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Improved triplet survival pays dividends. PAGE 26

New 900 Series tractors are coming. PAGE 28

Rural women and babies lives at risk – RWNZ PAGE 5

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JULY 16, 2019: ISSUE 680

www.ruralnews.co.nz

$100m for what?

ALMOST THERE PETER BURKE

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS PAY nearly $100 million a year in levies to industry-good groups, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Chris Lewis. And for what value? he asks. Proposed levies for Mycoplasma bovis eradication and biosecurity, if adopted, would have farmers forking out even more money, he says. Speaking at the Federated Farmers annual meeting in Wellington this month, he questioned whether farmers are getting good value for their levies. “What monumental shift in agriculture or value has this [caused]? I’m a supporter of levy bodies, but that shouldn’t stop us questioning the value or direction of them. “Farmer’s money is limited and must be used wisely.” Lewis says farmers must ponder the future of some levy funded bodies. “How will they ensure that their extension activities reach all their levy payers? How will they manage overlap and conflicts with other levy bodies and Federated Farmers?” Lewis presented annual levy data showing DairyNZ raking in $66.2m, Beef + Lamb NZ $24.4m and the Foundation for Arable Research $4.25m. He said it may sometimes be inappropriate for a levy body to comment publicly, but it’s okay for Feds to. He queried how levy funded bodies should manage this. He asked how these groups should ensure an inclusive portion for all

farmers. “How do you come to a position that doesn’t pick winners at the expense of others in agriculture?” And he asked how they would ensure farmers see value in paying a compulsory levy. Lewis urged farmers to focus on “good news stories” and ignore attacks on farming by minorities.

“Many of our members are engaged in community catchment groups too, working with their communities to achieve great outcomes,” said Lewis. “The only ones missing from all this work and engagement are the antagonists who like giving us the verbal, but their words don’t match their work effort with a spade or hammer.

“Their political attacks on us are aimed at driving a wedge between farmers and their city friends. “We must remember this is a political attack by a minority. It’s not the community attacking us, as we all know there are many issues we all must take hold of.” • Beef bovis levy – p16

Town meets country Federated Farmers joined forces this year with a commercial conference organiser to stage the inaugural Primary Industries Conference at Te Papa Museum, Wellington, earlier this month. Pictured are Southland Feds meat & wool chair Bernadette Hunt and Southland president Geoffrey Young listening to a presentation at the two-day event. Feds national president Katie Milne says a key objective of the conference was to try to help the public and decisionmakers to better understand farming. They sought to do something different and bring primary industries into Wellington to give attendees closer connections and enable collaboration and connections between politicians, academics, officials and agribusiness people. • See comprehensive coverage of the conference content in this issue of Rural News.

peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

IF BRITAIN crashes out of the EU at the end of October it will be unlikely to seriously affect the New Zealand meat industry. That’s the view of the NZ meat industry’s special envoy on Brexit, Jeff Grant. He told Rural News that October/ November is not a critical time of the year for our meat industry. But he concedes it may cause some difficulty with chilled and early spring lamb. Grant says a greater risk existed earlier this year when the leave date was March 31. This would have affected Easter lamb sales, he says. “October 31 doesn’t create so much difficulty,” Grant says. “But it is continually delaying the possibility of a NZ free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK, and that is the big frustration.” Grant says it is now almost impossible to predict what might happen with Brexit. He believes much of Boris Johnson’s talk is just electioneering. He questions whether Johnson can get the numbers in the British Parliament, or has time before the summer break, to endorse his threat to leave the EU without a deal. Grant says the problem has to be solved solely by the EU and the UK and the EU has said it will act in Ireland’s best interest. He says another extension to Britain’s leave date is possible.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

NEWS 3 ISSUE 680 www.ruralnews.co.nz

MPI promises to act FINDINGS

NIGEL MALTHUS

NEWS ��1-16 AGRIBUSINESS ��18-19 MARKETS �� 20-21 HOUND, EDNA �� 22 CONTACTS �� 22 OPINION ��22-24 MANAGEMENT �� 25-26 ANIMAL HEALTH ��27 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS �� 28-30 RURAL TRADER �� 30-31

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: Ovato 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 79,553 as at 31.03.2019

ALMOST ALL the recommendations from two reviews of the Mycoplasma bovis programme have been accepted, after the ‘surge in activity’ leading up to this year’s moving day. The surge arose because of a backlog in tracing animal movements, which had gone essentially unnoticed and was not fully realised until April. The reviews were commissioned to look into the cause and possible impacts of the backlog, and recommend how the programme could improve its systems and processes. One was done by MPI’s chief science advisor Dr John Roche. The other was an independent review commissioned by DairyNZ and done by South Australia animal disease management expert Dr Roger Paskin. The independent Technical Advisory Group has also been asked to consider the impact of the backlog and is

MPI director-general Ray Smith has apologised to affected farmers.

expected to report back soon. Roche’s review found that the backlog, although smaller than first thought, was due to issues with managing the flow of information between functions, and in the disease management team’s structure and resourcing. While it may have allowed some further spread of the disease, Roche did not believe it had harmed the chances

of successfully eradicating M. bovis. Paskin identified issues related to the programme structure, staffing, training, management and supporting tools. He said the primary issue was an accumulation of traces to and from infected properties which had not been followed up, in some cases, for about seven months.

TOGETHER, ROCHE and Paskin’s reports made 43 recommendations to improve the systems and processes within the M. bovis programme. These include greater regional decisionmaking, the importance of farmer involvement and improving structures, systems and resourcing. MPI director-general Ray Smith said the two reviews had provided concrete ways to improve the programme’s systems and processes. “We’re sorry for the impact this has had on affected farmers, and that we had to take the action we did at a busy time of year for many of them. “The programme is working hard to implement the recommendations of the reviews, starting with enabling more regional decisionmaking and rolling out a bespoke data management system.”

DHB concedes maternity issues SOUTHLAND DISTRICT Health Board (SDHB) claims it is stepping up its investment in primary maternity services in rural areas. SDHB’s Lisa Gestro – executive director strategy, primary and community – told Rural News its maternity services in the entire region have already been systematically reviewed. This comes in response to a Rural Women NZ (RWNZ) call for a wide ranging review. “It has been independently reviewed and found that when fully implemented it will increase services across the district,” she says. “We’re one year into a two year implementation timeframe.

“We recognise that some aspects of this have not gone as smoothly as we’d like and are having the implementation to date independently reviewed.” RWNZ and others -- including signatories of two petitions -- are strongly objecting to the downgrading in April of Lumsden Birth Centre to a maternal and child hub and several subsequent emergency births at the centre, one in the carpark. RWNZ has called for urgent reinstatement of the Lumsden birthing centre and has criticised the extent of two current reviews by Southland DHB. But Gestro says a systematic review of primary maternity services

across the DHB’s entire, largely rural, district was precisely the exercise done from 2016 to 2018. “There had long been calls to address the provision of maternity services across the district,” she said. “In particular, we faced challenges with the sustainability of the lead maternity carer (LMC) midwifery workforce.” Gestro says while LMC midwives are paid directly by the Ministry of Health, SDHB recognises the particular challenges of practising in rural areas require extra support. She says the ‘integrated primary maternity system of care’ aimed to take a holistic view to direct resources

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differently and increase the reach of services across the whole district. “This meant creating maternal and child hubs in Wanaka, Te Anau and Lumsden to support midwives in those communities and improving integration with primary care services.” Additional ‘sustainability’ payments are made to remote rural midwives, with 16 LMCs in the district taking the extra payment. But Gestro says they need to think more broadly about how best to use their resources to care for rural women and their families. – Pam Tipa • Mothers and babies at risk – Pg 5

RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

4 NEWS

Spy in the sky promises no stock upset SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS ARE being assured that any spying on grazing practices on farm this winter won’t upset stock. Waikato businessman Angus Robson, the activist spearheading a campaign against dodgy winter grazing and its

effect on animal welfare, says they will not breach Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules on flight “We will not do any activity which may upset stock. That would go completely against the intent of trying to improve animal welfare,” he says. Federated Farmers says Southland farmers

Images like this of cattle in mud has sparked the winter grazing campaign.

have reported seeing aircraft flying low over their stock recently. Farmers are bracing for an aerial

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campaign by activists this winter. CAA says the minimum flying height anywhere is 152m (500ft) except for low flight training areas, aerial spreading and emergencies. But Robson says his group has no intention of flying low over stock. “If farmers see an aircraft flying below the CAA legal minimum of 500 feet it will not be us, and they should report [it] to CAA,” he told

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Rural News. “This height limit was set by CAA as sufficient to avoid upsetting stock and avoid ground obstacles.” DairyNZ warned farmers at the recent South Island Dairy Event conference in Invercargill that they should brace for an aerial campaign perhaps using drones. Robson isn’t ruling out using drones but says they “don’t think there is a need for drone footage

and are not soliciting it”. “But if a member of the public gives us [drone footage] we may use it. We would not use any footage which indicated stock distressed by how the images were taken, for example scared by a drone.” Robson has also allayed Federated Farmers’ concerns that footage could be “doctored”. “We will certainly not ‘doctor’ any footage. There is no need to risk

our credibility. The pictures will speak for themselves as is and we will only use this year’s footage. “I have agreed with Federated Farmers that we will also run footage of best-practice winter cropping, because it’s important to understand that the campaign is about getting the laggards into line, not harming people over minimal environmental and animal welfare effects.”

THREE FLIGHTS PLANNED ENVIRONMENT SOUTHLAND has confirmed that monitoring flights were planned for this month – three flights followed with farm visits. Environment Southland says it hopes to see a good uptake of good management practices in intensive winter grazing by farmers this year. Rules require farmers to keep stock away from waterways during winter, and a range of good manage-

ment practices are available for grazing paddocks to mitigate harm to water quality. Environment Southland compliance manager Simon Mapp said flights would be monitored during the next few weeks. “We are hoping to cover as much of Southland as we can in three flights, and staff will follow up with ground inspections if any issues are seen from the air,” he says.

Vets are also calling for better winter grazing practices. The New Zealand Veterinary Association says there is no place in modern farming for winter grazing that compromises animal health and welfare. “The time has come to transition away from winter grazing practices that result in poor animal welfare for livestock,” says NZVA chief veterinary officer Dr Helen Beattie.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

NEWS 5

Rural women and babies at risk PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

“WOMEN’S AND babies’ lives are at risk and we want action,” says Penny Mudford, Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) national chair. She was referring to the situation at Lumsden where the birthing unit was downgraded in April to a maternal and child hub. Only four births have since occurred at the hub which is now set up only for emergency births and claimed to have no oxygen or painrelieving gas available at times. One baby was born in an ambulance because the midwife was not confident the Lumsden hub would have oxygen available. RWNZ describes as “disappointing” the news from the South-

ern District Health Board (SDHB) that there will be two independent reviews into its primary maternity system of care. “Although it is fine to have a review, something needs to be done now,” Mudford says. “The problems are highlighted for Lumsden at the moment. But it is really concerning this might set a precedent for other rural areas,” she told Rural News. “It knocks the confidence of women in rural areas who are having babies. “We expect in New Zealand that women should not feel uncertain and insecure about having a baby. “So the example of what has happened at Lumsden knocks some of the public confidence in the health service.” Mudford says RWNZ

is concerned that SDHB is standing firm on Lumsden and it is obvious from what has been happening that its decisions are based on flawed analysis. “The SDHB is not providing what we would say are proper services for rural women and babies that have maternity requirements in the Lumsden area. They seem to be sticking to their guns in not reversing their decision,” she says. “And yet we are still getting evidence and [hearing of] events in which women don’t have adequate birthing facilities available to them in that region.” A couple of petitions are circulating on Lumsden and “Rural Women is supporting both and particularly the second, which says ‘Save Lums-

Rural Women NZ chair Penny Mudford is worried about the safety of rural mothers and babies.

den Maternity – Reverse the Closure’ (www. change.org) which would require SDHB to reverse its decision. “That would be the sensible and pragmatic decision to make in the short term.”

Mudford says it is clear that the Government policy of ‘rural proofing’ has not been used by the SDHB in developing this strategy. “The Government is committed to rural proofing to ensure the con-

sideration of policies made and the impact on rural communities. This is an example of rural proofing obviously not having been done [and] inadequate analysis of the impact of the decision to take away more health services from rural areas.” Mudford says RWNZ is not against SDHB’s review but wants action sooner. “Whilst an unrestricted, all-encompassing and impartial examination of the situation -especially in the wake of events in Lumsden -might go some way to reassuring Southlanders that the safety of rural families, mothers and babies is of paramount importance, more focus needs to be on action,” she says. “The proposed reviews are hampered by specific

criteria and neither will provide a much needed overview of the strategy and present situation in Southland. “Rural communities need access to essential health services, including proper maternity services for rural women and babies. “RWNZ is as eager as southern New Zealanders to hear the outcome of a petition currently before Parliament’s health select committee seeking retention of the Lumsden birthing unit.” Parliament is in recess until July 23. “RWNZ is deeply concerned that the lives of rural women and their families are at risk while the current impasse over maternity services in Southland continues. “SHDB needs to be held to account before a tragedy occurs.”

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

6 PRIMARY INDUSTRIES CONFERENCE

Policy uncertainty concerns farmers GOVERNMENT POLICY settings are presently farmers’ biggest worry, says Federated Farmers president Katie Milne. She told Rural News at the Feds recent conference in Wellington that farmers are concerned at the possible effects on their farms of the Zero Carbon Bill and water policies. They are worried about not knowing what they have to do and about how policies will impact on them, Milne said. “We also don’t think the regulatory impacts and cost benefit analyses have been properly done on a lot of these things, in particular the flow on effects they will have.” Milne sees the farming

Fed Farmers president Katie Milne.

sector as flat at present despite commodity prices being pretty good. A key objective of the Feds conference was to try to help the public and decisionmakers to better understand farming. Feds joined forces this year with a commer-

cial conference organiser which staged the event at Te Papa Museum, Wellington. Their aim was to do something different and bring primary industries into Wellington to give attendees closer connections and enable

collaboration and connections between politicians, academics, officials and agribusiness people. “It’s gone really well. Very good feedback from everybody shows this format has worked,” Milne said. – Peter Burke

VET GETS TOP GONG PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

OAMARU VET Dr Merlyn Hay, who in 2017 outed Mycoplasma bovis on an Oamaru dairy farm, won the premier award at the Feds conference. She was one of several people recognised for outstanding contributions to the primary sector. “I was just doing my job,” she told Rural News in response. “It’s very humbling and I’m not sure it’s entirely deserved.” Hay says when she saw the unusual and distressing symptoms in the farm’s cows and calves she talked to colleagues, trying to brainstorm ideas and see the signs that would lead to an unusual diagnosis.

Merlyn Hay

“I was encouraged by Associate Professor Richard Laven at Massey University that we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of an exotic disease,” she said. Hay’s nominator for the award said they’d always found rural vets willing to go the extra mile, but says her

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES CONFERENCE 7

PM puts faith in free trade deals PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ECONOMICALLY, NEW Zealand is entering a dramatic era of unprecedented change, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told the conference. It seems all the long term challenges to the primary sector are on the table at the same time, she said. “I want you to know, feel and experience that we too are focused on these issues and equally on supporting you as we navigate these issues,” she told the conference. “This transition is not easy, but it will be less jarring if we start early.” The PM said the pursuit of quality free trade agreements (FTAs) is a top priority for her Government. They want quality, modern, enduring and progressive FTAs that adhere to the rules based systems of the WTO and open doors for NZ food and fibre products to shine as the best in premium markets.

“We should settle for no less,” Ardern said. Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor urged the primary sector to engage and connect with and better understand Maori. Maori agribusiness will be a big part of NZ’s future, he said. NZ must better connect with Maori and their aspirations, so appreciating and adopting their values of kaitiakitanga (guardianship and wise utilisation, not preservation) and manaakitanga (sharing goods we have with others), O’Connor said. “These things will drive us into the future. More consumers are looking for sustainability in our products and more people want to know we care about our environment and are engaged in climate change initiatives.” He says NZ must be the Swiss watch producer of protein products – “the very, very best”. These must be worthy of the highest possible prices, bought by people less concerned about price than about value.

Prime Minister Jacinda Adern addressing the conference.

GET ON FARM THE ONLY way to get the consumer to understand how food is produced is to bring marketing and brand people to farms and show them what happens on the land. That was the advice of Hans Johr, corporate head of agriculture at the international food giant Nestle. He told the Feds conference that most consumers live in urban centres far from where their food is produced. So the people responsible for marketing food must understand about agriculture so they can frame the correct messages to consumers. Johr says the gap between rural and urban is great and this leads to various ‘activists’ advising consumers what they should be eating, causing the true message about agriculture to be lost. Many young consumers, especially in China, use technology in the supermarket to find out about the provenance of food, he said. “They have a machine and take it into the supermarket and make a picture of the product and it tells them a story about the farmers and the products and also the emotional benefits. It’s about what the brand offers you,” he explained. Johr said NZ must tell its story and what differentiates it from the rest of the world.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

8 NEWS

Getting to the gut(s) of methane problem NIGEL MALTHUS

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH led by New Zealand scientists has led to an important discovery in the quest to lower global agricultural methane emissions. Methane from animals such as cattle, sheep and deer comes from the rumen in a process involving two groups of microbes. One group makes hydrogen during digestion, then a second group makes methanogens, which take up the

hydrogen and make the methane. The research, recently published in International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal, has for the first time identified the main rumen microbes, enzymes and metabolic pathways. The research leader, AgResearch principal scientist Dr Graeme Attwood, says the research opens a new approach to reducing livestock methane emissions. “This is vital for NZ to meets its greenhouse gas

emission targets under the Paris Agreement and to ensure the farming of ruminants is sustainable into the future.” The researchers work at AgResearch and the universities of Otago, Monash (Australia), Illinois (US) and Hokkaido (Japan). The work is now turning to screening specific compounds that can reduce the supply of hydrogen to the methane producers without harming animal performance. Research will also seek

Dr Sergio Morales, senior lecturer, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago. SUPPLIED

ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY TO METHANOGENS

AgResearch principal scientist Dr Graeme Attwood. SUPPLIED

ways to divert hydrogen away from methanogens towards other rumen microbes that do not make methane. Attwood calls methanogens the “trash collectors” of the rumen because a build-up of hydrogen will have negative effects. “They’re sitting there taking the end products of the other organisms’ metabolism and getting rid of it, but they just happen to make methane which is a strong greenhouse gas,” he told Rural News.

“I’ve also described them as tax collectors because there’s a price to pay for them disposing of that hydrogen – you lose the energy value of the hydrogen.” Attwood says researchers are now screening the hydrogen producing organisms against a library of inhibitor chemicals to see which work best. And they will use them as antigens in vaccines to try to get the animal to make antibodies which control the hydrogen production.

UNIVERSITY OF Otago microbiologist Professor Greg Cook says the discovery is important because methane from animals are about a third of NZ’s emissions. “Much of our work to date has focused on the development of small molecule inhibitors and vaccines to specifically target the production of methane by methanogens,” he says. “This new work provides an alternative strategy where we can now begin to target the supply of hydrogen to methanogens as a new way of reducing animal methane emissions.” Cook and team member Dr Sergio Morales have been working since 2012 with the Ministry for Primary Industries in support of the Global Research Alliance to control greenhouse gas emissions. Morales says previous research has showed microbes are vital in controlling methane levels and the researchers now understand why. Studies of two types of sheep – higher and lower methane emitters – found differences in their respective microbes. Bacteria which consumed hydrogen but did not make methane dominated in the low-emitting animals. Morales said the findings will underpin strategies to reduce methane emissions by controlling hydrogen supply. One strategy may be to feed supplements that encourage non-methane producers to outcompete methanogens. “Controlling the supply of hydrogen to the methanogens will lead to reduced methane emissions and allow us to divert the hydrogen towards other microbes that we know do not make methane,” he said.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

NEWS 9

Urgent Overseer review needed – Upton NIGEL MALTHUS

THE PARLIAMENTARY Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, has repeated his call for a full independent review of Overseer before any widespread adoption of it as a regulatory tool. Upton reported last December on Overseer’s suitability for use in a regulatory context. In the opening keynote address to the recent Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) conference at Lincoln, Upton said his report made 10 recommendations. The most important was that the relevant ministers must decide whether they want Overseer used in a regulatory context and, if so, then the other recommendations would come into play. Upton says no formal policy decision was ever made about Overseer. “Rather it has sort of muddled along, been used and built on here and there”. He is still waiting for a Government response to his report. “I’ve actually had nothing in the way of feedback and for the moment I’ve got no idea of the Government’s response to my recommendations, so that’s obviously still a work in progress.” He says some indications appeared in the 2019 budget and in

ministers’ comments, and Overseer was mentioned in the $229 million Sustainable Land Use package. But he is still waiting for a formal response. Upton says Overseer’s ability to estimate diffuse loss of nutrients – including nitrogen at farm scale – has made it attractive to regulators. “It is scarcely surprising that some regional councils have turned to Overseer because it provides estimates of the very environmental pressures that regulations need to be designed for,” he told the FAR conference. But he added that Overseer operates on long-term averages, assumes average and constant management and site characteristics and relies on calibration. “With its focus on experimental measurement and calibration in pastoral systems it models pastoral land uses best,” he explained. But as for arable farming systems, there’s much more limited research and calibration. Many crops are currently unrepresented on Overseer, and practices like double sowing of crops, rotation, regular cultivation and block management changes all run counter to Overseer’s underlying “average and constant” assumptions. “Users of Overseer – whether farmers, farm consultants, researchers

WHAT’S NEEDED UPTON CALLED for a comprehensive independent evaluation of Overseer with “at least” the following elements: ●● A whole model peer review by technical experts independent of those who did the development work ●● Improved calibration and corroboration in the model ●● A formal uncertainty and sensitivity analysis over the whole model, for a better understanding of the sources of uncertainty in the model’s outputs ●● Transparency and full disclosure of the way the model works. Maximum transparency would come from open sourcing the workings, although Upton said that would raise questions about ownership. He says for arable systems, calibration for N leaching on cropping blocks is essential. “The incorporation of fluxmeter data collected by the foundation into Overseer is a good first step. However, more data will be essential if Overseer is to be considered appropriate for arable farm systems going forward.”

or regional councils – need confidence that the outputs of the model are sufficiently reliable for use in a regulatory context where powers of enforcement are being wielded and expectations

are for public improvements rather than private gain.” Upton says he would have expected more rigorous formal scrutiny of the model, but there is no New Zealand-based

guidance on the use of models in regulatory settings, and he had to turn to the US’s EPA to find a framework to evaluate it. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, speaking at the recent FAR conference at Lincoln. RURAL NEWS GROUP

RURAL MEDIA HABITS

THE FACTS! ● 88% of farmers read rural print at least weekly ● 79% of farmers say print is their preferred format ● 82% of farmers are influenced by rural print ● 77% of farmers use rural print for business and research ● 74% of farmers pay attention to the adverts in rural print ● 90% of farmers act as a result of reading rural print The Rural Media Habits Survey 2018 is independent research conducted by Perceptive Research on behalf of the majority of rural publishers. Participants were screened to exclude lifestylers and ensure a robust sample of 820 Commercial Farmers. Results show the majority of farmers read rural print, find it highly relevant to their businesses, and that it influences their purchasing decisions more than all other media.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

10 NEWS

Council rates milking farmers PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

RODNEY COUNCILLOR Greg Sayers says a dairy farmer told him the first 100 cows he milks each day go to pay his Auckland Council rates. Sayers says he is ever mindful of the high rates farmers pay versus the services they get and he tries to represent his mainly rural constituency on New Zealand’s biggest and most metropolitan council.

His story of ensuring the rural voice is heard resembles many councils NZ-wide with a mix of urban and rural. Rodney is about half the land area of Auckland city but has only about 6% of the population. It has large horticultural and farming areas such as South Head, Helensville, Kaipara, Warkworth and Wellsford. Sayers is acutely aware that the unsealed road networks must be kept fit for purpose.

“The only council services really offered locally for them are their roads. And typically in Auckland they are unsealed.” With increasing volumes of heavier traffic the unsealed roads need more maintenance and higher quality workmanship. “Rural ratepayers are looking for value for money from the [rating] investment,” he told

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Rural News. “Because of the way the rating system works those [rural] landowners pay big money – tens of thousands of dollars and more. And they don’t have access to many council services like water, footpaths, sewerage or fresh water. They are all self-contained. “The only council services really offered locally for them are their roads. And typically in Auckland they are unsealed.” Especially the Warkworth, Kumeu and Dairy Flat regions are growing fast but still have

Greg Sayers

unsealed roads within one kilometre of their towns. “And they don’t see they are getting a fair share of their rates back into their area. They are subsidising projects happening in the Auckland CBD so there is a lot of frustration about that.” Constantly on Say-

er’s mind is that the rural communities want to see councils deliver core services ahead of “niceto-have social and beautification projects”. “They feel they haven’t got those core services, particularly sealed roads and maintenance of roads and footpaths – the basic things the rest of Auck-

land has. They don’t understand why they are not getting that as part of the package of the ‘super city’,” he adds. “Rate increases need to be kept as low as possible. Farmers pay large rates and have little access to council services so again it is always a pragmatic question – ‘what value for money am I getting for those cheques I have to write every day?’. “One farmer told me the first 100 cows he milks each day is going to pay Auckland Council.” He knows farmers would greatly welcome a new rating model not based solely on the full capital value of property. The challenge is “just finding the right model that is going to fit Auckland”.

FARMERS URGED TO STAND THE QUALITY of local government in rural communities can mean the difference between dodgy roads and safer ones and many thousands of dollars in rates, Federated Farmers president Katie Milne says. Rural voters are being urged to hold their local council candidates to account on costs and services. And if they think the voice of farmers is not being heard they should consider standing for election themselves. That’s the underlying message to rural people in the Federated Farmers 2019 local body elections guide ‘Platform: Feds on Local Government’, released at the Feds annual conference in Wellington. “Rates are among the largest overheads for many farms. Because

of the outdated and unfair reliance on property value-based rates it’s not unusual for a farmer’s annual rates bill to top $20,000 or even $50,000. They can end up footing the bill for a large whack of urban services they seldom, if ever, benefit from,” Milne said. The Feds’ ‘Platform’ booklet is filled with questions and topics to level at candidates standing for election in October. And there’s food for thought for sitting and would-be councillors working on their plans and pledges to voters for the three years ahead. “On service delivery and charging, the farming emphasis can be summed up as ‘fit for purpose at a fair price’,” Milne says. The quality of environmental

regulation can make or break a farm business. So on that front, farmers look for a practical and common sense approach by councils -- one that balances environmental gains with economic impacts and preserving the ability to farm. “With many councils’ annual rates increases running to double or even triple the inflation rate, and debt levels also mounting up, farmers and many other constituents are looking for councillors who know the difference between ‘nice to haves’ and ‘need to haves’. “And if farmers don’t get satisfactory answers from current and prospective councillors, we challenge them to consider standing themselves,” Milne says.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

NEWS 11

Massey offers new animal science degree PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ANIMAL WELFARE and health studies will stand out in a new undergraduate degree course launching next year at Massey University. The course will make graduating students ‘employment ready’, says Professor Paul Kenyon. He believes ‘animal welfare type’ officers will eventually need to visit farms for export accreditation and this course will equip them. The course towards the degree Bachelor of Animal Science (BAnSci) will have four majors: animal welfare, animal nutrition and growth, breeding and genetics, and equine. It will interest students wanting to work in the production animal, companion animal or equine sectors. Students will study

a mix of basic science, animal science and agriculture, with an underpinning of animal welfare and basic principles of animal health, Kenyon says. “It’s for people who may want to work in agriculture and other animal industries but with more focus on the animal aspects,” he told Rural News. “Electives [possible via] other courses might include traditional agriculture, science or business studies.” Kenyon says the university sees rising demand for such a course from students and industry. “So we want such people to understand animal based agriculture and have a good underpinning knowledge of animal health, animal welfare and biosecurity.” Kenyon says the new BAnSci course will not replace any course but

DAIRY PRICE RECOVERY PICKED THE COUNTRY’S second-largest dairy processor is predicting a recovery in dairy prices this season. Open Country Dairy chief executive Steve Koekemoer says market prices for dairy have softened over the past few months. In OCD’s monthly newsletter to suppliers, Koekemoer says current pricing “is less than ideal for us all”. But he points out that global supply remains constrained with key exporting countries facing challenges with weather and rising costs. He says demand seems stable for the medium term and this combined with lower global supply should lead to some recovery of prices during the season. The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) price index nudged down 0.4% in the last auction for the fourth consecutive time. The fall was in lower prices for fats products including butter, anhydrous milk fat and cheddar. But while the overall price index was down, prices for whole milk powder remained unchanged, breaking the run seen in the past six auctions. Based on the recent GDT results, Westpac has lowered its milk price for 2019-20 season by 30c to $6.90/kgMS. Fonterra is forecasting a price of $6.25 to $7.25/kgMS. Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchod says looking ahead, growth in overseas dairy supply is likely to be limited over the remainder of this year. “That’s in part related to dry conditions in Australia and the lingering impacts of last summer’s drought in Europe,” he told Rural News. – Sudesh Kissun

will offer more specialised options in animal welfare. And graduate students will be ‘employment ready’. “The industry has also been asking for this.” Would-be students

from Asia and North America have already inquired about the course – no surprise given the university’s international reputation for agriculture studies, says Kenyon. “Our animal science

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

12 NEWS

Tough times on the Coast NIGEL MALTHUS

DAIRY FARMING on the West Coast is now so tough for one third generation dairy farmer that he has listed his farm for sale. This is despite the ‘yes’ vote for Yili to buy the Westland Milk Products co-op. Ged Lange and his wife Fleur have farmed at Kokatahi, inland from Hokitika since 2001 but both now work off farm to help make ends meet. Lange told Rural News he voted for the Yili sale proposal at the July 4 shareholders’ meeting out of frustration with where things were heading. Westland had had chances to improve but it had not. “It’s just been sliding away,” he said. Fleur told television news on July 4 how hard it now is to put food on the table. She works at Farmlands. Ged has been driving milk tankers for Westland since April last season, having decided to work off farm for the good of his mental health. “It got to the point where things just got too much. I just needed to get off farm, plan ahead and look at other

opportunities.” His driver’s wages pay for a manager on the 270ha effective farm milking 430 cows with full replacements on farm. It also grows maize. The farm is now for sale and will remain so even if the Yili sale passes the necessary regulatory approvals, Lange told Rural News. He still loves farming but feels he was just “doing it for the bank”. Lange says he personally knew no one who had voted against the sale proposal. “As a driver, I’ve talked to a lot of farmers over the last six months and I haven’t really struck anyone who’s opposed to the sale. “Early on there were a lot of unknowns, but as things tracked along Westland got very unattractive and the Yili deal seemed to be the best option, really.” Buller farmer Bede O’Connor – a former Westland director and brother of Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor – said it was a disappointing day. “Co-ops are about being intergenerational.” As a director for four years,

Around 90% of Westland Milk shareholders supported the decision to sell to Yili.

voter turnout showed how financially pressured farmers were, with their properties losing value and their equity dwindling. However, O’Connor concedes there is a positive in Yili’s promise of 10 years of milk payouts matching Fonterra’s. An overwhelming majority of Westland shareholders voted for the deal. Of 2669 votes cast, either by postal ballot or on the day, 2494 were in favour of the sale (93.79% of the votes cast and 89.87% of the total votes able to be cast).

O’Connor agrees he should have done better. He says directors should feel responsible. “If anyone sitting on that board thinks they couldn’t have done better, well they’re not being truthful to themselves,” he told Rural News. “At the end of the day we’ve delivered, as directors of a co-op, a failed result because we haven’t allowed the co-op to continue through the generations.” O’Connor says farmers had to vote for the sale because they had “a whole lot of guns at their heads”. The large

Only 165 votes were against and there were 10 abstentions. The sale remains conditional, needing regulatory consent from the Overseas Investment Office and High Court approval. A final court hearing is scheduled for July 18. Shares in Westland will be acquired at $3.41 per share by Hongkong Jingang Trade Holding Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group. Yili is China’s largest dairy producer with an estimated 22% market share. It has been in New Zealand since 2013, when it acquired the South Canterbury dairy company Oceania. Yili will set up a supplier committee of five suppliers and five representatives of the new owner, to maintain communications and transparency between suppliers and the company. “At our Oceania processing plant at Glenavy we have increased the average price and advance percentages to local dairy farmers because we believe supporting our farmers and their families is the best way to achieve our business goals,” the company says.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

14 NEWS

NZ should embrace gene editing PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A PLEA for New Zealand to embrace gene editing is being sounded by Sir Lockwood Smith, a former NZ High Commissioner to London, Speaker of Parliament, trade minister and Massey University scientist. He told the recent Federated Farmers annual conference that NZ, by holding out on gene editing, is missing an opportunity to deal with climate change and carbon emissions, and to improve pasture species. Smith says gene editing is a safe process that simply involves slightly altering the best genes in a particular species of animal or plant. Embracing gene editing is critically important to enable NZ to prog-

ress in key primary sector areas, Smith told the conference. Opposition to gene editing “is based on ignorance, and I don’t mean that in an unkind way, I just mean there’s a lack of understanding. “People are more fearful of wider genetic modification. This involves taking genes from one species and using them in another one… notably the toad/ gene thing, which is the other end of gene technology and a track we don’t need to go down right now.” Start gene editing now, Smith urged the conference. This is needed now because new pasture species are being researched and gene editing would make them much more efficient. But it would need doing in the US as it’s

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banned in NZ. “Our primary industries are suffering financially as a result of this.”

Scientists in NZ must speak up, says Smith. And news media should not just cover people

with colourful, flamboyant views, but also talk to respected scientists. Asked about Smith’s

views on gene editing, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor urged caution. He says big mar-

keters of NZ meat and dairy told him recently in London that they don’t want products in any way genetically modified. These companies say NZ has a market advantage in not having GMOs in food. But O’Connor doesn’t rule it out completely for the future, he said. “Clearly gene editing is incredibly valuable… but we must ask, who are the consumers of our products and what are they looking for? Being non-GMO gives NZ an advantage now but will it in future and what are the trade offs?” O’Connor says he’s not dismissing the technology but it needs a lot more work and discussion for a final decision. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Less food hype, more science INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE who urge others to eat only vegetables must be aware of the huge health risk such a diet poses. Former scientist and trade minister Sir Lockwood Smith told the recent Federated Farmers conference that the alternative foods promoted by, for example, the movie maker James Cameron, pose genuine risks. Cameron may be a great

movie maker he needs to take care when promoting the vegan diet, Smith said. “I personally respect his views. His choice to be vegan is his personal right. But to encourage others to go on full vegetable diets is to risk huge health costs. “Already we are seeing in NZ that where more people are vegetarian there is a higher cost of treating anaemia. Young people

need red meat to get the iron they need. Raising children on vegan diets imposes serious risks on them. They must get the essential amino acids and vitamins they need. “So people with particular views must be careful how they push them and must get more understanding of the science.” Smith says people can’t get essential amino acids from plant

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

16 NEWS

Farmers approve M.bovis beef levy BEEF PRODUCERS have agreed to pay an extra levy to fund the sector’s costs of the Mycoplasma bovis response. The extra will be $1.80 head, on top of the $5.80 they already pay to Beef + Lamb NZ (BLNZ) in commodity levies. They agreed this with BLNZ in talks in May and June. BLNZ says 59% of the 1601 farmers who gave feedback supported its proposals, which include an initial levy rate of $1.80/head for beef cattle. Farmers also approved different rates for different stock classes, so that dairy cattle could be exempt from the ‘beef cattle’ levy. “The ability to levy different rates for different classes of cattle reflects our commodity levy,” a BLNZ spokesman told Rural News. “In the specific case of the M. bovis it will allow us to set the levy rate for dairy cattle at $0.00/head.” The dairy cattle

LEVY MIGHT STAY THE NEW biosecurity levy may not be dropped once BLNZ’s share of M.bovis response costs are paid. This would be contrary to farmers’ expectations. “We expect at this stage [that the new biosecurity levy would be dropped]. But the levy is broader than just M. bovis and so may be used to fund contributions to future readiness activities or responses,” BLNZ told Rural News. Subject to the agriculture minister approving the new levy, – and the legal work needed from then, BLNZ expects the new levy to be in place in late 2019.

exemption is needed because dairy farmers’ payments towards the response will be captured in a separate levy to Dairy NZ. “The model used to develop the cost shares [for the M. bovis response] loaded all the potential costs to the dairy sector onto milk,” BLNZ explained. The total cost of the M. bovis response is expected to be $870 million over 10 years. The Government will cover 68%, the industry 32%. Of that 32%, 94% ($272m) will come from dairy and

6% ($17.4m) from beef. “Farmers have told us they recognise the importance of the M. bovis response and the need for the beef cattle industry to play its part,” BLNZ chairman Andrew Morrison says. “BLNZ needs to have a seat at the table to ensure beef farmers’ views are heard. We are working MPI and DairyNZ to... have the best possible chance to eradicate the disease.” Morrison also reminded farmers of their ongoing biosecurity obligations. Their laxness on

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NAIT scheme is blamed for some problems in tackling the M. bovis outbreak. “We need the help of all farmers and industry to be successful.” BLNZ is expecting to raise almost $3 million a year from the new levy.

“We would expect this initially as we paid for the intensive first phase of M. bovis eradication,” BLNZ told Rural News. “Based on what we know now, this would then drop to about half that after four years and

further as the [response cost fell]. BLNZ forsees the new levy quickly repaying its M.bovis response costs. “[As agreed between] DairyNZ, B+LNZ and MPI we have five years to repay costs from the

time they were incurred. It will take us three-four years to catch up with costs incurred to date. Beyond that we expect to repay costs in the same year as they are incurred for the duration of the response.”

YOUNG FARMER WINNERS DON’T FARM AN AUCKLAND business graduate and Fonterra employee has won the 51st FMG Young Farmer of the Year award. James Robertson (22) was awarded the title in early July in front of 700 people in Hawke’s Bay. The Fonterra trade strategist was the youngest of seven contenders in the grand final and the youngest winner ever. He won in three days of gruelling practical and technical

challenges to test contenders’ knowledge, skills and stamina. They had to drive a large grape harvester, make sausages, assess health and safety risks using a virtual reality simulator, install an irrigation system for fruit trees, market a line of sheep and sit an agribusiness exam. Robertson’s prize package was worth $75,000 including a trip to Ireland. He also won the FMG People’s Choice Award and $1000 for

his Auckland Young Farmers club. Central Hawke’s Bay technical field rep Joseph Watts (28) won second place, the innovation prize and the award for showcasing food production, and was chosen as the most tech-savvy contestant. Waikato vet Emma Dangen (24) came third, winning the award for championing environmental best practice. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

18 AGRIBUSINESS

Shearing and wool courses NEW ‘MICRO-CREDENTIALS’ in wool harvesting will help meet a critical need to train shearers and wool handlers, claims Primary ITO chief executive Linda Sissons. Last week, Sissons launched three micro-credential courses at the Primary Industries Summit in Wellington – Intro-

duction to the Woolshed, Learner Wool Handler and Learner Shearer. She says the courses are ‘bite-size’ pieces of learning, aiming to recognise or teach specific skills for the workplace, on the job and in a short time. “What makes the issue so pressing, and why the

wool industry is one of the first to have microcredentials, is that right now there are no recognised industry qualifications available in New Zealand for shearers and wool handlers,” Sissons says. “This is incredibly important for the wool industry, and it’s an

handlers. Sissons reckons microcredentials are a gamechanger for the primary industries. These are short, sharp pieces of learning, officially recognised and overseen by NZ’s education system. “We know our industries are all crying out for people -- preferably

example of one of the future directions of training for all primary industries.” She says with job openings forecast to grow substantially in wool harvesting in the coming years, training will be critical as NZ faces competition from overseas for our shearers and wool

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around a lot. Workers can learn wherever they are and fit it in whenever best suits the job.” Sisson says that despite there having been no recognised entry level wool harvesting qualifications, people have been learning on the job from experienced colleagues. But she believes the micro-credentials will help provide workers with a base level of skills and a qualification to show employers. Primary ITO is this year developing a range of wool harvesting programmes, in addition to the micro-credentials, which are expected to be launched in 2020. https://www.primaryito. ac.nz/courses-for-you/meatand-fibre/wool-harvesting/

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already skilled, but if not they’re prepared to invest to develop the skills they need on the job,” she says. “The real shift we’re working on is the focus on skills rather than big up-front qualifications. A micro-credential puts the emphasis on `just in time’ learning, rather than a lengthy `just in case’ qualification.” The wool courses total about four weeks of learning, practising and assessment. “They mean businesses can bring on new workers and ensure they develop essential skills for the woolshed before further training,” Sissons says. “It also recognises that shearing gangs move

9/07/19 12:11 PM

THE PERSISTENCE of the pig disease African swine flu in Asia is leading to a boost in beef and lamb prices for New Zealand farmers. That’s a key message in the July ‘Farmshed Report’ from ASB. “Sometimes one person’s loss is another person’s gain,” it says. “And this is the case with the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China and neighbouring countries.” ASF has ripped through the Chinese pork industry, with reports of up to 250 million pigs being slaughtered. As a result, Chinese consumers have had to fill the gap by switching to other proteins, including beef and lamb. “In other words, Chinese pork producers’ loss is a gain for beef and lamb producers like NZ,” the report says. “The gain for beef and sheep farmers is coming in the form of rising farmgate prices.” ASB says beef prices have picked up and P2 steer prices look poised this spring to test the $6.00/kg mark. Meanwhile, it adds that lamb prices have now caught up with last year’s record pace and look set to rise above $8.00/kg again this spring. “Both beef and lamb prices may even test record highs over the spring months,” the report says. Meanwhile, ASB describes the 2018-19 dairy production season as a case of a season of two halves, i.e. a strong spring followed by a hot and dry summer. “Looking ahead, we expect a similar level of production over 2019-20,” it reports. “On the milk price side, we have pencilled in a bullish milk price forecast of $7.00/kg.” In financial markets, ASB believes “the steady downward march of farmers’ borrowing rates over recent years may be coming to an end”.

RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

AGRIBUSINESS 19

Hemp sector gears up for growth NIGEL MALTHUS

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THE NEW Zealand hemp industry appears to be coming of age. Industry players are installing NZ’s first commercial stalk-to-fibre processing plant and developing efficient harvesting machinery. In a partnership set up late last year, Hemp NZ, NZ Yarn and Carrfields are developing a “dual cropping” harvester for handling the stalks rather than just seed and grain. And a NZ Yarn carpet wool factory in Christchurch is being transformed into a hemp fibre processing facility with a European sourced “decortication” machine which processes stalks, separating different grades of fibre suitable for different end uses. The harvesting machine is a mix of a combine and a forage harvester, with two harvesting heads at the front, says Craig Carr, the managing director of Carrfields and chairman of NZ Yarn’s parent company Carrfields Primary Wool. The first, higher, machine cuts and gathers the seed and the second cuts the stalks close to ground level in the same run, leaving them on the ground for baling. The machine, still being developed, has been tested on hemp farms in Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Wairarapa. Carr says dual cropping is a “huge breakthrough” for NZ’s fledgling commercial hemp industry. “Until now, the only part of the hemp crop to be harvested has been the seed,” he told Rural News. “However, multiple parts of the hemp plant can be used, and the stalk is of particular interest as a source of fibre.” Carr says dual cropping allows farmers to maximise the return from their crops, using more of the plant and minimising crop wastage. “We’re still fine tuning our dual cropping equipment and processes,

A double cutter hemp harvester being developed to handle the harvesting of seed and stalk. SUPPLIED

IT AIN’T WEED COMMERCIALLY GROWN hemp differs from its illegal cousin cannabis (marijuana) in not containing THC, says Hemp NZ chief executive Dave Jordan. “Hemp has been stigmatised and under-appreciated for decades,” he claims. “But we’re working to change people’s perceptions of this valuable commercial crop which can provide a good return for farmers and processors.” Jordan reckons hemp fibre has great potential as an environmentally

but we’ve seen pleasing results from our trials this year,” he says. “Next

friendly alternative in many industries globally. Human use of hemp fibre dates back thousands of years and is now in resurgence as many countries understand the environmental damage caused by synthetic fibres, he says. “The resurgence in popularity of hemp is based on its excellent environmental characteristics. It is pest resistant, easy to grow organically and produces a good yield of fibre per hectare compared with many other crops.”

summer and autumn we’ll be geared up for commercial hemp harvesting

and production to begin on a significant scale.” Meanwhile, following Hemp NZ buying a 15% interest in NZ Yarn in late 2018, the company is now installing a hemp fibre processing plant at the NZ Yarn factory in Burnside, Christchurch. Hemp NZ says it will turn the plant into a fully fledged, modern fibre factory with equipment purpose built and engineered for hemp, rather than using modified flax mills as seen in other countries. Dave Jordan, chief executive of Hemp NZ, says the new facility – the first of its kind in NZ and possibly Australasia – will efficiently produce a high quality fibre. This will lead to market leading innovations in hemp fibre processing.

“There are many potential consumer and industrial uses for hemp fibre. We’re excited about working with NZ Yarn to explore and develop some of the possibilities,” he says. Processing is expected to begin in October or November using hemp stalks from the 2019 harvest. By the 2020 harvest, 1500 to 2000ha of hemp crop is expected to be harvested and processed at the plant from North and South Island growers. Carr believes the Hemp NZ, Carrfields and NZ Yarn partnership is placing NZ at the front of hemp innovation globally. “Commercial hemp production is being developed in Europe, but we’ve now caught up with them in technology, infrastructure and innovation.”

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New season to start on a high Dairy FINAL 2018/19 New Zealand milk collection numbers have been counted. Milk flows for the 12-month period to May reached 21.8m tonnes, a lift of 2.2% on the prior season. This is the second-largest volume of

milk produced by New Zealand dairy farmers and only just marginally behind the 2014/15 season’s record tide of milk. In the month of June, all Oceania dairy commodity prices fell, with the biggest price declines led by dairy fats. The

weakness in the dairy commodity market was unsurprising. Large importers have accumulated short-term inventory cover following an aggressive period of buying activity. At the same time, the Northern Hemisphere milk production season, while underwhelming, has now passed its peak – providing buyers with options. While the global fundamentals are supportive of elevated commodity prices, Rabobank is suggesting the peak in the cycle has now passed.

Beef RABOBANK EXPECTS farmgate prices to continue moving higher through July, as strong demand from China drives up export returns. There was a solid lift in farmgate prices over

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year ago. The average value of NZ beef exports this season is at the highest level it has been since 2014-15, primarily resulting from a steep increase in the value of NZ beef exports to China. NZ is well-positioned to capitalise on the significant jump in Chinese demand for beef imports (along with other protein imports) in order to bridge the domestic protein gap created by Afri-

can Swine Fever. Overall, Chinese imports of beef from all countries is up 51% YOY. NZ’s national cattle kill is sitting almost on par with where it was at this stage last year (+0.7%). Rabobank expects NZ cattle supplies for the remainder of the season (ending Sept) to follow a similar pattern to that experienced last season

Sheepmeat RABOBANK EXPECTS farmgate prices to continue to move higher during July as tightening domestic supplies increase procurement pressure. With demand, and inmarket pricing, for NZ sheepmeat strong across a range of key markets, processors will be looking to secure supplies

in order to fulfil orders, and to capitalise on these favourable market conditions. Farmgate prices strengthened consistently throughout June, as is normal for this stage in the season when the availability of lambs for slaughter tightens. South Island farmgate prices experienced the largest lift, helping to close the price gap between the two islands. As of the end of June, the slaughter price in the North Island averaged NZ$ 7.80/kg cwt (3% higher MOM), while South Island lamb averaged NZ$ 7.60/kg cwt (6% higher MOM). The value of NZ lamb exports to China for the season-to-date (Oct-May) has already surpassed the total value of NZ’s lamb exports to China for the entire 2017/18 season,

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MARKETS & TRENDS 21

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with four months of the season remaining. NZ has exported NZ$ 736.9m of lamb to China this season, a 40% increase on the same period last season. The reduced availability of protein within China as a result of African Swine Fever is a significant driver behind this jump in export value. Rabobank expects these conditions to continue to underpin strong demand and pricing from the Chinese market for at least

the remainder of 2019.

Horticulture NEW ZEALAND’S horticulturalists look wellpositioned to enjoy further upside for consumption of their produce as the world continues to demand higher volumes of quality fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. Rising demand for nutritious foods that are less-processed and meet consumer demands in both developed and

developing economies, each with different drivers, is set to continue. New Zealand’s horticultural sector has been riding this growing wave of demand for much of this decade. Rabobank expects that horticultural export receipts may well surpass the record set for the 12 months to June 2018, in the year to June 2019. Against a backdrop of slowing economic growth across key export markets, this will have required some heavy lifting across all sectors without reliance on exports of products such as kiwifruit and apples, which traditionally drop off in export value in June, compared to May annually. However, should the trend in export revenue growth continue to track as it has YTD – and in a similar profile to June 2018 – a new record is possible.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

22 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Get with the programme NEARLY TWO years have passed since Mycoplasma bovis was first discovered on a dairy farm in South Canterbury. This devastating disease has since severely impacted many farmers, their families and livelihoods. Meanwhile, at the same time, both the dairy and beef sectors – working with the Government – agreed on eradication of the disease as the best way ahead for New Zealand. NZ is the only country ever to try eradication and unfortunately many mistakes have been made. This has left many affected farmers frustrated, disillusioned and in some cases devastated. MPI director-general Ray Smith has apologised to all farmers and he claims his organisation is working tirelessly to make the necessary improvements. But his apology will ring hollow unless his colleagues make these changes -fast! Two reviews recently published throw light on the M. bovis eradication programme and the search-and-destroy ‘surge in activity’ that happened leading up to this year’s Moving Day. These expert reviews looked into the causes and impacts of the disease and recommended how the MPI programme could be improved. One review was by MPI’s chief science advisor Dr John Roche, and the other – an independent review – was by a South Australia animal disease management expert, Dr Roger Paskin. Roche’s review discovered a backlog due to poor management of the flow of information between functions, and in the disease management team’s structure and resourcing. Paskin identified issues related to the eradication programme’s structure, staffing, training, management and supporting tools. None of this will surprise the farmers dealing with MPI’s M. bovis team. The real surprise for most will be the time it has taken to identify these issues and start fixing things. The reports made 43 recommendations to improve the systems and processes in the M. bovis programme. These include greater regional decision-making, the importance of farmer involvement, and improving structures, systems and resourcing. It is way past time for everybody involved and responsible for running and managing the M.bovis eradication programme to actually ‘get with the programme’. They must now move promptly, efficiently and comprehensively to enable all the affected farmers to get on with their lives.

RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

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

“Hang on Edna – I don’t think we’ll need any help from the Weekend Whizzkids who won this year’s young farmer awards!”

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

THE HOUND Open and transparent? THE HOUND reckons claims by the Government that it would be the most “open and transparent” ever elected when it took office are a recurring joke. A recent example of its clear lack of openness was Damien O’Connor’s secret DIRA review committee (revealed by this fine organ), with anti-Fonterra campaigners Tony Baldwin and Peter Fraser as key members. Your old mate has heard that revelations of O’Connor’s clandestine DIRA committee have sent Fonterra management and shareholders apoplectic. Especially finding out that Fraser, a long time critic of the dairy co-op and a paid adviser to one of its competing dairy companies, so deeply involved in O’Connor’s review process.

No so good

Showing the way

Yuck

MEANWHILE, YOUR canine crusader has been told that claims by the controversial ‘agricultural economist’ Peter Fraser that Fonterra will ‘end up in foreign hands’ are not helping O’Connor and his team calm the waters in the dairy sector claim Fraser had a conflict of interest and should not have been part of Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor’s secret committee advising him on changes to the dairy industry. Fraser has claimed in media interviews – with no evidence – that Fonterra could go the way of Westland and end up owned by foreigners. However, some are asking why media and the Government are seeking Fraser’s opinion as an economist and advisor given that he can often be found in the early hours running his private business – waterblasting streets around Wellington!

A MATE of the Hound reckons some major agricultural companies wanting to promote their ideas and services could learn from the young ladies from St Pauls Collegiate. The team of these inventive young women won the top prize at the recent National Fieldays Innovations Awards for a device they developed for cleaning troughs – the Bobbletrough. Your canine crusader’s intrepid reporter mate was weighed down and could not carry any more Fieldays brochures, so at 4pm he asked the St Pauls team to email him data and information. By 7.20pm that evening the requested information arrived. He tells the Hound he’s still waiting – nearly a month after the event – for some very big companies to send him info. He says these companies need to emulate the St Pauls girls and get back to marketing basics.

THIS OLD mutt notes that millionaire Hollywood producer and advocate for mung bean farming James Cameron is happy to fly around the world clocking up carbon emissions and telling NZ farmers to cull their cows. But his dream of a plant based farming utopia in Wairarapa may be hitting speed bumps. Recently, questions have been asked about the ingredients used by both of America’s most popular plant based meat companies. In late June, a consumer interest group voiced concerns about one of the ingredients in Beyond Meat’s production process. And earlier in June, the World Health Organisation said that eating heme – a main ingredient in the Impossible Foods burger – is linked with the formation of carcinogens in the gut.

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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 // JULY 16, 2019

OPINION 23

Beware of research taken out of context ALARM BELLS have been sounded about wells on the Canterbury Plains: the water might be undrinkable in 100 years because of nitrate. The problem has been explained as one of colorectal cancer, based on a study in Denmark. Colorectal cancer is known to be linked to obesity, processed meat, red meat and alcohol. Contrary to newspaper reports, the Danish study was not able to take lifestyle factors, including diet, into account. This was pointed out in a subsequent review by American scientists which advised more research before links could be made. Reassuringly, other research has shown no link between dietary intake of nitrate and colorectal cancer. There might even be a protective effect because of associated antioxidants (hence beetroot and kale are considered ‘superfoods’). The issue of increasing nitrate in well water remains, and is being taken seriously by farmers, scientists and industry. Their efforts might be having an effect. The Environment Canterbury Survey in spring 2018 reported a reduction from 10% in 2017 to 7% in the number of wells with higher than recommended nitrate. Of course winter rainfall and summer drought affect nitrate release and movement in the soil, but each year more is being done on farm to reduce nitrate loss, backed by science. Last year, Ecotain, the plantain selection shown to reduce nitrogen loss in various ways, won the National Fieldays Innovation Award. Ecotain was developed by Agricom and has been tested independently by Lincoln and Massey Universities and DairyNZ. It is now in pastures NZ-wide and evaluation in on farm trials is continuing. This year, Cleartech, a system for reducing the nutrient concentration in dairy shed effluent, was highly commended in the Innovation Awards. Cleartech is a development between Lincoln University soil scientists

Reassuringly, other research has shown no link between dietary intake of nitrate and colorectal cancer. There might even be a protective effect because of associated antioxidants (hence beetroot and kale are considered ‘super-foods’). COMMENT

Jacqueline Rowarth and Ravensdown. As more research is completed and technologies developed, farmers are adopting new practices and the results are becoming apparent. The LAWA reports on water quality indicate that an increasing number of rivers are improving in all parameters, including nitrate. Our Fresh Water, published in 2017 by The Ministry for the Environment stated that “more than 99% of total river length was estimated not to have nitrate-nitrogen concentrations high enough to affect the growth of multiple sensitive freshwater species for the period 2009–13”. And LAWA has reported improvements since then. Concentrating on the rivers with a problem would seem to make sense. The same applies to the issue of cancer. The Ministry of Health reported this year that in 2017 there were 3081 cases of colorectal cancer registered, 3294 of breast cancer and 3834 of prostate cancer. There were also 2226 registered cases of lung cancer and 2552 of melanoma. Incidences of other types of cancers numbered below 1000 each. The World Cancer Research Fund is active in trying to assist people to understand how to avoid cancer: don’t smoke, avoid cigarette smoke, be as lean as possible within the healthy weight range, be physically active, avoid foods and drinks that promote weight gain, eat plants, limit intake of red meat, avoid processed meat and limit alcohol consumption. Sadly, doing everything recommended is no guarantee that cancer will stay away. Genetics are involved and ‘adult attained height’ is

a marker for cancer still being investigated. More research is

always required. Problems are revealed, scientists investigate using

ever more advanced techniques, and ideas with potential are tested

then developed. Innovative farmers, many of whom are involved in the research process, adopt the new technologies, showing the way for the future. People from other countries come to New Zealand to see how we operate. They admire the farming as well as the

environment, and enjoy the food we produce. It would be a pity if a misreported study from overseas spoiled New Zealand’s reputation, or created health worries which are unfounded. • Dr Jacqueline Rowarth CNZM CRSNZ HFNZIAHS is a soil scientist.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

24 OPINION

Better pasture management will be a key to climate change mitigation SARAH GARD

IT CAN only get harder to farm during the next 10 to 20 years. Climate change will directly impact all New Zealand farmers – rising temperatures, more frequent weather extremes and/or increasing regulation. A recent survey for the Ministry for Primary Industries shows 92% of farmers are addressing environmental sustainability, up from 79% in 2009. But only 23% are intent on reducing greenhouse gases, down from 30%. Nearly half of NZ’s greenhouse emissions are from agriculture. So part of every farmer’s social licence and responsibil-

ity as caretakers of the land is to do their bit to address environmental issues. Many farmers quickly turn to livestock solutions that immediately affect farm emissions, such as reducing stocking rates. But innovative pasture and plant breeding technology also has an important role to play. When used alongside livestock techniques, pasture management can help farmers take a farreaching approach to climate change mitigation. NZ Geographic recently quoted a Hawke’s Bay farmer saying: “People think we farm animals but we don’t, we farm soil.” I agree. Knowing what pastures to plant and

where, buying new seed varieties and improving soil fertility can help develop a sustainable farming system for the long term. Many pasture based mitigation techniques can be adopted now. For example, the use of alternative forages proven to reduce nitrogen and methane is a cost effective way to improve production. High sugar grasses are particularly important in this. Grass that improves the performance of livestock while reducing their carbon footprint offers NZ farmers a win-win. And it requires no notable change of system. Also, farmers can make daily simple management decisions that

reduce on farm emissions, e.g. managing dry matter intake and feed type, paddock selection and grazing time, and using catch crops after winter crops. New agricultural technologies are rapidly being developed, e.g. smart crop forecasting by artificial intelligence, rural robotics, methane inhibitors and electromagnetic soil mapping. Science is the key to ensuring NZ’s primary sector stays viable in a low-carbon world. As technology develops, more strategies and techniques will be available to farmers. But the science must be practical and applicable. There is no use in researching things that farmers can’t easily

take up and get behind. And while a ‘quick fix’ may be tempting, the bigger picture demands more forward thinking and proactivity. Although a focus on the land might not give an instant result, do it alongside your livestock and see a longer term sustainable solution. Farmers today need a ‘social licence’ to farm, despite not always enjoying a direct cost benefit from it. But they have little choice if they want to be farming in 20 or 100 years. • Sarah Gard is general manager for seed company Germinal New Zealand. She also manages a North Canterbury dairy farm with her husband. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Sarah Gard believes pasture that improves the performance of livestock while reducing their carbon footprint offers NZ farmers a win-win.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

MANAGEMENT 25

Innovation key to sustainable farming Cust farmer Roscoe Taggart checks his newly planted wheat crop with his dogs Pip, Sass and Rose.

“It’s important to focus on your core goals, rather than spreading yourself too thin.” Taggart is a keen advocate for precision agriculture and says this type of technology has lifted the bar in efficiency and environmental benefits. “Back in the day you had a basic tractor and had to rely on operator skill. Our new tractor has GPS and autosteer which takes luck out of the equation,” he explains. “We’ve also signed up for a new fertiliser spreader which has cameras to view the fertiliser being spread and

adjusts automatically for wind. “It’s important to be as precise as possible and we want to be at the front of the pack in technology. It’s better for the environment and saves us money when we use less fertiliser.” Environment Canterbury’s North Canterbury zone manager Andrew Arps says farmers like Taggart are leading the way with technology which helps to reduce environmental impacts. “Technology helps to improve the environment while also reducing costs. We’re seeing investment in technology

right across North Canterbury and this will go a long way towards reducing the level of nitrates in our waterways.” Proposed reductions for nitrate levels are concerning for Taggart because, while he believes everyone needs to take action, he is concerned about economic impacts. “We’re a larger operation so we can afford to invest in technology, but some farmers may not be able to, so I think we need a balanced approach. We all know that we need to make reductions, but how we go about it is the key.”

Collaboration is important to Taggart and he enjoys bringing people to discuss issues and opportunities. He is the arable chair of the North Canterbury branch of Federated Farmers and a member of the Next Generation Farmer group (NGF). “We only have a few arable farmers in North Canterbury and working together is the key to a sustainable future,” he says. “NGF doesn’t just represent the next generation of farmers, but all farmers. The aim is to be a port of call for the zone committee and Environment Canterbury. We want to be part of the process.” Taggart is already thinking of new ways to diversify and add value to his farming operation. “We could plant around the irrigation ponds and add some baches with views to the Cust River. I think more tourists are looking for that kind of local experience where you get to interact closely with nature.” While diversification is important, the ultimate long-term goal for Taggart is to leave the land in excellent condition for future generations. “We want to leave the land in better condition than we found it.” 13150

THIRD GENERATION North Canterbury farmer Roscoe Taggart believes that continuous innovation is vital for sustainable arable farming. Taggart’s 732ha farm at Cust has grown over the decades as his grandfather and father expanded the original block. The family’s biggest decision was whether to convert to dairy or stick with cropping when the Waimakariri Irrigation (WIL) scheme was introduced in the late 1990s. “Almost everyone around here converted to dairy. But we decided to continue as an arable farm with some sheep and beef finishing and to intensify our operation which made sense as we had more water available,” he explains. “Our plan changed from constant expansion to intensification which has opened up different doors.” Over the last few years, Taggart (28) has refined the farming operation to a niche range of crops and contracts. “In the beginning, we said ‘yes’ to every contract and grew a wide range of crops. We still have wheat and barley as our core crops along with perennial ryegrass seed and a couple of clover paddocks,” he says.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

26 MANAGEMENT

Improved triplet survival pays dividends The Dawkins family are Beef + Lamb New Zealand innovation farmers striving to maximise triplet lamb survival by indoor lambing. Three years on, their system is seen benefitting the whole farm system and cutting lamb losses. A RECIPE for maximising triplet lamb survival is the holy grail of sheep farming but the Dawkins family at Blenheim are getting closer to finding it. Chris and Julia Dawkins and their son Richard, farm The Pyra-

mid, a 645ha down and hill country sheep and beef farm. They are in the third year of a Beef + Lamb New Zealand Innovation Farm programme aimed at maximising triplet lamb performance through an indoor lambing system.

They have drawn on the findings of previous projects to develop a system that will maximise survivability and profitability in their highperforming composite ewe flock which last year scanned 192% (mixed-age and two-tooths).

Of their 1400 ewes, 232 (16.6%) were carrying triplets (a mix of maternal and terminal lambs) which highlights the opportunity triplet lambs present. In the first year of the Innovation Farm programme, the family set

up a carefully managed system of feeding supplement to the tripletbearing ewes for three weeks before taking them indoors to lamb. The ewes and lambs were then gradually taken back out – via bonding pens and a holding area – onto

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The Dawkins family are striving to maximise triplet lamb survival.

high quality forages. The system was deemed a success, but they were able to identify areas that needed refinement to raise profit. One of the problem points was when the ewes and lambs returned to the paddock. Chris Dawkins says they found they had to watch the lambs closely for at least seven days after leaving the shed. Even after one week of close scrutiny, they will still go around these lambs once a day, as 41% of the orphan lambs were picked up after leaving the indoor system. He says 60 years of data shows that the average lamb wastage on their farm has been 24%. Over the years, they have been unable to identify a single cause of lamb losses. At a value of $148/ lamb, this represents a hefty annual loss, let alone the implications for animal welfare and consumer perception. In the first year they reduced lamb losses to 15% and in the second year it dropped to 14%. A big gain in their system has been fewer deaths of triplet-bearing ewes -- from 10% of triplet-scanned ewes to just 3%. The triplet-bear-

ing ewes are seen as the most valuable and potentially most profitable, says Richard Dawkins. The family focus on lambing is year-round. They use ram harnesses at mating with a crayon change every six days and believe this is critical to the success of their system as it enables them to strategically manage ewes according to their lambing date. In 2017, the family set up a system that they considered ‘by the book’ good-practice. This included feeding the triplet-bearing ewes supplement three weeks out from lambing, changing the straw in the lambing shed daily, using disinfectant and iodine and continuing to feed supplement one week after lambing. This was to allow a smooth transition back onto pasture. Last year they refined the system and only fed the ewes supplement five days out from lambing and fed peas and lucerne hay instead of more expensive nuts. They put fresh straw on top of the old straw and stopped using disinfectant and iodine. They didn’t feed supplements to the ewes after lambing.

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

ANIMAL HEALTH 27

Tag and register before calf sales OSPRI IS reminding farmers and lifestylers that they must register their newborn calves in the NAIT online system. “Tagging your calves is only half the job. “You also need to activate the tag in the NAIT system to register the animal – within 180 days of birth or before their first off farm movement whichever comes first,” says Kevin Forward, head of NAIT. Farmers who register calves via information provisers LIC, CRV or Farm IQ must ensure the registration has also synced through to their NAIT account before the animals go off farm. OSPRI is also advising farmers to check with their information provider on what to do to meet NAIT obligations. “When tagged calves are not registered in NAIT, they become auto registered by the NAIT system when the first movement is recorded,” Forward says. “This results in a loss of lifetime traceability and impacts on our ability to respond to a biosecurity threat.” He says a loss of life-

Left to right: RCNZ’s Roger Parton, Fed Farmers’ Gavin Forrest and MPI’s Joe Stockman at the RCNZ Nelson conference.

QUESTIONS OVER M.BOVIS COMMUNICATION

Kevin Forward says newborn calves need to be registered in the NAIT online system.

time traceability may also impact on the value of the animal. “Farmers know more about biosecurity risks to their farms as a result of M. bovis, and more farmers are demanding to know the lifetime history of livestock before making purchasing decisions.” The management and movement of calves is especially important with about 1. 5 million calves reared annually in NZ. “A farmer selling calves must record a sending movement in the NAIT online system,”

Forward says. “Likewise, if you’re buying calves remember to record and confirm the movement within 48 hours. “For traceability, we need to know where your calves are going and it’s in every farmer’s interest to enquire about the calves they are trading and to ensure they exchange an animal status declaration (ASD) form at the point of sale. “This type of information is invaluable for building lifetime animal traceability -- the cornerstone of NAIT.”

Saleyards can record movements on behalf of farmers if the calves are tagged and registered before they get to the sale. Lifestyle farmers who rear calves are not exempt and must tag and register their calves even if only one animal is on their property. “It’s important lifestylers have tagged and registered their calves in NAIT. If you’re bringing them onto your property, check they’re tagged and registered in NAIT and the movement is recorded.

RURAL CONTRACTORS have challenged MPI and Federated Farmers over the management of Mycoplasma bovis. At the Rural Contractors NZ conference, held in Nelson last month, reelected RCNZ president David Kean led the questioning on disease. He says a second round of M. bovis was being suggested on some Southland farms and contractors were no better off than the first time in knowing whether a farm was infected or not. Kean added that using TracMap, contractors like him could visit three farms a day without direct contact with a farmer, raising the risk of spreading the infection. Taranaki’s Chris Satherley claimed that MPI had put contractors in a terrible position and if eradication was sought, the names of affected properties had to be communicated. Federated Farmers general manager for policy and advocacy, Gavin Forrest, told the conference that all farms with infected herds were required to have signs on their gate and it was traumatic enough for farming families without the risk of victimisation. RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton

explained that contractors had to travel from farm to farm, so knowing which farms were suspected of having M. bovis would allow them to take appropriate measures and not expand the risk. Forrest said if contractors were washing down equipment between farms the chances of spread were virtually nil. MPI’s Joe Stockman told the conference the primary sources for transfer were cow-to-cow contact and contaminated milk. He also claimed some farmers had not given a “sh!t” about keeping NAIT records, which had not helped. Stockman added that 176 properties were under investigation for M. bovis, making it the most challenging biosecurity issue farmers had ever faced. But he pointed out there were 22,000 farms nationally and fewer infected dairy herds were emerging and the disease was not moving into beef herds. The conference was told farm biosecurity issues were not limited to M. bovis. Helen Slattery, who sits on a national committee dealing with velvetleaf, said some farmers had been driven near to suicide over the invasive pest.

RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

28 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

New 900 Series tractors coming MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

GERMAN MANUFACTURER Fendt has released details of its new sixth generation 900 series tractors, which will be a big focus at Agritechnica later in the year. There are five models -- 930,933, 936, 939 and 942, delivering 296, 326, 355, 385 and 415hp, respectively, from a purpose designed straight 6-cylinder, 9.0L MAN engine as distinct from the Deutz unit in the previous series. The group’s own AGCO Power engine was bypassed as it was physically too large for the 900 series. Fendt uses here a strategy of low engine speed, a concept seen in the larger 1000 series. Tickover is 650rpm, 40km/h comes up at 950rpm, 50 at 1200rpm and 60km/h is achieved at 1450rpm. Maximum engine speed is 1700rpm and maximum torque is avail-

able between 1150 and 1400rpm. The transmission is a TA 300 Vario, and the manufacturer notes that torque is distributed dynamically between the front and rear axles, depending on ground conditions. The front axle is driven separately, so that during turns the tractor is ‘pulled’ around the turn, resulting in a tighter turning radius while maintaining full traction. Notably, the tractors will be available with a 60-inch track width to fit row crop work in North America. Operating weights are 11.3 to 19 tonnes and the tractors have rear linkages which can lift 9.75 tonnes, front linkages capable of 5.6t and a choice of hydraulic pump layouts to deliver a maximum flow of 427L/ min. Up front, the tractors run on a maintenance free, double wishbone, suspended front axle with 200mm of travel.

The operator gets an air suspended seat in the air suspended cabin, with a 10.4 inch full colour VarioTerminal for machine control. The tractors can be optioned with Fendt Connect – a telemetry system for machine management. And ProfiPlus models are fitted as standard with Smart Connect, allowing access via iPad and the tractor’s in-built wi-fi system to data such as position, area worked, speed, fuel use and engine loading. Options include a new locking system which uses a tractor-specific coded key for access to the cabin, ignition lock, hood and fuel locking cap. The 900 series can be specified with the company’s VarioGrip tyre pressure regulation system, said to give up to 15% better traction and ideal for a new 750/70 R44 tyre option designed for the series. @rural_news

GUNNING FOR FENDT BASEBALL CAPS, overalls and jackets are a familiar aspect of aftermarket promotion. But Fendt has taken an interesting step further. JP Sauer and Sohn, reputedly Germany’s oldest gunsmith, has made the company a rifle -- the S04 Fendt 1050 Vario – to draw attention to the brand’s flagship high horsepower tractor. But sorry, Fendt fans, you won’t be able to buy one because there’s only one. Yep, it’s a one-off which will, in time, be auctioned to benefit the German Hunting Association.

The rifle’s lines echo the lines of the tractor’s massive hood, its handmade rubber grip inlays mimic the tractor tyres and the bolt mechanism

is styled after the tractor’s perforated exhaust pipe shield. Tiny indentations adorn the weapon and its finish is black DLC (diamond like carbon).

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RURAL NEWS // JULY 16, 2019

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 29

Yellow loaders hit gold MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

LOADING SHOVELS from JCB have a reputation for getting the job done, so they’re a familiar sight on silage stacks and a key tool in many agricultural contactors’ armoury. That’s no surprise, given JCB’s 50 years of manufacturing history. In the late 1960s, JCB bought Chaseside Engineering, Lancashire, and its range of seven machines, and by 1969 the first JCB loading shovels were being made at Rocester in Staffordshire. In that first year, the division built 298 machines which were sold in the domestic market. Fast forward 50 years and now many thousands of machines are made at plants in India, Brazil,

China and, of course, at a dedicated UK factory at Cheadle which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary. The first JCB designed wheel loaders arrived in 1971. The 413 and 418 models had a cabin mounted on the forward half of the articulated chassis to give the operator the best visibility.

By 1973, the 423 and 428 signalled JCB’s move into the larger, heavy duty sector for loading shovels. And in the early 1980s, the company launched the 410, 420 and 430 models notable for four ram, parallel lift loader linkages. The first farm machine, the 410 Farm Master, arrived in 1983.

In 1987, JCB moved into the compact loader sector with the 406 machines, the first with the cabin located on the rear section of the chassis. This was joined by the 408 and 408 Farm Master in 1989 and 1990 respectively. A major re-design of the heavy loader range in 1984 ushered in the 411, 412S and 416 units which prefigured the range seen on farms today. This contains machines for all applications -- from the compact 403 (only 26kW) through the mid-range 411 Agri. The larger heavy duty machines include the 417 Agri, through to the flagship 457 Agri with impressive statistics such as a 20.5 tonne operating weight, a 193kw MTU engine, 5-speed ZF transmission and 323L/in oil flow.

TYRE TECHNOLOGY WITH A SWEDISH TWIST A GLOBAL player’s takeover of a well known Kiwi tyre and wheel supplier will spin off the latest technologies in farm and off-highway tyres onto NZ paddocks. TRS Tyre and Wheel, Whanganui, was last year bought by the Swedish giant Trelleborg Tyre and Wheel Systems, and TRS managing director Andrew Gillam says it’s making for an exciting time. “It offers us potential to grow our business by using our experience, but also leveraging the data, technical support and technology of a parent company that leads in tyre and polymer technology,” he told Rural News. Founded in the early 1970s, TRS Tyre and Wheel is well known in the Kiwi ag market, supplying tyres for all types of tractors and farm machinery. It also sells off-the-shelf and custommade wheel equipment such as dual or row crop wheels. Trelleborg Wheel Systems, founded in Sweden in 1905, is present in 50 countries, employs 24,000 people and has group turnover of US$5 billion, with US$1.5b coming from the tyre and

wheel division. It makes half its sales in Western Europe and 20% in North America and sees growth potential in Asia-Pacific. It has been in Australia since 2015 so the NZ acquisition seemed a logical move. Its products include the premium Trelleborg brand, the mid range Mitas covering 95% of all tractor tyre sizes in use in NZ, and a high quality but lower price tyre range called Cultor. This uses older technology in the 70 and 85 series formats that may suit older tractors. The NZ operation will now also get access to Trelleborg’s Centre of Excellence for wheel building. Its plant in Latvia makes wheel rims from 3 to 54 inch diameters, in many cases custom made for international OEM customers. Gillam says the change of ownership will not affect the local company’s distribution. “We have the same staff, jobs and experienced and focussed distributors NZ-wide”. “We have the largest and most diverse group of distributor-retailers in NZ. We’ll put more product management staff in the field to find solutions for their customers.”

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30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS / RURAL TRADER New sprayer for Amazone MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AMAZONE HAS added the ISOBUS compatible UF1602 model to its UF02 range of mounted sprayers. It is rated 1600L nominal volume but in fact holds 1700L. It is

equipped with Super-S2 booms from 15 to 30m. It incorporates SmartCentre, a unit positioned on the left side of the machine behind a large, hinged door which keeps out dirt and water. In the same location, a 60L induction bowl uses a conical shape, high suc-

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tion, high capacity rinse ring to ensure quick, trouble free induction of liquid and granular formulations. An optional ComfortPack allows the liquid circuit to be remotely operated from the tractor. This includes an automatic fill stop for both suction hose and bowser fill port, and an automated cleaning function. During spraying, the agitation function automatically regulates itself according to tank level. Meanwhile, the auto-dynamic agitation control ensures that if a high application rate is required from the boom the agitation capacity is temporarily reduced. In contrast, the agitation function automatically runs at full capacity when nozzles are shut off on the headlands. The sprayer’s specially designed and shaped polyurethane tank has smooth walls to allow effective cleaning inside and out.

JD updates air seeder MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

JOHN DEERE has introduced a redesigned version of the N500C series air drill. The new machine draws on the best features of JD’s 1900 CCS air seeder marketed for ten years. It has the latest in seeding technology, including new openers to help small-grains producers raise productivity and accuracy. According to Ryan Hough, marketing manager for John Deere Seeding, the N500C is improved in having easier meter access, higher accuracy and greater capacity with less compaction. The N500C has undergone changes to the main frame and commodity tank. The blower is mounted in the forward position, with a raised platform which gives operators easier access to the meter and for clearing blockages or cleaning out seed. Unlike chain driven air seeders, the N500C has electric drive volumetric meters which better control seed population, and four-section variable rate seeding capability.

JD says several new technologies are added to the updated seeder, including ActiveCal tank scales for on-the-go seeding calibration from the cab for row-to-row seed-flow monitoring, down force control from the cab and the SeederPlus app for convenient calibration of meters and weight monitoring for tank scales. The N500C air drills also have the maker’s new no-till Pro Series openers aimed at improving seed placement accuracy on a wide variety of soils and ground conditions. These low maintenance openers use a narrow seed boot and a narrow, flexible press wheel that gives 40%

more consistent seed depth across the width of the seeder. This is said to result in more even seed emergence, uniform crop maturity and higher yield potential. The new seeders are available in 30, 36, 40 and 42 foot widths with 3523L or 4228L central hoppers. The machines have front and rear banks (with 7.5 and 15 inch or 10 and 20 inch row spacing) that can be hydraulically raised and locked. A single bank with 15 inch row spacing is also available. JD says the new N500C air drills are available to order now. Production will begin in September 2019.

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