Northern Farming Lifestyles, April 2021

April 2021 Edition

International experience shared Pages 6–7

Growing the economy

Thankful for life

P3

Taking up the challenge

P4

P8

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Tackling OtiriaMoerewa flood risk Work on a proposed $5 million spillway project to divert flooding away from Otiria and Moerewa could be underway within months.

Northland Regional Council deputy chair Justin Blaikie says the central government has agreed to meet more than half the cost of the project, $2.89 million, through the Provincial Development Unit.

The council is currently gauging community support for its share via its current Long Term Plan consultation.

Councillor Blaikie, who represents the NRC’s HokiangaKaikohe constituency, says as proposed, the balance of the funding needed will be Regional council staff member Doug Foster and Asanka split, with $1.5 million coming Meththa from Haigh Workman checking soil profiles along from the council’s regionthe route of proposed Otiria flood works recently wide flood infrastructure rate and $630,000 from a new targeted would also need to install a stormwater Taumarere rivers management rate. pump to remove stormwater trapped “Our usual method of funding this behind the stopbank during a flood.

“Doing the work in Otiria-Moerewa work is to cover 30 per cent from targeted rates. However, once the and Kawakawa will add about $1.45 central government funding is taken extra a year on the region-wide flood into account, only about 13 per cent of infrastructure rate, increasing to $2.45 the total cost will need to be funded annually from 2024.

“The new Taumarere rivers by the local community through a targeted rate.” management rate would add an average For the average rates bill, it will add of $57.50, including GST, to each rate about $1.45 annually on the region-wide bill in the targeted catchment, increasing flood infrastructure rate and an extra to $86.90 in 2024. $57.50, including GST, a year for those “Work to alleviate a notorious flooding in the targeted rate area for 12 years. bottleneck at the bottom of Moerewa’s “Another proposed project comes Turntable Hill is well underway and due after calls to reduce the flood risk for completion soon. along Old Whangae Road in Kawakawa.

“The $850,000 project is being This would involve building a stopbank 100 per cent funded by Waka Kotahi to deflect the floodwater away from because of the benefits accrued by local businesses. keeping the crucial state highway route “Work on the approximately open there and involves benching a 450-metre-long stopbank would begin in floodway to reduce flooding to a 1:102024 and cost around $1.5 million. For year event. rates, this means about $1 a year extra “Work began in late January, and, all on the region-wide flood infrastructure going well, the project will be finished by rate, and $29.40, including GST, annually the end of the month.” on the targeted rate from 2024.

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Growing the economy “Horticulture also needs investment in research and development to speed up progress in automation, nextgeneration orchard design, and new varieties and products.”

Barry says if New Zealand can make progress in these areas, horticulture will be in an enviable position. Growing more healthy food to feed the world’s discerning consumers and earning more valuable export revenue, while supporting New Zealand’s climate change adaption.

In terms of energy, HortNZ is seeking an energy transition strategy.

“Changing from gas heating covered crops to renewables can’t happen overnight. It will require significant capital investment, some of which should be coming from the money generated from the Emissions Trading Scheme scheme.

“Growers also need technology solutions that are practical and affordable before they can move away from fossil fuels for tractors and trucking. These alternatives will come, but it will take time, and we can’t have growers forced out of business due to high ETS costs if there aren’t viable, affordable alternatives available.

“HortNZ is seeking recognition of fruit and vegetables’ importance in maintaining New Zealand’s food supply and food policy that links environmental with health outcomes.

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The horticulture industry is well placed to help New Zealand reduce its emissions while also enabling the economy to grow, Horticulture New Zealand says.

“Our fruit and vegetable growing industry is already environmentally responsible as well as being one of the most efficient in the world,” says HortNZ president Barry O’Neil.

“In our submission to the Climate Change Commission, we pointed out that horticulture is now producing more food from less land, using fewer inputs like fertiliser and water.

“Covid has seen demand for healthy food increase across the world. This increase puts horticulture in a winwin situation. Land-use change to horticulture will reduce emissions from the agriculture sector, while the extra production will find ready markets, overseas and locally.”

Barry says the commission’s proposed path to 2035 includes transforming dairy land into horticulture at a rate of 2,000 hectares a year from 2025.

“We consider this is largely on a par with our industry’s current growth.

However, we believe that horticulture could play a more significant role in New Zealand’s transition to a low emissions economy. What is needed is investment in the right areas, as well as the right policy and regulatory environment.

“In terms of policy and regulation, settings in the areas of labour, the environment, access to land and water, and land-use change and investment, for example, in water storage, need to all be aligned.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Thankful for life

by Ann van Engelen

Graham Belben grew up in Kaikohe, and moved to England with his parents at 12 years old, where he joined the British navy, and now lives on a lifestyle property near Waipapa.

“I

loved Kaikohe — it was the hub of the North in the 70s. Our street was a close-knit family.

We had a fresh water spring in our creek, and the neighbours would come to collect water when needed. Everyone was extremely family orientated,” says Graham.

“When I was eight years old, I had boarded the HMNZS Taranaki and vowed I wanted to be in the navy. My parents were English, but I was born here. We returned to England when I was 12 years old.”

Graham joined the British navy and returned to New Zealand after 28 years of service. He took a position in the New

Zealand navy where he met his wife, Elaine in Christchurch.

“Moving from the British to the Kiwi navy was a culture shock. I could fire pistols to long-range missiles. I was trained in the Chinook helicopter, Sea King aircraft carrier and Lynx — the general-purpose helicopter. I did fastroping from all heights, training from 100 feet coming down a rope with welding gloves on. New Zealand is very different in comparison.

“Some years ago Elaine had friends in Ohaeawai that we stayed with on holiday. We returned the following week and purchased this five-acre block. We built our house with the vision of having

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Graham grew up in Kaikohe and now grows heirloom fruit and native trees with his wife Elaine on their five-acre block establishing a self-sufficient way of life

a bed and breakfast when we retired from the navy.

“We established a native tree area and orchard and have chickens rather than have animals. We grow heirloom varieties of fruit including Golden Queen peaches, Hokianga plum and nectarines, apples, citrus, fig and feijoa.

We planted native trees such as kowhai, pohutukawa and puriri.

“Hokianga plums and Golden Queen peaches are the delicious old varieties.

I don’t know why more people don’t grow their own food and be self-sustainable — it even tastes better.

“You don’t know how long food has been on the shelves of a shop before you buy. Once your garden and orchard are established, it is not that expensive to maintain.”

Graham has a new appreciation for the simple things in life, such as going for a walk thanks to the Northland Rescue Helicopter Service.

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Graham Belben joined the New Zealand navy after serving in the British navy for 28 years after moving to England as a child with his family

“What may seem a simple and relaxing task now is something I will never take for granted. My mobility was nearly taken away from me on March 31 last year. I was woken to my cats fighting outside. I stepped out and stood on the underground water tank to call them. I stepped down off the tank, and everything went black, and I fell forward, landing face-first on a nearby large rock.”

The jolt of the landing sent Graham’s neck jarring backwards.

“Everything was a blur, and I couldn’t feel my body. I was paralysed, unable to do anything. Elaine was recovering from hip surgery, and I was yelling for help but didn’t know if she could hear me.

Finally, I heard the water pump going and realised she had. She found me going blue, and our neighbour came to help. I couldn’t feel any pain — my whole body was burning and tingling.

“She called an ambulance, but when they arrived, they were worried about moving me and called the Northland Rescue Helicopter. Heavy fog in Whangarei meant they couldn’t fly. I was taken to the Bay of Islands Hospital to

await the chopper when the fog lifted.

I can’t describe my relief when I heard the helicopter coming. You just don’t understand that feeling until it is you using it. I was gently loaded into the aircraft for take-off. Those guys were quicker than any naval helicopter I have flown in.”

Graham was flown directly to Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital.

“I went straight for MRIs and CT scans and then surgery. Fortunately, neck surgery I had undergone earlier meant titanium plates in my neck stopped my neck going too far back when I fell, avoiding permanently damaging my spinal cord, or severing it completely.

“I ended up with a severely damaged spinal cord and thought I would be paralysed forever. Elaine was told it would be at least 16 weeks before I would walk. I spent five days in a wheelchair, and through hard work and rehabilitation, I was able to walk sooner than anticipated.

“I can’t praise the Northland Rescue Helicopter enough. I have assisted the choppers at accident scenes, but it was

ApRIL 2021

Graham has helped the Northland Rescue Helicopter Service on several occasions at accidents and last year found himself personally needing their help

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

International experience shared

by Ann van Engelen Ravindra Maddage Don has become an award-winning farmer in New Zealand after moving here from previously working in the dairy industry in the Middle East.

T

hirty-five-year-old Ravindra has won the 2021 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year category at the NZDIA. He is the farm manager on Charlie and Emma Adair’s 130ha Whangarei property, milking 354 cows.

“I entered the awards because I wanted to understand where I am at the moment, which will help me to reach my future goals,” said Ravindra.

“I was born and raised in Sri Lanka, and in 2007, I moved to work at the Almarai Dairy Company in Saudi Arabia.

That is like Fonterra, and they had seven farms milking 25,000 cows. It was a one million litre per day production company through intensive farming, and I worked my way through the system there.

“My uncle is an agricultural scientist here in New Zealand. He and my aunty

inspired me to move here as part of my long-term dream.”

Ravi began his journey to a farm in Dargaville in 2011.

“There is a big difference with farming here. In the Middle East, the cows were in a herd home with a lot of mineral and feed input to get production up. They were producing up to 7.5 litres per day and were milked up to five times daily.

“It was also all year calving — sometimes 150 calves were born in one night. There is a lot of manpower there, with more than 800 people working that farm.

“It was a village, and we spoke broken English to cater for the many various nationalities of staff. All the production, such as milk powder, butter and cheese, is done by Almari.

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Winning the 2021 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year category at the NZDIA has encouraged Ravindra to keep pursuing his goals

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES April 2021

Ravindra Maddage Don moved to New Zealand in 2011, bringing extensive knowledge with him to pursue his dream of becoming a sharemilker

“I had no idea what New Zealand was like. The first thing I was worried about was snakes being outside with the bush and grass growing. I arrived at night and saw a house being moved on the road. I had never witnessed that as we build on bricks and our houses can’t be moved.

It was an amazing experience.

“It was interesting adapting to farming here. The Middle East farm used high technology with cows microchipped, and milk production read through technology connected to the floor of the milking platform. The details were intense.

“In Almarai, you could choose a department such as milking, calving or breeding.

“I began with milking and moved to health management of 3,400 cows.

I have advanced knowledge, but the

New Zealand system is very different, so I have learned more here, such as feed rotation, pasture management and break fencing and how to work the crops. I have also learnt tractor work step by step and completed level four dairy farming.

“I am currently studying production resource management and am involved in all areas of farming. In Dargaville, I started as a farm assistant and progressed to farm manager in less than four years.

“I am pleased I made the move and learned a lot in a short period.

“I find the people I have met very encouraging. They are generous, good people, and I have made some very good friends who have become like family. Kiwis are open minded and

7

Ravindra believes in considering all options before making decisions to solve issues that come his way

helpful. I am going to play tennis and cricket, and I also go diving. Under the water is beautiful compared to the outside.

“I have discovered that dairy farmers are almost always willing to show you how they do something, tell you what works and what they would do differently.

It doesn’t matter if you sell milk to the same co-op, if you have the same breed of cow or if you have a different brand of milking equipment, the attitude is ‘we are all in this together’.”

Ravindra acknowledges the challenges of immigration changes.

However, he believes that every problem has a solution.

“I think before making decisions on issues because every problem has a solution. I set my targets for life and

achieve most of my goals by planning and thinking. I recommend people never make a rush decision and always consider your options before you act. I go to my mentors or tutors and get ideas before doing anything new.

“I appreciate all the help people have given me so far, especially my current employers, Charlie and Emma, and my previous farm owners I have worked with.

“I have learnt so much from everyone, and I wouldn’t be where I am without my parents either.”

“My future farming goals include sharemilking and farm ownership. One of my biggest strengths is that I will never give up.

“I am an easy-going guy who just loves dairy farming.”

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Taking up the challenge

by Ann van Engelen

Students at Tautoro School are encouraged to expand their thinking and creativity as they are given opportunities to consider future career options as rural children.

T

he tamariki participated in the Northpower EPro8 Challenge last month, with the Year 5–6 students placing runners-up alongside Parua Bay School in the grand final.

“We are a rural decile 1A school with 152 tamariki. Ninety-six per cent of our students are Maori, and I am very proud of their accomplishments,” says principal Tracey Simeon.

“Epro8 is exciting for them and gives the children goals. Our focus is not just the first eight years of their schooling.

We want to support and upskill them for the future.”

The popular STEM — science, technology, engineering, maths competition included 77 teams from 26 Northland schools during two weeks

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Event organiser Andrew Thiele says: “What I love in Northland is that there is such a positive vibe from the students, teachers and parents. Now we have Northland secondary schools wanting to get involved in 2022. We look forward to being back in Dargaville and Whangarei for the next Northpower EPro8 Challenge.”

Principal Simeon says Tautoro School decided to be involved in the STEM education system as it engages the children.

“Our students all have digital devices, which their whanau paid for, and EPro8 helps encourage engineering, technology, science, maths and the

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creative side of arts. The Year 5–6 team placing second-equal in the grand final was an awesome accomplishment. This year’s theme was nautical because of the America’s Cup. “Our project was making a small working lighthouse. They made the structure, spotlight, panning beam and the on/off button, as well as the side-byside automation. It was inspiring to see.

“The children can use these skills for the future as the competition caters for all areas of what is happening in New Zealand. I am always amazed at how they think outside the square.

“I believe if you engage your students, you lessen their learning issues. The Epro8 system cost us $14,000 for the six sets. We have 75 per cent boy students, but even the girls get involved.

They have the structural engineering side with static objects, and we cover the engineering side using Vex robotics.

This helps if they want to be scientists, engineers or mathematicians.

“Andrew and his brother create amazing challenges with EPro8. They come up with awesome ideas, and you only have a set amount of equipment and time to finish the task. The children have to use critical thinking skills to work out what each piece of information they are given is asking them to do.

“They mounted the spotlight on top of the lighthouse, and it had to pan with a gearbox controlling the speed and rotation. It is the teamwork, understanding numerical and scientific engineering components and the literacy that builds their confidence.

ApRIL 2021

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THE STUDENTS BUILT A WORKING MINIATURE LIGHTHOUSE AND PLACED SECOND-EQUAL OVERALL FOR YEAR 5–6

“The finals are two and a half intense hours for every student. It is an amazing experience. I came across it through an email and thought, let’s give it a go. Next year we will run an EPro8 day so parents can see what we do.

“We are thankful Northpower is supporting our students for the future.

They develop new resources every year that broadens our tamariki’s insight and their minds. Yes, they can follow mum or dad’s work paths, but this widens future possibilities.

“It is that number eight wire stuff but with electronics, simulators and laser beams. That is the cool thing. There are a shortage of mathematicians, scientists

and engineers in New Zealand. We have amazing children right here in rural New Zealand that can be our future.

“I stood looking at one of my teams bending laser beams using a refraction of a mirror — that is what I learnt at high school, not at nine years old. All little country school students are just as capable as any others. We are a flagship school for Northland. We are not afraid to share this programme to help others as well. We just want the best for everyone.”

In the Year 5–6 final, Waipu School’s 4-Wheel placed first.

Parua Bay School’s Jimbob Tribe came second, and Team Omega from Tautoro School was third.

In the Year 7–8 challenge, Kamo Intermediate’s Kamo Thinkersplus team came first.

Whangarei Intermediate’s Brown Kiwis placed second, and Kamo Intermediate’s Kamo Tribe was third.

Northpower Network general manager Josie Boyd says the 2021 events were particularly special.

“They challenged themselves, worked well together, had a lot of fun and learnt lots.”

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April 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES ADVERTORIAL

New grower advisory group Just Avocados’ Katikati-based supply group has brought together a group of enthusiastic avocado growers from across the regions to provide guidance on its value proposition and operating policies.

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Representatives of Just Avocados’ new Grower Advisory Group — Iain McGillivray, Steve Smith and Grant Kokich

Andrew Cutfield, general manager of investor relations and supply at Just Avocados says the Grower Advisory Group was formed out of the former Grower Trust, which was originally put in place to oversee the avocado pool rules.

“The value of having a group of proactive and commercially minded growers at the table was still important to the business, and so hence the Grower Advisory Group was created.”

The group has four representatives: Grant Kokich from Ngataki, David French from Glenbrook Beach, and Iain McGillivray and Steve Smith from Katikati.

Andrew says the role of the group is to act as a further conduit between growers and Just Avocados, acting as a sounding board as well as representing the interests of growers and being another point of contact for suppliers to air key concerns with.

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“This is a group of people that are looking at the business from the outside and providing constructive feedback on how we are walking the talk.

“Through this group, we are also getting feedback from the field and the opportunity to develop deeper relationships with our growers.”

Steve Smith, an avocado grower of four years and chair of the group, is passionate about assisting growers and especially about sharing his knowledge gained through the journey of his own orchard purchase and its rejuvenation from a run-down state.

“If I have a particular area of expertise, it is probably understanding what new growers are going through or the questions that prospective growers should be asking.”

Steve says that the benefit to growers of this group is that they have a semiindependent point of contact that they

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Contact details for members of the Just Avocados’ Grower Advisory Group are available on the website justavocados. co.nz/about-us.

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Hill country heroes Poplars and willows are the seldom-recognised heroes of Northland’s hill country properties, with a host of benefits, including stabilising land and helping hold fertile soil in place instead of polluting waterways as it washes into estuaries.

Northland Regional Council member Rick Stolwerk says keeping fertile soils on the land is in the interest of all Northlanders.

“Without the protection poplars and other trees afford, hills erode and wash away in severe rain storms.

“Few people realise that while a natural phenomenon, eroded sediment is Northland’s biggest natural pollutant, research showing the Bay of Islands alone has lost an average of 500,000 tonnes annually for the past century.”

Preventing erosion at source, for both environmental and economic reasons, is one of the reasons the regional council has invested heavily in its 16-hectare poplar and willow nursery near Mata, south of Whangarei, in recent years.

“Poplars and willows are among the unsung heroes of our regional environment. Without the protection, these trees offer, many of our hills would seriously erode in bad storms.”

The councillor, who represents the NRC’s Coastal South constituency the Flyger Road nursery sits in, says poplars and willows offer a host of benefits.

“They stabilise pastoral hill country, increase water storage, reduce sediment run-off, improve water quality, benefit stock and enhance the farm environment.”

The fast-growing trees have broad and binding root systems and have been widely used for years in Northland to prevent and control erosion and cut waterway sediment pollution.

“Although neither species is native, they are preferable because their quick growth rates mean they can be controlling erosion within as little as just three years. Furthermore, in summer, they provide shade for livestock and in winter drop their leaves, allowing the grass to grow, making them ideal trees for pastoral farming.”

Every year about this time, the NRC invites landowners with erosion-prone properties from Topuni north to order heavily subsidised poplar and willow poles from the Flyger Road nursery for the approaching winter planting season.

Orders are open now. The council’s nursery coordinator Matthew Mabbitt says a subsidised three-metre poplar pole will cost $4 plus GST and a one-

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by Chris Penk, MP Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate

Many will rejoice when this particular planning law is repealed, as we’ve been told to expect will take place within the next few years.

Matthew Mabbitt regional council nursery coordinator at the Flyger Road poplar and willow nursery

metre shrub willow pole $2 plus GST. A pole typically retails for about $12.

“Protective sleeves for the poles are $7.50 plus GST each, and depending on contractor availability, the regional council is also heavily subsidising the planting of poles for an additional $5 plus GST a pole.

“The council has about 7,000 poles to sell. While payment doesn’t need to be made until Friday, May 21, demand usually outstrips supply, so people are being urged to order them sooner rather than later.

“While payment doesn’t have to be made until May 21, we will actually stop taking orders for poles on Friday, April 30 2020 or when stocks are all sold, whichever comes sooner.”

Anyone interested in securing poles should contact the council’s land management staff on 0800 002 004 or email nursery@nrc.govt.nz to arrange a consultation and free planting plan.

“Landowners will be able to collect their poles in the weeks beginning Tuesday, June 15 (Far North), Tuesday, June 22 (Mid North), Tuesday, June 29 (Dargaville) and Monday, July 5 (Whangarei).”

Information about establishing poplars and willows is available at nrc. govt.nz/environment/land/planting/ poplars-for-erosion-control/.

The question, of course, is whether its replacement will be any better.

It may well be just as complex and confusing, given the current tendency towards paralysis by consultation. Let’s hope not.

Any planning law will hugely influence the lives and livelihoods of New Zealand’s rural sector, at least as much as those of urban cousins.

So it’s crucial that constituents I represent in the largely rural electorate of Kaipara ki Mahurangi get a chance to consider exactly how these new laws may affect them.

I’ve been asked by some in the community whether I’d recommend that farms and other rural businesses should submit resource consents as soon as possible ahead of the new laws coming into effect.

The answer will vary according to circumstances, but in general terms, I’d observe that we’re yet to see what is actually on the table. I make this comment for three key reasons.

First, we should feel nervous about the government’s likely intention to apply rules across larger areas.

While a stated desire to ‘streamline’

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has a certain appeal, the reality is that attempts to amalgamate local government functions have often backfired.

The areas of rural Auckland that I represent, such as Wellsford and Warkworth and surrounding areas, would attest to that.

Second, the devil will always be in the detail of a proposed change such as this. The government has been talking about drafting a strategic planning law, but it’s anyone’s guess what this will mean in practice.

Finally, the timing is not yet known.

We should always be sceptical of the claims of a government (particularly one with Kiwibuild and light rail to its name!) promising certain actions by certain dates.

For all these reasons, I’d advise cautious optimism, at most, about the replacement of the RMA. I certainly wouldn’t advocate for any local farmers or anyone else reading this piece to count any planning reform chickens before they hatch.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES Apiculture conference date set Apiculture New Zealand’s 2021 Conference will offer a longawaited opportunity for the beekeeping community to come together, hear from industry experts, share knowledge, learn practical skills and catch up with friends.

The conference will run from Thursday, June 24 to Saturday, June 26, with the theme this year being Healthy Bees, Healthy Industry, Healthy Future.

“More than ever, people are looking at how to create a healthier future, whether through their consumer or lifestyle choices,” says Karin Kos, chief executive of Apiculture NZ. “We see bees as being vital to a healthy future as both the pollinators of our natural environment, providers of a natural, healthy food product and pollinators of key agricultural and horticultural crops.

“To ensure bees can provide these critical services, we need to focus on bee health and the long-term sustainability and health of our own industry. All these topics will be up for discussion at Conference 2021.”

International speakers Randy Oliver, Dr Shelley Hoover and Dr Dennis vanEngelsdorp will bring their expertise on a wide range of topics. These include varroa management, climate change

and its impact on pollinators, queen breeding, assessing pesticide risks, spring protein feeding, extended-release oxalic acid and thermal treatment of varroa.

“They will be joined by a variety of New Zealand-based experts, including Dr Tom Mulholland, one of our country’s leading wellbeing speakers, who will discuss dealing with stress and tough times.

“The afternoon seminar programme offers an array of practical workshops and panel discussions. Topics will include how to better manage the risk management programme process, the use of gene editing in science, beekeeping through the tough times, residues and market access, honey extraction and creaming, global market insights, the latest from the bee pathogen programme and the sensory science of different honey types.

“Conference also offers a chance to acknowledge the successes of our industry through our competitions and awards honouring the best honeys, bee-

Karin Kos, Apiculture NZ chief executive

themed photography, efforts in science and innovation, and those who work for the betterment of our industry. The winners will be celebrated at the gala dinner and awards night.”

The exhibition and trade hall will have 70-plus exhibitors with goods on display.

Early registrations are encouraged with some seminars having limited numbers.

“We know how much people look forward to the conference and all the learning and social opportunities it brings,” says Karin.

“We are planning for a full, on-site conference this year with all the features that we know our attendees enjoy.

“However, we are still living with the uncertainties of Covid-19. For that reason, we are also preparing for an online event, which we will roll out only if required.

“Whatever happens, the conference will go ahead.”

For more information on the conference, go to apicultureconference2021.co.nz

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES April 2021

THE BUZZ ABOUT BEES

15

Bees detect varroa mite

University of Otago research has revealed that the bees’ sense of smell gives them a fighting chance against the deadly parasitic mite, varroa destructor.

Varroa mites present one of the greatest challenges to honey bee health worldwide. The mites feed directly on honey bee fat stores and transfer numerous pathogens to the bee, including the deadly deformed wing virus.

Without intervention, most honey bee colonies of the type found in New Zealand (Apis mellifera) die within two years of varroa infestation. Despite the odds, some colonies show resistance to varroa. In these colonies, varroa infestation triggers a strong behavioural response in the bees — varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour.

VSH is targeted specifically towards varroa mites reproducing inside waxcapped cells occupied by young developing bees (brood cells). Worker bees uncap the varroa-infested brood cells, kill the developing bee inside each cell, and remove the cell contents, including the mites. This complex sequence of behaviours interrupts the reproductive cycle of the mite, enhancing the likelihood of colony survival.

Apis mellifera generally fail to show high enough levels of varroa-sensitive

hygiene to defend their colonies adequately against the mite. While bee breeding techniques have the potential to rectify this problem, progress in this area has been slow.

It has been due, in part, to a lack of clarity about which traits to select for.

The identity of signals that trigger VSH behaviour has been unclear, and how worker bees selectively target brood cells containing varroa was unknown.

During her doctoral studies, lead researcher Fanny Mondet set out to address this shortfall. She assembled a team of researchers to help resolve these important questions. In a paper published recently in Nature Chemical Biology, Fanny and colleagues identify six varroa-related compounds (four ketones and two acetates) that trigger VSH behaviour.

The compounds are found in varroainfested brood cells, and their levels provide a reliable indicator of the numbers of juvenile mites present in the cells.

Detection of these compounds enables worker bees to selectively target varroa-infested cells.

Fanny Mondet is helping resolve key questions about how honey bees battle varroa

“If the varroa-related compounds alone are presented to bees, all bees appear able to detect the odours,” she says.

“Not all bees are able to tell the difference between the smell of healthy brood odours and the smell of brood odours containing varroa-related compounds. In their defence against varroa, bees’ ability to differentiate healthy from unhealthy hive odours is critical. In vulnerable colonies, a majority of worker bees fail to show this ability.

“For breeding purposes, colonies need to be identified that show high

levels of VSH activity. Using conventional techniques, this is difficult and timeconsuming. In field trials, we were able to show injection of the varroarelated compounds into brood cells induces responses in worker bees that mimic intrinsic VSH activity in bee colonies.

“A simple and reliable bioassay of this kind has the potential to greatly assist the breeding of bees with stronger resistance to the devastating impacts of the varroa mite.”

Efforts to develop such a test are currently underway.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Kaiwaka’s chainsaw connection

by Andy Bryenton

Steve, Matt and the team at Kaiwaka Motorcycles are well-known for their devotion to power on wheels. However, as the leaves turn red for autumn, it’s their chainsaw expertise that comes to the fore.

DARGAVILLE – MANGAWHAI – WHANGAREI Proudly servicing the Northland region for over 25 years • House Sites & Driveways • Subdivisions • Retaining Walls • Dams & Farm Maintenance • Civil & Forestry Infrastructure • Hydraulic Hose Repairs With an extensive range of heavy earthmoving equipment to get the job done … we’ve got you covered!

Husqvarna chainsaws are a popular choice for autumn chores; come and visit Kaiwaka Motorcycles to find out why

With a strong reputation delivering Yamaha motorbikes and off-roaders, the crew from Kaiwaka in the mid-north have many contacts in the local farming community. Their decision to double up their small engine skills means that at this time of year, they are in demand for some advice on the best saw for the job.

The answer is universally Husqvarna, as the range of big orange outdoor power tools here is a match for the selection of bikes.

Rolling into a typical autumn season like this one, many of the farmers and lifestyle block owners who span the area from the Brynderwyn Hills out to the Bream Bay coast come to give their chainsaws a service, following the top rule of chainsaw safety. That is, of course, that a sharp and well-tuned saw cuts crisp and true, thus making it infinitely safer than a worn and rusty one. Kaiwaka Motorcycles has the facilities to lubricate, maintain, repair, restore and sharpen up saws big and small, and it’s a popular service as the days turn colder.

Of course, several of their customers take this opportunity to completely upgrade their chainsaw and its attendant

Ian

safety gear. Kaiwaka Motorcycles has all the bases covered in this regard, with saws ranging from small arborist units through to tree-felling machines that make a meal of tall timber.

The first stage in getting the right saw is a conversation about what you need it for. This way, the team will find you the right fit. Right now, Husqvarna is offering some tempting extras along with its chainsaw range, adding such things as carry cases and safety

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For those who are set to prune back problem branches before the storms of winter, those who want to tackle a mountain of firewood ready for the chill, or who need a utility saw for around the farm, now is a great time to talk to your local Husqvarna specialists. After all, a set of outdoor power machines made to handle the Scandinavian snows won’t sneeze at a Kiwi morning frost.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

FORESTRY

Timber shortage statement

Forest organisations have joined in rejecting statements that the current shortage of framing timber is caused by foresters selling logs to China and not leaving enough timber to be processed for sale in New Zealand.

The Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association’s chief executive, Jon Tanner, says Chinese log buyers were going to what he called extraordinary lengths to buy up logs.

He is blaming this for the short supply of sawn timber revealed recently when Carter Holt Harvey cut supply to some of its regular customers, ITM, Bunnings and Mitre 10.

President of the Forest Owners Association, Phil Taylor, pointed to the two biggest wood processors in New Zealand, both publicly stating that the shortage is mostly caused by a Covid emergence building boom.

“The volume of the New Zealand timber market has been remarkably stable for at least the past two decades.

On top of that, you can’t expect processors to have capacity on stand-

by for extra sales at a level that hasn’t happened in the past 20 years.

“The WPMA claim that the problem is log exports to China goes back to the drive to get the government to crosssubsidise local production with exports, which was the aim of the Shane Jones’ Log Mongers’ bill last year.

“The WPMA was wrong then, and it is unfortunately, wrong again now. Their colourful stories of Chinese buyers flying over forests to spot log supply from the air has nothing to do with this shortterm problem.

“The WPMA is using a completely unrelated framing timber shortage to try to get government support for intervening against exports which is the type of move the entire primary sector completely rejected last year.

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sustainable timber processing industry. These mills buy nearly half of forest growers’ product. We need them to continue to operate, as do all New Zealanders. In particular, it is welcome news to see the development of the Red Stag’s cross-laminated timber plant.

“These modern engineered timber systems take better advantage of the intrinsic qualities of wood and can be used for higher-rise buildings to replace carbonemitting concrete and steel construction.”

Farm Foresters Association president Graham West says farm foresters are getting into the peak years of harvesting Phil Taylor, Forest Owners Association president from their 1990s plantings.

They don’t want the government to generally not suitable to meet the control or tax their long-awaited harvest, house construction grades here in as it appears the WPMA wanted the New Zealand. government to do.

“There is not that much overlap. I also “The WPMA says it wants the have a real worry that the government government to make a level domestic will be distracted away from the bigger and export playing field, but it is, in fact, strategic issues of supporting the use demanding the complete opposite. As of timber, just at a point when it is now well, the logs supplied for export are encouraging New Zealanders to use it for good, sound environmental reasons.”

Carter Holt Harvey issued a statement stating the shortage was short-term and industry-wide caused by a huge timber appetite as well as CHH’s difficulties with Selling Macrocarpa upgrading capacity at its Kawerau mill. & Minor Species Red Stag chief executive Marty Verry Buying Macrocarpa, Jap cedar says there is a worldwide building boom, and Leyland cypress logs and New Zealand was no exception. He (Shelter Belts ok) has said that it was good to have the wisdom of hindsight, but no one was going to pick Covid happening and its construction aftermath.

100

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Forestry powering recovery Forestry in Northland is helping to power a recovery in regional New Zealand as log prices soar on the back of demand from China, strong domestic construction activity and tight global supply.

In the latest ASB Regional Scoreboard, as reported by Woodweek’s forest survey, the two top spots in the rankings were held by the forestry powerhouses of Northland and Gisborne. The NZ Regional Economic Scoreboard takes the latest quarterly regional statistics and ranks the economic performance of NZ’s 16 regional council areas.

The ASB Bank’s forestry indices lifted five per cent in New Zealand dollar terms over Q4 2020 and then a further six per cent over Q1 this year.

The index is currently $10 above the two-year average, $6 above the threeyear average, and $6 above the five-year average, it said.

More upside to come; prices aren’t too far off the highs they hit back in 2018–19, and ‘we see further upside for log prices this year. China is the destination for more than 56 per cent of forestry exports, so it will remain in the driver’s seat over the rest of 2021.’

According to PF Olsen, a provider of independent professional forestry services, the PF Olsen Log Price Index remained at $130 in March. In other forestry news in Canada, Mosaic Forest Management is announcing a partnership to introduce several Tesla semi-trucks into log hauling. There are currently no commercially available

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electric log truck solutions in the region, and New Zealand companies will be watching the development with interest.

The working forest captures carbon as it grows, and wood products keep that carbon locked up for decades.

New trees are planted, and the renewable cycle repeats. However, forestry operations generate tailpipe

emissions, including from log trucks.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

WINTER FOCUS Stay dry to stay warm

by Andy Bryenton

Winter in Northland is usually not so much a matter of cold, biting chill, but of damp and persistent conditions, which can promote illness and mould through an excess of moisture.

Heating your home, whether by firewood, electricity or gas, is harder when the air is filled with moisture.

Imagine the difference between getting warm while wearing a dry sweatshirt and wearing one that’s soaked through. The energy from your heat pump or fireplace has to heat the water molecules in the air to raise the temperature in the room, and it can be hard going. At the same time, warm and damp conditions are just the ticket for mould and fungus to take hold.

What’s the solution when Kiwi homes are often built more to a northern hemisphere design than to fit our subtropical climate? The first step is to expel as much moisture as you can at the source. In winter, it’s not practical, safe or smart to have windows open day and night, so extractor fans in damp areas are your best bet. The bathroom and shower area comes first-equal with the kitchen when it comes to moisture output; both pump out steam with litres of moisture a day.

What’s worse is that modern homes are more weathertight than ever before.

That is a good thing in many other ways but trapped moist air can’t escape via ‘unintended ventilation’, a nice name for draughts, gaps and cracks. Before winter, clean out your kitchen range hood and bathroom extractors. They may have built up dust, scurf, lint and grease during the year that’s affecting their operation.

In some cases, replacing cracked or bent fans is a good idea too. If you have no extractor in the kitchen or bathroom, contact a handyman or grab a kitset from your hardware store.

That leads to one of the biggest modern questions: will an in-ceiling ventilation system warm my home?

The short answer is no, but the more complicated truth is that you’ll feel warmer if your ceiling cavity contains dry air.

Most of these systems take dry air from in the roof, where there’s no respiration, cooking or cleaning being

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WINTER FOCUS

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ApRIL 2021

21

A time to check farm safety

by Paul Campbell

As colder wet weather looms, it is a timely reminder that danger lurks in the rural workplace and an opportunity to refresh an understanding of safe farm machinery operation.

A wet landscape changes the dynamics of working on the land, particularly where machinery, from light to heavy categories, is involved.

WorkSafe lists such items as the minimum operator requirements, which is that a driver must be under direct supervision until assessed as competent by the person in charge of the workplace.

In the operation of agricultural machinery, a driver must have been trained in the correct use of recovery equipment, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) may be required, depending on the task the vehicle is being used for, such as chemical spraying.

Use a seat belt where fitted and always scan ahead for obstacles or hazards, perhaps boggy winter ground where in summer it has been safely crossed many times. If in doubt of a route, find another one or go back.

Do not exceed manufacturer’s machine specifications such as fording, load and towing limits and ensure that loads are well secured and not able to move.

Follow m a n u f a c t u r e r ’s instructions when using specialised recovery equipment.

Remove keys after use to prevent unauthorised access, such as by local children.

While quad bikes are a major cause of farm accidents, wet ground can make them more, so caution in operation is paramount.

Farmers also use a wide range of hazardous substances, so the range of risks and hazards is just as large, and taking stock over the quieter season may be good advice.

Many chemicals and fuels used on farms are poisonous.

They can damage health over time with the result that you may not realise you have been affected until it is too late. Chemicals and fuels can cause serious, long-term health damage if you breathe them in, get them on your skin or in cuts or are ingested.

Health effects can include skin rashes, asthma and longterm damage to the nervous system. The most poisonous chemicals can cause unconsciousness and even heart failure. Some farm chemicals may cause cancer.

Petrol can cause short-term poisoning effects such as dizziness, feeling sick and headaches. It can also cause skin rashes. Long-term exposure can result in damage to your nervous system and cancer.

Diesel can cause skin rashes and irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.

It may also cause cancer. There is also the environment to consider, and chemicals can pollute waterways and kill fish, animals, insects, like bees, and vegetation, including native bush. They

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

WINTER FOCUS

Horticulture big in Northland’s future

by Paul Campbell

Winter is pruning time for orchardists and horticulture ventures across Northland.

However, from peanuts to bananas to kiwifruit and all manner of berries, Northland horticultural opportunities are ever expanding. It might not be a bad idea to snuggle up one cooler wet evening after the winter pruning to review them.

Horticulture is playing an increasingly important role in the district, from peanut growing experiments underway in Kaipara to the Far North, where kiwi fruit and avocado orchards are continuing to expand.

The Far North District Council has signalled growth with the standard growers being joined by crops of berries, manuka for the honey industry, and

bananas alongside traditional citrus and vegetable mainstays.

Mayor John Carter has noted warm temperatures and excellent soils provide the district with clear advantages for horticulture.

“However, some issues still need to be resolved before this industry can reach its full potential,“ he says.

“One is a lack of workers to pick, pack and tend crops even more urgent since the global Covid-19 pandemic cut off a key source of workers when international travel was halted.“ For many years, the industry has filled seasonal labour gaps by recruiting international travellers and workers from

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Far North Mayor John Carter has a focus on horticulture

Pacific nations through the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme.

Mayor Carter points to the Kerikeri Gateway Hor ticulture Schools Programme, which he says has secured funding from Te Taitokerau Trades Academy to run another programme in 2021.

During the last four years, this partnership between Plant & Food Research and Orangewood Packhouse has seen 51 students from five Northland secondary schools graduate from its horticultural programme. It combines science and horticulture and has a strong focus on fostering Maori talent, particularly among Maori youth.

“This is not just about picking fruit.

The programme covers health and safety, winter pruning, field grafting, kiwifruit canopy management, cropthinning, harvesting of kiwifruit, and grading and packing fruit crops.”

As well as workers, horticulture needs access to dependable water supplies.

That is being addressed near Kaitaia and Kaikohe. Using funding from the Provincial Growth Fund, Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust is planning to develop up to four water storage reservoirs and delivery systems near Kaikohe.

It will allow property owners to transform low-yield pastoral land into high-yield and employment rich businesses. A similar approach is being taken by Te Rarawa, which is building a reservoir on its Sweetwater farm just north of Ahipara. It aims to convert its existing dairy operation into a more sustainable, higher-return horticultural one.

Irrigation is also a key to horticultural development in Kaipara. Irrigation and water storage infrastructure is well underway in the Kaipara District Council area of governance.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL

Helping Osteoarthritis (Part one)

I regularly find myself buried in scientific research, always looking to improve both my products and the advice I give.

Ultimately, it is the real benefits people get that is important. If the best research cannot be translated into health benefits then it is of no value.

One of the main differences between orthodox medicine and nutritional medicine is that, for good reasons, medical treatment is generally limited to those medications that are registered treatments using drugs that have gone through many years of testing.

In nutritional medicine, we first gain an understanding of the disease processes. We then identify natural compounds that help. With osteoarthritis, this means adding compounds, most importantly quality chondroitin at 800+mg daily with glucosamine to impact the actual disease processes. Chondroitin is so effective that it is now available on prescription in Europe.

Once we have helped correct faulty disease processes, we then focus on reducing inflammation, the cause of much of the pain and mobility loss.

We identify dietary changes and

supplements that can help reduce inflammation within the joint capsule by adding curcumin from turmeric and omega-3 from fish oils.

The outcome of improving joint function and reducing inflammation is less pain and increased mobility. I spoke with a client I have been helping for six months with knee arthritis. I put him on my nutritional medicine knee osteoarthritis programme, and he reported that his knees are less painful, have greater flexibility and do not click as much.

Of course, I am delighted for him to be feeling better, but this comes as no surprise as this is a typical response for those I help with knee arthritis.

The key to any nutritional therapy is to work to a personalised programme with regular reviews.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice, contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his all-new newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

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From weeds to trees, controlled with ease Team Vegetation offer a service with a difference to those seeking to control wild overgrowth and weedy pests on their land. They call it a ‘360 degree’ solution, which means complete coverage, just as the name suggests.

Six decades of experience stand behind the new name Team Vegetation. Their skills and techniques with chemical application and manual removal have been sharpened up for several decades under the old name Compass Vegetation Control.

Anywhere unwanted vegetative growth rears its head, you’ll find a solution from the team with the 360-degree promise. That has led to an exciting new development in recent months and new machinery and skills to power this expansion.

Team Vegetation’s latest area of expertise is total tree management. It means trained arborists are on staff for pruning and topping, and a powerful chipper and stump grinder are Skilled arborists like these make the difference — available when it’s time for total Team Vegetation now has their own crew of tree removal. Team Vegetation can management specialists now tackle almost any tree onsite, from tidying up through to complete and guarantees precise placement. mulching and land clearance.

They roll out other specialist equipment “Managing the trees on your land is for clearing drains or creating more important in maintaining safety as well pasture pace by hitting fast-growing as managing their successful growth,” brush weeds. says Team Vegetation spokesman Paul Civic projects are another facet Rountree. ”We specialise in the removal of this forward-thinking local Kiwi of unstable, dead or dying trees as well business. Working hand in hand with as the thinning of branches to allow municipalities to keep roadsides weedmore light or stimulate better growth. free and civic areas looking good. It’s “Removing trees before they get close also no surprise that the skills of Team to powerlines or their roots begin to Vegetation are in demand in the forestry interfere with drainage or road systems sector to keep roads clear and open, can save significant dollars in the long- tackle riotous undergrowth and support term and forms part of an effective land healthy growth in this vital export management strategy.” industry. Their consultancy services Team Vegetation can also be found are also valued when it’s time to plan working hard on local farms, deploying strategic weed control strategies or a technology that slashes spray drift planting programmes.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

DAIRY

ADVERTORIAL

A winter mating edge When Shaun did his homework on full autumn calving last season, he realised he’d need every heat detection advantage and discovered FlashMate.

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“With autumn calving, cows are less likely to cycle or are harder to pick up on heats,” says Shaun.

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Shaun and Michelle Gardner run 120 cows on their Waiiti dairy farm in Taranaki. They’d heard good things, and the initial nervousness soon faded.

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going up for AB,” Shaun said. Now, even his four-year-old daughter can spot cows on heat.

Then came the added advantage of detecting silent heats, quickly covering the investment right there and then. “With FlashMate, we picked up cows that we wouldn’t have seen, with slightly lower heats and less rubbing,” said Gardner.

Moreover, because FlashMate is touch-sensitive, when cows are quietly cycling, they still receive attention from other cows, which sets FlashMate off.

Large overseas studies show silent heats can range from 10% to 20% of herds.

The wider product experience got the thumbs-up from Shaun. “I had none come off the cows in the first six weeks. I was very, very happy with that!” FlashMate sticks firmly to cow hair, which stays with the cow a lot more during winter.

Shaun believes FlashMate takes away decision-making stress. Peace of mind means that, just like other farmers Shaun spoke with, he “doesn’t have to worry if he goes away for a weekend, that staff can see a flashing light and pull them out with no hesitation.”

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DAIRY

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ApRIL 2021

27

Federated Farmers hopes that the government will take the opportunity of newly available space in MIQ quarantine to bring much-needed workers for the primary industries into New Zealand.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins estimates that the Australian quarantine-free travel bubble will free up 1,000 to 1,300 beds in MIQ a fortnight.

“MIQ spacing has been continually quoted as a barrier for getting the workers we need. With more beds becoming available, it should now allow those with agricultural skills to enter the country,” says Federated Farmers Immigration spokesperson Chris Lewis.

“With continued low unemployment and the majority of available workers remaining in the urban centres, all of the primary industries are crying out for labour.

“Farm Source, a leading job website for the dairy industry, currently lists over 1,100 vacancies on-farm, far higher than the usual number for this time of year.

All of the primary industries have been working hard to attract and upskill Kiwis to work on farms, but unfortunately, these initiatives don’t address the immediate labour problem. We need people in our fields, orchards and cow sheds now.”

Federated Farmers has asked the government to allow 500 skilled dairy staff into New Zealand for the new milking season.

A survey was undertaken in March to gain a better understanding of the staffing issues on dairy farms. The survey had 1,150 responses in just one week.

Survey results showed that 49 per cent of dairy farmer respondents were currently short-staffed; 46 per cent had vacancies unfilled for more than three months. Nearly a quarter had been unable to fill a gap on their team for more than six months.

“Federated Farmers acknowledges the government has already made some limited border exceptions for agricultural machinery operators, veterinarians, sheep shearers, animal pregnancy scanners and some skilled dairy staff to date.

“However, these limited exceptions aren’t going to go very far with the number of workers needed across the primary industries in the coming months.”

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

DAIRY WITH EFFLUENT

ADVERTORIAL

Managing feed pad effluent

by Michael Prestidge Nevada Dairy Effluent Management Specialist

Councils are tightening rules around the collection and storage of feed pad effluent, meaning a lot of farmers have to adjust their effluent management systems. The good news is there’s a costeffective, future-proof solution.

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What are the rules?

Feed pad design and infrastructure must include the effective collection and disposal of effluent from the feed pad itself as well as the entries, exits, transit races and supplementary feed storage bunkers.

How does this affect effluent management?

Increased Storage Needs It may mean storing higher volumes of effluent, which can lead to needing more storage to meet council requirements.

Higher Solids Content Effluent from feed pads often results in higher solids content, which may affect how you manage the effluent content.

More Nutrients With more nutrients, you can cut back on synthetic fertilisers; however, you may need to spread further, so pasture isn’t oversaturated.

What’s the best solution?

Storage Lined ponds are the most economical option. If your current storage is already at capacity, increasing the size of your pond or adding another pond is likely to be the best way to future-proof your farm.

Covering feed pads is sometimes recommended to prevent rainwater

increasing capacity requirements. This investment is unlikely to provide much return. Investing in larger storage will provide greater return as the additional rainwater helps to dilute solids as well as providing an irrigation option during dry periods.

Processing To effectively manage a higher concentration of solids, a good pond stirrer is essential. Without stirring, the solids will accumulate at the top and bottom of your storage pond, meaning nutrients are wasted, and storage

capacity is compromised. Creating a homogenous mix is important both for nutrient dispersion and reducing the workload on your pump.

Spreading Increased effluent provides the opportunity to spread further. If you currently rely on travelling irrigators, the addition of a slurry tanker will provide easy spreading over unreached paddocks. Alternatively, if you’re looking to reduce effluent pond levels fast, a RainWave™ drag hose system could be ideal and is very cost-effective.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

LIVESTOCK

ApRIL 2021

29

Sector shows resilience Following a challenging year with Covid-19 disruptions and drought, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Mid-Season Update 2020– 21 highlights the resilience and adaptability of New Zealand’s red meat sector as solid market fundamentals continue to support global demand.

Although the outlook predicts that the sector will continue to be challenged in 2021 by Covid-19 disruptions and increasing competition, particularly in beef export markets, global demand for protein remains strong.

“We are seeing an increase in meat consumption in emerging markets, and growing demand for high-quality proteins from consumers in these countries as well as increasing demand from China due to underlying demand and African Swine Fever restricting pork supplies.

New Zealand is well-positioned to meet these demands,” says B+LNZ’s Economic Service’s chief economist Andrew Burtt.

“In 2021, we expect some recovery from weak foodservice demand, but continued disruptions and increased costs across the supply chain, and a higher risk environment will be challenges that weigh on export and farm-gate returns.”

Total beef, veal and sheepmeat export revenue for the 2020–21 season is forecast at $7.43 billion, down 13 per cent from 2019–20.

This decline is largely driven by the unpredictable global trade environment, strength of the New Zealand dollar, a decline in volumes for export as New Zealand’s livestock numbers are rebuilt following drought and some softening in prices.

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B+LNZ’s chief executive, Sam McIvor, says while sheep and beef farmers are expecting a more subdued season ahead, 2020 was significantly more positive for returns and production than expected, given the impact of drought and Covid-19, and is coming off nearrecord levels in the previous years. In fact, projected returns for 2020–21 will be above the 10-year historical average.

“This is a testament to the red meat sector’s agility and deep market understanding. There has been an incredible amount of work done behind the scenes to pivot and reposition products into different markets and channels. In a global context, New Zealand is performing well, and farmers should be proud that their product can meet these global demands.”

For 2020-21, total lamb export receipts are forecast at $2.9 billion, down 14 per cent. The 2020 lamb crop, estimated to be 22.9 million head, is forecast to have been 1.2 per cent lower than in 2019, which is a strong result given the impact of the 2020 drought.

As farmers rebuild flocks following drought, mutton export receipts are forecast to decline 7.1 per cent on 2019–20, driven by declining average export values and a 2.9 per cent decline in mutton production.

Export revenue from beef and veal in the 2020–21 season is forecast to

Andrew Burtt, B+LNZ’s Economic Service’s chief economist

be $3.7 billion, down 14 per cent on 2019–20 and exports are forecast to decline 2.6 per cent to 453,000 tonnes shipped weight.

New Zealand sheep meat and beef export returns and farm-gate prices are significantly impacted by exchange rate movements.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Industry award winners

First-time entrants achieved a clean sweep of first, second and third places across all three categories in Northland at the recent 2021 Northland Dairy Industry Awards.

The 2021 Northland Dairy Share Farmer of the Year Katrina Pearson is a former police officer who would like to change the opinion of people who criticise the dairy industry without looking at the facts.

The other major winners were the 2021 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year Ravindra Maddage Don, and the 2021 Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year Bella Wati.

Katrina entered the awards programme to grow her knowledge about her own business. The 32-year-old grew up on her parents’ dairy farm in Titoki and graduated from Lincoln University with a Diploma in Agriculture in 2008, before spending 10 years working as a New Zealand Police Constable. Katrina is now a contract milker and in an equity partnership, milking 460 cows on Puketitoi Farm Limited’s 186ha property at Purua.

Runner-up in the Northland Share Farmer of the Year category was first-time entrant Luke Oud from a Ruawai property.

Luke, together with his wife Sunshine (Sunny), chose farming as a career as they wanted a change of lifestyle from the Australian FIFO mining industry that Luke was working in.

Winner of the 2021 Northland Dairy Manager of the Year category is 35-yearold Ravindra Maddage Don, who is

The 2021 Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year Bella Wati, Northland Dairy Share Farmer of the Year Katrina Pearson and Northland Dairy Manager of the Year Ravindra Maddage Don

a farm manager in Whangarei. Prior to coming to New Zealand in 2011, Ravindra was working in the Middle East dairy industry.

“I have been amazed at the wonderful relationships dairy farmers have with each other in New Zealand.

“There are formal associations and networks for all sorts of aspects of dairying. I have discovered that dairy

farmers are almost always willing to show you how they do something, tell you what works and what they’d do differently.”

Wellsford farm manager Daniel Richards is runner-up in the Northland Dair y Manager categor y. Third place-getter in the Northland Dairy Manager category is Baden Rudkin from Ohaeawai.

Runner-up in the Northland Dairy Trainee category was Michaela McCracken from Wellsford, and Lucas Beeler from Ruawai was third.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and Westpac, along with industry partner DairyNZ.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ApRIL 2021

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

31

Electric switch made easier

by Andy Bryenton

Getting onboard a new electric farm bike is going to be easier than ever this year, as Kiwi e-vehicle innovators UBCO team up with the government-backed Carbn Group to offer their petrol-free farm bikes via subscription.

It’s not just farmers who will benefit from the full implementation of this rollout, made possible by an investment from New Zealand Green Investment Finance Ltd (NZGIF — also known as the ‘Green Fund’), a crown-owned company established to accelerate low emissions investment in New Zealand.

Households and businesses outside the rural sector are also targeted to switch from fossil fuel to electric power, with UBCO’s already tried-andtested bikes replacing cars and utes for short commutes.

However, even this first stage of the subscription model would fast-track UBCO CEO Timothy Allan’s vision to have an UBCO electric utility vehicle on every farm in New Zealand, which represents a $1.4 billion a year opportunity for the global company.

“After introducing the subscription model to the urban environment with our partnership with Domino’s (pizza), it made sense to extend this to the agricultural sector, which is where our business was built,” said Allan.

“With the backing of a finance partner that is dedicated to the transition away from carbon fuels, the offer makes sense for farms’ cash flow and planning.”

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subscription model means businesses and consumers can pay a fixed monthly fee covering the bike, battery and servicing. UBCO retains ownership and stewardship of the product.

Almost 50 per cent of UBCO sales historically have been from the agricultural sector.

The latest data shows there are approximately 51,000 farm holdings in New Zealand. There are 175,000

registered motorbikes in New Zealand, with the farm bike count estimated at double that. Based on New Zealand’s energy profile, the UBCO 2X2 has 80 per cent less CO2 emissions than petrol vehicles and removes all particulate emissions during use. More importantly, the two-wheel-drive machines have already proven their worth on farms, having been available for several years now.

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ApRIL 2021

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

33

Family business

by Andy Bryenton

Seven or eight seats sounds like a lot if you’re single, and your primary concern when buying an automobile is whether you can fit an overnight bag in the boot with the convertible top down.

When a family comes along, with the additional children’s best friends, a dog and baby gear more voluminous and complicated than the equipment issued to astronauts, a van or large SUV begins to sound like good sense.

For many, there’s no need for off-road credentials, and space and comfort are most important. These are the people who need people movers, and for many years there have been few interesting choices in this market.

Nowadays, the wheezy, underpowered people movers and repurposed tradies’ vans of the 90s are a thing of the past.

What should you buy if you want to move many, many, usually small, noisy people at once without compromising your comfort or feeling like some kind of daycare chauffeur? Kia’s Carnival is spacious but not upmarket enough for some, while Toyota has dropped its Estima shape in lieu of the Granvia, a great machine but exactly the same size and shape as the Hiace van. Lexus delivers luxury with its LM 300h, but it’s also blessed with a grille that looks like a dwarven helmet from Lord of the Rings, essentially a metal beard.

That brings us to the daddy of people movers, the old original — the Honda

New Odyssey — Honda continue to improve on an old favourite

Odyssey. Named for everyone’s favourite Greek myth and equipped with eight fullsized seats, the Odyssey has returned in 2020 form with a 2.4 litre engine under the hood, armed with Honda’s famous VTEC multicam wizardry. It’s clearly not a van, and it feels more like a car on the road than many of its competitors, but inside, it’s all space and light. Massive sliding doors open with the push of a button to allow a horde of children to

5,990

deploy, and there’s boot space even with them all packed in. Naturally, Honda went for and achieved a five-star safety rating for this family mothership, but the allure of the Odyssey is not just its practicality. With its longer nose, wide, fairly low stance and long glasshouse, this is less a van than a very large station wagon. That’s a style with a family pedigree from way back, and as an added bonus, the front grille does not

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look like something Thorin Oakenshield would keep on his hat rack.

So it’s reliable, practical, spacious, and not bad-looking compared to its competitors. Sure, the Odyssey is still a family moving machine, which tells the world your sports car days are done.

However, it also tells them that you’re the kind of mum or dad who chooses wisely and that you’ll never have to worry about who you’ll need to leave behind.

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FEATURES IFS / IRS All 4 wheel hydraulic disc brakes 12” alloy wheels 25” 6ply CST tyres 3000lb winch 350kg tow capacity

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IFS / IRS 14” alloy wheels 27” 8ply CST tyres ROPS approved roll cage 3 seat bench seat Full door kit (not shown) 800kg tow capacity 350kg cargo capacity

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ApRIL 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Neighbours who changed the world

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around road works

Growing up in Blackpool, England, a famous beachside tourist spot, William Lyons lived across the road from an entrepreneurial chap who turned ex-first world war motorbikes into cafe racers and cruisers. One conversation between the two young men changed the automotive world.

The year was 1921, exactly a century ago, when William spotted something new on the driveway of his neighbour across the street. He found out that this was another William, Will Walmsley, and that he’d designed a rocket-shaped sidecar to make any motorbike into a tourer. Lyons bought one for his Norton and convinced Walmsley that they should go into business together.

Without an engineering degree, age only 20, but with big ideas, Lyons was obsessed with speed. He had plans of how to achieve it, too.

Soon the pair were creating Swallow brand sports cars, turning affordable Austin Sevens into roadsters that provided more fun and more speed for your money than their contemporaries.

Without any formal training, Lyons could sculpt and sketch car designs that looked as sleek as any from makers like Mercedes or Rolls Royce.

By the late 1920s, the pair were turning out 50 cars a year. Then they shifted gears and began making bespoke autos with a Standard Nine engine. The SS1 was ahead of its time and took the British motor scene by storm. After building aircraft during the

Sir William Lyons started Jaguar with a single persuasive conversation and went on to become one of the greatest auto designers ever — all without a formal education in the subject

second world war, Lyons and Walmsley had to drop the SS Cars name. The letters were irreversibly tarnished by their association with Hitler’s stormtroopers. Not wanting to be like Ford or Ferrari and use his own name, Lyons named his new car the Jaguar.

Postwar, as a publicity exercise, Lyons devised the XK, a convertible with radical styling and a top speed of 120 miles an hour. It was, effectively, the world’s first supercar, and it cost far less than what people expected.

The initial limited run of 200 was extended, and a tradition of fast Jags was born. Working on iconic shapes

such as the XJ6, William Lyons didn’t use technical drawing or engineering methods. He didn’t have that kind of education. While he had a knack of picking top engineers and coachbuilders, designers and technicians to put more power under the hood, the shape of his cars was often determined by full-scale models which he’d pace around, alter here and there, and critically appraise more like a sculptor than an industrial designer. While fellow designer Malcolm Sayer defined the most beautiful Jaguar, the E-Type, it was Sir William, knighted in 1956, who made the brand a British icon.

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Promotion available on new farm vehicles (AG125, AG200, TTR230/A, TW200, XT250, YFM350FA, YFM450FB, YFM450FB/P, YFM700FA, YFM700FB/P, YXC700P, YXE850PBL, YXE850PK, YXF850, YXM700, YXE1000PSEM, YXF1000PSEM), through participating authorised Yamaha dealers while stocks last. Offer available for specified models, and warranty registered on or before 31/03/21. *FINANCE DISCLAIMER: Zero deposit; zero repayments for the first 12 months and 4.95% p.a. fixed interest rate on a 36 month loan term. Asset backed commercial applicants only with NZBN registered for minimum of 1 year. Maximum amount financed is $35,000 and applies to AG125, AG200, TTR230/A, TW200, XT250, YFM350FA, YFM450FB, YFM450FB/P, YFM700FA, YFM700FB/P, YXC700P, YXE850PBL, YXE850PK, YXF850, YXM700, YXE1000PSEM, YXF1000PSEM. Credit criteria, fees, charges and conditions apply including an application fee of $325, $10 PPSR fee and a dealer administration fee. Finance to approved applicants by Yamaha Motor Finance New Zealand Ltd. (YMF) NZBN 9429036270798 FSP 9622. At participating Yamaha dealerships while stocks last. Information provided is general only and does not take into account your particular objectives, financial situation and needs. **INSURANCE DISCLAIMER: Information provided is general only and does not take into account your particular objectives, financial situation and needs. Please read the Policy Wording available at www.yminz.co.nz before you make any decisions regarding this product. Insurance is underwritten by underwriters at Lloyd’s of London acting through its agent Yamaha Motor Insurance New Zealand Ltd (YMINZ) NZBN 9429045857638 FSP 556706.

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BRYANT TRACTORS LTD 38 Rewa Rewa Road, Raumanga, Whangarei P: 09 438 1319 | E: sales@bryanttractors.co.nz Web: www.bryanttractors.co.nz Murray 027 490 9379 | Ivo 027 368 3920 Trent 027 490 9826

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ApRIL 2021

35

Northern Rural Marketplace ATJ

Acraflex Dairy Wall Coatings

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Able to be applied between milkings during summer months

SELF DRIVE MACHINERY HIRE

Colourcrete Dairy Floor Resurfacing System

Call the team at ATJ for your hire needs

Warkworth 09 425 8845 or Aaron on 021 210 0493 4 Morrosion Drive, Warkworth

WELLSFORD SALE MONDAYS 12:00pm - Store Cattle

Andrew Simpson

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DARGAVILLE SALE THURSDAYS 11:30am - Feeder Calves 12:30pm - Store Cattle

Harrison Water Ram Pumps

Suitable for repairing damaged dairy floors or slippery areas Bruce Cameron 027 498 8412 / 09 235 8263

4 Models

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Tree climbing Tree felling Saw milling Firewood cutting & splitting

We offer design & build for bridges including plans, permits, consents and construction.

Or see us to strengthen and repair your existing bridge to ensure safe access on your property.

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027 471 6927

Contact: GHK Piling Phone: 09 435 4443

Address: 9-11 Hewlett St, Whangarei

Email: admin@ghk.co.nz Web: www.ghk.co.nz

IES CONSTRUCTION LTD. CONCRETE AND TILT SLAB CONSTRUCTION • • • •

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Northland Laser Drainage Ltd Neil Carter Trading as

Doug Wilson Manager Phone: Fax: Mobile: Email:

09 430 2934 09 430 2936 0274 302 934 dougw@nrh.co.nz

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30 Tonne units available.

We cover your country!

Subsurface Drainage Specialists (Nth)

North Island Livestock Cartage Don Wilson - Pukekohe 027 497 5825 - don@onroadtransport.nz Blue Vallance - Paparoa 027 480 1072 - blueandgayle@xtra.co.nz Grant Robinson -Whangarei 021 158 8386 - grant@onroadtransport.nz 09 238 4016 | 2169 Buckland Road RD2, Pukekohe 2677 www.onroadtransport.nz

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* Cowshed Wash

022 438 8838

STAN SEMENOFF LIVESTOCK LTD P: 0800 800 585 LIVESTOCK@SEMENOFFGROUP.CO.NZ

NORTHERN FARMING CLASSIFIEDS Reach 33,300 Rural Homes — Phone 0800 466 793

For Sale

For Sale

ATV MATS from $89 — Come in & see us at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Ph 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz.

CHICKEN MANURE for sale in bulk lots $20 per cubic metre, small lots $40 per cubic metre plus freight. B&H Whangarei are also available for all types of fencing. Call 09 432 2444 or 027 476 5458.

ATV SAFETY HELMETS — from $119 accessories from $15. The law has changed! Have you got yours? Come & see us at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Ph 0800 963 636. www. atvtyres.co.nz. Subject to availability.

BACK 2 Wood Demolition. We buy & sell renovation materials. Servicing Northland — Auckland.

Specialising in Windows, Doors, Ranch Sliders, Kitchens, Vanities, Roofing and More! Check out our website back2wood.co.nz or Ph 0800 10 98 77.

HERITAGE APPLE Trees from $30 – Hardy root stocks – Diversify your Farm with an Orchard tree pack www.tastytrees.co.nz, call 09 408 5443 or text 027 346 7645 NEW YAMAHA FARM ATVs — 5.9% interest & 3 year warranty. Only at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi — phone 0800 963 636 & Yamaha MC Whangarei. Ph 09 438 0804

Attention Farmers GIBB-GRO GROWTH PROMOTANT Promotes quick pasture growth Only $6 per hectare + GST delivered

0508-GIBB-GRO (442 247) www.gibb-gro.co.nz “The Proven One”

SMOKE ALARMS

Save Lives

100 IT’S NOT A TARGET

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April 2021 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

DARGAVILLE C A Motorcycles, 104 Jervois St Dargaville | 09 439 0170 HIKURANGI Rouse Motorcycles, 1 King St | 09 433 8471 WARKWORTH Warkworth Motorcycles, 22 Whitaker Rd | 09 425 8535

KAIWAKA Warkworth Motorcycles Kaiwaka, 1916 SH1 | 09 431 2123 KAIKOHE Rob Titter Farm Services, 55 Station Rd E | 09 401 1774 WHANGAREI Shaw Motorcycles, 111 Cameron Street | 09 438 1183