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Dark clouds over ag sector lifting
Sonita Chandar Editor
Farmers are most certainly interesting. In recent weeks, I have had some thought-provoking conversations with a few of them. The topics? Well, agriculture, of course A discussion around the reach of agriculture was probably the most thought-provoking. When you really think about it, there are few industries in which agriculture doesn’t play some part in.
Think about it. From hospitality and tourism to transport, fashion, technology – think the gold bits in your computer or phone – and many other industries, you will find something that has been processed from something a farmer has grown, harvested or mined.
Hospitality is obvious, with the food served in restaurants and cafes and the milk in your latte. Perhaps a bit more ambiguous is something like transport.
Cars and trucks? Aeroplanes? Yes, when you get down to it. The material on the seats and carpets all have components grown by a farmer somewhere.
Working in an office or attending school? The wooden desk you sit at, the pencil and paper you use – they all have components that came from a farm once upon a time.
Thank goodness for agriculture and the people who work in it, right?
The fact that we rely on them every day in some small way is why it is so important we give them our full support in whatever way we can.
That is why it is so great to see the latest
Federated Farmers’ New-Season Farm
Confidence survey showing the tide has turned and farmers are feeling optimistic again, after being in the doldrums for so long. The 68-point surge is a rebound from a dismal negative -66% to a net positive score of 2%.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says it is important to note that, despite confidence being at its highest point in more than a decade, it’s still only just in the positive But the fact it has come from such a deep negative into the positives is a remarkable turnaround I asked a farmer what he thought the reason for the turnaround is. His response: “Because we are no longer at war with the Government. We have a government that is listening to us, changing what doesn’t work in the sector, and working with us rather than against us.”
What is on our farmers minds?
Their top concern is regulation and compliance costs, followed by the same thing that keeps most people awake at night – debt, interest and banks.
Farmers have indicated more than half will make a profit this season and, with profitability back on the table, a net 23% of farmers indicated they will increase their spending.
This is good news for agri businesses and local communities And with the Central District Field Days on this month, exhibitors will be hoping for a better turnover.
Farmers identified 12 key areas they want the Government to prioritise. Topping the list is economy and business environment, which reflects concerns over
sluggish economic growth, inflationary pressure, and the ongoing impact of high interest rates on farm businesses.
Farmers have put our Government on notice with their second key priority: fiscal policy. The Government has committed to reducing debt, containing spending and delivering tax relief. Farmers will be keeping a close eye on this to make sure they follow through.
But agriculture is a cyclical industry. Markets go up, prices go up, hence income goes up, and the mood and confidence of farmers goes up.
Then markets go down, income drops and the dark cloud begins to reappear. Generations of farmers have experienced it and so will future farmers.
But for now, the dark clouds are parting and letting the sun shine through. We can only hope this positivity in agriculture continues for the foreseeable future.
Get in touch with us at nzfarmer@stuff.co.nz
Federated Farmers take aim at loans
Banks are pouring money into urban home loans at the expense of farm loans, says Federated Farmers. By Rob
Stock
.
‘Get Adrian Orr to stop punishing rural New Zealand with overly conservative risk settings,”
Federated Farmers’ banking spokesperson has told MPs holding a parliamentary banking inquiry.
“Farmers with generations of equity behind them, proven track records and productive businesses [are] being treated as riskier than a graduate buying a townhouse at 5% deposit,” Richard McIntyre said The farming sector group’s lobbying led to the launch of the banking inquiry, and it was given 45 minutes last month to lay out its complaints.
Its No 1 call was for the Government to get Orr, the Reserve Bank governor, to ease capital settings that mean it is cheaper and more profitable for banks to lend on urban homes, rather than to farmers.
McIntyre told MPs about a southern farmer who revealed to Federated Farmers that, despite having 80% equity, they were being offered higher interest rates than their recent graduate child buying their first home in town.
The Reserve Bank’s capital requirements were among the toughest in the world, McIntyre said. “That’s really absurd if we want our economy to grow.
“Farmers are paying higher rates than someone borrowing against a house in Wellington, and we’ve seen how that is working.”
Banks lending to rural businesses had grown by a tiny amount, while urban mortgage lending had risen sharply.
But FedFarm also revealed another industry that is no longer in favour with all banks: rural firearms shops.
BNZ made headlines late last year for its plans to lend to petrol retailers, and Resources Minister Shane Jones was so outraged to learn of a coal miner that no bank would finance, that NZ First tabled
proposals for law changes to prevent banks from making moral judgments when lending to businesses engaged in legal activities.
But Paul Melville, FedFarm’s general manager for policy and advocacy, told MPs: “We had a gun store approach us in the middle of last year. They had just lost their banking services because of a decision by the bank to get out of that industry. That was a service rural people needed to manage pests on their farms.”
The hearing came after Federated Farmers called for banks to pull out of the United Nations’ Net-Zero Banking Alliance, and protested that some big banks had different emissions reductions targets for New Zealand farmers, while their Australian parent banks had set lower, or no targets, for Australian farmers.
BNZ was demanding an 11% reduction by 2030 from farmers in New Zealand, but its owner, National Australia Bank, did not have the same targets for its Australian farmers.
“In fact, they haven’t set any emissions reductions at all,” McIntyre said.
Last year, Federated Farmers asked the
Commerce Commission to investigate banks’ membership of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, claiming that the membership of the alliance by all big four Australian banks and Rabobank had resulted in co-ordinated behaviour affecting rural lending.
McIntyre expected banks to start exiting the alliance soon, following major United States and Canadian banks
“We will be celebrating that achievement,” he said.
ACT MP and dairy farmer Mark Cameron asked McIntyre if having all major banks, or their parent companies, being members of the alliance was incompatible with the Government’s aim of doubling rural exports in the next 10 years.
“I can’t see how it can be compatible,” McIntyre replied.
Green and Labour MPs challenged Federated Farmers on pushing back against the banks’ decisions to choose to factor climate change into their lending decisions.
“We’re not wanting banks to pretend climate change is not real,” McIntyre responded.
But Federated Farmers did want banks
to be genuine and supportive in helping farmers invest in technologies to improve environmental outcomes on their farms.
Labour MP Deborah Russell asked Federated Farmers to stop using the “clobber word” woke.
“Would you be more comfortable with virtue-signalling?” McIntyre said.
Melville said that when big banks in the US and Canada pulled out of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, they indicated they were never genuine in joining but had been following political fashion.
MPs were told that Federated Farmers’ October banking survey showed farmers continued to be discontented with banks, with 40% of them ready to switch to Kiwibank if it started rural lending.
But it also found that many felt trapped with their current bank as other banks were reluctant to expand their rural lending books, or take on riskier farming loans.
Federated Farmers said 10% of farmers had sought to change banks, but found they were unable to
In those instances, they were captive to higher interest rates, and at risk of being encouraged to sell and leave the industry.
Oliver Ibbetson, Richard McIntyre and Paul Melville, from Federated Farmers, tell MPs that farmers with 90% equity in their businesses are treated as more risky by banks than new graduates taking out a home loan with 10% equity.
Farmer confidence surgesto a 10-year high
High interest rates, regulation and compliance costs, and the economy had cast a shadow over the agricultural sector – but the tide has turned.
By Sonita Chandar.
After hitting rock-bottom in 2023, farmer confidence began to rise in 2024, and in January 2025 it rebounded – rising to a 10-year high after surging 68 points since July 2024, indicating farmers are no longer dismally gloomy about the future
The recently released 2025 Federated Farmers’ New-Season Farm Confidence survey – undertaken twice a year in January and July – is positive news for an agricultural sector that has been through some tough times The online survey was undertaken from January 22 to February 2, and received 784 responses from farmers. These surveys measure farmer confidence over eight key issues in the farming profession and community.
The 68-point surge is a rebound from a dismal negative -66% to a net positive score of 2%. This marks the largest oneoff improvement since the question was introduced in 2016
“I’ve definitely noticed a significant shift in the mood of rural New Zealand. Farmers are feeling a lot more positive,” Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says “The last few years have been bloody tough for a lot of our farming families, with falling incomes, rising interest rates and unpaid bills starting to pile up on the kitchen bench.
“These survey results paint a clear picture of a sector finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as some of that weight is lifted.”
The New Zealand economy is showing stability, leading to greater optimism in the rural sector, with net expectations increasing by 29 points since January 2024 A net 23% of farmers now anticipate better conditions over the next year –the highest confidence level seen since January 2014
Langford says it is important to note that, despite confidence being at its highest point in more than a decade, it’s still only just in the positive.
“It’s been a remarkable recovery in farmer confidence over a short period of time, but I’m very conscious that we were coming off an extremely low base.
“When it comes to farmer confidence, a lot of it comes down to what’s coming into
our bank account, and what’s going out the other side. It’s a simple equation.
“A lot of that is market driven, and farmers are used to riding those highs and lows, but Government rules and regulations have a significant impact on farmers’ costs.”
In the July 2024 survey, regulation and compliance cost was third on the list of concerns but has now leapfrogged to the top, overtaking finance – including debt, banks and interest rates – which is now the second greatest concern.
Interest rates and banking issues have consistently been a top concern for farmers, along with strict lending criteria adding to farmers’ financial pressure But the latest survey showed easing interest rates, rising incomes and a move towards more farmer-friendly rules have all played a major role in the surge of confidence.
It is those rising interest rates and banking issues that were the catalyst for Federated Farmers fighting so hard for a banking inquiry, Langford says.
“Interest payments are a huge cost for most farming businesses and farmers have been under massive pressure from their banks in recent years.We want to see the Government take a much closer look at our banking system and whether farmers are getting a fair deal from their lenders.”
Concerns around input costs has risen to third, with on-farm inflation still high, despite general economic inflation easing. Fuel and fertiliser costs remain a pressure point.
Climate change policy and emissions has risen to fourth place, as uncertainty around policy and its impact on farmers remains. Local government and rates is next on the list, as farmers grow more frustrated by local decision-making, rising rates and cost drivers impacting their businesses
Other top concerns include farmgate and commodity process, the economy, blanket forestry conversion, rural infrastructure, the weather and freshwater, which has dropped slightly.
Industry groups across the sectors are also reporting higher net perception of current economic conditions, with the dairy sector experiencing the biggest shift of 77 points, from -53% to +24 points.
“
When it comes to farmer confidence, a lot of it comes down to what’s coming into our bank account, and what’s going out the other side. It’s a simple equation.
Wayne Langford
Other industry groups continue to have negative net scores, but meat and wool is up 50 points, arable is up 51 points, and other is up 47 points.
Farmer profitability has shifted considerably, with more than half – or 54% – of farmers now reporting a profit. This is still short of the record number of 61% in January 2022 but is double the number in the last survey six months ago. In the last survey, 27% – or less than a third – of farmers were making a profit.
The dairy industry is also looking up as commodity prices rise, leading Fonterra to increase its milk price payout for the
2024/2025 season to $10 per kilogram of milksolids. This increase has been driven by rising global dairy prices due to strong demand.
Dairy had the biggest improvement in profits, with 59 points, and 80% of dairy farmers expect to make a profit. Only 30% of meat and wool farmers expect to make a profit this year.
A net 16% of farmers expect production to increase in the next year, extending a positive trend. This marks the first time since 2016/17 that there have been three consecutive periods of predicted growth.
With profitability rising, farmers will be opening their wallets this year, and spending is expected to increase significantly. A net 23% of farmers indicated they plan to increase spending over the next 12 months – up 26 points from July 2024 This is the strongest expected rise since January 2023.
About 41% of farmers plan to pay down debt in the next year, up from 23% in
July 2024 Lower interest rates, improved confidence, and stronger production forecasts are driving this shift. About 59% of dairy farmers are expecting to reduce debt, followed by both meat and wool and arable farmers on 26%, and 23% of other farmers.
Hiring new staff remains a challenge, with 40% of farmers reporting no change in their ability to recruit, 20% noting it was more difficult, and 5% saying they found it easier to recruit.
Farmers identified 12 key areas they want the Government to prioritise.
Topping the list is economy and business environment, which has risen to the top of priorities. This reflects their concerns over sluggish economic growth, inflationary pressure, and the ongoing impact of high interest rates on farm businesses. Farmers want more policies that support a stable and productive economic environment.
The second key priority for government is fiscal policy. The Government has
committed to reducing debt, containing spending and delivering tax relief. Farmers have indicated they will be watching to see if these commitments translate into meaningful improvements.
Other key priorities include regulatory and compliance costs, supporting agriculture and exporters, research and science, and Biosecurity.
“If the Government are serious about their ambitious growth agenda and doubling exports over the next decade, this is where they need to be focusing their energy,” Langford says.
“For farmers to have the confidence to invest in our businesses, employ more staff, and grow our economy, we need to have confidence in our direction of travel as a nation too.
“As a country, we’re never going to be able to regulate our way to prosperity, but with the right policy settings, we might just be able to farm our way there.
“We’ve come a long way, but there’s
About 26% of meat and wool farmers expect to reduce debt this year
KAVINDA HERATH/SOUTHLAND TIMES
Studying the science reforms
Soil scientist Doug Edmeades checks the latest report from the Science System Advisory Group.
The long-awaited report is out, but I am somewhat uncertain as to its true meaning. I am referring to the recently released report from the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, entitled An architecture for the future
They were given the brief from Government to “develop a set of evidencebased recommendations to strengthen the science, innovation and technology system and ensure its future success”.
Despite its length (59 pages) and despite the way it is written and presented, it does contain some gems: You just need to go hunting for them. I will try to identify some which in myview, are the more important ones as far as the agriculture sector is concerned.
Some are well-recognised gems: “There is a strong relationship between total government investment in Research and Development (R&D) and economic growth.”
And: “We are spending significantly less [1.4% GDP] than comparable countries [OECD average is 2.95% of GDP] spend from the public purse on R&D.”
Another key point: “New Zealand’s past economic success has been based on R&D largely from agriculture and primarily from increasing the performance of land-based industry rather than post-farm gate.”
Indeed, the report goes further to say: “Treasury analysis suggested that investment in Science, Innovation and Technology (SI&T) by New Zealand in that
sector between 1927 and 2001 had an annualised 17% rate of return.”
Some are insightful: “While successive governments have, over the years, committed to improved funding levels, in each case these initiatives have fallen by the wayside.
“The SSAG stands firmly of the view that our parsimonious [miserly] attitude to research funding is a core reason that New Zealand has become an outlier [in the international context] in performance on productivity growth.”
Some identify problems: “We have a national culture that has regarded R&D as ‘cost’ rather than an essential investment The “current system is over-managed and compliance-ridden system with inbuilt inefficiencies”
While noting the strong link between R&D and growth, the SSAG stands “frustrated by the apparent and persistent inability of the policy community in New Zealand to comprehend that reality.”
“Our eight universities are an absolutely central component of the research, science and innovation system. Yet they are poorly integrated into a strategic approach to the entire SI&T sector.”
Some signal a way forward: “Primary production and the environment remain the focus and must be supported, yet in other key areas such as advanced technologies, we have fallen well behind where we should be.”
To untie some of these knots, the SSAG committee recommends substantial changes Firstly, the Crown Research
Institutes (CRIs) are to be abolished and replaced with three Public Research Organisations (PROs). For example, AgResearch, Landcare, Plant and Food and Sicon are to be amalgamated, with one board and chief executive.
The SSAG acknowledges that the research, science and innovation system, including the higher education component – ie the universities – needs to be more strategically aligned and will need to be redesigned for greater effectiveness, efficiency, responsiveness and agility.
The establishment of a Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC) is recommended, whose role it will be to “assist
the Government in ensuring a long-term direction and strategy for the research, science and innovation system”.
“It has the further role of ensuring a more integrated whole-of-government approach to science and innovation and its use.”
It is recommended that the role of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser (PMCSA) be altered to support PMSTIAC, and to enhance the use of science and technology across Government.
Perhaps most importantly, a separate and focused Ministry for SI&T is recommended, embracing the whole of the R&D effort and reporting to a single minister.
This report is the first of two and it does not not tackle some really meaty issues, which in myview, need to be confronted. One hopes they will be in the second report. Apart from noting that New Zealand’s current investment in R&D funding is woeful, there is no discussion or recommendation regarding the future. If no additional funding is allocated to New Zealand R&D, then all the fancy rhetoric in this report will be for nothing. It will be, I am afraid, another attempt to save the Titanic by rearranging the deck chairs.
Similarly, we know that the morale of the scientists in the current CRI system is low. This will not change unless there are major changes to the way science is organised and managed.
The commercial model has been disastrous One hopes that a more benign management system emerges, one that respects and embraces the role of science and scientists.
Dare I say it: Public Good Research needs to be a not-for-profit model.
Soil scientist Doug Edmeades
How to do regenerative ag ‘without joining lunatic fringe’
Cross Slot IP chief executive Dr John Baker, ONZM, says regenerative agriculture can work with the right technology and conditions.
Regenerative agriculture is often seen as another name for organic farming. In some quarters, it has become almost a swear word. If there was one event that defined how mankind used soil to feed itself, it was the advent of the mouldboard plough in the 1870s This tool revolutionised food production.
But at the time, farmers were unaware that ploughing was also harming the soil cumulatively. Healthy soils contain pore spaces between the particles that are usually filled with air and watervapour at 100% relative humidity.
When soil is ploughed this pore-space humidity is largely lost to the atmosphere by evaporation, leaving only the liquid and colloidal water films that surround soil particles to represent the soil’s storehouse of water to establish and sustain growing plants and the 6 billion soil microbes that typically inhabit each cupful of heathy soil
So where we are going?
In the 1960s, no-tillage (or direct drilling as it
was first called) became a viable alternative to conventional tillage for establishing new pastures and crops. Ploughing’s primary function had been to bury weeds, and this function was replaced by the application of non-residual broad-spectrum herbicides.
In an attempt to prioritise the functions that no-tillage seed drill openers should do, it was understandable that early drill designers assumed that if seeds had been germinating in disturbed (tilled) soils for hundreds of years, all that no-tillage seed drills needed to do was to confine soil disturbance to rows (the “seed slots”) and to be able to handle surface residues.
In most cases, the requirements of regenerative soil microbes that inhabited the seed slots were ignored.
Later, scientists at Massey University found that both seeds and microbes do
Embracing risk
Economic adviser Gordon Stuart, from Chaperon, says stepping out of one’s comfort zone to take risks can pay off
Risk is a four-letter word in New Zealand, Dileepa Fonseka recently wrote He also stated the obvious: that if the Government is serious about growing the economy, it needs to lead a conversation about risk and policy settings conducive to it.
A good referee can enhance or detract from a game of rugby. Regulation is the same. Good regulation can enhance; bad regulation and poor interpretation of it detracts.
Farm productivity and the New Zealand economy won’t grow as fast without the farmer taking on some risk The same applies if banks aren’t supportive or if regulation is excessively burdensome. We need to find a better balance of both risk reward and regulation.
New Zealand now has a risk-averse culture that prevents us from scaling up new ideas, analogous to an ageing population; moving into retirement and safety nets. Part of this complacency comes from our attitude towards failure and a preference for dividend yield over capital growth in our largest public companies. Low levels of research and development and foreign investment are also factors. Ideological regulation and the payment of dividends over reinvestment in capacity are both at the heart of our electricity generation problem, which has forced the closure of pulp and paper mills.
In small business, we also commonly
see businesses unable to break through $5 million turnover not wanting the extra risk, and the owners preferring to revert to their comfort zone, which in Aotearoa is the batch, boat and BMW.
So what can we do to change this?
The biggest challenge appears to be one of culture. Given the lack of value-added creation and performance of many listed companies in terms of growth, you can see why many shareholders prefer the money back.
Markowitz’s portfolio theory (a Nobel prize winner in 1990) suggests risks can be minimised through diversification.
Portfolio theory depicts as standard deviation (risk) on the X axis increases, so does expected return on the Y axis Higher risk equates to higher return. Hence you expect a higher return from offshore oil exploration than an investment in 10-year government stock, which is regarded as risk-free.
Portfolio theory also splits risks into systematic – where a single failure can trigger a major collapse (like a tsunami hitting a Pacific atoll), market or systematic risk, which is the risk inherent in the market (think New Zealand or a region, for example, Waikato), and unsystematic risk, which are factors a business or farmer can mitigate if the right actions are taken – for example, business and financial risk.
However, in the real world you cannot eliminate all risk, and most of us are only
not thrive in loose soil, which is largely because loose soil discharges most of its pore-space water vapour (humidity) into the atmosphere by evaporation.
Since regenerative agriculture is primarily about regeneration of soil biology (which itself is highly dependent on the retention of soil pore-space humidity) disturbing the soil in no-tilled seed slots does little towards regenerating soil health.
On the other hand, most seeds can germinate in an atmosphere of 90% relative humidity or greater without access to liquid water. So filling no-tilled seed slots with loose soil (or worse, not covering them) reduces the potential of those slots to both germinate seeds and regenerate soil biology.
Although the undisturbed soil alongside the sown rows will still contain water vapour and microbiology, in many cases
the microbes will be limited to those that associate with the former resident plantspecies, rather than the newly-introduced species.
While it is relatively easy to identify and access sources of seeds to establish new crops or pastures, it is more difficult to identify and obtain new and diverse regenerative microbes that will associate with the sown species. It is even more difficult to get these new microbes into the soil without killing a high proportion of them. Spraying microbes onto the surface of the ground or injecting them into loose soil has proven to be largely ineffective.
But, fortunately, there are now no-tillage openers available that can effectively sow new seeds and regenerative microbes simultaneously. They create inverted-Tshaped slots that are self-covering with a flap of minimally disturbed residuecovered soil. This ensures the in-slot humidity remains close to 100% throughout the seeding, germination and seedlingemergence processes.
These processes can be further enhanced by simultaneously injecting new and diverse biology into the seed zone in the form of specially cultured microbial slurries that rapidly colonise the root zones.
This is when regenerative agriculture actually works. And some of the yield responses to these processes have been spectacular. All of this is simply a way of applying a sensible new mainstream practice and technology to what conventional farmers already do, rather than requiring anyone to join any form of “lunatic fringe”.
in the position to manage the micro, not macro. Farming is generally a long term, low cash-yielding business, and for many farmers, they have no other material non-farm investment assets, plus the farm is leveraged, hence investment diversification fails the first hurdle. Farmers, therefore, have to embrace risk.
Farmers have to manage unpredictable weather, pest infestations, disease, market fluctuations and crop failure through to volatility in input prices, production costs, and market demand, commodity prices, currency and interest rates – all impact profitability. Yes, there are risks everywhere in farming, even simply waking up.
Diversification and innovative new technology can also play a crucial role in risk management, for example:
■ using Halter forvirtual fencing and pasture management;
■ planting different crops, for example, fodder beet to supplement pasture;
■ accurately measuring soil conditions, dry matter production and rainfall to enhance food conversion efficiency;
■ utilising data to capture genetic traits/or milk performance;
Economist Gordon Stuart says New Zealand has a riskadverse culture that prevents us from scaling up new ideas
■ using drones for mustering;
■ running sheep, beef, deer and dairy on different parts of a farm, or;
■ incorporating non-farming activities into the agricultural operation, for example, manufacturing a local branded cheese. Note: It can also increase risk if it goes wrong.
Conclusion
While risk mitigation is key, when we come up with a potential game-changing opportunity/innovation, we also need to work together, many heads are better than one. No great world company was created by one person.
Commercialising innovation often involves “bridging the valley of death” or not running out of cash before the idea is proven. To grow quickly, we need provable data across the country. This involves farmers or growers stepping up to trial new ideas or run case studies so we can quickly scale the finding/s, and obtain debt and equity to grow.
This means working together for the greater good to share our results and continually improve. Banks also need to support this.
Cross Slot IP chief executive John Baker says some of the yield responses have been spectacular.
Are you covered by your insurance company?
Rural properties can be an easy target for thieves if farmers leave their home and sheds unsecured, writes
Sonita Chandar
It happens all too often on a farm or rural property The farmer jumps on his bike or tractor and heads off to another part of the farm to do some work, or zips off to town to get a part for that machine that’s broken down, or to pick up the kids from school and go grocery shopping.
Without a second thought, some leave without locking up their property
All it takes is a cheeky, opportunistic thief to walk into your home, grab a laptop sitting on the table, jewellery left on the dressing table, some food out of your fridge or freezer, and then hotfoot it out of there.
And with rural properties off the beaten track, or just off the main road on a no exit road, you would think ‘It’s not going to happen to me’, right?
This is not true. And when the unthinkable does happen, will your insurance company pay out to replace your goods, despite you not locking up?
FMG client advice manager Abby France says the insurer receives more than 2000 claims a year for burglary and theft, across commercial, domestic and rural clients. More than half of these are from farmers.
“In the last five years, FMG has paid $48 million in theft claims, with 64% from rural addresses,” France says.
“While we expect people to take reasonable steps to prevent or minimise a loss or damage from their property, including locking doors and windows, we look at all circumstances when assessing a claim.
“We are a rural insurer and understand what rural life can look like, particularly when it comes to coming and going from different parts of your property throughout the day.”
She points out that FMG does have certain policies that contain specific exclusions. These include vehicle policies that contain an exclusion for theft or illegal conversion of vehicles that are left unattended in a public place without being locked and removing the keys.
Its Farm Contents policy also has an exclusion for theft of deer velvet from an unlocked premises
France recommends farmers and rural property owners lock up before heading off “Living in rural areas doesn’t mean thieves won’t help themselves if you leave your windows and doors unlocked. If you are going away on holiday, don’t announce travel plans in public, on social media or through answer machines.
“We recommend keeping a trusted neighbour in the know to clear the mailbox and maybe even mow the lawn, so it looks like someone is still living at home while you’re away.”
FMG has a number of tips for rural crime prevention and France suggests rural property owners take a look.
Register serial numbers and engrave tools
Keep a register of your tools with photographs and serial numbers or other identifying information. Engrave an identifying feature to make items less desirable to thieves – the engraving could be your initials or name. Avoid leaving tools in your vehicle overnight.
Install security cameras and alarms
Given the value of farm equipment and tools, installing security lighting around farm buildings and alarms is a cost-effective measure. Theft often happens at night – so when you pack up
Leaving your valuables lying around provides an easy target for opportunistic thieves, especially on rural properties where the house is often unlocked but no-one is home.
for the day, put your equipment away and lock up what you can.
Ensure fuel tanks are secure and locked
Make sure that no matter where your fuel tanks are located on the farm, they are always securely locked.
Consider installing security lighting near the fuel tanks and fuelling areas.
Try to keep an inventory of fuel consumption so you can identify quickly if there has been a theft.
A Suncorp spokesperson says claims are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. “Most general insurance policies will include a ‘reasonable care’ clause, which holds the policy-holder to a general standard of responsibility to prevent a loss occurring.
“For example, if there has been a history of theft on the property, and assets are left unlocked, the insurer is less likely to cover the claim.”
The spokesperson says that generally
speaking, the duty of reasonable care will be breached where the insured party disregarded a significant risk, which would have been obvious to the reasonable person.
“Each insurer’s cover will be slightly different, so we would encourage customers to reach out to their broker to discuss the details of their policy.”
An AMI spokesperson says they understand the busy lives of their farming customers and their unique insurance needs and sometimes things happen, but rural property owners need to take responsible measures to protect their valuable assets.
“Our rural insurance policies include a ‘reasonable care’ condition, requiring customers to take reasonable care, such as locking up vehicles and homes, to avoid circumstances that could result in loss or damage.
“Generally, burglary is covered under
our policies, but claims are subject to reasonable care considerations This means that if a farmer leaves their home or vehicle unlocked, the claim may still be accepted, but it will be carefully evaluated based on the specific circumstances.”
The spokesperson also says: “It is also important to note that rural insurance policies could exclude cover for deliberate damage and theft by certain people, such as a family member or employee.”
AMI has common exclusions across most of its policies – including intentional damage, wear and tear, and certain natural disasters – unless additional coverage is purchased. For rural risks, exclusions may also apply to specific items such as livestock and crops
“This is why we suggest customers always read their insurance application carefully, including the policy wording, and call their insurer or broker if they have any questions. We’re here to ensure
that farmers get the most out of our insurance solutions,” the spokesperson says.
“Different types of property and equipment, such as vehicles, tractors, farm sheds and homes, often require separate policies to ensure comprehensive coverage and our reasonable care conditions apply to these policies also.”
AMI provided several security tips for farmers, including:
■ Locking everything. Ensure all buildings, vehicles and gates are locked when not in use.
■ Having solid perimeter fencing. Sturdy fences act as a physical barrier and a visual deterrent – you could consider adding security signage to gates and fences to deter trespassers and thieves, even a Beware Of The Dog sign is a cost-effective option.
■ Installing driveway alarms. There are some cost-effective systems that alert
you when a person or vehicle enters your property, providing an early warning.
■ Motion-activated lighting. Bright lights that turn on when motion is detected can scare off thieves.
■ Install alarm systems. Alarms with surveillance capabilities, such as CCTV, can detect and record unusual movements, and send alerts to your smartphone.
■ Maintain good relationships with neighbours. Sharing contact details and discussing any suspicious activities can be very effective in preventing theft. Although broadly speaking, your insurance company will cover you in the event some ratbag walks onto your land, into your home or farm shed and helps themselves, cover is not guaranteed if the insurer finds you have been negligent or not taken reasonable care It pays to read the fine print on your policy.
Farmers are encouraged to lock up their valuables before they head off to work on another part of their property. STUFF
More scope for leading charity
Leading charity Meat The Need has a new name to reflect its expanded vision of providing more goods to Kiwis in need.
By Sonita Chandar.
Since its inception in 2020, Meat The Need has become synonymous with supplying fresh mince and milk to food-insecure New Zealanders, while its sister initiative, Feed Out, has expanded the reach of food support.
To reflect the charity’s expanded vision beyond its initial premise of supplying meat to Kiwis in need, the leading charity dedicated to addressing food insecurity, Meat The Need, has rebranded to Meet The Need, uniting the two brands.
General manager Zellara Holden says the name change marks an exciting new chapter in its mission to provide quality meat, milk and food protein to communities in need across Aotearoa.
“Meet The Need will better communicate our mission and broaden their impact.”
The shift to Meet The Need will simplify the message of the charity and expand the scope, which ensures Kiwis can be supported through the provision of a larger range of food.
“We are incredibly proud of what Meat The Need has achieved, and this evolution into Meet The Need will strengthen our
ability to serve those who need us most,” Holden says.
With increases in the price of groceries and interest rates, the cost of living is hitting more Kiwi families than ever before. There is growing demand from foodbanks and research shows that more than half a million people are now being supported by foodbanks.
“Meet The Need supplies meals to more than 110 foodbanks across the country. They have told us their needs have increased and they could take double what we provide over the year.
“The need in our communities is real, and this change positions us to have an even greater impact, moving forward.”
The charity is the brainchild of Motueka
and Golden Bay farmers
Siobhan O’Malley and Wayne Langford, who launched the initiative to ensure food would be put on the table of those in need
locally produced pork, ensuring more Kiwi families in need can access nutritious meals.
“At Freshpork, we have always had close links to our communities and have supported local foodbanks with over 170,000 pork meals since 2020,” says Julian Anderson, of Freshpork NZ.
“We are looking forward to partnering with Meat The Need to continue supporting our current foodbank partners, but expand the offering further so our farmer suppliers will also have the ability to donate quality New Zealand-produced pork to those around Aotearoa who are most in need.”
Since its inception, the charity has partnered with various organisations and held many events across the country.
More recently, Meet The Need has partnered with Freshpork New Zealand, the country’s leading pork processor and wholesaler. This collaboration will enable Freshpork’s farm suppliers to donate quality,
The partnership aligns seamlessly Meet The Need’s mission bridge the gap between food producers and those experiencing food insecurity. Through this collaboration, Freshpork’s pig farmers will have an accessible and efficient way to donate pork, directly contributing to the wellbeing of communities across the country.
Meet The Need is calling farmers, food processors, sponsors and every day New Zealanders to get involved and help make a tangible impact on the lives of fellow Kiwis.
For more information or to support the initiative,visit: meettheneed.org.nz
RegionalRound-up
Farmers’ good work too rarely recognised, award winner says
MNZM recipient has a busy life that balances farming with community work. Chris Tobin reports.
Coromandel farmer Keith Trembath believes farmers should be given greater acknowledgement for the work they have done improving the environment.
“Farmers are not given the credit for the improvements that have been made.
“I can remember the days when the first thing was to put food on the table,” he said. “But now the dairy factories are gone, the sewage and effluent have gone.
“People bellyaching about farming who have never farmed have got no idea. They weren’t here when every dairy factory was on a stream.”
A lifelong farmer, Trembath, 74, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the New Year honours, receiving the award in recognition of his extensive contributions to public service, agriculture and education nationally His off-farm work has included active involvement in the Waikato Agricultural Industry Training Organisation, Federated Farmers (a member since 1978, former president of Hauraki/Coromandel, on the national council from 1987 to 1992, deputy chairperson of meat and wool,) committee member of NZ Dairy for 15 years (preFonterra), Waikato East Life Education Trust, the St John Paeroa area committee, and a five-year stint on the Hauraki District Council representing the Paeroa ward. While he has stepped back from most of these positions, he still works on his farm alone, using horses, and has continued with the Life Education Trust.
He assisted in the amalgamation of the East Waikato and Hauraki/Coromandel branches, and as chairperson, from 2010, has overseen the trust raising close to $1 million for its work in more than 60 rural schools. “I’m a dinosaur and have no computer or cellphone,” he said.“I find the best people and let them fly – I’m not a micro-manager.”
Trembath said his drive to work in the community was inherited from his father, and also came from working on his own so much on the farm, which sparked a desire to get away from it and “be out and about.”
This led him to working at national level, meeting politicians. “I’d be off to Wellington, wearing a grey suit, mixing with the prime minister Jenny Shipley and others – having a whisky with Winston Peters. It was another life. It was fun.”
Trembath grew up on a farm, and on leaving school became a Federated Farmers cadet working on farms all over the Waikato. After 50/50 sharemilking, he and wife Judith bought a farm at Turua on the Hauraki Plains in 1979, by which time they had three children, a daughter and twin sons. “Then we bought more land, and were milking 100 cows and sharemilking 150.
“In 1996, none of the kids wanted to milk cows, so we sold the property and bought our current farm of 200ha.”
This was just south east of Turua at Hikutaia, 11km from Paeroa “We run it as a dairy grazer, a few sheep, a small beef herd, a mob of wild goats, and we’ve returned 36ha into Queen Elizabeth II covenants.”
A distinctive feature of the farm is a large cross that Trembath erected on a hill with the help of friends. “I’m a Christian, and wanted to state my love for God.”
Lights have been installed on the cross –Trembath said it could be seen as far away as Morrinsville. “And Westpac use it as a navigational guide.”
Trembath was surprised to receive not just a New Year honour but a prestigious MNZM He said he believed farmers like him rarely received such acknowledgement, and had not been treated well.
“But I think the worm has turned.” He felt grateful for all the people who had supported him, especially Judith, his wife of 52 years, and their children Kelly-Anne, Jared and Logan.
Another philosophy instilled in him by his father George was that if he could not find a solution, cheat It’s strange for a Christian to speak of cheating, but Trembath said it meant finding a simple, common-sense solution. “And if I can’t come up with something to fix it, I don’t open my mouth. It’s no use criticising something you can’t fix.”
MACMILLAN
Nadia’s Whole Garden –
Market gardening
Steve
Macmillan
Five years ago, an Auckland woman studying at the University of Southern California was struck down by an unknown chronic illness so bad that she had to quit her degree.
In a quest to get well, Nadia Pavlovich turned to growing vegetables as a form of treatment
It was the start of a long journey that included a three-week stint in hospital, amidst constant vomiting and the loss of 17kg of body mass.
Pavlovich had quickly gone from training as a professional athlete in pursuit of a water polo career, while studying chemical engineering in the United States, to living with her parents in Auckland – barely able to function due to what started as a kidney infection.
“I could not walk, shower myself or keep food and water down. At one point, my body couldn’t process sugar, and the most sugar I could handle in a day was half a banana. I spent months getting tested like a lab rat, and doctors never found out what the cause of my illness was,” she says.
“Thankfully, it went away, and I made my way back to full health as I turned to growing organic vegetables. Because nothing else was working from a medical
perspective, I thought I would try growing my own food, so I knew exactly what was going into my body was healthy.” Fast forward five years, and Nadia’s Whole Garden is a thriving
Northland “no dig” organic market garden selling direct from the farm to customers, anything from broccolini to courgettes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, eggplants, capsicum and more.
Keith Trembath, 74, a farmer all his working life, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit KELLY O’GARA IMAGES
Nadia Pavolich was struck down by illness while studying overseas When modern medicine failed her, she turned to growing organic vegetables, and now runs a thriving business
STEVE
Alongside the vegetables, Nadia Pavlovich sells eggs from her 30 chickens and several ducks, and honey from her own hives. Bananas and avocados are soon to be added to the menu, alongside navel oranges, mandarins and tangelos.
Wonky Box food rescue expanding, eyes rural deliveries in South Island
Business
Louisa Steyl
What if you could tackle cost-of-living pressures by offering cheaper fresh fruit and vegetables while also reducing food waste and supporting people to turn their lives around?
That’s what the Nova Trust and Wonky Box aim to do, as the latter brings its subscription service to the South Island.
Wonky Box, a food “rescue” business founded in 2021, co-ordinates the supply of oddly shaped and excess fruit and vegetables that don’t meet supermarket standards.
The fresh produce is delivered to customers at prices that range from $23 for a small box that feeds one person to $46 for a large box that feeds four or five.
Wonky Box expanded its service throughout the North Island last year. This month it has ventured to the South Island, where it already has 1400 subscribers and a staff of 17
The business is taking orders from non-rural households from Nelson to Bluff, but hopes to have rural deliveries up and running in the coming months.
Co-founder Angus Simms said Wonky Box’s core mission was to reduce waste, make fresh produce accessible and affordable, and support growers.
“Local growers have been hard-hit with severe weather events and inflationary costs. We partner with them
to help both reduce their waste and provide them with an extra revenue stream.”
Many of the South Island growers working with Wonky Box were on the outskirts of Christchurch, Simms said, but some were in Nelson, and others
were as far south as Invercargill.
“We’re still very keen to catch up with more growers as the momentum continues.”
‘It’s hard work being a grower’
One grower newly added to the list is
the Nova Trust, a Christchurch nonprofit substance treatment and recovery provider that runs a social enterprise to supplement the government funding it receives.
The Nova Fresh enterprise supplies produce to commercial markets, with everything from planting to packing done on site, in part by patients from the live-in recovery programme
This offered people recovering from addiction and other challenges a chance to learn horticulture and farming practices, teamwork and life skills while building a sweat and getting their hands in the dirt, Nova Trust commercial manager Boyd Warren said.
Nova will be supplying the produce it cannot sell commercially to Wonky Box, thereby growing its income and ability to help more people.
Warren said the subscription service meant growers could recover costs on produce that they weren’t previously able to sell.
“It’s hard work being a grower. The input costs for growing perfect fruit and vegetables are the same as the wonky ones we usually have to throw away.”
About 80% of the 18 to 30 people going through the recovery programme come from all over the South Island, while the rest are from the North Island.
Nova’s produce ends up in supermarkets all over the country.
“Most of the old-fashioned short cucumbers and beetroot on the shelves in supermarkets on the South Island are from us,” Warren said.
a journey from passion to the plate
“When I started out I was concerned about my mental state because of what I was going through, so I asked Mum to buy me some vegetable seeds I would wake up every day and water
those seeds, and went down a YouTube rabbit hole of market gardening, and I decided that was how I was going to change the world.”
It was a move that has certainly
changed her world as it has become her profession.
She has established a thriving market garden on her parents’ lifestyle block on the outskirts of Whangārei, where she has an impressive 3000m2 garden operating year-round. A further 1000m2 of new garden will be developed in the next year to accommodate growing demand among her subscription-based clientele.
Pavlovich sells up to 50 vegetable boxes per week, priced at $35 and $60, to her loyal customer base in and around Whangārei, with more boxes to be added.
And once a month, she makes a trek south to Auckland, where she distributes 30-odd pre-ordered boxes to clients around Milford, Takapuna and the Bays.
She says the beauty of a no-dig garden is that it saves her plenty of time, and means she can keep on top of her big workload alone.
“I could not run a garden of this size if I was tilling and digging. I have wood shavings on pathways, which acts as a weed suppressant and breeding ground for worms.
“I also use wool from a local sheep and beef farmer around many of my vegetables, so you basically don’t see soil in my garden.
“If I could change everyone’s gardening model to this, I would. It makes gardening simple.
“By not digging, you are not
disturbing your soil, so you are not destroying the microbes and soil structure. How I farm here is by adding a lot of compost to the garden beds. I don’t use sprays or any synthetic fertiliser either, so my garden is completely organic.
“Something I am really proud of is that my veges are picked and packed every morning and delivered that night, Monday to Friday. That will always be my model.”
She also sells eggs from her 30 or so chooks and a handful of ducks, plus honey from her own hives, while bananas and avocados are soon to be added to the menu, alongside navel oranges, mandarins and tangelos.
She has also added sourdough workshops to her business portfolio, which are growing in popularity.
“Pretty much every vegetable you eat is grown here, and what it means for me personally is that I have not had to go to the supermarket since November 2024, as we source our own meat through hunting or homekill.”
Pavlovich reckons you need to be delirious to create a venture like hers, but she is stoked with what she has achieved.
“I poured all my own money into this, and started out selling seven boxes a week in 2020
“Within six months of working the land, I was back to full health, and I have never looked back. I can’t think of a better job.”
Nadia Pavlovich established the 3000sq m market garden on her parents’ lifestyle block on the outskirts of Whangārei. A further 1000sq m of new garden will be developed in the next year to accommodate growing demand.
Wonky Box’s Angus Simms says the aim of the business is to reduce waste, make fresh food more affordable, and support growers. He is pictured with fellow co-founder Katie Jackson. KATE GREEN
The right dog
Breeding Rural reporter
Early research in a three-year project to better understand the genetic make-up of working farm dogs has yielded some surprising results.
The Right Dog For The Job project is working to better understand the genetics of New Zealand’s working farm dogs.
Led by Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University and supported by industry partners and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFF Futures), the project aims to improve the health and performance of the country’s iconic working dog breeds, particularly huntaways and heading dogs.
The research team, led by Professor Matt Littlejohn from the School of Agriculture and Environment, has just completed a major milestone in the project by conducting whole genome sequencing on 249 dogs
This analysis uncovered 19 million DNA variations across the dogs sampled, which included 130 huntaways, 104 heading dogs and 15 crossbreeds.
The goal is that this information will support future breeding decisions, helping farmers and breeders improve the genetic health of their dogs.
Identifying genetic risks
The main purpose of the research is to
identify genetic variants (differences in DNA sequences) that could impact the health or performance of working dogs.
Many of these variants have been previously found in other dog breeds worldwide but, until now, little genetic research has focused on New Zealand’s working dog populations.
“Of all the variants linked to health traits in other breeds, we didn’t have much of an idea about what might also be carried by farm dogs. Given the influence of breeds like the border collie on working dogs, we could guess, but using genome sequencing we could know for sure, and there were a few surprises,” Professor Littlejohn says.
Of the nearly 400 variants known to affect health or physical traits in other breeds, the study identified 27 variants present in the 249 dogs tested.
Among these, five health-related variants were found at a high enough frequency to warrant future testing.
An unexpected finding was the frequency of two of these variants –located in the CUBN and CLN8 genes.
While the number of carrier animals identified was not extreme (2-8% of dogs tested), the frequencies in New Zealand farm dogs is still higher than other international breeds.
The five key genetic variants
The five variants identified in the project are:
■ CUBN variant – causes cobalamin (vitamin B12) malabsorption, leading
to serious health issues if untreated. Treatment is available, so proactive testing could help identify affected dogs and improve breeding decisions. Six carriers were identified.
■ CLN8 variant – leads to a neurodegenerative disorder causing loss of motor functions, seizures and blindness. Affected dogs usually need to be euthanised early The frequency of this variant was quite high, with 21 carriers identified (mostly heading dogs)
■ SGSH variant – causes a neurodegenerative disease known as mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA, which has already been linked to huntaways. Five carriers were identified and routine testing for this variant is recommended due to the severity of the disease.
■ SOD1 variant – linked to degenerative myelopathy (DM), a disease that affects the spinal cord and leads to mobility loss. This variant has ‘variable penetrance’, meaning not all dogs with two copies of the variant will show symptoms, but the risk should still be monitored, particularly in huntaways. Forty-six carriers were identified.
■ VWF variant – causes Von Willebrand disease I (VWF1), which leads to excessive bleeding after injury or surgery. Nine carriers and one affected dog were found in the study This variant also shows variable penetrance, but testing could still help prevent health complications.
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Preventing genetic diseases
These genetic variants are recessive – a type of gene variant that only shows its effects when an individual has two copies of the mutation.
Dogs that carry a single copy are called carriers and do not show symptoms, though if two carriers mate, their puppies could inherit two copies of the variant, leading to health problems. By testing dogs for these variants and avoiding breeding between carriers, farmers and breeders can minimise the chance of producing puppies that will develop these diseases.
The project’s findings are a step towards offering farmers and breeders tools for more informed and proactive breeding decisions, ultimately leading to healthier, more reliable working dogs.
What’s next?
During the next stage of the project, the research team will collect large numbers of DNA samples from additional dogs, as well as work with farmers and vets to measure health and working performance traits.
While the results so far were based on known variants in other breeds, collecting trait data should enable identification of new effects that may be unique to New Zealand farm dogs. This information could be used to provide selection options for dog owners, not just to avoid genetic disease, but potentially to improve desirable traits.
Main: Massey University’s research project The Right Dog For The Job has sampled huntaways, heading dogs and crossbreeds, and had surprising early results.
Below: Working dogs are loyal and in their element when rounding up stock. PAM STEPHEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Regenerative and organic farming – a way foward?
Soil scientist Doug Edmeades ponders the way forward in agricultural sustainability.
Among my reading over the festive season, I came across an excellent essay in the New York Times by journalist Micheal Grunwald. It got me thinking. He was wrestling with our modern conundrum: We need to produce an increasing amount of food to feed the world, but our current farming practices create an environmental problem.
He suggests that in coming to terms with this dilemma we make the mistake of assuming that there are green, environmentally benign and sustainable agricultural systems that we should be focusing on, such as regenerative agriculture and organic farming. Indeed, it is suggested by some environmental lobbyists that we should aim to replace evil industrial farming completely with these more benign alternatives.
Both of these new age approaches rely on perpetuating the seductive, romantic, idea of working in harmony with nature. I’m afraid that that linkage was first broken 10 to 12,000 years ago when mankind discovered that industrial agriculture, as we call it today, was a more secure method of gathering food than life as wandering nomads.
“It’s unlikely that regenerative agriculture will be the pathway to an agricultural nirvana.
One of the aspirations of both regenerative and organic farming is that these farming methods can sequester tonnes of atmospheric carbon into the soil, transforming environmentally risky, dirty farming from a problem into a climate solution.
This may be so on some already very depleted cropping soils in New Zealand, but it is not the case for clover-based pastoral farming in New Zealand, a system which already returns large amounts of organic material (ie carbon) to the soil.
There is another hurdle. We can define sustainability in terms of three principles: is the activity productive (economic), environmentally safe, and socially acceptable? The evidence is accumulating. Sri Lanka just about went broke recently because its government introduced policies to make organic practices compulsory Furthermore, the science gathered over the last 20 years, has established that the productivity of organic farming is about 60% of that which can be achieved using conventional farming. It fails the economic test.
And, although it is early days, there is recent data showing that regenerative farming is less profitable than conventional farming. It’s unlikely that regenerative agriculture will be the pathway to an agricultural nirvana. If these new age fads are not tomorrow’s sustainable future, where does this leave us in terms of the way forward for agriculture and agricultural science?
Science already indicates a way forward. We have made considerable progress over the past 20 years using existing knowledge to improve our environmental footprint and at the same time maintain productivity. There is still more wriggle to improve both productivity and environmental outcomes by retiring unproductive land and optimising the productivity of the better classes of land.
Norman Borlaug, a plant scientist using conventional plant-breeding techniques, developed higher yielding wheat varieties which in the 1960s triggered the so-called Green Revolution. That saved millions of people from starvation.
Applying our sustainability criteria, the Green Revolution was big on productivity and social acceptance, but it must be noted exacerbated some of the environmental problems inherent in more intensive farming.
We are now allowed to use the tools of gene technology which, relative to conventional plant-breeding techniques, will greatly speed up the development of new plant material
The possibilities are enormous How far can we push drought or insect tolerance? How about pasture cultivars which are more nutrient-efficient leading the way to lower fertiliser inputs per unit production. For example, the nutrient use efficiency of the fertiliser urea is about 10-12 kilograms of dry matter per kilogram of N applied. What would our N use footprint look if this ratio was doubled? How about a superclover that fixes more N per unit input of fertiliser applied?
I hope my point is obvious. Improving existing farm management systems, coupled with the application of new gene technology, makes it possible for us to have our cake and eat it too. Indeed, it is the only future solution.
Grunwald ends his excellent essay with this little gem: “There is no point in demonising industrial farmers who make most of the food. We should just insist they make less mess.”
To which I raise a glass of New Year cheer!
Editor’s note: Due to a technical issue, Doug Edmeades’ column did not run in full in the February issue of NZFarmer. We apologise for any confusion it may have caused.
Amid low returns for sheep and beef farmers, one woman has made a success of a private hiking business to diversify the farm income.
By Madeleine Powers
An idyllic landscape of rolling hills bordering crystal clear water is not always how you would picture a sheep farm.
But it’s the often remote and beautiful landscapes of many sheep farms that lend themselves to agritourism ventures such as private hikes.
Cath Ward lives with her husband, Zander, on a remote sheep farm near Port Jackson in the Coromandel.
The farm borders the crystal waters of the Coromandel peninsula, and has freshwater streams and swimming holes meandering through the property.
While the couple’s children were young, she was busy parenting and helping with her children’s schooling, while her husband ran the farming operation.
Ward helped on the farm, but farming was never her passion. It wasn’t until later, after a few years of “stalking” successful private hiking businesses, that she decided it was time to start their own.
She began planning the walk in Easter 2021, making a business plan and engaging a professional photographer to take photos and market the walk.
They made a website that went live in January 2022 so they could take bookings, and they started building the walk, which opened in September that year
The photographer and a group of her friends and family did a trial walk before the official opening that was “a big learning curve”.
“The deal was they had to give us feedback and they weren’t allowed to say anything negative out into the world, because we said your dinner might not turn up.”
“We tried our damnedest to get everything right. And oh my God, we had no systems. I think that first day we worked 15 hours, three of us.”
to make things run smoothly. “I’m a planner and a researcher, and, you know, the whole actual product had been thought about, but there were no systems.”
They went into their first season with 1000 people booked.
With the international border still closed, Ward says people were looking for their fix of adventure locally, where they wouldn’t risk losing deposits on bookings.
As a result demand for private hikes was strong. “Once the website went live, the bookings just came in, and every booking was so exciting.”
Pahi Coastal Walk has been in high demand, proving particularly popular with walkers who want a little more luxury, and with groups of female friends.
This season, the couple have had 2100 guests, which is nearly 100% occupancy, and are more than 50% booked for next season, which starts in October.
Ward says the trial walk helped to develop the systems they needed to have in place
All food is provided on the walk, prepared by Ward and her team Cooking and baking are passions of Ward’s. All the food is homemade, and is a highlight for guests
Ward says guest favourites include slowcooked lamb, home-made focaccia bread, afghan cookies and oaty ginger slice.
And instead of sleeping in a hut or tent, after a long day’s walk, walkers can have a hot shower and relax in comfort in the renovated shepherds’ quarters and farm cottages.
Left: Cath Ward has created a successful private hiking business near the remote Port Jackson settlement in Coromandel. PAHI COASTAL WALK
There are plenty of swim spots along the walk, says Ward
On the Pahi Coastal Walk.
The food on the hike is a highlight for guests
farm ideal for private hike
The success of the business and positive impact on the community have seen Ward win two awards at the 2024 Rural Women’s Business Awards, taking out both the Love of the Land Award and the Supreme Award.
With more farmers looking to diversify their farm income, Ward says the awards night was full of examples of women diversifying the farm business in unique ways.
“A lot of females on farms are probably less happy to be in support roles They want to get their teeth into their own thing.”
For sheep and beef farmers struggling with low prices for wool and meat, and
carbon farming driving prices up, she says agritourism ventures are an opportunity to diversify the farm business.
Ward says it’s getting harder to farm and make a profit, and in some cases carbon farming is providing an ‘out’ for farmers who want to retire, or can’t afford to continue owning the farm.
“A farmer looks at what he could sell his farm forversus what he’s making, but he doesn’t want to put it in pines.”
“So you sort of sit on that see-saw. If you can walk away with a big cheque and you’re not working 90 hours a week for the basics, you can’t blame them.
“But I’d say the majority of them would rather not, if that makes sense. They’d rather see the farm continue to be a farm.”
Ward says for sheep and beef farmers who still love to farm, diversifying the farm income is a really good option.
Husband Zander was a little wary of having walkers on the farm to begin with, but soon found that they didn’t disturb the farm business at all.
In fact, Ward says having the walkers on a working sheep and beef farm is good for the farm business, and helps to bridge the ruralurban divide.
The benefits have extended beyond
SoAunty Dot showed up out of theblue. ATLEASTYOURAUTUMN PASTURE SEED IS UNDERCONTROL
their family, too. The business has “created community” within the small coastal settlement of Port Jackson, she says
“I think the population of Port Jackson sits between 9 and 11, and I think for the first time in my time, in my 20 years here, there’s more females than males, so that’s pretty cool.”
A team of five women, all local, work fulltime helping her run the business.
The business uses the local shuttle business, which also provides ebikes
“They’ve got two bus drivers, shuttle drivers, plus the two owners, and so that keeps them all partly employed.”
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Walkers are rewarded with views of the Coromandel coast and islands.
Zander Ward takes care of the farming operation.
Carrots, not sticks for farmers who pursue lower carbon footprints
There’s an increasing array of incentives for those achieving ‘emissions excellence’, finds Dita De Boni
Extra payments for farmers who achieve “emissions excellence” and have farms with among the lowest carbon footprints in the sector will be available from June, Fonterra says.
And farmers striving for sustainability will receive an even bigger reward from Fonterra’s largest customers
The dairy co-op said it had struck a deal with Mars and Nestlé, which have agreed to help fund on-farm tools or services designed to further improve emissions efficiency, and pay even more in incentive payments at payout time, if farms reach certain sustainability goals
The current Government has been less inclined to use stick on the agricultural sector to force it to adhere to new emissions standards, but now this new carrot is being dangled by Fonterra and its global customers to entice the country’s dairy farmers to do just that.
Fonterra is Mars’ largest globa dairy provider, while Nestlé, which has been supplied by New Zealand farmers for more than 100 years, already has some incentive programmes in train with farmers in this country.
The new agreements are more formal Based on last season’s data, more than 5000 farms will be eligible for Fonterra’s extra payments, and between 300 to 350 farm will be eligible for the Mars/Nes payments.
Almost 90% would be eligible for the emissions-busting on-farm tools and services.
Changes
From June 1 this year, as well as qualifying for 10 cents per kilogram of milk solids for meeting environmental and other targets, the new “Emissions Excellence” offers a further 1-5 cents per kgMS for farms that show their emissions from farming activities (like feed, fertiliser
Production prices
Alka Prasad
Aotearoa is the lowest-cost dairy exporter across major dairy exporters, a new Rabobank report has found, but China, currently the highest cost producer, is rapidly becoming more cost-competitive.
And that could pose a danger for New Zealand’s dairy exports to the country, the bank’s Cost of Milk report finds.
Author Emma Higgins said New Zealand was “currently in the lead”, with the lowest dairy production costs last year after a neck-and-neck race with Australia.
“New Zealand [has] increased its cost advantage to US5c/litre in 2024, up from US2c/litre in 2023, as Australia has grappled with higher labour costs,” Higgins said.
But New Zealand’s biggest export market China could be the most potent medium-term competitor.
Higgins found that while China remains the highest-cost milk producer now, it has become more cost-competitive in the past three years, with a growing milk supply base.
is the largest global dairy provider to Mars Snacking.
and herd minus any carbon removals (i e. emissions reductions resulting from the carbon dioxide that is removed from trees and vegetation that is grown on-farm) are lower than the co-op’s 2017-18 baseline year.
Some 5000 farms qualify for this, according to last season’s data, Fonterra said.
As far as the Mars and Nestlé incentives go, farms will be able to access an extra
knowledge of export markets have long warned will force New Zealand farmers to adopt emission-lowering activities, whether they want to or not.
Mars is aiming to halve emissions by 2030 (against a 2015 baseline) across its entire value chain and become Net Zero by 2050, and Nestlé is also seeking Net Zero by 2050.
By the end of 2025, Nestlé aims to reduce emissions by 20% – and by 50% by the end of 2030.
Back story
The coalition government agreed in mid-2024 that a 2025 deadline for the agricultural sector’s entry into New Zealand’s carbon market would be pushed back, and it would potentially not face a price for carbon emissions until 2030.
Agricultural greenhouse gases comprise the bulk of this country’s contribution from humans to global warming.
Fonterra says New Zealand’s carbon footprint is lower than that of other major milk-producing countries.
10-25cps per kgMS payment if they have one of the lowest emissions footprints in the co-op, or about 30% lower than the average farm.
“This will take into account not only emissions from farming activities, but also those associated with land use change (e.g. the historical conversion of forests to pasture) and those released from peat soils, before subtracting any carbon removals,” the company said.
At a lower level, some 87% of farms will qualify for on-farm tools or services designed to further improve emissions efficiency – for example, herd efficiency services from the likes of Livestock Improvement Corporation and CRV New Zealand, subsidised by Mars and Nestlé.
The latter two companies have strict plans to reduce their value chain emissions – plans that those with
It nevertheless introduced a programme called The Co-operative Difference in 2021, under which up to 10 cents of each farm’s milk payment would be determined by the farm’s sustainability credentials and milk quality.
To pass the environment standard to get the payment, the farm needed a farm environment plan in place, and to be achieving three out of the four key practices – low purchases of nitrogen, participation in product stewardship schemes for plastics and agrichemicals, no effluent discharge and 80% farm grown feed.
The scheme has been adopted by many farmers, but late last year Fonterra came under fire from the likes of fresh water advocate and academic Dr Mike Joy for using the phrase “Regenerative Agriculture” in a presentation about what it was encouraging among its farmer community.
After the criticism blew up, Fonterra said it was not “regenerative farming”, but farmers using “regenerative practices”.
China to challenge NZ as low-cost producer
“The ramifications continue for exporters who have historically relied upon a strong Chinese demand and a higher Chinese base price to support import price arbitrage, which further increases the risk of price volatility for dairy farmers supplying such exporters,” she said.
Feed made up 60% of total Chinese dairy production costs; a high proportion as a result of the country relying heavily on large quantities of imported feed. But dropping feed prices in the past two years helped improve those costs, with its corn and soybean feedstock seeing double-digit percentage declines.
Feed costs ‘the largest culprit’ Rabobank’s report found the average total cost of milk production across Argentina, Australia, China, Ireland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, California and the Upper Midwest of the United Stated rose 14% or US6c/litre between 2019 to 2024, with more than 70% of the increase occurring since 2021.
Most cost pressures came from on-farm expenses rather than servicing debt,
taxes and depreciation. New Zealand farmers were among those with the best cashflow of the regions assessed, joining with Australia and the Netherlands in generating the best cash flow, based on gross milk price margins.
Across Australasia, the five-year average total cost of production sat at US0.37c/litre compared to about US0.48c/litre for the other regions, largely because of pasture grazing, home-grown or locally-produced feed – practices that also kept costs down in the Netherlands and Ireland.
Higgins said the latest “dramatic cyclical cost jump” for the industry started in 2021 and stayed high until 2024
All regions in the report started to see relief last year as interest rates dropped slowly and production costs narrowed back to 2019 levels.
She found Australia was the most impacted by surging labour costs in the past five years with costs up 50% since 2021, while New Zealand farmers were among those hardest hit by increasing interest rates, alongside dairy farmers in Australia and Argentina.
Where to for Kiwi farmers?
The past decade brought more volatile farmgate prices and production costs for farmers in Aotearoa and around the world, and talks of tariff trade wars and geopolitical tension meant that isn’t likely to change any time soon.
“It is fair to say that will not change in the future, as the geopolitical environment becomes more unstable,” Higgins said.
Inflation, weak economic growth, climate change and a potential decline in international trade were likely to keep hitting Kiwi farmers for the next decade, she added.
“Continued cost structure management, relative to milk output, will be required to maintain dairy farmers’ economic resilience in a potentially turbulent business operating environment – something Kiwi dairy farmers have demonstrated in previous commodity price downcycles.”
She said dairy farmers should look at optimising dairy cow nutrition and focus more on genetics and other input costs.
Farmers will be further incentivised by Fonterra and its largest export customers to lower their carbon footprints from June 1. ADAM SIMPSON
Fonterra
More babies in Year of Dragon leads to maiden a2 dividend
Infant formula sales are still down in the vital Chinese market, but the rate of decline has slowed, says a2.
By Dita De Boni
The a2 Milk Company has reported growth in revenue and profit in its half-year result and is accordingly set to pay its first dividend.
The company reported a post-tax profit of $91.7 million last month, despite increased airfreighting and operating costs and a substantial depreciation of $5 1m on Matua Valley Milk’s old coal boiler, which was replaced with an electric boiler in early 2024
Shareholders will receive a 8.5cps dividend, having earned 12.7cps on their holding. It did not mean dividends were assured in the future, however.
Despite holding a lot more cash at the end of the half-year period – just over $100 million, up $45.1m over the previous six-month period – “priority is being given to transforming and de-risking a2MC’s supply chain to enable future growth focused on investment in New Zealand and China, alongside other growth opportunities and risk mitigation”, the company said Nevertheless, in the full year, the A2 Milk Co was forecasting stronger than previously signalled earnings and revenue, with the usual global macro-economic factors the key risks. Those risks could include United States administration tariffs in the small but growing American market
In the half-year under review, revenue grew 10.1% to $893.8m, driven by an improvement in the Chinese infant milk formula market that was in part due to a growth in the number of newborns.
China had a 5.8% growth of newborns to 9.54 million during the year to November, the first growth since 2016 and the rate
More Chinese babies were born in 2024, a positive indicator for the a2 Milk Company, even as it targets other consumers, including the elderly, with nutritional products
of decline in infant formula sales slowed.
But longer term, a modest decline is still expected because of socio-demographic trends.
Last year’s boom in babies was put down to a catchup after Covid and 2024 being the Year of the Dragon (historically a year with
higher number of births).
The a2 Milk Company’s Chinese label infant formula sales growth slowed to 2%, coming in at $305m, in part as a result of the longer-term overall decline, but also from temporary supply constraints.
Offsetting this trend were a few factors –
more sales of English-label milk products in online channels, a growth of sales in the US – up 13.2% – and a substantial growth in nutritional sales. The latter mainly consists of a2 Milk products for general consumption rather than just infants.
Ingredients, made by Matua Valley Milk, grew 31.9% due to higher milk auction prices globally and increased milk supply. Better global pricing and higher milk volumes processed through the Matua Valley site created this rise in revenue, although the operation was not profitable, losing $11.9m in the period, albeit an improvement on last year’s $15.3m loss.
“The company continues to work on a range of initiatives to accelerate [Matua Valley’s] path to profitability, which remains a key priority,” a2 said.
Sales in the Australia and New Zealand segment fell 2.7%, due to a further decline of the Daigou trade (products bought by Chinese commodity traders or ‘surrogate shoppers’ for consumers in China).
The company made lower gross margins – down 1.9 percentage points to 44.8% from the prior year – primarily because it had to airfreight some shipments to make up for supply constraints, as well as the coal-fired boiler depreciation.
Administrative and other expenses also increased by almost 10% – these were largely losses on foreign exchange impacted by the New Zealand dollar’s depreciation towards the end of the year.
a2 Milk chief executive, David Bortolussi, called the results “strong” and outlined a drive to innovating with new products, including those targeting the fast-growing Chinese senior market.
However, the Chinese infant remained very important.
“Looking ahead, obtaining access to additional China label [infant milk formula] registrations to support future growth and developing our own nutritional manufacturing capability remain critical to the company’s supply chain transformation strategy.”
Chief executive David Bortolussi says a2 produced a “strong” half-year result and is pleased to have paid a maiden dividend.
SCAN ME
What’s on
● March 4: B+LNZ
Chew The Fat Drought Relief event
The Ruapehu Whanganui Rural Support Trust is organising a brunch to get farmers off farm and “chew the fat” over the current dry period. Share in the knowledge of our rural community as we meet the challenges of the dry together.
Info at beeflambnz.com/events
● March 5: SIDDC
South Island Dairying
Demonstration Centre
– Autumn Focus Day at Lincoln University Dairy Farm
Get the lowdown with a seasonal update, looking ahead and financials, the autumn management plan with inputs and output and feed management and a farmer panel. Info at siddc.org.nz
● March 5: Dairy Women’s Network
Optimising Your Herd’s Health webinar
Mineral deficiencies in your herd can impact milk production, reproduction, and overall health. Join the DWN for this informative session. Info at dwn.co.nz/events/
● March 11-13 and 18-20: Agri-Women’s Development Trust
Next Level programme, Waikato and Dunedin
Next Level is AWDT’s six-month leadership and governance
programme for women. Designed to empower and inspire. Info at awdt.org.nz/programmes/ next-level/
● March 11 and 13:
DairyNZ and Fonterra Powering Up Dairy,Taranaki DairyNZ and Fonterra are partnering together to deliver a series of community toolbox events to help ensure your farm stays future-fit, with a chance to share with other farmers. Info at dairynz.co.nz/events/
● March 18: B+LNZ
Genetics Beef Breederforum, Christchurch
This is a chance to get together with fellow stud breeders to discuss key issues, challenges and opportunities for you, your bull-buying clients and the advancement of the beef industry. Info at beeflambnz.com/events
● March 18 and 19:
Food and Fibre CoVE
Research & Insights forum 2025 –Beyond The Ordinary: Navigating Challenges,Redefining Success
Hosted by the Food and Fibre Centre ofVocational Excellence, this two-day event will showcase crucial projects to address challenges our sector faces.
Info at foodandfibrecove.nz/eventswebinars/research-insights-forum-2025/
● March 26: B+LNZ
Beef + Lamb NewZealand’s 2025 Annual Meeting Levypayers are welcome to attend the
B+LNZ Annual Meeting, with reports on what was achieved over the past year and the priorities for the year ahead.
Info at beeflambnz.com/events
● March 26: NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management Wellington/Wairarapa branch: Wearables & Renewables – DairyFarm TechnologyIn Practice
An opportunity to gain valuable insights from three years of Halter collar use integrated with farm physicals and other technology.
Info at nzipim.co.nz/Event? Action=View&Event id=860
● March 26: B+LNZ Out The Gate 2025,Rotorua
A jam-packed event for farmers with straight-talking insights, hands-on workshops, and big ideas – designed to help sheep and beef farmers tackle change with confidence.
Info at beeflambnz.com/events
● SMASH
Pathways To Farm Ownership,various dates and locations ( March-April)
Hear from people who have successfully made their farm ownership dream a reality and learn practical strategies to follow in their footsteps.
Info at smallerherds.co.nz
● CRV
BetterHerd event
– Breeding BetterCows Faster, various dates and locations Learn tips and tricks from local farmers
so you can build a better herd. This is an opportunity to see different herd solutions in action, regional trends, and options for the future.
Info at crv4all.co.nz/nz/service/events-2
● DairyNZ and Dairy Women’s Network
The two organisations have joined forces to bring you People Expos. Various dates and locations (March-April)
Come along to one of the People Expo symposiums for the opportunity to hear from thought leaders on what’s needed to tackle the big issues in empowering people for a productive workplace. You’ll gain insights from experts, have the opportunity to connect with other farmers facing the same challenges, and leave armed with inspiration and practical tips to put in action for your farm team.
Info at dwn.co.nz/events/ and dairynz. co.nz/events/
● B+LNZ
Focus group workshops, various dates and locations B+LNZ will be introducing focus groups into its extension programme. These will be topic-focused and outcome-driven, with an opportunity to learn from other members and subject matter experts.
Info at beeflambnz.com/events
Registration is essential for many events. Check out the various websites for more events.
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The importance of following correct handling instructions for new-style fertiliser bags is the subject of the latest Safety Alert issued by Safer Farms.
Safety Alerts document real-life incidents, distilling key lessons from farmers into concise, one-page handouts for managers to use in safety discussions with their teams.
In this case, a near-miss occurred when a one-tonne bag of fertiliser was being moved on the front forks of a tractor and the load shifted, causing one of the lifting straps to fail. The fertiliser company had recently moved from one-tonne reusable fertiliser bags to single-use recyclable ones
While the bags have a safety factor of 5:1, the correct procedures always need to be followed while transporting and using them, especially when releasing the load, to manage the risk of strap failure.
Farmers should ask for safe-handling guides for using bags and ensure all staff moving them are fully aware of these.
Operators must be trained and competent and if a second person is present, they must always be in the tractor operator’s view during loading/unloading
a five-metre exclusion zone is safest.
If the tractor operator cannot see the person, the operator must stop until that person is sighted and the thumbs-up to
proceed is given. You should never elevate a person on the load or forks.
This alert can be used to discuss with the staff the importance of:
■ Handling fertiliser bags with care and following the guidelines provided by the supplier.
■ Keeping it low and slow. As with all suspended loads, the bag should be as low to the ground as possible while moving.
■ Limiting speed, especially when driving over unsealed surfaces The speed of the tractor should be no faster than walking speed during loading and unloading.
■ Don’t be in the way – in case something
goes wrong. Never work, walk or stand under a suspended load of any kind.
■ Ensuring the load is secure and stable before moving off and checking all is clear in the direction you intend to travel.
■ The tractor driver must keep off their mobile phone while loading and unloading
■ Use the right tool for the job – a long- handled blade or slasher – to open the bag to keep your hands and arms well clear of the hazard. Specialist bulk bag dispensers can be purchased.
■ If something doesn’t work out as planned, share your experience. It is important
to report all near-misses, whether you are following the procedure or not. This enables feedback to be provided to suppliers to help keep people safe.
To view the Safety Alerts, please visit: farmwithoutharm.org.nz/safety-alerts Topics can be printed out for use in training and staff discussions and there is an option to be emailed when new Safety Alerts are added.
For further information on working with hazardous substances, see: worksafe.govt.nz
NZ woolgrowers have lessons for world: architecture firm
Sustainability
Eve Hyslop
When it comes to farming sustainably and economically, New Zealand woolgrowers have set an example.
Benjamin Holsinger, global design resilience leader of product development at Gensler, visited New Zealand last December and says the world should look to New Zealand woolgrowers for regenerative farming.
“The farms we visited, seeing how they have taken sustainability and regenerative practices so sincerely I think that this model is bigger than New Zealand and you are all really on to something.
“If the world looked differently at how they farm and looked toward New Zealand on how to do that, I think we can make a lot of change, not just from a sustainability perspective, but from an economic perspective.”
Gensler is a world-leading design and architectural firm based in the United States and last year it partnered with Wool Impact to encourage the use of wool in building products and support manufacturers to achieve their sustainability goals.
Wool Impact enlisted the help of Gensler to conduct a market study on wool’s role within the architecture and design industry so it could understand the opportunities for growth
“The small farmer across the road doesn’t always have it easy, but with systems like I’ve seen in New Zealand with these regenerative farms, I think we could turn things around,” Holsinger says
The key to unlocking value from brand-grower relationships for Wool Impact is by having a deeper understanding of wool’s impact through the value chain, chief executive Andy Caughey says Relationships with supply chain partners that have a shared ethos of value creation and transparency, like Gensler, are equally important, Caughey says Holsinger’s visit included meeting farmers, shearers, wool companies and wool scourers. He also visited WoolWorks’ wool scourer in Timaru, which is working to decarbonise its plant with a $9.5 million electric boiler, a high-temperature hot water pump and alternative energy sources like wind and solar.
The adoption of wool in interior products by manufacturers would mean they would also benefit from the sustainable attributes of the fibre and have a better shot at solving their environmental challenges, Holsinger says Gensler’s main sustainability focus has been on reducing embodied carbon, along-
World-leading architectural and design firm Gensler says New Zealand regenerative farmers and woolgrowers have set an example when it comes to sustainability.
MARK TAYLOR/WAIKATO TIMES
side cutting operational carbon, in order to achieve its 2030 targets.
Wool could assist the company in doing so, Holsinger says. “When we look at wool as an entire system, it’s actually regenerative and ends up sinking carbon throughout its entire manufacturing process. When I say manufacturing, I mean sheep growing the wool over their lives on the farm.”
Wool’s naturally inherent properties would add value across many product
sectors he says. “It kind of ticks all of these boxes that we as designers look for, right? We have to look for durability, we have to look for cleanability, we have to look for flammability.”
These were all attributes that synthetic or human-made materials wanted to achieve, except they already existed naturally in wool.
“It’s carbon negative, it’s regenerative instead of doing less bad when you specify wool, you’re doing more good, right?
You’re actually helping to save the planet when you specify wool.”
Gensler’s projects cover more than a billion square feet of space every year, so if a portion of that space were to include the use of more sustainable products like wool, the impact would be widespread.
“What if we switch to products that have
no impact on the environment and what if we switch to products that have a positive impact on the environment? Think of the change that impact would have on the world.
“We don’t just want this for us, we want the entire industry to start thinking differently about the materials we use.”
The Gensler Product Sustainability Standards set a benchmark for its designers to follow when sourcing materials, such as wool, that are sustainable and market ready.
On his return to the US, Holsinger hoped to share the message of wool with those designers and educate them in its benefits.
“We know how we’ll perform, we’ve known this for centuries, but things have got lost in time. As a design firm, we have to do some education.”
Forum to discuss developments in beef genetics
Event
Andy Brew
Farmers will get an opportunity to hear about the latest developments in the beef industry at the Beef Breeder Forum in Christchurch this month.
The event, hosted by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ), will bring together a range of experts and leaders from the industry, including
Simon Kenny, head of impact and communications for McDonald’s New Zealand, and new BLNZ chief executive Alan Thomson.
Farmers will get a first look at nProve Beef, a free, easy-to-use online genetics tool designed to select the best bulls for specific breeding objectives and farm systems
Kenny will discuss McDonald’s global commitments as a major
buyer of New Zealand beef.
There will also be an update on BLNZ Genetics’ beef programme and its work on developing New Zealand specific selection indexes, by BLNZ’s head of genetics, Dr Jason Archer.
The New Zealand Roundtable for Sustainable Beef will host an open meeting on sustainability efforts.
This event, on March 18, will conclude with a dinner to celebrate New Zealand’s beef industry.
Dr Jason Archer says the forum is designed for stud breeders, industry members and farmers with a passion for genetics.
WoolWorks chief executive Rosstan Mazey, left, and Benjamin Holsinger at the company’s wool-scouring plant, which is in the process of decarbonising.
JOHN BISSET/ TIMARU HERALD
Holsinger and Alex Consoli on a farm during their New Zealand visit WOOL IMPACT
Opinion
Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Kate Acland discovers a new definition while on a recent visit to the United States.
Last month, I was lucky enough to attend the annual Cattle Industry Convention – known as CattleCon – in San Antonio, Texas.
The event, which brought together more than 8500 ranchers, industry representatives and trade experts, provided a valuable opportunity to discuss shared challenges and opportunities.
The convention combines a range of educational and practical sessions for farmers, stock demonstrations, as well as critical industry and policy conversations.
It’s a fascinating time to be in the United States with the new administration coming in with a huge number of changes and executive orders in the first few weeks.
Sustainability ... with a twist
productivity are at the heart of sustainability.
Sustainability scorecards for ranchers consider financial performance and productive capacity, alongside ecological and environmental benchmarks. Sustainable management of grasslands and ensuring the ongoing profitability of ranching operations was a particular feature, as was farm planning and the opportunities for improvement financial performance, as well as good environmental outcomes through this process.
There was also a recognition that although the new administration may have released the pressure on management of emissions from agriculture, customers and the market still have expectations.
The methane conversation wasn’t front and centre, but it was there and largely about incentives and management actions, rather than through regulation or pricing, which has been the focus to date in New Zealand.
We must ensure that policymakers and New Zealanders recognise the importance of the role that our farming families play in managing our landscapes, and the necessity of a productive and profitable business to underpin that.
When sustainability and profitability are aligned, everyone benefits – farmers, consumers and the environment.
The conversations at CattleCon reinforced that sustainability isn’t just about reducing emissions or enhancing biodiversity; it’s about ensuring the long-term viability of farming families and rural communities.
New Zealand farmers already lead the world in producing high-quality, pasture-raised beef with a low environmental footprint
Although trade and the new administration were the hot topics, sustainability was much discussed.
American ranchers are embracing sustainability, but sustainability in the US sense has quite a different meaning to what we would think of as New Zealand farmers.
The US sustainability focus is centred on sustainable futures for their family ranches, persistence and survival of family businesses – which is more than just environmental.
The Americans seem to have grasped that profitability and
We heard from the customer perspective that scope three emissions were important. One speaker, who runs a business that uses 170 million pounds of ground beef per year (almost one third of New Zealand’s exports to the US), said the whole industry needed to shift.
But largely, the carbon conversation from presenters, and the ranchers and trade I spoke to, were almost exclusively one of opportunity with incentives a major topic of interest.
It was a good reminder that sustainability and productivity are not mutually exclusive – in fact, they go hand in hand.
We should consider how we could reframe sustainability in New Zealand to be more than just the environment
But we need to tell that story in a way that resonates – not just with policy-makers and consumers, but with our own industry. Sustainability must be framed as a business opportunity, not just a regulatory burden.
The US approach to sustainability provides some useful insights. While the context differs, their emphasis on financial resilience, productivity and environmental stewardship working together is something we can learn from.
If we don’t ensure our farming businesses remain viable, we risk losing the very people who are best placed to care for our landscapes and produce the food the world needs. It’s time to broaden our definition of sustainability – because a farm that isn’t profitable won’t be sustainable for long.
Kate Acland is the chairperson of Beef + Lamb New Zealand and a mid-Canterbury sheep, beef and dairy farmer.
Kate Acland says American ranchers are embracing sustainability, but with a much different focus to efforts by New Zealand farmers. CLARE
TOIA-BAILEY
Leadership programme provides progression path
Professional growth
Rural reporter
Horticulture New Zealand (HortNZ) Leadership scholar
Scott Harvey grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Wairarapa and thought that would be his career path, but instead he found a passion for producing a different kind of food.
“I always pictured myself roaming the hills with a team of dogs,” says Harvey, who is an agronomist with AS Wilcox and Sons, based in Pukekohe. “I got into horticulture by accident I’d finished a previous job and was offered this role and thought, ‘That looks a bit different, I’ll check it out.’ Seven years later, I’m still here.”
Harvey already had a Bachelor of Agriculture Science (Hons) from Lincoln University under his belt and experience working as a sales agronomist, but says he found horticulture provided different and interesting challenges.
He is now managing the onion crop programme for the company and his role incorporates the whole supply chain, from planning and growing a crop, through postharvest handling to sales and marketing.
“You are dealing with a lot of stuff that is out of your control and you have to manage that for successful outcomes,” he says. “Every year requires a different approach and you don’t really know what will happen every day. It keeps you on your toes constantly and I enjoy that
“It is very satisfying knowing you are helping the community by providing jobs locally and it is very rewarding to see your produce in supermarkets and knowing you have contributed to putting healthy food on tables. That really resonates with me.
“One of the key things I took away from the leadership programme was the need to be versatile in your leadership. Horticulture involves a lot of variety and so do people.
We have to adapt to weather and different conditions all the time, but there’s a risk you can forget to adapt to people. That is a critical skill.
“I also took away a lot about self-reflection and understanding what is driving your behaviours and recognising the signs when you are dipping below the line.”
Harvey had previously applied to participate in the HortNZ leadership programme and says he felt privileged to be selected for 2024 He also saw it as a chance to connect with the wider industry.
He and his fellow cohort undertook the programme in two phases over nine weeks between August and October – including five days in Auckland and a further three days in Wellington.
The programme focuses on building increased confidence for participants to take the lead into the future, as well as providing a greater understanding of what leadership is really all about
It supports development of ‘ready to use’ leadership and business skills such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking and problem solving and a wider perspective around how to address industry issues now and into the future.
Participants work to develop a personal plan for how they intend to go forward in their leadership career.
“Being selected this time, I really felt I had earned a place on the programme,” says Harvey. “The content was very good. It was structured really well in terms of how it played out across the week
“There was a very good range of speakers on diverse points of view for the business and also targeted speakers around leadership. Everyone brought a different flavour and good learnings.
“I also really enjoyed being part of a group of like-minded people, all there wanting to better themselves and our
industry. It was very energising being in a room full of people that challenge you and think about things differently
“It also means you are making yourself get off farm and work on yourself, which – with all the demands of growing – is perhaps something we don’t do enough of in this business.”
He sees the programme as a very good pathway for people to progress in the sector. “It puts an onus on the individual. You are provided with an opportunity to learn and also a huge networking opportunity.
“We work in a small industry, so building those communities and opportunities to collaborate and engage is critical to the sector moving forward.
“Nurturing leadership in the industry is how it will progress and enable us to hold our place as one of the world’s primary food producers
“A lot of other players globally are working hard to improve their industries, so providing pathways for leadership in our industry is crucial to that and to the big push to double the value of exports.”
Harvey sees attracting good people and adopting new technology as both the biggest challenge and biggest opportunity for New Zealand horticulture.
“It is critical to get the right people working in the industry. We also have to have the ability to adapt to and grasp new technologies to improve the industry and do better. Technology will be the key to improved productivity, profitability and environmental sustainability.”
His future goals include continuing his personal progression in his role and taking on wider leadership roles in the sector.
“I am part of the family business now and so I want to see opportunities for that to grow for future generations, but I would also like to support the development of the industry as a whole.”
Six key focus points for growing sector
Opinion
Kate Scott
We’ve now set a date for the 2025 Horticulture New Zealand Conference and we’re looking forward to connecting with growers, industry leaders, and policymakers in Wellington over August 26-27.
The conference is always a highlight for growers, offering the chance to share insights, discuss challenges, and collectively chart the future of our industry
This year, there will be strong interest from growers in our policy priorities and how we work with the Government to ensure horticulture remains a cornerstone of New Zealand’s economy and food security.
Horticulture is a key part of the solution to growing a sustainable economy that works for all New Zealanders.
Our growers produce high-quality, nutritious fruit and vegetables for both domestic and global markets while creating jobs and export success in a way that respects the environment and our communities
The Aotearoa Horticulture Action Plan – a partnership between industry, government, Māori and science – aims to double horticulture’s farmgate value by 2035. This supports the Government’s focus on
economic growth and shares the ambition to double the value of New Zealand’s exports in the next decade.
To make this vision a reality, we need strong collaboration and the right policy settings. In 2025-26, HortNZ wants to work with the Government on six priority areas to drive export growth and support a thriving horticulture sector:
Water security and supply
Reliable access to water is critical for producing high-quality crops. While we welcome the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Act and planned freshwater policy updates, further work is needed to support catchment-wide water management. Policies should balance environmental needs with the economic imperative of sustainable food production.
Reliable supply of healthy, locally grown fruit and vegetables
Nutritious, locally grown food is essential for a healthy, lower-emissions diet, yet rising costs and regulatory hurdles are limiting production.
The Resource Management Amendment Bill presents an opportunity to make vegetable growing a permitted activity across all regions, with the ability to rotate crops under a freshwater farm plan. Just as important is the Grocery Commissioner
ensuring supermarkets provide fair pricing structures to support food security
Access to new tools
New Zealand’s regulatory framework is stifling the introduction of safer, more effective pest and disease management tools. Growers need a more efficient approval process that aligns with decisions made by trusted overseas regulators. Beyond pest management, there is also significant potential to harness technology and innovation to support more profitable and sustainable growing.
Effective assurance of quality
a persistent challenge. We need to align education and training with industry needs to enable a highly skilled and capable future-focused workforce. This includes more targeted vocational training and stronger connections between the sector and education providers.
Certainty for Pacific workers and employers
New Zealand
chief executive
Kate Scott
Growers already meet high assurance standards through Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification, yet regulatory processes remain complex and costly. The recent amendment to the Resource Management Act allowing GAP certification to serve as an approved Freshwater Farm Plan is a positive step that should be expanded to food safety regulations under the Food Act.
Aligning education with industry needs
Horticulture employs more than 40,000 people, but workforce shortages remain
The Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme is vital for horticulture, providing skilled, reliable workers when needed. It is essential that government policy ensures certainty for both Pacific workers and employers, maintaining fair and sustainable access to labour that supports our industry’s growth.
It’s vital we get the horticulture sector’s policy settings right. Growers need confidence to invest, knowing that the regulatory environment will support them rather than hinder progress. With the right policies in place, we can meet our ambitious growth targets, increase food security, and ensure all New Zealanders have access to delicious and nutritious fruit and vegetables. We look forward to working together to secure a strong future for New Zealand horticulture.
Agronomist Scott Harvey took part in the HortNZ leadership programme in 2024 and says it taught him to be versatile and meet challenges as they arose.
Horticulture
ETS eligibilty limits may lead to imbalance in land prices
Scott Downs Director of sales and marketing for PF Olsen
The quandary for the New Zealand government, is that while the New Zealand Emission Unit (NZU) price is insufficient to drive meaningful behavior changes by greenhouse gas emitters, it is sufficient to facilitate land use change. (Especially with current low financial returns for traditional dry stock, hill country farming).
The New Zealand Government’s announcements in December 2024 to limit ETS eligibility for farm conversions, is trying to crack an egg with a sledgehammer. You will only end up with an omelet and eliminate the options of poached, fried, hard or soft boiled, etc.
New Zealand has benefitted from a relatively free market ability to change land use with a pioneering can-do attitude in our rural community. This is now being taken away.
Hill country farmers are now limited as to how they can improve returns, add resilience, and better allow for farm succession.
Annual income from ETS eligible trees can contribute significantly to a farm’s viability Limiting ETS eligibility on trees planted to 25% of a farm will restrict options for farmers to generate income on the less productive areas of their farm The
impact of climate change may render more parts of a farm less productive in some locations, so this policy change further reduces our ability to adapt to climate change.
We will also see an imbalance in land prices. While farm prices will reduce overall, there will be perverse situations where a farm that has a higher proportion of the steeper Land Use Capability (LUC) class 6 land will be worth more than a neighboring farm with rolling country. This is because there is an avenue to apply for ETS eligibility for the LUC class 6 land,
with 15,000 hectares allocated each year on a first-in basis. We wait to see how this allotment for ETS eligibility for LUC class 6 land will be allocated.
The even steeper country in LUC classes 7 and 8 may be worth even more, as there are no ETS eligibility restrictions. However, planting trees on steeper land with shallow erodible soils can lead to future problems. We need to be careful that this policy doesn’t lead to perverse outcomes.
Farming and forestry groups should work together to raise the economic returns for primary land use in New
Zealand. This should be based on an overall understanding that we need more trees in New Zealand as well as need need food production by farming the better land Instead of sniping with emotive messaging around what happens in the margins. While not feasible, I have wondered about having a small council of erudite but practical and fair-minded people, who would pass approval for which farms can be converted to forestry and incorporated into the ETS. Their decision-making would take into account the overall benefits to New Zealand. If only it was that simple.
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Celebrating our agricultural sector
NZFarmer and the team at Stuff are delighted to welcome you to the 2025 Central Districts Field Days, a celebration of the vital role agriculture plays in the Manawatū-Whanganui region and beyond.
Agriculture and food are our country’s most important industries, contributing billions of dollars in export revenue.
The agriculture sector is the heart of the Manawatū Whanganui region and drives nearly half of Manawatū’s GDP, making it a vital part of the region that is known as the “Food and Fibre Capital” of New Zealand
Here, agriculture isn’t just business; it’s a way of life – and we’re here to celebrate it with you.
And March is a busy month in the region, with not just the Central Districts Field Days on, but also the Rural Games bringing all the favourite rural competitions to town and more.
The Central Districts Field Days brings everyone together in one place at the largest agricultural expo in the North Island
With more than 500 exhibitors offering everything from large machinery, small machinery, tools and farming equipment through to outdoor furniture, garden accessories and clothing, there is something for the whole family
Exhibitors will showcase all the agricultural inventions and new applications that have the potential to lead change in the rural sector.Visitors can connect and discover the latest in technology and innovation, designed to help deliver better business solutions, increase profitability and help build a thriving and resilient economy.
Established attractions and fan favourites are back, such as the Double Power fencing competition, the CCNZ National Excavator Operator Championship and the Strongman competition. Woodchopping makes a return after a hiatus.
Discerning foodies will be spoilt for
and
choice, with different zones serving up crowd favourites over the three days to tantalise your taste buds. Kick back and relax at the cuisine pavilion and enjoy a range of locally produced food and brews from around the region
There are also attractions that aren’t specifically rural, such as spa pools and knitting and, for the kids, a Kids’ Zone with lots of fun activities to keep them entertained. Kids can even Trade a Toy on the Saturday thanks to Brandt. Bring your used toys to the Brandt Agriculture zone and trade them in for a new John Deere toy, right on the spot.
We understand how important it is to have events that not only showcase technology and innovation but also bring people together to celebrate
Look for Brandt Trade A Toy
Get ready for a one-off, action-packed event at the 2025 Central Districts Field Days. Brandt’s Trade A Toy is coming for a special Saturdayonly event that you won’t want to miss. On March 15, bring your used toys to the Brandt Agriculture Zone and trade them for a brand-new John Deere toy, right on the spot.
Here’s how it works:
■ Kids bring in their used toys. Any make and model.
■ The Brandt sales team helps negotiate a trade-in price.
■ The child can then put that value toward a shiny new toy.
■ Plus, gently used toys in good condition will be donated to support local communities.
Brandt’s Trade A Toy programme was a hit nationwide
the
October
Get a new John Deere toy. The field days will have more than 500 exhibitors showcasing a range of machinery, farming equipment and lifestyle products
traditions, build connections and inspire new ideas.
The Central Districts Field Days achieves all this and more, offering something for farmers, families, and curious minds alike.
But as you know, events like this aren’t possible without the generous support of organisations dedicated to the agri sector.
A huge thanks goes to our partner Brandt, the North Island’s John Deere dealer who has two locations on site – the Brandt Construction Zone and Brandt Agriculture Zone.
Experts in rural connectivity, our partner Farmside will be positioned at the front of the Farmside Agriculture Pavilion.
We’re also grateful for the long-standing support of Palmerston North City Council and Central Economic Development Agency, Brew Union and Brent Smith Trailers.
So, join us for the best days off the farm all year as we celebrate agriculture, innovation and the hardworking people who make it all happen.
We hope you enjoy discovering what the region and more than 500 exhibitors have to offer.
We look forward to seeing you there
Central Districts Fieldays runs from March 13-15 at Manfeild, Feilding.
Sonita Chandar Editor, NZ Farmer
and now
*Terms and conditions apply.
Children are catered for at the Kids’ Zone.
Enjoy locally produced food
brews at the Central Districts Field Days
32 NZFarmer CentralDistrictsFieldDays
Lifestyle
Hayley McLarin
Central Districts Field Days is a much-anticipated day off the farm for a community that works in nature – and so too do many of the lifestyle exhibitors.
From Thermomix to Bernina sewing machines, there are more than 30 lifestyle exhibitors this year to tantalise the tastebuds and give your home and garden a little something extra.
Revamp your wardrobe with retro-style clothing from Pimp My Rockabilly, to lingerie and personal devices from O-My. Think you know your trilby from a fedora or panama hat? Put it to the test with the wide range of felt, leather and straw hats from InFashion Hats.
Eva + Archie will be selling its luxurious baby clothing, made from New Zealand and Australian merino, and Fantail’s Nest, from Hawke’s Bay, will have handmade New Zealand wool and cotton pram sleeping bags/liners, along with children’s clothing and accessories.
Who says practical can’t be comfy? Glen and Julia Sheaff were tired of uncomfortable gumboots so they created
Wood-chopping returns to Field Days for 2025 Events
Rural reporter
It’s been too long since visitors to the Central Districts Field Days have thrilled to the sound of axe blade on wood and the sight of the wood chips and sweat flying. But that’s about to change after a dedicated group of wood-choppers decided to bring the event back in 2025
Event organiser Patrick Barrett says the drive behind bringing wood-chopping back to the Central Districts Field Days is the realisation that the sport of wood-chopping is declining in popularity. He says there are a number of possible reasons for this including a lack of funding, fewer venue opportunities, a decrease in competitor numbers and the unavailability of people willing to organise such events.
“There is a very positive drive within the central wood-chopping fraternity to make this event happen and become successful,” Barrett says
“The opportunity to add another date to our competition calendar can only be a step in the right direction.”
“I don’t go back as far as some of the older generation of woodchoppers. When I had my first opportunity to compete at the Central Districts Field Days in 1998 it was quite something.
“Three days of competition, axemen from all over the country, even the world on occasion. The chance to test your skills against world champions like the late Dave Bolstad and Jason Wynyard.”
“As everyone knows that is a part of organising such events. It takes a great team and a lot of passion. We have sourced timber from out of Lismore forest in Wanganui. A big thanks to Forest 360 and veteran wood-chopper Peter McKay from the area and his contacts and organisation.
“Thanks also go to Ōtaki Axemen’s Club, to which I am a member and to my father-in-law who through his business Rasmac Contractors, has provided the transportation of timber. And to Eddie Fawcett, founder of Tuatahi Racing Axes and Saws,
for providing generous sponsorship. At this year’s Central Districts Field Days event, spectators can catch action from the Central Axemen’s Association Grade Championships. Central boundaries stretch from Taranaki to Hawke’s Bay and south to Wellington.
Competition will involve all disciplines from Standing Block and Underhand to Double Saw and Single Saw.
Grades are determined by book marks/handicap. The system works similar to a golf handicap but in the opposite direction. The higher a competitor’s handicap the higher the grade they will complete in.
“There will be competitors as young as 10 to 12 years old all the way up to 70-plus years as well as women competitors,” Barrett says.
“We also have current New Zealand Team members in the Central region – women, men and junior/under-21s. We are expecting to have around 30 competitors.”
“Wood-chopping is such a unique sport in the sense that, in my opinion, it’s a glimpse into the past. It really gives spectators an appreciation for how timber was harvested long before chainsaws and heavy machinery.
“Anyone who’s interested in giving it a go only needs to make contact with a club, most can be found on social media these days. We are a friendly bunch and very family orientated.”
“I’m a third-generation woodchopper, starting from both my grandfathers.
“Being a former New Zealand under-21 and men’s team member are all highlights for me.”
“I think it’s time now to give back to the sport I’ve been involved in for the last 30-plus years. It gives me great satisfaction that I’m helping to keep the sport alive for generations to come, and what better place to do that than the Central Districts Field Days.
“There will be lots of chips flying for the public to come along and see. Pick a favourite, cheer them on. You just never know, the next New Zealand Champion wood-choppers could be in the crowd waiting to be discovered.”
Boonies, a range of men’s, women’s and kids’ gumboots that has now expanded to include a variety of footwear.
Boasting stability for your foot and ankle with shock absorption cushioning to reduce pressure on your knees and hips, and arch support, the inner soles make them feel luxurious.
For those struggling with aches and pains, AFK Sports Clinic’s Michael Harvey is a leading pedorthist who will be on-site. He has trained in the highest standard in clinical assessment and has more than 6000 patients in Australia. He will assess people who work rurally with a mobile medical clinic at CD Field Days.
Looking for a better night’s sleep? Try out a new bed and and for a unique piece of furniture – or handbag – you can’t go past Coastal Cowhides for its ottomans, cushions, stools and bags, big and small.
Cyndi’s Drab2Fab upcycled furniture will be a unique statement piece in any home and make it pop.
If rustic is more your thing, Front Shed Furniture will have outdoor pieces including tables and bar leaners crafted from macrocarpa They may even look good with a Little Green Dunny nestled nearby?
The wooden composting toilets are ideal for rural living, gardens, glamping, baches
and farms – available to buy or rent.
“Outhouses” may not be a product you can try before you buy, but there will be plenty to sample at CDFD.
Foxy Teashop will have a range of fruit teas, cocktail garnishes and citrus powders –for salads and dressings.
Award-winning Meyer Cheeses will be on-site and fan-fave Batch10 will have tastings and sales of its popular New Zealand
Honey Bourbon, Manuka-smoked Whiskey, New Zealand London Dry Gin and Pink Gin. And 5036 Boutique Brews will have delicious plum liqueurs, including Damson Plum Liqueur and Black Doris Plum Liqueur – along with quince and feijoa varieties too.
You can also stop and enjoy a craft beer, wine or its very own gin at the Brew Union pop-up by the cuisine pavilion.
For the kids, or youthful adults, check out X Events – which will be showcasing its adrenalin-packed offering – the group and party plan specialists will be able to tell you all about their smash room, escape room, axe-throwing arena and go-karts.
For smaller ones, there will be the kids’ zone with bouncy castle and inflatables, and Brandt is holding a Trade A Toy special Saturday-only event.
Take your used toys to the Brandt Agriculture Zone and trade it in for a new John Deere toy. Kids will learn great negotiation skills as they work out a trade-in price with the Brandt sales team. They can then put that value toward a new toy.
All gently-used toys in good condition will be donated to support local communities. You can do good in another way – by considering adopting a retired greyhound. Meet some owners at the Nightrave Greyhounds stand.
The wood chips will be flying once more as wood-chopping returns to the Central Districts Field Days after a hiatus.
How CEDA is cultivating agritech success
SPONSORED CONTENT BY
CEDA
Palmerston North and Manawatū are at the heart of New Zealand’s agritech and agrifood innovation sectors, building a global reputation for cutting-edge research, advanced technology and worldclass food production.
As the first region in Aotearoa to develop a dedicated agritech strategy, Manawatū is home to Massey University, three Crown research institutes, FoodHQ, The Factory, Sprout NZ Ltd, Finistère Ventures headquarters, and a thriving ecosystem of renowned companies and start-ups driving innovation in food production.
A network of more than 3100 scientists, engineers, and researchers in the region underpins this ecosystem, fostering collaboration that helps businesses revolutionise agriculture. Recognised both nationally and internationally for its leadership in agritech and food innovation, Manawatū provides fertile ground for entrepreneurs looking to develop and commercialise novel ideas
Manawatū is also home to worldclass engineering and manufacturing companies, such as Etech and McIntosh Farm Machinery, which play a vital role transforming innovative ideas into practical, working solutions.
At the heart of this ecosystem is the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA), which works alongside businesses to transform ideas into reality.
Peter Ellingham, CEDA’s customer navigator, is a key figure at the agency, connecting businesses and entrepreneurs with research and development resources and opportunities – supporting everything
from fledgling start-ups to established enterprises looking to expand.
“It’s one thing to have a great idea, but you have to be able to execute it – and that’s where CEDA comes in and helps to bring that idea to life,” says Peter.
CEDA’s role is to link businesses with crucial partners, funding opportunities and research expertise. By partnering with the wider innovation ecosystem, including tertiary institutions such as Massey University, CEDA offers business development services, market insights and R&D capabilities.
It also helps agritech ventures to navigate grant processes and connect with incubator or mentoring programmes, creating pathways for both early-stage and established firms to scale.
“By ensuring innovators, investors and farmers can easily network, CEDA plays a key role in sustaining a vibrant agritech ecosystem in Manawatū,” Peter says.
One of the ways CEDA delivers this is by working with Callaghan Innovation, facilitating access to funding, expert advice
CEDA’s
and innovation support services, helping Kiwi businesses transform scientific concepts into commercial realities By connecting entrepreneurs, researchers and investors, CEDA aims to foster an environment that accelerates product development and global competitiveness. This support “can include funding for strategic marketing and support to launch globally. CEDA facilitates this entire journey – whether it’s a start-up with a new idea or a large company aiming to disrupt global markets”, Peter says.
Central Districts Field Days Showcasing the region’s strengths is a key focus for CEDA, and Central Districts Field Days is a cornerstone event that draws thousands of visitors and industry professionals to Manawatū each year. The event offers a vital platform for agritech businesses to demonstrate new technologies and solutions, fostering networking opportunities among innovators, investors and end users By offering a space where local entrepreneurs,
global firms and farmers can share ideas, it helps accelerate the transition of new technologies – such as drones, sensors and data-driven tools – from prototype to practical on-farm use, says Peter.
Regional superstars
One example of local ingenuity is the C-Dax Pasture Management Robot, developed in collaboration with Massey students This robot precisely measures pasture, reducing the risk of over-fertilisation and saving on labour costs. Because it’s electric, it further lessens environmental impact.
Another standout is Precision Cultivation’s revolutionary one-pass powerdriven Strip Tillage machine, which works the soil, integrates fertiliser and precisionplants row crops all in a single pass – an innovation that increases both profitability and sustainability.
C-Dax itself is a quintessential New Zealand success story, launched from the back of a Palmerston North farm nearly 40 years ago. Today, C-Dax Ltd manufactures specialist ATV accessories, sprayers and pasture meters, pioneering technologies that enhance efficiency and sustainability.
“These are just a few examples of the ingenuity and innovation coming out of Manawatū and they all have one thing in common – they started with a simple but brilliant idea, and they started it here,’’ Peter says “Watching those ideas come to life and become commerciallyviable is personally and professionallyvery fulfilling.”
Visit CEDA.nz for more information on how CEDA can support your agritech business. Central Districts Field Days is on March 13-15, in Feilding.
brandt.ca/nz 0800 872 2867
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CentralDistrictsFieldDays
Best spots for unique farm tours and rural retreats
SPONSORED CONTENT BY
CEDA
Nestled in the heart of the North Island, the Manawatū region is a rich blend of rolling farmland, welcoming communities and passionate farmers.
Known for its agricultural roots, which are blended with a vibrant urban centre, it offers an authentic slice of rural Kiwi life and is a must-visit for anyone looking to experience New Zealand’s farming heritage.
A great introduction to this rural paradise is the Central Districts (CD) Field Days, the country’s largest regional agricultural event. It showcases the best of rural New Zealand and offers the perfect opportunity to explore the region’s rich farming history, along with the future of agritech and agrifood innovation.
But the rural experience doesn’t have to end there. After enjoying CD Field Days, extend your visit by staying a few nights on a working farm and immersing yourself in Manawatū’s rural charm.
Many of the region’s multigenerational farms are run by passionate owners eager to share their stories.
Whether you’re seeking a peaceful retreat or a hands-on adventure, Manawatū offers unforgettable experiences that connect visitors with nature, farm life and New Zealand’s agrifood heritage.
Stewart Dairylands: A modern-day farming legacy
Located on the outskirts of Palmerston North, Stewart Dairylands provides a glimpse into the daily operations of an award-winning, seasonal dairy farm. The Stewart family milk more than 800 cows twice a day, focusing on sustainability and animal welfare. At their Hiwinui Country Estate, guests can stay in high-end boutique accommodation and experience farm life up close. A 2½-hour custom tour covers state-of-the-art facilities and sustainability practices, finishing with a delicious lunch showcasing fresh regional produce while soaking in views of the surrounding hill country
Romney Lane Homestead: Historic charm meets modern comfort
Just outside Feilding, Romney Lane Homestead offers a serene escape on a 440-hectare sheep, beef and arable farm. The Strahan family, who have owned the farm for generations, continue to share their passion for farming. Dating back to the late 1800s, the historic homestead has been lovingly restored into boutique accommodation. Guests can enjoy locally sourced meals, nature walks and custom farm tours led by Ian Strahan (his dad Sam was a celebrated All Black), covering topics such as livestock management and sustainability.
Robotic Dairy Farm: The future of dairy farming
The Robotic Dairy Farm in Manawatū is a pioneer in animal welfare and efficiency. As the first family-owned farm in the lower North Island to adopt robotic milking, the farm’s Lely Astronaut Robotic Milking System allows cows to walk to and from the milking shed on their own.Visitors can tour this state-of-the-art facility and learn how technology is revolutionising dairy farming, enhancing both cow welfare and milk production
Rathmoy Estate: A riverside retreat
For a tranquil getaway, Rathmoy Estate offers exclusive use of its riverside lodge,
eco-friendly practices, giving visitors a chance to learn about environmental responsibility in modern farming. The Penhaven Farm Tour is perfect for families or smaller groups.
with stunning views of the Rangitīkei River and white papa cliffs. Guests can enjoy guided farm tours, relax in a cedar hot tub overlooking the river, and explore the estate’s natural beauty. Rathmoy offers a variety of tour options, including sheep and beef farm visits, glowworm viewing, and bird watching, making it an ideal escape for those seeking peace and privacy.
Penhaven Farm: Embrace farm life Located just 10 minutes out of Palmerston North, Penhaven Farm offers a more handson experience. Guests can meet the farm animals, collect eggs and harvest seasonal produce. The farm emphasises sustainability and
Feilding Farmers’ Market & Feilding Saleyards: A taste of local culture No visit to Manawatū is complete without experiencing the local markets and saleyards Held every Friday, the Feilding Farmers’ Market features artisan products like cheeses, breads, meats and locally grown produce. Just a short stroll away, the Feilding Saleyards offers a fascinating look at New Zealand’s livestock history. With guided tours explaining the auctions that have taken place since the 1880s, it’s a unique way to connect with the region’s farming traditions
From iconic agricultural events and stunning landscapes to quintessentially Kiwi farm stays and hands-on tours, Manawatū provides visitors with a deep connection to New Zealand’s rich farming culture and agrifood heritage.
To explore everything Manawatū has to offer or book one of these memorable farm stays, visit ManawatuNZ.co.nz.
Tickets are available now for the Central Districts Field Days, March 13-15, in Feilding.
New kid on the block
seeking a peaceful retreat or a hands-on adventure, Manawatū offers unforgettable experiences. Innovation Rural reporter
Dutch technology company
Nedap has established a New Zealand branch specifically targeting the dairy industry with sensor-based livestock management solutions.
The company is a global leader in livestock management technology, operating in more than 100 countries and monitoring 6 million cows. It will work with local business partners that offer cow collars, sort gates, and cloud software powered by Nedap’s cutting-edge technology. This expansion strengthens Nedap’s commitment to the New Zealand dairy sector.
The Central Districts Field Days will be the first Field Day event where farmers will be able to see the technology firsthand. Wearables provide real-time insights into cow health, reproduction, and farm
operations They enable farmers,vets, and rural professionals to make informed decisions that enhance productivity and animal welfare.
“This is particularlyvaluable for New Zealand’s seasonal calving systems, where timing and efficiency are crucial,” a spokesperson for Nedap New Zealand says Nedap’s cow monitoring technology is already found inside New Zealand’s most reliable cow collars, improving life on the farm through optimised performance and the wellbeing of each and every cow, along with minimised workloads to free up Kiwi farmers’ time for more important tasks on and off the farm.
“The current dairy payout is signalling a significant market opportunity in cow monitoring tech – New Zealand’s dairy sector contributes $26 billion in export revenue and has 4.5 million dairy cows, but only 18% of farmers currently use wearable technology, indicating substantial growth potential.”
Guests at Rathmoy Estate can enjoy guided farm tours, relax in a hot tub overlooking the Rangitīkei River, and marvel at the estate’s natural beauty.
Whether you’re
Nedap has launched in New Zealand and will be at the Central Districts Field Days where its wearable technology will be on display.
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Giving back acknowledged
Even at 84, Albie Paton has no intention of slowing down his charitable ways, writes
Atrue champion of Northland is in the mix for the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards
Former farmer and stock agent Albie Paton has been selected as a semi-finalist in the Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year –Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau category.
He has worked tirelessly for his hometown, Maungatūroto, and various wellbeing causes throughout Northland, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars with the help of his volunteering team
Win or lose in the Kiwibank awards, Paton says all nominees deserve credit for giving back to the community.
The 84-year-old says it is satisfying reflecting back on his career on the land, but he could not have done it without the unwavering drive and support from his wife Marge.
Over the years, he has rallied the community to raise funds for Hato Hone St John and $500,000 for the Maungatūroto Rest Home dementia unit. He also served six years on the Northland Rugby Union and was involved with the 150-year celebration for the area.
Over several years he repurposed an old scout hut into “the Den” and began collecting old furniture and other goods that people were giving away He then spruces the pieces up or just on-sells them and donates all proceeds back to charities and community causes, including Northland Rescue Helicopters, the Coastguard, Northland Hospice, cyclone relief and more.
We are able to give some sizeable donations with a health and wellbeing focus. Albie Paton “
Not bad for a bloke who left school at the end of form 4 (year 9) on the condition he honoured his father’s request that he complete a 12-month stint working in the family shop at Bayley’s Beach.
After he turned 16, Paton made his way to Maungatūroto to work for his uncles, Gilbert and Edgar Worthington, on their sheep farm.
“I learned to shear at about 19 and did about 20,000 sheep – at £5 per hundred – per year around the local sheds and wider Otamatea area, as well as farm work. My weekly income averaged around £20 a week, which was pretty good money for those
days in the 1960s,” he says.
“Gilbert sold his share of the farm to Edgar and he and I converted to dairy.”
Paton and his wife Marge sharemilked for his uncle until his death, when they inherited the farm.
“We built the herd up to over 300, and in 1988, signed up for 600-plus acres at Whakapirau, at which point we owed nearly $1.1 million to the Rural Bank. We were on a budget of $4.50 per kilogramme of milkfat and by the time we took over on June 1, interest rates had gone through the roof and the payout was down to $2.80/kg and we were paying 18% interest only.
“That was something in the vicinity of $186,000 a year in interest, before the cows were fed or we had a sandwich to eat. We survived and managed to sell in 1991 while we were away at the Rugby World Cup –thankfully, without losing any money.”
Paton then became a livestock agent for Norstock (a private company), to top up their income.
“After five or six years with various changes of owners and companies, Alan Swindlehurst and I bought a local Kaikohe company, Leigh and Associates, which we later merged with Williams and Kettle from Hawke’s Bay.
“By coincidence, the day I retired, some 20 years ago, was the day that PGG Wrightson announced their takeover of Kettles.”
In the years since, Albie has played plenty of bowls and done a lot of fishing, until what started as a Men’s Shed became the Den, which he says morphed into a second-hand
charity-type shop that takes goods from people downsizing, upgrading, deceased estates and more.
.
“This has grown extensively, so we are able to give some sizeable donations with a health and wellbeing focus to help people throughout the Otamatea region and Northland organisations that service our area.
“Notable donations are in the vicinity of $250,000 and have gone to the Maungatūroto Community Trusts Dementia unit, Northland Emergency Services trust, North Kaipara Coast Guard, Northhaven Hospice, the Breast Cancer Support Trust and many smaller groups.”
He has also given back plenty to the rugby fraternity in various roles and ways over the years.
“When the Maungatūroto Domain was sold to Northland Dairy Company to allow expansion, we provided flatland for the rugby club to establish two full-size and one smaller-size field for eight years, while the district acquired another site and established facilities. We also converted an old piggery into a clubroom and changing facilities.”
He is the only surviving member of the Maungatūroto Recreational Society’s original committee that acquired and developed the land for the Maungatūroto Country Club as it is known today.
He is proud of his communityminded efforts and farming and business achievements and, even at 84, has no intention of slowing down his charitable ways.
Steve Macmillan
Former farmer and stock agent Albie Paton has been selected as a semi-finalist in the Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year – Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau award.
40 NZFarmer Travel
NZ’s newest luxury alpine escape
New accommodation has made a ‘celebrity magnet’ South Island lodge more accessible for lesser moneyed guests, Lorna Thornber writes.
The place
Until this summer, the super-luxe Flockhill Lodge in the eastern Southern Alps (in)famously cost upwards of $12,000 a night, making it the preserve of high rollers such as celebrities, but newly-opened villas have brought a stay there within the reach of those with more modest bank balances
Sharing the modernist design, natural materials and organic textures of the hilltop homestead that commands the top nightly rate, there’s nothing second-rate about the seven villas, divided into 14 private suites. In fact they feel like compact versions, boasting such luxuries as decks looking across a manicured lawn to the mountains, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, underfloor heating, deep free-standing baths, and a mini-bar stacked with complimentary Kiwimade snacks.
Stay in a deluxe suite or whole villa and you’ll also be able to relax in a sumptuous lounge with a complimentary bottle of Pegasus Bay wine.
The space Set on a working sheep station dating back to 1857, the lodge enables guests to immerse themselves in the Canterbury high country without having to rough it Wedged between the braided blue Waimakariri River and Craigieburn Range not far from Arthur’s Pass, Flock Hill Station is 14,500ha of mountains, lakes, glacier-carved valleys, waterfalls, caves and a limestone boulder-strewn landscape that starred in 2005 film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Stay at the homestead or complete the gentle hike to ‘The Knoll’ and you’ll get a full-frontal view of Sugarloaf Mountain and Lake Pearson – a site every bit as spectacular as anything you’ll find in a 100% Pure New Zealand tourism campaign.
The activities team, who occupy a converted red barn near the villas, will arrange for you to explore the station and its surrounds however you wish.
Discover its hidden corners on an ATV tour, hike or ebike along its numerous trails, meditate in a landscape the Dalai Lama once dubbed the ‘spiritual centre of the universe’, fish for wild salmon and trout in the glacial-blue Winding Stream, navigate an underground cave with an internal waterfall, or ski at nearby club fields such as Craigieburn Valley and Broken River.
The room
Staying in a deluxe suite as part of Great Journeys’ new Alpine Luxe Escape – which includes return transfers from Christchurch on the TranzAlpine train, a night at the lodge, and two nights at a Christchurch hotel – I spend a fair bit of time gazing across a small lake to Purple Hill, which looks more like a mountain to me, from the front deck.
It’s as serene a setting as one could hope for with birds singing, bees buzzing and some of the more than 10,000 sheep who call the place home baaing in the background.
Designed to blend in with the alpine surrounds, the colour scheme, with its red tussock, beech tree green and earthy brown hues exerts a calming influence, and there are multiple cushion-covered armchairs and a leather couch to sink into with a glass of wine from the mini cellar or snack from the kitchen (I particularly enjoyed the Nelson-made Aroha chocolates).
Other touches include high-end, chemical-free Sans [ceuticals] toiletries, salt grains and sprigs of lavender by the bath, a Nespresso machine, two 55-inch TVs, a yoga mat and blocks, powerful sound system and divine chocolate truffles delivered to the suite before bed.
The food
The newly opened restaurant Sugarloaf serves up the kind of meals you’d expect at a Michelin-starred restaurant which, thankfully, are included as part of your stay.
Head chef Taylor Cullen previously worked at celebrity chef Matt Moran’s Chiswick restaurant in Sydney and has also cooked at top lodges such as Nihi Sumba in Indonesia, Uluru’s Longitude 131 and
Blanket Bay Lodge in Queenstown.
A master of both the art and science of cooking, he uses the astonishing array of produce grown in the lodge’s gardens and greenhouses – which includes alpine strawberries, numerous varieties of herbs and vegetables and edible flowers – along with foraged ingredients, speared fish, locally sourced meat and honey grown on site to create dishes bound to surprise and delight even regular diners at high-profile restaurants.
The 10-course degustation dinner I sit down to includes creative flavour combinations such as butterfish with pancetta and honey, and beef tartare on a fat crumpet with sea vegetables and XO sauce.
Fact file
Getting there: Flockhill Lodge is about a 1.5-hour drive from Christchurch along the Great Alpine Highway, and 25 minutes from Arthur’s Pass. You can travel to Arthur’s Pass on the TranzAlpine train and arrange a transfer from there or arrive by chauffeured luxury vehicle or helicopter
The highlight Walking among giants on the great battlefield from the Narnia film with charismatic guide and longtime local resident Heather.
She points out the likenesses of monkeys and a half skull in the limestone boulders, she fills me in on the team’s efforts to replant native trees after huge swathes were destroyed by fire and clear the wilding pines that upset the area’s ecological balance, and is full of fascinating, often very funny, tales of farm life.
The mountain-ringed red tussock scenery is a bonus.
The verdict
A raw but refined alpine experience that will remind you why so many celebrities flock to this far-flung corner of the world.
The essentials
A stay in a villa suite starts from $3956 per night and includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and two ‘Flockhill experiences’.
Visit as part of Good Journeys’ Alpine Luxe Escape and you’ll pay from $5499 for return transfers on the TranzAlpine train in a Scenic Plus carriage with meals, a night in a deluxe suite, breakfast, two lunches and dinner at the lodge, daily activities and two nights at Christchurch’s Hotel Montreal before and after the trip.
A stay at the four-bedroom homestead starts from $12,075 a night.
See: flockhillnz.com and greatjourneysnz.com
The writer was hosted by Great Journeys New Zealand.
The infinity pool at the homestead looks across the station to Lake Pearson and Sugarloaf Mountain. LORNA THORNBER/STUFF
Above: Deluxe suites come with cosy lounges complete with fireplaces.
Right: The view from the bedroom of my deluxe suite was serene.
The team at Peninsula take a look at the importance of getting job descriptions correct in the farming industry so that farmers get the right person for job.
By Ashley Maley.
Finding and hiring the right candidate for the job is already challenging for NewZealand businesses It’s even more difficult for farms in rural and regional areas. Everyfarm,orchard andvineyard needs employees to fillvarious roles.As we head into the cooler months,there will be an increased demand for labour as fruit and vegetable producers look to pick,pack and ship their harvest in a short window.
We spoke to the Peninsula NewZealand advice team for insights on what to include in a job description to find employees for the horticulture andviticulture industries.
The purpose of a job description is to provide clarityon tasks,communicate expectations and outline farm procedures. It helps avoid confusion and mitigates potential disagreements about the work employees are being asked to complete.
In your job description list necessary skills,responsibilities and requirements that prospective team members need to be successful in the role This ensures potential staff fullyunderstand what the job entails.
Awell-structured and detailed job description can help you quicklyfind the best and most qualified employees so you can continue focusing on running your farm
Start with the job title
Use a title that best describes the responsibilitylevel of the position.This could be manager,supervisor,co-ordinator or specified picker The job title is what will initiallyattract an applicant as it’s the first thing theysee.So clarityis essential.
Job summary
Provide a concise description of the primary duties. This builds on the job title and is used to highlight the work culture you try to maintain on your farm and why a prospective candidate would want to work for you It’s also a good idea to provide the location of your farm and its proximity to things such as transport and shops.
Outline core duties
Start with the most important duty they will undertake, followed by those that may be performed less frequently.
Bullet points are a great way to make these responsibilities simple to read and understand. Include a clear overview of working hours, including flexibility or special arrangements. Outline day-to-day activities and indicate who the role reports to This provides context on how the role fits into the overall operation of your farm.
You should also outline the physical aspects of the role such as a level of fitness or the ability to regularly lift up to 15-20 kilograms
Other duties
The inclusion of an “other duties” section is
an important feature in any job description. This stipulation provides flexibility to introduce additional duties to a role, providing scope for the role to develop with the needs of business.
Necessary skills, qualifications and experience Must-have skills and qualifications should include the word ‘required’ This could relate to having a valid driver’s or machinery operator’s license, or experience operating specific types of farming equipment. Include knowledge, previous experience, and any education or training necessary to perform the role.
Submitting the application
A well-written job description will provide clarity on the role.
Include the application process, timeline for responding to applications, the application close date, and how to submit any specific documents or information such as their work visa status.
Well-written job descriptions are
A well-structured and detailed job description when advertising for staff can help you quickly find the best and most qualified people for your team.
fundamental to managing your farm. They set clear expectations for employees and employers and contribute well-organised, productive work environment. It’s also essential to remember farms are workplaces and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA) applies to all your employees
Developing the right job description can be time consuming and sometimes complex. It requires careful consideration on exactly what you need for your farm so you can find the ideal candidates
If you find yourself struggling or are unsure of what you should include, always consult experts who can provide guidance in drafting effective job descriptions that align with your specific needs and legal requirements.
Ashlea Maley is the associate director of operations at Peninsula New Zealand.
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Image courtesy of Matt Winter Photography
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This auctionwillbeofgreat interest to Farmers /Contractors/ Builders or anyone with abuildingproject
To be held on site at: MaxBirtSawmills, 364CLumsden Road, Ohinewai
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Saturday 22nd March2025, 10.00am
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Largerange of Strainers &Posts
Bidding will commence 10.00amsharp
Registration from 8.00am
(Pleaseensurethatyou have registeredprior to commencementofauction)
Lightrefreshmentswill be availableonthe day& freighter optionswillbeavailable to you.
Payment terms
Cash,Eftpos or majorcreditcards on dayofsale!
Enquiries
Vendor:ShannonBirt(09)236 2013 or 0272 903342 or SteveClayden 0274 783839
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