Manawatu Farming Lifestyles, February 2021

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Dedicated to dairy farming Pages 4–5

Sowing seeds of success

P6

Sculpting a living on the farm

Recognising natural treasures

P8

P32

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

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The Manawatu Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company.

A ‘must do’ event Central Districts Field Days, New Zealand’s largest regional agriculture event, is expected to be a must-do event for people across the North Island. Now in its 28th year, the event returns on March 18–20 when Feilding will become a hub for the heartland rural sector.

Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz General Manager: Deb Wright | deb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696 Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Denise Gunn, Paul Campbell, Andy Bryenton Advertising: Monique McKenzie 027 559 3773 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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Thousands of people will flock to Manfeild to reconnect with the community and discover the latest in farm machinery through vehicle deals, and experience primar y industry innovations as well as new lifestyle products.

There will be a range of first-tomarket products, new to New Zealand machinery and other innovations.

“The Forestry Hub is a collaboration of the sector, showcasing safety, training opportunities and local companies, with a series of speakers discussing carbon, farm forestry, industry safety, investments and training,” says event director Henry McLernan.

There is something for every member of the family, with more than 500 exhibitors across all facets of rural life, drawcard attractions including local FMX legend Levi Sherwood as part of the Freestyle Motocross, crowdpleaser competitions such as Central Districts Doubles Power Fencing Competition and the National Excavator Operator Championships.

There’s also the ever-popular Chelsea Marriner’s Ultimate Canines Dog Show and Amazing Race-style AgriQuest competition for high school students. The Cuisine Pavilion will whet

your appetite; there will be the latest in lifestyle products including locallyproduced fare, younger attendees will love the activities at the Kids Zone, and there will be opportunities to immerse yourself with experts in primary industries.

One attendee will win the highlysought-after Central Districts Field Days prize pack including a Honda XR150, a laden Brent Smith trailer plus more.

“True to the event’s 27-year tradition, there will be great deals. We are in the final throes of putting together an actionpacked event that will be a great day off the farm and look forward to seeing Manfeild buzzing with people getting amongst it all,” McLernon says.

The three-day expo will also raise money for Rural Support, a charity helping the rural community in times of difficulty.

“We want this to be not only the biggest rural event on our attendee’s calendar but also the best.”

Central Districts Field Days — Thursday, March 18 to Saturday, March 20 2021 Tickets: Adults (16+) – $20, Seniors – $15, Children (5–15) – $5 For tickets and visitor information, go to cdfielddays.co.nz.

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Welcome back to our event

Remember when we could all get together for a yarn, browse literally hundreds of providers in the rural sector, and experience first-hand what is new in the industry?

It’s hard to believe that it was two years ago that we were able to host thousands of people at the Central Districts Field Days. The event attracts both rural and urban people from across the country to a display of all things agricultural as well as a great venue for practical farming demonstrations and indeed family entertainment.

Anticipation is building, and attendees have had to wait a lot longer for this year’s event. We were devastated to be forced to cancel the 2020 season at the 11th hour due to the emergence of Covid-19.

Hundreds of exhibitors and businesses put in months of preparation, and we know how much people looked forward to experiencing field days too.

We are sure it will be worth the wait, and we are proud that it will bring a muchneeded boost to the Manawatu region.

A silver lining of the past 12 months is that New Zealanders are embracing and exploring their own country, and supporting Kiwi businesses — forging true local connections.

CD Field Days is gearing up for its 28th event in 2021. Now well-established as the largest regional field days in New Zealand, generating more than $50 million in sales revenue, its roots stretch back to 1993 when it was introduced by Don Eade as an annual event.

If you visited CD Field Days during any one of its 27 years, you’re bound to find that a number of things don’t change. Its location at Manfeild, compelling a transformation from a paddock to a mini town for a matter of days. The presence of farm machinery and tractors, hallmarks of the industry, and the people who come to see them along with the thousands of visitors and hundreds of exhibitors, united in their passion for a thriving agricultural community.

Visit the Cuisine Pavilion and let your taste buds go wild!

Sample top-notch regional food and local brews, and take home some delicious local fare. While you’re there, don’t forget to enter the on-site competition to go in the draw to win a gift basket.

You can also take some time out and head to the Premium Food Court and Bar, located next Field Days director for Central Districts, Henry McLernon to HQ and the Cuisine Pavilion.

With four food courts to choose from, New Zealand. It’s been a challenging you can be sure there is something good year, and we know everyone’s ready to to discover. have a day out and be immersed in the As this is the biggest rural show that innovation of these industries — after Kiwis can physically attend in the past all, they are the backbone of the New year, we anticipate an increase in visitors Zealand economy. from not just Manawatu but greater

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February 2021 MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

DEDICATED TO

dairy farming

BY DENISE GUNN

Dairy farm manager Javier Pardo-Diaz grew up on a small dairy farm with his grandparents in Colombia, hand-milking between 30–35 cows.

T

his agricultural background, along with attending a farming-orientated high school, influenced Javier’s career vision. He studied at the University of La Salle in Bogota, graduating with an animal science degree. This fiveyear degree is recognised by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority as an equivalent to NCEA level seven in Applied Science.

Javier said due to a high level of unemployment in Colombia, he took on multiple jobs. It included working as a high school teacher specialising in agriculture, beef cattle farm assistant and as a bank loan adviser for small farms.

“In 2007, in trying to gain a larger amount of opportunities, I decided to study English in New Zealand for four

months. At the same time, I noticed that there were a lot of job opportunities in dairy farming with a great amount of workload.”

Javier applied for a work visa and began working as a farm assistant, in an eight-month contract position.

“My employers were impressed with my skills and work ethic, so they offered a longer contract and brought my family to New Zealand. Over the course of four seasons working in Te Kuiti and Putaturu, I went from a farm assistant to an assistant manager with the same employers who were sharemilkers.”

In 2011, Javier and his wife Constanza moved their family to the Manawatu where Javier began working as a dairy farm manager for the Hopkins Farming Group’s Tokomaru Dairies.

Javier is the farm manager for the Hopkins Farming Group’s Tokomaru Dairies

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A herd of 1,000 crossbred cows, consisting of Friesian, Jersey and Shorthorn, are milked on the property courses and takes part in assisting discussion groups.

He aims to complete the Hopkins Farming Group’s five-year plan for the farm with a goal to produce 1,300kg/MS a hectare with a herd of 1,025 cows.

Since the 2015/16 season, production for each hectare has risen from 1,063kg/MS with 903 cows to

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A herd of 1,000 crossbred cows, consisting of Friesian, Jersey and Shorthorn, are milked through a 60bale rotary shed on the 315ha farm.

The herd is split with one-third of the herd calving in autumn and the other two-thirds in spring.

Javier said each season on the Tokomaru farm is testing due to the flat contour of the farm.

“This makes it very wet in winter with high-risk of flooding and also very dry in summer due to the quantity of drains.

These conditions make the soils very prone to pasture damage during the winter periods. They also contribute to a lot of lameness problems, especially in the autumn herd.

“We usually grow 20ha of turnips as a summer crop and also, we target to make at least 100ha of grass silage.”

Throughout his farming career, Javier has found people management to be one of the biggest challenges.

“I have gone through a long process of learning how to work around and take a professional approach to different cultures, personalities, abilities and behaviours to achieve potential from every workmate.”

That learning process has paid off as Javier is considered to be one of the best managers in the company.

Tokomaru Dairies is also one of the most profitable farms in the Hopkins Farming Group, achieving several gradefree season certificates, awards for low somatic cell count, and a certificate of excellence in the 2020 Dairy Business of the Year. Although Javier hasn’t undertaken any further long-term studies, he has completed several small

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1,338kg/MS for the 2019/20 season with 998 cows. This is a total production increase from 329,380kg/MS to 414,674kg/MS. “I like working in an isolated environment, the animals, success of my farm with all mine and my team’s achievements,” said Javier.

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Sowing seeds of success

by Denise Gunn

Two generations of the Ham family built up Awapuni Nurseries during several decades to become a thriving business, growing around 20 million individual plants each year.

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utch immigrant, Ton Ham, established the business after buying a small nursery from fellow Dutchman, Henk Brookes. A few years later, Ton acquired a 10-acre block of land just south of Palmerston North, developing the property where Awapuni Nurseries is still located today.

In the mid-1990s, Ton and his wife, Lea, sold the business to their sons, Henri and Paul. Henri took on the managing director position and oversees the day-to-day running of Awapuni Nurseries. Both he and Paul are also shareholders in the other family business, Alpha Domus Winery, in Hawke’s Bay. “The nursery started out growing vegetable seedlings and a couple of flower varieties, then came the herbs, starting with parsley in the late 1970s,”

said Henri. Initially, Awapuni Nurseries supplied seedlings to two supermarkets.

“Woolworths in Palmerston North and New World in Levin were Dad’s first supermarkets,” said Henri.

“It was about 1990 that I became the nursery’s sales rep and approached supermarkets throughout the country.

Bunnings approached us about 15 years ago, which was about the time Kmart went out of gardening.”

Now, the majority of Awapuni Nurseries trade is nationwide through leading chain stores. Online ordering and on-site sales are also available.

In the late 1990s, when the business set up an online ordering system, this purchasing method was just beginning to grow in popularity. A new website and online store, launched nine years ago, includes gardening information with a

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Awapuni Nurseries managing director Henri Ham

planting calendar and plenty of hints and tips. Seasonal newsletters are also produced and available online.

Customers can browse the website, select from a variety of vegetables, flowers, herbs, established natives and plants, and have them delivered directly to their door. The nursery offers nationwide free shipping including the Chatham Islands and Waiheke Island.

Established plants and bundles of seedlings are also available for purchase on-site with customers paying

cash through an honesty-box system. A satisfaction guarantee policy ensures replacement plants if customers are unhappy with their purchase.

The entire growing process at Awapuni Nurseries is overseen on-site. In 2003, the business began growing seedlings in cell trays. It allows seedlings to develop a well-established root system making transplanting into gardens easier.

Seedlings also have a higher success rate. Henri said the move to growing seedlings in cell trays had been one

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Flower seedling growing under cover

of the business highlights, along with building their first greenhouse.

When seeds are sown, they are then stored in a germination chamber to help with their root development. From there, they are moved outside or into the greenhouse where they are kept until ready for sale.

Seedlings are then packaged in biodegradable packaging.

Henri said Awapuni Nurseries has been using newspaper packaging for their seedling bundles since 1960.

“This has saved 50 tonnes of plastic going into the landfill and counting.”

Six years ago, the business branched out into growing native plants. “We

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Rows of plants continue growing outdoors

partnered up with Ground Truth to provide a service of re-establishing wasteland back into forest.”

Since Henri and Paul took over Awapuni Nurseries, the business has expanded from a two-man company to now employing a team of around 50 staff members.

“Some employees have multiple departments to work in, but most just have a couple of tasks,” said Henri.

The number of merchandisers has also increased from one employed

to cover Wanganui, to around 30 throughout New Zealand.

During the past four years, tours of Awapuni Nurseries have been offered on the first three Wednesdays of December, guiding visitors through each stage of the seedlings’ growing process. Henri has plans to build

more greenhouses and further develop the native plant species side of the business.

“There are still many exciting opportunities and hence it is still lots of fun being in charge of the business.

Eventually, I’ll look for a successor and go fishing.”

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Sculpting a living ON THE FARM

by Denise Gunn

Large steel sculptures, created by retired dairy farmer Steuart Welch, not only adorn the garden on his property but are also found throughout the North Island.

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teuart was born on the family’s Tutaenui dairy farm, which he still calls home. His father and grandfather bought the farm in 1924, and each successive generation has purchased land to expand the property to 160ha. Steuart and his wife Linda raised their two sons, Brad and Tom, and daughter, Anna, on the family farm.

Brad manages the dairying side of the farming operation, and Tom tends to 10ha of Austrian pumpkins. The sprayfree pumpkin seeds are grown for eating. Anna is a school teacher and

although not on the farm, is a dedicated follower of Steuart’s art.

Steuart and Linda, a retired school teacher, still help out on the farm, milking the herd of 280 predominantly Friesian cows when needed. Steuart fully participates in assisting Tom with growing pumpkins, including ploughing, hand-hoeing and harvesting.

Although Steuart seemed destined to be a dairy farmer, he had several other interests. One of these was tree planting, which he began on the farm in his twenties.

Steuart takes a break to chat to his brother John

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

“This interest soon turned to many other plants,” said Steuart.

“Linda and I started Cannock Wood Nursery, which we ran for 12 years, in conjunction with the cows. The nursery side of my life came to an end in 2001 when the time demands of both nursery and cows became too much.

“We were involved in wholesale and retail, which included selling plants at garden shows.”

Steuart said it was at one of these shows that he met a man who made art furniture.

“I thought if he can do it, then I can do it. Linda and I have always been interested in art.”

Working around milkings and chores on the farm, Steuart started welding with scrap metal.

“When you are your own boss, you find time. Although the cows structure your life, I’ve never lived a structured life as such.”

By this time, Steuart’s interest in making steel sculptures, starting with steel from engineering yards, was developing.

“Twenty years of sculpture-making has seen a shift from the quirky use of scrap steel, to a more serious output using virgin steel bought by the truckload,” he said.

Steuart cuts, bends and twists the steel to create his sculptures.

Each sculpture varies in size. He also welcomes commissions.

“Over the 20 years, my work has changed. I’m now into more abstract.

I just develop it. One thing leads

to another, and I am always trying something different. Every piece is unique.”

Although Steuart finds the process sometimes takes one step forward and two steps back, the creative thoughts continue.

“I wake up during the night and think about structure. You can’t stop the ideas. That’s what creation is about.”

In the earlier years of Steuart’s art career, he exhibited with Stuart Schwartz of Taylor Jensen Gallery in Palmerston North.

“Sadly, Stuart’s stairs to his gallery got steeper, and my work got heavier, so that came to an end. As my work has got bigger and bolder, there is a need to display in an outdoor setting. Shifting steel is so much easier with tractors or cranes.”

One of Steuart’s latest sculptures now features in Victoria Avenue, Whanganui.

Steuart named this 7.5-metre sculpture, Tahi, and it is easily visible to motorists coming off the town bridge.

Steuart has found his farm’s location, within a short drive to Whanganui’s vibrant art scene, to be convenient. He has exhibited with the Wanganui Art Review, which is run by the Sargeant Gallery, and the Whanganui Artists Open Studios. Now into its 21st year, Artists Open Studios will be held on the weekends of March 20–21 and 27–28 from 10am–4pm.

This year, Steuart and Linda plan to open their garden and workshop, Cannock Forge, to the public as part of Artists Open Studios.

One of Steuart’s completed sculptures placed in the garden

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February 2021

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It is also worth noting that large trees can pose a risk if planted too close to your house, so getting them checked and pruned before the harsher weather kicks in is ideal.

As arborists, we can help consult on your landscaping so that you can get the best out of your garden.

We can also discuss how you can work with what may already be in place, to open the space up and let the light in.

We want to help you create an outdoor space you can enjoy all year round. Your garden is an important part of your home, and we want you to love it.

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RMA to be repealed

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

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by Andy Bryenton

The contentious Resource Management Act is to be repealed, following more than a decade of calls for its removal and twenty amendments to try to make it fit for purpose. Environment minister David Parker says that the three laws which will replace it will serve New Zealand better.

The call comes after the Randerson report recommended scrapping the RMA, the last in a long line of official notices that its time was over.

The Productivity Commission, the Waitangi Tribunal, Local Government New Zealand, the Property Council, Infrastructure NZ and even the law’s architect Sir Geoffrey Palmer have all called for it to be struck down since its inception in 1991.

National, Act and Labour all agreed both pre- and post-election that something needed to be done. Ironically, the decision to scrap the RMA came just a day after the publication of an editorial in our Weekend Lifestyler publication calling time on the unpopular law.

“Urban areas are struggling to keep pace with population growth and the need for affordable housing. Water quality is deteriorating, biodiversity is diminishing and there is an urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate change,” Parker said.

“The new laws will improve the natural environment, enable more development within environmental limits, provide an effective role for Maori,

and improve housing supply and affordability. Planning processes will be simplified and costs and times reduced.”

The existing law will be split into three, with the Natural and Built Environments Act (NBA) to provide for land use and environmental regulation, the Strategic Planning Act (SPA) to integrate with other legislation relevant to development, and the Climate Change Adaptation Act (CAA) to address complex issues associated with managed shoreline retreat, and funding and financing adaptation.

It’s a huge move for the rural sector, who have long seen the RMA as an impediment to growth, and who will be watching cautiously as the details of the new NBA and CAA especially come into focus. The plan going forward is for the replacement of the RMA to proceed through parliament throughout 2021, with its implementation slated for December at the earliest.

Ideal maize to maize feed Reason 1 to use Devour...

Maize The existing 100-plus RMA council planning documents will be reduced to about 14 — just part of the massive overhaul begun by Minister for the Environment David Parker

After maize harvest the same paddock is often sown back into maize the following spring. Devour is the ideal ryegrass to use for grazing/silage during this time.

Pay attention around road works • AGRICULTURAL & HORTICULTURAL SPRAYING EQUIPMENT • WATERBLASTERS & STEAM CLEANERS • TRUCK WASH CHEMICALS • 12V PUMPS • KNAPSACK SPRAY EQUIPMENT

Zane Wilson Sales - Repairs PH: 06 356 5218 M: 027 207 6310 E: zane@hogansprayandpump.co.nz or accounts@hogansprayandpump.co.nz 705 Main Street Palmerston North

SAFETY FIRST ON THE FARM

LOOK OUT FOR YOUR WORK MATES

NATURAL BARK & COMPOST

WHAT WE SPECIALISE IN Poultry (Chicken) Compost • Garden Mix • Potting Mix • Top Soil • Peat Post Peelings • Bark Nugget • Bark Chip • Bark Mulch • Feeding Mulch Wood Chip • Sawdust • Pea Straw • Scoria • White Chip • Pumice Bluestone • Waikato Gold • Crushed Shell • Base Course • Top Course Builders Mix • Pea Metal • River Sand • River Stone 20mm, 40mm • Boulders • Geocell weed mat Moss Away concentrate • Rock Basket • WM Staples

WE ALSO DELIVER | COURTESY TRAILER AVAILABLE OPEN: 8.00am – 5.00pm Weekdays, 9.00am – 3.00pm Saturdays Gate 128, SH1 North, Foxton (look for sign opp Foxton Golf Course)

M: 027 240 9381 P: 06 363 5236 E: naturalbark@inspire.net.nz W: www.naturalbark.co.nz

12

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS ADVERTORIAL

Vehicle maintenance on show LTD

LTD

∙ Effluent Systems ∙ Milking Machinery ∙ Water Pumps ∙ Shearing Machinery ∙ Spraying Equipment ∙ Pool Pumps ∙ Water Filters & UV Sterilisation Systems

IAN MACKAY Cell Phone 027 223 4315 0800 667 867 machinerymain@xtra.co.nz SALES & SERVICE: P.O. Box 268, 99 Ridgway St, Wanganui www.machinerymaintenance.co.nz

06 348 9239

100 IT’S NOT A TARGET

Timeless Auto Restoration represents SealX surface coatings and CorrosionX rust protection at the Central Districts Field Days from March 18-20.

Also expect spectacular classic car rebuilds and a new retro-caravan at Stall E29. Together with Tom Muller, the importer of SealX surface coatings and CorrosionX products to NZ, Kevin will be on-site to answer questions around corrosion protection and paint restoration on any sort of vehicle.

CorrosionX goes where corrosion protection and waterproofing electronics is “mission-critical” including electronics in modern farm machinery, RVs, farm bikes and jet skis. New Zealand’s fertiliser companies, RV and truck owners plus contractors prefer CorrosionX to lower operational cost and increase the reliability of their machines. Trailer manufacturers like Hosking, Voyager and Aakron/Express apply CorrosionX as an optional extra. CorrosionX lubricants, penetrants and corrosion stoppers simply outperform the older products. But CorrosionX is also better for staff, family and friends, which had Palmerston North company SOCO organise a great school fundraiser based on CorrosionX products for mountain bikes, fishing gear and other fun equipment.

CorrosionX products in the Manawatu are available from a selected number of authorised shops found on corrosionx. co.nz.

CorrosionX applications are also available from Timeless Auto Restoration in Palmerston North, Egmont Diesel

Services in Inglewood, Kiwi Shine Worx in Masterton and Total Autocare Solutions in Taupo.

Timeless Auto has served anyone on wheels for more than a decade as an authorised applicator for SealX surface coatings. SealX on your vehicle is what an SPF50 sun cream is for the skin.

Timeless Auto Restorations turns vehicles back into a shiny, UV-protected asset at pre-agreed prices, in time, on time.

SealX surface coatings are then backed by a nationwide guarantee

through the New Zealand importer. The water-based coatings are Dulux tested, fully aviation approved, endorsed by COVI insurance and found on the Classic Cover website. RV Manufacturers like Traillite and Nationwide RV offer SealX as an “optional extra” on new vehicles.

Find free, on-site advice from handson people happy to share years of experience and lessons learnt the hard way all over the globe. Stall E29 timelessautos.co.nz, corrosionx.co.nz and sealx.co.nz.

SEE US AT: Central Districts Field Days: Site M41 on 18/20 March

BUY LOCAL

barrow, engineered

• Tool-less conversion to a ride-on mower trailer (optional).

to last, with a 5 Year Guarantee.

NZ Z

E A L A

• Flat deck accessory tray (optional). Converts your Bernie’s Barrow to a mobile workbench.

• Caddy (optional) clips to either side of your Bernie’s Barrow.

www.berniesbarrow.co.nz

Phone: 04 566 2361

CorrosionX X proudly supplying New Zealand’s farmers on a daily basis.

•

extra-large wheel

• Two large wheels roll easily even with heavy loads and no more flat tyres!

A D E N

• Ergonomically engineered for lightweight, easy and comfortable handling.

M

N E W

is the ultimate

• Ideal for firewood, hay bales, buckets of calf feed, etc.

I

Bernie’s Barrow

• Removable end panels to carry long loads.

D

with less effort.

CorrosionX X is a super fast penetrant on corroded parts.

On reassembly it acts as long-lasting protection and stops electrolysis.

• Extra-large capacity – 4 times standard wheelbarrow.

N

in less time,

•

Get more done,

When Corrosion Protection is MISSION CRITICAL

CorrosionX X waterproofs old and new electronics/ electrics in all machinery, trucks and installations.

Safe on rubber, insulation,neoprene and all plastics.

Safe to 39,000V.

STOP RUST NOW

CorrosionX X Heavy Duty forms a dripless, dynamic, non-hardening, self-healing film that stubbornly resists erosion by splash or spray.

Find your Northland stockist at www.corrosionx.org

09 438 8800 | info@corrosionx.co.nz | www.corrosionx.co.nz

MANAWATU

THE TOUGHEST YET The all-new D-Max is tougher than ever and it’s here now!

With increased power and torque, it retains the durability that has firmly established the D-Max as one of the toughest Utes in New Zealand.

It’s more refined and loaded with technology, making your ride more comfortable. And it’s achieved the maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating across the entire range, making it the safest ute in New Zealand.

Contact Andy on 027 426 2626 | andy@manawatuisuzu.co.nz or visit our yard at Manawatu Isuzu on the cnr of Rangitikei and Bennett Street’s, Palmerston North

Or call in and ask for Andy at the Isuzu Site at the CD Field Days

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

13

ADVERTORIAL

Monitoring technology encourages work-life balance Allflex New Zealand is well-known for animal identification and cow collar technology that monitors individual cow health and heat status.

Rhonda and Steven Bamford use the Allflex cow collar monitoring system on their 920 cow Jersey herd. That helps relieve time pressure on Rhonda and the team during mating.

“The decision to use the Allflex monitoring system and invest in collar technology was an easy one,” says Steven.

“We knew Allflex was a trusted brand with experienced people. Our rep knew we were early adopters to tech and that we were looking for ways to take the pressure off me and not be so reliant on me during mating.

“We have access to accurate, reliable information and get early detection of cows who are under pressure. The collar allows us time to focus on the goal of achieving an empty rate of five per cent.”

Allflex Livestock Intelligence is part of MSD Animal Health, the world leader in the design, development, manufacturing and delivery of solutions for animal identification, monitoring and traceability.

“The collars were a substantial investment, but what price do you put on your health and wellbeing? The collars measure rumination amongst other

• Rural Fencing • Town Fencing • Security Fencing • Retaining Walls • Pole Sheds And Much More www.ajsonfarmandfence.co.nz ajsonfarmandfence@gmail.com AJ 027 635 0151 | John 027 902 0816 30+ Years Experience

Rhonda and Steven Bamford use the Allflex Monitoring System on their herd

indicators which provide the optimal time for artificially inseminating a cow.

Each morning, a heat report is produced and sent to the drafting gate. During milking, the cows that are on that report are automatically drafted out ready for the AI technician,” says Rhonda.

“I no longer spend hours in the shed visually eyeballing each cow and selecting those that are showing signs of bulling.

“I now can spend that time focussing on other farm jobs. The real-time health

What Keeps You Awake?

• • • •

"Experience Quality"

Staff rosters?

Milk production?

Breeding performance?

Cow health?

Allflex cow monitoring is the smart solution for NZ farmers.

Come and talk to the team at site E28 at Central District Field Days to find out more about this leading technology, or visit thegamechanger.farm

reports inform us when a cow is in distress, around 30 hours earlier than when she would show visual signs of distress.

“That has been of equal value. We now confidently transition cows from the colostrum mob to the milking mob and back again, not just after they have calved but during the season too.”

To find out more about Allflex monitoring technology, come meet the team at Central District Field Days, site E28, or visit thegamechanger.farm.

Pay attention!

around road works

14

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

ADVERTORIAL

Passing the toughest tests Prolan’s new lanolin ‘Extreme’ product is proving to be a successful natural rust protection solution for some of the toughest testing grounds around to protect equipment and machinery exposed to fertiliser, sand, salt and mud.

Local Ashburton company Green Fertiliser Spreading director, Darren Green says: “It’s fantastic! I always had an A+ rating at the vehicle testing station without it. Now, they want to give me a higher rating”.

The Extreme product is new in the Prolan range manufactured in New Zealand using sheep’s wool lanolin. It was initially developed for the Danish offshore turbine windmill industry as long-term natural rust protection with a less tacky finish.

Extreme has proved itself as once applied it stays on and protects in harsh environments, reducing maintenance costs, and at the same time, it ticks the boxes for environmental friendliness.

Closer to home in New Zealand the product has proved successful in the fight against corrosion for the Ninety Mile Beach spat farming industry. Loaders are coated to prevent corrosion from a harsh salt-water environment. Vehicles can be water blasted after the vehicle

has been exposed to beach conditions and the Prolan product stays on.

Operators recommend a Prolan coating as a crucial part of their maintenance programme, reducing downtime in maintenance and component replacement with improved WOF and COF pass rates and resale value on machinery. Rust is an everpresent problem. Prolan is effective in shutting off the supply of oxygen to a surface.

It can be used on areas where existing rust is present and prevents it going any further.

The preparation time is minimal.

The surface needs to be clean and dry. For example, a used vehicle chassis may require a quick water blast and wire brush over flaky rust.

The Prolan can then be applied straight on to the surface.

Prolan Extreme is perfect as a coating for vehicle chassis — 4WDs, trucks, motorhomes, loaders, fertiliser spreaders;

STOP RUST

horticultural tractors spray equipment, bridges or marine applications.

The product is easily applied using a trigger pack, airless spray gun or garden sprayer for smaller areas; it is also available in an aerosol form. A

‘Lanolin Natural Long-lasting Protection’

• Quadbike & vehicle chassis • Fertiliser loaders & spreaders • Boat motors & trailers • Machinery & tools Available from Farmlands

Ewesaved w Phoric or worry & k, time, money.

See us at the Central District Field Days Site S43

FREE

CAN

one-litre of Prolan covers 8–10 square metres; so a four-litre tin will cater for a five-metre truck chassis.

Prolan is made in New Zealand

by Kiwis using a by-product of the wool

R

WITH ANY FIELD DAYS PURCHASE ON PRESENTATION OF THIS ADVERT

Sheepyard systems that last and last.

Like us on Facebook Central District Field Days

Site S43

www.prolan.co.nz Ph: 0800 776 526

KEEP TRACK OF WHERE YOU’VE BEEN ATV’S FROM

5,990

$

VISIT US AT CENTRAL DISTRICTS FIELD DAYS ( SITES N24 & N25 )

EX GST RIDE AWAY

See you at the CD field days!

At site: I15/I16

Distributed by Mojo Motorcycles

COUNTRY MACHINERY

Corner SH 1 & SH 3 Sanson, Manawatu-Wanganui

(06) 825 6400

CFMOTO.COM.AU

www.landquip.co.nz

0800 269 776

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

15

BUSINESS PROFILE

Bert’s Fert for small block fertiliser spreading

www.centralhousemovers.co.nz

After struggling to get the big fertiliser trucks onto his property, Bert Jordan decided to set up his own system of fertiliser spreading.

Bert set up his John Deere Gator with a 300-litre tank and a spreading rose system to allow greater coverage.

He researched his options and settled on MicroLime and Nitrosol Liquid Fertiliser. The Nitrosol has a full range of plant-available nutrients, minerals and trace elements that will feed and nurture plants through both foliage and roots. The organic content contributes to the development of soil biology leading to better nutrient uptake by plants, raising Brix levels and increasing dry matter.

He was so impressed with the results of this natural fertiliser that he wanted to share this option with others.

“Often the big trucks can’t get into the smaller areas, or the size of the truck can cause damage to the pasture,” said Bert.

He notes that the Gator has a low impact on the pasture and is able to spread fertiliser over most terrain.

“It was amazing to see the difference it made to the pasture and to the animals,” he said.

“The animals seemed more settled, particularly the horses. There was definitely no warming effect like there

ALWAYS PROFESSIONAL We are New Zealand's No. 1 House and Building Movers. This has been achieved through the simple, practical no-nonsense business principles and plain hard work. Customer Satisfaction is our ultimate aim for every move.

CENTRAL

HOUSE MOVERS CALL US TODAY

06 322 1860

REMEMBER Bert Jordan spreads MicroLime and Nitrosol Liquid Fertiliser using his John Deere Gator, with a 300-litre tank and a spreading rose system

can be with some fertilisers.” Bert recommends anyone considering applying fertiliser to their property should check out the Nitrosol website for more information about the products: nitrosol. co.nz. He is passionate about the benefits of these products and is happy to share his experience and discuss options — call 021 713 919. Prices can be found on the Bert’s Fert Facebook

page. Spreading time is approximately three hectares an hour, dependent on both water supply and terrain.

Autumn is a great time to tend to your pasture, and the fast-acting nature of Nitrosol fertilisers helps set pastures for both winter and spring.

It is ILLEGAL to use a hand held cellphone while driving a motor vehicle

DRIVE PHONE FREE! www.armstrong.co.nz

Bert’s Fert

0800 506 111

Soil Support Services Manawatu

SECURE YOUR RURAL BUILDINGS, SHEDS & SHELTERS

Enhance your soil biology with Nitrosol Biological Fertilisers, making a significant contribution to enriching soil life, improving crop yields and quality, improving the health of grazing animals and reducing reliance on chemicals.

Nitrosol Organic MicroLime Certified Biogro organic finely ground high purity calcium carbonate used to increase pH or supply calcium. Applied in liquid form.

Recommended Rate: 25kg a hectare

Bert Jordan 021 713 919 bert762@gmail.com

Nitrosol Oceanic Liquid Fertiliser Deep sea fish blood and bone plus trace elements and minerals with a balanced NPK of 8:3:6.

If you have a security concern or simply want a FREE independent security review of your property, call us: 06 355 3333

• CCTV • ALARMS • LOCKS • KEYS • SAFES • ACCESS CONTROL

Recommended Rate: 10-20L a hectare Diluted with approximately 300L of water

Nitrosol Biological Fertilisers are spread using a low impact Gator with spreading rose system.

Armstrong Palmerston North Phone: (06) 355 3333 Address: 589H Tremaine Ave

For more information on these products:

www.nitrosol.co.nz

NEW & USED Light Truck Commercial Mud-Terrain All-Terrain Trailers Small Tractor FREE SILAGE TYRES

(06) 357 9701

facebook.com/BertsFert/

TYRES

FROM FROM

50

$

discounttyreshop.co.nz 773 Tremaine Ave, Palmerston North

Why pay more for your tyres?

16

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

THE ORIGINAL ROBOTIC MOWER!

STARTING FROM

*

2,599

$

AM305 Prices refer to units only. Installation kits sold separately. Installation cost apply.

LONGER RUNTIME. LESS WEIGHT Husqvarna’s range of battery-powered handheld equipment, you can now do serious green work without having to worry about fumes and noise.

BATTERY TRIMMERS

BATTERY HEDGE TRIMMERS

STARTING FROM

269*

$

STARTING FROM

269*

$ *Refers model 115iL excludes battery and charger

*Refers model 115iHD45 excludes battery and charger

BATTERY CHAINSAWS

BATTERY BLOWERS

STARTING FROM

309*

$

369*

$

STARTING FROM

*Refers model 120I excludes battery and charger

LAWN TRACTORS

STARTING FROM

4,399*

$

*Refers model 120IB excludes battery and charger

ZTR® ZERO TURNS

STARTING FROM

RIDERS

STARTING FROM

8,099*

6,399*

$

$

*Refers model Z146

*Refers model Z246. Valid 01/09/19 - 31/12/2019

*Refers model TS138

*Refers model R216-C94

5 YEAR DOMESTIC WARRANTY*

Purchase genuine Husqvarna oil with your new Husqvarna petrol products to extend the standard 2 year domestic warranty period to 5 years. *Terms and Conditions apply, see HUSQVARNA.COM for details.

Available at your local authorised Husqvarna Dealer,

ASHHURST

Ashhurst Mower Centre

06 326 8803

MARTON

Robbie’s Mechanical Services

06 327 7115

PALMERSTON NORTH

City Honda

06 357 7027

PALMERSTON NORTH

Norwood Farm Machinery

06 351 2799 WWW.HUSQVARNA.COM

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Thrills and spills set for 4x4 trials

February 2021

17

THE SHORT DROP LIMITED

Mud, rollovers and engines with plenty of grunt will keep spectators entertained during the upcoming Manawatu round of the National Four Wheel Drive Trial Series next month.

Fifty of the top 4WD vehicles, from all over the North Island, are expected to compete at the event, held as part of the competition series.

Six rounds of the national trials, each organised by a local 4WD drive club, are held annually between Labour weekend and Easter.

The Manawatu 4WD Club organises the local round of the national trials series, with strong support from club members.

Stuart Earle is in charge of the financial and entries for the competition.

He said there are 30 different courses during the day, split evenly to run in the morning and afternoon.

“All courses start at the same time and therefore there is a lot of action happening in every direction.”

With the ultimate aim to obtain a perfect score of zero, drivers and navigators in teams of two will work together to get their trucks through each hazard on the course.

Stuart said hazards, which include driving up and sideways across very steep hills that would be hard to walk on, create spectacular viewing.

The course is designed with this in mind.

“Identifying areas that will be challenging for competitors and put on a good show for the public,” said Stuart.

“There are plenty of vantage points to be able to watch multiple courses

Portable self contained unit No smell, Cost effective, Modular and Practical Perfect for cowsheds, orchards, bach etc... ...an eco way to deal with poo!

Full house hold waste water systems also available swwsnz.co.nz

compostingtoilet.nz Anita Grant • 027 462 1339

DRIVE SAFE On Rural Roads

The Manawatu round of the National 4WD Trials Series will be held in Colyton on Sunday, March 14 Sam Bolton Photography

without having to move, and close enough to feel and smell the V8 engines. If lucky enough, get covered in dirt. While close to the trucks, the public area is safe for all ages and families to attend.”

Competitors are split into seven classes, depending on their vehicle’s engine size and modifications. The sport is described as a mixture of finesse and precision, testing man and machine.

Up to 2,000 spectators are expected throughout the day.

BIOBOOST® 6-2-0 THE FERTILISER

FOR ALL SITUATIONS • Organic granular slow release fertiliser • Weed free - 67% organic matter • Will not burn plant roots or foliage • Can be incorporated when planting or used as a top feed • Fantastic for ALL lawns, flowers, vegetables, roses, trees, shrubs, & container plants • Bioboost is available from: Selected Garden Centres, Commercial Horticultural, Agricultural & Turf Service Centres

“The action runs all day so can come and go at any point. For a family price of $20, this is amazing value,” said Stuart.

The event will be held in Pollock Road, Colyton on Sunday, March 14 from 8.30am–4pm. A variety of food vendors will be on-site.

All funds raised will be donated to the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter.

For more information search ‘BB Construction Ltd National 4x4 Trials’ on Facebook.

M 4 1

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT’S AROUND THE CORNER

H C AR

Contact Bioboost Ltd for further information by E mail bioboost@xtra.co.nz or Phone 06 7548454/ 0274431809 www.bioboost.co.nz

4X4TRIALS TRIALS 24/7 Callout Service • Onsite Fleet and Farm Service Tyre and Puncture Repairs • Car, 4WD, Truck, Tractor Tyres Agent for Century Batteries • Wheel Alignment (by appointment) “FOR ALL YOUR TYRE AND BATTERY NEEDS, NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR SMALL”

CALL US TODAY FOR A FREE QUOTE. Ph: 027 538 5518 | Email: ruraltyres@gmail.com | 10 Green Road, Awahuri

8:30AM - 4PM

Adults $10

Pollock Road

Children $5

Colyton

Family $20

18

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Dairy sector world leaders

by Andy Bryenton

When it comes to emissions from dairy cattle, New Zealand leads the world. Not in the volume of greenhouse gases produced, but quite the opposite, according to a recent report by AgResearch.

The accepted measure of the environmental impact from dairying records the amount of carbon dioxide or its equivalent (CO2e) released for every kilogram of ‘fat and protein corrected’ milk (FPCM). Hence, a low score for ‘CO2e per kilo of FPCM’ is desirable.

AgResearch’s analysis proves that for 2020, New Zealand dairy farmers had the world’s lowest carbon footprint — at nearly half the emissions of other international producers.

This is a long way from the assurances of climate armageddon via farming which were touted in the not so distant past by opponents to the dairy industry.

The exact figure sits at 0.74kg per kilo FPCM, with the average across all recorded dairy producers confirmed as 1.37kg per kilo FPCM. New Zealand farmers beat out most of our European

We Offer:

rivals in agriculture convincingly, with a total less than half that of the CO2e emissions recorded in places like Germany and Italy.

The United States and Canada were also beaten by a wide margin, with the countries faring worst in the poll being those with limited modern infrastructure or challenging terrain and conditions; Peru, Costa Rica and Kenya are examples of these.

AgResearch scientists Andre Mazzetto and Stewart Ledgard followed exacting International Organisation for Standardisation rules to come up with these figures, providing an insight into our progress in better farming practices. “We reviewed international studies and recalculated their footprints in a systematic way, using methods accepted internationally to provide a

• Baling, wrapping and carting of both round and square bales • Direct drilling plus full cultivations • Good supply of hay, balage & straw — round, square & conventional — all year round

BRUCE GORDON

CONTRACTING LTD

MIKE HANCOCK: 027 442 4997

0800 CROP IT (0800 276 748)

•

fair and robust comparison between different countries,” Mazzetto is quoted as saying.

“Bearing in mind, countries may have different emission profiles and different ways of calculating their footprints for milk production, we believe

we have reached the best possible comparison from the data available.”

He concurred that there was still room for us to perform even better, as other nations on the list work to reduce their own emissions footprints and new technologies become available.

Grain storage and handling equipment • Feed Milling solutions • Feed systems

Central Districts Field Days Come and see us Sites S3 & S4 by the main entrance

0800 feedsystems

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

19

ADVERTORIAL

Adventure awaits in 2021!

TRC Tractors is well known as the benchmark for tractor sales and servicing in the Manawatu, located in its purpose-built premises at the gateway to Feilding.

As an AGCO dealer for the brands Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Valtra and agents for Stewart Trailers and Weaving Drills, TRC Tractors is proud to stock a range of machines and ag equipment to suit all your needs.

As 2021 commences, TRC Tractors is excited to announce a new partnership with another well-known brand. As a leader in its field, with the most comprehensive line up of utility vehicles, bikes and side by sides, TRC Tractors is proud to announce it is now the agent for Polaris NZ right here in the mighty Manawatu!

Engineered for work with functionality in mind, Polaris has a vehicle for any farming, hunting or recreational adventure you wish to undertake in 2021.

Durable, serviceable with robust safety features, TRC Tractors is excited to have these utility vehicles available as part of its range.

The sales team are enthusiastic to share their knowledge to match a vehicle to your needs and budget.

With the flexibility to fully customise your Polaris to work hard and play hard, our friendly and experienced parts department can help you do more with Polaris.

TRC Tractors has a team of experienced technicians who can

See our advert on the back page

M Contracts Ltd D PAINTERS & DECORATORS • INTERIOR/EXTERIOR PAINTING • SPRAY PAINTING • PAPER HANGING & RESTORATION

Dean 027 492 4050 A/h 06 358 4881 dean@painterpalmerstonnorth.co.nz www.painterpalmerstonnorth.co.nz

service these high-performance vehicles in our modern workshop. Come and visit the TRC Tractors team and check out the showroom at 4 Turners Road, Feilding.

Think outside adventure; think Polaris; think TRC Tractors!

FIELD DAYS SPECIAL: Free fitting & balancing for all new car, SUV & 4WD tyres bought in March (T&Cs apply)

ELMO (Allan Gilchrist) WOODBURNERS

Free standing, inbuilt, stoves, outdoor fires

WOODBURNER PARTS

Manager/Fleet Controller

14 Awa Street, Feilding 4702 elmostyreservice@hotmail.co.nz Fax: 06 323 6476

M: 027 241 2946 P: 06 323 9585

FB: elmostyreservice W: elmostyreservice.co.nz

All fires - all parts. Instore selection or we order

WOODBURNER FLUE CLEANS AND INSPECTIONS WOODBURNER REBUILDS GAS Free standing, inbuilt, instant hot water units, outdoor heaters, bayonet heaters, outdoor fires

A IN &

SEED DRESSI

ID G E CRSEEDS

GR

NG

QUA LITY PASTURE SEED

CENTRAL HEATING Underfloor, radiators (Natural gas, LPG, Diesel, air to water heatpums)

PLUMBING New homes, maintenance, alterations

DRAINAGE New & existing

“Outstanding in the field” Ryegrass mixes delivered nationwide keeping everyone happy www.cridgeseeds.co.nz Phone Seed Manager Nick 0220833579

20

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

FREE DELIVERY ORDERS OVER $1500.00

Retailer of Rural Piping and Farm Supplies

0800 RURAL DIRECT

VALID MARCH 2021

SUPPORT NEW ZEALAND MADE

900mm HDPE Culvert x 6m

Effluent Pipe

Introductory Price $1750.00

90mm

Joining Sleeves $100.00

HEAVY WALL – SUITS CAMLOCKS

75mm

NEW CT U PROD

Maxi Drain Coil

r alle Sm also s coil ilable v a a

Punched & Unpunched Drain Coil 110mm OD x 100m 160mm OD x 45m

315 $315 $

MEGA ROLLS AVAILABLE 110mm x 425m & 160mm x 190m Drainage Contractors call for a quote

Rural Nominal Bore Pipe

15mm 20mm 25mm 32mm 40mm 50mm

Pressure rating (PSI)

130 116 94 72 65 50

per metre

Suitable for above ground use.

Available 50m and 100m

Drag Hose LDPE Irrigator Drag Hose Hard-wearing LDPE. Suits AG Camlocks

63mm x 50m 63mm x 100m 75mm x 50m

210.00 $ 410.00 $ 320.00 $

9 Bar Rural Pressure Pipe

$ per 100m

$ 81 $145 $195 $239 $283 $372

8.95

MDPE Pressure Pipe

LDPE Water Pipe ID nominal bore

110mm

$

$ 6.99 per metre $ 8.95 per metre $ 12.50 per metre

90mm

20mm x 100m 116PSI

$

145.00

Outside diameter

$ per 100m

$ per 200m

25mm 32mm 40mm 50mm 63mm

$136 $171 $232 $349 $532

$266 $333 $452 $681 $1037

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February 2021

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ADVERTORIAL

Festival back on track The momentum is growing for the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2021 after Covid-19 scuppered last year’s event and the organising committee has used the extra planning time to build the event which promises to be bigger than ever.

More activities on the day will make it a must-do this year with a larger-thanlife parade led by REACT (Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre), interactive sculpture play and a busier than ever music stage.

The festival also boasts a brand new category, which will open the doors to even more sculptures. The NZ Rural Sculpture Open Award will allow sculptors with a contemporary edge to get involved.

The award will see more scope for different subject matters and could bring a whole new outlook to the rural theme.

The prize money has grown bigger to accommodate the new award and the first prize winner will go home with $2,000 while the runner-up will be $500 richer.

The entries will also be eligible for the People’s Choice Award.

There are more than 20 award categories in the festival, ranging from the Creative Cocky Award, which encourages rural people to get on board, through to a whole raft of kids’ awards. There is a prize pool of more than $17,500.

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February 2021

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ADVERTORIAL

Cool season Captain wins in winter Less than six months before pastoral farmers must comply with strict limits on nitrogen use, plantain is back in the spotlight for autumn sowing this year.

One plantain, in particular, is providing great cool-season growth. That means it mops up more soil nitrogen at the riskiest time of the year for leaching, plus it provides extra feed when it is most needed on-farm.

Pasture systems specialist, Blair Cotching, says Captain CSP (cool season plantain) has been specifically bred to keep growing during the cooler months of the year.

That is very important for reducing soil nitrogen (N) losses, particularly in the current regulatory environment.

“Many farmers are looking for ways to mitigate the risk of soil N loss from their systems while maintaining sustainable levels of production.

“Industry research has shown plantain has real potential here, to the point where it is now included in Overseer.”

Captain’s value to both red meat and dairy producers extends beyond a strong environmental profile, says Blair, who heads the pasture systems team at Barenbrug.

Captain also grows strongly in other seasons and performs particularly well

in the summer despite being bred for cool-season performance.

“In terms of stock performance, it’s palatable, easily digested and rich in essential minerals and trace elements. So there are distinct animal nutrition benefits, on top of its use as an N-mitigation tool.”

Grazing utilisation is good because Captain remains obviously upright in the pasture year-round.

Captain has shown good persistence in mixed-sward trials. Well-managed, it will thrive for up to three years.

Blair says a key benefit is the ability to use the new plantain in different ways, depending on farmers’ individual priorities.

In red meat systems, for example, mixed with red and white clovers, Captain offers a high live weight gain finishing crop. Alternatively, it can be part of a perennial pasture mix.

Dairy farmers can sow it as a specialist three to four-year pasture, mixed with hybrid ryegrass and white clover or include it with new autumnsown perennial ryegrass pastures.

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Captain CSP, front and centre, showing its winter growth advantage compared to other plantain cultivars

“It’s also well-suited to over-sowing into thin pastures in spring.”

Barenbrug is working to develop new plantain cultivars, with both environmental and animal nutrition benefits in mind, he says.

“We have two goals with our plantain research, both revolving around N mitigation.

“The first is breeding improved plantains, with even more cool-season growth to utilise more N in winter. The second is to increase the levels of the secondary metabolites that help reduce N leaching.”

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ADVERTORIAL

Rural Games brings country to town A range of new competitions and a rural careers expo added to the 2021 Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games, continues to bring a fresh taste of the country into the heart of the city.

Westpac Agri Futures, in association with Property Brokers, is a recent addition recognising the importance of New Zealand’s primary industries.

Westpac New Zealand Institutional and Business Banking general manager Simon Power said Agri Futures is all about encouraging the next generation into agriculture sector careers.

“The demand for staff across rural New Zealand has only grown since Covid-19, and Westpac understands the need to support efforts to encourage more Kiwis to enter the rural workforce.

“There is a wide breadth of career opportunities available right now. From dairy, horticulture, fencing, shepherding and shearing, through to arboriculture, apiculture, finance, science and increasingly agri-tech, which is particularly strong in the Manawatu.”

Property Brokers chairman Tim Mordaunt said the rural economy is more buoyant now than it has been in decades.

New Zealand Rural Games Trust chair Margaret Kouvelis MNZM said Westpac Agri Futures would have a heavy focus on industry bodies and those institutions

that specialise in preparing youth for rural careers.

Westpac Agri Futures will host a wide range of representatives from industry organisations and educational institutes on Friday, March12 from 9am–1pm in The Square, Palmerston North.

Alongside Westpac Agri Futures, the Allflex Clash of Colleges, in association with Inspire Net and Talent Central, will run. More than 240 students from secondary schools throughout the mid and lower North Island will compete in a variety of rural modules.

The ever-popular STIHL Timbersports joins the rural games for two days of chainsaw and woodchopping action. The competition includes New Zealand, Men’s, Ladies’ and Rookie Championships.

STIHL marketing manager Stace Hall said the New Zealand Rural Games is the perfect event for Timbersports.

“We’ve watched the Rural Games and the Rural Sports Award grow.

Palmerston North now has the platform to truly celebrate rural sports; the sports that helped build our nation.”

The 2021 Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games will be held in The Square,

STIHL Timbersports joins the 2021 Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games this year

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February 2021 MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Draft report raises concerns

New Zealand’s largest manufacturing industry is generally supportive of the Climate Change Commission’s draft report, and its focus on reducing the use of fossil fuels, but is concerned about the stated 15 per cent reduction in sheep, cattle and dairy numbers.

Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said red meat processors and exporters are committed to reducing and eventually eliminating the use of coal, although achieving the commission’s 2037 target will be difficult.

“We do need a fair and just transition away from coal to ensure jobs and livelihoods are not put at risk. However, our chief concern is any drop in livestock numbers may jeopardise the viability of some processing plants and jobs in rural communities.

“Meat processors rely on throughput of livestock to create efficiencies of scale and be profitable. The commission estimates that without major on-farm practice change and new technologies, a 15 per cent reduction in livestock numbers will be required to achieve the targets by 2030. This would have a serious impact on the ability of many processors to keep operating.

“On the face of it, this assumption by the commission that we can reduce livestock numbers by 15 per cent while still maintaining current production volumes seems optimistic. We need to understand why the commission made this assumption to better assess the likely effects for the industry.”

Ms Karapeeva said we can’t plant our way out of climate change.

“Wholesale planting of pine trees on sheep and beef farmland is not the answer, and it will have significant implications for jobs in regional New Zealand.

“The red meat processing sector generates more than $10 billion in export revenue every year and is also a significant regional employer in New Zealand so any changes would have a major impact on people’s livelihoods.

“In Taranaki/Manawatu and Whanganui, the sector supports almost 10 per cent of full-time employment in the region with 5,200 directly, and it underpins more than 8,300 full-time equivalent jobs.”

Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers president Murray Holdaway said, in general, the report is well balanced as it includes all sectors of the New Zealand economy to make appropriate adjustments.

“It raises a number of important issues and importantly provides opportunity for engagement and input, which is something Federated Farmers appreciates and will take up.”

Mr Holdaway is confident new technology can play a part in reducing emissions, so the projected decline of 15 per cent by 2030 is achievable.

25

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He hopes the report is the catalyst for honest and open discussion surrounding several issues.

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February 2021

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Rural Sports Awards finalists

February 2021

27

The finalists for the 2021 Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards have been announced ahead of the sold-out awards ceremony.

The finalists have been selected from five award categories, and are leaders in rural sports including shearing, fencing, wood chopping, harness racing and tree climbing.

New Zealand Rural Sports Awards judging panel convenor and Olympic rowing medallist Nathan Twaddle says out of the five categories, the Toyota Legacy Lifetime Award received a record number of nominations.

“The Legacy Lifetime Award always attracts a significant number of entries and this year we have received both a record number and a very high calibre of nominations. As a result, we have put forward five finalists for consideration,” he said.

The judging panel has also unanimously agreed to make one other significant change to the Legacy Lifetime Award.

“We are pleased to announce the limit of a sole recipient for this award has been removed.

“The judging panel considers it is important to celebrate dedication and lasting impact over a lifetime, without the restriction of recognising just one individual each year.

“After an incredibly tough year for so much of New Zealand, we are looking forward to the opportunity to celebrate

the achievements at the awards dinner.

“The Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards are all about honouring people. From young athletes who are just starting, to the lifetime achievers, and those who work away in the background to make sure rural sports survive. We can’t thank them enough and look forward to sharing a wonderful evening with them as we celebrate their sporting achievements.”

Sir John Kirwan, Olympian Tom Walsh and Farm4Life’s Tangaroa Walker are the first three confirmed award presenters on what is expected to be a starstudded evening.

“We will announce the Norwood Supreme New Zealand Rural Sports Award to the most outstanding winner of a category, as well as the Sir Brian Lochore Memorial Award for an outstanding sports person from a rural background.”

The judging panel includes Nathan Twaddle, rural sports icon and president of Shearing Sports New Zealand Sir David Fagan, fencing legend Paul van Beers, MP for Taranaki-King Country Barbara Kuriger, founder and trustee of the Ford Ranger New Zealand Rural Games Steve Hollander, and respected agricultural journalists Craig ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins and Tony Leggett.

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The finalists are: PTS Logistics New Zealand Rural Sportsman of the Year: Tony Bouskill — fencing, Scott Forrest — tree climbing and Rowland Smith — shearing.

Skellerup New Zealand Rural Sportswoman of the Year: Darcell Apelu — wood chopping, Steph Dryfhout — tree climbing and Keryn Herbert — shearing.

Fonterra Young New Zealand Rural Sportsperson of the Year: John Morrison — harness racing, Adam Gordon — shearing and Stephanie McNair — target shooting.

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Levno Outstanding Contribution to Rural Sport: Murray and Deneece Goldsworthy — harness racing, Warren White — shearing and Stephen Mowbray — rodeo.

Toyota Lifetime Legacy: Greg Herrick — shearing, Sheree Taylor — wood chopping, Sally Mallinson — sheep dog trials, Curly Troon — gumboot throwing and Nick Liefting — fencing.

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

WOOD IS GOOD Forestry news and events: February

What is biodiversity and who cares?

A series of surveys completed by Beef + Lamb NZ have recently highlighted the lack of understanding of what biodiversity is in a land management sense, and how it rates in importance for either potential profits or other benefits.

Some landowners rate it highly but for different reasons, and we seem to have no common understanding of why it matters or how to achieve it in New Zealand under our differing land uses.

Biodiversity is just a fancy term for variety. And the more variety we have in plants and animal species, then the better off we are. These ecosystems ensure natural sustainability for all life forms. This diversity of systems gives all land users more flexibility and adaptive responses to challenges such as climate change, or disease, or where markets have suddenly changed.

Forest ecosystems are worth far more than just the value of their wood. Their biodiversity and forest ecosystems are increasingly recognised in New Zealand for providing services that include climate change mitigation, habitats for native species, recreation, improved water quality, avoided sedimentation and flood control.

Pine forests are measured with far more biodiversity than either pasture or

horticultural land with the added benefit of doing it fast. Birds do not much care what habitat you provide but would prefer a closed canopy forest in 15 years rather than 50, and this is how long many planted natives will take to catch up with pine, with the issue of no timber crop at the end.

Most forest owners in New Zealand are registered and have to comply with the rules governing the FSC system. (Forest Stewardship Council) This rigorous international organization gives our New Zealand timber an endorsement that it is produced from forests meeting many measured criteria, and biodiversity levels is one of them. To meet FSC standards there are regular audits and most forestry companies now hire dedicated staff to keep track of the huge number of requirements for this process in order to keep their accreditation as many markets now demand this overseas.

For forestry, biodiversity is not just a “nice to have”, it’s a necessity to meet market requirements and a long-studied mechanism in pine forests that have been around in New Zealand for nearly 180 years, so we care very much as this measurable can mean the stamp of approval for our timber and hence, more profit, at the top of the list of benefits that production forests will leave long-term for the landscape.

Forestry at Central Districts Field Days 18-20 March Manfield, Feilding.

The Southern North Island Wood Council is coordinating a new “Forestry Hub” to be a central area for its members to provide information on the commercial activities of their members as well as general information about the forest sector, careers opportunities, wood products made from pine.

The SNI Wood Council is one of 8 Wood Councils around New Zealand that have been formed and funded by local Forestry, Transport and Processing companies. The purpose of the Council is to promote the positive benefits of forestry in our communities, careers and training and the place of forestry in fighting climate change in New Zealand. 36 members belong to the SNI Wood Council and many of these will be contributing to either the information stalls in the main marquee or with speakers for the “Forestry” talks that will occur in the lecture tent over the days. Keep an eye on the speaker timetable to attend talks on “Carbon and Farm Forestry”, “Investing in Forestry”, “The future for careers in forestry”,

Does a career in Forestry interests you?

Come and visit the Forestry Hub to speak to local forestry and industry professionals and view information on the New Zealand Forestry Sector in our region.

“Health and Safety”, “Wood is Good Primary Schools Program”.

This year the Forestry Hub has been funded by the Forest Growers Levy Trust and Te Uru Rakau who represent many of the forest growers from around New Zealand.

The Ministry for Primary Industries has been supportive of this Hub and its intent to inform the public of forestry benefits.

There is plenty for the children to do at the Forestry Hub, with interactive machine driving simulators, a loaded log truck with games and prizes and tree identification quiz to try your hand at. The Forestry Hub will be part of the Ag Challenge involving students from Manawatu Colleges where they will complete a forestry challenge as part of their competition.

Sunday 21 March 2020 is International day of Forests, so what better way to celebrate your interest in the environment than to visit the Forestry Hub and hear how our sector is enabling the benefits of forests for your community.

Wood is Good Primary Schools Program Funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, this program has extended across New Zealand with 50 sessions planned at primary schools in each region. A partnership of forestry and road transport safety, local forestry companies bring representatives and a loaded log truck to a primary school to talk about safety with log trucks on the roads, why we have plantation forests in New Zealand, where those logs have come from, and where they are going.

The aim of this program is to increase awareness of children of the benefits that forests provide in our communities and how our plantation timber is used for our products every day. Drone flying, book readings, and speaker sessions with local professionals are part of these days. Uptake around New Zealand has been overwhelming with an obvious necessity for this type of information and engagement from our sector.

If you wish to nominate your school for a “Wood is Good” session contact woodisgoodnz@gmail.com.

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CENTRAL DISTRICTS FIELD DAYS 18-20 MARCH

R Y HU S E R B O F 2021 free giveaways, kids games, and careers information available.

10 Different information booths Speakers daily: 9.30, 11.30, 1.30, 3.30.

Talking on topics from climate change, to investing in forestry, to carbon measurement.

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

29

ADVERTORIAL

Forestry training awards Southern North Island Wood Council is pleased to confirm its annual training awards are back on the calendar. We are proud to invite our sector to nominate those from within our industry, community and from individuals in our workplaces for these awards.

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Award winners from 2019 Southern North Island Wood Council Training Awards

We are looking for those who are worthy top performers in their field to take the stage on May 7 at the SNIWC Training Awards at the Awapuni Function Centre in Palmerston North.

Last year the event was postponed due to Covid-19, so the industry has been waiting with anticipation to see this event returning with an expected just under 400 ticket sales.

“The industry was under a lot of pressure during Covid and once given the green light to get back into

production, we have had crews working hard to gain back their production levels.

It is now time to step up and nominate your peers, those that you have seen work above and beyond their positions and worthy candidates.

“We all need a good night out!,” CEO for Southern North Island Wood Council, Erica Kinder said.

Forestry is the second-largest exporting sector for New Zealand.

It has a workforce of more than 7,500 and an even greater team of

workers are employed in processing and manufacturing.

It is a difficult demographic of workers to get together due to the spread and isolation of many workplaces, and the awards give the perfect excuse for this celebration.

Nominations will close on March 31.

Online forms are accessible at awards. sniwoodcouncil.co.nz, along with other information about the event.

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February 2021

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As it turned out, the reality of shepherding wasn’t quite the same as it was on TV and, at that time, didn’t offer the career pathway Jax was looking for.

She shifted her focus to the dairy industry and other than a short stint managing a poultry farm, she has not looked back.

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“Every time I put anyone into a training programme, I think holistically, taking into account the needs of the employer and the employee.”

Jax’s passion for the dairy industry has not waned during the years. She loves watching future talent coming through and seeing their success as their career progresses. She sees her trainees go from assistant to 2IC and onwards, and as a facilitator, she feels

fortunate to be part of their journey. “I’m the lucky one really. I get to watch these amazing people flourish and become great dairy farmers.”

Since starting in South Taranaki, Jax has brought Primary ITO programmes into the Waverley and Patea catchments. “I am super stoked to be able to offer more programmes in that area which means easier access and less travel for trainees.”

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“We always see a difference with their understanding in the day-to-day work.

They come and talk to us about what’s happening and it helps join the dots, which is ultimately better for us and our business,” says Phil.

“They are more confident to go ahead and take the initiative.”

The type of Primary ITO programmes their staff undertake include stock handling, animal health, milking systems and pasture management.

The couple, who milk 330 cows in a split calving – so they are calving in spring and autumn and milking all year round – offer their staff the opportunity to study with Primary ITO. Phil says while they do gently encourage their staff to undertake study through Primary ITO, they need to be committed. They have to want to do it.

The couple and their staff have found their Training Adviser Jax Flintoff to be very good at both supporting their employees and understanding their business and skill requirements.

Learning dairy on-farm key to success Dairy employers and employees are recognising the value of gaining industry qualifications on the job.

South Taranaki dairy farmers Tanya and Phil Nixon have found Primary ITO programmes and qualifications benefit their business through having employees who grow in confidence as well as skills.

“It is a three-way stakeholder arrangement. Jax, as an educator, has an understanding of our business and our staff, and will marry them all together.”

Sydney Porter works for Phil and Tanya and is learning through Primary ITO. She has been working in the dairy industry for two years and believes it’s invaluable that Jax has also done the programmes and the hard-yards on-farm herself.

“She has ways of explaining things that help me understand because she knows what she is talking about. She has been there and done that.”

Last year Sydney completed a livestock husbandry qualification and is now studying livestock feeding.

The Government is covering training fees until 31 December 2022, so there’s never been a better time to connect with Jax. Phone 027 446 6267 or email jaclyn.flintoff@primaryito.ac.nz

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

RECOGNISING NATURAL

treasures

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

WOOD CARVING ARTIST BRETT SUTHERLAND HAS A VISION TO REMIND US OF THE NATURAL TREASURES WE HAVE, AND ONCE HAD, AROUND US BY CARVING IMAGES OF NATIVE BIRDS INTO NATIVE TIMBERS.

B

rett learned the art of bone carving when he was 16 years old, and the skill enabled him to travel the world.

“We are all artists in different mediums. If you are a writer or good at making food, you are an artist.

Everybody has something they are good at with natural ability,” says Brett.

“I carved miniature compact sculptures called Netsuke and ended up in St Martin on my catamaran that I built in Brazil.

“I was known as the bone carver of the Caribbean and became a tattoo artist as well to diversify my creative options. Carving is my place of Zen. I

believe if you discover something you Zen with, you are doing God’s work.

“While in Alaska in the 1990s, I discovered woolly mammoth tusk is available, and I became a greenie, zoologist, ivory carver. You are not endangering anything using woolly mammoth tusk.

“Eventually, I returned to New Zealand because my mum became ill. I was one of the first people to present ivory carving in New Zealand, and I also built one of the first tiny homes in New Zealand in her driveway in Hamilton.

Since then, I worked in the film industry making items such as costumes, armour and helmets.”

Brett Sutherland believes native birds of New Zealand are one of our most treasured species and is using his carving skills to preserve their images

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Brett is also a zoologist and recently completed his first full-sized totara totem pole of six coastal native birds relevant to the Kaipara area, which now graces a local property. He hopes to create totem poles relevant to each area of New Zealand.

“The Kaipara coastal birds are the fairy tern, kingfisher, oystercatcher, white-faced heron, pied shag and the spoonbill. I always knew that one day I would carve my own totem. I fell in love with totem poles when I was living in British Columbia, travelling on a motorcycle, staying with indigenous carvers on reservations. I was totally drawn to their stories, designs, what they represent and why.

“The Native Americans have a ceremony for each pole. They say once a totem is raised, the pole takes on a spirit and becomes alive. When it eventually falls, they leave it as that is what the pole wants to do. Some can be standing for 100 years before falling over.

“I am self-taught because at school, my teacher was uninterested in helping me and my family didn’t know anything about carving. The biggest honour I have had was a master carver offering me to attend a carving school in Whakatane.

That was a rare opportunity for someone like myself, but I was returning overseas at the time.

“To begin a large piece, I firstly make a miniature called a maquette. To begin a large pole, I pull the bark off the log, set it up on stands and draw the plan onto the wood.”

Brett makes the first cuts on the totem with a chainsaw.

“From there it is all chisel work and no sandpaper. Each piece is finished with oil to protect the wood. I started during the first Covid lockdown and was very happy carving all day.

“I finally had the time to realise what I want to do.

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Carving totem poles of endangered, extinct and common birds from native timber has become Brett’s passion, and he hopes to use the different species important to each New Zealand region

“The large totem took me some 400 hours to create, and the miniatures take up to 50 hours each. My nine-bird pole has three common species, three endangered and three extinct. Other sets include eight commonly seen native birds, eight endangered and eight extinct New Zealand native birds.

“I believe we need sculptures that are seen and understood, and our most treasured thing is genetics, and that means life. I see our birds as the most treasured taonga that we have.

There is nothing more important to me than what is seen around us, what is not commonly seen and that which has gone before us such as moa.

“I am open to commissions by contacting me at bonecarver@yahoo.

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com. My plan is to create works for different regions with extinct, endangered and commonly seen birds.

For example, areas of the South Island may have totally different species to areas in the North Island.

“Wood and bone carving as a career is heartful and positive to me. It has a good presence, is life-giving and real, as opposed to unnatural materials that end up in the landfill.

“Art enriches us. You can argue we don’t need it, but it helps identify another aspect of ourselves.

“It is the most valuable thing besides our genetics.”

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Keeping farmers safe

With the priority to keep farmers, food producers and staff healthy and safe, Beef + Lamb NZ is closely monitoring government advice regarding the evolving coronavirus situation.

While Auckland is in level three lockdown, as the situation changes, B+LNZ will update the website page and post information on its social media pages.

Key points for farmers to note is that sheep, beef and dairy farming are permitted activities for operating within the Auckland region under alert level three. The Auckland boundary description for alert level three can be found at covid19.govt.nz search boundary maps. All relevant information about how to cross the border and getting the business travel documents can be found at business.govt.nz.

Farms are businesses, and if you are under alert level two and three, all businesses and services are required to display the official NZ Covid Tracer QR code posters in a prominent place or near the main entrance for each business location.

You should display a poster under these alert levels. It is recommended you weatherproof the poster. Get your QR code poster at covid19.govt.nz/getyour-qr-code-poster. You will need your driver licence details and your New

Zealand Business Number. This is a temporary system relating to Covid-19 and shouldn’t replace any existing systems on your farm.

Under all alert levels, farmers should be taking practical steps to protect family, workers and others who may come onto your farm. Good hygiene, physical distancing and keeping track of people coming onto the farm are all important. Social distancing of

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one metre in workplaces should be in place. Federated Farmers and WorkSafe have employment-related resources on their websites.

Be prepared. Think about what you might need to do if your region or the whole country moves to a higher alert level.

Review your systems and think about the services and supplies you may need, and talk to your supplier to ensure you have a plan in place in case we move to level four.

Farmers are encouraged to reach out to their neighbours over the phone or email and discuss ways they could

support each other if, for example, someone were to become sick. If you are feeling unwell and develop a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, contact Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or your GP, including phoning ahead of your visit.

More information is available on the government’s Covid-19 website, and sector-specific information can be found on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.

The Rural Support Trust is available to support farming families.

To seek assistance phone 0800 787 254 or go to rural-support.org.nz.

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February 2021

Book pregnancy scanners early

35

While most rams have yet to go out, farmers are being asked to book their sheep scanners in early to highlight any shortages in scanner availability due to Covid-19 border entry restrictions.

“Getting an understanding of the scale of the shortage now will enable the industry and the government to put steps in place to allow the entry of these critical workers, provided they meet the criteria,” says Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s senior adviser biosecurity and animal welfare, Will Halliday.

“The Ministry for Primary Industries has expressed concern about the lack of people not booking space in isolation hotels for critical primary sector workers such as scanners.”

The critical worker border exemption is now led by Immigration NZ (INZ).

Employers must apply to INZ on behalf of their employees to ensure they meet the criteria for critical workers.

Will has been engaging with the government, Federated Farmers, the New Zealand Veterinary Association and sheep and beef vets to highlight the issue and he is encouraging sheep farmers to book their pregnancy scanners now.

“While it seems very early to be thinking about scanning, Covid-19 restrictions mean we cannot call up scanners from other parts of the world as we have in the past. It is important farmers and the industry plan ahead so applications can be made for critical worker border exemptions and where permitted, managed isolation booked well ahead of winter. Employers bringing scanners into the country should not be

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deterred if they were turned down last year. Processes have changed, and I would encourage them to apply again.”

Scanning is an impor tant management tool, which has significant benefits for feed management and animal welfare. Traditionally, scanners have been brought in from the northern hemisphere and Australia to help local scanners carry out pregnancy scanning from May through to August.

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February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Workers’ safety prioritised

The Ministry for Primary Industries was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court recently for failing to ensure workers were not exposed to hazardous chemicals.

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WorkSafe says communication is vital when multiple businesses come together to carry out work as the sentencing was carried out.

In 2017 in efforts to manage an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis, MPI contracted biosecurity company AsureQuality who, in turn, engaged OneStaff to provide temporary workers to assist with cleaning and disinfecting work.

In May 2018 a group of staff were cleaning a farm in Invercargill, using a sodium hydroxide based cleaner called X-Clean DOO AWAY, which had in April been approved by MPI as a cleaning product generally.

The workers were given personal protective equipment, including gloves.

However, the chemicals seeped into the cuffs of the workers’ gloves and as a result eight workers sustained burns to hands, wrists and arms.

A WorkSafe investigation into the incident found MPI failed to adequately consult, cooperate and coordinate with the other parties to ensure work was being carried out safely. Additionally, MPI failed to ensure a safe system of work for OneStaff workers.

“Both MPI and AsureQuality were working together, but it was unclear

WorkSafe says when multiple businesses carry out work together, communication is vital

which organisation was ensuring various risks were being managed,” said WorkSafe’s investigation manager for the South Island, Steve Kelly.

“As the organisation tasked with managing the eradication of Mycoplasma bovis, it is fair to have expected them to ensure cleaning and disinfecting work was carried out safely.

“When multiple businesses and organisations are involved in carrying out work, it is vital they communicate with one another to ensure risk has been identified and is being correctly managed.”

Ministry for Primary Industries was sentenced under sections 36 (1) (a), 49

(1) and (2) (c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Being a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking), MPI had a duty to ensure so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers who worked for the PCBU, while the workers were at work in the business or undertaking, did fail to comply with that duty.

MPI was fined $30,000. Last November, in response to the 2018 incident, AsureQuality was fined $66,000. OneStaff was also fined $38,500. Reparation of $5,000 was ordered to be split between five victims with all three parties, including MPI, paying one third each.

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PSA litigation settled The Crown and kiwifruit sector plaintiffs have reached an out-ofcourt settlement to the long-running litigation arising from the 2010 incursion of the kiwifruit vine disease, Psa.

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

February 2021

COME FIND

Horizons Regional Council at site Ray Smith, Ministry for Primary Industries director-general

The plaintiffs, Strathboss Kiwifruit Limited, representing a group of kiwifruit growers, and Seeka Limited, a post-harvest operator, and others, have agreed to accept a Crown offer of $40 million. It includes a significant contribution from the Crown’s insurers of $15 million. The plaintiffs had brought a claim for $450 million plus interest.

The claim is related to actions taken by the then Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and pre-dates the establishment of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

“All parties agree that it is time to move on and bring a close to the legal challenges that have been running since 2014, when the claimants filed against the Crown for what they alleged was actionable negligence in allowing Psa into the country,” says Ministry for Primary Industries director-general Ray Smith.

“This payment to settle is a sensible one on a per-head basis given the number of claimants in the class action, and their legal and litigation funder costs. The settlement acknowledges the grievance felt by the kiwifruit sector plaintiffs.”

Mr Smith says settling now confirms the earlier judgment of the Court of

Appeal. “In its decision of April 2020, the Court of Appeal found it would not be fair, just or reasonable to make the Crown legally responsible for losses of this kind, and that therefore, no legal duty of care was owed by the relevant MAF staff to the plaintiffs. The staff were protected by a statutory immunity, as was the Crown.”

The claimants had appealed this ruling in the Supreme Court with a hearing set down for five days, beginning on Monday, February 15 2020. The agreement means this hearing will now be vacated.

“The settlement gives immediate financial certainty for the Crown and avoids a complex Supreme Court hearing and then needing to wait for the court’s decision which could take some time,” says Mr Smith.

“It is good that all parties can now move on from this event, which goes back 11 years. Since that time, much work has been done to enhance and improve the way we manage preborder risk, import processes at the border and incursions that inevitably occur.

“New Zealanders can have confidence in our current biosecurity system.”

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February 2021

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MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES February 2021

School students learn about bio-control

39

Students from Awahou School recently spent time with Horizons Regional Council staff learning about the use of beetles to control the pest plant tradescantia.

Horizons runs an ongoing weed control programme at Totara Reserve.

The reserve is a designated regional park covering 340ha of bush and is home to a vast range of native flora and fauna. Tradescantia, also known as Wandering Willie, is a ground-covering weed that smothers small native seedlings, hindering their growth in native bush blocks.

Horizons community biodiversity adviser Neil Gallagher said traditional weed control methods have proven futile in the control of some weeds, including tradescantia.

“Bio-control agents like the tradescantia leaf beetle have been introduced as an alternative way to target some of these species,” he said.

Awahou School students were invited to help collect and transfer some of the beetles from their nursery site near Massey University, to an area in the reserve where tradescantia is spreading.

A garden leaf vacuum was used to collect the beetles in large numbers. Students got involved, collecting several by hand as well, placing them in containers for transport.

At Totara Reserve, the students helped place the beetles in a small plant cloche on the forest floor, where they are able to acclimatise and settle into their new home before getting stuck into the tradescantia.

Awahou School students watch and learn about the use of beetles to control tradescantia

Mr Gallagher and environmental educator Sarah Williams talked the students through the process and provided advice on how they can monitor the beetles in their new home as they make their way through the weed.

Mrs Williams said young people can’t care about something they don’t know about. “Being able to support Awahou

School in exploring their local area and helping them learn to be kaitiaki of their environment is a great opportunity,” she said.

Principal Trudi Rei said having a place like Totara Reserve on their doorstep provided an amazing learning resource for students. “For a few years now we’ve been getting the students down

to the reserve each week to do bush school, where they learn about the native bush, and we’re really keen to get involved in projects to help protect this place.

“This term, we have a whole-school focus on kaitiakitanga, so being invited to be part of this project is a great opportunity for the students.”

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February 2021

41

AG CONTRACTORS A lighter tread on soil

Farm Maintenance Specialists

by Andy Bryenton

It’s a well-known fact that soil health is affected by compaction, both from animal pugging and the action of today’s large, heavy agricultural machines. Now tyre manufacturers and engineers are working to turn this around.

Soil is a complex mixture of solid minerals and organic components, interspersed with water, air and living organisms. When a tractor or implement weighs down on this structure, the gaps close up, expelling the life-giving water and oxygen, which help good bacteria and soil microbes thrive. There’s even the chance that the roots of plants will have to divert around compacted clumps, expending the energy of the plant that you’d rather went into saleable crops.

On modern farms around the world, yield losses due to compaction are roughly 20%. It can even reach 50% in certain cases, such as areas with damp loam or a clay-based soil structure.

That’s a significant financial setback, so tyre and tractor manufacturers have been hard at work to rectify the issue and provide smart solutions. One example comes from a recent British initiative on soil health and compaction.

Richard Hutchins, an agricultural tyre specialist at Continental, David Purdy, from John Deere, and soil scientist, John Williams, joined forces to highlight how farming practices must change to protect productivity. Mr Williams suggested that up to 30% of soils in the UK are severely degraded. “Where soils have been placed in this category, there

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February 2021 MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

AG CONTRACTORS

Health and safety online

by Andy Bryenton

It can be one of the biggest headaches for the modern farmer; the Byzantine world of health and safety management presents new rules on a regular basis, with some that seem to defy the concept of common sense.

It can seem like a herculean task to keep visitors to your property safe enough to meet the strict modern standards. When there’s a partnership between agricultural contractors and landowners involving heavy machinery on the land, the issues can multiply.

Efficient management of this paperwork storm is available through many popular apps to prevent a total overload, but with so many on the market, which one is best for you?

Aside from cost, or lack thereof, (one local health and safety app for rural

environments, Zero Harm Farm, went out free to rural not-for-profits back in 2018), the prime check-boxes to tick involve ease of use, customer support, compatibility with your other information technology systems, and that good old standard — word of mouth feedback from farming friends and neighbours.

In a market with many options, some even carried by major rural supply companies you may already be partnered up with, it pays to be integrated. For example, talk to your agricultural contractors and see if you

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Health and Safety have gone mobile, reducing paperwork and stress.

However, which app to choose for greatest ease and peace of mind?

can get on the same app platform for better collaboration. Otherwise, the rules for picking the right app boil down to the same simple considerations which underlie regular health and safety thinking.

Does the app let you clearly identify all significant hazards on your farm, and then offer options to either eliminate or isolate them, while tracking these actions for the benefit of potential visitors and co-workers? Does the app provide an easier way to monitor hazards, thus minimising their potential to cause harm, and if it does so, is it

in real-time with pertinent alerts about changing circumstances or specific jobs? Perhaps most importantly, is the method the app used to help you record data easy to use, uncluttered and streamlined?

If you’re new to making the change, it pays to look at several options, and have a good look at the in-depth and long-term data management available from each product. No doubt, apps like these are the way of the future. It’s all about picking one you are comfortable with to manage an important part of your business.

SERVICES Full Round Baleage and Hay Services  Full Square Baleage and Hay Services  Fine Chop Grass and Maize Silage  Ploughing/Discing/Levelling  Race/Track Maintenance and Digger Work  Grass and Stubble Mulching  Airseeder/Roller/Drill Direct Drill  Precision Maize Planting  Fertiliser Spreading & Bulk Cartage 

COVERING FROM: Pohangina Valley to Shannon & Pahiatua to Rongotea Areas

OWNERS/OPERATORS

Ryan & Tracey Badger

Ryan Tracey

027 445 1997 027 631 9699

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MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES February 2021

AG CONTRACTORS

43

Case sweep engineering awards

by Andy Bryenton

Case IH Agriculture has come out on top at 2021’s prestigious American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers AE50 awards.

The awards are conferred not by judges testing machines in the style of a ‘car of the year’ contest but decided by a panel of international engineering experts. Winners are chosen on the basis of their impact on advanced engineering for the food and agricultural industries.

True to the name, the 50 best products from around the world are named on the final list. This year the awards ceremony went virtual, as the ASABE Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference took precautions to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Case IH fielded five-award winning innovations this time around. Their own engineers cite the brand’s successful Customer Driven Product Design programme, which reshapes the Case range according to feedback from the thousands of farmers and contractors out there using their tractors in the field.

“The process has proven to be key in helping farmers increase productivity, profitability, and safety while at the same time reducing cost and labour,” says the company’s valedictory address following news of the win.

The AFS Connect™ Steiger series of tractors took out one award and

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Case IH has scored a swag of engineering-based awards at the first of 2021’s big international agricultural competitions, the AE50

represents the brand’s largest and most powerful tractor range. Cutting edge data management, a redesigned, ergonomic cab and built-in 4G connectivity sealed the deal for judges. ​ The LB436 HD large square baler was awarded for its use of a bale chamber that is 16% longer and provides up to 55% more plunger force than other models. As such, the bales produced are denser and more consistent. The Axial-Flow®250 series was awarded for

E: office@himatangitransport.co.nz

making it easier to make adjustments for better harvesting, while the new Category 3/4n three-point hitch quick coupler from Case’s Magnum tractors took a trophy home for adding durability and longevity.

Even the company’s new MultiControl armrest received positive attention, as it helps pack more fingertip controls into an ergonomic space, and was developed with the use of VR and 3D printing technology.

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44

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

DAIRY

Farmers confidence risen

Farmer confidence has bounced back to where it was pre-Covid-19 but attracting and retaining staff remains a headache, the latest Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey shows.

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Of the nearly 1,100 farmers who completed the Research First survey in the second week of January, a net 5.5 per cent considered current economic conditions to be good.

That is a 34-point jump from the July 2020 survey when a net 28.6 per cent considered them bad, marking the lowest level of farmer confidence in the 12 years the six-monthly survey had been conducted.

“Looking ahead, a net 43.8 per cent expect general economic conditions to worsen over the next 12 months.

That sounds a bit grim, but just six months ago, 58.7 per cent of survey respondents expected a deteriorating economy,” said Federated Farmers president and commerce spokesperson Andrew Hoggard.

“I think farmers, like other New Zealanders, are feeling buoyed by the way we have handled the pandemic despite the torpedo to international tourism. The agricultural sector is willing and able to maintain production so long as regulatory and other stumbling blocks don’t trip us up.”

The January survey showed the three greatest current concerns for farmers are regulation and compliance, (chosen by 18.0 per cent of respondents), followed by freshwater policy (16.7 per cent) and climate change policy (13.6 per cent).

Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers president and commerce spokesperson

“This questionnaire went out before the recent announcements by the Climate Change Commission. As the impacts of the draft emissions budgets, and the government’s reaction to them, become clearer, it will be interesting to see the results of our next survey in July.” A net 35.8 per cent of respondents reported it has been harder to recruit skilled and motivated staff, an eightpoint increase from July 2020 when

a net 28.1 per cent reported it has been harder.

“Consistent with recent commodity price movements, the improvement in farmer confidence was particularly strong for dairy farmers, with other farming groups more cautious about current conditions and less optimistic about future conditions. Farmers seem most confident in the Waikato-Bay of Plenty region.”

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DAIRY

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

New associate directors Two dairy farmers from Canterbury and the Bay of Plenty will join DairyNZ’s board of directors, as new associate directors.

Cameron Henderson and Carlos Delos Santos have been selected to join the DairyNZ board, with each working alongside the directors for six board meetings. Cameron begins in March, while Carlos will join the board from December.

“The associate director roles have been providing the DairyNZ board with valuable input and contributions since the roles were established seven years ago,” says DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel.

“Every year the associate directors bring their unique knowledge and opinions which help shape board discussions and decision-making.

It is exciting to have Cameron and Carlos joining us this year, as they both bring their individual strengths and experiences which the board will value having around the table. Their experiences will bring new thinking, as the sector progresses.”

Cameron Henderson is Canterburybased and farms with his partner Sarah.

Currently, he is the North Canterbury provincial president of Federated Farmers, and also holds other industry and regional governance roles.

“This is a unique chance to learn, as there aren’t many opportunities to get involved in professional boards like this.

There is a lot of expertise at the table, and I hope to contribute some of my own experience and perspective, to help shape discussions,” says Cameron.

“Within my other industry roles, I have gained insight into many current issues and opportunities facing dairy farmers. I have heard from a diverse range of perspectives both inside and outside the industry, and hope to use this knowledge to contribute to the leadership of the industry.”

Rotorua-based Carlos Delos Santos, with his wife Bernice, are 50/50 sharemilkers with a 630cow herd, which they milk on the Onuku Maori Lands Trust. Carlos is currently involved with the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards as well as being a board director for Vetora Bay of Plenty.

“I am really excited to be selected for this role, as it allows me the chance to gain knowledge on what occurs at DairyNZ board meetings and contribute to important sector discussions,” says Carlos.

“During my previous roles, I have tried to use my unique background to bring new perspectives to discussions, which I hope to do while in the role as well as

45

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Jim van der Poel, DairyNZ chair

making the most of this opportunity to grow my governance ability.”

Eleven other farmers have been associate directors with DairyNZ since the initiative was introduced in 2013.

The associate director roles are nonvoting and are for dairy farmers wanting to move into sector leadership.

Let’s talk at Central Districts Field days Come visit us on site J15 on McIntosh Rd We’re on site to help you find the right solutions for your farm. Come learn about some exciting new products or just for a chat about your current set up.

See you there 18th - 20th of March!

February 2021

46

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

LIVESTOCK

BUSINESS PROFILE

Kennels of quality with JEL JEL Kennels 2020 is under new ownership with Mike and Karen Stuart looking forward to building a positive future and improving the systems of the dog kennels the company produces.

“We took over JEL Kennels 2020 prior to Covid. Michael has an engineering and farming background, and I come from a farming background,” says Karen.

“We have made a lot of great changes to our kennel designs. Made from steel and wood, they are available in one to four bays. We also custom make for specific needs. Each steel kennel is made of DuraGal steel with etched priming and a hardened coat, or we have the fully galvanised dipped option.

“They are fully insulated with double wrapping in the roof. This keeps the kennel warm in winter and cool in summer. There are flashings

around the top with a spouting at the back draining the water to the side.

They have galvanised self-watering systems with four adjustable heights in 100ml increments.

“There are no sharp edges, and every purchase comes with a maintenance programme to help with the longevity of the building. We manufacture one to four bays and can custom-make to your requirements.

“The kennels are easy to clean, and our qualified team produce orders very quickly. Dogs are loving them. We have had a call from one client saying how much his dog food bill has reduced UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP

Mike and Karen Stuart — JEL Kennels 2020’s new owners

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because like humans when a dog is warm, it doesn’t have to eat as much.

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Check out JEL Kennels Facebook page or call Karen on 027 555 6937 for more information.

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February 2021

47

ADVERTORIAL

Making a clean sweep The team at Clean Sweep Woolsheds has taken cleaning under woolsheds to the next level with a specially-designed machine.

A heap of manure cleaned out from underneath a low woolshed

Mark Turton and his wife Megan have been operating Clean Sweep Woolsheds for the past six years. It runs in conjunction with Mark Turton Fencing, a business the couple has operated for more than 30 years, employing five staff members.

“We became interested in starting this business by realising there was a need for someone to design a machine to get under low woolsheds,” said Mark.

The machine, designed by Mark, is hydraulically driven and crawls underneath low sheds, hauling manure out. It has a reach of more than 25 metres, is not as labour-intensive, and the majority of the work is done automatically from outside the shed.

Mark said designing a machine that met the requirements and was mobile so it could fit on a tandem trailer was challenging.

“It also needed to be fast and efficient.”

Overcoming these engineering difficulties to produce a machine that ticked all the boxes has been one of the business highlights.

Clean Sweep Woolsheds covers Masterton, the East Coast, Taihape, Napier, Hastings, Manawatu and the Tararua districts.

“We provide a service where we look at the shed, evaluate the time needed to clean out and provide a free quote.”

The team delivers a fast, cost-effective service and can clean out the lowest of woolsheds.

“We pride ourselves in doing a great job and doing what we say we will do, keeping to a budget or below the quoted price, and turning up when we say we will.”

Mark said their short-term goal is to provide a service where Clean Sweep

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The couple also has plans to provide their under woolshed cleaning services to other areas. Building more machines is on the agenda too.

Clean Sweep Woolsheds will be at site numbers B25–B28 at this year’s Central Districts Field Days.

“We will have our machine there running to display how it works, along with video footage.”

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48

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

SAVING LIVES,

TOGETHER Y Your community rescue helicopter is available 24/7, 365 days a year. And while we hope you won’t need us, we need your help more than ever. Because in these times, the cost of keeping your rescue service operational make it even more challenging.

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WHEELS

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

Delivering the goods

by Andy Bryenton

There are plenty of small SUVs out there which look great on paper and even better in front of your favourite cafe. But some might struggle with the primary job of a proper sports utility. The Suzuki S-Cross provides an answer.

Take the basic purpose of the original off-road machine and unpack it. If we wind the clock back to the dawn of the offroader, when the idea of a car that didn’t need tarmac had just been crossed off the army’s list of top-secret concepts, we find beasts like the Range Rover, the early Land Cruiser and the Waggoneer.

Their brief was simple. ‘Contain a whole lot of people and materials, then deliver them safely to anywhere on the map that was flat enough to sustain fourwheeled traction’.

In the rush for everything to become an SUV, some manufacturers have lost sight of that. Sloping rear rooflines, luxury interiors, tons of gadgets and trick front-wheel-drive differentials have diluted the old-fashioned plan.

That’s fine if what you really want is a bigger, beefier estate car. But right in the middle of Suzuki’s new S-Cross range sits a machine that just clicks into the right parameters. Suzuki can do small and off-road like nearly no one else; check out the Jimny, or the old Escudo two-door. The S-Cross, however, is that rare thing, a small SUV that’s tidy, well appointed, and can fit a vast, cavernous amount of stuff while actually

February 2021

49

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AWD S-Cross features proper four-wheel drive, tons of space and safety features the big, expensive SUVs of the not too distant past would be envious of

handling surfaces that aren’t council maintained. First up, space. Even packed with 5 adults, there are 440 litres of boot space to play with. Double it up to close to a solid cubic metre by folding the seats flat. That’s versatile.

Then there’s the AWD system fitted to the 4X4 S-Cross variant. A dial with different modes for different surfaces used to be Range Rover level luxury and tech. Now it’s standard on this sub-$34k machine that, coincidentally, gets along on only 6.3 litres per 100km. Electronic stability, advanced antilock brakes and

seven airbags add to its 5-star safety rating, too.

Suzuki might not make the biggest and most powerful off-roaders, but it does make some very cool, very well specced machines for a very nice price. The S-Cross AWD loses the cute and chunky appeal of the Ignis or the Jimny, but replaces it with a more accessible, smooth design and a ton of practicality. In a world of crossovers that are effectively a replacement for the people mover or station wagon, it has both sport and utility credentials.

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50

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

WHEELS

Balanced act to follow

by Andy Bryenton

The big new Rav 4 from Toyota has reached the same point on the expanding vehicle graph as BMW’s 3 series; the point where a new, smaller vehicle has to slot into the line-up beneath it, right where its predecessor used to fit.

That is no bad thing for what has been one of New Zealand’s favourite SUVs of all time, combining the cachet of Hilux and Land Cruiser invincibility with a dose of family-sized practicality. A fair few out there will remember that the first generation RAV 4, with its chunky plastic bump guards and its cheeky styling, was criticised for some for coming with a two-wheel-drive option. Now crossovers are the norm, and that first RAV looks a bit prophetic.

Still, enough of the past. With the effervescently styled CH-R nipping at its bumpers, the new RAV 4 is pointed directly at the future, with styling that delivers a grown-up, assured stance to the fifth-generation machine.

They’ve finally decided what to do with the front treatment, and it’s a winner, as is the intuitive and spacious cabin layout, with everything exactly where you think it should be.

Big, chunky dials, big, chunky screen and big, relaxing legroom in the back make for a good combination.

There are options under the hood and indeed, for the drivetrain, but

the standout in the range has to be the 2.5-litre petrol hybrid. Toyota has experience with this setup, as it was first floated in the top of the line Lexus H series hybrids 10 years ago.

Improvements since then have seen fuel efficiency hit 4.8 litres for each 100km.

You’ll also get a handy 131 kilowatts of power and 221Nm of torque, but the RAV-4’s party piece is not how much it churns out. Rather, it’s how it deploys the power at its disposal.

Key to this is the E-Four all-wheeldrive system, which sends instant electric power to the rear wheels when accelerating or crossing difficult terrain.

Hill climbs and takeoffs in wet or slippery conditions are made a whole lot easier by this new system, and it reduces understeer during cornering too.

The RAV-4 has been a favourite for many years, and perhaps those with an original model should hang onto it as well as upgrading.

After all, a 1986 Sprinter just sold in Japan for $95,000; Toyota is well on its way to becoming a Japanese marque with proper classic status.

New RAV-4 delivers the same towing capacity for its hybrid and non-hybrid models; time to consider the semi-electric option, perhaps?

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1,661HRS, 400cc 4 stroke Carb powerplant, CVT transmission, 2WD, AWD, TURF mode, independent rear suspension, 680kg towing capacity, fully workshop serviced by us, near new BKT W207 tyres , tilt deck, bench seat, extras include; roof, glass screen and wiper

2008 SUZUKI LTA400 Air cooled 400cc powerplant, selectable 2WD and 4WD, auto trans with Hi and Low ratio, 42,586KMS, fully workshop serviced by us, bullbars, good tyres

POLARIS RANGER XP1000 HD 82HP, 1.1 Towing capacity, 3 seater, 3.99% finance over 24months, free farm kit valued at $3,250, includes; glass screen and wiper, poly roof, poly rear panel, tow hitch

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2019 KAWASAKI MULE PRO FXT LE 812cc 3 cylinder engine, CVT Trans, Hi/Lo/Reverse and difflocks, 6 seater version, like new condition, suit new bike buyer, 622KMS and 36HRS, loaded with extras please call for more info, exempt A class rego and WOF

Kids quad, one owner from new has barely been used, suit new bike buyer. extremely stable and perfect to learn on, 4-Stroke engine, two-wheel drive, electric start, daytime running lights, parent-adjustable speed limiter, safety tether, long-travel rear suspension

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EX DEMO. Under 300KMS, 44 horse power, PVT transmission, engine braking, 4 wheel control, variable speed limiter, new 50% stronger half shafts, 15% lower final drive, electronic power steering, sealed battery, HD Spec suspension, 6 PLY Bearclaw Tyres standard, HD front bumper

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

WHEELS

February 2021

51

Twin turbo express

by Andy Bryenton

There are now so many variants of the Ford Ranger that it’s hard to pick a favourite. New Zealand’s number one vehicle five years running has all kinds of options, from the rugged farmer’s workmate to the sophisticated city cruiser.

New on the menu is a version which sits between the XLT and the Wildtrak in terms of trim and finish, but which boasts a couple of new technological tricks under the hood to deliver a smooth driving experience. Ranger first came to the public’s attention for being the first on the ‘one tonners’ to drive like a car, a trick it shares with Ford’s genre-changing Transit Custom vans.

The new FX4 may lose a little in terms of displacement, but it’s a masterclass of why you would not let what’s on paper dissuade you from a test drive.

Like that other very successful Ford which went through many variants (the Mustang), the FX4 Ranger doesn’t want to shout about its 2.0-litre engine, as there are still many out there who think displacement is the biggest factor in a vehicle’s makeup. Twin turbos, though; that’s a fact to be proud of, and the system deployed on the FX4 manages to work its magic much like the forced induction on Ford’s smaller, spicier hatchbacks, delivering a lag-free surge that can power the big ute up to 100km/h in just 9 seconds.

You’ll get 157kW and 500Nm of torque, but once again the tale on

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There are many flavours of Ford Ranger to tempt the modern motorist, but the new FX4 fits a niche in terms of pure driving response

paper is not the whole story, as the 2.0-litre engine up front is mated to a ten-speed auto box, ensuring that you’re always in the right gear. That smooth and seamless synchronisation of the cogs works with the turbo feel and the smooth ride to make the FX4 seem effortless and very un-truck-like.

Combine this with the fact that the smaller two-litre mill is lighter than the alternative five-cylinder, and you get less

G15

www.prescotttrailers.co.nz

weight in the nose for more responsive handling. There’s a Ranger for all sorts and all walks of life, but if you were impressed by the Raptor’s drivetrain, or you simply want a versatile ute with even more car-like manners than the usual XLT, then the FX4 might be for you.

Check it out at Northland’s field days, and forget comparisons of power and displacement on paper; feel it through your hands on the wheel.

PRACTISE GOOD HYGIENE

Manawatu NAVARA RUNOUT FROM $

91

PER WEEK*

48 MONTH | 10% DEPOSIT | 60,000KM | NFV

FUTURE VALUES VARY BETWEEN MODELS

HARD WORKING TYRES.

+ HUGE RUNOUT BONUSES! NISSAN

5YR

150,000 KM’S

FACTORY WARRANTY

WITH NISSAN

FUTURE VALUE

Finance offer available to approved applicants of Nissan Financial Services. Offer based on selected new Nissan models at a vehicle price of $35,990 plus on road costs of $1,240 for Navara 2WD RX-R Manual (D23UMOP), $34,990 plus on road costs of $1,240 for Navara RX Double Cab 2WD Manual, $76,990 plus on road costs of $1,240 for Navara N-Trek Warrior 4WD. Financed over maximum 48 months with monthly repayments for Navara 2WD RX-R Manual of $417.57, $3,599 deposit and a final balloon payment of $19,000, Navara RX Double Cab 2WD Manual of $397.27, $3,499 deposit and a final balloon payment of $19,000, Navara N-Trek Warrior 4WD of $972.09, $7,699 deposit and a final balloon payment of $33,429. Final balloon payment is based on the guaranteed future value of each vehicle (subject to adjustments) (NFV). Total amount payable over the term $38,643.59 for Navara 2WD RX-R Manual, $37,671.64 for Navara RX Double Cab 2WD Manual, $79,587.28 for Navara N-Trek Warrior 4WD. Fixed Interest Rate 3.9% p.a. 15,000 per year kilometer allowance. This offer includes an establishment fee of $375 and PPSR fee of $8.05 and $10 per month account keeping fee. If you choose to return your vehicle at the end of the term Nissan will pay you the NFV (subject to meeting vehicle condition and servicing requirements and agreed km allowance and less remediation costs) which will be applied to your final balloon payment.

Terms and conditions apply. Excludes all lease and some fleet purchasers. Offer available on eligible vehicles ordered and delivered by 28 February 2021 or while stock lasts. Nissan reserves the right to vary, extend or withdraw this offer. Not available in conjunction with any other offer.

Find your local CEAT dealer at:

CEATSPECIALTY.CO.NZ

0800 356 1814

329 Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North WWW.MANAWATUNISSAN.CO.NZ

nissan.co.nz

Contact Anytime: Mark Davenport 027 244 5824 Simon Jackson 027 448 8278

52

February 2021

MANAWATU FarMING LIFeSTyLeS

NOW AVAILABLE AT

TRC TRACTORS 4 Turners Road, Feilding 06 323 0309 • www.trctractors.co.nz www.polarisnewzealand.com |

/PolarisNZ |

/polarisorv_nz