Ashburton guardian farming tuesday, october 6, 2015 by Ashburton Guardian

Farming GUARDIAN

OCTOBER, 2015

RED mo

p l ay e r o r aj

r e

h C s ine e o s

e a n fo m y

MEAT INDUSTRY

C ARI NG FOR CALVES

Farming

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INDEX

COMMENT FROM EDITOR

THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY – WHAT CHINESE MONEY MEANS FOR THE BIG PLAYERS: ALLIANCE 3 SILVER FERN FARMS

ANZCO 12 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

AROUND THE TRAPS

A&P SHOW FEATURE

BRASS AND FEATHERS

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While politics, governance and cashflow have hogged the red meat spectrum for the past 18 months, emerging markets, particularly in Asia have become increasingly important. Whether Silver Fern Farms is solvent or not, it must be able to meet the future consumer in an efficient, profitable way. Shanghai Maling’s financial contribution, should it be accepted, creates breathing space, but not for long. All meat companies are grappling with how to value add and how to meet the growing Asian market. That market is more about lower value cuts such as flaps at the moment. But should protocols be amended that could see chilled exports into China, that will all change. The growing affluence of a certain portion of Asian society and the heavy demand for protein means the future could be incredibly bright for a sheep industry in decline here at home. Should the Silver Fern Farms deal be realised there could be blood on the processing floor, or lack of it, if the fears of a procurement war rears its head. During the course of this edition all commentators have spoken of the need to work together and the need to have plants full.

Nadine Porter

RURAL EDITOR

Tweet us @farmjourno

So surely if we can accept Chinese hand-holding to get us in the Asian door, we can also accept domestic hand-holding to help the entire industry receive better returns. Whatever the outcome, the next 18 months looks to be an exciting time to be a player in the industry. But at the end of the day what it comes down to is simple – Farmers want sustainable returns, preferably higher, but not at the cost of competition. And they want their livestock to be recognised for what it is – a superior product on the market. The irony is that it takes a market like China to get us all thinking about high end products and away from commodity trading. And that’s where prosperity lies, not in killing other players that might help you up.

CONTACTS We appreciate your feedback. Editor Email your comments to

nadine.p@theguardian.co.nz or phone 03 307 7957.

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

Alliance going strong Alliance, the only 100 per cent farmer-owned co-operative in the industry, continues to be strong. Chairman Murray Taggart talks to Nadine Porter about the future and why it’s looking bright for Alliance suppliers.

The plight of Silver Fern Farms and its suppliers continues to overshadow the continued and quiet progress of Alliance. continued over page

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY From P3 Alliance is set to announce significant plans to increase profits to farmers at its roadshow. The co-operative already works with Green Farm Group - the largest sheep meat player in China in a partnership Mr Taggart describes as a “very close relationship”. It understands the emerging market in Asia and the propensity for high value cuts in the future. But at the moment, the inability to send chilled meat means those cuts are concentrated in Europe and North America – an area of the world Alliance has made good inroads on. Their Ashley brand continues to be successfully sold into the METRO chain – one of the largest global food service organisations, with a turnover larger than all of New Zealand, and has led to various approaches from the food conglomerate to buy the brand. “The fact they want to buy it shows that they get genuine brand pull through with their consumers and

their customers are mainly restaurants.” However, no one brand fits all with the United Kingdom a supermarket house brand market, he said. “It doesn’t matter how flash your own brand is…even Anchor doesn’t get on to the shelf at Marks and Spencer. You are doing business to business branding rather than business to consumer.” It’s vastly different to the continent where consumers distrust supermarkets and prefer to buy branded products only, particularly in Switzerland, Germany and the Benelux, he said. Partnering with Silver Fern Farms in North America under the NZ Lamb Company and joint branding with Green Farms in China proves just how flexible sheep marketers have to be. “There is no one size fits all with branding across markets.” But for all of Alliance’s partnering, the chairman says he hasn’t been comfortable with progress, to date, on adding value. “We think there is a huge

potential for us to lift our game further - both onshore in our business and certainly offshore.” The co-operative has done much work in the past 12 months to identify accurately the size of the opportunity and how they go about harnessing it. “It goes right back to having industry best practices to earn your way. We’ve done a heap of work and we are confident that we are going to be in a very good space going forward.” A large part of improving farmer returns lies in continually pushing for efficiencies in processing plants. To that end Alliance has invested $15 million on robotics at Smithfield and Pukeuri with other plans under way across all plants. A developing project creating excitement within the co-op is research development, undertaken to increase the shelf life of their meat products. Success in this area could generate high returns. “A lot of capturing those high-end customers offshore starts off with

high product quality and a really good shelf life. Every extra week of shelf life improves the profit for the supermarket and back here as well. Sometimes you can only get a week to 10 days’ shelf life when meat arrives.” continued next page

Alliance chairman Murray Taggart.

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY From P4 “If we can come up with technology that gives them another week, it means it won’t be thrown out or frozen – effectively devaluing the product. It removes the risk and it means we have a lot more meat falling into that really high value category.” The co-op is poised and ready, he said, although it’s not going to be ‘obvious’ to farmers for another year. “Some of it will come through this year but it’s next year and beyond that the real gains will become evident.” Mr Taggart was encouraged by the fact that none of the gains were dependent on achieving extra scale via a merger with Silver Fern Farms. “In other words our existing scale is sufficient to go out and capture the gains we see as being able to be captured.”

Silver Fern Farms and Chinese money – why it strengthens Alliance There will be some farmers

pulled across from Alliance to Silver Fern Farms by the lure of money but equally others will be attracted by supplying the only 100 per cent farmer co-operative in the market. “There are a group of farmers who want a company like Alliance because we are the only100 per cent farmer owned business left in the game. But putting all that to one side it doesn’t matter if we are co-op or privately owned company, we still have to have industry best practice in our performance because if we don’t people won’t supply us.” However, talk of incredible returns from the injection of cash from Shanghai Maling to SFF suppliers were nonsense, Mr Taggart said. “How do foreign investors behave when they come into this country? It doesn’t matter if it’s dairy, sheep or beef. The simple fact is that they act sensibly, commercially and logically. They’re there to make a dollar – not because they want to be kind to everyone. They can’t afford to be ridiculous about what they pay.” Whereas every cent made by

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Alliance was either invested or paid to farmers, in other companies profit goes to the investor – such as the Chinese. The “reasonable lump of capital” only gets SFF to stage one of getting banks off their backs, he said. “But stage two – the rationalisation issue – still hasn’t gone away. It’s all very well saying you don’t want to rationalise plants but at the end of the day when you’ve got 19 to 20 sites and a lot of them are not running full than I guess they are going to have to come up with a solution.” Mr Taggart was ‘very comfortable’ with their own plant rationalisations and through-put versus capacity. “We’ve actually lifted our through-put this year. Part of that is because other players made a decision not to kill at certain parts of the year because of the difficulties particularly in sheep meat. We took the view that we are a coop and farmers expect us to be able to kill when they’ve got stock to kill.” He would argue that the cooperative was the benchmark that kept everyone honest. continued over page

Farming

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY From P5 “It’s not only co-ops that get the benefit. At the end of the day if we move our price everyone tends to follow us, which indicates we are leading.”

Left – Alliance Group Pukeuri freezing works.

It will focus on producing premium lamb products from the entire carcass that are lower in saturated fat, higher in polyunsaturated fat and packed with healthy omega-3 oils. The seven-year programme has the potential to deliver an additional $400 million to the primary sector over 25 years. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy said it will build on our reputation as a producer of premium, healthy and innovative food, and will deliver benefits to all parts of the value chain. The project was initially approved in January this year and a total investment of up to $25 million has been secured for Targeting New Wealth with High Health, with MPI contributing around half over the programme’s life.

Why Alliance didn’t merge with SFF At the end of the day Alliance couldn’t afford a merger, according to the chairman. “We didn’t have a big enough balance sheet.” However, not having a large amount of capital was not a negative, Mr Taggart said. “We think it’s a plus because you look at companies that can get ready access to big licks of capital – nine times out of 10 they stuff it up and go off their core business. With a coop you have to really treasure your capital. It makes you a lot more focused on spending on core business that actually delivers a result.” Mr Taggart believes though that if an opportunity came along that stacked up, farmers would ‘front’ and enable them to invest.

Alliance granted Primary Growth Partnership from Government The collaboration between

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

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Silver Fern Farms chairman Rob Hewett is excited about the prospect of a Chinese PHOTO OTAGO DAILY TIMES deal.

For Silver Fern Farms it’s about adding value by

Nadine Porter

Shanghai Maling’s money will potentially allow Silver Fern Farms to do better at adding value than it has in the past and help them to migrate as much product as possible from frozen to chilled and then chilled to branded. And while chairman Rob Hewett is at pains to scotch procurement war rumours, he does say that if demand is such that SFF has to go out and source stock by paying farmers more for it, it would be a fantastic opportunity for farmers. “Our Premier Selection reserve NZ Beef is a good example of where we are already paying farmers more today than normal beef because we can get value out of the market where we sell the product too.” He admits there may be farmers who will jump from other meat processors. “We want the right livestock and if we can add value to it, we will pay farmers better for it. But a procurement war is when you go out just to attract volume and then say ‘what the hell do we do with it’? We don’t want to be in that space.” Shanghai Maling not only offer cash, they also unlock a massive distribution chain throughout China. The largest mainstream processor of pork also have control of a fully-integrated chain of 900 supermarkets and butchery shops. Coupled with the 8000 stores Bright

Silver Fern Farms’ message is simple – they want quality livestock that they can add value to and they’re prepared to pay for it, according to chairman Rob Hewett. He talks down procurement wars to Nadine Porter while talking up what having the handbrake taken off could mean for SFF suppliers. Group (a subsidiary of Shanghai Maling) own and a further 60,000 stores that group supplies too, SFF will potentially have access to 70,000 stores in total. It’s mind-boggling, as is the protein demand for sheep meat and beef in China at present. Total consumption is growing at 7 per cent per year, according to Mr Hewett, while pork has slowed to just 1 per cent. “So as the middle class grows they are looking for alternative protein sources and looking for high-quality protein imported from places where they have a high degree of reassurance around food safety.” continued over page

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY From P7 New Zealand occupies a “very special place” in China, being the first OECD country to sign a free-trade agreement and we have punched above our weight, he says. “They love the clean, green image and love the idea that their food is safe. In terms of protein hierarchy, New Zealand protein occupies a very special place – much like champagne.” But amid the clutter of retail channels companies need to have clear brand strategies to stand out. “And that’s the difference with our brand strategy at Silver Fern Farms. There isn’t one that comes close to it.” But building into that market has been a “long burn” for all involved. “A processor that says they have a China strategy is deluded. It’s about having a marketing strategy. There’s well over 100 towns in China that have a population of millions.” New Zealand can’t enter into the entire market and shouldn’t have aspirations to, he says.

Better profits lie in SFF’ Rob Hewett.

“A lot of low-value cuts are sold through distributors and that’s going to continue, but what we want to do is continue to drive our value creation strategy and that requires very clear brand strategies around the market and doing that well. Having the right partner also helps.” That partner and SFF itself are not looking to change anything in day-to-day business here in New Zealand, should the Chinese offer be accepted, he said. “But ultimately we regularly

review where our livestock flows are coming from and what the long-term future is and we will make decisions accordingly. And if that means building new plant, reconfiguring or closing plants we will make those decisions.” In reality though, the Chinese investment would help SFF add more value to products and that was nothing short of positive, he said. Over the years SFF has been criticised for having older processing plants and wasted

capacity – something Mr Hewett disputes. “The reality is that between our depreciation budget and research and marketing spend we are spending $50 million a year on our plants. To say they are old plants is not true. The building outside might be old but the kit inside is not. It’s a red herring.” But there had undoubtedly been capital budget restraints meaning some projects that SFF wanted to do couldn’t be done. “Now we’ve got equity

behind us we can take the handbrake off.” However, Mr Hewett was confident that their beef processing had the best yields in New Zealand and “probably” Australasia, although they had some ways to go with sheep meat. He and the board were aware that they must not overspend and must be disciplined going into the future. “I don’t want to be in the situation we are today in 10 years’ time because we have squandered this opportunity.”

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

THE OLD FOES

s strong branding, according to

Shareholders should not be afraid of foreign investment, he says, citing the 70 per cent of vineyards in Marlborough who operate on foreign money. “You can have principles but as a shareholder you also have a responsibility to make sure your company is capitalised. This deal is a really good fit. The brand strategy will be unleashed, we will have the alignments with China and ultimately it will be good for the entire industry.” continued on P10

Keith Cooper

Owen Poole

While former Silver Fern Farms CEO Keith Cooper was touting Shanghai Maling’s deal as being the catalyst to meat industry reform, his old foe declined to comment to Guardian Farming. Former Alliance CEO Owen Poole who was often credited for the co-operative’s strong balance sheet performance said he didn’t participate in industry discussions. Mr Cooper, however, told the NZ Farmer’s Weekly said he believed a “bow wave” of new suppliers would flock to SFF causing other meat companies to either fold in to SFF or be bought.

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY From P9 The biggest challenge for all the industry going forward remains in capturing added value and getting out of the commodity space, he believes. “I would be delighted if my competitors had a credible brand that could be put in front of consumers because it’s good for the entire industry.” He welcomed opportunities to collaborate with competitors but said SFF had been vocal on working together for “quite some time” but hadn’t had much uptake.

Market access a priority The Ministry of Primary Industries is working intensively right now with China on a protocol that will provide the mechanism for access for New Zealand chilled meat into China. Trade minister Tim Groser told Guardian Farming all tariffs will be removed from New Zealand chilled meat into China from January next year, but there was still an export protocol to negotiate. “A free-trade agreement does not, in itself, guarantee market access for the goods it covers. “To secure full access we require the appropriate export protocol. This is not technically part of the FTA, since such protocols are required for many agricultural products in order to address food security and biosecurity risk surrounding their trade.” Mr Groser said efforts were also under way to secure improved market access for NZ chilled meat to a wide range of export markets, including the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the India Free Trade Agreement and the Trans Pacific

Trade minister Tim Groser.

Partnership (TPP). Improved market access for red meat has been a priority for New Zealand negotiators under

the TPP, he said. “And, if concluded, is expected to create significant new opportunities for New Zealand chilled meat exporters to five new FTA markets – Japan, the US, Canada, Mexico and Peru. TPP is also intended to result in a simplification of the rules associated with trade between the parties to it, including a business-friendly approach to customs procedures and product certification. “These outcomes will benefit all New Zealand exports, including chilled meat.” Mr Groser said the Government recognised the increasing interest on the part of New Zealand meat processors and exporters in expanding exports of chilled meat. “Chilled meat exports represent a shift in focus from product for further processing to product for direct sale to restaurants and consumers. “As such the expansion of chilled meat exports represents the type of value added activity which the Government is encouraging in order to achieve its Business Growth Agenda goal of raising the proportion of exports to GDP from 30 to 40 per cent.”

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

Exciting potential for industry – Guy While historical markets are still important, the two billion potential ASEAN consumers on our doorstep could be hugely exciting for the red meat sector if we add value, according to the Minister of Primary Industries. Nathan Guy said there was an important emerging meat market with a colossal 128 per cent projected increase in Asian protein by 2050. China alone was worth $11 billion in exports, $20 billion in two-way trade with a target set of $30 billion by 2020. Globally in 2010, 64 kilograms of meat was consumed per person. By 2030 that is forecast to rise to 84 kilograms, he said. Building relationships with China has taken time – due to cultural differences – causing the Government to invest more money to help build that connection. He cited ServeCo as an example of that investment – a Primary Collaboration New

“Giving us a premium and enabling a greater reach.” SFF had applied the handbrake to their Pasture to Plate initiative, but the deal, if accepted, would enable them to turbo-charge their value-add strategy, he said.

What is ServeCo and why is it important? The potential for the red meat industry from South East Asia consumers is huge, according to Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and the National Government.

Zealand Limited initiative to establish a China services company in Shanghai to provide in market services. “This is really the start of change in the future where our industries are going to share their resources, contacts and relationships they’ve built to strengthen the reach they’ve got in the markets. That’s the first positive sign that we’ve seen of industry collaboration.” Mr Guy believed farmers

were becoming more attuned to foreign investment and export markets and said the Zespri success story was a good example, showing better understanding of what consumers wanted. “The dairy and red meat industry has a wee way to go.” Strategic foreign investment, such as the Silver Fern Farms and Shanghai Maling deal, enabled New Zealand product to be placed higher in the supermarket shelves.

Six New Zealand primary industry companies have formed a new collaboration to ease entry into the Chinese market. Primary Collaboration New Zealand Limited has established a China services company (ServeCo) as a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) in Shanghai to provide “in-market” services. The collaboration stems from the inaugural New Zealand Primary Sector Bootcamp held by industry CEOs and government agency leaders at Stanford University in 2012. The collaboration will

initially involve Sealord, Silver Fern Farms, Synlait Milk, Villa Maria Estate, Kono and Pacific Pace (a collaboration between Hawke’s Bay horticulture businesses Mr Apple, CrasbornGroup and J M Bostock Group). New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) supported the venture by providing resources and co-investment. CEO Peter Chrisp said: “China is a complex market and NZTE looks for opportunities to build coalitions of companies to go-to-market together. In a small country like New Zealand it makes sense to ‘collaborate to compete’. “There is considerable value in sharing knowledge and resources and working together to create scale and share risk – both from New Zealand businesses combining and through strong partnerships with well-chosen Chinese entities.”

Farming

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

Anzco calls for major processors to Excess capacity remains the biggest challenge facing the red meat industry and one that frustrates Anzco boss Mark Clarkson. “I believe you could take a third of sheep meat and 20 per cent of beef processing capacity out and still handle all farmers’ livestock even in drought years.” The excess leads to behaviours from companies that are not always in the best interests of the industry in terms of growth and development, he says. “We could do a whole lot more if we had a differently behaving industry. The industry we have is more in tune with transactional relationships between the processor and the producer so the discussion is always about price on the day rather than how we grow value. The excess behaviour drives those behaviours because it’s about survival because you’ve

Anzco managing director Mark Clarkson wants all the major processors to work together for the greater good. Guardian Farming editor Nadine Porter finds out why.

got fixed overheads to recover.” Processors need to work as partners and change their thinking and conversation as to

how they grow value. Jointly owned by Itoham Foods, Nippon Suisan Kaisha and the directors

and management of Anzco, Mr Clarkson said foreign investment can bring investment that enables the

industry to move forward. While the Silver Fern Farms and Shanghai Maling deal would be an unknown quantity,

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THE RED MEAT INDUSTRY

work together Left – Imagery used to market Longdown lambs – an Anzco added value brand.

ANZCO AT A GLANCE

Right – Anzco managing director Mark Clarkson wants meat industry processors to work together.

his company had shown that if investors were willing to take a long term view it could be financially successful.

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“Itoham has taken very modest dividends and we’ve been able to grow because our shareholders haven’t been

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greedy.” In 1991 Anzco’s turnover was just over $300 million but that had lifted to $1.45 billion this year. Beginning in Japan in 1984, Anzco had a natural understanding of Asian markets, he said. “Culturally long-term relationships are very important in Asia. One hundred years is a heartbeat.” There was a growing middle class in Asia as well as sophisticated markets in Europe and North America with people asking more questions about our products and recognising

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their value. “But when it comes to operating our industry effectively we still treat our livestock as a commodity at the farm gate.” Already working in that value add market, Anzco has promoted beef and lamb according to regions and grass and grain fed systems – a strategy that has been very successful for them. But value adding can only be achieved by market access – the second major challenge facing the red meat industry, Mr Clarkson said. “Free trade agreements are

very good for New Zealand but they need protocols to be completed. It’s just not going to deliver everything. Right now we can’t get chilled beef and lamb into China. While we’ve got very good access opportunities for commodity frozen beef and lamb, we haven’t got access into value add areas.” However, Mr Clarkson is confident chilled market access will come sooner rather than later.“It’s taken 50 years to build up relationships in Europe and North America where we are trusted. We’ve had to do a lot of audits and relationship building. It’s been first class.” But the industry hadn’t put investment into Asia early enough. “What we’ve got is a world where we’ve got a speed and scale of change we’ve never seen before, so emerging nations are trying to grapple with this.”

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Conditions prompt efficient water use By Donna Field, chair of the Ashburton Zone Committee Canterbury Water Management Strategy

Wasn’t it great to hear the rain last week – just enough, just in time – and you can almost see the grass growing. But last week’s rain is no reason to be complacent. NIWA is predicting another dry summer with strong El Niño conditions developing. Soil moisture and rivers are likely to be below the normal range (check out niwa.co.nz for the latest information). Last summer’s dry conditions taught us a valuable lesson – our water resources have a limit. There is a point where our use of water affects others. There is also a point where we cannot get enough and only the rain gods can magic up more. This is not just a problem for agriculture but is also a problem for domestic and town users.

Improving water efficiency use is a focus for the Ashburton Zone Committee.

That said, agriculture has by far the greatest potential to determine how a dry summer

will affect us all. Agriculture counts for over 85 per cent of water used in Canterbury.

Fortunately there is a lot that we can do and a lot that is already being done in the

agriculture sector to use water more efficiently. There are weather forecasts, soil moisture probes and variable rate irrigators that help maximise plant growth by providing just enough water at just the right time. There are piping and storage options and there are opportunities to club together with neighbours into water users groups to share and use water more efficiently across the group. None of this is rocket science and none of this is new. We have landowners in our district already practising SMART irrigation techniques. Irrigation companies and IrrigationNZ are happy to provide advice. Check out their websites for the latest information and workshops http://irrigationnz.co.nz/ about-us/ . Now is the time to plan for the worst but hope for the best and don’t get caught out this summer.

Understanding what matters to farmers By David Ashby, Environment Canterbury Senior Land Manager Advisor

Spring is finally upon us with growth rates on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm increasing from 39 to 70 kg DM/ha in the last week despite the recent cold snap. With the rugby world cup in full swing, ITM Cup and the Hammers in the Heartland champs looking for a threepeat ,everything is sweet and the Fonterra dairy payout has also increased by 75c to $4.60 to lessen the pain for dairy farmers. For the past week I have been running a training course for Environment Canterbury staff. The course is focused on dairy farming and is designed to help staff build a better relationship with farmers. During the course we spent half a day on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm doing the farm walk and understanding the importance that pasture, and in particular good pasture management, plays in modern dairy farming in Canterbury. This will be particularly important in a low payout year. We also looked at the dairy shed and effluent system. The balance of the time was spent in the classroom with a focus on feeding and pasture management to give staff better knowledge of why farmers do what they do. As part of the course, outside

Farm field days – such as this one at Melrose Dairy near Ealing – are a great way for farmers to find out the latest techniques as well as for council staff and others to build understanding of what matters to farmers.

speakers were also utilised including ex Beef and Lamb extension manager (now farm consultant) Gary Walton, Professor Keith Cameron to update on nitrate leaching research and mitigation options, Julie Bradshaw (a small scale dairy farmer) and Caleb Ford (a large scale variable order sharemilker from Mayfield). The input from these farmers was important as it helped to show the differences between small and large scale dairy farms. Caleb explained how technology can be used to better manage a dairy business. The course also gave

staff an insight into the pressures faced by farmers by going through the dairy calendar of operations. These staff will also experience the reality of spending a day working on a dairy farm including the early morning start and milking.

Farm environment planning progressing

On the environmental front things are progressing with the irrigation companies completing farm environment plans and the first workshops for farm environment plan audits being carried out in the area over the next two months. A focus over the coming

three to six months will be for farmers in a nutrient orange zone (water quality at risk) to complete their farm environment plans. We are also encouraging farmers to contact their fertiliser company or consultant to arrange a nutrient budget. The Irrigation NZ courses are a good option along with getting your system serviced. Remember a poor irrigation system or bad practices will hurt your pocket as well causing leaching. An active soil moisture budget will be the ultimate solution – using soil moisture meters and probes – this approach is also rewarded

under OVERSEER®. While nitrogen is still the cheapest form of supplementary feed – particularly in a low payout year – it needs to be used responsibly with small amounts often rather than one large amount. Make sure spreaders are calibrated and use GPS or a trace map. It is a waste of money to double up. Despite the lift in the dairy payout things are still tough out there – so look out for each other and your neighbours. Remember the Rural Support Trust have trained professionals ready to help and are only a phone call away.

2 16

Farming

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AROUND THE WORLD UK: LOW WHEAT PRICES POSSIBLE

UK: ONE-OFF PAYMENT

The latest harvest figures from ADM Germany suggest that more than 15.2 million tonnes of wheat may be produced by British arable farmers this year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; only slightly less than the 16 million tonnes harvested last year. While it is estimated that the UK will also see a record barley harvest this summer. These high production figures, along with record wheat production in France and the rest of Europe, could mean that grain prices may fall significantly over the next six to eight weeks as the market is flooded by a bumper harvest.

Struggling UK dairy farmers will receive a one-off support payment to help with their cash-flow problems stemming because of current low prices for milk and other produce. In England, dairy farmers will share $37.1 million in recognition of the prolonged period of low prices. In England this will be a payment based on milk production, meaning that each farmer will receive on average $4312.

US: MACHINERY FIRMS SCALING BACK

US: WORST ANIMAL DISEASE OUTBREAK

Poor global demand for new farm machinery is forcing manufacturers to scale back production and cut costs. Comparing first-half 2015 results with the same period in 2013, when figures hit a recent peak, net sales are down more than 30 per cent at Agco, more than 33 per cent at Deere and more than 44 per cent at CNH Industrial (CHNi), the maker of Case IH and New Holland equipment. In response, Agco has continued to drive down production levels at its factories worldwide, easing off in the second half of this year.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak of winter and spring 2015 was the worst animal disease outbreak in US history, affecting more than 48.8 million turkeys and chickens in 21 states, and causing economy-wide losses of an estimated $5.2 billion. Since the last detected case occurred on June 17, the US Department of Agricultureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has prepared for the disease to return this fall as wild birds begin to migrate south for the winter.

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USA: BEEF NUMBERS TO RISE STEEPLY

AUST: CHINESE BUYING SPREE

Beef cattle numbers in the US are expected to grow by over 3 million in the next three to five years, and will populate in unprecedented areas of the US in the next four to six years, according to a recent Rabobank report. Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research (FAR) and Advisory group reports that the unexpected geography of the US cowherd will include areas of the Southwest, High Plains, and into the Corn Belt. “The initial growth phase will be relatively quick, and will flatten out,” says Close.

Chinese investors have spent a quick-fire $132 million in the past two months buying rural properties across Australia with more than $1.1 billion worth of deals in play. After a disappointing foray into Australia’s resources sector Chinese investors have taken a far more cautious approach to agriculture but are now finally starting to act, buying a $44 million farm every fortnight for the past two months. Chinese groups were identified as far back as 2012 as the next major group of foreign investors for rural Australia.

CHN: DAIRY HERDS ON THE INCREASE

AUST: EXPORTERS TAKE ACTION

The number of dairy herds in China with over 100 cows has increased to 45 per cent with ‘“elite” cows being imported from abroad, according to a leading dairy professor in the country. An extra three million tonnes of milk were produced in China last year. Since 2008 the number of herds of over 100 cows have increased from 19.5 per cent to 45 per cent of all dairy herds last year. Professor Li Shengli, the chief dairy professor with China Agriculture University in Beijingm siad: “It is very important for milk to be affordable in China.”

Australian livestock exporters have taken action after Australian sheep were identified in several local markets in Oman in the lead-up to Eid al Adha. Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO Alison Penfold said exporter representatives are engaging the Omani traders and the public to bring as many sheep back into approved supply chains as they can. Under the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) requirements, Australian livestock must not be sold outside of approved supply chains.

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Farming

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NZ NEWS BRIEFS DAIRY FARMERS UPSET OVER FONTERRA AND PKE

LATEST RABOBANK AGRICULTURAL SURVEY RESULTS

Fonterra advice regarding Palm Kernel Extract (PKE) use has caused a stir amongst farmers throughout the country. Federated Farmers dairy section president Andrew Hoggard was at the World Dairy Summit in Lithuania when the issue surfaced and said despite being half a world away he understood Fonterra’s guidance went down like a lead balloon. “Once again Fonterra’s communications have let them down, the initial media release was lacking in detail, before the story predictably began to change. Initially the talk was about customer perception, but then we start hearing about composition issues.”

The latest economic survey shows New Zealand farmers had a small upswing in confidence – but sentiment continues to hover around decade lows. Negative sentiment in the dairy industry continues to weigh on confidence across the agriculture sector and wider economy while expectations for business performance improve among beef and sheep farmers on the back of buoyant beef prices The survey showed 71 per cent of dairy farmers were looking to reduce stock numbers and/or feed inputs to help counter lower farm-gate milk prices.

Hoggard said the message was confused between customer perception and manufacturing suitability. “In my view either of these issues are justifiable reasons for Fonterra to come back to farmers and inform us there is an issue to address. But they need to be upfront as to what the actual situation is.”

INDONESIA OPENS ITS DOORS TO NZ BEEF The Indonesian Trade Ministry has issued permits for the State Logistics Agency to import as much as 10,000 tonnes of beef from New Zealand. The ministry said it wanted to stabilise meat prices in the country, and New Zealand was chosen because the price of beef from here was lower than the cost of Australian meat. Beef exports to Indonesia have see-

sawed in recent years. They reached a high in 2010 when Indonesia was New Zealand’s second-largest beef market, then worth $185 million. But exports had dropped to a trickle in recent years, and both New Zealand and the United States were challenging Indonesia’s import restrictions through complaints to the World Trade Organisation.

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FILIPINO WORKER INVESTIGATION

A Filipino diplomat has confirmed to Radio New Zealand that immigration officials in this country are heading an investigation into what is going on, although the department has refused to confirm this. They are looking into claims some of the men paid as much as $15,000 to a recruiter

FEDERATED FARMERS MARKS TEN YEARS OF RATES CLUB

who falsified work experience and qualifications in a bid to get them a better job. The investigation began after workers raised questions about the documents they were given to reapply for work visas. Earl Magtibay from the Filipino Dairy Workers Association here said the government was particularly interested in one recruiter who had brought in 150 workers to the South Island alone. “Most have false documents, like their training experience is less than what they have accounted for,” he said. “There were these seven people who came in December, who were given false contracts and false employers.” Mr Magtibay said he has been told the recruiter was responsible for 80 percent of the cases being investigated.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the formation of Federated Farmers $10k Rates Club – an informal grouping of members who share the unwelcome bond of payment more than $10,000 a year in general rates. “The club has been a way for us to capture stories, gauge the trends in general rates and add another string to our lobbying bow,” says Senior Policy Advisor Nigel Billings, who helped found the club back in 2005. The club remains strong but times have changed – and, as Nigel admits, it might be time for a rebrand. “Unfortunately, $10,000 rates notices are not as rare as they used to be for those in our rural communities.

We’re thinking we might need to change the name to the $15k Rates Club. It may even need to be $20k.”

News media in the US and Canada are reporting signs of a deal coming together on access for dairy products into North America as trade ministers gather in Atlanta, Georgia, for the latest round of talks attempting to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade and investment pact. The Atlanta talks are being billed as potentially the final round of talks,

although New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser has yet to commit to attend them, despite being in the US this week for climate change talks in New York. He recently said there was still no adequate offer from the key TPP dairy-producing countries - the US, Canada and Japan. Market access for dairy products and automobiles,

and patent extensions for new generation bio-logic pharmaceuticals, are reportedly the only remaining sticking points of substance between the 12 countries negotiating the new Pacific Rim agreement, which US president Barack Obama is committed to concluding as part of a strategy to assert US geopolitical interests in Asia and counter the rise of China.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Laminitic ponies streak ahead! Jenny Paterson

BSC ZOOLOGY AND BIOLOGY

Spring is here and, predictably, laminitis is rampant amongst our equine friends, especially small ponies. The following examples illustrate that whilst it is important to be mindful of the carbohydrate/sugar content of diet, it is equally necessary to address mineral imbalances in order to achieve true soundness subsequent to a laminitic episode. Jenny Heperi runs a wonderful “rescue centre” for small ponies in Canterbury. “Calm Healthy Horses” has donated product to help out. Here are just some of the remarkable laminitic turnarounds! As soon as these ponies are sound and comfortable they are exercised around the “track” twice daily. The sounder they get the faster they go!

From right to left: Georgia, Tonto and Milo Man.

Georgia winning by a length! Truly amazing when you consider how long she suffered chronic laminitis. Back in autumn when nothing seemed to be working (despite the fact she had been off grass and on a very low GI diet for months) and heart-breaking decisions were being discussed because she was perpetually sore, we trialled our new SOS product on her. Half a scoop was syringed in four times a day. By the third day she was walking of her own accord so syringing was discontinued just adding it twice daily in her feed. After a week she would

happily trot, by the third week she was cantering and now look at her galloping full noise! Tonto had been living on lush, rich, green grass with pigs for company. Of course he scoffed their pellets too and, not surprisingly, developed serious laminitis. He was taken off grass once he came to the Rescue Haven and fed a plain diet of hay and oaten chaff with SOS, GrazeEzy and salt mixed in. Now look at him galloping with the rest of the herd. Milo Man came to the Haven for respite care as he could hardly walk, he also had very raspy breathing and a hard thick neck. He went straight onto a large grass-free area and was fed hay and oaten chaff with SOS, GrazeEzy and salt. Here he is joining in the fun. No laminitis and no breathing problems. He had previously been living on “Diary grass” pasture – needless to say - a big no no! Princess rescue mini. She had been turned out for three

years and came to the Haven with full blown laminitis and the raspy breathing problem as well. After three days on plain grass hay and chaff with SOS, GrazeEzy and salt she improved remarkably and she can now can gallop with the rest of the herd with no breathing issues. Honour she always had a weight problem including a very thick neck. Honour came off the grass at same time as Princess. Now she has a soft jelly neck and I have no doubt that if these lifestyle changes hadn’t been made she would have developed laminitis. Jim Jim came here on respite care and was so sore he could hardly walk the day he arrived. Within a few days off grass, with a simple diet of hay and chaff with SOS, GrazeEzy and salt mixed in, he started to improve, not as quickly as the others, however we are now five weeks on and he too is keen to gallop. So while some take longer than others to come right we have had wonderful results

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From right to left: Princess, Honour and Jim Jim.

with all our cases! Jenny Heperi Mini HaHa Rescue Haven, North Canterbury. NB This information and these recommendations are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice as it is not necessarily complete and cannot possibly address every variable that may influence the outcome for other horses/ponies. Laminitis is a serious and painful disease requiring immediate veterinary attention. Suggestions outlined here are those found to be most helpful in our experience and were implemented after veterinary assessment".

Farming

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Wagyu beef offers finishing option The unique eating qualities of Firstlight Wagyu mean beef farmers finishing Wagyudairy cross animals are enjoying returns above already strong beef prices. Firstlight Wagyu supply chain manager Peter Keeling said the company’s efforts to build stock numbers to meet growing market demand is being achieved with more dairy farmers taking the opportunity to mate Friesian and crossbred dairy cows with Wagyu genetics. This is in addition to strong demand for matings over Angus cows and heifers, and has proven highly successful over the past two seasons. “Dairy farmers have appreciated our contract offer for next season of up to $150 for four day old Wagyu-cross bred heifer and bull calves. This mating season we have experienced record demand for both Wagyu semen, and bulls.” Results from Wagyudairy cross animals being processed this spring are also encouraging. The marbling effect that gives Wagyu

beef its unique look, taste and eating qualities occurs strongly in the Wagyu-dairy cross cattle, recording high marbling scores of 6 or higher. “These top end performing cattle are gaining additional premiums, ending up on plates in fine dining restaurants and high quality steak houses around the world,” says Peter Keeling. He says the boost in

numbers from dairy farmers mating some of their herd to Wagyu genetics has created some exciting opportunities for dry stock farmers wishing to be part of the Firstlight Wagyu success story. Weaned Wagyu cross dairy calves will be available to purchase this season at 95kg. “We have just had a line of 22 month steers processed at 304kgCW, and heifers at 260kgCW. Over the last

couple of years the average growth rates have gone up, and animal age at processing has come down.” Hawke’s Bay farmer James Greer says his experience with Wagyu dairy-cross animals has proved any myth of them being slow finishers as wrong. “Since we purchased our Wagyu x Dairy weaner calves we have shown you can get them up to the same weights as Friesian bulls but they are considerably easier to manage.” This year James aims to have 75 per cent of the Wagyu dairy-cross animals processed by Christmas time as 2 year olds. Manawatu farmer Scott Linklater puts Wagyu genetics across his Angus and Angus-Jersey cross herd, and also buys in Wagyu dairycross weaner calves to finish. With better feeding and higher quality young stock, Scott has cut 12 months off his finishing programme from what he achieved 3 years ago. He now processes animals at 18-22 months, with excellent

premium marbling levels. His stock averaged just below marble score 6.0 this year and achieved a $6.50/kg return this August. Like James, he looks forward to an additional pool payment at season’s end of about 70c/kg. Firstlight director Gerard Hickey says supplier optimism is supported by the positive feedback Firstlight Wagyu is getting from overseas markets. These include eight new retail store outlets in California, and high end marbled steaks now sold in Dubai and cities in China. Fresh and frozen Wagyu burgers launched in the United Kingdom and USA have also proven highly successful. “The typical Firstlight Wagyu consumer is one who wants the best beef in the world, grown by the best NZ farmers and culminating in a dining experience that delivers something unique that is tender and tasty every time.” To learn more about Firstlight Wagyu and the 90kg Wagyu cross dairy calf opportunities call: 0800 – 4 WAGYU (0800 492 498)

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Just rambling ... Chris Murdoch remembers the high interest days well.

Chris Murdoch

PROPERTY BROKERS

It never ceases to amaze me who reads this rambling piece of writing. All comments are good but some are better than others. Someone told me I sounded like a negative old man sitting in a rocking chair on a porch smoking a pipe and, having thought about this for a while, I guess some of it is so true. Only lately did I realise how much your past experiences mould how you think today – having, as so many of you have, gone through or been brought up in the years where everything was truly golden. Most 200-hectare farms throughout Mid Canterbury had the farmer’s family, a married man and a single person on board. Looking back I do wonder

what everyone did. Then from that we went straight into the ‘80s and everything turned to $#@$.

SMPs came off, interest rates went up to mid-20 per cent and we had the worst droughts ever seen. Many

good farmers were pushed off their farms, but many held on and survived and have become very good farmers since,

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having learned that these hard times do make us more efficient farmers. I only hope the present tough times will have the same effect. The reason I bring this up is because having had discussions with some younger bankers and advisers who never went through, and in fact weren’t even born when the ‘80s happened, their attitude in the earlier part of this downturn was very positive about how long it would last and believed we would soon recover and are now realising it may take a little longer than they first thought. In conclusion I guess being older has its advantages, eg more knowledge, but you do tend to be conservative. It’s how to get the right mix of she’ll be right, let’s get into it and hang on a minute let’s just think about this. All in all those that get through this tight spot, in time, I believe, will be a lot better and wiser having had the experience. Although that doesn’t help getting through today.

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Farming

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FARM BUILDINGS

How to get a building consent for farm How soon can I get my building consent? Council will process your building consent as quickly as possible. The processing time will depend on the number of applications we have at the time and the complexity of your project. We always look to ensure all applications are processed within the required 20 working days so this should be the longest you need to wait. Making sure you provide all required information when you apply for building consent helps us process your application quickly. If we require you to provide additional information to process your application, the processing time is suspended until the information is received. How long is a building consent valid for? Once consent has been issued, work must begin within 12 months and adhere to the approved building plans You should plan to complete your project within 2 years. If the project has been delayed, it may be possible to apply for an

extension to this time. How do I apply? You can apply online or in person. Learn more about the Building Consent application process. How much does it cost? The fees you have to pay for your building consent will depend on the type of application, value of work involved and the level of detail provided. . Fixed fees are available for the following consent applications: • Demolition (residential) • Marquees (maximum of 3 marquees per application) • Heating appliances • Solar hot water heater (stand-alone) Fees are invoiced when you apply for a building consent. A cancellation fee may apply if you withdraw your application. Can I make changes to my consent? The Building Act 2004 requires that the building work being undertaken must comply with the issued building consent. This means that any significant changes from the approved building consent

must be officially recorded. Code Compliance Certificate Inspections are required throughout the construction process in order to secure a final Code Compliance Certificate. You should apply for a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) inspection once the work has been completed. The Code of Compliance Certificate is evidence the work has been carried out in accordance with the approved plans and meets the requirements of the Building Code 2004. Compliance schedule A compliance schedule is required if you are constructing a commercial building with specified systems and a Building Warrant of Fitness. It lists the inspection, maintenance and reporting procedures for systems within a building such as lifts, automatic sprinklers, automatic doors, air conditioning and fire alarms. Restricted building work Restricted building work is design or construction work that is critical to the integrity of a building. Only

licensed building practitioners are allowed to carry out or supervise restricted building work. Restricted building work includes the design and construction of – or alteration(s) to a house or small to medium sized apartment building. • Primary structure (e.g. foundations and framing) – to make sure the building can withstand vertical and horizontal loads • External envelope (e.g. roofing and cladding) to make sure the building can withstand vertical and horizontal loads • Fire-Safety systems (e.g. sprinklers and fire alarms) to make sure people are adequately protected from the dangers of smoke and fire If your building consent involves restricted building work, the building owner needs to advise the Council of the name(s) and number(s) of the Licensed Building Practitioner(s) prior to them carrying out or supervising that work.

Consents for restricted building work If your building consent involves restricted building work, the building owner needs to advise the Council of the name(s) and numbers(s) of the Licensed Building Practitioner(s) prior to them carrying out of supervising that work. Owner-builder exemption for restricted building work Owner-builders can carry out restricted building work on their own home. Learn more at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Website. Certificate of Public Use A Certificate of Public Use allows premises affected by building work to be used by the public. Certificate of Acceptance A Certificate of Acceptance provides limited assurance in certain situations that Council has inspected unconsented building work, and is satisfied the work complies with the Building Code. A Certificate of Acceptance may not be the solution you are looking for when work has been done

MANUFACTURERS OF TIMBER BOXES & PALLETS So for all your pallet or box requirements, no matter how big or small, give Wayne a call today at Adams Sawmilling Also Manufacturers/Suppliers of FARM IMPLEMENT SHEDS IRRIGATION PUMP SHEDS

Adams Sawmilling Co Ltd ISPM 15 accredited for Export Pallets

Malcolm McDowell Drive, Ashburton Ph (03) 308 3595 Fax (03) 308 5649

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FARM BUILDINGS

m buildings without a building consent, as it is not a Code Compliance Certificate. When do I apply for a Certificate of Acceptance? • Building work has been done without first getting a building consent when it was required • A building consent authority is unable, or refuses to issue a code compliance certificate where a private building consent authority or certifier could not issue a Code Compliance Certificate. A Certificate of Acceptance must be applied for when work has been done urgently under section 42 of the Building Act 2004. A Certificate of Acceptance cannot be issued: • for work carried out before 1 July 1992 • when a building consent has already been given to carry out the work – except when a certifier of private building consent authority is unable to or refuses to issue a Code Compliance Certificate Issuing a Certificate of Acceptance Council will not issue a Certificate of Acceptance unless it is able to either inspect or assess the building work or methods of construction, and is satisfied that the work complies with the Building Code. The applicant is responsible for demonstrating that the work

It’s all covered

complies with the Building Code. To do this, you may need to provide evidence (usually from a professional). This is particularly important for those parts of the building work that the Council cannot inspect, such as foundations. If the information provided with your Certificate of Acceptance application is insufficient or does not demonstrate compliance with the Building Code, the Council will refuse to issue a certificate. A result of a Certificate of Acceptance application may be that building work that does not comply with the Building Code must be removed. You may also be required to get a building consent to carry out further work to ensure that the building complies with the Building Code. A Certificate of Acceptance can be limited by the Council to certain parts of the work identified in the application. The Certificate of Acceptance will list the building work the Council has inspected or not inspected. Any building work that cannot be verified as complying with the Building Code will be listed on the certificate as exclusions. Our advice is to always check whether you require a building consent and if so to always get a building consent before work begins.

WE’LL SEE YOU RIGHT

Alpine Buildings have helped farmers and contractors throughout NZ protect their gear from the harsh elements for many years. Alpine’s birdproof steel rafter sheds use a unique Zero-BirdPerchTM box section system, leaving nowhere for birds to perch in the roof cavity. All of Alpine’s ‘pre-finished’ sheds are designed for your site-specific wind speed and snow loadings, giving you total peace of mind. The real beauty of Alpine Buildings is that any of their ‘standard’ sheds can be tailored to suit your needs. Custom options include roller doors, clearlight, internal walls, building paper, and much more. The most common sizes - from 9m to 15m wide clearspan - are kept in

stock, with other sizes up to 30m wide clearspan also having very fast leadtimes. Every detail is covered when an Alpine shed is supplied, and complete service is given including lodging the building consent for clients. A farmer who recently bought his 12th Alpine kitset shed summarised Alpine perfectly when saying “We love putting up Alpine sheds. They are tidy, very well-organised, on time, well-priced, no problem sheds. They’re great sheds and good people to deal with too.” Alpine: The hard work’s already done! For more information, phone 0800 428 453 now or visit www.alpinebuildings.co.nz.

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Farming

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PREPARE FOR HARVEST

Fodder beet with cross slot What is best practice? Simply put, it is what has worked best in the past for the majority. For most farmers the thought of straying from the industry recommended best practice is perceived as a risk. Fortunately there are those in the industry that are prepared to challenge themselves and the industry code of practice to find easier or more cost effective outcomes. Without this type of attitude farming would still be where it was generations ago. Industry advisors have always encouraged farmers to sow their fodder beet with precision into a fine cultivated seed bed. This is what has worked well in the past … Now is the time to question if this is still the case for many of the crops grown in the district given our wind risk and dry seasons. Over the past years we have found more customers have been prepared to risk going against the trend and sow beet with Cross Slot technology. There have been some good, some average and some poor

results. Through this process we have learnt what works and what doesn’t. From this learning we are confident to promote the successful sowing of fodder beet by no-till for grazing.

The benefits are clear to those who lost tonnes of top soil and, or their crops last season through wind erosion. What we have observed from last year’s growing season is traditional seeded

Successful Seeding

crops cost $2200/ha to establish vs $1480/ha with Cross Slot and the yields were the same. Same seed, fertiliser, spray, and final dry matter. That’s 33 per cent less cost.

That could cover the cost of establishing the following grass crop. Getting similar results with the benefit of saving $720 /ha may well become the new best practice.

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A&P SHOW

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Make memories at the A&P Show Strong entries across the board for this year’s Ashburton A&P Show demonstrate the event’s continuing relevance in the community. Entries closed on Wednesday last week, leaving show secretary Lucille Brown and her team the massive task of compiling the catalogue. “A lot of the entries come in online, but we still get a lot of the home industries entrants and children arriving at the showgrounds to deliver their entries,” Mrs Brown said. Equestrian entries looked to be up on last year, with many competitors prepared to travel in order to eye up the rivals before the Canterbury A&P Show taking place the following week. In a year where many businesses are feeling the pinch of the dairy downturn, show president Lynette Lovett said it was important for people to get out and have a “chinwag”. “The show offers a chance for people to get off the farm and catch up with friends and neighbours,” she said.

The show also offers an opportunity to see that latest in agricultural technology in the ever-expanding trades section. “We thought we may have lost some exhibitors this year,

but we are full again – all the sites have been taken,” Mrs Lovett said. The district’s top livestock will also be on show, with old rivals competing for converted trophies.

Organisers have made some changes to the layout this year, pushing the trades sites west and opening up the grounds, which Mrs Lovett said will enable better pedestrian flow. Fairground rides and

entertainment will also be moved closer to the home industries shed. The changed layout will also create more room for equestrians at the eastern end of the main ring.

Visit our site at the

Ashburton A&P show

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Farming

A&P SHOW

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New blood needed for many show job Volunteers are needed to ensure the future of the Ashburton A&P Show. Show president Lynette

Lovett will step down this year at the end of her two-year stint in the job. Many of the current batch of

volunteers have donated time to the show for many years and new blood was needed, Mrs Lovett said.

“Whether that’s on the committee or volunteering to help out with setting up and dismantling the show.

“We need the younger generation to come and give us a hand – to start to take ownership of the show so

A&P SHOW

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bs it will be there for future generations,” Mrs Lovett said. The effort involved in planning the two-day event is

gargantuan. Show jumps need to be hauled out for course builders to work their magic, the dog

trial area set up, trade sites marked out – the list goes on. With multiple events taking place at the same time a small

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army of marshals is also required. But Mrs Lovett said it’s not all hard work and no play.

“We actually have a lot of fun – there is a social element to being involved with the show,” she said.

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A&P SHOW

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Fun, festivities for everyone An A&P show has something for everyone. For the very young it’s all about face painting, balloons, junk food and carnival rides, for the more sedentary it’s a chance to reminisce about days gone by. Most rural people have memories of their local A&P show spanning decades, and while there have been many changes, the ambience remains the same. The skirl of bagpipes still signals the start of the grand parade, the president’s speech, the children with their ponies and assorted pets, will be as much part of this year’s Ashburton A&P Show as they were at its inception. Over the years classes have been added and withdrawn. Once deemed rare and exotic creatures, alpacas now demand a fair slice of the penning space, and are always crowd pleasers. This year’s theme is Working the Land with Machinery and People, with an emphasis on health and safety, Mrs Lovett said. A feature marquee will contain displays and

information from a range of relevant community groups, businesses and organisations. The Newcomers Network, Safer Ashburton, and Ashburton police complete with a paddy wagon will be stationed in the marquee. Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) staff will be on hand to discuss farm

“

times throughout the show. Creativity will be on display again when this year’s entrants in the wearable waste competition strut their stuff. Clint Hawkins will be back with his face paints and balloon animals, and the ever popular baby show will draw in the district’s cutest kids. Mrs Lovett was in the

This year’s theme is Working the Land with Machinery and People, with an emphasis on health and safety

environment plans, and the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust will provide information about the support it can offer farmers. Radio Hokonui DJ Hoops will once again compere the entertainment, with a stellar line up of performers set to take the stage. The Ladybank Learning students, local school students and the Tiare Maori Cook Islands cultural group will entertain at various

process of finalising the major entertainment act last week. Vintage enthusiasts can get their fill of the machinery of yesteryear during the grand parade, and petrol heads will get their fix when car club members get a burnout opportunity in the main oval after the parade. This year’s Ashburton A&P Show will deliver all this and much more. Mark the date on your calendar – October 30-31.

A&P SHOW

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Cutting edge innovation Kelly Engineering takes great pride in offering remarkable products to its customers in Australia, around the world and now New Zealand. We are able to do this by adopting a relentless approach towards innovation and developing new disc and other chain varieties to cope with varying tillage challenges our customers face on a day-to-day basis. The latest product release stemming from this innovation cycle is the second generation of our cast link disc technology. Technically known as the CL2 (Cast Link Version 2), the product opens up a wider array of tillage applications for our machines, especially for heavier crop residue conditions. In addition, with herbicide resistance becoming a bigger and bigger problem every year, these discs are really effective at mechanical weed control thereby reducing the level of spraying required and saving our customers thousands of dollars in the process. Finally, in harder, dryer soil conditions these are far more effective at getting through the top layer

than the earlier CL1 discs It is exciting to know that we have a tool that not only provides a superior seedbed for planting, but can save the farmer thousands in reduced

herbicide use and reduced maintance and overall field cultivation activity. As a result of the demand created during the testing phase, we are delighted to be

offering a limited release of the CL2 disc option this coming season. Come and see us at the Kelly stand at the Ashburton show book a demo and or a contracting service that can be

offered this summer / autumn. For more information, please contact your New Zealand representatives on Dave 022 086 9887, Slim 027 298 3352.

RIDE & DRIVE DAY Your opportunity to test run the great range from Kubota

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Cut and pull weeds effectively with the new CL2 discs on the Kelly Diamond Harrow. This clever tool cuts and splits residue, mixing it with enough soil to hold it in place, providing a protective surface cover. With excellent disc wear rates and tremendous versatility this machine reduces the field work required to produce the perfect seedbed.

For more information contact Dave Mitchell 0220869887 Aarron Jamison 0272983352

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Farming

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A&P SHOW

Yields and the Manage water, importance of pH boost nutrients Smart Ag Solutions was founded by four Canterbury cropping farmers who saw soil variability within their paddocks on a daily basis. Knowing that accurate soil data is vital to crop yields they decided to do something about it. They discovered the Veris MSP3 in the United States and brought one into the country. They now have the ability to offer precision soil mapping and testing at a level never before seen in New Zealand. 20-25 soil pH samples are taken every hectare, giving you detailed GPS cross referenced maps of your soils true pH levels, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;highlighting areas that are already high in pH, saving on lime and saving you moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; says Smart Ag Solutions Seaun Lovell. All data from the Veris soil mapper

is verified against physical soil samples taken from the paddock and sent to a New Zealand lab for testing. This ensures only accurate and quality data is ever recorded. Along with EC (electrical conductivity) maps, which give you soil textures down to 1m, and Organic Matter percentage maps, growers, consultants, and suppliers are using Smart Ag Solutions soil maps to devise management zones, set sampling locations, vary seed rates, nitrogen, lime and irrigation applications just to name a few uses of precision technology maps. For more information on precision farming and soil mapping for variable rate applications, call Seaun on 027 762 7824, or visit www.smartagsolutions.co.nz

Understanding how to manage water to get the best from your nutrients is critical to farming success. If there is not enough water for a plant, the nutrients it needs cannot travel through the plant. If thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much water some nutrients will be wasted to the groundwater. Trying to work out optimum watering amounts and timings throughout the growing season while working around the weather, as well as keeping an eye on seasonal irrigation water allocation, can test management skills. AquaCheck soil moisture probes are helping farmers improve their knowledge about their soils, proving critical in helping maximise irrigation benefits while minimising costs. Over the past irrigation season Agri Optics NZ has been trialling AquaCheck moisture probes on clients farms. Farmers have been using a computer or convenient phone app to check current soil moisture status and infiltration rates, daily water consumption rates and total water used. The probes measure soil moisture and temperature at 10cm increments along their length, the most popular

being the 40cm (4 sensor) and 60cm (6 sensor) probes, with other sizes available. They can also include an optional rain gauge. Providing quick and easy online access, to accurate and timely information about their soils allows the farmer to minimise irrigation costs while increasing pasture production, having a significant effect on farm profitability. Manage water and maximise nutrients with AquaCheck soil moisture probes For more information call Agri Optics NZ Ltd Phone: (03) 302 9227 Email: info@agrioptics.co.nz or visit: www.agrioptics.co.nz

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Plastic recycling: Can we do more? Sheryl Stivens

MASTAGARD ASHBURTON

Plasback, the national farm plastic recycling scheme has announced a 42 per cent increase in the volume of all plastics collected over the past 12 months. ■■ The total volume of plastic collected since the scheme began now stands at 5446 tonnes. ■■ The collection costs of $40 per bag have not changed since the scheme commenced in 2006. ■■ Demand for scrap plastic remains strong and Plasback has no stockpiles of materials. ■■ New purpose-built balers have been installed to cope with increased tonnage. We can do more. Unfortunately farm plastics are still being burnt or buried

This chick died after mistakenly being fed plastic by its parents. PHOTO CHRIS JORDAN

on some farms, creating longterm pollution. Contact Plasback to arrange a collection system for your farm plastics. If you have small amounts of bale wrap, sileage wrap baling twine or feed sacks drop them off for free in the Plasback bins at the Ashburton Resource Recovery Park operated by Envirowaste.

Plastic litter is a huge problem

Living alongside a rural

school, I pick up small pieces of plastic every day when I walk across our paddocks and was saddened to find a bird’s nest full of woven plastic recently. The latest research has revealed that the plastics we throw away have been mistakenly eaten by around 90 per cent of all sea birds alive today - and the rate is expected to grow to 99 per cent by 2050. The figures, revealed in an

international study published recently, are particularly relevant for New Zealand, which is considered the global centre of seabird diversity. The ingested plastics included bags, bottle caps and plastic fibres from synthetic clothes, which had washed out into the ocean from urban rivers, sewers and waste deposits. Birds mistook the brightly coloured items for food, or swallowed them by accident,

which caused gut impaction, weight loss and sometimes death. Researchers from Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and Imperial College London have found that while plastic had been found in the stomachs of less than 5 per cent of sea birds in 1960, this had climbed to a rate of 80 per cent by 2010, and the figure was projected to affect 99 per cent of sea birds within the next 35 years. Plastic is also eaten by our livestock if it’s left in paddocks. Ask to look inside the stomach of any cattle you send to the abattoirs to be culled and you will see the results which are affecting us all. Each of us can do our bit by making sure our recycling and rubbish is secure at home and on our farms pick up any farm plastics and containers as well as being aware of what we buy and how we can responsibly dispose of it. Sheryl Stivens is eco efficiency co-ordinator – Envirowaste Education Services

Working with you for a greener tomorrow Specialists in all types of waste removal Frontload bins for General Waste Gantry Skips for Building sites or a home clean up

Call us today on 0800 240 120 | www.envirowaste.co.nz Email: christchurch@envirowaste.co.nz

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COCHRANES

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1 – A bag limit of two represents total success. 2 – Early-season solitude in the Rangitata surf. 3 – Salmon caught and hell it makes you happy. 4 – Addiction has its rewards – the Rakaia mouth at sunrise. 5 – One man and his waders. PHOTOS SUPPLIED

The addiction and happiness of There are two things that make salmon fishing very dangerous. Addiction and competition. The addiction comes from the challenge, and then conquering that challenge with a magnificent silver slab. The competitiveness is just there amongst fishermen. That is why we like photos of us and our fish. Lots of photos. Lots of fish. Lots of photos of bigger fish. Put the two together and you have a recipe for children

Greg Martin

BRASS AND FEATHERS

with no shoes looking out the window wondering who the strange man is hanging up his rubber trousers in the garage. “Why does he look so happy?

What did he go off to do at 4am? Maybe he doesn’t love mummy anymore?” Chances are mummy may also think on occasion that that’s the case. In the choice of spending time with mummy, and being down at the Rangitata River mouth, mummy will need to understand that, for daddy, it is perfectly possible to love both mummy and salmon fishing. Mummy may not agree. Daddy may have to tell her (usually on a Saturday

afternoon at about 4pm after daddy has just heard that 20 fish were taken in the mouth earlier that morning): “Look, just because I want to go fishing doesn’t mean I don’t love you. It just means I love fishing as well.” Hopefully mummy has enough understanding and generosity to accommodate the “as well” part of the equation. Yes, once the addiction takes hold, there will be three people in marriage: mummy, daddy,

and daddy’s waders waiting for him in the garage. Looked at from one point of view (perhaps the point of view of daddy’s mother-in-law), it’s a bit pathetic, I guess because it seems childish and selfish. And then it gets silly when scores start being kept. “The question is,” I mused a week or two ago with some friends on Facebook, “whether those fish count towards Bryn’s total catch for the 15/16 season?” I was referring to

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silver slabs two salmon that new member to the addiction club, Bryn, had caught off the beach up at Kaikoura at the end of August. “I have it on good authority that those fish were headed to the Hurunui and they were therefore running salmon,” was the reply in support of the idea that the season hadn’t even started yet, but Bryn was already two ahead. And so it was decided by further quiet pondering: Bryn was already two ahead. Mmm. Time to

TIPS

check through the gear in the garage. Time to get the Silvo out and shiny up those zeddies. Selfish, childish and, yes, a bit silly; but, hell it makes you happy ... as long as you are catching or feel that you’re about to catch. If you’re not, it turns into the equivalent of having a game of tennis with Roger Federer. Humiliation and despondency. But still you have to keep going because you know that that happy moment is out there,

waiting, sneaking up the river. You just need to connect with it. More gear. Less time with mummy. Come on, it has to happen! Like all addictions, it moves. After a while, one or two good fish a season doesn’t really hit the mark. You need a few more. You need to be like those few diehards who somehow seem to average a few a week. Yes, very dangerous. Time to look at buying that bach, or a caravan to park down at the

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Rakaia River mouth for the summer. A nudge before work, and a nudge after. Respire only when a fresh turns the river into mud. Final release when one day you’re not there and there is noone to fill the waders any more. I think sometimes that’s the only end to it. But who cares? Hell it makes you happy. Happiness comes to Canterbury mid-November through to end of February. I hope you’re ready.

■■ Try to get an early run fish. They’ll be the biggest of the season. ■■ Watch for a high tide at 6am mid-November. That’s usually the trigger for the first runs. ■■ Throw away cheap bendy hooks and replace good ones. Bendy ones will make you cry. ■■ Watch the web for ‘salmon buzz’. New addicts will love telling you where they’re biting. ■■ Learn to cook salmon in a way that the family absolutely love.

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