MACHINERY
ANIMAL HEALTH
Case IH launches versatile tractor, geared for the big boys. PAGE 34
The outcome of a methane vaccine will be known in months. PAGE 30
RURALNEWS
NEWS A simple leadership style pays off for award-winning Henry van der Heyden.
PAGE 13
TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
NOVEMBER 3, 2015: ISSUE 595
www.ruralnews.co.nz
MIE dead and buried? GREG FORD
MEAT INDUSTRY Excellence (MIE) chairman Peter McDonald has become the first major casualty of Shanghai Maling’s takeover of Silver Fern Farms; he resigned from his post late, last week. The lobby group has been around for three years – but McDonald has only chaired it since August – took a major blow to its credibility last month when farmers backed a Chinese takeover of SFF. Many predicted it would lead to MIE’s demise, with McDonald’s resignation now adding fuel to the fire. The Dipton, Southland, farmer said it was time for MIE to “take stock” of its future and for him to step aside. “MIE has also reached its own crossroad and there will be the inevitable changing of the guard as some members of the executive retire and others chose to step up to the plate,” he told Rural News. “This is simply to be expected.
“Others will also need to consider the time and effort required when one enters the ring and join the fight to promote farmers best interests”. In a statement, issued late last week, the remaining MIE leadership group said they will now: “take stock and reflect carefully on what its next steps should be that continue to hold farmers best interests at their core. “One thing that MIE is convinced about is that this banker-imposed deal between SFF and Shanghai Maling will be a disaster for farmers in the long run.” They also issued a second statement
saying they would continue to lobby for new legislation to overhaul the red meat sector. MIE vigorously opposed the Chinese investment in SFF and called for it to merge with the Alliance Group. It (a mega meat merger) became MIE’s reason for being, meaning its function was lost when farmers backed the SFF takeover. McDonald confirmed the fine print on an agreement to overhaul the organisation was being thrashed out. He said MIE’s function had irreversibly changed. “We acknowledge that,”
he said. Rural News also approached MIE advisor Ross Hyland and board member Blair Gallagher for comment. Both declined to comment, but also indicated a purpose change for MIE was in the wind. McDonald, an Alliance supplier, said farmers – especially in the deep south – needed an independent voice, as the future of Alliance was now one of the most pressing issues for the sector. “I will be happy to explain what our future will be once we have all agreed on what that should be,” he said last week.
POWER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE West Coast dairy farmer Graham Berry, and partner Jenny, farm 5km south of the popular tourist town Franz Josef – on a property running from the main highway back into Westland National Park. Berry will soon push a button to start generating electricity that will power his farm and supply the national grid. See Peter Burke’s story on page 26-27.
REMIT REJECTED SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE SPONSORS of a remit to downsize the Fonterra board say the Shareholders Council has misread the mood of farmers. Colin Armer and Greg Gent are still backing the remit at this month’s annual meeting despite the council refusing to support it. The Armer/Gent proposal calls for a reduced board of six elected directors and three appointed members; Gent and Armer had a teleconference with council members last month to explain their remit. Last month, council chairman Duncan Coull emailed all shareholders saying the proposal “constitutes a significant and unnecessary risk to our cooperative”. Coull says getting all directors to stand down at once and face reelection is also risky. The council also believes the proposal does not allow sufficient time for comprehensive consultation with shareholders. To succeed, the proposal needs 50% support from the council and at least 75% support of voting shareholders. Gent and Armer say they are disappointed but not surprised by the council’s position. “If the owners of the company, who own the constitution, support our resolution then we understand the council can reverse its decision,” says Gent. TO PAGE 4
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 3 ISSUE 595
www.ruralnews.co.nz
Suspect data a worry PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
NEWS ������������������������������������ 1-17 MARKETS ������������������������� 18-19 AGRIBUSINESS �������������� 20-21 HOUND, EDNA ����������������������� 22 CONTACTS ������������������������������ 22 OPINION �����������������������������22-24 MANAGEMENT �������������� 26-29 ANIMAL HEALTH ���������� 30-33 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ���������������������� 34-38 RURAL TRADER ������������������� 39
HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: PMP Print CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 81,004 as at 30.06.2015
A REPORT on the state of New Zealand’s environment – produced by the Ministry for the Environment and the Department of Statistics – questions the quality of data available for such purposes. The report, designed to meet OECD requirements on the state of NZ’s environment, says monitoring is patchy and that the authors are biased towards monitoring sites where there are wellknown environmental health issues. It says this can lead to an inaccurately negative picture of the environment and cites the example of water quality sites which are frequently monitored. One environmental consultant told Rural News that this comment effectively throws into question the rules being set by councils, which are based on this data, said by MfE and the Department of Statistics to be questionable. Meanwhile, MfE chief executive Vicky Robertson has praised farmers for their efforts to improve the environment. The co-authors of the 130-page
MFE chief executive Vicky Robertson.
report are Robertson and the chief executive of the Department of Statistics, Liz MacPherson. Robertson says great initiatives are being undertaken by individual farmers, dairy companies and DairyNZ to improve the state of the environment. She adds that water quality is as much an issue for urban areas as for farming areas. The report notes that water quality in NZ lakes and waterways is vari-
able and that this relates to the nature of land used in a particular catchment. It says in areas where there is intensive farming, water quality is poorer than in areas where there is natural vegetation. It also notes that in 1989-2013 nitrogen levels in rivers has risen 12%, and in at least half the sites monitored the increase is significant. The report notes the importance of water to NZ’s land-based industries and their contribution to the economy.
It notes that water quality is poorest where there is pressure from urban and agricultural land use. The report picks up the obvious -that intensive farming, notably dairying, has increased along with stock numbers, pressuring the environment. Related to this, it notes that while overall soil health is good, compaction is a problem on dairy farms. This affects pasture growth, for which the only remedy is ‘resting’ the soil. Until now farming has been seen as the main cause of compaction –especially dairying Robertson (in the job three months) told Rural News she is not surprised by the report. “[But I was surprised to find] we have some areas that are improving. I expected the news to be all bad, but some policy decisions… are now having a positive impact. “Even in the areas that are worsening there are positive things, such as farmers doing a lot of riparian planting, which is great and will show up in the next report.” Robertson believes the response to environmental issues on the land by the farming community is great.
Interest rate cuts on hold GREG FORD
FARMERS, YOU aren’t alone! The Reserve Bank has joined you on drought watch. Governor Graeme Wheeler last week refused to throw farmers a bone, leaving the official cash rate unchanged at 2.75%. Wheeler’s decision was widely anticipated and came as no great surprise to Federated Farmers president William Rolleston, who said drought now looms as a major factor when the cash rate is revisited in December. “I think we are still facing a dollar
that is stubbornly high,” said Rolleston. “I know it has come off a long way but it is still over-valued in most people’s minds, so one would hope that if interest rates come down again that will take some pressure off the dollar. But the governor is quite right in flagging the potential of the drought situation with El Nino. That is an economic risk. “The commentary suggests he will likely drop it in December but your guess is as good as mine. If he’s looking seriously at drought and milk prices coming off, those two things might persuade him to drop the interest rate again. But we don’t know what the sit-
uation is just yet. Any drop in interest rates is welcomed by farmers who may have mortgages.” Wheeler says much would hinge on what happens in overseas markets – particularly China, with growing fears their economy could go off the boil -before any decision was made to drop the ORC. “Financial market volatility has eased in recent weeks, but concerns remain about the prospects for slower growth in China and East Asia especially. Financial markets are also uncertain about the timing and effects of monetary policy tightening in the
United States and possible easing elsewhere. “The sharp fall in dairy prices since early 2014 continues to weigh on domestic farm incomes. However, growth in the services sector and construction remains robust, driven by net immigration, tourism, and low interest rates.... It is appropriate at present to watch and wait,” Wheeler. “Global dairy prices have risen in recent weeks, contributing to improved household and business sentiment. However, it is too early to say whether these recent improvements will be sustained.”
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
4 NEWS
Feasting on joint ventures PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Landcorp general manager commercial Andrew MacPherson and chief executive Steven Carden sample the company’s produce.
TENDER EXPORT lamb chops and delicious sheep milk gelato were on the menu in Wellington last week. It was part of a showand-tell night by Landcorp, the state-owned farmer, to impress its investors and stakeholders on its progress in producing high-value export products with joint venture partners. About 100 invited guests saw and in some cases sampled some of the products Landcorp and joint venture partners are producing under the
PAMU brand (te reo for ‘to farm’). Also on show were unique wool slippers made by the Danish company Glerups using wool from Merino NZ, and handbags made from deer leather by NZ Light Leathers. The lamb is part of a joint venture with Silver Fern Farms to supply the UK supermarket Tesco and the sheep milk is a new joint venture in highvalue products for Asia. The raw materials come from Landcorp farms. Its chair, Traci Houpapa, said the event was to acknowledge its strategic partners’ roles in Landcorp becoming a
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global supplier of niche products from milk, meat and fibre. “We recognise if we stay at the farmgate we are simply not going to achieve the value add return on our products and that’s where NZ farming needs to go,” she told Rural News. “We are still work-
ing on the strategy so it’s a long-term project. This evening we are demonstrating that Landcorp’s strategic partnering with others makes a lot of sense.” Houpapa says Landcorp is also looking at how it can partner with other NZ farmers to achieve “strategic critical mass”.
REMIT REJECTED BY SHC FROM PAGE 1
The Fonterra board was also expected to oppose the proposal when it sent out voting papers to shareholders last Friday. Armer says it’s disappointing that the council has misrepresented their proposal since it’s clear only the nine farmer directors would be required to stand for re-election, not the whole board. “The transition we propose would be seamless, fair and, most importantly, quick. “We believe the council has misread the mood of the people they represent. Farmers want to see their board accountable and we continue to be humbled by the level of support we are getting from our fellow farmers. They know the constitution is their document and it is the most powerful way they can send a message to the company.” Armer says farmer shareholders have already told him that they believe the council has confused the proposal by combining representation and governance. “Even with a board with reduced numbers the issue of representation will still need to be dealt with by that board and our view is that it is better to reduce the board numbers first.” Gent says the new governance review would almost certainly recommend a single-digit number of directors so why don’t we just get on with it instead of paying international consultants to tell us what we already know. “The truth is we have never been told why the 2012 governance review sank without trace,” Gent says. “There is no reason why this new and hastily constituted one won’t do the same.” Fonterra’s board has 13 members, nine elected by farmers and four appointed directors -- John Waller, David Jackson, Simon Israel and Sir Ralph Norris, who is stepping down this month. Fonterra shareholders have been receiving voting papers since Friday. The voting result will be announced at its annual meeting at Waitoa on November 25.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 5
SFF deal needs to clear regulating authorities SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE NEW 50% owners of South island meat processor Silver Fern Farms were last week due to give their blessing to their joint venture deal. Shanghai Maling shareholders voted last Friday on the deal – to inject $261 million into the co-op, in return for a 50% share of the business Bright Food Group, which owns 38% of Shanghai Maling, backed the deal in a letter to SFF. Last month 82% of SFF shareholders voted in favour. Despite approval from
shareholders, the two parties still need to clear regulatory hurdles; getting the green light from New Zealand and Chinese authorities is expected to take several months. SFF expects the deal to be finalised in five-eight months. The recent decision by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) to reject a bid by Chinese conglomerate Shanghai Pengxin to buy the Lochinver Station is not playing on the minds of SFF and Shanghai Maling. SFF chief executive Dean Hamilton says unlike the Lochinver bid this deal is not about
buying land. He believes Shanghai Maling’s application will focus on employment and economic value to the country. “The big thing is employment: we employ 7000 people and are a very large employer in NZ. “This deal is for job security and confidence: as we bring more added value through our plants that will require more staff and we believe we will take on more staff. “Secondly, the value from this deal will fall in NZ: when we increase sales of added value
Chief executive Dean Hamilton with SFF shareholder Allan Richardson at the special agm.
products that will be reflected in higher farmgate prices.” SFF board members and directors held 23 roadshow meetings; chairman Rob Hewett
says for him the outcome was never in doubt. He also notes that the deal involves more than just cash. “We wanted to retain control of the
co-op, which we got; we got the right partner who is aligned with us strategically; we also wanted non-exclusive rights to sell products around the world. We got
Rob Hewett
OVERCAPACITY REMAINS SFF CHAIRMAN Rob Hewett says overcapacity issues in the South Island sheepmeat sector haven’t gone away with the Shanghai Maling deal. “The issues are still there,” says Hewett. He says the $261 million cash injection by Shanghai Maling will allow it to make changes in the business and ultimately drive collaboration opportunities with other “dance partners”. “We’ve been open for a number of years to doing this and we continue to be open. It’s logical and good business sense to collaborate where there are opportunities and to take out unnecessary costs.”
KIWI MADE E
all this.” Asked if the 17% who voted against the deal could exit the co-op, Hewett said he will wait and see. However, Hamilton doesn’t believe too many suppliers will switch to other processors. “Some shareholders who did not back the deal are now getting behind the co-op; these suppliers want to continue to supply SFF and they believe in our strategy. At least two big shareholder suppliers said they would continue to supply, so that’s good.”
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
6 NEWS
Wrong message and wrong messengers PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
THE MESSAGE intended to attract young people into the agri sector is unappealing and the wrong people are involved in that messaging. That’s the view of John Brackenridge, the head of Merino New Zealand and the leader of the chief executives’ agri-bootcamp scheme that takes highflyers to the United States. He told Rural News that NZ is missing the point in this area and is stuck in a paradigm of traditional education and traditional approaches. “For a start, I think the people who should be doing the messaging are the young people who are coming into the industry and who have found the excitement and are building their careers.
“They are possibly people who, when they were studying – at university or wherever – had no idea about the possibilities the agri sector had to offer. A lot of conventional thinking is that you have to determine where your career will be in a certain industry right from the start -- even at primary school. But I’m not sure about this.” Brackenridge says a lot of the people he’s employed don’t have agriculture-related degrees; they are from a variety of disciplines including as social science. One person he hired came from such a background and has now discovered the primary sector and is working 80-hour weeks because she loves the industry. Many young people are being attracted to the agri sector because it links in
“We need to come to terms with the type of language that young people use such as the importance of digital and connect with our young people.”
NZ Merino’s John Brackenridge believes the people who should be selling careers in the ag sector are its own young achievers.
with their values such as sustainability, he says. “Sure we are employing a lot of graduates from the likes of Lincoln and Massey, but importantly we are also employing them from other places: one of our staff has a degree in anthropology. Through
our connections with Stanford University we have students from there coming out and setting up programmes here. “This is because they are finding out – from their points of view – that the primary sector here is quite sexy. When you come out of Stanford
with a masters or a PhD the world is your oyster. What we have to offer in this country is hugely appealing because many young people are concerned about the environment, where products come from and what attributes and benefits they have.”
Now is the time to be more disruptive in our thinking, Brackenridge says. NZ is too ‘linear’ in its approach to attracting young people into the agri sector. The sector needs to get success stories about young people better publicised and in front of the public at large. He says the skills and qualifications NZers will need in the future will be quite different from those of today. To achieve the necessary innovation NZ needs people with disruptive thinking, fresh ideas and a wide range of skills – not just science.
“But really important is that businesses need to step up and change from just being commodity shippers, into businesses that embrace innovation,” Brackenridge adds. “We need to come to terms with the type of language that young people use such as the importance of digital and connect with our young people.” And NZ needs to leverage off its overseas connections and attract young graduates from the likes of Stanford University. – See young ag achievers page 20-21.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 7
Maori dimension the key to NZ’s international success PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
NEW ZEALAND is dismal at telling its story to consumers in international markets and needs to emphasise the unique Maori dimension, says the Merino NZ chief excutive and boot-camp leader John Brackenridge. He says NZ is poor at spending time in markets gaining empathy and understanding consumers; this requires special skills, which we lack as a nation. The ‘clean green image’ story is not unique to NZ; while we have a great environment, other countries can also claim this. “But we have our Maori culture and if you rake in things such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship), coupled with a strong Maori economy, this is something that nobody else has,” he told Rural News. “We have an indigenous people who have fantastic assets and many of them
are doing a great job in managing those assets.” Maori are hugely underrated in NZ, superficially and at a much deeper level, he says. The principles of manaakitanga (hospitality) and kaitiakitanga need to be recognised, embraced and entwined into a FoMA’s Traci Houpapa says they are talking with exporters about using the ‘Maori Story’ to better promote NZ pockets overseas.
true partnership whose value is recognised worldwide. He cites an example from recent bootcamp sessions at Stanford University. “The appreciation of this was evident when a professor finished a session and the group sang a waiata. How many classes do they teach where the class stands up and provides song?” he asks. “These people teach hundreds of classes and who do they remember? They remember the people from Aotearoa NZ. They remember the waitata and they
remember the collectivism that was there and our point of difference. Meanwhile, the chair of the Federation of Maori Authorities (FoMA) says Maori are talking with a number of primary sector exporters about how the ‘Maori story’ can be used better to gain a premium position in overseas markets for Maori and other NZ exporters. Traci Houpapa says they are getting a lot of support from the red meat, dairy and kiwifruit sectors about how Maori culture can be interwoven into stories to explain NZ’s unique brand. She says a lot of conversations now going on will bear fruit in coming years. “Major questions are, how do we get a clear line of sight to our markets and customers and how do we ride out the commodity cycles? Also, how do we secure supply contracts as Maori exporters?
NZ LAGS IRELAND AN INTERNATIONAL brand expert says New Zealand has a lot of work to do on its international branding. John Keogh, who advises companies and governments, says Ireland has its act together in particular with its Origin Green brand based on the sustainability of Irish primary products. Speaking at MPI’s recent PGP expo, he said Ireland is now regarded as a top brand worldwide, but NZ by comparison is at best “aspirational”. Keogh says NZ’s problem in part is that some market access and food promotion is determined by MPI, whereas Ireland has Bord Bia (Irish Food Board), with a better structure that’s able to accelerate marketing and branding. He NZ’s brand story is powerful, but needs more collaboration by the Government and private companies. “When deciding about a product the consumer wants to know where it came from, is it genuine and more increasingly is that product produced sustainably and was there slavery involved in it? It’s much broader than just the product itself and it goes back to the practices of the company in that country, their farming and manufacturing processes.” Keogh says consumer demand for information about products varies from country to country and even within countries. – Peter Burke
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
8 NEWS
Industry back on its bike PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Peddling kiwifruit: Government ministers Nathan Guy and Craig Foss use pedal power to mix a kiwifruit smoothie at the recent parliamentary reception to celebrate the recovery of the kiwifruit industry.
THE AMAZING recovery of the kiwifruit industry from the ravages of PSa was celebrated recently at
Parliament in Wellington. Politicians, diplomats, government officials, primary sector representatives and scientists joined Zespri board members and staff
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a unique value chain supported by government regulation,” he says. “This allows us to invest in innovation and marketing and this structure supported our recovery from PSa. It will continue to support our growth.” Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy, who hosted the evening, described 2015 as fantastic for the industry which, with fortitude and determination backed by good science, has achieved an amazing turnaround. Guy says the Government will work with the industry to help it grow via free trade agreements. – See more on kiwifruit industry innovation and marketing page 12&16.
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to formally recognise that the kiwifruit industry was now fully back in business. Zespri chairman Peter McBride says it’s exciting to have the industry back on track and noted that this wouldn’t have happened but for the efforts and support of a huge number of people. McBride also praised the Government for the FTA’s it has negotiated, of enormous benefit to the kiwifruit industry. Zespri chief executive Lain Jager says they have sold their 100th million tray of kiwifruit this season and he predicts a rapid rise in volumes in coming seasons “Driven by the recovery of Gold, the NZ kiwifruit industry has created
Leave nothing to chance. 4273
THE MAN allegedly behind threats to contaminate infant formula with 1080 could end up before the High Court. He faces two charges of blackmail, but cannot be named for at least six months because of a suppression order. Charging documents allege the action was financially motivated. At Manukau District Court last week Judge David Harvey raised the possibility that the matter could be elevated to the High Court because of the seriousness of the allegations. The accused was remanded in custody without plea until November 6. A criminal investigation started when letters were sent to Fonterra and Federated Farmers in November last year threatening to poison infant formula if New Zealand did not stop using 1080 poison by the end of March this year. The public was told of the threat in March and formula was taken from supermarket shelves and held securely to prevent contamination. In what became known as Operation Concord, 60 people considered of significant interest were approached for interview by police. At least 2600 people were considered, costing police $3 million, and a man was arrested in mid-October. Police said they believed the arrested man acted alone and no one else has been charged. However, several company names have also been suppressed by the court. According to court documents, the man “threatened expressly to endanger the safety of any person, namely infants, by releasing infant milk formula into the Chinese market contaminated with traces of 1080, with intent to make Federated Farmers and Fonterra pressure the New Zealand Government to stop the use of 1080 in New Zealand”. Blackmail is punishable by up to 14 years jail.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 9
Extra capacity gulps peak milk SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
FONTERRA SAYS building extra processing capacity in New Zealand is paying off. The co-op passed its peak milk production in mid-October, collecting 86 million L/day for 10 consecutive days; October 22 was recorded as peak with 86.9m litres milk coming in. Fonterra has a range of contingencies to cope with the peak.
Managing director of global operations Rob Spurway says this year the co-op has been “at the lower range of those sorts of contingencies”. Spurway told Rural News the co-op is starting to see the benefit of building more plant. “It is giving us choices about what we can make.” In Southland, the new Edendale milk protein concentrate plant can process an extra 1.4mL/day. The co-op can now switch
between MPC and skim milk powder to meet the best pricing signals from the market. In Manawatu, the Pahiatua milk powder dryer plant, a replica of the Darfield 1 plant in Canterbury, is highly successful -- performing “as if we have been
Rob Spurway
optimising it for three years”. “We have taken all the learnings out of Darfield and put them into Pahiatua. Not only is that giving us extra capacity to reduce the amount of contingency we need over this peak period, it’s also giving us more efficiency
as we process the milk.” Spurway says last month’s peak production was in line with expectations -- down 3% on last year’s peak. “It’s consistent with what we would expect with 5% lower milk during the season based on what we have seen this year.”
Fonterra’s milk production for September was down 8.8%, triggered by farmers responding to low pricing and weather. Spurway says slightly warmer weather in October lifted milk production during the peak. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews
2016 NUFFIELD SCHOLARS JOIN PRESTIGIOUS BAND FOUR NEW primary sector emerging leaders were announced at a function in Wellington late last week. They are Wellington government agriculture development manager Jessica Bensemann, Te Puke dairy farmer Richard Fowler, environmental management adviser turned Central Hawke’s Bay shepherd Samuel Lang and orchard and sheep and beef farm owner Tom Skerman, from Hastings. The four new scholars join the 140 emerging agricultural leaders awarded Nuffield Scholarships in the past 60 years. The scholarships are among the most respected and prestigious awards in the primary sector. Nuffield scholars travel internationally for at least four months in their scholarship year (not necessarily consecutively) and participate in a Contemporary Scholars Conference with 60 Nuffield Scholars from around the world. They also participate in a six-week global focus programme covering four continents looking at agricultural businesses and gaining understanding of the social, economic, political policies and contexts in each country. Each will have their own individual study programme and they must submit a research report at the end of their travels.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 11
No more chain dragging on climate change PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS could lead climate change response before science, says Insurance Council of NZ chief executive Tim Grafton. The financial incentives offered to customers who mitigate and change will be key drivers. Farming, forestry and fisheries will be most affected by changing weather patterns in NZ. “Science as an endeavour is conservative – scientists constrain their worst fears and wait for more evidence before communicating them,” Grafton told an Auckland climate change and business conference. “Their predictions therefore tend to understate risk; the opposite is true in the world of insurance, which looks at the maximum possible loss that can occur.” A food security risk study by the University of London showed that a strong El Nino in the equatorial and Pacific regions would cause a 400-500% rise in the prices of four staples -- rice, soy, wheat and maize, on which the effect of drought is a 78%
drop in production. That brought potential for food riots, trade sanctions, business interruption on a massive scale and terrorism. The consequences of a similar event are now seen in Syria which suffered drought in 2007-2008. Wheat costs went up dramatically, preceding the unrest in North Africa which led to the ‘Arab spring’. The Auckland conference preceded a climate change summit in Paris in December. Diplomats spoke of high expectations of a global agreement. BNZ chief executive Anthony Healy says every corner of NZ will be impacted by climate change; for the banking sector this translated to big risks and opportunities. The International Panel on Climate Change pointed out that drought in NZ caused a loss of $3.6b in farm production in 2007-2009. BNZ banks 22% of the farming sector and has exposure of $58b. It sees itself as having a responsibility to consider impacts now rather than putting it on ice for another 20 years. Farming customers
A RETURN TO THE LAND? DECEASED FARMING family members could be buried on privately owned farm land in the near future, if the Government implements recommendations made by the Law Commission. The commission last week reviewed the Burial and Cremation Act. The report recommends substantial changes to New Zealand’s burial and cremation laws to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse society. The commissioner who led the review, Wayne Mapp, said it was recommending that owners of private rural properties be able to apply to their local council for burial on their land. Mapp said councils should be required to consider the applications and would have the power to decline if it appeared the owners or managers of the farm were unable to maintain the land for a long time. He said if the land was on-sold, an arrangement would need to be made for the family to visit the grave site. “You’d expect them to have that ability. The site itself would have to be noted in the title and you’d expect people would be able to visit it.” The Government has six months to respond to the review, which also recommends modernising how deaths are certified and making it easier to open privately run crematoria.
often raise the issue and are at the ‘coalface’. They see weather events every day and regulations which impact on their profits. With dairy prices, they might be focused just on getting through the
short term. “But as we have seen more and more there are proven links between good environmental management and business successes,” Healy says. BNZ is informing its
agri-bankers on climate change issues and customers are showing how to innovate. Creative solutions are needed and sustainability is the biggest driver of innovation in the world today.
Farming will be one of the most affected industries by changing weather patterns, according to the Insurance Council.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
12 NEWS
Grower buy-in essential – kiwifruit marketer PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
HARNESSING THE collective power of the kiwi-
Zespri’s Carol Ward.
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tion, Carol Ward. Talking to Rural News ahead of last week’s Zespri innovation symposium in Tauranga, Ward says the objective is to ensure everyone in the kiwifruit industry is aware of what Zespri is doing in R&D and innovation. The symposium will tell what Zespri is doing and get feedback on it. And attendees will hear about what Plant and Food Research is doing and about entrepreneurial test work by growers. “The connection with the grower is essential. The industry structure and our good communications mechanisms enable us to pass on new lessons to growers. We have a highly engaged grower base… adopting new technology and new practices; so we can meet the consumers’ market demands. “Also, we keep a close eye on consumer needs and desires about the fruit – taste, health properties and convenience aspects. We make sure those signals translate back to the breeding programme and through to the orchards, via the taste programme and other initiatives like that.” Ward says growers understand that Zespri’s premium position in the market depends on quality, great-tasting kiwifruit. She sees strong support for understanding the market requirements and how this can be achieved by what happens in the orchard. “From Zespri’s perspective, we have a strong motivation to set our payments back to the growers that reflect those attributes of the fruit, which bring value to the industry. It’s about strong grower market alignment,” she explains.
There is a long lead time to bring new varieties of kiwifruit to market – 15 years is the norm. And not only does the fruit have to taste right, it has to be commercially viable and have good storage life among many essential attributes. Trying to second guess what the consumer in 20 years may want is a big challenge. “Zespri invests heavily in consumer insight research and we do qualitative and quantitative research across all of our major markets,” she adds. “We also do testing and home placement and retail trials to try to keep in touch with the consumer. “Not only in kiwifruit but in fruit generally that is important because we want to grow the share of kiwifruit in the [consumer’s] fruit basket.” Ward says though markets differ, the common factor among all consumers is that they vote with their taste buds. Hence the huge effort that goes into producing fruit consumers find irresistible. “Fundamentally we need to be able to deliver a great tasting fruit. There are secondary matters such as health, nutrition and convenience, the shape and aesthetics of the fruit and many other things.” Ward says in some countries kiwifruit is regarded as a snack while in others it is a dessert. And local fruit make a difference – “mangos in India or apples in Switzerland,” she says. The Zespri goal is to secure a position in the ‘food basket’ where kiwifruit has a high degree of acceptance and to keep growing volumes of green and gold varieties and, in future, red.
Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 13
‘Very simple’ leadership style pays off his four children. Van der Heyden, his wife Lady Jocelyn and their family continue to run their own four dairy farms in the central North Island. Presenting the peernominated and judged
award, Rabobank Australia & New Zealand managing director Thos Gieskes said van der Heyden’s impact on, and contribution to, NZ dairy has been “so significant and profound it is impossible to imagine the modern dairy
industry without him”. Van der Heyden was chairman of Fonterra from 2002 to 2012. Since retiring from Fonterra’s board, he has been helping improve the social and commercial fortunes of a large Maori iwi. He is chair
of Tainui Group Holdings. He also chairs Auckland International Airport and Manuka SA, and is a director of Foodstuffs North Island, Pascaro Investments, Rabobank NZ and Rabobank Australia.
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one of a dairying dynasty: “milk runs through my family’s veins,” he said. His parents moved to New Zealand from the Netherlands in 1955 to become dairy farmers, with an eye on future generations. Five of his six siblings are involved in the dairy industry, as are three of
NO BIAS RABOBANK’S THOS Gieskes conceded that in getting the award van der Heyden had overcome the “not insignificant obstacle” of his Rabobank board membership: all the independent judges in the peer-voted award were unanimous in selecting him. “We consider ourselves fortunate to have Henry on the boards of Rabobank Australia and Rabobank NZ, but his win tonight came despite this,” Gieskes told
the audience. “In the end it proved, in all fairness, impossible for the judges to ignore how deserving Henry van der Heyden is of this award.” The award is presented annually to individuals who create sustainable growth and prosperity at corporate and industry levels in agribusiness, while showing a wider commitment to society.
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FORMER FONTERRA chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden has described his leadership style as essentially “very simple”. Accepting a prestigious business award in Melbourne recently, the Waikato farmer says engagement has been a key component. “I try to paint a very simple picture of what the future can look like, and, through painting that picture, hope that my passion and commitment to the outcome comes through so that other people can feel the excitement I do,” he said while accepting the 2015 Rabobank Leadership Award. He acknowledged the importance of leadership in creating change and conceded this path could be challenging. “To set up a global cooperative and to get all the stakeholders – 10,500 farmers – onside and heading in the same direction is easier said than
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 15
Halal offering adding value to NZ beef
Greenlea Premier Meats managing director Tony Egan.
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
HALAL PRODUCTS are adding up to 30-40c/kg to beef returns, says Greenlea Premier Meats managing director Tony Egan. Halal is a big factor in the steady increase in returns for beef over the last 10 years, he says. Egan says its value varies depending on the market and cut, but has assisted in giving farmers more for their stock, particularly as the exchange rate went higher. He adds that secondary cuts, which 10-15 years ago would have gone into a grinding pack, are now turned into a product of value to customers in Indonesia or Malaysia. New Zealand broke new ground on halal about 20 years ago through AgResearch in Hamilton. They developed electrical stunning to the head of the animal, knocking it unconscious and de-sensitising it to pain, but the animal still dies from loss of blood as required by halal, Egan told a conference of international journalists in Hamilton. Greenlea has developed this market. It is very respectful of Muslim customers’ requirements. “Obviously we are tapping into a global demand base here, particularly in the regions we are very close to -Malaysia and Indonesia -- where a large percentage of the growing Muslim population reside,” he said. Globally 1.6 billion Muslims make up 23% of the world’s population, and the Muslim population is predicted to grow to 2.2b by 2030. Greenlea has three guiding principles for halal: first, animal welfare -- the animal is unconscious, feels no pain and essentially is knocked out; second, worker safety – having the animal desensitised and in an unconscious state means it is not thrashing around; third, religious compliance -- protocols for the procedures required for Muslim countries. Religious authorities in a number of Muslim countries have looked at whether it complies with their religious text. “Particularly the more moderate countries have come to the conclusion that this is acceptable.” But each country has its own religious compliance and it takes them time to reason through it. He attended a Malaysian conference about two years ago with 750 delegates from 29 countries and it was clear there was a range of views on what constituted halal. “It is clearly an evolving area globally,” he said. But NZ has shown it is possible to comply with historic religious requirements and conform to generally accepted practices in the modern world. “Malaysia took an early, proactive view and became supportive quickly,” he said. “Indonesia followed the lead of Malaysia. “Some countries have taken longer but they still accept our product; they take a reserved position until they have taken it through their various avenues for approval. “Over the last 20 years, stunning has become much more accepted as normal trade practice and it is seen as very much an NZ initiative.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
16 NEWS
Maori kiwifruit collective growing stronger lective could double next year as more of the SunGold G3 variety comes on stream, says Neil Te Kani,
PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
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the group’s chair. Te Awanui Huka Pak (TAHP) is a company consisting of 19 Ahuwhenua Maori trusts that produce kiwifruit and market it through Zespri. These trusts are mostly in Bay of Plenty and Waikato. While TAHP is an independent Maori collective, it operates as a subsidiary of the large Seeka kiwifruit group. Te Kani is a member of the Seeka board and on a number of the 19 trusts that supply the group. He says Te Awanui Huka Pak was formed in the 1980s and has grown hugely as the kiwifruit industry has expanded. The collective now sells 2.5 million trays through Zespri, but Te Kani doubling then trebling as more Maori trusts come on stream – through organic growth within the Tauranga Moana catchment and new developments by external trusts. “Most of the orchards that produce G3 are coming into maturity. We have a mix of green and
gold; at present this is 70:30 in favour of green. But as G3 comes on this will start equalising and eventually it could be close to 50:50,” he told Rural News. Te Kani says one reason for the success of TAHP is the close relationship it has built for years with Zespri who market all its
The collective now sells 2.5 million trays through Zespri. fruit. He says Zespri has an excellent value chain to 53 markets and this works well for his organisation. Before Zespri was formed there was angst between Maori and the Kiwifruit Marketing Board, but says this has now changed. “Zespri has treated us with the respect we deserve and that has given us huge confidence in the relationship. They have bent over backwards to see our point of view and we understand where their commercial priori-
ties lie,” he explains. “So having a person like chair Peter McBride and chief executive Lain Jager -whom we can have immediate access to – gives us a great level of comfort, not only for TAHP but for all Maori growers as well.” Te Kani believes TAHP brings great value to the table for Zespri as a potential partner in co-branding. He says the Maori story fits in well with Zespri’s marketing strategy. Part of the co-branding story recognises Zespri’s commitment to ‘Te Ao Maori’ (The Maori World). Te Awanui Huka Pak’s mission is to develop a Maori strategy within Zespri of which co-branding is a part. We want to go into the market knowing we have Maori and Zespri’s interests at heart. Determining where the value proposition lies while maintaining focus on the single point of entry is vitally important. “We believe we have a compelling story to tell and one that adds value to all growers,” he adds.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
NEWS 17
Aussies love NZ carpets; now here PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
CARRFIELDS PRIMARY Wool’s Just Shorn carpet wool brand is being rolled out in New Zealand in a “soft launch”. This follows “remarkable” success with its launch into Australia, says Howie Gardner, chairman of Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool) which owns the brand. Just Shorn is distributed by CCA Global Partners in North America, where it has a significant footprint. Just Shorn is distributed in Australia via flooring retailer Carpet One and exclusively in NZ by Harrisons Carpet One. Gardner told Rural News it has taken longer than they would have liked to “bring the brand home”, but being in the NZ market gives them credibility and visibility. While early days, it is tracking well. The local Just Shorn launch range includes six styles and up to seven colour choices. The styles all carry iconic NZ names and are 100% NZ wool procured from CP Wool clients. “It is a very different style of carpet compared to what is in the US…. very NZ type carpets. There is one loop pile they have used more and more over the years. The majority are cut piles with high quality and good wearing.” Gardner says it is surprising how quickly
Just Shorn took off in Australia. The average consumer there knows exactly what a sheep is whereas the average US consumer is much more removed from the rural sector so a big education programme is required. “The only way you can do that is with well informed and confident frontline sales staff in the stores. That takes time to build. We have found without education there are no sales. That’s a big cost to the carpet manufacturers and it costs the retailers to maintain: you can imagine that with the standard staff turnover, if you lose your wool champion you then have to train another one. “In Australia it has been a far easier market to penetrate in that respect because you’ve got a market that’s far more informed already.” Gardner says after a market review their North American focus is to refine their range, emphasising the premium soft flooring market coupled with ongoing consumer and retailer education. But it is a long game. “It is in line with Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms with their branding programmes,” says Gardner. “You only have to look at the success of Tatua; they have been going for 25 years. Fonterra and Silver Fern Farms are more recent. It’s a slow burn. It takes a long time to build your relationships and brand understanding and to achieve those premiums.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
18 MARKETS & TRENDS MARKET SNAPSHOT
BEEF MARKET TRENDSLast
c/kgCWT BEEF PRICES NI NI
SI SI
Last 5.65 Year
4.40 5.95 4.40 5.60 6.00 4.40 5.90 4.40 5.20 6.00 4.00 5.90 3.95 5.20 5.90 4.00
6.05
5.60
4.50 6.05 4.50 5.70 6.10 4.50 6.00 4.50 5.30 6.10 4.10 6.00 4.05 5.30 6.00 4.10
3.95
4.47 5.60 4.47 5.65 5.57 4.47 5.15 4.47 5.00 5.57 3.65 5.15 3.55 5.00 5.08 3.65
4.05
5.90
3.55
6.00
5.08
Mutton
SI Lamb
Mutton
n/c n/c n/c n/c +10 n/c n/c n/c n/c +10 n/c n/c n/c n/c n/c n/c
MX1 - 21kg
n/c
Slaughter Mutton
PH - 22.0kg
2 Wks 6.13 Ago
Last 6.58 Year
6.08
6.08
6.21
6.11
6.15 6.11 6.16 6.13 3.40 6.15 6.08 6.16 6.08 3.40 6.08 6.08 6.08 6.08 2.98 6.08
n/c
2.98
6.11
3.25
6.60 6.56 6.61 6.58 3.65 6.60 6.16 6.61 6.18 3.65 6.20 6.16 6.21 6.18 3.25 6.20
2.98
Slaughter
6.56
6.15 6.11 6.16 6.13 3.30 6.15 6.08 6.16 6.08 3.30 6.08 6.08 6.08 6.08 2.98 6.08
Market Export Demand
Market Demand Export
Export Market Demand
Change
Last Week
Export Market Demand 95CL US$/lb
-7
2.10
Last6.78 Week
2 Wks Ago
5yr Ave
3.00
2.17
Last Year 8.33
7.01
8.33
Change -23
95CL US$/lb NZ$/kg
-7 2.10 2.17 3.00 -23
6.78
UK Leg £/lb
Last Year
2.17 2 Wks 7.01 Ago
NZ$/kg
5yr Ave 5.97 2.17 5.97
UK Leg £/lb NZ$/kg
Procurement Indicator Change
3 Wks 2Wks Ago Last Year 5yr Ave Ago
% Returned SI
Change +3%
% Returned NI
+1%
% Returned SI
84.1%
2Wks Ago 78.2% 84.1%
82.7% 3 Wks 75.6% Ago 82.7%
67.61%
+3%
78.2%
75.6%
75.4%
69.9%
Change
Procurement Indicator % Returned NI
Beef & venison prices are reported as gross (before normal levies & charges are deducted). Lamb & mutton prices are reported nett (after levies & charges are deducted).
2Wks Ago
73.9% 3 Wks 72.1% Ago
Last Year 5yr Ave 71.8%
% Returned NI 0% 73.9% 73.9% 71.0% % Returned SI 0% 72.1% 72.1% 67.2%
65.8%
Change 0%
73.9% 2Wks 72.1% Ago
3 Wks Ago
71.0%
% Returned SI
0%
Last Year 5yr Ave 67.2% 65.8%
Venison
71.8%
Prices
Change
9.04
1.94
9.37
Procurement Indicator
2.10
75.4%
9.00
67.61%
9.00
n/c
1.94
1.55
2.10
Last Year 5yr Ave 9.37 9.04
5yr Ave 69.9%
60.0%
1.55
Last Year 5yr Ave
Last Year 60.0%
n/c
1.55 2 Wks 9.00 Ago
1.55 Last 9.00 Week
Change n/c
NZ$/kg
n/c
2 Wks Ago
Last Week
Change
Mutton
SI Lamb
PX - 19.0kg YM - 13.5kg PH - 22.0kg PM - 16.0kg MX1 - 21kg PX - 19.0kg YM - 13.5kg PH - 22.0kg PM - 16.0kg MX1 - 21kg PX - 19.0kg YM - 13.5kg PH - 22.0kg PM - 16.0kg MX1 - 21kg PX - 19.0kg
Last 6.13 Week
c/kgCWT
NI Lamb
n/c
PM - 16.0kg Change n/c
Last Year
YM - 13.5kg
2 Wks Ago
NI Lamb
Week
Procurement Indicator % Returned NI +1%
Change
c/kgCWT LAMB PRICES
2 Wks 5.70 Ago
Slaughter
-10
Last 5.60 Week
Local Trade - 230kg
Last Year
-10
M Cow - 200kg
-10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10 -10
P2 Cow - 230kg P2 Steer - 300kg M Cow - 200kg M2 Bull - 300kg Local Trade - 230kg P2 Cow - 230kg P2 Steer - 300kg M Cow - 200kg M2 Bull - 300kg Local Trade - 230kg P2 Cow - 230kg P2 Steer - 300kg M Cow - 200kg M2 Bull - 300kg Local Trade - 230kg P2 Cow - 230kg
Week
2 Wks Ago
5.95
M2 Bull - 300kg Change -10
Slaughter
-10
P2 Steer - 300kg
c/kgCWT
Change
LAMB MARKET TRENDS Last
LAMB PRICES
BEEF PRICES
Venison Prices NI Stag - 60kg SI Stag - 60kg
NI Stag - 60kg SI Stag - 60kg
-10
Change -10 -10 -10
Last Week 8.35 Last 8.60 Week 8.35 8.60
2 Wks Ago 8.45 2 Wks 8.70 Ago 8.45 8.70
Last Year 5yr Ave 7.60
7.86
7.60
7.86
Last Year 5yr Ave 8.00 8.26 8.00
8.26
Beef & venison prices are reported as gross (before normal levies & charges are deducted). Lamb & mutton prices are reported nett (after levies & charges are deducted).
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
MARKETS & TRENDS 19 NEWS
PRICE WATCH Overseas Wool Price Indicators
WOOL PRICE WATCH 22-Oct
15-Oct
Coarse Xbred
-11
5.88
5.99
5.49
Fine Xbred
-15
6.17
6.32
5.70
Lamb
-
-
-
-
Mid Micron
-
8.91
-
7.98
Indicators in US$/kg Coarse Xbred Fine Xbred Lamb Mid Micron
Last Year
15-Oct
-12
3.95
4.07
4.31
-15
4.15
4.30
4.48
-
-
-
-
-
5.99
-
6.27
22-Oct
Change
VENISON: The recent upwards path of the NZD has seen venison schedules take an early turn downwards in recent weeks. Schedules typically hold steady through October as demand for chilled production underpins
prices, and begin to track downwards through November. Reports suggest, however, that schedules may not fall as far this season, in comparison with recent years. This will be dependent on where the NZD moves in the coming weeks.
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Conditions in the US beef market have continued to deteriorate. US domestic 90CL prices have dropped more than 50c/lb in 8 weeks, and imported prices have been dragged down with them. Imported prices are now sitting below 5yr ave levels and reports suggest the market has yet to find the bottom. Increasing US domestic production and weak demand for the end product are
s
7
INTERNATIONAL:
198
BEEF
stabilised across the country. Processors are still working through the last of the old season lambs. North Island has largely seen the last of them, however there are plenty hitting the processors in the South Island, putting pressure on killing space. New season lambs are trickling into processors in the North Island, with decent numbers not expected until early-mid November. In the North Island new season lambs are earning a slight premium over old season lambs, and competition for these is expected to heat up in early November. South Island processors haven’t shown their hand yet, with the early numbers of new season lambs being killed receiving similar money to old season lambs. Mutton prices have just started to increase as the larger processors look to fill some supply gaps.
Change
Last Year
Indicators in NZ$
SHEEP: Lamb operating prices have
ce
fallen back across the country as a combination of a higher NZD and lower prices in the US market impact processor margins. In the North Island there has been an increase in slaughter numbers as farmers respond to the falling schedules and some regions begin to feel the pressure with dry conditions. In the South Island pressure has come on kill space in parts of Canterbury as feed supply tightens, however this is expected to be a temporary surge innumbers as the majority of killable cattle have already been processed. Processors are still several weeks away from reaching full capacity. Once plants are full there is no doubt that schedules will fall. Bull prices may see a sharp correction as the impact of the falling US market is felt.
dominant drivers. High volumes of higher priced inventories are also keeping end-users out of the market as they try to work through those stocks. US domestic prices typically reach a seasonal low point in late November, which suggest domestic prices, and in turn imported prices, could continue to decline for the next 4-5 weeks.
in
BEEF:. Cattle operating prices have
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
20 AGRIBUSINESS
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THE HEAD of Massey University’s Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Professor Peter Kemp, says he’s delighted at the huge turnout at this year’s Massey ag students’ dinner and awards night. About 250 people attended, in late October – a record number says Kemp. “It reflects the excitement in the ag industry these days and also the acceptance that
we need more highly capable, smart employees in the sector. The industry is voting with its feet with its support and we had no trouble attracting sponsors for these awards. There were 27 sponsors here and when they were asked they all said ‘yes’.” Kemp says ag student numbers at Massey this year are record -- an upward trend seen for five-six years. It’s hard to pin-point why this happening, he says. “It’s partly macroeconomics. There are jobs Students Fraser Dymond (left), Prof Peter Kemp (centre) and Chris Poole (right).. .the two winners of the Rural News video award.
in farming and there has been constant messaging by the wider industry
– including adverts on television. The whole media messaging is
positive and somehow this has got into the wider community psyche.”
RURAL NEWS WINNERS USE DRONE TO GREAT EFFECT THE RURAL News Group sponsored award for the best video designed to encourage young people to study agriculture at Massey University was won by two ag students in their final year – Fraser Dymond and Chris Poole. The award was presented by Rural News general manager Adam Fricker to the pair at the annual Massey Ag students dinner and awards night, which attracted about 250 students, staff and guests. The idea of the video was to show prospective students in a light-hearted way what life is like doing an ag course at Massey, as seen through the eyes of students. The winning video and the runner-up had the audience applauding and laughing. Dymond and Pool say they decided as soon as the competition was announced that they wanted to enter and progressively shot footage over the past couple of months. Dymond says the biggest challenge was deciding what to leave out. “We had only three minutes so there were a lot of things we had to cut out that we would have liked to have in. We went down to Lincoln University and took a lot of the footage of the farms there. Then in the last couple of days before the deadline we filmed a lot of footage around Massey to showcase the university.”
Spectacular footage was shot by Poole using a drone. “We would have liked that smoother, but the days we had to do it were windy…. The shots of the university would have looked awesome if the weather had been fine,” he says. Rural News Group’s Adam Fricker says it was great to be a part of the Massey Ag Students awards night. He says the winning and runner-up videos were excellent and hopefully these will encourage more young people to make a career in the agribusiness sector. “Rural News Group is proud to support a range of initiatives to encourage young people to make a career in the agribusiness sector. Few people are aware of how efficient and technology savvy our farmers are,” he says. “They don’t see the computing power in dairy sheds, wool sheds, pack houses and all other facets of the primary sector. They don’t see precision agriculture in action and the growing sophistication of the machinery used on farms.” Fricker says Rural News Group is committed to working with a range of people and organisations to ensure the primary sector has the right people to continue creating the wealth that the primary sector brings to the NZ economy.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
AGRIBUSINESS 21
More learning on the job PRIMARY ITO, the industry training organisation for the primary sector, is launching new qualifications for the agriculture sector this month. The new qualifications will be filtering out to all primary ITO sectors – horticulture, sports turf, equine, seafood and food processing – over the next two years. The new qualifications are aimed to “work the way you work” – more learning in the workplace
and less time spent in the classroom. “Our new programmes are designed with industry to ensure our learners leave with the skills and knowledge required to consistently perform in the workplace,” says Graeme Couper, Primary ITO education manager. “We want to ensure they understand the reasons behind the practical application, have the ability to perform to industry standards and
Leander Archer: 2015 Massey Ag student of the year.
TOP NOTCH THIRD-YEAR BACHELOR of Agricultural Science student Leander Archer is Massey University’s 2015 Agriculture Student of the Year. The award recognises high academic achievement and overall contribution to the course and Massey University. Chair of the applied sciences scholarships committee Dr Kerry Harrington says Archer has helped increase the reputation of Massey University’s horticulture programme and of its students in general. “She has been actively involved with the Massey University Horticulture Society, has been an enthusiastic helper at Massey open days, discussing the virtues of the horticultural programme with prospective students, and a friendly face to welcome students at the start of the year as a Massey guide,” says Harrington. Leander, who comes from Tawa, Wellington, says she was amazed and didn’t expect to win the award. A combination of factors contributed to her doing a degree in hort science. Archer has always loved plant biology and was passionate about food. She combined the two interests and came up with horticulture. “I did a lot of research into what careers I could choose. One of the reasons for horticulture was the opportunity to work outside or inside if I wanted,” she told Rural News. “It’s also an environmental issue for me as well. I feel I can make a lot of difference here in how we can feed the world. “We are going to have to do it with a lot less land soon. We will have to make improvements that don’t affect the environment negatively, but hopefully positively,” she adds. Archer says she’s starting a job soon with AgFirst in Hawkes Bay and is looking forward to good weather.
have the skills to do the job they are employed to do. “More training takes place in a workplace context, with structured field trips allowing learners to view different systems and discuss what’s happening and why. Assessments are
also more directly related to the workplace, with a variety of options for capturing evidence through technology and workplace based tasks.” The content of the training programmes will also be better matched to seasonal activities so learning can be imple-
mented straight away. For current Primary ITO customers, their current training programmes remain valid and they will have until December 2017 to complete them. Primary ITO’s training advisers will talk with current students about what the changes mean and ensure
any training is tailored to help meet their individual career or business aspirations. “The new programmes are more holistic and applied,” explains Couper. “Our overarching vision is to produce Primary ITO graduates with the capabilities our
industries need. “We want to develop people who are adaptable to industry trends, technically capable, innovative problem-solvers with critical thinking skills. We must create lifelong learners and these new qualifications are a huge step in the right direction.”
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
22 OPINION EDITORIAL
EDNA
Making it sexy! THE GOVERNMENT has set a target to increase the value of New Zealand’s food sector exports from $25 billion to $60b, meaning there will be an additional 50,000 jobs in the primary sector by 2025. What must we do to encourage NZ’s best and brightest to look to the primary sector for a career? According to John Brackenridge, the head of Merino New Zealand and the leader of the chief executives’ agri-bootcamp scheme that takes industry high-flyers to the United States, the current messaging aimed at attracting young people into the agri sector is unappealing and the wrong people are involved in that messaging. Brackenridge believes NZ is missing the point in this area and is “stuck in a paradigm of traditional education and traditional approaches”. NZ’s primary sector future is in the global food value chain (GFVC). Ours is strong in seafood, kiwifruit, apples, red meat, honey, health extracts, dairy ingredients and products, arable food, horticulture and finished supermarket products. The value of products and services increases the closer you get to the final consumer. A key component of every value chain is highly skilled and knowledgeable people to manage each part of a business’ value chain from paddock or ocean to plate. For the agri sector to meet the ambitious government growth target our future scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs, economists, marketers and bankers need to form direct links to markets and to learn skills based on real life experiences and opportunities. So it makes sense to target training and promotion of careers in the sector to get the required capacity for economic growth in the GFVC. A great presentation of the agri sector’s exciting future as a career path took place at Massey University’s Institute of Agriculture and Environment ag students’ dinner and awards night late last month (see pages 20-21). This attracted 250 people – a record number – from all aspects of the industry keen to reward and promote the agri sector’s prospects. Meanwhile, the wide array of high-achieving students on display shows how the ‘best and brightest’ of the country’s young people are choosing careers in the primary sector. “It reflects the excitement in the ag industry these days and the acceptance that we need more highly capable, smart employees,” says Massey’s head of Ag Peter Kemp. If the calibre of students Massey and Lincoln universities are attracting is a sign, then perhaps Brackenridge and the wider primary sector can rest easier.
RURAL NEWS HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 PUBLISHER: Brian Hight .............................................. Ph 09 307 0399 GENERAL MANAGER: Adam Fricker ........................................... Ph 09 913 9632 CONSULTING EDITOR: David Anderson .......................................Ph 09 307 0399 davida@ruralnews.co.nz
“It was hard enough getting that stock agent to ask his mate just to detour the ABs’ bus down our road Edna – they won’t have time for tea and scones!”
THE HOUND
Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz
MBIE sheepish
Bad smell
What a twit
Who dunnit?
THE HOUND reckons the bureaucrats of MBIE, who among other things have responsibility for employment -- but also the unemployed, or is it unemployable? -are themselves so unemployable that they hired a plastic sheep for a Xmas party (the thing you buy in a sex shop for a party). Worse still, they damaged it and had to pay for the repairs. The mind boggles at what these boring bureaucrats did to the sheep on that fateful night. Maybe they are Australians who don’t know how to look after their girls? Real taxpaying farmers can rightly feel aggrieved at the idiots in MBIE and maybe these moneywasting minions need to be sent some real sheep shit to go along with the bullshit they are so adept at producing!
THE HOUND suggests that something very fishy has been going on at the Hawkes Bay branch of ‘Bitch & Complain’ (Fish & Game) that warrants deeper investigation. According to the minutes of HB F&G’s September monthly meeting, there is much disquiet in the organisation about the actions of its former manager, who recently ‘left’. The minutes read, “There have been issues with the previous management who wiped all the computers and did not give us access to these….” A mate of your canine crusader reckons it would be interesting to see if the former manager’s computer wiping had anything to do with covering up possible links between F&G and certain regional councillors, political operatives, Transparent Hawkes Bay and a certain blogger.
THIS OLD mutt notes that the Republican presidential frontrunner who appears to wear a dead possum on his head – Donald Trump – has finally managed to get agriculture into the US political debate, but not in a good way. Responding to a recent poll that had his rival Ben Carson leading the Republican field at 28%, and Trump slumped to second place with 20% in the Iowa caucus race, ‘the Donald’ sent out a snide tweet stating: “Too much hash creates issues in the brain.” In other words, he was blaming Round-Up sprayed on crops in the state for voters’ support of his rival. However, after copping bad press for his comment, Trump did what any good politician would do – blamed an unnamed staff member. Sure, Don, it was the intern.
THIS OLD mutt has long been suspicious of a group of water zealots in South Canterbury known as the Opihi Catchment Environmental Protection Society (OCEPS). The group has for years been making unsubstantiated allegations of pollution in the Opuha dam from organochlorine chemicals. Despite numerous tests and clearances by local authorities ECan and Timaru District Council for banned pesticides DDT and dieldrin, the group is never satisfied and keeps insisting there are residues in the water. Recently it was discovered that a small area of sediment containing white granules was discovered in the river which tested to have very high levels of DDT and arsenic. Doesn’t it make you wonder who would benefit from such a stupid act?
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Rural News is published by Rural News Group Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Ltd.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
OPINION 23 LESS TURKEYS ON A SMALLER BOARD I HEARD John Wilson decrying a proposal by Greg Gent and Colin Armer to reduce the Fonterra board from 13 to 9 directors. If Mr Wilson could lift his thinking from an immediate fear that either he or some other directors might lose their positions and instead think about the proposal rather than self-interest
he might see it’s a good idea. I’ve got no beef with any Fonterra director, but I reckon I know the effect that size has on a board, having served or chaired a lot of them -- Frucor, Game Industry Board, Farmlands, ENZA, Port of Tauranga, Northport etc. As soon as a board -- or even your school committee or any other
group -- exceeds about eight the dynamic changes. Bigger boards can easily split into factions, the meetings get too long and some directors effectively ‘retire’ and cease to make a useful contribution. On a smaller board everyone must be engaged and everyone gets a say. Ideally I’d argue for six. There may well be
other reasons small boards work better, but not being a psychologist I don’t know why – just that they almost inevitably do. Small boards are faster, more focused, work harder and are more individually responsible. A small board won’t of itself fix whatever ails a company, but it will make a positive
A FINE MESS! I SEE the Merino Company has had a ‘successful year’ (Rural News Oct 20). It claims that two decades ago fine wool was being dumped on the commodity market and sold to Australia. So why is this practice still carrying on -- by it selling clips in Melbourne? If I was a fine wool grower I would not like to think that by selling in Melbourne my wool was being dumped. Perhaps it is because we only hear of the top prices and never the also-rans. John Betts, Yaldhurst Wools Ltd Christchurch
contribution. Not that it’s too important, but it will also save money. Of course John Wilson and many of his fellow directors will argue against a change, but when he does, just remember that a turkey doesn’t vote for Christmas. John Parker Te Horo Otaki
ag twits Rural News’ irreverent and hypothetical look at what’s happening in the farming world Top Bleats view all @robhewettsff: Ni how, comrades. Welcome to the wonderful new world of the People’s Republic of Silver Fern Farms. To those 18.8% of shareholders who did not support the Shanghai Maling deal and/or are MIE supporters – good luck getting any stock killed this season! #utu #thatwillteachyou
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@rosshylandmie: So of 82.2% of SFF shareholder farmers reckon their company’s board and management know more about what is good for the future of the NZ meat industry than an out-of-work stock feed salesman. Unbelievable. #stupid #dumb #bastards
BEAT THE PRICE RISE GET IN Q UICK!
@littleandrewlabour: I have recently been on a political fact-finding tour of China. I was very concerned to discover many of the people in that country have very ‘Chinese-sounding’ names. #breakingnews #shockhorror @johnkeypm: Woke up in London, had a shower and a pee at the same time, ogled Wendy Petrie on my smartphone until Bronagh elbowed me in the ribs, caught up with Richie and Shag and the boys for an aftermatch beer, watched the RWC final. It’s a tough job this PM lark. #somebodyhastodoit
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@jwilsonfonterra@gregent@colinarmer: You know an important move like this needs buy-in by all shareholders, not just two former, broken-down farmer directors. That’s not how our co-op works. #youbastards #turkeys&xmas
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
24 OPINION/NEWS WHERE DO FEDS STAND? THE HOUND claims to be dumbfounded (Rural News, October 20) at the lengths ‘environmental’ groups go to in discriminating against farmers. Quoting: “The latest example is where Environment Southland councillors recently directed staff
not to join a Forest and Bird declaratory judgement proceedings. Apparently Forest and Bird is seeking to have the Environment Court declare that excreta from animals are a discharge. The judgement would have wide ranging impacts on farming as
it would mean animal excreta would require a discharge permit if no rule existed in a plan or national environmental standard to permit the activity.” As Federated Farmers is a bedfellow of Forest and Bird on environmental
issues, where does Fed’s stand on this excreta issue? Does Feds stand by the farmers they represent and fight against this discrimination, or will it stand alongside Forest and Bird in trying to leg-rope the New Zealand farming
community with excreta discharge permits? If the latter scenario was to apply would that not mean the Fed’s would be excreting on the very ones they represent? Ron Eddy Wairau Saddle RD2 Nelson
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YOUNGSTERS GET A TASTE OF AGRICULTURE THE RECENT October school holidays saw a total of 92 young people aged 16–18 from around the North Island participating in Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre’s ‘Taster’ courses on Wairarapa, Taranaki and Waikato campuses. Seventy-four of those students attended the four-day course at Taratahi’s main campus in Wairarapa in either agriculture or equine. Equine Tasters are held at Panorama Equestrian Centre. Four day residential Taster courses are run at Taratahi’s Wairarapa campus every school holidays, and one day courses are held at some of the other campuses around New Zealand. At least 200 students have attended Taster courses at Taratahi this year, showing an encouraging number of young people interested in a future in agriculture. The courses have proven to be a successful model for students and Taratahi. They have given students the opportunity to ‘try before they buy’, figure out whether a career in the primary industries is for them and help them see whether they might enjoy learning at Taratahi. Organisers say feedback from students has been encouraging: 92% of the participants surveyed indicated they would recommend the experience to others. “Most participants in the Taster courses are convinced they would like to return as students when they finish school. This makes it worthwhile for us to hold them,” says interim Taratahti chief executive Linda Sissons. “The Taster course also gives tutors the opportunity to assess the suitability of students for agriculture. It is a useful thing for us to know before a student enrols, as we’d like the learning experience to be successful for all our students.” One more Taster course will be held at the Wairarapa campus from December 14-17; both the equine and agriculture streams are being offered.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
26 MANAGEMENT
West Coast farmer’s got a p West Coast dairy farmer Graham Berry will soon push a button to start generating electricity that will power his farm and supply the national grid. Reporter Peter Burke went to see this amazing enterprise.
FMG0055DPSC
Graham Berry and partner Jenny farm 5km south of the popular tourist town Franz Josef, on a property running from the main highway back into the bush-clad, often misty hills of Westland National Park. It’s rugged beauty at its best. Water is seldom in short supply – in some years they get up to 5000mm of rain -- and Berry has begun harvesting this for his and others’ benefit. Berry is a born-andbred passionate, proud coaster. He grew up on a sheep and beef farm near Greymouth and learned all about rearing calves and raising bull beef. But
when he left school he got a job on a dairy farm and liked it. He tried other things, even dairying on the Canterbury Plains. He went to Ireland to look at farming there, but the call of the Coast was strong, and 11 years ago he bought his 125ha (eff) farm, in a pretty rundown state. “When I arrived here the farm was producing 28,000kgMS from 230 cows. I now have 265 cows and last year we produced 101,500kgMS,” Berry told Rural News. “I had to refence all the laneways as trees had fallen on these. I also had to build a new effluent pond, replace
water pipes, put in a standoff pad and upgrade the dairy shed. I upgraded the houses on the farm to a good standard. It was a lot of work, but this location is so beautiful it was worth the effort.” Berry has also worked hard upgrading his pastures spreading lime, adding dolomite and putting on ‘spring mixes’, something of a natural fertiliser. His emphasis is on growing clover – which means using less nitrogen. Berry has also placed a lot of emphasis on improving the BW of his herd and now has one of NZ’s top BW cows. He’s turned a rundown farm
A true Coaster: Graham Berry is a born-and-bred, passionate West Coaster.
into a smart, high-producing unit. But the work hasn’t stopped there. Looking for other challenges he
has built his own power station. “Eight years ago I watched all the rain and said ‘we should be able to
utilise this’, but someone scared me off the idea. Then four months later heard about a farmer in Canterbury running his
centre pivot off a turbine and I thought ‘if they can do it off a border-dyke scheme, then surely I can do it here’. So I walked
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
MANAGEMENT 27
a powerful plan for future around the creeks above the farm, which are in the DOC estate, and decided it was possible.” Then followed a lot of investigation and discussion with the Department of Conservation on how to get approval and finally build the turbine power station. He and DoC learned a lot, complicated About to hit the switch: Graham Berry is only days away from producing his own power.
by there being few protocols to deal with a small power station. “I was in the middle ground. DoC was used to big mining companies and hydro schemes, but I was in between all that. Essentially, I talked with DoC for years before I started building – so that I could get my head around the
project.” The creek Berry has tapped into goes underground 400m from the intake, so there is no impact on the environment. One condition of his consent to install the mini power station is that he has to leave 30L/ second in the creek, but take can as much of the
remaining water as he wants. “But we are only going to take up to75L/sec, and in a dry spell we’ll utilise about 18L/sec which is enough to run the farm,” he says. He got expert help – some of it useless! -- to develop the project. But construction work began– an intake, a pipeline and a shed to house the turbine and generator. “A local company bashed up the bush with a digger to make track a couple of metres wide just to fit a digger through. I designed the intake and a mate built it for me,” Berry says. “I also designed the pipe network -- a pipe 250mm across and wider at the end where the water gets to the turbine -- a simple rule of physics. The turbine and all the electrical
All powered up: The small power turbine will produce enough electricity to run the farm with the remaining 60% going into the national grid.
gear comes from China, which has caused a few problems trying to read the manuals which are written in Mandarin!” No matter; he’s just days away from generating his own power. He’s had good support from the local power board, which can see the benefits of the scheme. For a start they are benefi-
ciaries of his scheme. The small turbine will produce enough electricity to run the farm and the remaining 60% will go into the national grid. Berry says he’ll remain hooked into the grid so he can get power for the farm if he has to shut his system down for maintenance. “Everyone has been
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pretty sharp and there is a lot of interest in it because people are saying ‘why don’t we use this water resource more for schemes this size?’ “We’ve had fun and games and it’s been a learning curve for everyone, but I’d be bored shitless if I didn’t do this job.” ‘People power’ remains the mantra of the Coast.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
28 MANAGEMENT
Canterbury farmers brace for El Nino North Canterbury farmers are bracing themselves for another fight. El Nino is ravaging their already parched land. Greg Ford reports. DAN HODGEN’S back stiffens. The words El Nino have just been uttered and the big North Canterbury farmer is irked. “Every time I hear them I think of some sort of Mexican bandit coming to rob us,” he says. And, he’s not far off the mark. Hawarden, where Hodgen farms 535ha of flat and rolling land, has now an attractive green hue to it. But looks can be deceiving. Outlaw El Nino’s hot, dry winds mean moisture from drought-breaking rains in August has gone. Dig a little deeper, as fellow Hawarden farmer Iain Wright did last week, and the picture gets worse.
“We did some ploughing [last week] and there’s absolutely no moisture at all three-four inches down,” he said. North Canterbury Rural Support Network chairman Doug Archbold said “we are desperate for rain”. “A lot of farmers are sitting on 50-60% of capital stock so hopefully that will take some pressure off. But things are on a knife edge. “A southerly went through yesterday and there was only a trace of rain over North Canterbury and that’s a classic El Nino thing when you get dry southerlies.” That’s prompted the Hurunui drought response committee to remobilise.
$
“A month ago we were winding down and now we’re winding back up again,” said Archbold, who also sits on the committee. “We’re now trying to understand what we can do. The first six months was clear-cut enough. We organised field days and rallied support and advice. “In some ways we don’t need to repeat the messages. Now they need some rain.” Wright says he hasn’t had any significant rain since June last year. Local weather forecaster Blues Skies Weather says most farmers have received about 25% of what they’d normally get in a typical year. Farmers have opted to make some difficult, yet
North Canterbury farmer and Fed Farmers provincial president Dan Hodgen, with son Gus, says the region’s farming community has rallied together despite the long, dry spell.
prudent, decisions. Earlier this year Wright sent 500 hoggets away for grazing, the first time the family business has had to take such a radical step since 1972. “Last time we did this they came back with footrot but I can’t speak highly enough of the guys who looked after these ones. “We choose to trust our genetics and it worked. They came back [last week] looking top notch.” But that’s created an obvious dilemma: what to do with them? “We have put them on a paddock we would traditionally cut for hay because we just had to keep them going. That paddock will end up get-
FROM
ting break-fenced just to spin it out as long as we can. “Sending the stock away is the best farm management decision we have made so far. It freed up three paddocks for ewes and lambs and we can now either take them
to store or finish them as prime, which is great. “If we get rain in the next three weeks we could hang on to them for a bit longer. “I don’t want to sound all doom and gloom but if the wind keeps up things will die off. We can’t get
too down; we just have to work through it and look at things every fortnight. If I can get through this I can get through anything really.” What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger: it’s a saying Hodgen also sub TO PAGE 29
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
MANAGEMENT 29 North Canterbury prepares for the worst FROM PAGE 28
scribes to. “No one would have given you decent odds it would be dry in May,” he said. “We knew it was a chance and we made a decision early to feed our stock (rather than send them away). “I am not sure in hindsight it was the best decision but we have to live with it now.” He started the year with 600 bales of hay. He’s now down to 50, and six hours a day feeding-out has taken its toll, physically and mentally. But Hodgen remains optimistic. “If it doesn’t rain soon we will wean as early as we can and get as many [lambs] away as prime. What doesn’t go prime will go store. “Our focus will go on the ewes and getting them ready for next year. And if it doesn’t rain for some time we will look to drop a few more ewes and make a call on what we do
on the 20th of each month. “The fact that we have plenty of stock means we can come out of this situation. As soon as it starts growing again, we are back into it.” But no one really wants to talk about if it doesn’t. Plans have been made. The importance of that has been sheeted home at several field days around the district. Hodgen, a member of the drought relief committee, says attending those events was the best decision he had made. “If nothing else it got you thinking. The decision and consequences are yours but one of the major things we have tried to do was to put people in a space where they could make a decision with a clear head. “We could not make decisions for them but it was giving them the tools.” Said Hodgen: “The district has also gone through the
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winter with no major animal welfare cases and that’s certainly not because MPI are taking a lenient view of it. “They are out there looking and responding to complaints. And so far, as far as I am aware, we have not had to take a rope to the woolshed and I am pretty proud of that.” They have rallied support at grassroots and central government level. They even pulled off the amazing logistical feat of organising a visit to every farm in the district. “We had people go up the drive of 500 farms, someone bringing a packet of biscuits and a chance for a chat,” said Hodgen. “That was a real lift for people.” Wright agrees. He said the light the committee has shone on their plight has helped. “The media coverage has been amazing. It made you feel as if you were not going through this alone.”
TURNIPS PROVE A HIT WAIKATO FARMER Brad Kilgour was so pleased with the Marco turnips he planted this year that he will double his planting this coming summer, says the supplier, Ravensdown. “It’s only a jump from two to four hectares,” Kilgour commented. “The turnips fitted in well with changes to our farm system and the cows loved them.” Kilgour manages an irrigated 75ha farm owned by his parents, Simon and Carol Kilgour, near Reporoa. He milks 240 cows, averaging 120,000kgMS for the past three years. The Kilgours, who buy their seeds, agrichemicals and fertiliser from Ravensdown, also did soil and pasture sampling to support the changes to their farm systems. This season they converted two thirds of the farm to centre Brad Kilgour pivot irrigators from a Bosch long lateral system. This allowed them to introduce walk-over-the-top cropping to their pasture renewal, including the turnips and whole crop cereal silage. The paddock concerned was back in permanent pasture before winter. The barley was
planted at Labour Weekend and harvested late January. The turnips were planted in the same paddock early February. “Due to the turnips’ short maturity, 60 days, we were able to feed it out for three weeks from early April, which helped us to slow our grass rotation,” Kilgour says. “A key to this was being able to irrigate through February to get the crop established.” Ravensdown agronomist James Bryan measured the crop at 10 tonnes yield in those 60 days – a growth rate of 160kgDM/day. The critical element in the planting of the turnips was that it switched feed from when it wasn’t needed in the summer to when it was needed in the autumn. “Grass under water in that time would probably grow only 80kgDM in that period. The turnips proved to be a good, cheap feed per kilogram,” says Kilgour. “Our cows had never seen turnips before because we’ve never cropped. It only took a couple of days and they were cleaning the breaks up well.”
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
30 ANIMAL HEALTH
Rick Pridmore
Outcome of methane vaccine will be known in months The vaccine, using a small amount of protein from common methanogens in pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz ruminant animals, would prompt the antiA WORLD-FIRST methane inhibitor vac- bodies within the animal’s body to attack cine is being developed by New Zealand it. Normally that wouldn’t happen because scientists and they should know within the rumen is big, there’s lots going through about four months whether it is success- and there are not enough antibodies. The antibodies are developed in the ful, says Rick Pridmore, who leads sustainsaliva of the ruminant animal and the ability for DairyNZ. process is stoked by It is often overstated injecting the animal that NZ has the best sci- “Once we inject with blood serum entists in the world, but them it starts a because this and in this case it is true, says Pridmore, who is cycle; as the animal saliva are the most likely places antibodalso chair of the Pas- eats it salivates ies can be produced. toral Greenhouse Gas all the time, those “Once we inject Research Consortium. them it starts a cycle; They are trying to antibodies keep as the animal eats it solve the problem of being pumped salivates all the time, methane in pastoral anithose antibodies mals and a vaccine is well into the rumen keep being pumped suited to that, he told the and you’ve got into the rumen and International Federation you’ve got a machine of Agricultural Journal- a machine that that keeps going,” ists Congress in Hamil- keeps going. This Pridmore explained. ton this month. “This keeps produc“If you can get a vac- keeps producing ing antibodies; they cine that works you will antibodies; attack the methadeal with every ruminant they attack the nogens and they get anywhere in the world.” washed out the other A vaccine uses the methanogens and body’s antibodies to fight they get washed out end.” Pridmore says a what is in your body. “It paper came out two is your own body fighting the other end.” weeks ago from the itself, so you don’t have to worry about toxicity, you don’t have New Zealand scientists. They took every to worry about drugs and other implica- kind of ruminant everywhere in the world from the top of mountains to down in the tions,” he told the congress. “If you develop a vaccine you can bring jungles and looked at the antigens in the it to the market in less than three to five guts. Everywhere in the world and with every kind of diet, two kinds of methanoyears.” He says if you develop an inhibitor – a gens – the bacteria that make the methane chemical compound that you put into an – were found in reasonable abundance. He animal which kills the methanogens which said if you can knock those two out, the make methane – it might take 10 years to vaccine will work “The other good thing about a vaccine research a number of aspects to bring it to is it seems to last for a long time.” market. PAM TIPA
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
ANIMAL HEALTH 31
Spring in step of sheep researchers THE SHEEP production research team at Massey University is busy this spring doing lots of studies on Massey University’s agricultural experiment stations. At the Riverside farm, in Wairarapa, two studies are underway. Examining the use of lucerne compared to ryegrass/ white clover in lactation and the impacts of early weaning (7 weeks of age) on lamb performance is being investigated. In addition, the use of lucerne and herb and clover mixes is being looked at as a management option to improve the live weights of twin bearing hoggets and their lambs at weaning in comparison to ryegrass/white clover. A further study is examining the effect of stocking rate (11 to 15 ewes per ha) for single bearing ewes on ryegrass white clover.
Two other studies are underway examining the impacts of various ryegrass/white clover feeding regimens during pregnancy on lamb performance to weaning. Post weaning, the influence of lamb slaughter age on meat quality is also being investigated with a focus on measuring collagen as a key contributor to tenderness. In addition the performance of ewes born – to either ewe hoggets or mature ewes – is being monitored to provide information on the long term impacts of selecting progeny born to ewe hoggets. The impacts of body condition score and live weight on ewe performance are also being studied on these farms as is the amount of feed required to change condition score. The influence of milk
Steve Morris, Hugh Blair, Patrick Morel, Peter Kemp, Kevin Stafford and Drs Anne Ridler, Rene CornerThomas, Nicola Schreurs, Rebecca Hickson and Lydia Cranston, Kate
Sheep researchers at Massey are doing lots of studies at present.
Griffiths and postgraduate students. Funders include Beef + Lamb NZ, the C Alma Baker Trust, Massey University and the Sustainable Farming Fund.
Research from 2014 suggested that early weaning on herb and clover mixes produces faster lamb growth rates compared to those left with their dams on ryegrass/white clover. composition and early pellet supplementation is being scrutinised to improve knowledge of factors controlling lamb growth. Research is also taking place on commercial farms. On a number of farms factors affecting the longevity of ewes are being investigated as part of a long term project. The causes of hogget foetal loss are being examined and information on the impact of hogget breeding on lifetime performance is being collected. Many of these studies are being done with research partners including Gravida, Taratahi and Lincoln University. Plans are already laid for further research in 2016 with these research partners and AgResearch. Massey’s sheep research team includes professors Paul Kenyon,
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Riverside farm is also the site of a multi-year study examining the impacts of body condition score and live weight on ewe performance. Later this spring, a new multiyear programme led by Dr Brennon Wood will focus on learning and technology transfer with local farmers. On Massey’s Keebles and Tuapaka farms in Manawatu, the use of herb clover mixes for early weaning on finishing country and hill country is being studied. Research from 2014 suggested that early weaning on herb and clover mixes produces faster lamb growth rates compared to those left with their dams on ryegrass/white clover. The use of these mixes as a tool to get single born lambs to slaughter at a younger age is also being investigated.
ACVM No.s A9402, A9984 1. Data on file.
Shaping the future of animal health
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
32 ANIMAL HEALTH
Get ready for the big dry! VETS ARE encouraging farmers to prepare for a dry summer and to figure out how best to manage livestock through this time. The NZ Veterinary Association (NZVA) says forecasters are predicting that the already strong El Nino conditions of
spring 2015 will continue over summer and into autumn 2016 and it could rank amongst the four strongest El Nino events recorded along with 197273, 1982-83 and 1997-98. “During El Nino NZ tends to experience stronger or more frequent winds from the west in
summer, leading to drier conditions in the north and east, and more rain in the west,” it warns. “El Nino will increase the chances of more frequent and extreme weather events -- such as flooding and drought -- so you need to think about how you will manage your
way through.” NZVA is advising farmers to “hope for the best, but plan for the worst”. “Look after your animals and regularly monitor their condition. The responsibility for ensuring the health and welfare of animals rests with the owner and person
in charge. Animals need adequate feed and water and access to shade and shelter, important during adverse events.” The vets also urge farmers to check for seasonal problems such as facial eczema, footrot and flystrike and give thought to parasite control.
NZVA is advising farmers to hope for the best, but plan for the worst...
“Ask your vet if you’re concerned about the health or welfare of your animals,” it says. “If you are unsure where to go for advice or assistance visit the NZVA website or see your local vet. “Feed is the key: know how much and what type of feed you will need. Organise the purchase and delivery of feed supplies before you absolutely
need to.” Farmers are also advised to make decisions early and take action and to use water efficiently and plan for water restrictions. ”Monitor seasonal forecasts, extreme weather and fire warnings,” NZVA concludes. “Ask for help if you need it.” www.nzva.org.nz
PEST KILL TACKLES TB, SAVES WILDLIFE A PEST killing effort in the central North Island is managing bovine tuberculosis (TB) and protecting indigenous wildlife, say DoC and OSPRI. The two groups have been working in the Whirinaki Te Pua a Tane Conservation Park in central North Island. Local DoC spokesman Matt Cook says that in the Whirinaki Forest “the ecosystem and native fauna are at risk from pests including possums, mustelids and rats…. We know possums eat the forest canopy and prey on native birdlife, including eggs and chicks.” But now whio, robins, kaka, kereru, bats and falcons will be less at risk because predators are fewer. Local iwi were consulted to ensure local biodiversity was not affected. OSPRI manager Matthew Hall says its main goal is to manage and eventually eradicate bovine tuberculosis (TB) from cattle, deer and wild animals. “By joining forces with DoC we can achieve greater biodiversity gains and [kill pests more efficiently].” Monitoring of the Whirinaki Forest showed that possums needing killing off to eradicate bovine TB. The most recent aerial poison drops were in July 2010.
THE OPERATION ■■
■■
■■
0025 OPS Disease_Katie-Dairy (280x187)_FAmm.indd 1
30/09/15 2:26 pm
Dropping of non-toxic, tan-coloured cereal pellets by helicopter. This ‘pre-feed’ gives possums a taste for the pellets and overcomes bait shyness Dropping of 1080 (toxic, green cereal pellets) by helicopter at a rate of 1kg/ha in the DoC operation and 1.5kg/ha in the OSPRI control area (4-6 baits in a tennis court-size area). Deer repellent was also used in one hunting area identified by DoC to reduce accidental killing of deer.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
ANIMAL HEALTH 33
3D website to tell the full dairy story
or maggots... or lice
ON CYREX
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
A NEW 3D internet resource which tells the economic story of New Zealand dairy will be launched by DairyNZ shortly. It is likely to go live on the www. dairyatwork.co.nz website in the next week or two. DairyNZ brand marketing manager Andrew Fraser outlined the initiative to international journalists at a recent conference in Hamilton. “We thought ‘let’s see if we can tell our economic story in dairying and make it a good visual experience that we can share on line’. “We created a data visualisation tool… It has an image of the world which shows where all our exports go. We can click on, for instance, Bahrain, or any country we export to, and it comes up with all the details of our dairy exports, history, percentage or our exports, what we export there, etc. “Because you’ve got the picture and the words it brings the story to life. It is also a bit of a geography lesson. “We have created a way of telling that dairy export story that is a lot more visual than giving someone a sheet of paper and tables.” It also tells the story of dairy farming in NZ with, for instance, a breakdown of the herds and production for each region. “We have used leading-edge data visualisation tools to help tell our dairy story.” Dairy 3D will be used as an education tool. Teachers are difficult to reach because they are so busy, says Fraser. “So if you’ve got something that’s cool and engaging, it is a lot easier for them to say ‘ok I’ll teach that, because that resource is going to make it
NO FLIES
DairyNZ’s Andrew Fraser.
easier to teach this topic’.” They aimed for broad reach but targeted it at school children to get the traffic to the site. Just putting up a web resource is not enough to drive traffic there. “To get enduring value from our investment we will be developing educational resources which present the website as where they need to go to find the information.” The target is at first the 13-15 age group but more resources will be developed older children. Teachers can use 3D Dairy in various subjects, eg economics and maths. For instance they could use the figures as calculation tools. The site will be component of DairyNZ’s education programme which seeks to improve public perception and increase the understanding of dairy.
Fraser says NZ dairy farmers care about public perceptions for several reasons. Public policy makers are influenced by public opinion so it is important they hear the full story rather than just the vocal minority. They want a positive image for the products and dairy farmers want to be good community citizens. “It’s the communication challenge we have… dairying is a big part of our economy but people don’t connect their standard of living to our export industries,” he said. Urban people are too busy with their lives to think about farming. But if their children talk about it through what they are learning at school, and the next generation knows something of the importance of dairy to the economy, perceptions and understanding will broaden.
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CyNF Oct14 Spinosad is the same active ingredient found in Extinosad® Liquid. Cyromazine is the same active found in Vetrazin®. The 5L pack of Cyrex makes 2500 litres of dipwash; 10L makes 5000 litres and 250ml bottle makes 125 litres of dressing fluid. Extinosad and Cyrex are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company Ltd. Vetrazin is a registered trademark of Novartis. Cyrex is registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. A09917.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
34 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Versatile tractor geared for the big boys MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
SINCE TRACTORS of 250-300hp are the favoured choice of many cropping farmers and contractors it no surprise to see Case IH launch its Optum series. With 270 or 310hp on tap, the series is designed to be versatile – able to do heavy draft work yet be equally at home with PTO and transport duties; they sit between the highpowered Puma or lower hp models in the Magnum range. Christian Huber, Case
IH VP of tractor product development, envisages that users of the larger Pumas and smaller Magnums will migrate to the Optum. He believes development of the range will be dictated by customer demand for more models. The 6.7L FPT engine used in Puma is installed in the new series although it uses a heavy duty load bearing sump, negating the need for any chassis or side rails and so improving the turning radius of the tractor. The design still allows a maximum gross vehicle operating
Case IH’s Optum series range from 270 to 310 horsepower.
weight of 16 tonnes. Interestingly, the engines do not offer ‘boost’ features for output, but rely on a setup that delivers rated power at all times, so what you
PR
see on the hood is what you get. This is supplemented by a re-think on emission controls: the new Hi-eSCR after-treatment that relies solely on Ad-Blue has obviated
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the normally standard exhaust gas recirculation system. The company says this allows tuning the engine for best power and torque characteristics, and indeed the resultant torque figures of around 1300Nm between 1200 and 1800 ERPM looks healthy. Also of interest is a new ‘exhaust flap’ system that helps to control engine temperatures and can also double as an exhaust brake – good for transport duties. When the brake pedal is applied it works with the variable geometry turbo which reverts to maximum volume and increases back-pressure in the engine, as well as the variable cooling fan that serves to sap engine power -- the combined efforts of all three increasing braking power by up
to 40%. For those envisaging a high percentage of transport duties this feature should help to save fuel and reduce wear and tear in the brake and drive line components. The engine is coupled to the well sorted Case IH CVT and, like its higher powered LWB Puma cousins, it uses a four range box. The box is beefed up for the Optum to handle the extra power and torque, and can be specified in 40 or 50km/h variants. The final drive system of the units sees double reduction hubs, to allow rpm to be kept up and stress down, but importantly delivering high torque to the wheels. A choice of flange or bar axles is available, although the latter is likely to be the preferred choice in NZ, and 2.15m diameter tyres or 900-85R42 size can be fitted to the rear. Although much of the tractor is Puma-derived, the front end is taken directly from the robust Magnum series, and uses the same saddle frame design mounted directly to the sump which saves parts as well as wear and tear. A suspension system is incorporated that offers 110mm of travel, and fea-
tures an adaptive dampening system dependant on vertical loads At the business end of the tractor, a choice of 4- or 2-speed PTO systems are available with the added benefit that a PTO brake function can be incorporated into the headland management sequence to prevent ‘wind down’ of driven implements on headland turns. The Cat3 rear linkage has a lift capacity of around 11 tonnes at the ball ends and couples with a front system offering 5.8 tonnes lift. The hydraulic system can be optioned at either 165 or 220L/m, using a variable displacement load sensing format, and although shared with the transmission this sees greater takeout capacity than the Puma, by way of an additional reservoir mounted under the central housing. This improves capacity without raising the oil level in the transmission. With a new aggressive design that will eventually become the new Case family look, these tractors are going to capture some of this important market sector, but Kiwis will have to wait until early 2016 before they can touch one.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 35
JD enhances harvesters JOHN DEERE has enhanced its grain harvesting line-up, covering the 600C corn heads and 600F Hydraflex draper units. There is also a new 12 row folding corn head for the 2016 campaign, of interest to larger producers as it allows outputs of around 0.4ha per day more than a traditional 8 row set-up. Due to the increased capacity the units have been upgraded to row-unit slip clutches and the driveshaft
interfaces have a longer service life. For soyabean or small grain growers there are improvements to the 630, 635 and 640 FD Hydraflex draper units -streamlined end-dividers to reduce crop knockdown, a wider centre feed opening to allow up to 15% more throughput, and stronger reel fingers and bearing supports to improve crop pickup and flow. www.johndeere.co.nz
REAL DEAL Maximising baler efficiency
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MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
NEW HOLLAND importer CB Norwood Distributors is going to market with the new Intellicruise system for BigBaler 1270 and BigBaler 1290 large square balers. Aimed at maximising baler productivity and reducing costs, the system controls the towing tractor’s speed automatically, producing optimum feed rates for the baler, reducing fatigue for the operator and reducing fuel costs. In practice, the system helps eliminate the bane of any baler operators’ life -- differing crop yields in the same paddock, which results in inconsistent swaths and the need to constantly adjust forward speeds to maintain maximum output. The system is controlled via the ISOBUS system and sets out to maintain a capacity set point measured using charge sensors in the baler’s feeder channel, with any variance in signal used to adjust the tractor speed. The system features a choice of operating modes called Charge Control or Slice Control. The former uses a paddle sensor in the feeder channel to measure crop density and the time taken to fill the channel; the latter measures the thickness of the bale slices to maintain a regular number of slices for any particular bale length. The system can work as slowly as 1km/h, which might be the case when following large wide swaths from the largest headers; the system will ‘drop out’ at any speed slower than this and hand control back to the driver. From the operator’s perspective, there is no need to monitor speed or capacity graphs, so there are fewer interventions, resulting in less fatigue and consistent maximum daily outputs – the latter showing in tests to have been around 9% more than can be expected from a tired driver. Tests also confirm that the optimum control of load and speed yields about 5% fuel saving and cuts downtime otherwise caused by unexpected blockages. The Intellicruise system is currently compatible with both Standard and CropCutter models in the range and needs a tractor fitted with the latest Class III ISOBUS control system such as the New Holland T7 Auto Command. www.newholland.co.nz
MF4700 SERIES | 74 – 82 HP RELIABLE AND DEPENDABLE WORKHORSE 3 and 4 cylinder powerful, reliable and fuel efficient AGCO POWER engines
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CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MF DEALER FOR A REAL DEAL MASSEYFERGUSON.CO.NZ | FREECALL 0800 825 872 *Offer ends 31 October 2015, while stocks last. Consult your local Massey Ferguson dealer for full terms and conditions. Half price deal available on MF936X standard loader only.
MASSEY FERGUSON®, MF®, the triple-triangle logo® is a worldwide brand of AGCO. © 2015
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
36 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Claas adds big beast to Axion range MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
THE CLAAS Axion 800 series currently includes tractors 205-264hp, so a new range topping model – the Axion 870, 295hp –
should raise its popularity with large scale operators and contractors. Customers needing more power than the current range-topping 850 have to move up to the larger 900 series, start-
ing at 320hp but bringing with it a 2500kg weight penalty. The manufacturer attributes the new model to increased interest in high power-to-weight tractors typically get used
on triple mower rigs and large square balers. Fundamentally this is the same tractor as the current 850 model, but the 870 uses engine power management to deliver the 295hp at speeds above
14km/h or when the PTO system is engaged, unlike the remainder of the range that operates under a maximum power-no
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boost strategy. The increased output also dictates that the 870 is only available with the ZF-sourced Terramatic continuously variable transmission (CVT) unlike the rest of the range which can be specified with a conventional power-shift unit. The factory says the increased power is beyond the capacity of the current Hexashift unit, but notes that CVT is increasingly popular in this sector. Power is provided by the 6.7L, Stage 4 compliant FPT engine with a Claas designed stressed
sump. Like the others models in the series, a new front axle assembly helps save 380kg over the previous fitment, so allowing an increase in the permissible vehicle payload. All major functions are controlled via the CEBIS terminal and a mouse type C-Motion control lever with automated headland management features, a range of preferred set-up options and optional factory fitted GPS systems. Expect to see the new Axion 870 in mid-2016. www.claasharvestcentre. co.nz
HOPPERS AIM TO IMPROVE KUHN IMPORTER CB Norwood Distributors Ltd’s recently announced 3500L and 6500L trailed seed or fertiliser hoppers are aimed at improving the logistics of drilling and/or fertiliser application. Each of the hoppers has a Cat 3 linkage system which allows the coupling of a coulter bar where the hoppers would be used as a seed carrier or a precision drill unit where it becomes a fertiliser carrier for starter nutrients. In both cases the operating efficiency is increased considerably, not least by reducing the time between refills. The TT3500 unit uses an electrically driven metering unit that can deliver to coulter bars or seeding units up to 6m working width. And the TT6500 uses twin metering units to deliver up to 9m and is intended for high output operations. Both units are ISOBUS compatible for plug and play, or can be controlled via Kuhn’s own CCI 100 terminal. Options such as dual wheels, loading/unloading auger and various tractor couplings increase the versatility of the units. www.kuhn.co.nz
CAMBRIDGE FARM ROLLERS
Your local Harvest Centre locations: Whangarei Hamilton Rotorua Hawera Hastings
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Dunedin Wanaka Gore Invercargill
For more information call us on:
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*40% deposit (minimum) required. GST back within 3 months. 24 monthly payments over a 38 month term with 3.9% finance rate beginning January 2017. Offer ends 31/12/15. Normal lending criteria and fees apply. Other flexible finance options available. Image is illustrative only.
www.claasharvestcentre.com
NEW 10ft Roller with Extension Drawbar & Screw Jack $6900 Vee Ring Roller Seeder Drill with Vee bottom seed box, hydraulic clutch, ext. drawbar, ........................ $18,800 Special rollers made to order, • All prices ex-Factory, Excl GST • Spare parts, Rings and Bearings. Competitive freight rates to the North Island 26"dia rings ............................$90.00 Ph: 0800-838 963 24"dia rings ............................$85.00 AUSTINS FOUNDRY LTD 131 King Street, Timaru www.austinsfoundry.co.nz
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 37
Good looking ute suits farm and town MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
LARGE PASSENGER vehicles seem to have gone out of favour as the march of the once humble ute seems to move on into suburbia as the macho mover and shaker. With this acceptance, car companies have seen a demand for more car-like creature comforts mixed in with the rugged exterior. The new LS-T D-Max from Isuzu could well be worth a look, because the ‘bones’ of the machine have certainly proved themselves very capable over the years – in the hands of tradies known to give their vehicles a hard time The 30L turbo diesel, common rail engine pushes out a respectable 130kW – along with a peak torque output of 380Nm across a broad rev range – which certainly seems to help the truck hang on during long climbs and negates the need to grab a lower gear to keep momentum going. The five speed transmission is smooth and precise and uses control technology that monitors the driver’s habits of acceleration and braking, which alters transmission shiftpoints to suit their style. The manually controlled sequential shift option allows a more sporty driving style and can also be used to hold the vehicle in a particular ratio for climbs or descents. The 2WD version tested was fitted with safety features such as
ABS, electronic brake distribution that detects the load in the rear and adjusts the braking effect to the rear axle, and traction control that allows the machine to take on the slippery stuff. Although serious off-roaders are more likely to want the 4WD model to ensure they get to their destination. Moving on to the ‘urbanisation’, first impression on opening doors is the seating arrangements, which take the form of leather upholstery – while appearing a little decadent for a ute – will suit the intended market and probably be better suited to handle blackcurrant spills from the kids and drools from the dog. The driver gets the added bonus of 6-way electrical adjustment, although this tester found the angle of the seat pan
from front to back limited. The second row also has leather, and although lacking any adjustment appeared roomy and comfortable, and had the option of being laid flat for large items, or as a perch for the dog. Creature comforts for trips to the beach or to see the relatives is taken care of with set and forget climate control air conditioning for an even temperature and a six speaker entertainment system that features a DVD Player, USB, I-Pod and blue tooth connectivity for up to five devices at any one time. The technology is further enhanced with a tailgate mounted rear view camera; a must for hooking up trailers and getting into tight parking spots and a touch-screen Sat-Nav system to ensure you end up where you intended.
Ride quality is as good as most utes in the
market. It appears the efforts of the designers to
use an extended wheelbase and wide wheeltrack has paid off, with the vehicle cornering without too much deviation from its course unless distracted by a pothole or poor surface mid bend. As with any ute there is a tendency for the rear end to appear a little springy, but this is improved greatly with a load of up to 1007kg or something hooked to the the towbar which can be up to 3500kg (4WD). Contact with the ground is by smart fivespoke alloys running 255 section tyres to complete the look. On the looks front, the D-Max is up there with the best and won’t look out of place on the farm
or outside the favourite coffee shop in town. The fact that the 2WD rides on the same suspension and wheel equipment won’t let anyone know it’s not 4WD unless they start hunting out badges. The frontal aspect is bold with big purposeful headlights which blend into the bumper area that includes driving lamps and a cooling intake grille. Moving down the flanks, a neat pair of running boards look the part, although they are probably more use to mummy size 6’s in suburbia than to a farmer’s size 11’s in effluent. Up above is a pair of roof bars that pay homage to the urban intentions and a racy shark-fin aerial completes the look.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
38 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Jaguar puts power on demand MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
CLAAS STANDS out as a leader in harvesting technology with its Jaguar range of ten models 400-884hp, arguably the world’s largest. Products for the 2016 season include upgrades throughout.
In the engine department seven models are available with the Dynamic Power function, which automatically controls engine output to suit prevailing conditions. In practice, the operator can select maximum, full or normal power. The engine management system will then match power to load
When it comes to hay equipment we go the extra mile to ensure you get better performance.
in ten increments, maximising output and opti-
flagship 980 model can attain 884hp when used in the maximum setting, or as little as 272hp depending on load and over 10 steps. By contrast, in the normal mode it can operate between the minimum outputs of 272hp, up to 450hp in three steps. Another added function allows the opera-
mising fuel consumption. As an example, the
Talk to us about the superior innovation and performance on SIP mowers, rakes and tedders. All SIP products also come with a 2 year warranty. With over 50 years’ experience selling equipment to New Zealand farmers, Webbline are well placed to offer you their huge source of knowledge in farm machinery. Add to that attractive and convenient leasing options and you have all the right reasons to talk to Webbline about getting the best out of your new SIP forage equipment.
SIP MOWERS AND MOWER CONDITIONERS • 2.6 - 9m working width • Shear pin protection system for peace of mind • Rear, front and triples
203
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MAXAM MOWERS, in Palmerston North, has changed its name to Farmgear Ltd. Its mowers offer a unique alternative to conventional mowing systems, and the company has for 25 years sold gear for mowing, topping and spreading for wilting. Maxam bought FencePro post drivers not too long ago and is now putting all its products under one marketing umbrella.
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rity of the ignition system, cab and fuel tanks. To help improve traction an optional automatic tyre pressure control system can be specified on the 900 series machines. This monitors pressures every 30 minutes to suit field or road, maintaining traction in the former or saving fuel in the latter situations. Up front the new Direct Disc 600/500 series direct cut headers incorporate Claas’ new Maxcut cutter-bars for a fast clean cut and an integration into the unit of a larger diameter intake auger said to be capable of dealing with crops up to 4m high.
New name, but still a cut above
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tor to enter the crop at maximum engine power, from where the system will automatically match engine speed for the most efficient setting. The Cruise Pilot mode can be set to maintain forward speed, engine speed or throughput as required. Other improvements for 2016 include the C-Motion control lever already seen on some tractor models; this offers fingertip control of up to 13 functions, making life easier for operators who shift between machines or tractors. Optional leather drivers’ seats with integral heating and cooling add to comfort, LED lighting improves visibility and keyed locks improve secu-
+GST PER MONTH*
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BEST WAY TO SEE REAL NZ SIP TEDDERS • 5.3 - 14.8m working width • Smaller rotors for more consistent spread • Increase quality of forage
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OUTDOOR TRAVEL company NZ Adventures is now offering 4 x 4 journeys lasting five-six days in the South Island. And since buying High Country Trail NZ the firm also offers one-, two- and three-day tours, mostly in Central Otago, says NZ Adventures’ co-owner Connie Crickett. “All our tours are guided with radio contact between vehicles.” The Eastern Explorer five-day trip was introduced when Robbie and Connie Crickett bought NZ Adventures in 2013. Highlights include Four Peaks Station, behind Geraldine, on day one and the Te Papanui Conservation Area on day four. “And the vast Macraes mine, the Kakanui Range inland from Oamaru and the old miner’s track on Rough Ridge are amazing to see,” Crickett says. “Our pastoral history and the vast open spaces of inland Otago are big parts of the Eastern Explorer trip.” The Mackenzie Explorer, a five-day trip, involves “serious” four wheel driving. It starts in Geraldine, overnights at Lake Tekapo, Omarama and Cromwell and finishes in Twizel. Says Crickett, “The highlights are the stations and mountains behind Geraldine and Fairlie on day one, the vast upper Mackenzie Basin on day two and the Hawkdun Range on day three.” Day four takes in spectacular country in the Lindis Pass area and lunch at the station homesteads. Day five takes in new Conservation Reserves in the Dunstan Ranges northeast of Cromwell, lunch at St Bathans, then rough tracks in the Oteake Park to the trip’s end at Twizel. www.nzadventures.co.nz
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Terms and Conditions: All offers and prices are valid for dates specified or while stocks last. Prices include GST and are subject to change. Some products may not be available in all stores but may be ordered on request. Prices do not include delivery, delivery costs are additional. Images are for illustrative purposes only. Energizer area recommendations are a guide only and in multiple wire terms. Performance will be affected by the condition of your fence. *Fencing products valid October 2015 in the North Island only, November 2015 nationwide and December 2015 in the South Island only. †Visit www.pggwrightson.co.nz/rewards for terms and conditions.
Freephone 0800 10 22 76
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Helping grow the country
RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
NOVEMBER 3, 2015: ISSUE 595
www.ruralnews.co.nz
All set to go despite drought GREG FORD
STOCK NUMBERS will be down at Canterbury’s A&P Show because of “the drought”, says its president Nicky Hutchinson. New Zealand’s biggest A&P Show, from November 11-13, is expected to draw a crowd again exceeding 100,000. However, Hutchinson said dry conditions in the South Island meant there would be fewer animals than last year to judge. “We know already because of the drought and associated stock management decisions that numbers will be down but horse numbers are up,” she said. Livestock and equestrian entries officially opened on August 1. About 3000 animals are generally entered in
1700 classes but numbers are expected to be down 5-10%. That won’t stop the crowds flocking. Several Christchurch schools in recent years have re-embraced agricultural courses in their teaching curriculum, notably St Andrew’s College, Rangiora and Darfield High Schools. Hutchinson said that had ensured participation rates by younger people would be as high as ever. “We ran classes for those wanting to learn how to judge and steward earlier this year on weekends and they were packed,” she said. “The schools were a key part of that.” Last year at least 3500 entries were received in the equestrian section. That made it the second biggest equestrian section in the show’s history and event director Geoff Bone said
Despite lower livestock entries, crowds are still expected to flock to this year’s show.
“hot on the heels of increasing entry numbers by 10% in 2014, Royal Event status will further grow what is already the second largest equestrian event in New Zealand,” . Two popular areas at the show have also been revamped. Temporary grandstand seating has been built around the wood chopping
arena providing 300 more seats. Said Bone, “Last year seating on the embankment and existing stands was at capacity. We know how popular the wood chopping is so it’s great to be able to offer so much extra space. “We’ve also doubled the size of the Mike Greer Homes City Farmyard this year. It’s one of the most popular spaces
at the show so it can be extremely busy on show day. The new layout will allow for better flow and space for families and our animal friends on display.” About 500 trade exhibitors and 560 volunteers will keep things running smoothly. New Zealand band The Feelers are the headline entertainment act.
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
2 CANTERBURY A&P SHOW
Boss woman has earned her stripes GREG FORD
NICKY HUTCHINSON “never dreamed” of becoming ‘The Boss’. But the first female president of male fiefdom -- the Canterbury A&P Association committee -- is definitely no sop appointee. She has well and truly earned her stripes. Hutchinson has been involved in ‘The Show’ -as Cantabrians know it -for at least 50 years. Her first time was back in 1962, and although much has changed since, Hutchinson’s motivation for being involved remains more or less the same as when her parents, high country farmers,
traveled from Double Hill Station in Rakaia, to the showgrounds five decades ago. “It’s always been about having fun,” she said. “I used to ride ponies and then I started judging and stewarding. It never entered my head that I would one day [be president]. I was just doing a job I loved and it’s the way it turned out.” The show is New Zealand’s biggest of its kind by a big margin. At least 100,000 people attend each year, most of them Christchurch urbanites on public holiday outings. Going to Show Day is a rite of passage for Canterbury kids, hence
the atmosphere is convivial, except in the committee room, where 12 months of hard graft, God willing, comes to fruition. Hutchinson, a mother of three, says preserving the show’s popularity is her main mandate rather than, as the committee’s first female president, any complicated ideology associated with equality and advocacy of women’s rights. On assuming the mantle in April, Hutchinson said she was keen to have the show accredited by the Royal A&P society. However, it seems that goal has been moved to the back-burner.
“I would still love to see it happen. It’s great for the kids to win a royal award. But I’m not sure if that will happen, mainly because of the cost. “So the main goal now is to keep up the standard of the show and my biggest aim is to foster the involvement of the young people. They are the future of the show.” In the lead up to the show Hutchinson commutes to Christchurch from Banks Peninsula. She and her husband farmed Angus-Hereford cattle and Romney sheep on a Southern Bays property called Reids Hill, now leased by one of her sons. A second son farms
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nearby in Birdling’s Flat while her daughter (Katie Chamberlain, married to Westpac agribusiness manager Donald) farms a property in Leeston. She has eight grandchildren, including five granddaughters following in her footsteps and riding steward at the show. Her heart will thus be in the pony ring during the three day event and not just because of the family ties. Hutchinson rose through the ranks of the horse and pony committee and she served eight years as its president. The general show committee had been one of society’s last male bastions until she and colleagues, including Barbie Heard of Kirkwood Pony Stud fame, Mary Snoop and Jackie Hill, assumed leadership roles in the show hierarchy. “I don’t really feel like a pioneer,” she said. “They are the first pioneers as they were the first females on the committee. They
Nicky Hutchison the first female president of the Canterbury A&P Association.
had the ice to break, not me. And everyone has accepted my presidency readily and seems happy because of the work they did.” With her first show now looming and the responsibilities that come with it, which include hosting a cocktail function and the many dignitaries who attend plus presenting hundreds of awards, Hutchinson is excited and little anxious.
“I will love it. I love the people and love the challenge of making things run well. I get a huge amount of satisfaction from it. “Getting city people to the country is what it is all about. “We get excellent feedback, the odd grumble, but the proof in the pudding is people keep coming back to the show. Our numbers are not dropping off.”
ow N e l a on S s t e k c � Pre-purchase
Pre-purchase Canterbury A&P Show tickets and avoid the queues at the gate. Visit www.theshow.co.nz. *Booking fees will apply. → Adult - $22 → Child (5-12 years) - $8 → Student (12+ years with ID) - $12 → Senior (Wed/Thu only) - $12 → Family (up to 2 adults and 3 school-aged children) - $55 → Under 5’s are FREE
Gate Sales
EFTPOS is available at the gate. Cash out is available at the Treasurer’s Hut Information Office *$2 charge applies. We advise bringing cash with you. → Adult - $27 → Child (5-12 years) - $10 → Student (12+ years with ID) - $17 → Senior (Wed/Thu only) - $17 → Family (up to 2 adults & 3 school-aged children) - $60 → Under 5’s are FREE
Getting �ere
Parking is free at The Show! There is no public parking off Curletts Road. Please enter ASB Agricultural Park via McMahon Drive, Augustine Drive or Wigram Road (2.4m height restriction at this entrance).
RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
CANTERBURY A&P SHOW 3 Another positive financial result
POPULAR SHOW ATTRACTIONS EXPANDED
THE CANTERBURY Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual report shows a positive result for the financial year ending December 31, 2014. Despite some poor weather on the Wednesday and Thursday of the 2014 Canterbury Show, attendance increased to 103,000 visitors – slightly up on 2013.
Last year’s 152nd Canterbury A&P Show, hosted by the Canterbury A&P Association, attracted 6682 livestock, equestrian and feature competition entries. The association says its trade exhibitor section experienced its “most successful” year in the show’s history, many exhibitors choosing to expand their pres-
ence at the three-day event. The 2014 financial performance was credible, resulting in a surplus, after depreciation, of $102,498, up from $85,003 for the year ending 2013. Canterbury A&P Association chairman Ben Tothill said the surplus will be spent on improving the show and maintaining the
Canterbury Agricultural Park. This year’s 2015 Canterbury A&P Show will be held Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 November at Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch. The Canterbury A&P Association annual report is available online. www.theshow.co.nz
TWO POPULAR areas at the Canterbury A&P Show have been given a makeover to cope with growing demand from show visitors. Temporary grandstand seating has been built around the woodchopping arena, giving 300 more seats to spectators wanting to get the best view of the highintensity action. Event director Geoff Bone said building the grandstand was a necessary to enhance the show experience for visitors. “Last year seating on the embankment and existing stands was at capacity. We know how popular the woodchopping is so it’s great to be able to offer so much extra space for visitors and to support the Canterbury Axemen’s Club and all the competitors who put months and months of work into bringing the competition together,” he explains. “We’ve also doubled the size of the Mike Greer Homes City Farmyard this year. It’s one of the most popular spaces at the show so can be extremely busy. The new layout will allow for better flow and space for families and animals.” Bone said preparations for the 2015 Show were heating up. “With less than a month to go until the show, building had begun on two of our largest marquees – the Dairy Marquee and the Food and Wine NZ Pavillion, while our trade space is on the brink of selling out again. “Livestock and equestrian entries are looking incredibly strong – despite a tough year for farmers – and once again we’re expecting to have 100,000 people through the gates to enjoy the best Canterbury has to offer.” The Canterbury A&P Show is New Zealand’s largest show with over 3000 animals on-site, 500 trade exhibitors and 100,000 visitors attending every year. This year’s show takes place from Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 November at the ASB Agricultural Park.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
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Marlborough Sav Blanc named Show’s top drop A MARLBOROUGH Sauvignon Blanc was named the Supreme Champion Wine in Show at the International Aromatic Wine Competition recently. The Marlborough Sounds Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc 2015 beat 340 other entries to take the top spot. The competition, now in its 13th year, is run in conjunction with the Canterbury A&P Show. The winemaker, Jeremy McKenzie, is the chief winemaker for Pinnacle NZ and Isabel Estate in Marlborough. McKenzie said that the wine will be on the market around Christmas in New Zealand and Australia. It is described as a powerful Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc made in a distinctive Marlborough style with aromas of passionfruit skin, boxwood and gooseberry with a salty edge. McKenzie has worked extensively as a winemaker around the world and is delighted with the win in a hotly contested category. “It’s always an honour to win a Sauvignon Blanc trophy as the varietal is
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such a focal point in New Zealand winemaking and then to win the supreme award on top of that was fantastic.” Chairman of judges Terry Copeland was impressed with the quality of wine entered in the 2015 competition. “The winning wine displayed such elegance and concentration, both hallmarks of the 2015 Sauvignon Blanc vintage from Marlborough, and a worthy winner that should do well in other shows. “2015 is shaping up to be a very good vintage for aromatic wines; there is really good structure and finesse. It’s very positive to see wines one-two years of age also showing strongly, which sends a message to consumers that you need not drink wine only from the current year. “Compared to other years, the judges saw wine made at the highest level in more styles per grape variety which shows how the New Zealand wine industry is maturing.” Copeland said rose wines were accepted for the first time this year. “It was fantastic to have the aromatic rose classes in the competition this year. The wine showed a lot of serious grape growing and winemaking for this style, giving consumers a real choice this summer.” He also noted that a lighter alcohol wine received a gold medal – a relatively rare occurrence.
“Often light alcohol wines are not well rewarded in wine competitions so it’s pleasing to see the quality of the Clark Estate Riesling Block 8 2015 coming through.” Judges awarded seven trophies: Supreme Champion Wine in Show and Champion Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough Sounds Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015; Champion Riesling – Zephyr Riesling 2014; Champion Pinot Gris – Starborough Family Estate Pinot Gris 2015; Champion Gewurztraminer – Mud House Marlborough
Gewurztraminer 2015; Champion Other Aromatic - Left Field Gisborne Albarino 2015; Champion Rose – Soho White Collection Pinot Noir Rose 2015. (Full results at www. aromaticwine.co.nz) Judges also judged entries from the entrants for the New Zealand Young Winemaker of the Year Competition. Six young winemakers entered and the winner will be announced during the Canterbury A&P Show. All medal winning wines will be on display at this year’s show in the Food & Wine NZ Pavilion.
Live performances by:
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~ plus ~ Woodchopping - Shearing Championships - Childrens’ Entertainment Young Auctioneers Competition - Mike Greer Homes City Farmyard Ballantynes Grand Parade - Carnival Rides & Attractions Food & Wine NZ Pavilion - Mounted Rifles Display Rare Breeds Display - Mint Lamb Competition - Tui Baa Baa Bar Backflips Endurocross Competition | Shetland Grand National and a whole lot more...
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
6 CANTERBURY A&P SHOW
Life-changing win for young auctioneer THE WINNER of the 2014 Heartland Bank Young Auctioneer of the Year Competition, at last year’s Canterbury A&P Show, reckons it was a “lifechanging competition”. Cam Bray, of PGG Wrightson, won the 2014 competition after entering all three previous years of the competition. This enabled him to travel to the 2015 Sydney Royal Show to attend the Australian Livestock & Property Agents Association (ALPA) Young Auctioneers national final. Bray said the trip to
Australia gave him some life-changing experiences. “It was great, not only in that I was representing New Zealand, but to be able to rub shoulders with Australia’s best was an invaluable experience.” Bray met many icons in the Australian industry and showed his auctioneering skills during a charity auction. “Who would have thought I’d go from selling bent nails and rusty tractor parts a few years ago to selling charity items to a crowd of 800 people in the middle of
Darling Harbour, Sydney.” Bray urges other young auctioneers to enter the competition, saying it has boosted his career. “This is a valuable competition to the industry and gives young auctioneers the chance to stand up and be counted amongst their peers. “Since I entered the competition in the first year, doors have opened for me in the company I work for, which I thank them for. I’ve had the pleasure of selling at bull sales, ram sales, cattle sales and just recently a
bloodstock sale which was a childhood dream come true. The competition has truly changed my life and has been a very worthwhile experience. “It might have taken three years to win the competition but I have achieved a lot because of it.” The competition will run on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 November. During the final judging on Friday each entrant will be required to sell three lots of heifers/ bulls in a mock auction. They will be judged on overall performance including voice, diction, manner and values. The interview component will see entrants evaluated on their communication skills and knowledge of
Last year’s winner of the Young Auctioneer Competition Cam Bray (centre).
the terms and conditions relating to livestock auctioneering. Entrants will be competing for the New Zealand Stock
& Station Agents’ Association (NZSSAA) Young Auctioneers Trophy, $2000 in travel from Heartland Bank – to enable the winner
to attend the Young Auctioneers Competition in Australia – a $500 Swanndri clothing voucher and the Denis Hazlett Memorial Medal.
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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 3, 2015
CANTERBURY A&P SHOW 7
Newly minted sheep contest better reflects industry needs CANTERBURY A&P Show organisers believe this year’s ‘new and improved’ Mint Lamb Competition better reflects sheep industry requirements after feedback from entrants prompted an overhaul of the existing competition. The nationwide contest, now in its ninth year, is open to all breeds and celebrates the quality and variety of lamb available in New Zealand with a focus on increasing consumption of this big export earners. Greg Burgess, competition convenor and general manager of the New Zealand Sheepbreeders’ Association, says the new competition structure ensures a fair and transparent overall result. “The overall winner of the competition will now be decided on a points accumulation from the yield, tender testing and final taste testing stages of the competition – rather than relying on the taste test alone to determine the winner,” he explains. “We have also included a new category for the
highest yielding lamb and adjusted the schedule of classes. All these changes better reflect the lamb industry’s requirements.” Lambs entered must be current new season, born after July 1, 2015. They will be judged on the hook at an Alliance plant for best overall yield. The top four lambs in each of the three new classes (dual purpose x dual purpose; dual purpose dam x terminal sire; terminal x terminal) will be selected as semi-finalists and sent to be tender tested at Lincoln University. These will then be taste tested at the 2015 Canterbury A&P Show on Wednesday November 11, where the overall winner and highest yielding lamb will be announced. Along with bragging rights, the 2015 overall winner will receive a trophy, show ribbon, cash prize of $1000, 2.5L of Zolvix, Elanco Optiline backpack and spraygun applicator. The highest yielding lamb will win $750 cash and product from Elanco. There are also cash prizes and Elanco products for the
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Paul Gardner (left) winner of the 2014 Mint Lamb Competition.
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winners and runner-ups in each class. Proceeds from the gift lambs will be credited
to the Canterbury A&P Association to support the development of the show. The Mint Lamb
Competition is supported by Alliance, Hazlett Rural Ltd, Elanco, Allflex and Ellesmere Transport.