Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, March 2021

March 2021 Edition

Following the dairying path Pages 4–5

National on-farm judging completed

Producing the Perendale

P3

Sounds of rural Taranaki

P6

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March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

Integrity community media

Council welcomes views on Maori wards The Taranaki community is invited to have its say on whether the Taranaki Regional Council should create a Maori constituency for the 2022 local authority elections.

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

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 Advertising: Braxton Epere 027 525 8217 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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Consultation opened on Monday, March 1 and will run through until 4pm on Friday, March 19.

The public is being asked if they support the establishment of a Maori constituency for the Taranaki Regional Council.

It would mean people on the Maori electoral roll would vote for candidates standing in the Maori constituency.

Voters on the general roll would continue to vote in the general constituencies.

The council has stated its preferred option is to introduce a Maori constituency. However, councillors are keen to hear the views of the public before they make a final decision.

A hearing will be held on Monday, April 6, where submitters can choose to present their views in person.

Following the hearing, councillors will deliberate and vote on whether to proceed with a Maori constituency for the 2022 elections.

If the answer is yes, a representation review will be held to confirm how many

constituencies there will be, their borders and how many councillors will represent each.

TRC chairman David MacLeod said it is crucial Maori perspectives and cultural values are fairly represented and understood at the council decisionmaking table, alongside those of the wider community.

He said while the council has been open with its preferred option, councillors will consider all feedback with open minds.

V isit trc.govt.nz/haveyoursay for fur ther details, frequently asked questions, and to make a submission online.

Friday, March 19 2021: Submissions close.

Tuesday, April 6 2021: Submitters heard by the council — decision made.

Friday, May 21 2021: Deadline to make a decision in time for the 2022 elections.

If the decision is to create a Maori constituency, a representation review would then be undertaken.

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National on-farm judging completed

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The on-farm judging of the regional supreme award winners for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) was completed recently.

During a three-week period, judges Warwick Catto and Jamie Strang travelled the length of the country from Kaeo in the north to Riverton in the south, meeting the 10 BFEA regional supreme winners. Properties visited included dairy and beef finishing, sheep, beef, deer, a milking goat farming operation, and commercial vegetable growers.

Each of the 10 BFEA regional supreme winners spent time on their properties with the judges. The on-farm visits form a vital part of the judging process to name the winners of the esteemed Gordon Stephenson Trophy, named in honour of Waikato farmer and noted conservationist, the late Gordon Stephenson, at the National Sustainability Showcase in Wellington on Thursday, March 25.

Mr Strang, a sheep and beef farmer in the Wairarapa who has been a national judge with Mr Catto for the past 10 years, explained the purpose of the visits is to provide insights which are later explored in a formal interview.

“The farm visits are a great opportunity to examine some of our award winners practices first-hand and to understand how they are striving to manage the land more sustainably,” he said.

Mr Catto, who manages science and agronomic matters for Ballance Agrinutrients and is a longstanding BFEA national judge, said the diversity of land use and business acumen shown by the regional supreme winners was a particular highlight this year.

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The Brown family of Rukumoana Farms in Mangamingi were one of 10 BFEA regional supreme winners across New Zealand photo New Zealand Farm Environment Trust

“The increasing awareness and action on biodiversity is an area that is emerging. It is great to see a proactive focus around addressing water issues in the winners’ catchments.

“The enhancements that these farmers and growers have made to the land and environment add to the asset value of the property as well as the aesthetics.”

The on-farm judging trip is a highlight for both the judges who enjoy meeting with passionate and inspirational farmers and growers to hear about their innovations.

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“The use of technology, research and the latest testing methods to gather data has really stood out this year, as has the active contribution these couples and partnerships are making in their regions, contributing to local decision-making,” said Mr Strang.

The judging panel now has the tough task of selecting the recipient of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy from an outstanding line-up of BFEA regional supreme winners.

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March 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

FOLLOWING THE

DAIRYING PATH

BY DENISE GUNN CONTRACT MILKERS CONNOR AND OLIVIA PORTER HAVE AN EXTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND BETWEEN THEM, RANGING FROM SHEEP, BEEF, DEER AND ARABLE, AS WELL AS DAIRY.

C

onnor grew up on his parents’ south Taranaki dairy farm, but he was initially unsure about heading into a dairying career. When looking at career options during his last few years of high school, Connor found the prospect of locking himself into student debt for a specific role didn’t appeal to him either.

“I wanted to get a trade first, then figure out what I wanted to do from there. So I did my apprenticeship at Fairview Aluminium in Hawera,” he said.

In 2012, after winning New Zealand’s most promising Architectural Aluminium

Joinery Apprentice, Connor decided to follow a career path into dairy farming.

Work as a farm assistant for two seasons on an Eltham dairy farm followed. Connor then headed to the Waikato to take on more responsibility and gain further experience. In June 2016, he travelled to Western Australia to work on an arable and drystock farm for three months.

On his return to Taranaki, Connor worked as 2IC on an 800-cow, split calving, system five farm. He took up contract milking in 2017. Connor was employed on a 300-cow, system three

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farm for two seasons before moving to his current job, milking 350 cows on a 110ha south Taranaki dairy farm. The property also runs drystock on 190ha.

Living next door to a sheep and arable farm in the United Kingdom gave Olivia the opportunity to bottle feed orphan lambs and also enjoy watching tractors and combine harvesters at work during harvesting.

“I finished my General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and then had to pick my A level subjects for my last two years of education. However, I suddenly, at the last minute, decided

another two years of exams and lots of studying really wasn’t for me.“ After concerns that her lack of farming background would hinder acceptance into an agricultural course, she ended up finishing the two years of study as a distinction student, obtaining the highest level possible. She was also awarded the Davies Cup for the most outstanding student achievement at her graduation.

Work in a grain laboratory during the summer followed. Olivia then began to explore her passion for dairy farming, gaining experience on small and large

TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

Contract milkers Olivia and Connor Porter

scale farms in the United Kingdom. While at college, she also spent two seasons during lambing on two different farms.

Although she was offered a place at Harper Adams University to study towards a four-year degree in agriculture, Olivia decided to take a gap year, travelling to New Zealand in October 2016.

“Well, I never returned back, and now I’m still here, contract milking with Connor,” she said.

The couple met in 2017 when Olivia was working for veterinarian Graeme Hughes.

Olivia had come out for a late-night calving to the farm Connor was working on at that time.

Three years later, the couple is in their second season in partnership as contract milkers on the Manutahi

farm. One of the biggest challenges on the farm has been finding ways to handle the salt spray and high westerly winds.

Connor said the nearby runoff is used to winter the entire herd, go into calving with a high cover and cut bulk silage early.

Maize is grown on the river flats, bulk silage and hay at the runoff. Cows also start on a turnip crop in January until the end of February.

“The first season, we had a target of 160,000kgMS, which we fell short of by 1,800 solids. Considering how dry it was in autumn, we went once a day in March and no extra feed brought in outside of what was budgeted; we were happy with our result.

“This season, we have the same target of 160,000kgMS. The system

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The couple are in their second season in partnership as contract milkers on the Manutahi farm

has changed a fraction this year to comply with the new regulations regarding nitrogen.

“So we have brought in 15ha worth of grass silage to make up for the loss of growth and protein.”

Connor has continued studying, completing a number of courses through Primary ITO. He is also a Dairy Hoofcare Institute of New Zealand member and was a finalist for the Taranaki Dairy Trainee Farmer of the Year in 2015. During the dry season, the couple help veterinarian

Graeme Hughes with hoof trimming and teat sealing.

“Some of the farming highlights for us is turning grass into milk, being grade-free for four consecutive years, and seeing farms improve under our management all the way from in-calf rates to production, to the young stock.

We also enjoy watching our youngstock grow. We drench and weigh stock at runoff once a month.”

Diversifying their business is part of the couple’s plans with an end goal of owning either a drystock or dairy farm.

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March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

PRODUCING THE PERENDALE

BY DENISE GUNN The late Sir Geoffrey Peren played a leading role in the development of the Perendale sheep breed, in addition to the establishment of Massey Agricultural College.

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orn in Surrey, England, in 1892, Sir Geoffrey took a keen interest in nature from a young age. He was just 14 when he chose to leave England to go farming in Canada, moving to a small mixed farm in southern Ontario. Two years later, he took up work as a teamster in British Columbia and also gained orcharding experience. On winning a scholarship to the Ontario Agricultural College in 1911,

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Sir Geoffrey’s agricultural academic studies began.

Four years later, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture, Sir Geoffrey enlisted in the Canadian Field Artillery, serving in France during the first world war. He rose to the rank of major and was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

At the end of the war, Sir Geoffrey worked at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) research station

in Kent, England as an assistant then as a MAF inspector. From 1920 to 1924, he lectured at the University of Bristol’s agricultural and horticultural research station.

Sir Geoffrey, and his wife Violet, moved to New Zealand in 1924 following his appointment as the new chair of agriculture at Victoria University in Wellington.

With much ongoing discussion about the need for an agricultural training institution in the North Island, Sir Geoffrey joined forces with the professor

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of agriculture at Auckland University College, Professor William Riddet. The two professors travelled to assess potential sites, settling on land near Palmerston North.

Massey Agricultural College, named after former prime minister William Ferguson Massey, was officially opened in March 1928. Sir Geoffrey was appointed principal of the agricultural college, and Professor Riddet became the chair in agriculture.

On returning to Massey after serving in the second world war, where Sir

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Sir Geoffrey Peren and Professor William Riddet check out a possible site for the new Massey Agricultural College in 1926

Geoffrey commanded the Manawatu Mounted Rifles and other units, he furthered his interest in research and teaching. The areas of sheep husbandry and wool, and the development of fleece testing, particularly interested him.

Sir Geoffrey began looking at the development of a sheep breed that would particularly suit the North Island’s steep hill country. It followed on from earlier attempts by a handful of North Island sheep farmers crossing Romneys with Cheviots. The Perendale, named after Sir Geoffrey, was produced from the offspring of a Romney ewe and a Cheviot ram. In 1959, he was also a key figure in the formation of the Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand.

Horowhenua sheep farmer, Gilbert Timms, is a former president of both the Cheviot and Perendale Sheep Societies.

His involvement with Perendales stretches back more than half a century.

It was while working for sheep farmer David Law as a teenager that he met Sir Geoffrey.

“He was a very enthusiastic man with sheep and did a great job for Massey, the Perendale breed, and every breed really,” said Gilbert.

“He had a saying ‘keep the water dripping on the stone’. Just keep improving all the time.”

Gilbert said Sir Geoffrey was very encouraging, particularly towards new breeders.

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The 1928 official opening of Massey Agricultural College with Professor Geoffrey Peren on the left in the front row Photographer JH Daroux, Palmerston North — taken March 20 1928

“Romneys and Southdowns were the main sheep breeds 60 years ago.

Sir Geoffrey encouraged and helped people to get started and ensure they registered with the breed society. He would tell them what to do to improve.

“The Perendales are really good dual-purpose sheep, really hardy and adaptable.

“When things get tough, they don’t die. They might lose condition, but they hang in there and bounce back very quickly. They are a good breed, and the Perendale Society has worked hard to keep the standard up, right through the years.”

Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand president Warren Ayers said Sir Geoffrey was the father of the breed.

“He was very forward-thinking for his time, not only with Perendales but with other genetics as well.”

Sir Geoffrey was awarded a CBE in 1953 and a KBE in 1959.

In 1977, Massey University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Science degree (DSc).

He passed away on July 19 1980, in Palmerston North.

Peren Park in Palmerston North was named in Sir Geoffrey’s honour.

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March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

Sounds of rural Taranaki

BY DENISE GUNN

A TARANAKI ARTS AND WELLBEING PROJECT IS ENCOURAGING MEN TO CREATE MUSIC, USING ITEMS FOUND ON THE FARM, BACKYARD OR SHED.

T

he group, Farm Music, was formed earlier last year under the guidance of producer Sally Barnett and renowned drummer and composer Chris O’Connor. Throughout his career, Chris has worked with a number of musicians, including Neil Finn, Nadia Reed and Don McGlashan.

Currently, he is on tour with the Phoenix Foundation.

Sally has a background in performing arts and was volunteering at suicide prevention initiative, Taranaki Retreat when she and Chris came up with the rural music group concept.

“A combination of working with people in a rural setting, mental wellbeing, and the arts, led me to think about how we could combine all of those things into a project,” she said.

After approaching Chris, the pair discussed exploring various objects and tools found in sheds which could be used to make music.

“We thought it was something cool that other people might enjoy.”

Talks with the Taranaki Retreat, Access Radio Taranaki and Taranaki Rural Support Trust followed, and funding came in from Creative New Zealand.

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RENOWNED DRUMMER, COMPOSER AND ONE OF THE GROUP FOUNDERS CHRIS O’CONNOR

“They all seemed to think it was a great idea and it came together as Farm Music. It’s about men exploring found objects in sheds, garages, paddocks and pulling them together and creating sound with them. It’s fully improvised and about enjoying sound and discovering sound in day-to-day life.”

Number eight wire, barrels, pitchforks, saws and other items found on the farm have been dusted off and used to make music. Under Chris’s guidance, small groups of men met weekly to create music using these found items.

Sally said the aim of Farm Music is focussing on creativity and wellbeing.

“I am really passionate about what arts can do in terms of bringing people together and creating a sense of belonging and community and reducing isolation. In this initial project, we decided it would be mostly men because

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AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION EXPLORING THE SOUNDS OF RURAL TARANAKI

of the nature of men communicating together in a slightly different way than they would in a co-ed environment.

“However, in the future we are keen to explore working with whole families.

It’s about celebrating and having a good time.”

The Covid-19 lockdown caused initial challenges as the group was unable to meet face-to-face.

“We had to largely do the project online initially, and it was challenging to build momentum without the face-toface interaction,” said Sally.

“Farm Music is about creating music together and working it out as we go along. There are a number of different ways people can participate. People can play the instruments or be behind the scenes, building and designing objects.”

In addition to the participant workshops, Farm Music also held a free

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family event as part of the Reset 2020 Festival in November. The audience was able to explore the sounds of rural Taranaki in a completely new way.

There was also an opportunity to meet participants and the creative team behind Farm Music.

“The performance is only the icing on the cake,” says Sally. “The build-up is where you have all those personal growth situations.”

Farm Music is planning to continue in 2021.

“We would ideally like to work with schools or community organisations to encourage different generations to work together within a family, to make music and learn how to appreciate sound in our everyday lives.”

To find out more or join the project, email Sally at sally@flock.nz or visit the Facebook group, Farm Music.

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March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

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The expo, to be held at the TSB Stadium from April 16–18, is owned and produced by the New Plymouth District Council. More than 3,500 visitors attend each year.

One of this year’s exhibitors, Mathew and Rebecca Somerfield of The Shed Project, will be showcasing their selection of kitset timber garden sheds and cabins. Mathew, a builder by trade, uses high-quality, slow-grown Scandinavian Redwood and stainless steel nails and screws.

“All products are treated and stained, which means they are able to weather all elements and remain attractive for years to come,” said Mathew.

“Sustainability is also important for us. For every tree harvested, two are planted, ensuring forests are never depleted and will continue to produce timber long into the future.”

Mathew, and Rebecca, a commercial accountant, bought the business off a family friend from its base in Mount Maunganui.

“They ran it as a successful lifestyle business. When they decided to retire,

Mathew and Rebecca Somerfield of The Shed Project with one of their kitset timber garden sheds

we approached them to purchase the business. We knew the business had great bones, but we thought with some rebranding, a new website and social media presence, we might be able to build the business further.

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“Moving the business to New Plymouth was a huge decision but something we have really enjoyed as a family. Taranaki people are very proud of where they come from and love to support and back local businesses. The way the community has rallied together with Covid to support each other is amazing.”

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Gas axed in proposed plan

by Andy Bryenton

The plan is in from the central government; no new natural gas connections to the network or bottled LPG connections after 2025.

Ailing gas heating and hot water systems may have to switch to electricity or biomass when replaced, and existing natural gas supplies might be phased out as early as 2050.

The story of natural gas begins millions of years ago, with the mass extinctions that ushered out the dinosaurs. The end of that story looks likely to be written by government legislation, starting in the present day.

Proponents are in favour, for green reasons, preventing what is being called the Anthropocene extinction, the climate shift that could wipe out life as we know it. Detractors point to the almost universal use of natural gas for barbecues, restaurants, welding and more.

The end of gas is part of the Climate Change Commission’s report on how New Zealand could go carbon neutral by 2050.

While many of the suggestions made in the report are focussed on agriculture and transport, the gas phase-out came as a shock to small businesses in the hospitality industry, where 95 per cent of restaurants are gas-powered. It’s also prompted a rethink by building firms looking at future-proofing their designs, and consumers considering the end of califonts, gas hot water heaters and gas fires, gas ovens and hobs.

Government proposals to reduce carbon emissions include the recommendation that gas could be turned off for good, starting with no new installs in just four years’ time.

“We can’t continue to postpone what we need to do to reach our goals,” said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

“The government will not hold back,” she reiterated, saying that future generations should not foot the bill for current inaction.

The cost of this is estimated at one per cent of our national gross domestic product each year, or roughly $2 to $3

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billion. However, those in the gasfitting industry, those who supply gas to homes and restaurants, and those who sell heating, cooking and water heating appliances will feel a much bigger shake up coming. Already gas products have

seen a dip in sales, based only on the revelation that there’s 29 years to go before the tap is turned off.

That, to some, is a price being paid today for blue sky (or green) promises tomorrow.

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12

March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

T O B U I L D O R R E N O VAT E

What will replace the RMA?

NEED A PLUMBER?

by Andy Bryenton

The minister in charge of dismantling the RMA and replacing it with three new, streamlined laws has concurred that healthy and affordable housing had become ‘no longer a reality’ for many New Zealanders, agreeing with multiple commissions that the RMA was beyond its usefulness.

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Now the spotlight is on what will replace the old legislation, which had been kept ‘alive’ since the early 1990s with more than 150 amendments and new clauses.

“Housing problems are a complex mix of demand, costs, financing, capacity and supply, and there is no silver bullet.

This reform will help by improving how central and local government plan for housing and urban development.

This includes better coordination of future infrastructure with land use, development and urban growth,” said Environment Minister David Parker, who is overseeing the transition “The existing 100-plus RMA council planning documents will be reduced to about 14,” he confirmed, in a move which will be welcomed by builders and civic planners. It’s been hinted that individual councils may not wield resource management power alone but

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amalgamate into larger regional bodies to homogenise the same rules across a larger area.

The Strategic Planning Act will integrate functions under the RMA, Local Government Act 2002, Land Transport Management Act 2003 and the Climate Change Response Act 2002 to enable clearer and more efficient decision-making and investment.

“New spatial strategies will enable regions to plan for the wellbeing of future generations, ensuring development and infrastructure occurs in the right places at the right times,” says Parker.

He indicated that the National and Built Environments Act, as the core piece of legislation replacing the RMA, will be progressed into law first.

“Given its significance and Minister David Parker is shepherding the replacements to the soon-defunct RMA through the complexity, a special select parliamentary process committee inquiry will consider an exposure draft of the NBA bill from midyear. It will include the most important I expect that the complete NBA and elements of the legislation, including the SPA will be formally introduced into the replacement of Part 2 of the RMA. parliament by the end of 2021.”

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14

March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

ADVERTORIAL

Inflammation

(Part one)

Is your body hot, cold or lukewarm? I am not talking about your actual body temperature but the degree to which unwanted inflammation is affecting your body.

Some inflammation we can feel and see. There is also silent inflammation that has no symptoms but can cause disease.

Inflammation is an amazing part of our body’s healing systems. It is an essential part of how we fight infections and heal against damage caused by injuries. It is always associated with fighting infection. Without inflammation, our first infection or injury would have probably ended our lives. The signs of inflammation are heat, swelling, redness and pain, including loss of function.

Inflammation is a process where our immune (white blood) cells produce a wide range of chemicals that coordinate the process of removing the cause of the problem and then clean up the mess to complete the healing process. These processes are incredibly complex and involve a wide range of cell types and a variety of messenger compounds. Many inflammatory problems are caused by overactive messengers triggering unwanted inflammation.

The inflammatory process is like your kitchen tap. When working well,

you get cold water when you turn the cold tap and hot water when the hot is on. Unwanted inflammation is like turning the cold tap and getting warm or even hot water instead.

A common cause of unwanted inflammation is when our body tries to repair a problem that it cannot fix. That is typical of osteoarthritis.

The problem is caused by cartilage erosion. However, most of the pain is caused by immune cells inflaming joint tissue in an attempt to repair it.

All this does is cause unnecessary pain, swelling and loss of function.

If you are affected by arthritis or any inflammation, I recommend following an anti-inflammatory diet with supplements that can help reduce unwanted inflammation.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

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

New life for old police jerseys Police are supporting a repurposing initiative with a New Zealand-owned woollen mill to turn old jerseys into unspun fibre and then into blankets for official police use only.

Old police jerseys are being repurposed and turned into blankets for official police use

The blankets are initially due to be trialled with Wellington’s maritime policing unit and in patrol cars.

The current uniform policy states that all obsolete or faulty items of police uniform must be returned to be destroyed and disposed of at a landfill.

Since June 2019, 17 tonnes of uniform items have been returned for disposal in this way.

“Working in partnership with other groups to explore ways to achieve broader positive outcomes is important to us, be they environmental, social, economic or cultural,” said manager procurement and contract management Ged Callaghan.

“We’re hoping that this initiative to recycle what would have been destroyed and sent to landfill can be a springboard into other recycling or repurposing initiatives.”

In July 2020, a call went out for old jerseys that could be used for the first test run. Procurement worked with Response and Operations Group (R&O) to ensure this went smoothly.

Staff answered the call, and 145 old jerseys were returned to Lockheed Martin, who manage police uniform supplies. The jerseys were sent on to a A IN &

team at The Information Management Group (TIMG), who manage police secure document blue bins. They removed and destroyed the police coat of arms and anything else on the jerseys that was not wool.

These leftover jersey pieces were then sent to Woolyarns, a 74-year-old Lower Hutt- based mill that’s usually in the business of turning natural fibres like wool and possum fur into yarn.

“This is certainly a different project for us, and we’re literally breaking down the jerseys and turning them back into woollen fibre that can be repurposed into a new product,” said Woolyarns general manager Andy May. “The test run was a success, and we have proved police jerseys can become yarn once again.”

In collaboration with police R&O Group, a prototype hand-knitted beanie was initially produced, and consideration was then given to other types of woollen products before deciding on a blanket.

Staff at Police National Headquarters were canvassed for a name for the blanket. The winner was Ahurutanga, meaning warmth, comfort and security.

Staff are encouraged to hand their old jerseys in to be recycled.

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TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

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 represents the brand’s largest and most

March 2021

15

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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 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.

Michielsens Contracting

We are a family owned and operated business who have been doing groundwork for Plant Nurseries around the Brixton area for over 40 years. We are now expanding into conventional hay & silage We offer a range of services including: ● Spraying ● Ripping ● Ploughing ● Rotary Hoeing ● Poly Laying ● Mulching ● Mowing ● Teddering ● Raking ● Conventional Baling ● Conventional Bale Wrapping Steve Michielsen – 027 722 8899 michielsenscontracting@hotmail.com 53 Waitara Road, RD42, Waitara, 4382

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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16

March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS

New Plymouth Taxis

Technology offers a helping hand The days when a farmer needed to walk the paddocks to check on pasture growth and see where a renewal programme was needed are still valid and a part of normal farm operation. Technology is also at hand, which makes the job quicker and less tiring perhaps.

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Technology is opening up handsfree pasture assessment. DairyNZ has established that in the past few years some 50 per cent of farmers are using this for pasture measurement, with the balance surveyed still using visual examination on the land.

There are improvements on the old favourites: plate meters, sward sticks, and tow-behinds with Bluetooth connectivity and apps to automatically upload paddock data to software.

Some of these tools come with global positioning systems (GPS), so you can link paddock pasture data to your farm map.

Also, emerging recently has been pasture measurement by satellite or using a robotic tow-behind to populate your feed wedge or farm map with the data without slipping on the gumboots. Drones have also been found increasingly effective in remote assessment of far-distant paddocks.

Of course, that doesn’t mean getting into the paddocks to check pre-grazing covers and post-grazing residuals are any less important.

Pasture management software is getting simpler to use, DairyNZ says.

With a growing number of options, from simple to advanced, it’s easier than ever to find something that fits with

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your decision making. Using tactical tools like a Feed Wedge and DairyNZ’s Spring Rotation Planner will help keep you on track when pasture growth rates and covers fluctuate. Comparing whole-season paddock dry matter (DM) performance will lead to paddock improvements, including pasture

renewal rates, drainage and soil fertility.

The value of closing the gap between current annual pasture harvest and the farm’s potential, around $300 extra profit for every extra tonne of DM harvested/year, can be quite an eyeopener. Find out more about pasture management at dairynz.co.nz.

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TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2021

RURAL CONTRACTORS

17

The importance of renewal

Pasture renewal is important for increasing productivity and long-term farm profitability, particularly in the dairy sector.

While grasses can grow indefinitely, factors such as drought, pests, and pugging damage will cause deterioration. Total DM production drops, weeds increase and feed value is therefore reduced.

Renewal can see increased total pasture yield (one–eight tonnes DM/ha/ yr) and gives control over seasonality of production. It makes pasture management easier by using late heading varieties to minimise the drop in pasture quality as seed heads appear in late spring.

New pastures produce, on average, 0.5–0.9 MJME/kg DM more. Reasons for this include higher proportion of desirable species, later and more uniform flowering, leafier sward, with fewer seed heads produced and less dead leaf material.

Most new perennial ryegrass cultivars are available with new endophytes developed to solve particular problems in different regions.

Thus animals are fed better. Cows on new pasture graze more grass, and that grass is leafier, higher in ME and more palatable.

That will be reflected in more milk solids production, faster live-weight gains, higher stocking rates, and at the end of the day, much more

contented cows. Replacing poor-producing pasture is profitable. It is one of the simplest ways to invest onfarm for a significant and relatively predictable rate of return. Although the rate of pasture renewal is often set by historical practices or the budgeted levels, the most profitable rate of renewal for an individual dairy farm is best determined by an analysis of paddock performance, and from this, the cost/benefit for gains through renewal.

Analysis of your pasture growth data will help you plan the most profitable renewal programme.

While you may instinctively know your best and worst paddocks, without measuring or assessing pasture growth, paddocks cannot be accurately ranked to identify worst performance.

The best paddocks to renew are the poorest producers as these have the potential for the greatest improvement.

For example, where the yield can be increased by two tonnes of DM/ ha, the return is around 130kg MS/ ha. The return will be greater if the extra growth occurs at a time of the

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season when animal demand exceeds pasture growth.

The highest producing paddocks on a farm indicate the property’s overall potential. Under-producing paddocks highlight the opportunity for extra pasture growth.

Use grazing and yield records to identify your best and worst paddocks.

The more measures and assessments you have to compare, the better (and easier) the decision will be.

If records are unavailable, use the Pasture Condition Score Tool and walk your farm at least six months before the sowing date.

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18

March 2021 TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL 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.

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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

DRIER. CLEANER. HEALTHIER

integrated. For example, talk to your agricultural contractors and see if you 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 coworkers? Does the app provide Health and Safety have gone mobile, reducing paperwork an easier way to monitor and stress. However, which app to choose for greatest ease hazards, thus minimising their and peace of mind? potential to cause harm, and if it does so, is it in real-time with pertinent options, and have a good look at the inalerts about changing circumstances or depth and long-term data management specific jobs? Perhaps most importantly, available from each product. No doubt, is the method the app used to help you apps like these are the way of the record data easy to use, uncluttered and future. It’s all about picking one you streamlined? If you’re new to making are comfortable with to manage an the change, it pays to look at several important part of your business.

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TARANAKI FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2021

RURAL CONTRACTORS

Farmers need competent spreaders

by Paul Campbell

Drive through rural New Zealand anywhere from North Cape to Bluff, and you will soon see fertiliser spreading, by land or air, as farmers boost the productivity of soils often deficient in nutrients.

The work is almost always carried out by contractors, specialists in the business of getting the best spread for the farm they are engaged on.

Today, contractors must be skilled in many facets of their operation, abiding by increasingly tight regulations in several areas of their business, so it is incumbent on their employers to make sure they are fully accredited.

WorkSafe New Zealand provides the ground spreading industry with guidelines in a specific manual aimed at doing the job well. It says that when working with fertiliser, you can be exposed to a number of potentially serious hazards. Farmers, contractors and workers need to be aware of the risks when using fertilisers and know how to use them safely. This material can be dangerous to work with, especially in adverse weather or if it isn’t stored properly.

“With the Groundspread Fertiliser Association, we have produced guidance for farmers, contractors and workers on how to safely use fertiliser on the farm,” a Workplace Safety spokesman says.

“This covers general health and safety, job planning, storage and maintenance, pre-start checklist, dealing with hazards and emergency planning.”

Another area where contractors need updated qualification is in following the government’s vision to see a noticeable

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improvement in freshwater quality. New regulations to effect this came into force last September.

These are aimed at reducing the amount of pollution — nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, E coli and other contaminants — entering waterways from our cities and our farms.

These contaminants can be harmful to human health and damaging to freshwater fish and other aquatic species.

Higher nitrogen levels contribute to the growth of slime and other harmful plants.

The government is committed to supporting farmers to make the further changes needed to stop water quality from getting worse and starting the

process of reversing past damage. MPI says it will continue to work with the primary sector through the transition to more sustainable land and water use.

Many farmers are already following good practice and taking action to reduce their impact on freshwater.

It also sounds a warning on excessive nitrogen loss into water catchments for fertiliser contractors to be aware of, saying other options to address excessive nitrogen loss is a cap on fertiliser use or requiring nitrogen to be managed under farm environment plans from 2021.

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