MAY 2026
Picture by Sandra Faulkner
Gisborneneedstospeak louderforregionaldeal
SuppliedbyFederatedFarmers
Gisborneisnotfacinglocalgovernmentreform ructionsbutisgoingtohavetospeaklouderto centralGovernmenttogetabetterregionaldeal, CharlieReynoldssays.
“TheGovernment’sfailuretocometothetableon forestryslashmanagementandretiringtheworstofour erosion-pronelandisaglaringexampleofWellington’s ‘outofsight,outofmind’approachtoTairāwhiti,”the FederatedFarmersGisborne-Wairoapresidentsays.
“Justasbadistheir‘patchitupandfingerscrossedit willholdtogether’attitudetoourstatehighways.
“We’regoingtohavetofightharderforourshare ofcentralgovernmentattentionandfundingtohelp secureourfutureprosperity.”
ThecoalitionGovernment’sismovingtoabolishNew Zealand’s11regionalcouncilsfrom2028andispushing forbiggerunitarycouncils–onesthatperformthe functionsofbothregionalandcity/districtcouncils.
Gisborneisalreadyservedbyaunitarycouncil,asis Aucklandandfourotherdistricts.
“Wemayconsiderourselvesimmunefromsomeof theheatedamalgamationdebatesbeinggeneratedin otherpartsofNewZealandbythisseismicjolttolocal government.
“ButtheGovernmentsaysoneofthereasonsit wantsfewer,largercouncilsisthatitmakesiteasierto negotiateregionalandcitydealswhenalargerareais unitedonwhatitneeds,ratherthansquabblingover districtpriorities,”Reynoldssays.
“Gisborne,onitsown,mayfinditevenhardertoget theGovernment’searwhencouncilsinplacessuch asWaikato,Canterbury,NorthlandandSouthland combine.”
Intermsofproximity,Wairoaismorealignedto GisbornethantoHawke’sBay,butitseemsunlikely Wairoaresidentswouldseektothrowintheirlotwith GisborneDistrictCouncil.
“Thatwouldbelikeaprettybrokedistrictwanttobe partofonethatisjustasfinanciallystretched.
“AtleasttheHawke’sBayregionappearsableto deliveronroadingstandards.”
ReynoldssaysonarecenttriptoWanganuihewas struckbytherelativeeconomicbuoyancyofthatdistrict comparedtoGisborne/Tairāwhiti.
“We’rebothdestinationdistricts.Youhavetomake adeliberateturnoffmainroutesoftraveltogettous–moresousthanthem.
“Primaryindustriesunderpinbothourlocal economiesandGisborneevenhasaslightlybigger population.
“ButWanganuihasmoresupermarketsandothercity businesses,andtheirroadingnetworksaresomuch better.”
ReynoldssayshedetouredtolookatMarton,where he’dgonetoprepschoolasalad.
“Igotoffthestatehighwayontocouncil-fundedroads and,mygod,thoseroadsarebetterthanourSH2. They’recountryroadsandthey’vegotpassinglanes.
“EvenonSH3fromWhanganuitoPalmerstonNorth, therewerepassinglaneseveryfivekilometresorso.
“IknowImaynotbecomparingappleswithapples, butitreallydoesfeelliketheGovernmentisforgetting usontheroadingupgradefront.
“Therehasn’tbeenanymovetogetinputfromusas stakeholdersintheWaioekaGorge.
“NZTAhasclearedtheslips,anditseemslikethat’sit. There’snotalkabouthowwemightfuture-proofthat route.”
Reynoldssayshe’sequallystumpedonwhere Gisbornecangoonforestryandlanduseissues.
ForesterscontinuetoclaimGisborneDistrict Council’stougherresourceconsentconditionsonroad engineeringandclear-fellharvestingareregulatoryoverreach.
“Farmerswithforestryblocksaregettingcaughtup inthattoo,anditimpactssuccessionplanningbecause revenuefromtimberhasinthepastbeenanimportant waytofundthatprocessofpassingthelandontothe nextgeneration.
“Butatleastfarmershaveoptionstoplantpoplarsto stabiliseslopes,andwecangrazetheland.”
FederatedFarmersandGisbornecouncilappliedto theGovernmentfor$359milliontohelpwithretirement of100,000haofthemosterosion-pronelandbackinto nativebush.
“Theytolduswewerebeingunrealistic,andnowit’s stalemate.
“Farmersandforestersarewillingtodotheirpart,but theGovernmentalsoneedstofront.
“They’repartofwhatgotushere.Theyandeveryone elsetreatedEastCoastlandasbeingbestforpinesand littleelse,andthendrovethatfurtherwiththeETS.
“It’scleartomethatifTairāwhitiistogetabetterdeal overit’sfuture,we’regoingtohavetostandupand pushharderwithwhoeverisingovernment.”
CharlieReynolds.ImagecourtesyofTheGisborneHerald.
SuppliedbyTairāwhitiGrowersAssociation
Landusechangeisnowobviousonthe TurangaFlats.Hundredsofhectaresof vineyardshavealreadybeenremoved overautumnandcontractorsarefully bookedtocontinueremovingvinesfor therestofwinter.Forgrowers,oncethe decisionhasbeenmadetoremovevinesit isquicklyfollowedbyadiscussionofwhat toreplacethemwith.
Atpresent,thereisnoobviouswinner fromtheselectionofcropoptions.Most highvaluehorticulturalcropsrequire irrigation,aPlantVarietyRight(PVR)andare capitalintensivetodevelop.Thereisalsoa significantdelaybetweenestablishmentand fullproduction.
Withtheclosureofprocessingfacilities bothlocallyandoutsidethedistrict, seasonalcroppershavefeweroptions andtheirtypicallyslimmarginsareunder increasingcostpressure.Significant increasesinthecostoffuelandfertiliser havesomegrowerscontemplatingwhether theywouldbebesttoleavemachinery parkedintheshedratherthanriskgrowing ataloss.
Thisistheboom-and-bustcyclethathas plaguedhorticultureforgenerations.The TairawhitiGrowersAssociation(TGA)is heretosupportgrowersaswebelieveit isthroughinnovation,encouragingyoung growersandworkingtogetherthatwecan overcomethesechallenges.
Itisfantastictohearthatinnovative growersaretriallingnewvarieties,crop types,rootstocksandgrowingmethods toenhancetheirproductionsystems.The regions’growersareinvestinginwater storage,eitherthroughtraditionaldams
LandtransitionontheTurangaFlats
oraquiferrecharge,whichisnewtothe regionbutisusedwidelyaroundtheworld. Thiswillbuildresilienceintotheirown businessandenableexpansionofhighvalue horticulturefornewgrowers.
Tairawhiti’sgrowersweresignificantly overrepresentedinZespri’snewRed80 PVRlicencerelease.Nearlythreetimes Gisbornesmarketsharewaspurchased showingourgrowersappetitefortobeat theleadingedgeofthesenewvarieties.
TheYoungGroweroftheYearevent israpidlyapproachingwiththeevent scheduledtotakeplaceonthe11thofJune, 2026.Thecompetitionisopentoboth commercialfruitandvegetablegrowers fromtheGisborneregion.Contestants willbetestedonarangeoftheoreticaland practicalmodulesdesignedtotesttheir horticulturalskillsandknowledge.These moduleswillbeheldattheEasternInstitute ofTechnology(EIT)StoutStreetcampus andmembersofthepublicarewelcometo attend.Thegaladinnerwillroundoffthe day’sactivitieswithspeechesfromeach contestantandtheannouncementofthe 2026GisborneYoungGroweroftheYear winner.Ticketstothegaladinnersellout everyyearandisagreatopportunityto catchupwiththegrowingcommunity.
TheTairawhitiGrowersAssociationisalso partneringwiththeMinistryforPrimary Industries(MPI)andTrustTairawhititohost agrowerbreakfasteventonthefuture offoodandfibre.MPIsChiefInsights Officer,JarredMair,isgoingtoprovide examplesfromacrosstheworldofhownew technologiesandtechniquesareimproving growingsystemsandhowtheycouldbe appliedlocally.Pleasekeepaneyeouton ourwebsiteforconfirmationoftheevent.
Kiwifruitgrowingonaverticalgrowingsystem.
TheYoungGroweroftheYearentrantsfor2025.
Avineyardpartwaythroughremoval.
Goodprices, goodweather, goodoptions
BySophieRishworth
Farmingisenjoyingagoldenperiodwithrecord-high beefprices,improvingsheeppricesandevenwool slightlyup.
FarmsalesinTairāwhitiandHawke’sBaymorethan doubledin2025,interestratesaremanageableandthe climatehasbeenamazingthisyear.
“Alongwithaveryfavourablegrowingseason,it’s aboutasgoodasitgetsforlivestockfarmingrightnow,” saidSandraFaulkner.
“Therearealwayschallengesbutthegreatthing aboutallthepositivesmeansitgivesfarmingandrural businessesoptions,”shesaid.
SandraandRobFaulknerfarm600-hectares,25 minutessouthofGisborne,onthemainroad.Youdrive throughthemonthewaytoWairoa.
Rob’safourth-generationfarmeronthelandand arecentgrandchildwillbringasixthgenerationinto Tairāwhiti.
Theirsisamulti-enterprisefarmwithbeef,sheep, annualcropping,citrus,forestryandcontracting.
“There’splentygoingon,”saidSandrawhoisalsoon thenationalboardofFederatedFarmersNewZealand.
“Fromaruralbusinesspointofviewthekeyconcerns, broughtonbytheMiddleEastconflict,arefueland fertiliser.We‘reassuredofavailabilitybutthepricecould gooffthecharts.”
Fertiliserpricesspikeduringfuelshocksbecause nitrogenfertiliserismadefromnaturalgas,butalsothe costtoshipitmakesitafuel-intensiveproduct.
“That’stheuncertaintythatalwayssitsinthebackof yourmind.”
TheFaulknerfamilyfarmabout25minutessouthofGisbornehasplentygoingonwithbeef,sheep,annualcropping,citrus, forestryandcontracting.
FrontofmindforSandrahoweveristhatfarmingand ruralbusinessesdohaveoptionsrightnow.
“IfIhadanyadvice;makesureyouaredoingyour budgetingnowfornextseasonandlookatallthe scenariosavailabletoyou.
“Isitsuccessionplanning,croppingchoices,paying downdebt,orcheckingoutthelatesttechnology -there’svirtualfencingavailableforhillcountrynowlookatitall.
“Everyindividualfarmingfamilywillhavetheirown challengesbutasawhole-farminghasoptions.”
Sandrasaidwhilethisgoldenperiodiswithus,“it’s alsoreallyimportanttojustlookupandenjoyyourlife ontheland–youremotionalwell-beingisasimportant aseverythingelse”.
DowntheroadinNūhaka,sheepandbeeffarmer SeftonAlexander,48,runsabreedingandfinishing operationonhis1280-hectareproperty.
Afarmerfor30years,hesaidimprovementsare happeningallthetimeinfarming,butthesecan takeawhiletobeseen-especiallywhenitcomesto stabilisinglandandreducingerosion.
“We’reayoungcountrygeologicallyspeaking,so there’sgoingtobehigherosion,butfarmersaredoing stuffaboutitandhavebeenfor40years.”
EveryyearSeftonplantsaround150willowandpoplar treesaroundhisproperty,subsidisedbyHawke’sBay RegionalCouncilwhichhisfarmsitsunder,tohelpwith erosioncontrol.
TheNūhakaRiverboundaryisonhispropertyand isfullyfencedofffromstock,plusacreekthatruns throughthemiddleofhisfarmhasfencingalmost complete.
Hisbiggestconcernforfarmingnowisroadsand access,particularlythevolumeofproductmoving throughSH2-particularlysouthofNūhakaandthe WaiowekaGorge-andtheunreliabilityofboththese routes.
Yetdespiteglobaluncertaintyandthechallenging terrainlocallyheisenjoyingtherecordhighs.
However,risingcostsacrosstheboard,notjustfuel, meanpotentialrecordprofitscouldbesomewhat eroded,hesaid.
Thehumanside ofanindustry underpressure
BySophieRishworth
GisbornemanHenare‘H’Grantsays feedinghisfamilyistopofmind everymorningwhenhegoesto workasaloaderoperatorforLumberjack Logging.The42yearoldhasworked morethantwodecadesinforestry,where atypicaldaystartsaround2am,followed byanhourlongcommute.
“Youseethesefullasmorethanyour ownfamily.Theybecomeyourfamily.”
Thatcultureoflookingoutforone another,andtakingprideintheirwork, runsdeep.Henareisoneofmorethan 1,580peopleinGisborne,Tairāwhiti,who dependonforestryfortheirlivelihoods.
ErikaandDanHerrieshaveoperated LumberjackLoggingfor13years.They employtwocrews-17localpeople.
Danhasbeeninforestryfor26years, completinghisForestManagement Diplomabeforestartingoutonachainsaw backwhensevenmenwouldbemanually processinglogsoneachsiteandmanual fellingwastheonlywaytocutdownthe trees.Now,machinescutdownaround90 percentofthetreesimprovingbothsafety andefficiency.Theindustryhasevolved significantly,hesaid,drivenbyinnovation, morewomenenteringtheworkforce,and
astrongerfocusonenvironmentalcare.
“Itgivesopportunities,jobsandcareers tohundredsofpeoplewhentheyleave school.There’salotofvisualachievement inforestry,youcanseewhatyou’vedone. It’ssogoodforyoungpeoplewithenergy toburnbecauseitgivesthemthechance toburnitoff.
“Plus,whenforestryandfarming aregoingwell,thewholetowngoes well.Itgetsspreadaroundthewhole community.”
LumberjackLogging’sJarrettGregory, 39,has17years’experienceacrossNew Zealandandloveshisjob.“Theculture, themachines,thework.Youmeetlots ofcool,highlyskilledoperators.They’re unsungheroes.”
ColleagueNorwavenWaru,34,has workedinforestryonandoffsincehewas 16.Oneofhisrolesisasabreakerout,a physicallydemandingrolethatinvolves walkingsteepterraintoattachlargesteel ropestofelledtrees.Eachropeconnects toacarriagewhichthenpullsthetreesup withthepolehauler,atowering70foot machineanchoredbysteelguyropesat thetopofthehill.
InsidethecabofoneofLumberjack’s twopolehaulersisNikitaNoanoa,who
DanandErikaHerrieshaverunLumberjackLogginginGisbornefor13years.Theirharvesting businesscontractstoforestrycompaniesthathavetreestocomedown.Forestryisahigh adrenalinindustry,withbigmachines,thatemploysmorethan1580inourregion(Feb2026 survey).Thecoupleworkhard,andareproudofthejobtheyandtheircrewdoeverydayin thisregion.
operatesthemachinetoliftfelledlogs overthelandandnativecanopy,avoiding thenativeasmuchaspossible.It’soneof manywaysmodernforestryhaschanged tosafeguardtheenvironment.
Eachworksitehasashippingcontainer dedicatedtosafetyandsmoko.Inside areessentials:apersonallocatorbeacon,
flares,coordinatesforrescuehelicopters, andthickfoldersofrulesandconsent conditions.Thecompanypaysforan externalauditoreverymonth,andevery workercarriesanRT.
Erikamanagesthebusinesssidefrom homebutisregularlyonsitedelivering sparepartsorcustardsquares.
“I’m so proud of Dan and our guys for what we do and how we do it Dan quietly goes about his work and shows through his integrity how well he has done the job”
Right now, the biggest challenges aren’t on the skid site It’s getting consent to harvest trees, the global fuel crisis, significantly increased rates (the industry paid $5 million in rates to Gisborne District Council for the 2025/2026 year) and the state of the roads
Hokoroa Road, off Waimata Valley Road, is so badly damaged it’s closed to fully loaded log trucks Deep ruts, blown out culverts and dropouts make it unsafe But with forests actively being harvested off this road, the logs still need to reach Eastland Port, where logs make up 93
percent of all exports
Truck drivers take their empty trucks up Hokoroa Road but, once loaded to around 40 tonnes, crawl their way out the long way through Tauwhareparae Road - a slow, sometimes slippery, trip that adds hours
Compounding the pressure is forestry companies are unable to secure resource consents to harvest pine blocks that urgently need to come down As a result, work is drying up, hundreds of jobs are at risk, and a highly skilled workforce built over decades is at risk of leaving the district
Already, more than 50 forestry contracting businesses in Tairāwhiti have dissolved since 2023
Loader driver Henare, with Dan and Erika, said colleagues are like family and sometimes you see more of them than your own with early starts of 2am.
It can be a physically demanding job. Lumberjack Logging’s Jarrett and Norwaven have decades of experience between them and enjoy working in the outdoors
A fully loaded log truck has to take the long way to Eastland Port via Tauwhareparae Road.
ProvenPerformance: MokairauHerefordBulls
MokairauHerefordsplaceastrong emphasisonbreedingbullsthat combinestructuralsoundness, fertility,andpredictableperformancein commercialbeefsystems.Thisyearmarks asignificantmilestone,celebratingthe 40thon-farmbullsaleand72yearsof breedingregisteredHerefordcattlefor PeterandChristineReevesofMokairau Herefords,reflectingalong-standing commitmenttogeneticexcellence.
Redmeatproteinreturnsareona roll,anditiscertainlyenjoyabletobe farminginthisenvironment,withastrong scheduleandexcellentgrassgrowththis season.Insuchconditions,investingin goodgeneticsismoreimportantthan ever.Withqualitybulls,supportedby goodnutrition,growthratesandyieldare accelerated,meaninganimalsareready formarketearlierandmovingefficiently off-farm.
Theirbullsaredevelopedunderpractical farmingconditionsoncoastalhillcountry, ensuringtheyarenotonlyvisually impressivebutalsocapableofthriving inreal-worldenvironments.Thestud’s coreaimistoproducestructurallysound, functionalbullsthatbreedsubstance, efficientlyconvertgrassintoredmeat, andmaintainhighfertilitywithgood temperament.
Mokairaucattleareselectedon structuralsoundnessandthecareful purchasingofprovengenetics,resulting ineasy-finishing,fertilecattlewithstrong eyeappeal.Temperamentremainsakey
MatarikiQualifier2025
focus,producingquiet,manageablesires suitedtoawiderangeofoperations. Bullsarecommerciallyfarmedrather thanintensivelyfed,ensuringtheyarefit forpurposeandwilltransitioneasilyinto clients’systems.
AftertheBeef+LambNZandNZ Herefordsfieldday,ThePowerofthe BeefCow,heldatMokairauinMarch,the advantagesofcrossbreedingforhybrid vigourwereclearlydemonstrated.Local examplesshowedHerefordxAngus progenyreturningupto$180extraper
head,ortheequivalentofoneextralive calfoveracow’slifetime-highlightingthe valueofselectingtherightbull. Tosupportselection,Breedplan EBVsforfertilityandcarcasstraitsare usedalongsidevisualappraisal,giving anobjectivemeasureofcommercially importantattributesandhelpingguide sireselectiondecisions.DNAanalysishas beenusedforparentverificationsince 2006,ensuringaccuracyandconfidence inbreedingdecisions.Lookingahead,the purchaseofMatarikiQualifier-securedfor
MokairauCowsandcalves2025
aNewZealandrecordpriceinpartnership withWilencoteStudinAutumn2025addsfurtherstrength,withhisfirstcalves duethisspring. Eachyear,aconsistentline-upofrising two-year-oldPollHerefordbullsisoffered attheon-farmsale,typicallyaround25–30 bulls,reflectingdepthaswellasquality withinthestud.Thesebullsarebacked byperformancerecording,animalhealth assurance,andgenerationsofcareful breeding,givingbuyersconfidenceintheir longevityandproductivity. RuralStudstockprovidesvideoclipsof thebullsviawww.nzstudstock.co.nzand theMokairauFacebookpage,andBidrwill againbeoperatingatthesale,offering buyersflexiblepurchasingoptions. Ultimately,MokairauHerefordsbullsare bredtodeliverresilience,efficiency,and reliableperformanceforcommercialbeef producers.
Asilentthreat: SheepMeaslesandtheroleofdogs
SuppliedbyOvisManagement
Sheepmeaslesremainsapersistent animalhealthandeconomicissue forsheepfarmersintheGisborne region,wheresheepandbeeffarmingis acornerstoneofthelocalruraleconomy. Sheepmeaslesiscausedbythedog tapewormTaeniaovisand,whileit posesnorisktohumanhealth,itcan causesignificantfinanciallossesthrough carcasstrimming,downgrading,and condemnationatprocessingplants. Gisborne’scombinationofextensive sheepgrazing,warmconditions,and frequentmovementofworkingand huntingdogscreatesanenvironment wheretheparasitecanreadilycycleif controlmeasureslapse.
Thelifecycleofsheepmeaslesis simplebutunforgiving.Dogsbecome infectedbyeatingraworuntreated sheepmeatoroffalcontaininglivecysts. Infecteddogsthenshedthousandsof tapewormeggsintheirfaecesonto pasture,wheregrazingsheepingest them.Thelarvaemigrateintothesheep’s muscletissue,formingcyststhatare laterdiscoveredatslaughter.Sheepshow nooutwardsignsofinfection,meaning farmersareoftenunawareofthe problemuntilmeatinspectionreports revealtrimmingorcondemnations. Huntingplaysasignificantroleinsheep measlesrisk,particularlyinregionslike Gisbornewhererecreationalhuntingis
common.Huntingdogsthatarenoton aregulartapewormdosingprogramme caneasilypickupTaeniaovisbybeing fedrawmeatorbyscavengingcarcasses. Whenthosedogsmoveacross farmland—sometimescoveringlarge distances—theycanspreadinfectiveeggs overwidegrazingareas.Evenasingle untreateddogvisitingapropertycan introducesheepmeaslestoaflockthat hasotherwisehadgoodcontrol. Farmdogsalsopresentariskwhen dosingroutinesareinconsistent. Underdosing,irregulartreatment, orassumingthat“one-off”dosing issufficient.Researchandindustry guidanceconsistentlyemphasisethat
31BrightStreet,Gisborne 068677648
team@clarityit.co.nz
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monthlypraziquanteltreatmentisthe mosteffectiveandeconomicalwayto breakthelifecycleofsheepmeasles. Withoutthis,farmersriskongoing contaminationofpasture,which canpersistformanymonthsunder favourableconditions.
Thedamagecausedbyundoseddogs islargelyeconomicbutcanbesevere. Sheepmeaslesisoftendescribedas a“silentthief”becauselossesarenot visibleuntilcarcassesareprocessed andtrimmed.ForregionslikeGisborne, wheremeatqualityunderpinsmarket accessandexportreputation,repeated casescanerodefarmprofitabilityand confidenceacrossthesector.
Ultimately,controllingsheep measlesinGisbornereliesonshared responsibility.Farmers,hunters,anddog ownersallplayarolebyensuringdogs areregularlydosed,preventingaccessto rawsheepmeatandoffal,andrespecting on-farmbiosecurityrequirements. Consistentdogmanagementremains thesinglemosteffectivetooltoprotect sheepflocks,safeguardfarmincomes, andreducetheongoingimpactofsheep measlesintheregion.
Formoreinformation, andourprevalencemap, visitwww.sheepmeasles.co.nz
Sheepmeaslescontinues tocostfarmersacrossthe country.Thesolutionis simple-dosealldogswho residenearsheeporgoats withPraziquantel™ monthly,oratleast48 hoursbeforeheadingnear grazingareas.
Cysticercusovis(sheepmeasles)cysts
Ayearofwildweather -andwe’renot halfwaythereyet
It’salreadybeenayearofwildweather,andwe aren’tevenhalfwaythroughit.AsofearlyMay, NewZealandhasexperiencedfiveRedSevere WeatherWarningevents,themostactivestart toayearsincethiswarninglevelwasintroduced in2019.Redwarningsareonlyissuedforweather expectedtocausewidespreaddamageor poseaseriousrisktolife,highlightingjusthow significanttheseeventshavebeen.
Thefirstredwarningof2026arrivedattheend ofJanuary,whenadeepareaoflowpressure trackedclosetothenortherncoastline.Heavy rainaffectedmuchoftheupperNorthIsland, fromNorthlandthroughtoTairāwhiti.While onlyareasnorthofTolagaBaywereofficially includedintheredwarning,thesystembrought widespreadrainandunsettledconditionsacross theregion.Italsomarkedthestartofarunof wetandwindyweatherthatlingeredwellbeyond summer.
Thatthemecontinuedintoautumn.InApril, CycloneVaianumovedsouthacrosstheNorth Islandonthe12th,bringinganotherboutofwild weather.Strongwindsspiralledclockwisearound thecentreofthesystem,withgustsexceeding 100km/hrecordedatGisborneAirport.Downed treesandlocaliseddamagewerereportedacross theregionasthesystempassedthrough.
Lookingahead,thelatestSeasonalClimate OutlookfromEarthScienceNewZealand suggeststhatforMaytoJuly,temperatures alongtheEastCoastaremostlikelytobenear normalforthetimeofyear.Rainfallisforecast
tobenearorbelownormal,offeringsomerelief afteranactivestarttotheyear.
Oneofthekeyinfluencesthiswinterwillbe thegradualreturnofElNiño,partofthenaturally occurringElNiño–SouthernOscillation(ENSO). DuringElNiñophases,warmer-than-usualsea surfacetemperaturesdevelopinthetropical PacificnearSouthAmerica,influencingweather patternsmuchfartherafield.
WhilenotwoElNiñoeventsarethesame, theytypicallyfavourhigherpressuretothewest ofNewZealand,allowingmoresouthwesterly windsacrossthecountry.FortheEastCoast, thisoftenmeanstherangesprovidesome shelterfromrain,increasingthelikelihoodof drierconditions.Thatsaid,ENSOisjustone pieceofthepuzzle,wintersystemswillstillbring wetterdaysattimes,sokeepingacloseeyeon theforecastremainsimportant.
TheYearSoFar—GisborneClimateSnapshot MonthRainfall (mm) MeanTemp (°C) Sunshine (hours)
Jan201.1(59.2)20.2(19.2)218.7(263.5)
Feb120.6(66.5)19.2(19.0)242.8(227.1)
Mar67.1(89.0)16.6(17.3)185.6(213.3)
Apr90.7(83.1)15.4(15.0)156.2(181.6)
(RecordsfromGisborneairport.Figuresinbrackets showlongtermaverages,basedon1991–2020data. Source:MetService.)
CycloneVaianu,aformercategorythreeTropicalcyclone,tothenorthof NewZealandonSat11April,thekoruofcloudmarksthecentreofthesystem.
Redmeatproductrangedesigned forolderNewZealanderschosen as2026Dragon’sDenwinner
ANewZealandredmeatproductrangewith “tongue-soft”textureforelderlyorunwell peoplehaswonthe2026MeatIndustry Association(MIA)Dragon’sDencompetition.
RonPark,chiefexecutiveandfounderofCanterburybasedhealthsupplementscompanyKōrure,was namedaswinnerofthecompetition,whichchallenges Kiwistodevelopinnovativeandpracticalsolutionsto enhanceexportvalueandadvanceNewZealand’sred meatsector.
MrParkisexploringthedevelopmentofa“Kiwi Tender”rangeofpremiumNewZealandredmeat productsprocessedtoachieveatexturesotenderit canbecrushedwiththetongue,withoutchewing,
whileretainingtheshape,flavour,andnutritional densityofwholemusclemeat.
Thecoreinnovationistoadaptthesuccessful Eatendermodel,developedinTaiwan,toNew Zealand’sgrass-fedredmeat.Thisincludesdeveloping aNewZealand-specifictenderisationprotocolwhere parameterswouldbedevelopedandoptimisedfor NewZealandgrass-fedmeat.
MrPark–knownasthe“MusselKing”forhiswork withgreenlippedmussels–hasbeenawarded$10,000 todevelopabusinesscaseandprogresshisideaintoa researchproject.
“Thisisthesecondyearwehaverunthe competition,andonceagainwesawanumberof exceptionalproposalsforresearchanddevelopment,” saidNathanGuy,independentchairmanoftheMeat IndustryAssociation.
“Ultimately,ourpanelofexpertjudgeschoseRon’s proposalbecauseoftheopportunitiesforglobal interestinapplyingauniquelyKiwiinnovationtoa processwhichalreadyhasastrongfootholdinAsiain thehospitalandagedcaresector.”
MrParksaidhewasdelightedtohavebeenselected astheDragon’sDenwinner.
“Thegrantwillenableustobuildthebusinesscase neededtoattractinvestmentandbringthisproductto market.
“KiwiTenderoffersatransformationalopportunity fortheNewZealandredmeatindustry,tocreateanew categoryofpremiumexportproductstargetingolder adults,thefastest-growingconsumerdemographic globally.
RonParkpresentinghisconcepttothecrowd.
“ByadaptingthesuccessfulEatendermodelto NewZealand’sworld-classgrass-fedbeefandlamb, wecancreateexport-readyproductsthattransform underutilisedcutsintohigh-valueseniornutrition solutions.
“Over333manufacturersandmorethan1,000 productsnowcarryEatendercertificationwiththe globalmarketforeasytoeatproteinsourcesestimated atNZ$500billion.
“Withsupportfromleadingmeatprocessorsand academicexpertise,we’rereallyexcitedaboutthe potentialforthisproject.”
TheDragon’sDenfinaltookplaceatthejoint MIA-BioeconomyScienceInstituteMeatInnovation WorkshopinPalmerstonNorthon11-12March.
Thefivefinalistshadfiveminutestopitchtheirideas tothejudgingpanel,followedbyfiveminutesofQ&A withthejudgesandaudience.
Thejudgingpanelfeaturedindustryleaders, •NathanGuy,independentchairman,MeatIndustry Association •AndrewClark,investmentmanageratMPI’sPrimary SectorGrowthteam •NeilSmith,GroupManagerMarketAccessand Regulation,SilverFernFarms •ChrisMawson,GroupTechnicalManager,OvationLtd
PGGWRIGHTSONEAST COASTLIVESTOCKTEAM
Foryouron-farmlivestockinspection,paddocksale/ purchases,primestockdraftingoranylivestockbusiness requirementyourmayhave,pleasedonothesitateto contactoneofourexperienceteams.
RonParkbeingcongratulatedbyNathanGuy ChairmanoftheMIACouncil.
Geneticselection toolsmakebull buyingeasier
Suppliedby:Beef+LambNewZealand
NewZealand’sbeefindustryis boomingwithrecordpricesbeing paidforweaners.
Thisbuoyantmarketmeansthatitis evenmoreimportantthatcommercial breedersmakeinformeddecisionsbefore investinginbullsthisyear.
Beef+LambNewZealand’shasa numberoftoolsandresourcestohelp farmerswiththeirdecision-making beforeandatsaleday.
TheseincludetheBetterBeefBreeding on-linelearningmodule,BetterBeef Breedingworkshops–whicharebeing heldaroundthecountryoverthenext fewweeks–andnProveBeef,auserfriendlyonlinetoolwhichwillhelp farmersselectthebulls–andbreeders -thatbestmeettheirspecificbreeding objectives
IncludedinnProveBeefarethree NewZealand-designedbreeding indexes;NZ$Maternal,NZ$Terminaland NZ$BeefxDairywhichareusedacrossall breedsrepresentedinnProveBeef.
JasonArcher,B+LNZ’sHeadof Genetics,saystheindexeswere developedtotakethecomplexityoutof buyingbulls.
JasonArcher:B+LNZ’sHeadofGenetics,NZ designedbreedingindexesweredevelopedto takethecomplexityoutofbuyingbulls.
“Farmerswhoonlybuybullsonce ayearcanbepresentedwithupto58 piecesofinformationabouteachbull whichcanbeconfusing.”
Archersayswhiletheindexespresent buyerswithjustonenumber,itisstill usefultoknowthetraitsbehindeach index,hencethedevelopmentofsubindexes,ortraitgroupings.
Thesehelpbuyersunderstandwhat
aparticularbullisgoodatandinclude calvingease,maternalcowtraits, finishingandcarcaseattributes.
HawkesBay-basedvetandconsultant DaveWarburton,saysnProveBeefmakes iteasyforuserstoputinthecriteria aligningwiththeirbreedingobjectives andcomeupwitharangeofbreeders whomeetthosecriteria.Withinthose breeders,therewillalsobeanumber ofbullsthatwillalsomeettheuser’s requirements.
“Itmeansthatfarmersdon’tneedto knowtheexactnumbers,orEBVs,for eachbreed.Instead,userscanusesliders toselectthetop20%ofanimalsfora particulartrait.”
Warburtonpointsoutthatbigger isn’tnecessarilybetterwithcommercial beefbreeding,especiallyinhillcountry environments,andtheslidemechanism innProveBeefallowsformoderation.
Userscanpullthedualslidersupand downandselectanimalsthatmight,for example,bebetweenthetop20-40%for aparticulartrait.
“Itbringsupthenexttieranimals thatmightbemoresuitableforamore challengingenvironment.”
Warburtonsaysanotheradvantage ofnProveBeefisthatfourbreeds(NZ Angus,Hereford,Simmental,Shorthorn) arerepresentedinoneplace,sobull buyersdon’thavetogotoindividual websitestogettheinformationthey need.
“It’seasiertofindanimalswithineach ofthebreedsrepresented.”
Itisalsomobile-friendlyandasa consultant,Warburtonsayshecanbe lookingatanumberofbullswithaclient andusenProveBeeftoidentifythebulls thatmeettheircriteria.
Bullbuyers:Farmersbuyingbullsatbullsalescanbepresentedwithupto58pieces ofinformation.
Bullsalesandselection
WrittenbyAndrewCribb,Director/Veterinarian atEastCoastFarmVets
Withthedistricts’bullsalesjustaroundthe corner,bullbreedingandselectioncomes underthemicroscope.
Whenselectingyournewbull,theprocessshould beginwiththeestablishmentofbreedingobjectives thathaveahigheconomicvaluerelativetoyourfarm. Thisprocess,inmyopinion,isthemostimportantstep butsomethingthatisalmostalwaysoverlooked.
Somekeypointstokeepinmindwhenplanningyour bullsalescalendar:
•Identifyabreederwhomostcloselymeetsyour breedingobjectives.Theamountofgeneticprogress youmakeinyourherdisgoingtolargelydependon thegeneticprogressbeingmadebythebreeder.
•Lookatthebullsfirsthand.Whetherit’sanopenday orfarmvisit,takethetimetoperformathorough inspectionwithspecialemphasisplacedonphysical andreproductivesoundness.
•Areastopaycloseattentionto–thehead,jaw,eyes, neck,shoulders,frontlegsandfeetstructure,pastern angleoffrontandhindlegs,sheathandhindlegand structure.
•ConsiderEstimatedBreedingValues(EBVs).Ensure thesealignwithyourbreedingobjectivesalongside thedesirabletraits.
•Overallcondition.Forsirestocktoperformwellthey needtobefedwell,yearround.Youwillseethis throughconfirmationandmuscleformationwhich ultimatelyleadstothebullsperformingtothebestof theirability.
Onceyou’vesourcedandpurchasedyourbull(s),the nextstepismanaginghimoncehe’shome. Howyouhandlehim,thestressorsthatyouplace himunderandthelevelofnutritionthathereceivescan haveaverypositive(ornegative)effectontheeventual fertilityofthisanimal.
Whenabullisrelocatedtoanewenvironment,the
bullissubjectedtonewviral,bacterialandparasite challenges.Thisisunavoidable.Thekeytomaintaining ahealthyimmunesystemistoensuretheseanimals havehighqualitynutrition(whichcanbeachallengeat thistimeoftheyear),havehadtheappropriateanimal healthtreatments(quarantinedrench,licetreatment, BVDvaccinationetc)andensurethattheyestablishnew socialgroupsquickly.
Oncethenewbull(s)arrivesatyourfarm,letthem settleinbyleavingthemintheyardsovernight.Give themfreshwaterandgoodqualityhay.Iftheyare fighting,youmighthavetosplitthem,dependingon howseriousitis.
Ifyouhavepurchasedonebull,findamateortwo forhimstraightaway(thiscouldbesteersorquiet cows,notoldersirebulls).Ifyouhaveboughtmultiple bullsfromanumberofdifferentmanagementgroups orstudsitisoftenbettertoputthemalltogetherat once.Introducingnewbullsintoamoboneatatime canleadtothenewbullbeinggivenahardtimebyhis contemporaries.
Takingthetimetounderstandyournewbull(s), familiarisethemwiththeyardsandhowtheyworkand gettingthemusedtoyouandhowyouhandlestockall countsbecausethiswillbedifferenttowheretheyhave comefrom.
