Waikato Farming Lifestyle June 2021

June 2021 Edition

Solving ballcock issues Pages 8–9

Who are you going to call?

ISSUE

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Nurturing the rose

Saving the Kaimanawa horses

P4

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Integrity community media

New ‘eco-home’ for regional council

by Paul Campbell

The Waikato 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

Waikato Regional Council staff and councillors are now settling into and getting used to the new surroundings of their ecofriendly Hamilton CBD headquarters at the Tristram Precinct at 160 Ward Street.

Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Paul Campbell, Andy Bryenton Advertising: Teresa Steed 027 525 8223 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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The 401 Grey Street office in Hamilton East has now closed, and the new premises will be officially opened in July.

CEO Chris McLay said having the workforce under one roof after many years of working across many buildings in Grey Street was a huge improvement.

“We worked closely with the developers to ensure we have a fit for purpose building and inspiring workplace, with open and shared workspaces that will facilitate collaboration and enable innovation.”

The move also brings the headquarters closer to the council’s BUSIT and Te Huia operations staff at the transport centre, as well as opposite its Civil Defence group staff occupying space in the Genesis Energy building.

“With the building, there has been a commitment to reducing the carbon footprint, where possible, and in line with the council’s ‘green’ pledge to our communities,” said WRC Chair Russ Rimmington.

“This building is top-notch, and I’m especially pleased to see plenty of sustainable features incorporated by the developer and our own fit-out design team. This includes extensive use of structural timber flooring instead

of the usual concrete and steel, floor coverings made from carbon-neutral and recycled materials, rainwater harvesting, electric vehicle charging and provision for solar panels.”

A 10,000m³ holding tank is located under the garden on Tristram Street and is fed from the roof. It stores water for the external gardens, which are irrigated via a trickle system. The system’s designed to meet irrigation requirements under most conditions — an approach that means the gardens do not need mains-supplied water.

Once installed, the energy generated from the solar panels will go directly into the electricity supply that feeds the building.

It can be used for anything that uses electricity — water heating, car charging, lighting, the HVAC system and will be used at the time it is generated, bringing savings, Cr Rimmington said.

There will be an official opening ceremony in July, which will include the Governor-General of New Zealand. Office accommodation had been an ongoing issue for Waikato Regional Council for almost 10 years, with staff working from up to eight different buildings in Hamilton East.

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Fund to boost marine farming

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by Paul Campbell

Waikato Regional Council has approved $2.575 million in grants from the regional development fund, with $2 million going to enhance growth in the marine farming sector.

Ariki Tahi/Sugarloaf Wharf Ltd (ATSWL) will receive the lion’s share while Hamilton-Waikato Tourism on behalf of the Waikato Screens project will get $575,000 for a three-year period.

WRC chair Russ Rimmington said the projects promised to deliver significant economic benefits to the region, including employment opportunities.

Growth of the marine farming sector in the Coromandel Peninsula is contingent on appropriate wharf infrastructure to bring product ashore.

The funding agreement to be signed with ATSWL will incorporate a number of conditions, including a requirement that all consents are first approved before the grant is paid, as well as the setting of performance expectations.

The expansion of Te Ariki Tahi/ Sugarloaf Wharf will ensure the movement and processing of product through Thames-Coromandel and other

districts. The activity is likely to grow ancillary service industries that are not in existence now or are currently at a very small scale and often seasonal.

“Our council’s funding will contribute to marine farmers having more confidence to invest in growing their on-water operations, rather than on the expansion of the wharf.

“The potential to change lives, to boost the local and regional economy through this work, is the reason why this council has committed funds to it,” Cr Rimmington said.

The central government threw its support behind the project last year with nearly $20 million from the Provincial Growth Fund.

The project to upgrade the wharf at Te Kouma will unlock approximately $822 million of economic benefit for 35 years and is projected to support 880 jobs.

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Nurturing the rose

by Ann van Engelen

Janette Barnett developed a love of roses while visiting her grandparents and spending hours in their flower gardens as a young child.

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s a young girl, I visited my grandparents every Sunday.

They had a rambling, romantic, country garden, with a fish pond and every type of flower and vegetable imaginable,” says Janette.

“I was most drawn to the roses. I loved them and would wander from bush to bush, taking in the exquisite scents and examining each beautiful bloom carefully. I would pick the best to take home.

“Poppa’s large exhibition roses were my favourite. There were rows of perfectly placed petals that would open as if to reveal a secret, and I would wonder if Thumbelina would be sleeping in the centre.

“I was hooked and spent many years filling my own garden with fragrant, perfectly-formed, award-winning roses.

I became an exhibitor and New Zealand National Rose Judge. It is such a thrill to sit on a panel of judges and determine a single rose from hundreds entered and crown it Champion of Champions.”

In 2006 Janette and her husband Paul travelled to Osaka, Japan. Janette attended the World Rose Convention, and Paul went to a property conference.

That is where the Amoré Rose tale began.

“Paul had a conversation with a man at a bar, and he turned out to be Frank Bernadella, an acclaimed American rose breeder,” says Janette.

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facing the same issue. They just couldn’t get their product into New Zealand.

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Paul and Janette bring a wide variety of international rose breeds into the country and determine which plants will grow well in the climate here

Roses. Initially, we imported budwood from international growers and had to perform rigorous Ministry of Primary Industries quarantine processes.

“We partnered with an established rose grower, but unfortunately, the length of time to get from budwood to market was so long that the partnership folded.

We then had to decide to walk away from my rose dream or dive headlong into a whole new world of commercial rose growing.”

Paul and Janette followed her dream and sold everything they could and purchased 17 acres.

“It was a complete leap of faith as we plunged into the unknown. We set up six quarantine units and 188 test gardens to test roses from all around the world.

In 2017 we began selling the first range of international roses in New Zealand.

“Launching Amoré Roses took my love for the flowers to a whole new level, and New Zealand now has rose breeds that truly are the best in the world. I feel so fortunate that my profession allows me to be surrounded by perfume, colour, and magical blooms every day. You can’t help but be inspired.

“Helping people with their own garden planning and giving rose garden advice is also something I truly love to do. Roses are extremely versatile and hardy plants that can be planted in a variety of locations. Winter is the best time to plant them, and we have growing information available at amoreroses.co.nz.

“It takes up to 10 years to get the roses to the market from landing onshore. They spend around one year in quarantine, then three years in our test

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Janette Barnett has taken her childhood love of roses to a whole new level through her company Amoré Roses

gardens, then up to four years whilst we send to rose trials and bulk up the numbers of plants to sell.

“Our test gardens determine which of our international breeds will flourish in New Zealand growing conditions.

They are a sight to behold during the summer months, and our open day is on November 20 this year.

“The test gardens are only open by appointment for groups, and the annual open day is when the gates are open to the public to enjoy the new roses under test in full bloom.

“Entry is free, and visitors can fill out forms with comments on the roses

they like. There is food and coffee to purchase and music for entertainment as people wander around to see the roses of the future.

“Our daughters Melanie and Briony work alongside us. Briony also manages our Rose Retreat.

It is a two-bedroom cottage with magnificent views of the countryside and roses. Melanie manages our advertising campaigns, Facebook and Instagram.

“It is a labour of love, but at the end of that rigorous testing period, we will have a world-class bloom that will flourish in New Zealand gardens.”

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

KAIMANAWA HO E H T G R N SE I V S SA

BY AN N

PHOTOS MALIKA THE CREATIVE

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he adopted a stallion whom she has named Recon and has six months to tame and train the horse along with taming his companion Mana.

“I decided to take up the challenge and try my hand at putting the principals that I use at Tori Lee Equestrian with domesticated horses to the wild horses,” says Tori. “We have six months to help the Recon adjust to a domesticated life the best he can. It will be interesting to see how far we get in that time frame.

“I have never done this before so I have no specific expectation and am unsure of the end result. At the end of the six months, we plan to attend the Equifest Stallion challenge in Taupo in October so he needs to be happy and able to travel.”

The horse needs to be comfortable with people and crowds as there are three parts to the challenge.

“He needs to be confident with people, and be haltered and led around the arena. Both horses are doing really well.

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Tori’s stallion Recon is now allowing her to touch him and is gaining confidence with trying new things such as walking through road cones and being haltered

across yet that I don’t know where to go to.

“Everything I do with domestic horses is working with the Kaimanawa, I simply use the same principles in different ways.

“The experience is giving me the confidence that I have been training horses right for the last 10 years.

“In the next four months I may come across things, but at this stage, it is going as well as I anticipated. I look forward to seeing the end result at the Kaimanawa Freedom to Friendship Stallion Challenge.”

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all but doesn’t think first. At times he gets himself in a pickle and gets scared and regrets his decision. He then takes time to regain confidence so I am working on helping him to think about his decisions.

“Recon is slightly resistant to pressure with me picking up his feet but he hasn’t been a problem. Neither horse is aggressive but if you are too quick and try to force the subject too hard or fast you can see Recon’s slight stubborn streak.

“I then use a different approach with him. He is sweet and just needs the moment to think about his answer. They have come a long way with just under five months to go for the training and I am confident with how Recon is tracking.

“My husband Pat was laughing at me the first day they arrived as instead of getting one horse I got two and wasn’t sure what I was going to do. There hasn’t been anything that I have come

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“I am working on the basic handling with Mana for a friend. It has been more than a month since they arrived and I am super happy with how they are both progressing.

“Recon is definitely more confident than Mana. He already allows me to halter him in the paddock, rub and touch his body and pick up his feet.

I have also added obstacles into the round pen including a narrow track of cones for them to work with.” Tori is now introducing jackets, tarpaulins and items that make noise to help the horses get used to different noises.

“I will eventually add a cover and begin to get Recon used to having a person on his back. This includes moving him in a horse float and I am not sure if six months is enough time for him to gain confidence. He needs to be safe and confident to be handled.”

Mana is also gaining confidence and allowing Tori to touch his head and shoulders and follows her around at liberty.

“I have other horses on the property but as Recon and Mana are stallions, only the geldings get to be close to them. I am planning to introduce another horse to their paddock soon.

We are keeping the mares away as we don’t want to breed. Both horses will be gelded as that is a requirement when you adopt a stallion/colt from the Kaimanawa muster.

“Horse socialising isn’t normally an issue as they live in a family band. It is humans they are not used to. Their personalities are coming out now and Recon lives up to his name. If he isn’t sure about something he hangs back and hides behind Mana watching and observing.

“He is very thoughtful with his processes and when he has thought about it he will make a move to come and see the new thing or try what you are asking him to do.

“Mana looks like the more confident one as he throws himself in boots and

JuNE 2021

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

SOLVING BALLCOCK ISSUES

by Ann van Engelen

Having worked on farms in and around Te Awamutu for 20 years, Ric Awburn has had his fair share of time contending broken ballcocks in troughs.

O

ne day Ric came up with the Springarm idea. The invention saw Ric and his wife Marianne receive the Innovation Prototype Award at the recent New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays®.

“I grew up on a drystock farm and was told university was my next step after school, so I did a diploma in farm management,” says Ric. “I then decided to go dairy farming because of the stepping stones to farm ownership. I am currently managing a herd of 500. Initially, Marianne and I

had a goal of farm ownership, but the financial recession hit us hard, and we altered our plans.

“Before we had children, I worked seven days a week because I thought that made me a hard man. Over the years, I learned that is not the mentality to have or the reputation to aim for.

“We had our first child, and we realised as parents your responsibility changes. We now have three sons, and at one point, I had overworked and ended up depressed. I thought I was tough and would truck on, but that

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Ric grew up on a drystock farm and chose a career in dairy farming with the plan to progress to farm ownership

didn’t work. We came through it with the support from my family, medication and good friends.

“I cut back the workload and now coach and watch our sons play rugby and go to school assemblies and things and love being there for them. I never knew what it was like seeing your children play sports. Making life changes was a big enjoyable eye-opener.

“When you have depression, you may not want to talk. You put on a brave face,

but deep down, you are like a duck on the pond. It is all calm and happy, but you are paddling under the water a million miles a minute, where no one can see, trying to stay afloat.

“Now, when I meet other men and shake their hand, I don’t judge them on how many hours they work. It is about being happy in yourself and content with what you have.

“I never expected to win the Innovation Prototype Award. The idea

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of the Springarm came about through summertime water issues. Cattle often break the ballcock arm while drinking as they are so brittle, and you can lose a tank of water overnight.

“I had the idea to add a spring to the arm to stop the cows snapping it off, and a few friends said the invention could help other farmers. Marianne has been an awesome inspiration. She picked up the project when I needed help and sourced all the materials and got it trugging along. We are a team, and that is how it should be.

“We made the prototype and went to the Fieldays® to see what response we could get. The number of people interested in our product took us by surprise. When they announced us as winners for the Innovation Prototype Award, we were really shocked.”

The Springarm is animal welfare friendly and fits with existing systems.

The evening Ric considered his idea is when fate kicked in.

“Ric had been standing at a trough waiting for the weather to cool down and the cows to have their fill, so he could put the new ballcock arm into the trough before heading home,” says Marianne.

“He had a light bulb moment, and he robbed the spring off the stand of one of the boys’ two-wheeler motorbikes, chopped a ballcock arm in half, added the spring and went back to the trough to test his idea.”

It has taken two years and countless design twists to nearly finishing the product, finally ending sleepless nights and wasteful overflowing troughs for good.

“Before his Springarm brainwave, it was a standing joke amongst friends that he was ducking home during social gatherings to fix troughs, sort out the

JuNE 2021

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LOCAL

FOREST AND WOODLOT OWNERS The Springarm invention is aimed at helping farmers solve the issue of stock breaking water trough ballcocks

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Ric and Marianne Awburn won the Innovation Prototype Award for their ballcock Springarm invention

pump shed, turn taps on and off, or manage a complicated system of tanks and wells to try to keep the water on for the cattle.

“People can now check out the Springarm Facebook and website and will soon be able to purchase the Springarm and take summer off knowing their troughs leak no more.

“Ric isn’t disappearing from parties to check if the float is up or if an arm is broken and finally has dinner

with his family. He goes to bed at a reasonable hour and doesn’t worry about running out of water for the stock or the plant.

“The Springarm will be a much cheaper solution than other products on the market. We have used the arms on our farm for 12 months and haven’t had one leak or any overflowing troughs — that has been a huge relief.”

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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by Andy Bryenton

When the Tesla Volt, the company’s first electric roadster based on the Lotus Elise platform, was still in its infancy, opinion was divided about the post-fossil-fuel landscape.

At the same time that the Volt was creating interest for a new crop of electric vehicles, and the Prius was fresh on the hybrid scene, Honda developed a working model of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle called the Insight. A few of these revolutionary cars hit the road, but the places to refuel its expensive and bulky cells were far between, and as the years went by, hydrogen became a distant second-runner behind electricity.

Now there’s new life for the hydrogen concept, as a cutting-edge company based in Israel reveals a new kind of hydrogen engine. Strangely enough, it all came out of trying to get more bang for each drop of petrol.

The Aquarius engine runs a single piston with two engine heads. That is because the piston goes backwards as well as forwards, a kind of inside-out version of the boxer configuration seen in a Porsche or Subaru. Instead of two pistons working parallel on a single crank, one piston moves on the same vertical plane but on a single shaft. That shaft is hollow and also contains the inlets for the fuel and air mixture.

This compact size has allowed Aquarius to build a 16-kilowatt generator that weighs less than a full-grown man. During independent testing in Austria, the test company also tried

A computer model of the Aquarius hydrogen engine and drivetrain shows that it’s smaller and lighter than petrol or electric alternatives

the machine with hydrogen as fuel, not hydrogen stored in a fuel cell, but the cheaper, bottled version. It was a complete success.

“It was always our dream at Aquarius Engines to breathe oxygen into hydrogen technology as the fuel of the future.

From initial tests, it appears that our hydrogen engine, that doesn’t require costly hydrogen fuel-cells, could be the affordable, green and sustainable answer to the challenges faced by global transport and remote energy production. As the world moves away from fossil fuel, our new hydrogen engine could spark the dawning of the

age of Aquarius,” says Gal Fridman, chairman of Aquarius Engines.

Doing the maths, a single 15 kilogram Aquarius engine with only 20 moving parts can easily produce 32 kilowatts of electric power.

It also delivers 1,200 kilometres for every 50 litres of fuel. The fact that the fuel in question can be petrol, CNG, LPG or hydrogen makes all the difference.

Those who say that switching to an all-electric fleet would necessitate the construction of vast new power stations and kilometres of pylons and cables, take note.

Hydrogen is back in the race.

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES June 2021

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Rural health assistance underway

by Paul Campbell

Rural mental health has often been raised as a community concern in what is often a high-stress environment, especially in the current era of changing rules and regulations affecting the industry — SNAs and water being two to mention.

NZ Young Farmers CEO Lynda Coppersmith

Now the government has stepped in to offer some help in an initiative funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

New Zealand Young Farmers has been allocated $40,000 to organise events in regional areas featuring guest speakers, activities and skill-building sessions for young people in rural industries.

“The mental and physical wellbeing of young people is a big focus of our organisation and essential for the ongoing viability of many rural communities,” says NZ Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith.

“This programme will increase awareness of the wellbeing support and resources available and give young people the confidence to access them.”

Provisional figures released by the Chief Coroner show 654 people died in New Zealand from suicide in 2019–20, and almost one-third (205 people) were under the age of 30.

The events will harness the resources and expertise of existing wellbeing support providers, such as Farmstrong, Rural Support Trusts and the awardwinning Good Yarn workshops.

MPI was allocated $1.1 million last year to deliver extra wellbeing support

services for three years to complement those provided by Rural Support Trusts “It’s important we continue our efforts to give people the skills to look after their wellbeing, manage stress and to recognise and openly talk about mental health,” says MPI’s director of rural communities and farming support Nick Story.

Young Farmers has a network of 70 clubs, which provide an opportunity for young people to make friends, network, upskill and socialise.

One of the wellbeing events underway at present is a six-week boot camp at Longburn in Manawatu, which runs until mid-July, while Waikato and Bay of Plenty have activities associated with the National Field Days.

“Winter is a great time for a boot camp to help build farmers’ fitness ahead of calving and lambing, which is a busy time on-farm. It also gives us an opportunity to share wellbeing tips, such as nutritional advice, to help our rural community get through,” said Young Farmers member Kate Stewart.

Other events are planned for Kaihu, Opuawhanga, Waiharara, Hamilton, Gisborne, Pahiatua, Lincoln, Timaru and Gore.

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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13

ADVERTORIAL

How curcumin helps osteoarthritis

by John Arts

Without doubt the most important supplement ingredient for osteoarthritis is chondroitin sulphate.

The reasons are simple.

Chondroitin is a very important constituent of cartilage matrix. This matrix is secreted by specialised cells called chondrocytes. These amazing cells live in tiny cavities (lacunae) in cartilage.

Their role is to maintain cartilage as it is damaged by wear and tear, injury and chemical processes that damage it.

That being said, the health of cartilage is totally dependent on maintaining healthy chondrocytes.

Unlike many other cell types, chondrocytes cannot be replaced.

There are a number of antioxidants and trace minerals that directly affect the health of chondrocytes.

The most important is curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric.

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contains 800mg of both chondroitin and glucosamine and 200mg of Curcumin C3® Complex, plus 5mg of BioPerine®. In most cases, I will start clients on a double dose of two capsules twice daily for around six weeks. This provides double the above dosages; when combined with good quality fish oil these result in rapid effects.

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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 allnew newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

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Resources for education

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

A new climate change education resource has been released by New Zealand’s pastoral farming sector.

DairyNZ general manager of responsible dairy, Jenny Cameron, says New Zealand dairy is currently the most emissions efficient milk producer in the world.

“Providing students with this information is important, to showcase the work of all our farmers while highlighting our continued journey to remain world-leading, which is the result of farmers’ hard work and investment over decades,” says Ms Cameron.

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Head of Nutrition, Fiona Windle, says: “As the resource outlines, it is important to consider the nutritional density of foods, including the amount of amino acids (units of protein) a food Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers delivers within a varied and president and climate change spokesperson balanced dietary pattern, alongside the environmental impact when determining a healthy and environmentally-friendly diet.”

The sector partners want to use this educational resource to highlight worldleading products, while also working Waikato’s Leading hard to make great New Zealand farmers even better.

The online education resource is a great way for young people and the wider general public to explore the complex and ongoing climate change, food production and nutrition issues.

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The important role of New Zealand dairy and red meat in feeding a growing global population, has been co-authored

by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ and Federated Farmers of New Zealand.

It explores the complex relationship between environmental, economic, nutritional, social and global food security outcomes in New Zealand’s food system. Written in a straightforward and science-based style, it will provide secondary school students, in particular, with balanced information.

As a producer of food for around 10 times its own population, New Zealand has a unique emissions profile, and consequently, has a unique challenge in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“In addition to considering the environmental impact of agricultural products, we must also consider their nutritional value,” says Federated Farmers president and climate change spokesperson Andrew Hoggard.

“As the world’s population increases and climate change impacts the ability for many nations to produce nutritious food, efficiently produced red meat and dairy will become even more important.

“New Zealand pasture-fed beef, lamb and dairy provides high-quality protein and micronutrients.

“New Zealand’s red meat and dairy products consumed overseas can result in less greenhouse gas emissions than the same food produced locally in other countries, even with the transport emissions involved in shipping the product calculated.

“New Zealand farmers are not shying away from the immense challenges posed by climate change. We are eager to have challenging but fair conversations. Our pastoral industry is keen to work with the Ministry of Education to make this resource fit-forpurpose for classrooms.”

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The luxury of choice

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES June 2021

by Andy Bryenton

There was a time when you could have any European car you liked as long as it was a BMW or a Mercedes.

Those were the days when the 190E Cosworth and the M3 E30 ruled. Alfas were known to blow up, Volkswagens were still Beetles, Volvos looked like a very safe loaf of bread, and anything French seemed to have been manufactured by style-conscious aliens who put the buttons in all the wrong places. Even when Pininfarina made the pretty little Peugeot 306 drop-top, the horn button was on the end of the indicator stalk and activated a siren under the passenger seat.

Jags were for Arthur Daley and the Kray twins. Audi made psychopathic rally-eating monsters and not much else.

Lancias were beautiful and rusted like a cat food tin, and Italian supercars were temperamental glass cannons of things.

Fast forward to the present day, and nearly every name on this list produces an excellent modern SUV. Even Lamborghini sawed off the mad bits and made the Urus. However, there’s still a problem of choice if you want a fun, stylish looking station wagon. There are many of us who eschew a frontwheel-drive ‘crossover’ as a travesty, a powdered-egg omelette when what you want is the full Benedict. A true ‘estate car’ or a shooting brake looks better, handles better and guzzles less gas.

So what does one do if one wants a

76% of New Zealanders are concerned about “fake news” and its implications

Cupra represents a new design look for parent company Seat, itself a Spanish branch of the mighty VW-Audi family

standout, cool, 300 horsepower wagon that comes with good engineering underneath and a sharp image up top?

It turns out you go to Spain. Seat, the Volkswagen-owned subsidiary, which shares a parts bin and lots of tech with Audi and Lamborghini, has launched a performance skunkworks standalone brand, like M Division or AMG. It’s called Cupra, and among its offerings is the very pretty, nicely proportioned Leon VZ Sportstourer.

With some German hammers and calliper work under the hood churning out 310 horses, and 400 newton metres of torque from a two-litre turbo-

petrol mill, it’s quick on paper. It’s also eye-candy delicious in photographs, with its copper-finished 19 inch mags and its stealth-bomber crisp, origami lines.

Certainly, you could get a more expensive Mercedes, which will be heavier and more powerful, or a big BMW for a few extra dollars, and have to deal with the new design language that’s making us forget Chris Bangle.

A similarly priced Skoda is now a plainclothes police car, mind you.

So it may pay to check out this fourwheel-drive five-door from the land of Gaudi and Dali.

It’s here this month.

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The edge marker posts along the highways and local roads in the Waikato region are frequently run over and damaged by vehicles.

Edge marker posts along our roads provide important guidance for drivers showing the road geometry ahead.

Curves and dips along the road can make it hard to see the road ahead, especially at night time.

Edge marker posts stand above the road surface so they can be seen from far away even when the road surface and markings are not visible. They don’t get obscured by dirt and debris in the way that road marking or raised reflective pavement markers can.

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Edge marker posts are also fitted with reflective devices to make them visible for night time drivers.

Vehicle crashes at night in highspeed rural areas cause a tragic loss of life and major injuries. Edge marker posts are known to reduce crashes by up to 18%, particularly at night.

Help us save lives - avoid driving over edge marker posts along roadsides.

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June 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

BY PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR COMMUNITY NOT “EXPERTS” ONLINE

NEWS YOU CAN TRUST

90%

Believe consumers should have the right to choose how they receive communications

70%

SOCIAL

OF NEW ZEALANDERS Either in print or ELECTRONICALLY FREE OF CHARGE

PREFER TO READ MAGAZINES IN PRINT

76% Of New Zealanders are concerned about “fake news” and its implications

PEOPLE ARE

10% TO 20% more likely to read a story in their

LOCAL

NEWS

than to access it from other media – if the story is

ABOUT THEIR

COMMUNITY

MEDIA

Is trusted as a news source by only

16%

OF KIWIS

THE STORY BEHIND NEWS IS CLEAR. PEOPLE TRUST PRINT JOURNALISM

43% 76% TRUST IN SEARCH ENGINE RESULTS DROPPED TO

AMONG CONSUMERS BY 2019

of us ignore online ads

TRADITIONAL NEWSPAPERS Retain a trust rating of

73%

More if they are LOCAL

Stats from: Statistia International Survey 2011-2020/Print NZ/ Statistics NZ/ AUT-JMAD Survey 2020/ Poyner Media Trust Survey/ Yext & Forbes study 2019

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Recognising fisheries officers

JuNE 2021

19

The Ministry for Primary Industries’ honorary fishery officers were among the thousands of volunteers honoured as part of National Volunteers Week recently.

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between 18,000 and 22,500 inspections each year.

“They are incredible people — all very passionate about protecting the resource, which is evident through the huge amount of voluntary work they do.

“They do this in their own time while generally leading busy lives outside of this work. Some HFOs have been known to contribute more than 200 hours of voluntary work a year, which shows a real selfless dedication to their communities.”

Long-serving HFO Cliff Mabey is one example among many. Alongside his fisheries work, he has been juggling various other voluntary roles such as the Fire Service, Search and Rescue, and St John ambulance.

He originally became an HFO 34 years ago in the Hot Water Beach area of Coromandel Gary Orr — MPI’s director of compliance services Peninsula because the area was remote and lacked a some education on fishing rules and regulations because it helps to ensure few services.

“It was a case of showing community our coastal waters and the fishing spirit and getting involved — something resources will be protected for future I have never regretted doing. I don’t get generations to enjoy — like I have,” tired of meeting people and sharing he says.

O AT, W RK, P E L Y,

AY

“For more than half a century, honorary fisheries officers have been donating their time and expertise to protecting New Zealand’s fishing resources,” says MPI’s director of compliance services Gary Orr. “The first HFOs, though, were appointed in Auckland in 1967, and they have been going strong since.

Back in those days, it was a simple recruitment process.

“HFO appointments could come after a member of the public expressed their concerns about fishing resources — usually, about their favourite fishing spots being stripped. They would come armed with enthusiasm and willingness to protect it.

“They would be provided a notebook and asked to report back to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as it was called then, on what they saw, which would be followed up by employed Fishery Officers.

“These days, each HFO contributes a minimum of 100 hours of voluntary work a year to look after recreational fishing areas. They are put through intensive training, wear a uniform, and have a warrant under the Fisheries Act. “Their work is critical to ensuring sustainability. Aside from being stood down for a few months during Covid-19 lockdown, HFOs are front and centre on New Zealand’s coastlines, conducting

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June 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Three waters details still awaited

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T, WORK, P EA , L Y

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by Paul Campbell

JuNE 2021

Councils, their elected representatives and their wider ratepayers across the country are now waiting to discover the full detail of the government’s controversial Three Waters plan to tackle the country’s drinking, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure before making a decision for or against.

The government is working on a proposal to combine the country’s 67 council-owned and managed water services into a small number of publicly owned providers. Just how the reforms will unfold across New Zealand was expected in March this year, but now they are due in July.

“Until we have information on the full details of the proposal, we have nothing on which to base an informed decision,” says Kaipara Mayor Dr Jason Smith.

“At the present time, it is an option to opt-out of the government plan, as has the Whangarei District Council and Auckland Council. In our case, we remain at the table to see what unfolds.

“However, the government may make inclusion mandatory.”

Dr Smith said the loss of water oversight would reduce council revenues by some 20 per cent — a significant reduction.

His concern is echoed in small councils across the country that centralisation means local council operations become eroded to a central authority.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has said that “the affordability challenges facing our

water infrastructure are too great for councils alone,” as she released 600 pages of reports with information on council water reticulation and resources.

These papers say an investment of between $120 billion and $185 billion is needed during the next 30 years to ensure New Zealand’s drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure meets acceptable public health and environmental standards.

“The reports also highlight how the national water infrastructure reforms would create an extra 5,900–9,300 jobs countrywide between 2022 and 2051,” Nanaia Mahuta said.

“Together, the reports confirm the need for major reform to upgrade Nanaia Mahuta — Local Government Minister and maintain our water infrastructure, protect our environment range from $1,900 to $13,900. Under and avoid unaffordable increases to reform proposals with five providers, household bills.’’ those figures range from $800 to She said without reform, average $1,800. With three providers, the range household bills in 2051 are forecast to is $800 to $1,600.

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JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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ADVERTORIAL

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Grant Kennedy at ASAP Decorative Specialists Ltd has been operating for more than 17 years in the painting and decorating industry and also provides concrete restoration and maintenance solutions for farmers.

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PROFESSIONAL TANK SANITATION SERVICE: • We will store up to 10,000 litres of your water • Drain your tank and remove the sludge • Water blast the internal surfaces • Wash with a chlorine solution • The stored 10,000 litres of water is filtered and returned to your tank which means no expensive water cartage • The efficient process means your treated tank is back in service QUICKLY! “The Department of Health recommends for most tanks, yearly draining and scrubbing out.”

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“A well-maintained shed often eliminates unnecessary concerns. It is not just dairy farmers we work with — it is any farm or business that requires painting or decorating.

Whether it be for aesthetics, protection or compliance.”

Bruce and Patrina Kennedy say they have found the company’s communication prompt and easy to understand.

“We have been dealing with ASAP for just over a year. They carried out maintenance work on our cowshed, and we have them back at the moment,” says Bruce.

“Grant and his employees are pleasant, easy to deal with and always get back to us when required.

“They have fixed cracks in Grant Kennedy of ASAP Decorative Specialists concrete entranceways into our cowshed bale area, in the pit walls and frame, so things will be done properly painted the pit walls and steps. and not rushed.

“This year, we are fixing all the cracks “We will also be getting Grant to in the concrete yard area, preparing quote for preparing and painting our and painting inside the dairy area and farm cottage and will be dealing with painting the walls in the herringbone them again in the future.” area. We have made a maintenance For more information, call Grant on plan to complete over a certain time 07 390 ASAP (2727).

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Re-establishing and resurfacing concrete pads, footpaths and other areas through an annual maintenance programme help protect valuable assets.

“We recommend a cowshed and farm building maintenance programme over the year as a more cost-effective experience,” says Grant.

“We understand what is needed to keep milking sheds, pits, walls, interiors and exteriors of farm buildings up to standard. With my building experience, we clean, water blast and carry out maintenance, restore farm cottages or full renovations, if need be, to ensure properties are up to rental standard.

“We also resurface concrete areas including the floor under the vats, around the bales and the pit itself.”

ASAP Decorative Specialists work on all types of farms, including goat, dairy and piggeries.

“We rejuvenate feed pads and any concrete surface using modern products, innovation and technology that creates a chemical reaction to provide the best protection and finishes.

“The product we use is designed for the dairy sector and corrosive environments. It has a protective coating to cope with the day-to-day wear and tear that occurs on farms.

24

JuNE 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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