HBT - Rural Focus July 2020

RURAL

FOCUS Hawke’s Bay July 2020

Spotlight on our region’s rural sector

Napier Tech coach Regan O'Brien helps out at a feed run 31 May 2020

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Feeding out or bailing out?

By Greg Tattersfield, BVSc Vet Services Hastings

a feed coordinator and have a feed planning service and are there to support the levy payers.

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his season has been extremely challenging for all farmers in Hawke’s Bay, the prolonged dry spell and lack of autumn growth, difficulty in finding supplementary feed, delays in killing space, and cancellation of sales have all had a massive impact.

It’s been amazing to see how the rural community has banded together to support each other (to the extent of posting nude pics on Facebook!) and providing a sense of connection during a period of isolation for thousands of people. With the restrictions on group gatherings loosened we were able to host a field day, presenting a strategy to minimise production losses in ewes after this severe drought. We were amazed at the positive response and hope the attendees left with helpful tips to meet their stocks energy demands when our feed source won’t grow. It was also fantastic to have local businesses come together to host a drought shout across Hawke’s Bay this week. Remember to think of those that may not of engaged or have retreated: it might be time to drop by or give them a call.

The feed requirements of livestock are well known and can be easily found in a text book but at present it is much more of a challenge to find the feed to give them. No doubt you have already “pulled the levers” to increase supply or decrease demand and have re-set your wintering plan 3 or 4 times so what else can you do? Talking amongst your team about how the winter is unrolling keeps things in perspective and helps with decision making. We are here to help if you want an outside perspective or information about feeding uncommon supplements.

It is a year when big calls may need to be made, the reality is you may need to dig deeper and sell more stock. It could well be a better call to sell down while stock are still saleable rather than to risk losing excessive weight, losing lambs at birth, poor milking ewes, potty lambs and higher deaths rates than normal. Cattle will be particularly hard to winter on pasture and we may not see good cattle feed until October.

It’s tough, but it’s not your fault. Talking to the trusted people around you is a good start and for those needing a bit more, there a bunch or rural professionals able to help. The Rural Support Trust has been busy this year and has been providing extremely value support to a number of farmers who thought they would never need it. Beef and Lamb NZ have employed

Those that managed to establish a winter crop will be pleased with their investment, even at reduced yields. Well timed spring nitrogen may provide some relief to lactating ewes with the benefit coming from better condition ewes at weaning and higher weaning weights.

If you need assistance or want reassurance with how you’re feeding your stock, reach out and give one of the rural

professionals a call. Droughts are big, and it requires a team to get through.

MPI is funding an industry feed planning and feed coordination service, at no cost. Farmers can call 0800 BEEFLAMB (0800 233 352) to access this service.

Your local Rural Support Trust can also provide an informed listening ear and local advice. Call 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254).

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Friendly service and expertise in produce transport operations

By Chrys Ayley

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ocal cartage company Everfresh has recently added a swing lift truck to their container fleet-the latest in what has been a local business that’s steadily grown since it was founded almost 20 years ago.

The company was founded by John Agnew in November 2000 in partnership with the Crasborn brothers, Transport Manager Nick Agnew, John’s son, says.

After several years John bought out the brothers and worked on expanding the services offered.

The business was founded on carting seasonal produce, such as apples, for local growers. Today the bulk of the work is carried out in Hawke’s Bay but some also in Waikato/Bay of Plenty, although all operations are based in Hastings.

John started with two trucks and now Everfresh has a fleet of 31 and lease another 30 during peak harvest season.

Altogether there are 40 full time staff, including mechanics, an engineer and office staff.

Fortunately, they weren’t too hard hit by COVID, Nick says, as they were in the

middle of transporting produce such as apples, squash and onions.

Services offered today are extensive and include bulk cartage such as stock feed and fertilisers to dairy farms in the Bay. There’s a fleet of five container trucks complimented by the swing lift truck and cart a variety of produce, glass bottles, fertilisers and general goods.

Bulk cartage, general freight and earthworks are also undertaken. Much of the earthworks are agricultural such as excavating loading bays, dig outs and back fills. The company also has a quarry

nearby so they can source their own shingle. In fact, it’s the first land-based shingle extraction site in Hawke’s Bay. “We pride ourselves on good service and being competitive which has given us a loyal customer base, many of them have been clients for 20 years,” Nick says.

‘We’d like to thank all our clients and especially those who have supported us over the last two decades: Bostock New Zealand, Mike Kettle Contracting, BioRich, Crasborn Fresh Harvest, Freshmax Orchards and Profruit.”

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Positive outlook for farming despite current challenges

The Ministry of Primary Industries and our industry-good and farm consultancy organisations are also working together to provide management and support services to farmers. The feed line has been well utilised and helps farmers put together a simple feed plan to get through the next few weeks. It often helps to have a third-party act as sounding board and to help with the decisionmaking process around feed and stock management.

There are also a number of resources on the Beef + Lamb New Zealand

While we are all focused on getting through the next few weeks, the outlook for our industry is positive and it was been heartening to see how the work of farmers, processors and transport operators was appreciated during the lockdown period.

There was an increased awareness of where New Zealand’s food comes from and despite the panic buying, there were never food shortages- merely a few supply-chain hiccups with hot commodities such as flour.

A recent, independent study shows that collectively, sheep and beef farmers

As the temperature begins to fall and we roll through another winter it is important to know that your key pieces of machinery are in tip-top shape. Here at Power Farming, we want to take the pressure off you, and allow you to focus on the more important jobs around the farm while leaving the machinery maintenance to us.

Our team here at Power Farming Hawkes Bay has a collective experience base in agriculture and related equipment of over 100 years across all brands and models.

We’ll come to your property and carry out a thorough 50+ point check to ensure everything is as it should be.

Or we’ll organise to pick up your gear and get it serviced so it is ready to work as hard as you are in spring.

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For your winter servicing call Phil 0275 722 142 or Hamish 0275 018 850 HASTINGS | 1012 Omahu Rd | 06 879 9998

The Emissions Trading Scheme is of particular concern to our region where there is real possibility productive farmland- and rural communities - could be swallowed up by large fossil fuel emitters offsetting their emissions through largescale forestry.

B+LNZ is working alongside government to make the sector’s concerns heard but I strongly encourage farmers to keep abreast of developments and express their concerns to their local MPs.

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SERVICE REMINDER

Therefore, we would like to see the government support farmerdriven initiatives to improve the environment and policies that deliver real environmental benefits for all New Zealanders while encouraging bestpractice management.

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Winter Maintenance

The study, carried out by SG Heilbron Economic and Policy Consulting, highlights the importance of our sector to the economic and social well-being of our country. Our sector is even more critical as the NZ economy faces significant headwinds in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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By George Tatham Director Beef + Lamb New Zealand

It has been humbling to see how farmers from other regions have supported Hawke’s Bay farmers, dipping into their own limited feed resources to send supplementary feed our way. While every kilogram of dry matter is welcomed, so too is the psychological boost of knowing farmers throughout the country share our pain and our supporting us through this difficult time.

and meat processing and exporting generates $12 billion annually for this country and accounts for 92,000 jobs, almost 5 per cent of NZ’s full-time workforce.

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While we have had some rain, it was too little too late to make any meaningful difference to feed supplies and unfortunately feed shortages are widespread, so there is limited opportunity to off-load stock to other areas.

website including the tools to put together a Simple Feed Budget and case-studies following the management decisions made by farmers affected by feed shortages. These farmers have been working alongside farm consultants who tested various scenarios and made decisions based on what works for their particular farm system. Farmers will be able to identify with the situation many of these farmers are in.

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here is no denying the challenges many farmers in our region are facing as we head into the depths of winter.

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We’re here to support the whole community

By Chrys Ayley

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eneral Manager of Stevenson and Taylor, Robby Smith, and the whole team are pleased to be able to help the local community, including primary sector workers, get back to normal business as quickly as possible.

It’s been an exceptional, and stressful, year for Hawke’s Bay with COVID and a particularly harsh winter drought to cope with. Personally, Robby feels the drought is having more of a negative impact than the pandemic. While there will be hard times ahead he believes that within 18 months New Zealand will be in a very strong position and will lead the world in growing high quality produce.

During lockdown the company, one of the largest privately owned companies in Waipukurau with 39 full time staff, was able to operate with a small team as an essential business while the others worked from home. All staff have been retained and they’re looking to expand shortly. Robby would like to extend a big thank you to all the staff for their support over the last couple of months.

Also, somewhat unique within the industry, the owners/shareholders are in management and hands-on roles in both the workshops and sales departments, providing continuity and an even spread of experience and expertise across the business.

The three shareholders/directors who are hands-on are Robby who has been with the company for just over 20 years, Brett Stevenson Service Tech/Director and grandson of founding partner Bill Stevenson and Duncan Harding Head Sales Consultant. It’s easy for staff and shareholders to communicate without having a top-heavy corporate hierarchy, Robby says.

The staff have just refurbished an old grain feeder for sheep that was donated by a customer towards the drought relief HB. It will be able to be moved from property to property and help out some farmers who are struggling with feed. It’s one-way Stevenson and Taylor can give back to the community.

With Sales, Diesel service, Engineering, Parts and Outdoor Equipment departments under the one roof on Takapau Road, Stevenson and Taylor is well equipped to help out our community.

As for the future there’s nothing but sunshine on their radar. The team at Stevenson and Taylor are here to get the whole community moving and see that farms and businesses are fully operational.

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Succession is an issue that most businesses will deal with at least once during their life cycle

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or MCI & Associates it is no different – our aim is to provide a career path within the business to enable our staff to progress to whatever level they wish to.

The firm has now been established for over 13 years, and during that time we have had the retirement of several principals and consultants and the promotion of an associate to principal, along with the promotion of six staff over a number of years, to be current associates.

2020 has seen the following promotions within MCI: Anne Buddle - one of our new Associates – an extract from Anne’s profile – “Technology – time saving magic.” - With two small kids, a husband, and hobbies, I know how busy life gets. Throw study and work in the mix and, well…you get the picture. It’s why I’m all about achieving a work-life balance.

Amidst the juggle, I’ve found technology has proven to be such a time saver in dealing with

day-to-day activities. I’m a BIG fan. Technology is great in helping my clients achieve that work life balance too, helping them get more organised and process their financials faster – and from anywhere. The ever-growing advances of technology in our industry also means I’m able to provide clients with richer insights into their business and how they can navigate forward. And when my clients get excited about their future, that’s pure magic.

Cheri Henricksen – another of our new Associates - an extract from Cheri’s profile - “A busman’s holiday? It’s living the dream!” No. I don’t drive buses. But some of my home life looks like my work life - after putting in a day’s work on my clients’ accounts, you can often find me working at home on my own accounts. My husband and I are equity partners in a sheep and beef farm. Naturally, the finances are my job. It’s true to say that my day job helps with my farming life; the reverse is also true. I know the highs and lows of farming. Mostly, I know that the lifestyle is worth the effort. It’s for

the lifestyle - especially for our kids - that my husband and I farm.

And, like my clients, we would work every hour to keep it. It’s a perspective that brings life to the numbers in my work, because I know that behind the numbers are people and the life of their dreams that they’re building.

Along with the appointment of two new associates, MCI has also promoted Fallon La Dette and Sharyne Wimsett to Senior Associates, and Aaron Karena to Associate Principal.

Our team has a wide skill base across most farming and business types and is passionate about providing a premium level of service to our clients. With 12 Chartered Accountants, an Associate Chartered Accountant and several Accounting Technicians along with a large number of accounting clerks and support staff (who between them have many years of practical and business experience), we are confident that our team will be able to meet the needs of our existing and future clients now and in the future.

Neil Ivamy standing, Esther McHardy, Moira Paewai and Sam Ellingham seated and Simon Curran centre seated.

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Introducing Duncan McKinnon and NZR

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uncan, raised on the family farm not far from Napier, has an interesting background that combines practical farming experience and international sales and marketing roles. Although his track record, some 20+years, in the corporate world is impressive he says it’s the five years he spent as a shearer in New Zealand and Australia that really resonates with his farming clients!

Duncan has worked in Asia, Australia and New York as a professional marketer for leading consumer companies plus sat on management teams of leading NZ Agricultural companies in both the meat and dairy sectors.

In just over four years he’s been involved in over $73,000,000 in rural real estate

transactions covering, sheep and beef farms, horticulture, dairy farms and lifestyle properties.

The rural real estate market in Hawke’s Bay

Duncan is the owner of NZR in Hawke’s Bay for everything rural. NZR has been operating in Hawke’s Bay since mid2019 and Duncan took ownership of the area in April 2020. NZR was established six years ago and is well established in the Wairarapa, Manawatu and Ruapehu region. Just recently Suellen Matheson joined the Hawke’s Bay team managing marketing support and she’ll soon move into lifestyle sales. Suellen has a BBS and also has a professional background with leading International and NZ marketing companies. Given Suellen has owned lifestyle property, this sector is an excellent fit.

There is also a very strong and vibrant lifestyle market which is benefiting from migration from other regions to the Hawke’s Bay. Post Covid-19 Lock-down, we may even see this increase and drive more demand for Lifestyle properties.

In addition to Duncan the very experienced NZR team consists of Peter Barnett (Manawatu), Jamie Proude (Ruapehu), Blair Stevens and David Hutchison both serving Wairarapa/ Tararua. Duncan believes the point of difference offered by NZR is the high level of professionalism and marketing expertise that the teams brings to the industry and their clients. The fantastic results they have achieved for their clients is testament to this. Duncan said that given the high value of rural properties, vendors and their advisors are looking for these skills in an agent and team to manage their sale process.

We have a diverse market in Hawke’s Bay with a strong agriculture base, covering sheep and beef farms, horticulture, viticulture, arable and dairy.

2019 was a very strong year for rural sales in the Bay across sectors – as an example for Sheep and Beef farms over 100 hectares, there were around 30 sales with some excellent prices achieved.

With the dry conditions in the region this past summer and autumn, less farms have come to the market. Given this, we expect to see a busy spring particularly in the Sheep and Beef sector. Horticulture sales have been steady and where properties have good water supply, prices have been solid. Lifestyle properties continue to be in high demand and we would expect this trend to continue

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New health, safety and wellbeing movement drives support for rural women

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nspiring Kiwi women are telling their stories, giving practical advice and positive solutions around health and safety through a new rural women’s movement.

The #PlantASeedForSafety Project has been launched in New Zealand by Safer Farms which partnered with the Project’s Australian founder, Alex Thomas.

It profiles women from all parts of rural industries and communities who are making positive and practical improvements to health, safety and wellbeing - from farm owners, shepherds, wives and partners, to nurses, doctors, teachers and even the local barista – every person living rurally has an impact on their community.

The project aims to raise the voices of rural women and boost their confidence in their ability to influence change and to inspire others to make safer, healthier choices.

“We’ve been blown away by the amount of women who have jumped on board,” said Safer Farms General Manager Tony Watson.

He believes the more women who take part, the bigger of an impact the project

will have and is calling for women right across the country to get involved.

agriculture, it turns out ‘she’ was right all along,” he said.

Will To Live’s Elle Perriam, rural nurse Mischa Clouston, Sarah’s Country host Sarah Perriam, Proud To Be A Farmer’s Claire Inkson, Safer Farms’ Harriet Bremner, Real Country’s Laura Douglas, Mairi Whittle, Social License Consulting’s Penny Johns and many more women have submitted their stories and practical advice.

Agriculture records the second highest number of deaths in all industries in New Zealand, with 23 people killed in work related incidents from April 2019 to March 2020.

Watson reckons if someone has found a better, safer way of doing something on farm or in their business and community, then that’s the story that needs to be told.

“Health and safety isn’t about paperwork or compliance – it’s about making decisions every day, caring about people and making sure everyone gets home safe,” he said.

Tony believes women who are prepared to “plant a seed for safety” save lives and reiterates the project’s motto; “save a life, listen to your wife”.

“My lovely wife has been the driving force for safety improvements on farm for a long time. I kind of half listened for years, but now knowing what I know about illness, injury and fatality statistics in

#PlantASeedForSafety founder Alex Thomas said she’s inspired by the remarkable women who have signed up and is also excited to see more women get involved.

“Everybody knows someone who’s been hurt at work in rural industries, and yet the current focus on paperwork and ‘box-ticking’ is detracting us from talking about the sorts of things we do on a day to day basis that prevent people from getting hurt,” she said.

“We need to talk much, much more about the things that could actually save a life.”

Thomas started the project as a legacy to her mum, dad, their industry and the rural way of life.

“As a part-time carer for my father who is now permanently disabled as a result of his life’s work in agriculture, The #PlantASeedForSafety Project was

#PlantASeedForSafety founder Alex Thomas and Safer Farms’ Harriet Bremner.

born from the acknowledgement that no amount of safety paperwork would have influenced him to make safer, healthier choices.”

Visit www.plantaseedforsafety.com to see more.

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Growing our way out of COVID needed. The Government must use its amended powers to promote growth, not stifle it.

There are three key areas for action: trade, infrastructure and labour. As a nation, we are going to have to trade our way out of our financial crisis. Tourism will not be the immediate or even the medium-term answer. Depending on the trans-Tasman bubble and whether a vaccine is developed, tourism will progressively increase over the longterm. But it will not answer the issues we are facing today.

By Mike Chapman Hort NZ Chief Executive

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am proposing there is a third wave to New Zealand’s COVID recovery plan. The first wave focused on the health of people. The second wave is focusing on the economy, with a large number of financial initiatives announced in the 2020 Budget. My proposed third wave will however, be long term and enduring, and it will encapsulate the first and second waves covering both health and financial sustainability. It will also actively contribute to environmental sustainability.

My third wave is expanding the growth of fruit and vegetables in New Zealand, which ticks several recovery boxes. First, getting healthy food to all in New Zealand so that they have resistance against not only COVID but other diseases and medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Second, horticulture employs a lot of people, and our produce earns premiums in export markets. It will therefore enable financial sustainability within New Zealand and give us valuable funds to buy what we need from overseas countries, including the COVID vaccine when it is developed. Third, it is environmentally sustainable and, with funding applied in the right way from Budget 2020, it will become much more environmentally sustainable. Lastly, growing fruit and vegetables nurtures our rural communities and enables social development.

Financial, social, environmental and health sustainability – driven by an increase in horticulture – is very possible, and several Budget 2020 initiatives are directed to achieve these outcomes. But they will not come easily, and they will not be successful unless the initiatives are industry-led. Pre-COVID, horticulture was making significant gains in all four categories. What we now need to do is accelerate these outcomes for the benefit of New Zealand.

Innovation and expansion are constrained by regulation and laws, so the first step is to work out what can be changed.

The Government’s proposal to speed up the Resource Management Act (RMA) and the recently passed Immigration Amendment Act are good examples of what needs to be done to clear away unnecessary bureaucracy. The key however is for the Government to truly partner with industry, to listen and give industry appropriate leeway to make the progress that is so urgently

The world needs food, and that’s what New Zealand is good at. But to get our food to the world’s consumers, we need market access. Here is a key role for the Government: keeping our trading pathways open. Linked to this, and supported in Budget 2020, is enabling the safe importation of new plant varieties so New Zealand can keep up with international competition by selling the latest and best fruit and vegetables.

Growth also needs supporting infrastructure. The East Coast of New Zealand is and has been in drought for many months. Plants need water to thrive and so do humans. Our cities on the East Coast have water restrictions in place, and just recently, concerns have been raised about sufficient water for Auckland. To provide water for people and plants, significant water storage schemes are urgently required. These cannot be modest and need to accommodate previously unknown drought conditions. What applied in the pre-COVID world is no longer relevant.

If we are to feed our people and many of the world’s consumers, we need to expand our growing of healthy food and that requires water. The Government’s RMA process proposals are critical and need to be urgently applied to water storage schemes. Many other infrastructure projects are needed and will hopefully get funding, but significant water storage schemes are the most urgent.

Availability of labour and suitable land are also vital requirements. Many New Zealanders now need to develop new skills and take on different jobs thanks to COVID. This is no easy process and requires aptitude and re-training.

It also requires the industries they are joining to be growing.

scheme that employs Pacific Island seasonal workers. We need these workers for our continued growth and they need the work in New Zealand so they can earn money to invest in their communities. At the same time, the scheme results in more New Zealanders being permanently employed.

Horticulture relies on seasonal workers for harvest and pruning. These workers enable continued growth that creates attractive permanent careers opportunities for New Zealanders. All the primary sector has a reliance on offshore labour and this will continue. However, if access to offshore labour is limited, the growth New Zealand needs will not eventuate.

Growing our way out of COVID will not be easy. It requires the Government to partner with industry, loosen regulatory requirements and urgently support key projects such as significant water storage infrastructure. The Government also needs to support trade access and ensure that the offshore labour that industry needs remains available.

For horticulture and wine, this means the continuation and expansion of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE)

All of this will enable New Zealand to grow its way out of COVID.