Chatham Islands and 66 per cent for Kawerau District, but only 43 per cent to Auckland, Taupo and Tauranga and 44 per cent to Queenstown Lakes District’s roads. The key question for FAR’s review is, does this represent a reasonable allocation of funding to the local roads in these areas? Federated Farmers thinks it falls short in two key ways. First is the key basis for the different FAR rates for each council, based on a territory’s relative land value. Under this approach, districts with higher land values receive a lower FAR, on the presumption they can afford to cover the shortfall. However, land value is not a good measure of a council’s ability to pay. More relevant factors could include the actual drivers for roading investment in each district, including the size of the local roading network, who uses the roads and the type of use, the type of roading, the contribution of roading to economic productivity and the number of residents. The second way FAR fails is the contribution proportion it makes to local roads. The money allocated through FAR comes from road use revenue, fuel taxes, road user charges and licensing and registra-

RURAL WORKS: The New Zealand Transport Agency is reviewing how it provides local road funding.

tion fees. The Federation says these are better measures of road use and the relative benefits from roading than property value based rates. Unfortunately, this latter concern

will not be addressed in NZTA’s FAR review. It is a strategic, political decision outside NZTA’s scope which the Government must address.

Farm Health and Safety needs to be addressed By Kara Lok Federated Farmers policy advisor Agriculture’s workplace health and safety record is not up to scratch. Too many people are being injured and dying on our farms. Federated Farmers believes it is time the sector took some responsibility and worked with the government to address the problem. The Strategic Review of the Workplace Health and Safety System, launched in June, is one of the ways we can do this. An independent taskforce is looking at New Zealand’s health and safety system. It is reviewing the legislation, regulation, incentives and enforcement measures in the hope of reducing the number of work-related accidents and fatalities. Agriculture has the highest number of work-related fatalities out of the

sectors identified as high risk; manufacturing, agriculture, forestry and construction. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) latest statistics show last year there were 15 work related deaths in agriculture. This compares to three workplace fatalities in manufacturing, four in construction and three in forestry. The statistics are not good enough, especially when compared with the number of work related fatalities occurring overseas. Every farmer needs to be proactive and have a simple health and safety plan in place on their farm. It is not difficult to have an up-todate plan. In May last year, Federated Farmers developed a simple Occupational Health and Safety Manual which is available to members and

non-members. The manual provides a step-by-step process to implementing a health and safety plan on farms and includes hazard and accident registers. To purchase Federated Farmers Occupational Health and Safety Manual, phone Federated Farmers customer service team on 0800 327 646. The last thing Federated Farmers wants is for the Government to place more regulation and compliance costs on farmers. By working with the taskforce and putting together a submission on the review, we can come up with an improved workplace health and safety approach which addresses the unique challenges agriculture faces. The Federation will make a submission on the review. Submissions closed last month.

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National Farming Review December 2012

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COUNTERPOINT

Wha¯nau Ora is for all New Zealanders Maori Party co-leader and Wha ¯nau Ora Minister Tariana Turia shares how empowering families to take care of themselves will help them grow a better tomorrow for the country. E nga¯ mana, e nga¯ waka o nga¯ hau e wha¯, te¯na¯ koutou katoa. I am taking this opportunity to share the Wha¯nau Ora initiative’s successes in improving the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders. Wha¯nau Ora is a long-term, holistic approach involving wha¯nau or extended families, hapu ¯ , iwi, marae, community groups and Government agencies. It is about families taking responsibility for their own lives and determining their own destiny. It is about realising our collective potential to make those changes to participate fully in the social and economic development of our country. In the long-term, we believe Wha¯nau Ora can transform our communities. It is about restoring decision-making back to them rather than having the State make the decisions for them. Since its inception in 2010, we have developed Wha¯nau Ora collectives which are developing appropriate services and processes to meet this change in approach. There are now 34 Wha¯nau Ora collectives representing more than 180 providers. More than 3000 wha¯nau and 33,000 individuals have set their wha¯nau planning activities in motion through involvement in the Wha¯nau Integration, Innovation and Engagement Fund.

The key to Wha¯nau Ora lies in supporting families to realise the power they have within themselves to change the future. It is about bringing people together, and TARIANA TURIA reconnecting Maori Party cothem to their leader and Wha ¯nau greatest support Ora Minister base, their families. Families involved in Wha¯nau Ora say the most important part of their planning for their wellbeing is whakawhanaungatanga or being able to rekindle ties with the extended family and discussing the issues facing them which opens up a whole new world of opportunities to both provide and receive support. Along the way, wha¯nau discover the specialist support required to help achieve goals and have better access to health, social services and education services. For example, a young couple with a two-year-old child living with extended

family asked for assistance. They were struggling financially and the father seemed unmotivated. A Wha¯nau Ora navigator discovered that rather than being unmotivated to find work, the father lacked knowledge about how to gain a heavy machinery licence. Two years on, this family has moved into a rented home and are working their way out of debt. We believe the collective success of families such as this contributes to a stronger and healthier community. While Wha¯nau Ora is still relatively new, we already see successes with the uptake of stress management workshops, antiviolence programmes and more involvement of elders in their families’ lives. Community and Government policy may seem worlds apart, but Wha¯nau Ora families are developing their own goals, which reflect the Government’s goals such as ‘Supporting Vulnerable Children’, with improved uptake of immunisations, increased pre-school enrolments and caregivers attending parenting programmes. Nationally these seemingly small gains make a huge difference for vulnerable and disengaged families. I know collective potential is being

We believe Wha ¯ nau Ora can transform our communities. It is about restoring decision-making back to them. recognised in other sectors of the community. I acknowledge leading export industry representatives like Federated Farmers for being part of the Ma¯ori Economic Development Panel, which is tasked to help realise the Ma¯ori economy’s potential. A range of opportunities where wha¯nau, collectives, enterprises, Government and the private sector can work together to increase Ma¯ori participation in the primary sector has been identified. Eighty per cent of Ma¯ori land is under-utilised. The Maori unemployment rate is currently around 15 per cent. All of this impacts the wealthgenerating abilities of wha¯nau and, as such, remains a key priority for our future planning. With your collective knowledge and will to participate, we can begin to reverse these unacceptable statistics.

Ph 0800 327 646 www.fedfarm.org.nz

December 2012 National Farming Review

COUNTERPOINT

Conservation, agriculture playing the same game By Al Morrison Director-General Department of Conservation

So ask yourself, why should I care? The answer to that gets you to what is driving radical change in DOC’s attitude and approach. The plight of AL MORRISON the kiwi isn’t just about the kiwi. The state of each species is an indicator of how healthy its natural environment is. And that’s an indicator of how healthy our ecosystems, or catchments, are. And the health of those catchments determines New Zealand’s prosperity. That is the whole system we all work under. The health of the kiwi or the reappearance of whio in our rivers is a measure of how well the system is functioning. That system is all about our stocks of natural capital — water capture, storage, flow, quality and quantity. Soil regeneration and stability. Flood control, climate regulation, pollination, the nutrient cycles, fibre, food and so on. For years we have chosen to ignore and discount the environmental impacts of activity on our natural capital; kidding ourselves that prosperity for present and future genera-

Hell hath no fury than a farmer in full cry on the topic of the Department of Conservation (DOC). In such a conversation recently, I was told, and not for the first time, to ‘‘stick to saving kiwi and stop poking your nose in to our business’’. The topic issue was the Horizons One Plan, but could easily been tenure review, access across private land or any one of a host of trigger points. If saving threatened species and looking after many of New Zealand’s favourite recreation and tourism spots is all conservation is about, then my agitated critic had a point. And if the state of our native species and condition of our special places is an outcome in itself, then it could also be said DOC isn’t a very successful business. After all, of the 671 most threatened species we are only working with about 100, and even our plan to shift that to 300 over the next four years covers less than half the total. And despite all the effort put in by DOC and others, the plight of our national bird, the kiwi, also paints a sad picture. Kiwi numbers are declining by about 5 per cent a year. Without a huge boost in effort, kiwi will be extinct in the wild in three to four generations.

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tions is just about financial capital. But the current water debate in New Zealand is a red light alert of what is happening all over the world as the degradation of ecosystems and decline in biodiversity presents barriers to growth. There is a global awakening to the reality that the economy has to account for financial, social and natural capital. In the past, DOC has planted its flag firmly in the context of being the voice for nature, of protecting and preserving nature for its intrinsic value. The state of our native species and condition of our special places has been seen as an outcome in itself. That work remains important, but we are shifting the context to include the whole system. Our work is a critical part of an ecosystem approach where the outcome is the prosperity of New Zealand and New Zealanders. DOC i part of the toolkit needed to ensure present and future generations can prosper on the back of the wise management and use of our natural environment. This is a challenge to orthodox economic thinking and requires a mindset change. It is also a challenge to the way DOC organises its business. It means a shift from a narrow, inward-looking approach where we are in command and control, to an outward-looking approach. That

means opening ourselves to working with others in ways we have been reluctant to entertain, enabling, supporting and working to others priorities as well as ours. This does not mean a new era where DOC rolls over for anyone. But it does mean a changing approach where we all think differently and work together. Most of our tensions are due to conservation and farmer protagonists who refuse to see value in the other’s work. They adopt immovable positions that defy common sense and refuse compromise. And they nurture long memories. Reframing our positions and meeting under the common banner of accounting for the nation’s natural capital provides the opportunity to get past this. I don’t pretend that’s easy, but at DOC there is a fierce determination to go down that track. We are finding the business people, farmers, local government authorities, private landowners, iwi and community groups willing to show the lead. Success will mean everyone understanding their stake in saving the kiwi, not just in captivity, but thriving in its natural environment as a national symbol and indicator that the natural capital we rely on to prosper is healthy and wellmanaged. That is the direction of global thinking. In New Zealand, our only decision is whether to lead or follow. ■ Al Morrison spoke at Federated Farmers’ National Council last month.

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National Farming Review December 2012

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REGIONAL POLICY

Water not the only game in town Federated Farmers’ policy staff save farmers and councils time and money by bringing their specialist knowledge to the table, reports the Federation’s South Island regional policy manager Matt Harcombe. Regional water policy in New Zealand is a bit like rugby — it gets all the attention, but far from the only game in town. Federated Farmers’ work is hugely variable. Across both islands its regional policy teams have worked hard to develop specialist skills. This ensures we have the capacity and capability to manage all potential farm impacts from the myriad policies, bylaws and legislation being developed, administered and implemented by district and regional councils. Some of it is hardly riveting stuff, but has potentially huge consequences for farmers. Much of the work is driven by the Resource Management Act or the Local Government Acts. However, there is also the Conservation Act, Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act, Biosecurity Act, Freedom Camping Act, Historic Places Act and a raft of policy statements and plans, and discussion documents which could negatively or positively affect farmers’ businesses. This means the Federation is a real ally for its members, with this year seieing a reduction of ACC levies and changed agricultural vehicle regulations, reducing farmers’ costs and unnecessary compliance. Councils have been amending Freedom Camping Bylaws, which may not seem important for farming. However, if freedom camping or campervans are pushed out of popular tourist areas, they inevitably end up in farmers’ paddocks. Federated Farmers brought a consistent and rural voice to the conversation and in choosing a ‘‘good’’ bylaw to model off, we are able to spread good regulatory practice through the country. The perennial issues of landscape and biodiversity protection continue to dominate our time. The floating status of the Government’s National Policy Statement on indigenous biodiversity has not helped much, as councils cherry-picking the parts they like and ignore the rest. There is work on-going around the impostion of new bylaws requiring construction of new stock underpasses in some districts and also Transpower’s plans to get transmission buffer zones around pylons included in several district plans.

SENSIBLE CHANGES: Federated Farmers has worked with Government and councils to get sensible changes to regulations, such as the rules around tractors and agricultural vehicles.

Federated Farmers has been working at central Government and council levels to get certainty around what the status of the policy statement is and make the implications to farmers clear. That is one of the other major advantages of a regional/national approach to a policy advocacy organisation; our work with farmers at the grass roots brings practical, real-life examples to Ministers. We also work at the interface of different pieces of legislation and how they interact. Without our expert input, these could impose expensive and unnecessary rules on farmers. A current example is fertiliser storage on

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farms which is done by most, if not all, farmers. The rules governing the storage of fertiliser stem from the RMA and the HSNO Acts. Some councils have not quite got that crossover right which potentially means every farmer would need a resource consent for fertiliser storage, when the requirements already governing its storage and use are clear. By sharing information between councils and developing expertise within staff, Federated Farmers can spot any issues, saving farmers and councils hundreds of thousands of dollars in resource consent costs. Having staff who know what works when developing submissions means

farmers receive real advice that gets results. It is much more cost-effective to have expert staff, than have farmers paying for the time to understand the Act, look at other bylaws and develop submissions from scratch. Just like people who play all the other hundreds of intense and exciting sports around the country outside of rugby, the Federation’s staff members are passionate about their areas of expertise. Federation membership has real value in paying professionals to manage their off-farm legislative risks. This is Federated Farmers’ key point of difference.

Ph 0800 327 646 www.fedfarm.org.nz

PROVINCIAL SPOTLIGHT

December 2012 National Farming Review

REGIONAL POLICY

Mental health crisis in rural New Zealand By Harvey Leach Federated Farmers Taranaki provincial president Throughout New Zealand’s rural communities, people can be heard saying, ‘‘how could he leave his family behind’’, ‘‘what made him do it’’ and ‘‘why did it happen?’’ These are legitimate questions following the news a person has taken their own life, but there are no simple answers. For farmers, long hours, isolation, fluctuating financial returns, debt, weather, regulations and the workload are all factors. Additional pressures lead to stress, increased anxiety and depression which, left untreated, can lead to suicide. As farm debt has doubled, rural suicide figures have tripled. Farmers are buckling under the pressure of an increasingly volatile commodity market. The figures have increased dramatically at a time where farmers have had three relatively good years. With tougher times ahead, this is a concern. The rural sector has a disproportionate amount of suicides, with 15.9 rural deaths per 100,000, compared with 10.8 in cities. Every year about 550 New Zealanders take their own lives and men’s suicide rate is three times that of women. Unfortunately, only two in three

From the Farmsafe Leaders Forum, held in March 2011, Chief Coroner Judge Neil McLaren. NB: The 2010 data is incomplete as cases were still

people seek professional help and the majority who do not are men, often due to the stigma around mental illness and the word ‘depression’. Delaying help makes treatment much more challenging. Mental health directly affects physical health and mental health needs to be treated the same as physical health, with your GP being the first port of call. We need to change the perception that seeking professional help is weak, when it is a strength. Gordon Hudson, from Like Minds, says few people have done more to promote this message than Sir John

Kirwan, who fronted the original Like Minds, Like Mine National Mental Health campaign and the highly successful www.depression.org.nz, where online help is available. This year, Taranaki is experiencing a lower suicide rate, which we attribute to an excellent range of programmes aimed at the rural community that have been well-supported. However, the numbers could change quickly. Graeme Hight, Taranaki Rural Support Trust chairman, says Opunake farmer Paul Bourke’s efforts with the trust to establish workshops on depression and suicide prevention have been

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a great step in the right direction regionally. More than 200 people have attended the ASIST workshops, many being farmers, Hight says. Chief Coroner Judge Neil Maclean has also helped by encouraging more open, constructive acknowledgement of suicide in the media. Previous approaches of ‘non-promotion’ led to suicide being under-recognised and under-resourced. Not acknowledging the seriousness of suicide, or the subsequent loss and grief, has had its day for too many New Zealanders. Imagine what could be achieved if our politicians recognised and resourced suicide prevention like they do for road accident prevention. The Australian Government has recognised this and last year allocated more than $400 million to rural suicide prevention. However, allocating financial resources is only part of the solution. As with so many issues, the answer to reducing suicide primarily lies within our own communities. How about having a rural representative on all District Health Boards? Closer to home, we need to remember that surviving tougher times is all about caring for yourself, your family, friends and neighbours.

National Farming Review December 2012 www.fedfarm.org.nz

Ph 0800 327 646

FEATURE

Federation gears up

With a busy and successful 2012 drawing to a close, Federated Farmers national president Bruce Wills is looking forward to a new year of action in 2013, reports

From rolling out rural broadband to keeping the biological emissions out of the Emissions Trading Scheme, this last 12 months has seen major issues and projects get under way. ‘‘Federated Farmers is developing relationships across a diverse range of sector and interest groups, especially in sharing farmers’ commitment to protecting and improving the mana and ecological health of our land and waterways, as well as our farms,’’ Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills says.

DROUGHT PROOFING: Federated Farmers’ work on securing funding for water storage will mean thousands of hectares of farmland will no longer be subject to the vagaries of

Real action ahead on water Following the passing of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management in 2011 requiring water quality and quantity be managed within limits, water has been a major issue. ‘‘Ongoing issues remain but the focus is moving to detailed policy development and practical implementation strategies,’’ Wills says. Farming throughout the country would be revolutionised by guaranteed, yearround, access to water. Federated Farmers’ successful lobbying of the Government resulted in $435 million of financial support for developing adequate storage and distribution systems so New Zealand’s farmers are not held hostage to climate. This will make a huge difference to New Zealand’s farms, economy and environment. There is an expectation that significant progress will be made next year on the Hawke’s Bay’s Ruataniwha Water Storage

COLLABORATIVE PROCESS: Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills says by working together with other community stakeholders, the Federation is gaining results for its members and rural communities.

Project which could effectively droughtproof 20,000 ha of farmland. Water quality is equally important. Since 2009 the Federation has been in the Land and Water Forum (LaWF), developing collaborative water quality solutions alongside iwi, recreational users and environmentalists. ‘‘LaWF’s reports provide a road map

for setting limits to protect and improve the nation’s waterways,’’ Wills says. ‘‘Every New Zealander, rural and urban, must take responsibility.’’ Farmers’ practices needed to change, but so will urban communities, councils, businesses and individuals. ‘‘Action needs to happen and in 2013 we will continue to communicate expectations arising from this process to our members and also help find solutions which work for them,’’ Wills says. The Federation does not blindly accept regulations from Government or councils, instead working with all parties to ensure the possibilities and limitations are clearly defined, ensuring reasonable and achievable outcomes for agriculture. Where farmers’ real needs and capabilities are not heeded, the Federation continues to stand up for its members. ‘‘We decided to appeal the recent Environment Court decision on the Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council’s One Plan to the High Court,’’ Wills says. ‘‘The decision sets aside the decisions made by independent commissioners, after wide community consultation. ‘‘The economic implications of the One Plan on farmers and other businesses in

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this area did not seem to have been taken into account. We believe this contravenes the Resource Management Act’s requirement for regulation to consider not just the environmental, but also the economic, social and cultural implications.’’ Wills assured farmers that Federation work on this and similar regional plans throughout the country continues, but said farmers cannot ignore environmental concerns. ‘‘Sustainable farming practices make sense, not least that they can save us unnecessary costs in the medium to longterm. Also, we must do the right thing for future generations and the Federation is increasingly supporting our members in doing this.’’

Broadband rolling out and emissions not Last month the Government passed amendments to Emissions Trading Scheme legislation (ETS), which Federated Farmers campaigned long and hard on, removing a date for including agriculture’s biological emissions from the scheme.

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December 2012 National Farming Review

FEATURE

for a busy new year Next year will see more native biodiversity and landscape protections and the Federation is working to ensure farmers’ ability to farm are not restricted. The Federation is also working with the Ministry for Primary Industry on biosecurity readiness and response procedures and to keep New Zealand’s animal welfare codes ahead of global consumers’ expectations. ‘‘Many farmers don’t realise that during the year we deal with between 300 and 500 issues at international, national, regional and sector level,’’ English says. ‘‘Other critical issues include; urbanrural relationships; energy, road and telecommunications infrastructure; water — ownership, allocation, management, quality and storage; farm succession; biosecurity; animal welfare; property rights, capital availability, and a myriad of others affecting income and expenditure. We did almost 100 submissions in 100 days — a lot of advocacy.’’

BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY: Federated Farmers chief executive Conor English, second from right, with, from left, Information and Communication Technology Minister Amy Adams, Vodafone chief executive Russell Stanners and, on right, Waikato landowner Mark Sing, at the opening of a rural cellsite earlier this year.

‘‘Farmers can breathe a bit easier knowing they will not be hit by this potentially punitive tax, at least until there is viable mitigation, or other countries start including their agri-sectors in ETS type schemes,’’ Federated Farmers vice president Dr William Rolleston says. New Zealand farmers pay about $3000 a year on the ETS, around inputs such as fuel and energy. This figure could have been closer to $30,000. ‘‘Our key motivation was the negative environmental impact having biological emissions in would have on climate change,’’ Rolleston says. ‘‘Replacing efficient food production in New Zealand with less efficient food production elsewhere doesn’t make sense environmentally.’’ The Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) had also made progress throughout 2012 with many rural people starting to benefit from the increased infrastructure funding of $300m, which the Federation lobbied for. ‘‘Farmers are starting to experience the difference high speed broadband can make in farming operations and education opportunities. Politicians need to remember those five important words ‘rural people are people too’,’’ Federated Farmers chief

executive Conor English says. ‘‘Thanks to the RBI, the rural community is closing the digital divide which is critical for New Zealand’s future.’’

Other big issues

The Federation’s general policy and advocacy manager Mark Ross knows the frustrations of local government intimately — his team of policy advisers submit on more than 90 per cent of the country’s annual and long-term plans. ‘‘The Local Government Reform Bill will be huge for the Federation and for agriculture,’’ Ross says. ‘‘Regional plans matter. They can significantly influence what a farmer is able to do as a custodian of the land and water.’’ Average rates rises of 7 per cent, per year, in the last decade, are also unsustainable for everyone. The Federation backed the Government’s reforms aiming to refocus councils on providing local infrastructure, public services and regulatory functions. ‘‘We also want reform of the rating system itself, which relies heavily on land valuation, rather than ability to pay,’’ Ross says.

Sustainable leaders

New Zealand’s efficient farming methods are gaining widespread approval worldwide. In its recent United Nations report, agriculture research organisation CGIAR challenged the popular concept ‘buy local’, telling British lamb consumers it is better for the planet to buy New Zealand, rather than British product. Taking a ‘fertiliser to fork’ approach to calculate lambs’ environmental impact reconfirmed that New Zealand’s product, even when flown around the world, is better for the planet because of more efficient agricultural practices. This report followed the October announcement that Hawke’s Bay deer farmers Tim Aitken and Lucy Robertshawe were British chain Marks & Spencer’s 2012 Farming for the Future Champion of Champions. ‘‘This award was a huge endorsement of Tim and Lucy’s farming systems and of the esteem New Zealand agriculture is held in internationally,’’ Wills says. New Zealand’s ability to grow highquality and sustainable protein means success for agriculture and the country going forward. ‘‘The growing global population means demand for New Zealand’s highquality protein, whether dairy, meat or fibre, almost assures a bright future ,’’ he says.

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‘‘Sure, we have some issues. One of the biggest is farmers having difficulties with the present high currency, which is due to the weakness of the European and US markets. But as those markets improve, we will see greater rewards. ‘‘Every week there are more than a million more mouths needing to be fed. New Zealand has to play its part in helping to feed these people.’’

Agri-science’s role

Science is a vital component in making sure New Zealand contributes to global food stocks in a sustainable, profitable manner. Rolleston says the agricultural sector has to ensure there is plenty of investment in science. One of the upcoming projects Rolleston sees as important is a Government plan to commit $60m to fund between four and eight National Science Challenges during the next four years. Federated Farmers has taken part in setting these challenges and Rolleston hopes farmers will contribute their ideas, before December 10, on the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s website. ‘‘Agriculture must be included in the programme of science challenges, as they are likely to inform the Government’s strategic policy on science funding,’’ he says. ‘‘If we do not have representation, agricultural sector research, from wool production to environmental mitigation improvements, could miss out on funding.’’

The bright future

Overall, Wills says the next year and beyond is an exciting time for New Zealand’s agriculture sector. He believes it is important to focus on the good stories. ‘‘Sure we have some issues and challenges facing us but this Government is very supportive of what we are doing for the economy and we are working to build non-partisan relationships with all the major political parties. ‘‘For many years Australia was called ‘the Lucky Country’, but, long-term, the luck is on our side,’’ Wills says. ‘‘About 72 per cent of the Australian economy is based on finite resources. Seventy per cent of our economy is based on renewable resources — farming, fishing and forestry — which, to my mind, gives Kiwis the upper hand.’’

National Farming Review December 2012 www.fedfarm.org.nz

Ph 0800 327 646

WEATHER

Spring rollercoaster slowly winds down By Dan Corbett MetService weather ambassador

On the border; neutral/weak El Nino The current borderline neutral El Nino episode seems to have helped lows deepen around the Chatham Islands, with highs lingering in the Tasman Sea. This pattern may apply at times during the next few months. Overall, air temperatures may be about to just above normal and rainfall is expected to be near normal, except perhaps just above in some northern areas. Anticyclones are likely to build in the Tasmania area and then fade away as they move northeastward across the Tasman Sea and over Northland, bringing periods of settled weather. The anticyclones are expected to become more noticeable during this month and bring extended periods of dry weather, especially in the north. Troughs and fronts are likely to move

The atmosphere Atmospheric weather patterns have not responded much to the El Nino direction. The Southern Oscillation index, which gives a snapshot of the weather patterns between Tahiti and Darwin, has been oscillating and remains close to zero. This shows the atmosphere has still not picked up on the ocean’s weak El Nino signal. The fluctuations may continue during the next couple of mouths as we ease through this borderline neutral/weak El Nino state. When it comes to seasonal outlooks, it is enticing to try comparing the coming season with a close analogy from the recent past. Do not be guided by what happened during the early summer of

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A very active system brought strong to severe gales and rain to much of New Zealand during the second week of October.

2011 because it went on to become a La Nina summer. In 2009, we had a weak El Nino developing so that might be a rough guide but bear in mind we may stay in a neutral state and not all El Ninos behave in exactly the same way.

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temperatures in this critical area have ranged between normal and just above normal. This is a neutral/borderline weak El Nino. The consensus for the next several months is we should remain in this scenario. When the Pacific has a neutral influence on our weather pattern, we can expect our weather to become more varied with wider extremes of wind, rain and temperature. This also allows other factors to come into play to influence our day-to-day weather.

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WILD WEATHER: As the map shows, the country was buffeted by a storm which developed in the Tasman Sea on October 12.

Spring has certainly lived up to the name, as the active period of transition between the winter and summer. A broad upper level trough and some very active westerlies in the upper levels of the atmosphere were the main driving force of the often unsettled weather. With some good upper level dynamics in place during recent weeks, conditions were ideal for some active lows to develop. A very active system brought strong to severe gales and rain to much of New Zealand during the second week of October. A low developed in the Tasman Sea, then rapidly deepened as it moved toward the west coast of the South Island on October 12. The northerlies ahead of the low reached severe gale at times and a second area of strong south-westerlies followed behind a new low which developed just east of Canterbury later in the day. The pressure in the new low dropped below 976mb at its peak. The weather system brought strong to severe gales from the west coast of Northland to the east coast of Southland. Manakau Heads, to the west of Auckland, had gusts of more than 80 knots (140km/h) during the middle of the day and severe gales prevented passengers from reboarding a docked cruise ship at Akaroa. The strong spring westerlies eased for a time and the end of October brought more settled weather. With fine weather and lighter winds, afternoon highs climbed into the middle 20s across the Far North and interior parts of the South Island.

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December 2012 National Farming Review

ECONOMY

‘Four more years’ for Obama Westpac Institutional Bank economist Nathan Penny looks at what four more years for Barack Obama means for New Zealand’s dollar and exchange rate forecasts. Barack Obama’s re-election as United States President means quantitative easing will remain in vogue in the US. While some perceive that quantitative easing weakens the greenback, we believe the reasons behind it, stuttering growth in the US and relatively rosy New Zealand growth prospects, will keep the Kiwi dollar high.

What is quantitative easing? Usually when central banks want to stimulate economies, they lower the interest rates at which they provide cash to the banking system. This promotes lending to households and businesses that then in-

crease spending, generating economic activity. Since the Global Financial Crisis, some central banks have reduced interest rates to zero to try to jumpstart their economies. Alas, even this has not worked! Some have turned to unconventional monetary policy, such as quantitative easing (QE). Central banks buy financial assets they do not normally buy, including long-term government bonds, company bonds, shares or even commercial loans. The intent is to lower longterm interest rates, stimulating bank lending and boosting the economy. During Obama’s first term, the US Federal Reserve carried out three rounds of QE. His re-election gives the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, the green-light to continue. In contrast, the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, was a vocal critic of QE and a win for Romney would have seen greater scrutiny of QE.

QE has not caused inflation to date . . . Some commentary claims QE does more

harm than good, driving down exchange rates, creating undesirable inflows of capital into other countries and generating inflation. This is currently driving investors toward assets viewed as inflation-proof — gold, shares, property — or to currencies where central banks still have conventional monetary policy tools to fight inflation — namely, the Aussie or Kiwi dollar. This perception might be true in normal circumstances. Inflation can arise from rapid growth in the money supply and commercial banks’ reserves have expanded significantly with QE. But these are not normal times — precisely why the US has been forced into QE.

. . . nor undermined the US dollar The additional reserves have helped the commercial banks stabilise their balance sheets, but, crucially, much of the money has not been on-loaned to businesses or households. Accordingly to date, QE has done little

to spur economic growth, or inflation. Nor has it driven exchange rates, with the US dollar at similar levels to four years ago. The Federal Reserve hopes the latest round of QE will be different. The September round focussed more on promoting bank lending, including purchases of mortgage-backed securities — home loans. While this move is helpful, we view it as a necessary, but by itself insufficient, step to returning the US economy to sustained growth. The main stumbling blocks to US growth are households needing to further reduce debt and the government needing to narrow its deficit, without derailing the economy.

But the NZD is set to stay high With New Zealand’s growth prospects relatively rosy, we expect the kiwi dollar to hold above the 80 cent mark in 2013. Our November forecasts show the New Zealand economy growing by 2.5 per cent and 3.2 per cent in 2012 and 2013, compared to 2.1 per cent and 1.7 per cent in the US.

EMPLOYMENT

Dealing with offensive language in the workplace The use of inappropriate language in a workplace is not an excuse for neglecting disciplinary processes, says Federated Farmers legal advisor, John Fowler. The news media has a tendency to report cases where workers are awarded monetary payouts, yet have acted in a morally dubious way themselves. A case this year that gathered some attention was that of Cazna Waaka, a Wellington bus driver who told her boss to stick the job up her ‘f...ing arse’ after her manager reprimanded Ms Waaka for bringing her children to work and leaving them unattended in a running bus. The case has an irony to it which drew public attention and possibly even resentment from anyone who has employed a worker before. One would think the employer’s gripe was fair. Bringing your children to a potentially dangerous workplace is at least questionable. Leaving them unattended while the bus is still running could be serious misconduct. Further, it would seem

quite reasonable to have a low tolerance toward an employee that uses offensive language and is insubordinate. Yet it was reported the Employment Relations Authority awarded Ms Waaka $10,000 when her response to her boss was to tell her to stick the job where the sun don’t shine. The account is correct and there are plenty of other cases too. The authority determined that Ms Waaka’s language was ‘extremely inappropriate’, but also that the employer had breached its duties by failing to follow a fair process. Two wrongs do not make a right and the employer had to pay the consequence of its wrongs — literally. The authority rejected the employer’s claim that Ms Waaka’s language and behaviour had repudiated the employment agreement and shown she had no intention to be

bound by it. So how did Ms Waaka get away with it? The short answer is really, that she did not and her poor behaviour prejudiced her own case. On her day in court, Ms Wakaa asked for her job back. The authority refused to make that order, because Ms Waaka’s behaviour ruined any chance of a future with the manager. On top of that, she only received 50 per cent of the award for unjustified dismissal because she contributed to the situation. This reduced her payout by $4000. So what lessons can employers learn from this? Here are five tips: 1. The courts are not naı¨ve. It is accepted that different language is used in different sections of the community. 2. However, language that threatens, provokes, insults, harasses,

discriminates, insubordinates or bullies other people in the workplace, including you, is unlikely to ever be acceptable. 3. You should make it clear what standards of behaviour and language are expected. If there are no clear rules, a worker telling you to ‘f..ck off’ may well fall short of serious misconduct. 4. Where a conversation with a worker becomes heated, the best thing you can do is organise some time-out to let everyone settle down. 5. Regardless of what your worker has done or said, you must follow a fair process when following disciplinary procedures. Also, be wary of suspending an employee without a fair reason, or without first following a fair process. This includes proposing the suspension, seeking the employee’s comments and considering those comments.

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Visit our website www.farmtofarm.co.nz or phone 0800 3838 747 for details! Farm To Farm Tours Box 239, High Street, Rangiora 0800 38 38 747 info@farmtofarm.co.nz

National Farming Review December 2012 www.fedfarm.org.nz

INDUSTRY GROUPS

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MEAT & FIBRE

Training a vital investment By David Burt Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre policy advisor The merger of several Industry Training Organisations (ITO) aims to improve professional training and development across the primary sector. The first of these was the consolidation of primary sector ITOs which took place in two stages, merging the Seafood ITO and the Meat & Dairy sectors’ NZITO in July and the formation of the Primary Industries ITO (PrITO) from the merger of AgITO and the Horticulture ITO in October. The changes allow the better integration of training courses, provide more resources for training and deliver better outcomes for the sector. Given that agriculture brought more than $26 billion in export revenue into New Zealand in the year ending June 2012, it is essential to ensure the sector’s workforce has the skills it needs to maximise returns. With five per cent of New Zealand’s population employed in agriculture, it is essential the sector ensures its workforce has the training it needs to reach its full potential. Staff are a valuable business asset and their value can be maximised by developing and leveraging their existing and potential attributes. Workplace training involves em-

ployees acquiring specific, generally work-related skills, knowledge and competencies. Both employees and employers benefit from welldesigned and implemented training programmes. Employees see training as evidence their employer values them enough to invest in and benefit by increasing their potential market value. Employers benefit by having a more capable and engaged workforce. Historically in the agricultural sector, while on-the-job training was provided, new knowledge, skills and competencies have often been acquired informally while growing up and working on the family farm. Some people gained their skills through formal residential vocational training or tertiary study. While both these pathways are very successful and many of their graduates move on to work, manage or own agricultural businesses, these more academic frameworks have some limitations in the modern agricultural business environment. Places on residential vocational courses are limited and undertaking a university degree is expensive and requires a significant time commitment. This is not as suited to people with a more practical bent.

The sector is aware of these issues and is moving to address the current limitations around training and career development on several fronts. This is supported by the second development; the recently conducted review of agricultural training by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The proposed qualifications suit a range of skill levels, from the Level 2 Primary Industry Skills certificates to Level 5 Agribusiness Management certificates. The aim is to provide students with a more flexible and useable career path, allowing more movement between different sector areas. Employers will have the assurance that qualified students have attained necessary skills and experience. The third development is the expansion of the residential agricultural training farm programme, with several new residential training farms to be established in Whangarei and possibly Otago, Southland or Canterbury. These and other initiatives, taken in totality, demonstrate New Zealand’s agricultural training providers are focused on producing the well trained and adaptable workforce the sector needs. The Federation looks forward to reaping the benefits of this effort in future years, both by farmers and the wider economy.

By David Burt Federated Farmers Rural Butchers policy advisor Since March Federated Farmers’ Rural Butchers Executive, representing home-kill operators and dual operator butchers, has been working with the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Working Group on Unregulated Meat. This is a stakeholder group looking at the issues around the unregulated meat sector. The Federation strongly supports efforts to prevent any illegal activity, such as the sale of unregulated, or home-killed, meat. The group is looking at education and gaining a better understanding of the problem’s extent, so verification activities and other resources can be used to best effect. A modus operandi is also being developed for the Dual Operator Butcher sector, addressing factors affecting consistency of verification, interpretation and application of New Zealand standards. It will help ensure the consistent application of compliance nationally. Rural Butchers Executive members will be better placed to help members with any MPI compliance issues. ■ The group’s 2013 conference will be held in Timaru on Saturday, August 24, with field trips the day before and after. For more information, contact chairman Mike Hanson on 027 269 4133, or at netherbymeats@xtra.co.nz, or David Burt on 0800 327 646, or dburt@fedfarm.org.nz.

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December 2012 National Farming Review

DAIRY

INDUSTRY GROUPS

Organophosphates findings available By Ann Thompson Federated Farmers Dairy policy advisor Farmers who use diazinon are being asked to contribute data about how the organophosphate may, or may not, affect them. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is continuing its reassessment of the organophosphates and carbamates used for plant protection purposes and, having considered each of the active ingredients, has made proposals which can be commented on. Diazinon, an organophosphate, has several important uses for farmers, which is why EPA is considering a 10-year phase out, rather than immediate withdrawal of the chemical, despite concerns for human health. The ultimate decision lies with the EPA decisionmaking committee, which will base its decision on science and submissions. The proposed 10-year period gives scientists and manufacturers time to produce new, tested, alternative products and allows for the collection of information on the human health effects and ways to mitigate them. If sufficient new data is collected, the EPA may be approached to reconsider reassessing this agrichemical. As a result, Federated Farmers wants all diazinon and other

agrichemical users to start collecting data regarding any health effects they may experience when using any products containing the chemicals. This could be by way of a daily diary during the months of use, plus a month either side to give a base-line and a phase-out line. Signs to note are sweating and salivation, dizziness, fatigue, runny nose or eyes, nausea, intestinal discomfort, confusion, changes in heart rate, or anything unusual for the user. Having the relevant blood tests would support all claims of lack of adverse effects. It would also give operators the comfort of knowing the precautions taken while mixing and spraying, which should be part of any operator’s plan, work. Testing for diazinon and other organophosphate effects is complicated. Two sets of blood tests, between three and 10 days apart, are required before spraying commences to establish the base levels of specific enzymes. Base-line setting tests must be done after 60 days free from exposure to diazinon. Then more are required monthly during the spraying period to monitor the levels. Talk to your doctor for more complete information. Annual testing, well after the spraying regime, is not sufficient as

Summer dairy diary ■ Sort out staff cover for the Christmas holidays ■ Write clear instructions for those running the farm while you are away ■ Re-do your budget to bring it in line with forecast weather conditions and payout forecast ■ Settle and sign that contract ■ Enter the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards before December 20. Go to dairyindustryawards.co.nz for more information ■ Take time out — you’ve earned it!

GONE TO GRASS: The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking comments on its proposals around the reassessment of organophosphates and carbamates used to control insect pests, such as grass grubs, which can destroy pasture.

the levels need to be monitored during spraying. Those using diazinon need to either hold an Approved Handler

Certificate or be under the direct supervision of someone with one. Attention must be given to the instructions on the product’s label, including using the appropriate personal protective equipment and conditions. Having the information on the effects on users will help back the science that informs the industry. To view the application documents go to www.epa.govt.nz and click on ‘consultation’. If you wish to make a submission, these close on January 22, 2013.

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National Farming Review December 2012 www.fedfarm.org.nz

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GRAINS

Domestic market continues softening By Nick Hanson Grain & Seed policy advisor South Island grains prices have continued to soften since August as diverging international and domestic fundamentals compete to set a market. The last NZX Profarmer report put Canterbury feed wheat at an average bid price of $366 per metric tonne, including delivery to nearest store or mill, down from $371 just two weeks prior. This represents a moderate softening, but by no means equates to the crash some might have predicted after a bumper harvest produced an ample supply of all major grains. However, the report says growers will be wary of slow demand from the dairy sector. This softening is somewhat at odds with fundamentals internationally. The effects from the crippling United States drought on international grain prices have been well publicised, but supply concerns, particularly by wheat and corn traders, continue to support historic highs on the benchmark Chicago Board of Exchange. The latest values for wheat contracts in Chicago have some contracts equating to more than NZ$400 per metric tonne. Unfavourable weather has also led to supply issues in Europe’s Black Sea region. Ukraine has curbed exports to ensure sufficient local supply and there is speculation that Russia, the world’s third

largest exporter, will also run out of surplus wheat. New Zealand growers are used to competitively-priced Australian wheat coming into the North Island pig and poultry markets. Frustratingly, while the international rally has increased imported wheat prices, local growers have not seen a corresponding lift in the last two months. This is reportedly due to a perceived domestic oversupply and Australian sorghum imports. Growers hope for a lift in interest from South Island dairy farmers and alignment with global prices to sell any remaining crops. In addition to finding a home for unsold grain, Federated Farmers North Canterbury Grain spokesperson Murray Rowlands has also emphasised the need for growers with contracted grain still in storage awaiting delivery to be vigilant. ‘‘It’s important to keep in contact with the merchant who has bought your contracted grain,’’ Rowlands says. ‘‘A downside of the good growing season has been that deliveries have been slow and it pays to be in front of the buyer rather than waiting until January and running the risk that a delivery won’t be available when you need the space for the new harvest.’’ Mr Rowlands said growers wanting to confidentially discuss their situation, should call Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646.

BATTLING PERCEPTIONS: While a global shortage of wheat should be raising prices here, New Zealand prices are trending down due to perceptions of a local oversupply.

Ph 0800 327 646 www.fedfarm.org.nz

BEES, WOMEN

Product research needed By Nick Hanson Bee industry group policy advisor A compulsory levy may still be necessary despite the Federated Farmers Bees Industry Group’s (BIG) efforts in setting up a voluntary levy of $1 per hive to fund research projects vital for New Zealand’s bee-keeping and honey industry. Other industry participants have been encouraged to do the same and the Honey Packers Association also agreed to a voluntary donation of $20 per tonne of product handled. Following this resolution, the Bee Products Standards Council (BPSC) co-ordinated the funding drive and in July BIG and BPSC jointly wrote to all honey-related Risk Management Programme holders seeking a contribution.

BPSC chairman Jim Edwards says of the $102,762 already received, funding has supported the researches into Pyrrolizidine Alkaloides (PA’s) found in Vipers Bugloss honey and C4 sugars. Also, $2683 was being transferred to the Trees for Bees project. Unfortunately, to date not enough had been received to begin the development of honey standards. BIG chairman John Hartnell said the response had been pleasing but there was still a section of the beekeeping industry being disproportionally burdened. ‘‘Some bee-keepers have been incredibly generous, but it continues to be the same names contributing while, disappointingly, many very

successful businesses take the free ride option,’’ Hartnell says. ‘‘It just highlights the need for a compulsory commodity levy in the industry. Without it, it will always be a struggle to raise the funding needed for crucial research and market access work.’’ Hartnell said an approach had been made to primary industry funding body, the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust, for funding to employ a consultant to investigate the best overall structure for the honey industry. Part of that would be to look at how a commodity levy could be implemented and administered. ■ To contribute to the BPSC fund, contact Federated Farmers on 0800 327 646.

December 2012 National Farming Review

INDUSTRY GROUPS

Second year of graduates The Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) is celebrating a second successful year with 14 graduates from its 2012 Escalator agricultural leadership programme. The 10-month programme aims to create prospective future leaders with the skills and capability to govern and lead agricultural organisations and communities. Federated Farmers Ruapehu provincial president and 2012 Escalator graduate Lyn Neeson said it gave her more awareness of what she can accomplish for agriculture. ‘‘Federated Farmers opened a lot of doors for me, but Escalator has shown me how to work more effectively and get better outcomes from those opportunities.’’ Topics include leadership, governance, strategy, finance,

LYN NEESON

communication, critical thinking and human resources. ‘‘Escalator picks up these women who are doing a lot in their own areas and makes them realise their skills can translate into the national agricultural arena,’’ Neeson says.

ADVERTORIAL

A real Kiwi success story Technology for farm security It all started in the 1950s when Kiwi Bert Hansen was building a house and couldn’t find a reliable toilet valve. Being an engineer, he invented one and from there it all started. He saw an opportunity to manufacture fitting solutions to suit New Zealand conditions. Bert, described as a string and wire man, was incredible at finding simple but effective solutions to problems. He created all sorts of ‘things’ in the early days but early wins came from highperformance water valves. This technology is still used in valves sold by hundreds of company’s worldwide. Next, he decided to develop a range of polyethylene (alkathene) easy to use ‘Cold Fit Pipe Fittings’. This completely changed the way Kiwi farmers joined poly pipe. His main focus was to keep it simple and make it last! Thirty five years later and with more than 100 million fittings in the ground, Bert’s pipe fittings are simple to use, time tested and most importantly trusted by farmers.

With an emphasis on quality and reliability, Hansen’s has build a reputation for providing high performance, easy to use, innovative and simple products that provide their customers with Best Installed Value. Hansen’s has an extensive range of

trough valves, tank valves, level indicators, polythene pipe fittings, threaded pipe fittings, foot valves, ball valves, check valves, unions, couplings and tank fittings. ■ Hansen Products are sold at all good supply stores. www.hansenproducts.co.nz.

Criminals see farms as attractive targets because of their isolation, openness and a general shortage of security measures. Securing the great outdoors at a reasonable cost is challenging but there are reliable solutions that can give an excellent measure of pre-emptive protection relatively inexpensively, compared with the cost of putting things right after an event. Since 2003, New Zealand company Paratronics Developments Ltd has been developing and marketing a range of wireless outdoor security solutions where an invisible beam provides an instant alert to a remote receiver whenever persons, or vehicles, cross key entry points and other areas of interest on a property. A magnetic vehicle sensing system is a new addition to the range — initially developed for Australian farmers wanting

something that ignores kangaroos but detects vehicles. Sensors may be installed several kilometres from the ‘base receiver’ if needed, with the use of antennas, or a repeater if the site is extremely challenging. There is also the option of a unit that sends texts to a mobile phone. The system is waterproof, insect proof and built from UV stable materials. Onboard diagnostics and twoway connectivity also help ensure its overall robustness. Early next year, Paratronics will be offering a portable camera solution that sends images on the Vodafone network to a central server. The images may be ‘pushed’ to a smartphone, or viewed at any time by logging into your account. ■ For further information, freephone Mike Vincent on 0508 727 223.

Robotic milking popular in Scandinavia ‘‘Robotic milking is becoming increasingly popular in Scandinavia. This is understandable and convenient, given that most stock are in barns due to the harsh winters the region experiences, ’’ said Ross Macmillan, managing director of Canterbury-based, Farm To Farm Tours. Macmillan recently toured Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland with a group of New Zealand and Australian farmers. ‘‘Although we enjoyed long, warm, summery days while on tour, we realised housing dairy stock was essential in this environment, especially given winter temperatures can fall to -40C, often accompanied by a metre or two of snow.

‘‘Not only are the cows well fed and sheltered but it is also much better for the farm staff. Of the seven dairy farms we visited on this three-week tour, six had robotic systems — split about 50:50 between the Lely and the Astronaut systems. ‘‘One Danish dairy farmer milked about 300 Danish Reds with five robots. The cows visited the robot on average 3.5 times a day and produced about 10,000 litres of milk per lactation, which seemed pretty typical production for this part of the world. ‘‘The diet was mainly maize silage, pasture silage, wheat, barley and faba beans.’’ said Macmillan. ‘‘The robots seemed to be doing the

job well, so most of the work centered on feeding stock, rather than milking. The farmers did stress it was important to have a good relationship with the company servicing the robots, otherwise if there was a breakdown you do not want to wake up to 30 cows standing inline waiting to be milked, or see milk flowing down a drain. ‘‘The other advantage seemed to be the containment of effluent until it was spread on the crop and pasture land in the spring. Strict EU rules apply to effluent management in Scandinavia and Europe, obviously as wary of ground pollution and waterway protection as we are increasingly becoming in New

Zealand. ‘‘The housing systems make it easier to manage and provides the opportunity to capture energy from the methane resulting from manure storage. ‘‘Although robotic milking is more difficult to apply in our pastoral situation, it was interesting to see how popular it was and to see the pros and cons of such systems in this environment. Farm to Farm Tours is operating another general farming tour to Scandinavia in July, with an extension to St Petersburg,’’ said Macmillan. ■ More information at www.farmtofarm.co.nz or phone 0800 383 8747.

National Farming Review, Monday December 3, 2012

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SOUTH ISLAND RURAL GUIDE 139 Brookside Irwell Road, Leeston

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Every once in a while, a property comes to the market that quite simply takes your breath away, and this is most definitely one of them! Newly completed, yet on an existing, established site, this magnificent home boasts uninterrupted views across farmland to themountains,creatingamagicalsetting.Thevendors’exceptional style & attention to detail has been well rewarded with a finish that is outstanding. The Southland Beech floors promise lasting beauty & are complemented by the use of Rimu throughout the home. The colonial feel of the home’s exterior, kitchen, laundry & family bathroom, blends perfectly with ‘up to the minute’ fixtures & fittings in other areas of the home. Offering extensive accommodation in two wings (perfect for extended family or visitors), a fabulous, sheltered courtyard for outdoor entertaining and 2.4 acres of gardens, this is country living at its very best. We could go on and on singing this home’s merits, but instead invite you to come along and see for yourself what a special place it is. Auction – On Site, 8th December 2012 at 1pm

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December 2012 National Farming Review

INSIDER

Parliament

Cattle drove photo wins award

Farmergeddon

Bills in the House

As at November 9 several Bills relevant to farming were before Parliament, at various stages: ■ Local Government Act Amendment Bill — awaiting Second Reading ■ Building Amendment Bill No 4 — awaiting Second Reading ■ Food Bill — awaiting Second Reading ■ Lobbying Disclosure Bill — at Government Administration Select Committee ■ Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — at Local Government and Environment Select Committee ■ Game Animal Council Bill — at Local Government and Environment Select Committee ■ Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Bill — at Local Government and Environment Select Committee ■ Resource Management (Restricted Duration of Certain Discharge and Coastal Permits) — at Local Government and Environment Select Committee ■ Land Transport Management Act Amendment Bill — at Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee ■ Minimum Wage (Starting-out Wage) Amendment Bill — at Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee ■ Regulatory Standards Bill — at Commerce Select Committee ■ Local Electoral Amendment Bill No 2 — at Justice and Electoral Select Committee ■ Taxation (Livestock Valuation, Assets Expenditure, and Remedial Matters Bill) Bill — awaiting First Reading ■ Public Finance (Fiscal Responsibility) Amendment Bill — awaiting First Reading.

Other reviews consultations

and

Workplaces, Independent ■ Safer Taskforce on Workplace Health and Safety ■ Vehicle Licensing Reform, Ministry of Transport ■ Agricultural Vehicle Omnibus Rule, NZ Transport Agency ■ NZ Post Deed of Understanding, NZ Post ■ Improving the Regulatory Standards Bill, The Treasury ■ ACC Levies for 2013/14, ACC ■ Local Government Regulatory Performance, New Zealand Productivity Commission ■ Organophosphate and Carbamate Review, Environmental Protection Authority ■ Road User Charges for light diesel vehicles, Ministry of Transport ■ Review of Government Investment in

THE OFFAL PIT

A MOMENT IN TIME: Taranaki Daily News photographer Jonathan Cameron won Federated Farmers Rural Photography Award with his shot of 13-year-old Jeana Howells leading more than 200 cattle on a three-day drove. This photo illustrated the story of sheep and beef farmer, Jack Rawlinson, droving cattle from a farm at Matau, 54km east of Stratford, to a farm in Stratford. As Cameron said, ‘‘after lining it up I couldn’t believe my luck. She came into the centre of the road, having the kiwi sign and steaming cattle. In other countries it may be a Marlboro man, not a 13-year-old. It is very much a New Zealand picture.’’

Industry Training, Ministry of Education ■ Review of Fire Policy, Department of Internal Affairs.

Craig Hickson gets his award After missing Federated Farmers’ 2012 awards ceremony in June, Progressive Meats managing director Craig Hickson received his 2012 Allflex/ Federated Farmers Agribusiness Person of the Year Award in October. Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills made the presentation at the Hawke’s Bay ‘Grasshoppers’, where 50 of Mr Hickson’s peers gave him a standing ovation.

Feds people

Pam Boland is excited about her new role as Federated Farmers field officer for North Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, Golden Bay and the West Coast. ‘‘I have been lucky to have worked and

lived rurally most of my life and wouldn’t have it any other way,’’ Pam says. Having grown up and worked with racehorses, had seven seasons in dairying and worked in the poultry industry, Pam appreciates the challenges of farming. She is amazed by the amount of change happening in farming. ‘‘Most disconcerting to me is the amount of overbearing legislation rolling into motion making how we make our living by farming the land harder with each day. This is where Federated Farmers makes such a difference.’’ Federated Farmers’ new Southland field officer Colin Murphy has about 25 years experience in the rural sector, mainly in the animal health field. He was raised on a south Otago sheep and beef farm and has a lot of contacts in the Southland area. Colin understands seasonal trends and climatic conditions that can affect Southland farmers’ operations, whether they are sheep and beef or dairy farms. Colin is looking forward to meeting and working with farmers to ensure they get what they need from the Federation.

Back in April, you may recall an Aussie businessman had a brain explosion on Facebook calling Kiwis ‘‘retarded’’. This and his other unbelievable comments that women had ‘‘no place in business or politics’’ and describing his Prime Minister as a peasant, were widely reported and condemned as ignorant and insensitive. You can guess what happened to him. So how come celebrity economist Gareth Morgan got away with describing the Federation as ‘‘retards’’ over and over in an online rant? At least The Hound at Rural News and even new Truth editor, Cameron Slater, called him up on it. But they are the exceptions. Despite the storm when similar words were used over the Tasman, the silence from the Kiwi media pack is deafening. Morgan let rip because Federated Farmers appealed the Environment Court’s One Plan decision. According to Morgan, farmers should kneel and genuflect before the council’s plan. Of course, the column was written before a Landcare Research report revealed the plan’s costings were so off the mark Apple Maps could have thrown them together. According to the council, farm profitability would only have suffered financial impacts of between about five per cent to just under 17 per cent. However, when the Government asked Landcare to run its ruler over the One Plan, they came up with impacts of between 22 per cent and 43 per cent. No wonder the Federation has called this ‘Farmergeddon’. Morgan is meant to be an intelligent economist, but how does destroying farms help economic progress, or the environment for that matter? Maybe George Orwell was right, ‘‘there are some ideas so wrong, that only a very intelligent person could believe in them’’. Let us hope the New Year brings better news. Farm safe this Christmas. ■ The Offal Pit is an opinion editorial not necessarily reflecting the views or policies of Federated Farmers.

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Getting more from collaboration Federated Farmers is working hard to help ‘‘leading farmers’’ become ‘‘farming leaders’’ and is developing a new leadership course programme to further advance farmers’ capability to work in a collaborative advocacy environment, writes Jeremy Blandford. Federated Farmers’ is expanding its highly successful Leadership Development Programme for members and others in primary industries. Many agricultural sector leaders have been through the Federation’s stage one and two Leadership Courses. These give individuals vital skills to work in teams and understand the technical, emotive, cultural and political aspects of issues. The level one Getting Your Feet Wet and level two Shining Under the Spotlight courses give participants the techniques and methods to analyse and bring together a compelling case to present their desired outcomes. Generally, participants are more at

home working with animals and machinery, but the courses give them the confidence to speak publicly and represent themselves and their industries effectively at the highest levels of governance. Many participants may initially think, ‘‘Oh crap, I have to stand up in front of all these people and present a clear, concise case’’, but that makes it more rewarding to see them grow in confidence. Federated Farmers, with the help of Dairy NZ, the Agricultural and Marketing Research and Development Trust (AGMARDT) and Beef + Lamb NZ, is designing an additional leadership pro-

gramme to develop the Federation’s capability to positively advocate for workable and sustainable outcomes for the farming sector. The initial target audience is Federated Farmers’ provincial presidents and executives who are engaged with the many territorial local government decision making processes. The course aims to increase their effectiveness in the collaborative decision-making processes — particularly on the Resource Management Act, Emissions Trading Scheme and the Land and Water Forum. This programme focuses on Build-

ing Collaborative Advocacy Skills, specifically; ■ Negotiating agreement and managing conflict ■ Integrating technical and scientific information ■ Communicating effectively ■ Applying analytic skills and strategic thinking. All courses are tailored to target the specific development needs of farming leaders. They recognise the predominantly pragmatic culture, the volunteer nature of the roles, tensions on time and energy faced and the passion and emotional commitment these issues raise for farmers as decisions can have a significant impact.

Lambs healthier, bigger with Pyrimide® Third generation Maniototo sheep farmer Craig Paterson can’t fault the three-way combination anthelmintic drench Pyrimide for each season’s lambs.

whereas many just get two doses, and that’s them done for life,” says Craig.

Craig Paterson describes the 2,000 hectares of Redcourt Farm in the Gimmerburn district west of Ranfurly as“good, sweet country. If you talk to any truck drivers, the old fellas, they’ll tell you it’s the best area for stock health.”

I choose Pyrimide because it’s a combination drench; we don’t seem to have any drench resistance issues and it’s pretty economical too.

Redcourt Farm runs 5,500 ewes and 1,700 replacement hoggets, with about half being Merino and the balance half-bred Merino over blackface terminal sires to deliver income from both fine wool and meat.

“One of the key things is that I find it easier to use than the low dose drenches. It stays well-mixed in its formulation and with the low dose options, I find because you’re only giving them 4-5 ml, if they spit some out, then they’ve lost half their dose anyway.”

Last year’s lambs resulted in just over 3,000 black-face lambs, 1,000 half-bred wether hoggets and 550 Merino wether hoggets going to the works at different times. Around 1,700 Merino and half-bred ewe lambs were kept as replacements. Craig prefers to use a proven combination drench like Pyrimide, and he believes the added selenium in the three-way combination anthelmintic assists lamb growth rates. “We dose all the lambs with Pyrimide at weaning in January, then again in March before they go onto winter feed like turnips; and for the replacement ewes and Merino wether hoggets, they get another dose at shearing in August or September. So at the most, they get three doses of Pyrimide

“Other than that, the ewes get a capsule in August and that’s them done for the year.

summer makes up the other 10%. Craig utilises lucerne, nui ryegrass, chicory, clover and cocksfoot. “The lucerne is the only thing that grows in the dry and when it goes dormant in winter, the other species kick in.” Craig says he keeps up with new worming technology and other new products on the market through his local PGG Wrightson team in Ranfurly, Sharon Mason (Store Manager) and John Kreft (Technical Field Representative), and notes:“We’ll try new options from time to time, but Pyrimide is an established product; it does what I want and I’m happy with it.”

For the full interview visit www.pggwrightson.co.nz/ruraldiarytv

Craig says the average slaughter weight on the half-bred wether lambs that went away in March was 24.5 kg.“Plus we had a fleece of wool off them. Other than that we average about 21.5 kg for all our blackfaces. They’re all gone by March and the Merino which went in October averaged 19-19.5 kg. “I find Pyrimide is doing a pretty good job for us. Our lambs are pretty clean, we had a real good growth season last year and they were generally clean all the way through and grow out to heavier weights quicker because they’re a lot healthier.” Around 90% of Redcourt Farm is flat to rolling country, and a hill block where the ewes go for the

www.pggwrightson.co.nz | Freephone 0800 10 22 76

Pyrimide® Stable suspension technology for a consistent dose every time. Don’t take the risk – use Pyrimide as your standard lamb drench.

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