MACHINERY
ANIMAL HEALTH
NEWS
Clean swathing with ease.
Keeping flystrike at bay.
Back to the backbench.
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TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS JANUARY 16, 2024: ISSUE 792
www.ruralnews.co.nz
More trade deals please! SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
MAJOR EXPORTERS are telling the new Government that they don’t subscribe to the notion of “peak Free Trade Agreement (FTA)”. In a briefing to new Trade Minister Todd McClay, the NZ International Business Forum believes the country
can still secure “comprehensive agreements” that would boost exports. NZIBF members include Fonterra, Dairy Companies of NZ, Zespri, Meat Industry Association, NZ Apples and Pears and NZ Winegrowers. The NZIBF board is chaired by NZ Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan. In the briefing, NZIBF acknowledges
the good work done over the years to secure new markets for exporters. However, it says it does not subscribe to the notion of peak FTA, where some trade analysts believe there aren’t any likely or worthwhile deals on offer. “The long period in which New Zealand has been able to negotiate transformative FTAs is, however,
drawing to a close, and securing further trade liberalisation from similar arrangements with significant partners is likely to prove more difficult,” NZIBF says. “Even so, NZIBF has not given up on the cause of trade liberalisation or securing future, high quality and comprehensive agreements, which can take considerable time to develop, and
HARVEST UNDERWAY! On a day of hot blustery northerlies, farmer Philip Gray (in the combine) with the help of his farmhand Allister Keen, harvests the last couple of strips of an 8ha field of autumn-sown barley on his Eskdale Farm at Eiffelton, on the Mid-Canterbury coast just south of Ashburton. Gray has been on the property since his high school days, when his father bought it, in 1962. The 150ha property is primarily used for cropping with about 60ha total in barley, but Gray also fattens lambs through winter. He said it had been a “pretty good” summer so far, without too much need for irrigation. The barley yield “wasn’t too bad – about 10 tonnes a hectare”.
which continue to create significant opportunities for exporters.” NZIBF says it was disappointed that its June 2021 research into possible new FTA partners was not taken more seriously by the previous government. “We welcome the incoming Government’s ambition in this area,” it says. NZIBF also points out that New Zealand is signatory to several plurilateral agreements for which there is continuing interest in accession, expansion and future upgrades. “Accessions hold out opportunities for further liberalisation (for example the prospect of Sri Lanka seeking to join RCEP, or Korea to join CPTPP). “It is important that future accessions do not further diminish the quality of existing market access outcomes.” Meanwhile NZIBF says for New Zealand exporters, the trading environment remains turbulent. They continue to face increasing geo-political risk and a range of barriers and distortions in international markets, particularly remaining high tariffs in some sectors, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) and trade-distorting subsidies. It says new areas of concern in the digital economy (e-commerce, paperless or data driven trade and cross border data flows) and in the nexus between trade and sustainability are becoming apparent and will require more attention by the incoming Government. NZIBF says its members are involved in trade and climate-related initiatives such as green shipping and carbon accounting.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 3 ISSUE 792
www.ruralnews.co.nz
Sustainability success can’t hide woes SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
NEWS ��������������������������������������1-13 HOUND, EDNA ����������������������� 14 CONTACTS ������������������������������ 14 OPINION �����������������������������14-16 MANAGEMENT ���������������� 17-18 ANIMAL HEALTH ������������������� 19 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ���������������������� 20-22 RURAL TRADER �������������������� 23
HEAD OFFICE Lower Ground 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: Inkwise NZ Ltd CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz
MILK PROCESSOR Synlait claims that despite a poor financial result, it delivered several sustainability successes in the last financial year. The listed company, last week, released its sustainability report for 2023. Highlights include getting recertified as a B corporation, the gold standard accreditation globally for sustainability. Another key recertification success in 2023 was achieving the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) re-registration, which secures Synlait’s China market infant formula access through until September 2027. On relationships with its farmer suppliers, Synlait says it established its Farmer Leadership Team, which provides the company with a direct conduit to its farmer base. In 2023, the dairy company also became one of the founding shareholders in AgriZeroNZ, a
technology and research partnership between Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and some of New Zealand’s largest agribusinesses. Its aim is to give farmers the tools to reduce their own on-farm emissions, such as methane vaccines, alternative feed, and ruminant biotech, to help New Zealand meet agricultural emissions reduction targets. Writing in the company’s sustainability report, chief executive Grant Watson says it has been an
TOUGH TIMES AHEAD FINANCIAL ADVISORY firm Forsyth Barr is now forecasting a full-year net loss of $3.5 million for Synlait. This is down from the company’s previous forecast of $11.8 million profit for the troubled dairy processor. Meanwhile, Synlait and a2MC remain in arbitration over the exclusivity of their infant formula manufacturing and supply deal.
Synlait claims that despite a poor financial result, it delivered several sustainability successes in the last financial year.
extremely challenging year for the company. “We delivered a poor financial result due to challenging global market conditions, including material reductions in customer demand, CO2 shortages, extreme weather events, the Covid-19 pandemic, inflationary impacts on our cost base, and costs associated with the launch and stabilisation of our enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. “Despite these challenges, our team delivered several sustainability successes that I am proud to celebrate in this report.”
Watson claims maintaining its B Corp status demonstrates to customers that the dairy processor is committed to considering the impact of decisions on workers, customers, farmers, suppliers, community and the environment. “It is increasingly requested by Synlait’s global customers and is a competitive differentiator in sales negotiations,” Watson says. He adds that the SAMR re-registration, is critical to its largest customer, the a2 Milk Company, and provides a strong foundation to their partnership.
FRESH NEW ROLE FOR FONTERRA CHAIR FONTERRA CHAIR Peter McBride has been named the new chair of Australia’s largest fresh fruit, vegetable and cut flowers trader. McBride says taking the chairmanship of Sydney Markets Ltd is an honour. “I’ve spent a significant amount of my governance career in agribusiness, particularly large exporters and cooperatives,” he says. “I look forward to working alongside shareholders and my fellow directors to bring the transformative change that is required to ensure the continuation of Sydney
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Markets’ legacy.” McBride succeeds John Pearson, who retired in 2023 after serving as chair of SML for almost 19 years. SML says McBride joins the company with “extensive leadership experience”. As well as chair of Fonterra, he is also a director of Sequal Lumber Ltd, a member of the New Zealand China Council and the Zespri Global Supply Advisory Board. His previous governance roles include being a director and then
chairman of Zespri international – the world’s largest marketer of kiwifruit and a director of the New Zealand International Business Forum. SML says McBride’s proven track record of delivering shareholder value and international agribusiness experience make him an ideal leader for its next phase of growth. SML is a “one-stop-shop” with produce, packaging, exporters, providores, food processors, warehouses, unloading services, cafés and agricultural supplies all on site.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
4 NEWS
Live ship exports back on the table this year? DAVID ANDERSON davida@ruralnews.co.nz
FARMER LOBBY Federated Farmers is hopeful that live animal exports look set to return with the election of the new coalition government. However, both Feds and the group that represents live exporters, Live Export NZ (LENZ), say this will only happen with new ‘gold standard’ requirements to protect animal welfare and safety. Governing coalition partners – National, ACT and NZ First – all committed during election campaigning to reversing the ban on live exports and putting enhanced animal welfare standards in place. Feds dairy chair Richard McIntyre says the organisation had pushed for this move and is pleased the new Government will follow up on the campaign commitment. McIntyre says live exports are a significant earner for farmers when
domestic market and environmental conditions, such as droughts, are unfavourable. Live exports have earned New Zealand around $300-$400m a year (that jumped to $524m last year, with the ban on the horizon).
“In addition to fetching premium prices, if export cattle are sold as yearlings, farmers can receive an earlier than normal return on investment.” The Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) presented to the previous government, before it introduced the ban, said livestock exports make a small but important financial contribution to individual farmers by helping diversify their
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income streams. “In addition to fetching premium prices, if export cattle are sold as yearlings, farmers can receive an earlier than normal return on investment,” it added. The RIS also outline how in the 10 years to 2021, around 5000 farmers across New Zealand had supplied breeding cattle for export. McIntyre says Federated Farmers also welcomes stronger welfare standards. “New Zealand farmers already have high standards for animal welfare on-farm, and we expect the same with exported animals. This is about protecting our international reputation, but it’s also about maintaining our reputation here in our communities.” He added that it is important to understand
New Zealand live cattle exports are entirely for breeding purposes. “People sometimes confuse live cattle exports with the live export for religious slaughter trade, which New Zealand won’t be doing.” LENZ chair Mark Willis describes the Gold Standard animal welfare criteria, including post-arrival care and sustained monitoring in the animals’ country of destination, as unmatched internationally. McIntyre adds that while New Zealand put a ban in place, other live animal exporting countries have carried on, likely filling any customer demand we abandoned. Both Willis and McIntyre agree, if New Zealand was still involved, our high animal welfare standards would
GENETIC MYTH BUSTED ONE OF the “myths” Willis is keen to knock on the head is that live export sees our best genetics shipped offshore to countries we seek to sell our red meat and milk to. “It’s just not true. Farmers keep the best genetics for themselves; they’re selling their surplus stock,” he explains. “Trade in best genetics [happens in] semen. New Zealand imports semen from all over the world in order to be able to get to better genetics. So, the idea that we’re not going to be able to sell our own products because we export cattle is somewhat fanciful.”
Live exports have previously earned New Zealand around $300$400m a year.
push others to lift their game. “The global live cattle trade will continue but from countries and by exporters with lower animal standards filling the gap enforced on us.” Figures for 2019 show 39,700 live cattle were shipped from New Zealand. In comparison,
Australia exported 44 times that number at 1.77m, the EU exported more than a million cattle, Brazil 535,289, Canada 746,300, and Mexico 205,230. Willis believes an export licensing system needs to be in place when live exports begin again. “Previously there was
no ability for MPI to be able to place conditions on an exporter, to suspend or revoke the licence or whatever.” He estimates that legislation could be ready to be put in front of the Parliament by April, and the export trade re-started by around August.
CONFIDENCE IN LONG-TERM MARKET-LED STRATEGY NIGEL MALTHUS
FARMERS SHOULD have confidence in the long term value of Silver Fern Farms marketled strategy. That was the message SFF general manager sales, Peter Robinson, gave suppliers at the meat processor and exporter’s round of roadshows late last year. “We have a young, but increasingly strong and recognised brand. And there is no shortage of genuine opportunity in the premium end of the market for us.” Robinson says one positive was that US export volumes are back about 19% on a year ago. “We’re starting to pick up some good businesses in the likes of Japan, for example,
where those US volumes start to slip back,” he told a meeting of suppliers at Lake Hood, Ashburton. “And as they work their way through the US domestic inventory we expect to see [US] demand open up for imported beef again.” Robinson added that there were some “really good” case studies to show the assets that the company has built up have been successful in building loyalty and holding up the value of the brand, even as the commodity cycle starts to slip. He displayed a graph showing SFF’s premium brands held their retail value despite volatility in the commodity space. Robinson also explained how the company was investing in consumer insight surveying in all its relevant markets – and 95% of people
surveyed are still eating red meat. “We hear that anecdotally, younger consumers are turning away from red meat, but we’re not seeing that,” he says. “In fact, millennials and Gen-Z are eating meat at least once a week – more than what we see from Gen-X and Boomers. However, Robinson says those generations were much more conscious and selective than those who came before them, and “hyper aware” of choosing ethical and sustainable options. “More than half of the customers are actively trying to, at least occasionally or all the time, select more ethical and sustainable red meat options. We see this growing, which is why we’re getting down our Nature Positive track.”
RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 5
Patterson keen to make his ‘Mark’ PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
ASSISTING WITH the cyclone recovery is the first priority of the new minister for rural communities, NZ First’s Mark Patterson. He told Rural News that when he visited Tairāwhiti late last year, he was especially surprised at the damage to the roading infrastructure. Patterson says it’s still in a dire state and there’s a need to swing in behind the district and put some assistance there. “What is there now is nowhere suitable and, in fact, is dangerous,” he says. Patterson, who is also an Otago farmer, says he’s already started lobbying the relevant ministers to push this along. He believes
BACKING WOOL
“We need good policy that ensures that successful and thriving rural communities are built. But those of us in rural areas don’t feel that we get our share of the resources.” there needs to be a step change for the region rather than just cobbling together what was there before. He says roading infrastructure is really important to rural communities and, in the case of Tairāwhiti, it has been really smashed up. “They have had continuing small weather events which have taken out the good work, so they can’t just take a break.” Patterson says just repairing the roads is taking the problem
backwards, and there is the bigger picture with the main connectivity. He says Tairāwhiti is strategically important to NZ because of the different primary sector groups that operate there and give great value to the NZ economy. He says the region also relies heavily on the Cook Strait ferries, which form the blue highway between the North and South Island. Next on Patterson’s list of priorities is to visit Northland. He
The new minister for rural communities Mark Patterson.
says there is a risk that, while there is an understandable focus on Tairāwhiti, Northland will be marginalised. “Broadly speaking, rural communities
need everything that other communities need, such as good education, healthcare, infrastructure, roading and connectivity,” he explains. “We need good
policy that ensures that successful and thriving rural communities are built. But those of us in rural areas don’t feel that we get our share of the resources.”
PATTERSON HAS been asked by the Minister of Agriculture, Todd McClay, to take responsibility for improving the image and value of wool. He’s really excited about this delegation and believes there is a massive disconnect between the sustainability and properties that wool has. Patterson says there is a lot of good work going on in the background, with people working hard to lift profitability. “I am looking forward to engaging with them to see what the Government can do to turbocharge those efforts,” he says. Patterson says, under the coalition agreement, there is a commitment to get wool widely used in government buildings instead of synthetic carpets. He says while this may be seen as a small symbolic step, it is a signal to the wider public and business sector about what should be happening.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
6 NEWS
Failed milk plant makes it not so happy in the valley SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE COMPANY behind a failed milk plant project in Otorohanga faces de-registration in New Zealand next week. With the resignation of its last remaining director last month, Happy Valley Nutrition was removed from the official list on Australian Stock Exchange on December 28. The Registrar of Companies in NZ says it intends to remove the company under section 318 of the Companies Act 1993 on January 25. Happy Valley and its subsidiary Five Redland Road Ltd (FRR) were put into administration six months ago. On December 7, the failed company owed creditors around $24 million – including $12.5m to trustee MC HVN Pty Ltd and $10m to 73 convertible note holders. Happy Valley was set up in 2016 to build a greenfield milk processing site but struggled to obtain capital
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to complete the project. In 2021, Five Redlands purchased a 142ha site in Otorohanga for the proposed plant. However, ground works stalled after the company ran out of cash. Five Redland, a non-listed NZ registered company, is in liquidation. Administrators will be calling agents to sell the land and pay creditors. Administrators Andrew Grenfell and Kare Johnstone, McGrathNicol were appointed last July. On 21 September 2023, a meeting of creditors was held where it was resolved that Happy Valley execute a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) to provide sufficient time for the administrators to conduct further investigations and allow the company to explore the possibility of recapitalisation and/ or entering a sale of all or part of its business and/or assets. The DOCA, executed on 3 October 2023, included a sunset date of 30 November 2023. After the sunset date had passed without extension or any restructuring proposal being
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Happy Valley was set up in 2016 to build a greenfield milk processing site in Otorohanga but struggled to obtain capital to complete the project.
progressed, the administrators announced the resignation of the last remaining director and chair Kevin Bush. The administrators also informed ASX that the termination of the DOCA meant they were no longer deed administrators and therefore had no authority regarding Happy Valley. But they remain administrators for Five Redland. In their final report, the
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administrators noted that no repayments have been made to the secured lenders at the date of these accounts. Interest continues to accrue on the debt outstanding. “Any recovery to the secured lenders is dependent on the outcome of the subsidiary company’s asset realisation process which is not yet complete,” the report says.
Happy Valley had about $86,000 in its bank account when McGrathNicol were appointed deed administrators. After payments including $23,000 for administrators trading costs, $30,000 for legal fees and $28,000 for salaries and wages, the company had $6,873 left in its bank account last month. In an investor update earlier this month, Happy Valley hinted that it would be deregistered.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 7
Landcorp chair dies suddenly PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
TRIBUTES HAVE continued to flow in for Warren Parker, who died suddenly just after Christmas. The academic, chief executive and company director had a profound impact on the NZ primary sector. At the time of his death, Parker was the chairman of Pāmu — AKA Landcorp. He was a former chief executive of Scion (the NZ Forest Research Institute) and Landcare Research and previously chief operating officer of AgResearch. Parker held several board roles including on Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Farmlands Co-operative Society, Genomics Aotearoa and was the chair of the Forestry Ministerial
Advisory Group. He was also chair of the New Zealand Conservation Authority and recently appointed independent chair of Quayside Holdings. Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says Parker’s contribution to the primary sector is significant and his death
is extremely sad. “He has a lifetime of work across all parts of the industry. His dedication was obvious and he had earned a huge amount of respect. New Zealand agriculture has lost one of its big thinkers.” McClay says, as the local MP, he knew
EARLY LIFE PARKER WAS born in the small Northland town of Tutamoe, where his parents ran a mixed dairy, sheep and cattle farm. As a young man, he excelled academically, going on to be the head prefect and dux of Northland College. He was a keen rugby player and was in the first fifteen at college. Parker was also known as a mighty axe man. It is said that these early years laid the foundation for what would be an abundant career in agriculture. Parker obtained a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours), a Masters in Farm Management and a PhD in Animal Science from Massey University. He was only 68 years old when he passed away on December 29.
Warren Parker for a long time when he was chief executive of Scion, based in Rotorua. He had the opportunity to not only talk about Parker’s work at Scion but also the many things that needed to be done across the primary sector. “I have nothing but respect for him and am saddened by his death,” McClay told Rural News. “His leadership will be missed right across the primary sector because he was so active both in the private sector and also in the public sector.” Pāmu, Landcorp Farming Limited, chief executive Mark Leslie says a great tree has fallen and Parker was a highly respected primary sector leader. “It was an honour for me to have had Warren as a lecturer at Massey
Warren Parker made a deep impact on the NZ primary sector.
University nearly 30 years ago and then work shoulder-to-shoulder with his guidance and support when I joined Pāmu as CEO just under two years ago,” Leslie added. “Warren will be remembered for his vision, wisdom, and experience, as well as his kindness, which together have ensured a strong culture and clear
strategic path for our organisation.” A large number of primary sector leaders and friends attended Parker’s funeral in Rotorua – including the chancellor of Massey University, Michael Ahie, where Parker was Professor of Agribusiness and Resource Management. He spent 18 years in various
roles at the university, including supervising the 9000-stock unit, Riverside Farm, in the Wairarapa. Scion, where Parker was chief executive, joined many others in its praise for him. On Scion’s website it says he’ll be remembered for his vision, expertise and kind and compassionate leadership.
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Fruitfed Supplies Leadership Award Meryn Whitehead Countdown Best in Sector Award Renee Johnson
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 9
Back to the backbench PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
FORMER LABOUR agriculture and trade minister Damien O’Connor hopes the new coalition Government will continue the direction of travel initiated by his government in terms of ensuring the high reputation of our primary exports. However, O’Connor claims the messages that he’s been getting from around the world since the National-led coalition took office are not positive. He hopes that there isn’t a slide in NZ’s reputation. “I can’t make a judgement on how they will work, but we will be scrutinising their actions and I hope that collectively that they don’t succumb to the noisiest people in agriculture and drag NZ back into the past.” O’Connor told Rural News that he thinks the new coalition has got off to a pretty rocky start and that some believe tumultuous times lie ahead for the new Government for as long as it is in office. O’Connor himself concedes that it’s never easy being an agriculture
minister in a Labour government. “I was always facing the reality that most farmers didn’t like Labour being in government from day one and that certainly made it more challenging to make the progress I think was necessary for us to make as a pastoral nation.” O’Connor, who is now a list MP – having lost his West Coast Tasman seat at the election – admits it’s not much fun being in opposition. He says losing his seat was disappointing but he accepts that’s the roll of the dice, and one good thing is that it will reduce the hectic travel workload to get around the electorate, coupled with the travel associated with the trade portfolio. O’Connor says, at the moment, he is committed to work with the Labour Party to build it up again and to ensure the coalition Government is kept honest. “My colleagues and I have a job to hold the Government to account for the many promises and claims they have made. It’s disappointing seeing many positive things rolled back in the first weeks of the coalition and we have a duty to reduce the harm to NZ from the policies of the incoming Government.”
Former agriculture and trade minister Damien O’Connor says it’s never easy being an agriculture minister in a Labour government.
REFLECTING A CHALLENGING PERIOD O’CONNOR ADMITS his six years in office were incredibly challenging, with Covid, droughts, floods, storms, M. bovis and volcanic eruptions to name a few. He told Rural News that dealing with these issues had been very time consuming, which as a result, meant less time for things such as consultation and collaboration. But he says despite all the challenges thrown at the primary sector, it still managed to increase exports by 50%. “Something I am very proud of and something that
has largely gone unrecognised.” O’Connor claims that in terms of the primary sector, Labour packed a lot into its six years in office. He says four new free trade agreements were negotiated and a further three were upgraded and now the vast majority of NZ’s trade is covered by formal legal structures. He believes that almost eradicating M. bovis was a major achievement that meant the whole pastoral sector avoided significant consequences.
O’Connor concedes that, in terms of regulations, there were some “technical mistakes”, but claims these were “quickly rectified”. He says it’s always a challenge dealing with other people in partnership, in a formal commercial arrangement or in government and mistakes do happen. “What Labour can claim is that it was doing the right things for the right reasons,” he says. In his last days as a minister after the election, O’Connor represented NZ at a full meeting of the
CPTTP in the United States. This meeting was significant because it was the first meeting that the UK attended as a full member of the group. He says NZ strongly supported Britain’s membership of CPTTP and says this is significant for NZ as it means that a European country is now connected to the Asia Pacific region. Now that he’s back in opposition, O’Connor says he has plenty to do, including work on his own place and giving some help on the family farm.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 11
Comvita flies into airport JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews.co.nz
AS THE world shifts to post-pandemic norms, honey producer Comvita is taking advantage by opening a new Auckland Airport store. The new store, designed as a multi-sensory experience, is part of a partnership with Lagardere (Aelia Duty Free). Comvita chief executive David Banfield says it’s important for the company to have a retail outlet at Auckland International Airport because it allows for the company to connect with consumers. “Connection is an incredibly important part of the Comvita difference,” says Banfield. “Airports, particularly Auckland Airport, is an important connection point for us to our overseas market where we are successful as a premium brand to our home in New Zealand,” he told Rural News. He says that while the partnership with Lagardere has been in place since 2017, the new store is different from others Comvita has previously had in the airport. “In March 2021, we opened our Wellness Lab in Central Auckland. It was based on an experiential retail concept, so this is the first time we’ve been able to bring that out of the Wellness Lab and put it in a place where you’ve got millions of tourists and consumers coming through.”
The new store includes a largescale hive ceiling feature which can be seen throughout the Aela Duty Free space which was created using 10,000 beeswax dipped fabric sheets with beeswax sourced from Comvita’s hives.
Comvita’s new Auckland airport store includes a large-scale hive ceiling feature which was created using 10,000 beeswax dipped fabric sheets.
“Airports, particularly Auckland Airport, is an important connection point for us to our overseas market where we are successful as a premium brand to our home in New Zealand.” There is also a custom 1.2 fine pixel pitch LED screen that was sourced to create an animated element featuring filmed footage of bees, mānuka, and honey. Banfield told Rural News the site’s digital capability allows tourists and consumers to get a “bees’ eye view” of the terroir of New Zealand. “We also give a moment to sort of escape from the mad world by having a virtual tasting and just that knowledge that you’re doing something nice for yourself at the
same time,” he explains. He says that during the pandemic, Comvita had to shift quickly to remote work and e-commerce, but now “retail is back”. “Consumers are coming back to interact with us and connect with us… and it’s also a great lead measure to underline consumer demand,” Banfield says.
“We get to hear first-hand how consumers are using our products and the impact that we have.” As many retailers shift to e-commerce, Banfield says physical stores and locations are still important because of the ability to connect with consumers. “It ultimately moves the connection to be both head and heart,
that realization of a connection there is super important. “I would say one other thing that, you know, we see it with our teams around the world… through the pandemic period, whilst we have worked well being remote, you see a human importance of connection and these spaces allow us to connect in a beautiful way.”
‘Groundbreaking’ new M bovis test now available WHILE THE country’s battle to eradicate M. bovis is going well, the war is still not over with new cases discovered in Canterbury late last year. With is in mind, a New Zealand based biotechnology company, has launched a what it describes as a ‘groundbreaking’ M. bovis test. Pictor has launched its PictVet Mycoplasma bovis Multiplex ELISA Kit. “After several years in development and following extensive internal and external validation studies, we are able to support farmers with a best-inclass test that has been extensively validated in nearly 5000 samples –
including bulk tank milk, serum, and individual milk specimens,” Pictor managing director Jamie Platt says. He adds that the company has completed rigorous internal and external validation trials in New Zealand and Australia before launching the test. “In side-by-side studies with tests currently used in both Australia and NZ markets, our test has shown superior analytical performance, particularly in bulk tank milk which is typically used as the primary screening method,” Platt explains. Pictor’s chief science officer at Pictor claims the PictVet Mycoplasma
bovis Multiplex ELISA achieves superior performance by using three different antigens for detection, each optimized for the most commonly tested sample types. “We believe that with the use of our M. bovis test, farmers and testing agencies could potentially eliminate individual animals rather than entire herds,” he explains. “This approach not only reduces stress on farmers but also helps minimise costs associated with control programmes.” The manufacturing partner for the new test kits is South Pacific Sera based in Timaru. Pictor believes this represents a great New Zealand
Pictor claims its new M/Bovis test achieves superior performance by using three different antigens for detection.
product and partnership success story in the biotech sector. “South Pacific Sera is proud to apply its
expertise and quality production systems to this Pictor project and the fight against M. bovis,” says South
Pacific Sera co-founder and production director Wiliam Rolleston. The new kit is now available and being
launched in multiple markets – including Australia, the USA and New Zealand. www.pictordx.com
RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
12 NEWS
SOPI report warns of challenges facing country’s red meat sector PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
IT’S A real challenge for the country’s red meat sector. That’s the word from the Director General of MPI, Ray Smith, speaking at the launch of that organisation’s latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI), late last year. The Ministry for Primary Industries’ report forecasts an ongoing fall in the value of lamb exports over the next two years, while beef and veal prices are forecast to drop in 2024 but pick up slightly in 2025. Overall export revenue from the meat and wool sector is forecast to decrease by 5% to $11.6 billion in the year to June 30 2024. However, according to the SOPI report, this will be partly offset by an increase in revenue from venison and pet food. The report adds that both farm and processor profitability are forecast to fall in 2023/24 due to lower prices and increased farm costs. Smith told Rural News that farmers are being hit with a double whammy of increasing farm input costs and, at the same time, a declining demand for product. “A lot will depend on when China comes back into the market as a lot of our products
goes there; it is a very important markets for us,” he explains. “China has been in slowdown since they came out of Covid, resulting in weak consumer demand and a bit of a lack of confidence in the market.”
The report adds that both farm and processor profitability are forecast to fall in 2023/24 due to lower prices and increased farm costs. Smith was in China recently and met with a lot of people. He says there is a sense that if you look out 12 to 24 months ahead, we will start to see that confidence come back into that market. China takes 38% of
all NZ’s meat and wool products. Breaking this figure down, 34% of our lamb goes to that market, 77% of our mutton, 43% of beef and veal and 39% of NZ’s wool. Commentary in the SOPI report says, globally, middle- and lower-income earners are expected to trade down from lamb and prime beef products to lower priced proteins – such as chicken and ground beef. There is a bit of good news for NZ meat with higher demand in the US for manufacturing beef, used mainly in hamburgers. This trend is likely, according to the SOPI report, to limit some of the damage caused by lower prime beef prices. Smith believes the situation in China has to some degree spilled over into other parts of Southeast Asia, but overall, the whole global economy has flattened out. On the positive side, he says there is
Ray Smith says red meat producers are being hit with a double whammy of increasing farm input costs and a declining demand for product.
OUR PET EXPORT APART FROM horticulture, one of the stars of the SOPI report was the growth of our pet meat exports. Most of NZ exports are aimed at high-end consumers and it seems these people want the best for their pets as well as themselves. In the year to June 2023, NZ’s pet food exports rose by 13%, which came on top of a 17% increase in the
previous year. The SOPI report notes that this trend is due to ‘the humanisation of pets’. The other sector to show positive growth is venison, with export prices forecast to increase 3% to $14.70 per kg in 2023/24. Again, it’s the elite nature of the product that is attracting consumers in the US and China.
still product getting into Europe and the US and NZ’s red meat sector has a range of countries it can export to. “But it’s just in a really difficult squeeze at the moment,” he says. The other factor affecting NZ lamb exports is Australia dumping large quantities of lamb on the global market, which in turn has
forced prices down. On the home from, MPI’s SOPI report is predicting a high lamb crop in 2023/24 due to favourable conditions during mating and a mild winter that has led to overall higher lambing percentages. However, there is a warning that the forecast warmer El Nino weather pattern may reduce late-
season slaughter weights and there may also be more lambs going for processing, due to dry weather and lower feed availability. The impact of this at the farmgate may drive down schedule prices. The news on the wool front is bleak with prices forecast to soften by a further 2% in the coming year.
RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
NEWS 13
A farmer right till the end! AT HARRY Brenssell’s funeral service in Heriot in early December, friend, long-time neighbour and fellow Romney stud breeder Ken Bain spoke of a recent conversation with Harry: “It looks like you want to die with your boots on. And he didn’t disagree. Well, Harry, you certainly went to the wire.”
The Fernvale and Tresco Studs’ onfarm auctions and the annual Gore Stud Ram Fair were calendar highlights, particularly during the late 1980s’ Romney boom – ‘the glory years’, as Buckley describes this period. Brenssell was in the Fernvale yards, sorting rams for sale with son Lloyd and grandson George on the morning of Saturday 2 December. Later that day, he was in an ambulance to Dunstan Hospital. He died surrounded by family the following morning, with a bowel ischaemia. Henry (Harry) Terrance Brenssell was the third of five children born to farmers John and Winifred of Moa Flat. He grew up on Fernvale, which is still farmed by the Brenssell family today. He left McGlashan College in Dunedin at 17 and started his working life at Mt Nicholas Station, before moving closer to home to work for Dave Robertson at Merrydowns Romney and Southdown Stud at Waikoikoi. “Dad was mad about sheep, right from a little boy,” Son Lloyd says. “Most boys would be playing with dinky toys. But not Dad. He would
Harry Brenssell will be remembered as a passionate stud sheep breeder and larger-than-life character.
use pinecones as sheep and sticks as temporary yards.” In 1964, Harry married Prue Collingwood and the couple had five children – Bridget, Lynda, Henry (deceased), Lloyd and Anna. As one of four brothers, Harry and Prue moved around the Brenssell family’s various farms during their early married years, until each brother was allocated a piece of land. The young couple were allotted Heath Block, immediately opposite Fernvale which they also later purchased off Harry’s parents. Over subsequent years, Harry and Prue purchased several more pieces of farmland, including Harry’s muchloved 4250-hectare Whitecomb Run block in 1985. Lloyd says his father
loved that piece of land. “He’d worked on it for previous owners since he was a young boy. His happy place was with his pink stick, mustering at the run with his Jack Russell, Toby, tagging along or hitching a ride on the front of the horse.” Craig (Snow) Buckley has known the family for 37 years and worked for Harry for 10 years, from 1987, in the Romney stud side of the business. Alongside the Fernvale stud, Harry and Prue had also purchased Ivan Oakley’s renowned Tresco stud in 1978. Buckley describes Harry as a forward-thinking stud breeder, who was an early adopter of advanced practices, such as corrective mating, fresh-semen AI and later laparoscopic AI. The Fernvale and Tresco Studs’
on-farm auctions and the annual Gore Stud Ram Fair were calendar highlights, particularly during the late 1980s’ Romney boom – ‘the glory years’, as Buckley describes this period. “This one year, we offered for sale 19 elite Romney rams. Sixteen went under the hammer at auction and three sold privately. We sold an aged ram privately – Tresco 606 – to Argentina for $20,000, a half share in Fernvale 297 for $20,000, and Fernvale 402 at auction for, at the time, a world record price of $42,000. That year, those 19 rams grossed Fernvale/Tresco $260,000. That’s a true testament to the stockmanship and incredible talent Harry had. It was just in his DNA.” Ken Bain says Harry was one of New Zealand’s leading Romney stud
breeders, with his foresight, dedication and desire to breed the best producing sheep that he could. “The highlight was in 1988, when seven Fernvale rams made a record average of $18,700, with a top prices of $35,000 and another at $30,000.” Several Fernvale and Tresco rams were exported around the world in those glory years and, at the 1986 World Sheep and Wool Congress in Edmonton Canada, a Fernvale ram won supreme champion and yielded the Congress’s top sale price. Harry Brenssell will be remembered as a passionate stud sheep breeder and larger-than-life character, who approached life at full speed, with no half measures. • Words supplied by Brenssell family
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
14 OPINION EDITORIAL Time for action! AS THE New Year kicks off, there is no doubt the new Government has a lot on its agenda. However, a key priority for many rural communities around the country –struggling with pothole-riddled roads, run-down bridges and never-ending slips – is the crumbling transport infrastructure throughout region New Zealand. As Federated Farmers points out, for the agriculture and horticulture sectors rural highways, local roads and bridges are critical to getting product to processors and markets in a timely manner. The farming lobby also adds that in most of rural NZ, roads these are the access lifelines for farming families, getting to schools, suppliers and other services. It is true that the newly elected Government has a big workload on its plate and a limited budget. However, if last year’s devastating Cyclone Gabrielle taught us anything, it is the importance and the vulnerability of transport infrastructure in regional NZ. So far, the new Government has outlined its plans for investing in ‘roads of national significance’. While this programme is important, there is concern in rural areas that there won’t be enough funding available for provincial state highways and local road renewal and maintenance. Federated Farmers points out that, during the election campaign, National’s transport spokesperson Simeon Brown – now the new Minister for both Transport and Local Government – pledged his party would establish a $500 million Pothole Repair Fund to “urgently address the shocking state of our local roads and state highways”. However, there’s no mention of that fund in National’s coalition agreements with ACT and NZ First. In this issue of Rural News, Rural Communities Minister and NZ First MP Mark Patterson says roading infrastructure is really important to rural communities. He adds that just repairing the roads is taking the problem backwards, and there is the bigger picture with the main connectivity. All good words, but let’s see what he and his coalition partners can deliver. The rural sector relies on good transport access. They are in ‘wait and see mode’ for the new Government’s plans in this area. The time for talk is over and the need for serious investment is now. Let’s see what the new Government delivers. Rural NZ is watching.
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It never ceases to amaze your old mate how local councils can spend ratepayers’ money at an alarming rate, with little or no accountability. The latest example of this is the Waipā District Council, in the Waikato, which has taken cost overruns to a new level with the refurbishment of the town clock in Cambridge. Originally budgeted at $450,000, this project has now blown out to an astounding cost of $721,000! According to Taxpayers’ Union, “It would take several ratepayer lifetimes, about 225 years, to cover the cost of this towering mistake… and leaves …a fiscal legacy that outlasts the very clock they’re attempting to preserve.” This massive ‘clock-up’ is not just a blow to the budget but will be a major blow to the trust ratepayers in the Waikato district have in their local council to manage their rates wisely.
The Hound is quick to put the boot in when someone gets things wrong, so he has to confess to his own major cock-up in the last issue of 2023. The old mutt must have hit the Christmas sherry a little too early when commenting on the performance of Rob ‘I don’t care where, as long as I’m chair’ Hewett’s tough year. The Hound mistakenly and wrongly accused Hewett of overseeing a $98 million loss for Silver Fern Farms. While poor old chairman Rob has many irons in the fire, he – of course – is not responsible for the Alliance Group, which actually reported a $98 million loss last year and not Silver Fern Farms! The Hound was punished for this mistake by only been given bone and no meat for Christmas – much like Alliance Group’s farmer shareholders – and would like whole-heartedly to apologise to readers, SFF shareholders and Hewett for his mistake.
Speaking of correcting misrepresentations, the canine crusader would like to pay homage to ODT agriculture editor Sally Rae for an excellent article in December that put to rights much of the unmitigated spin and bulldust about Lake Hawea Station in Central Otago. The station was bought back in 2018 by shameless self-promoters and self-professed ‘marketing whizzes’ Geoff and Justine Ross who – in yet another act of sanctimonious self-promotion – recently published a book about their journey to farming the station. Unfortunately, this work of fiction portrays the station’s previous owners, the well-respected Rowley family, as poor stewards and guardians of the property, which had been in the family for more than 100 years. However, Rae’s article outlines the real truth of how the property was neither ‘neglected’ nor ‘run down’ as the Ross’ claim, but in fact was a successful and well managed property.
This old mutt hopes the demise of the Labour government at last year’s election will see a return of more agriculture and rural related people recognised for honours in the New Year and King’s Birthday lists. This year’s New Year honours – as has been the case over the past six years – saw the usual bevy of musicians, artists, failed former politicians, unionists and activists rewarded by the outgoing Labour administration. Of the 194 people awarded in the New Year’s Honours, only four nominees had any connection to the rural or primary sector. For a country so heavily reliant on the farming and rural sector this is a disgrace. Meanwhile, congratulations to former Merino NZ boss John Brackenridge, beekeeper Frank Lindsay, rural doctor Mike Miller and Havelock’s Gavin O’Donnell for service to his local rural community, for their welldeserved accolades in representing the economic backbone of the country.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
OPINION 15
Get back to saving whales! WAYNE LANGFORD
GREENPEACE AOTEAROA are nothing but an anti-farming lobby group who want to see the end of productive agriculture as we know it in New Zealand. That’s not an accusation I make lightly, but when I look back at Greenpeace’s recent statements and actions, it’s the only logical conclusion I can come to. Time and time again, Greenpeace have shown there is nothing NZ farmers could do to improve environmental outcomes or sustainability that would ever be enough to please them. They’ve also made it clear they couldn’t care less about facts, science, or evidence if it doesn’t fit their anti-farming narrative. Instead, they are totally fixated on an impractical plan to ‘halve the herd’ and ‘ban synthetic fertiliser’ that is completely removed from reality. Those slogans might look good on a bumper sticker, but in practice they would completely undermine New Zealand’s food production, rural communities and the wider economy. If you’re looking for evidence behind my claims, you need look no further than in November last year when Fonterra announced a bold plan to reduce their emissions intensity 30% by 2030. NZ farmers are already the most carbon-friendly farmers in the world, and Fonterra’s new target is asking them to go even further – so that’s going to be a real challenge. But before the dust had even settled, Greenpeace were climbing into Fonterra, claiming the targets weren’t credible, didn’t go far enough, and lacked ambition. The trouble for Greenpeace is that Fonterra’s targets were set through the independent and internationally recognised Science Based Targets Initiative. This organisation helps companies set clearly defined and scientifically
robust targets to reduce emissions in line with goals of the Paris Agreement – limiting global warming to 1.5°C. True environmentalists would have welcomed such strong leadership from New Zealand farmers, but Greenpeace aren’t true environmentalists. Instead, they were the first to criticise. Nothing Fonterra could have announced would have been good enough for Greenpeace because they’re anti-farmer and anti-science.
It’s a complex challenge and farmers are doing all the right things. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to publicly call Greenpeace out on behalf of Kiwi farmers. In fact, it’s not even the first time this year. In May they were caught out spreading harmful misinformation that there is a link between nitrates in water and colorectal cancer. This was a new low for Greenpeace, who were preying on people’s fear of cancer to divide communities and push their anti-farming agenda. They were misleading the public by basing their claims on a single Danish correlation study rather than what the
international body of scientific evidence shows. Advice on this issue should be coming from health professionals, not environmental activists. Greenpeace aren’t remotely qualified on the subject and their claims are wildly out of step with what credible sources like the World Health Organisation, Bowel Cancer New Zealand, the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, and leading colorectal surgeons are saying. I want to be very clear that nobody is disputing we have a water quality issue in this country. There are plenty of good reasons for us to be working to reduce nitrates in waterways, but Greenpeace’s misinformation isn’t one of them. Farmers are well aware they need to make changes and have been working hard in their communities and catchments for over a decade to improve environmental outcomes. We’ve fenced and planted waterways to exclude cattle and absorb nutrients, and we’re now a lot more precise with the way we use fertiliser, which means we use less of it. It’s a complex challenge and farmers are doing all the right things, but it takes a long time for nitrate-rich water to work its way through the groundwater system. It will take time for us
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to start to see the fruits of our improvements, but I’m confident we are heading in the right direction and will see results. Until then, Greenpeace need to be held accountable for the accuracy of their claims and the information they share with the public that causes needless stress, anxiety, confusion, and division. New Zealanders liked Greenpeace a lot more when they stuck to saving whales. They should get back to that and stop slagging off our worldleading farmers. • Wayne Langford is national president of Federated Farmers.
Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford accuses Greenpeace of being an antifarming lobby group who want to see the end of productive agriculture in New Zealand.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
16 OPINION
We’re all in it together! same roads. The government had originally prioritised the arterial routes.
ELIZABETH HEEG
HILL COUNTRY farmers and foresters have common concerns about regulations and climate change. Leo Cooney (Rural News, 21 December) may want to legislate forestry out of existence, but the mutual interests of the two land uses should not be divided in this derogatory way. For instance, immediately after Cyclone Gabrielle last February, Beef + Lamb NZ and the Forest Owners Association together lobbied strongly to get service roads in Tairāwhiti open again. This meant stock could be trucked off farms and foresters could get their crews back into the forests along those
It is clear therefore, that trees and hill country farming should profitably and sustainably share the same landscape. It just needs the vision. Stock and log trucks, and dairy tankers for that matter, all pay road user charges and their drivers and owners all pay rates. It is unfathomable why Leo Cooney thinks only log
trucking should be held accountable to maintain rural roads. Forestry is already heavily regulated under the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry, which now includes carbon only forests. The many thousand owners of farm woodlots will hardly want more unfounded restrictions imposed on them, as Leo Cooney demands. Nor will hill country farmers, who are desperate for a way out of the decline in lamb prices (on top of terminal wool prices) welcome Cooney’s call to ban planting trees except on land which is ‘unsuitable for livestock farming’. ‘Suitability’ is not
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just the land producing enough feed to graze, it is also a profitability requirement. Being made to continue farming by the government, just because an animal can find enough to eat on that land, is economic madness. Even before the bad news on lamb prices, the average export return, per hectare of forestry, was three times higher than for hill country farming products. Climate change is a major disruptor for everybody. Cyclone Gabrielle delivered rain on already wet soils at an intensity never before recorded. Droughts are to come in those same regions. Gabrielle’s destruction – semimature pines, riparian trees and native trees – was constantly and erroneously publicised in the news media as harvest slash. Attracting less attention was the dump of about 300 million tonnes of soil from non-forest land. Stormdisplaced soil and wood both cause damage. Parts of the rural sector are government funded to restore their properties, whereas foresters are fined. Livestock adds greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, an irrefutable fact, whether or not there is international demand for our food exports. Forestry, on farms or otherwise, sequesters carbon and is the reason why New Zealand’s net carbon dioxide emissions are not double. Under the Emissions Trading Scheme, owners of forests and woodlots are paid for storing carbon in forests. It is not a market distorting subsidy.
FOA chief executive Elizabeth Heeg says hill country farmers and foresters have common concerns about regulations and climate change.
Genetic modification is on the mutual wish list for both industries as well. GM ryegrass would massively reduce stock methane emissions. GM Douglas fir, to make them sterile, should be made available to farmers in colder environments where they can’t plant Douglas fir at the moment without creating a wilding problem. It is another income stream for the sector which is making the greatest and most measurable contribution to meeting our national greenhouse gas reduction targets on behalf of us all. There are all sorts of
distortionary political pressures to discount, overlook, exclude or inflate the general principle that every tonne of tree stored carbon should be paid for at the same rate. All foresters have a mutual interest
in combating those distortions. Genetic modification is on the mutual wish list for both industries as well. GM ryegrass would massively reduce stock methane emissions. GM Douglas fir, to make them sterile, should be made available to farmers in colder environments where they can’t plant Douglas fir at the moment without creating a wilding problem. It is clear therefore, that trees and hill country farming should profitably and sustainably share the same landscape. It just needs the vision. • Elizabeth Heeg is chief executive for the Forestry Owners Association
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MANAGEMENT 17
Region’s challenges shine a spotlight on learning THERE’S A serious message behind two new East Coast Farming Expo initiatives. The Rural News Cadet Challenge and the Beef+Lamb NZ Station Challenge may have plenty of fun involved, but Expo organiser Sue Wilson says it’s all about teamwork and that’s crucial on any farm. “Both of these challenges demonstrate how advantageous it is when teams work well together,” she says. The Cadet Challenge is open to cadets from the various training farms around the region as well as ag students from high schools. It’s a “rustic MasterChef” style challenge that will see each team bone a joint of meat, cook it and plate it for a panel of judges. For long-term Expo sponsor Rural News, the event is all about the future of farming. “Rural News has always been keen to back initiatives to bring more young people into the industry,” says general manager Adam Fricker on their sponsorship of the Cadet Challenge. “We’ve taken teachers on farm careers days, published ag-career resource handbooks, sponsored various young farmer/ grower awards. The Cadet Challenge is a fun way to continue that. It will help cadets to build connections across the sector and test themselves.” The Station Challenge focuses on weighing and crutching sheep and is judged on time and style. “Farming isn’t just about the physical work,” Wilson explains. “Maths and the ability to use technology is required as well. It is important to encourage the next generation of farmers in as many ways as possible.” Beef+Lamb senior extension manager Mark Harris is looking forward to the new station challenge. “We have supported the Expo since the beginning as this is
not use ropes’. “I do use ropes but only when required to tidy up or sharpen movements on certain dogs,” says Peacock, who has been working with dogs for nearly 40 years. “I started fairly young, but training dogs properly began in the mid 90s with help from Les Knight and Paul Sorenson.” He also praises the calibre of speakers at the Expo. It’s an exciting programme at the twoday Expo that includes seminars, demonstrations and working dog training. It also offers a chance for farmers to build networks, develop relationships and
“Rural News has always been keen to back initiatives to bring more young people into the industry,” says general manager Adam Fricker on their sponsorship of the Cadet Challenge. connections across the multi tiers of the rural sector. “The Expo is a great opportunity for our local farming community to
have a day or two off the farm and connect with so many others who all share an interest in sheep and beef farming,” Wilson concludes.
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an event that brings a great range of high calibre seminar topics, exhibits and activities that are usually only associated with the larger field days to our rural community on the East Coast,” said Harris. Wilson is hopeful farm owners and managers will be inspired to bring their whole teams along to the Expo. “Many of the younger shepherds and shepherdesses experience so far has been more hands-on
farm work, and the Expo is a chance to introduce them to so many other aspects of farming. All farmers should think of it as a team building day working on your business.” The working dog demonstration from the highly regarded trainer and triallist Guy Peacock will also be hugely beneficial to many and is running over both days of the Expo. “Shepherds and Shepherdesses love their dogs and will
benefit from a training demonstration planned for both days of the Expo,” Wilson adds. “Guy will demonstrate techniques to help people get the best from their huntaways or heading dogs.” Peacock says effective dog training is all about good processes and says key is to focus on getting those right rather than being results-oriented is the way to increase your training success. The most asked question he gets is ‘why
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
18 MANAGEMENT
Low methane sheep are already a winner! LOW METHANE sheep research wins award A research project breeding sheep which emit less methane, with the potential to reduce methane emissions if these sheep can be farmed throughout New Zealand, has picked up a prestigious award. The AgResearch team behind the project was recently award the Royal Society’s Pickering Medal, which is awarded for innovative technology that has generated significant impact or commercial success. Key contributors to the research are Dr Suzanne Rowe, Dr John McEwan, Dr Peter Janssen, and Dr Graeme Atwood. Rowe leads the programme, with key expertise from McEwan on animal genetics and
genomics, with Janssen and Atwood on the rumen microbiome and methane production. Low methane sheep provides farmers with a practical tool to help them lower emissions from their flocks. It also offers the world a scientific solution to reducing agricultural contributions to global greenhouse gases. The AgResearch team first developed technology and scientific protocols to effectively measure the gas output of individual animals. It then identified genetic and microbiological markers of low methane production. For more than a decade they have used this information to select healthy sheep which not only emit less methane,
but also produce highquality meat and wool. AgResearch has worked closely with the sheepfarming industry to implement the breeding approach more widely. The project has been a global first for any species, with the opportunity to reproduce the success of the programme for other livestock and accelerate global efforts to mitigate anthropogenic climate change. Several mitigation strategies for livestock are currently being explored to meet New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions target of 24-47% less methane, below 2017 levels, by 2050. Of the various approaches, breeding of lower methaneemitting ruminants
has the advantage of being permanent and cumulative. This research has shown that after only three generations of breeding, the sheep bred to emit the least methane produce close to 13% less methane than the highest emitters per kilogram of feed eaten. AgResearch’s elite “research flock 2638” has been developed over three decades from sheep representative of New Zealand’s national flock to cumulatively enhance specific traits. In 2021, the research team recorded a drop of over 2% in methane emissions from flock 2638, while continuing to improve performance in other traits that are relevant to industry, such as the quality of meat
AgResearch claims that low methane sheep provide farmers with a practical tool to help them lower emissions from their flocks.
and wool. The researchers estimate that incorporation of this lowmethane breeding trait into New Zealand’s entire sheep flock would reduce methane by 0.5 to 1% annually, with ongoing
reductions from further breeding. The low-methane breeding research is supported with funding from farmers through the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium, and from the government
via the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre. AgResearch says it has also worked closely with Beef + Lamb New Zealand on engagement with farmers and plans to scale-up this technology.
ADAPTING AND EVOLVING SHEEP PRODUCTION systems in New Zealand have adapted and evolved over the past 30 years to match the drivers of on-farm income. While delivering the 2023 Alan Sevier Memorial Lecture at the University of Western Australia Institute of Agriculture, Massey University’s Professor Paul Kenyan explored how research coupled with technology transfer and farmer interaction influenced this evolution. Kenyon says lamb production drove farmer decision making. “Research coupled with technology transfer and farmer interaction has driven the increases observed in ewe reproductive rate, lamb growth rates and carcass weights at slaughter,” he added. “While the national flock is significantly less than half of its 1980’s size, total industry carcass weight has only dropped by 14 per cent.” Kenyon explained that the sheep industry in New Zealand was traditionally driven by course wool (above 30 micron) production. “However, with
the relative and absolute value of wool falling, coupled with increased shearing costs, farmers have needed to adapt to ensure they remain economically viable – such as opportunities with importing shedding breeds like the Wiltshire.” The lecture was attended by animal scientists and farmers. It also explored ewe lamb breeding, management to maximise multiple bearing ewe performance, targeted feeding to maximise return, alternative herbages, and efficiency drivers of the New Zealand system. The evening ended on a lighthearted note, with the institute’s associate director Professor Phil Vercoe – a longtime research collaborator with Kenyon – admonishing his friend for referring to sheep as a ‘lawnmower’. “If your PhD supervisor (UWA Adjunct Associate Professor Dean Revell) had been in the audience, he’d have gone apoplectic,” Vercoe said. “As you know, his great saying is: ‘Sheep aren’t lawnmowers, they’re mobile biochemical analysers’.”
RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
ANIMAL HEALTH 19
Keeping flystrike at bay WARM SUMMER weather heightens the risk of flystrike. However, there are steps farmers can take to make sheep as unattractive to flies as possible this summer. Will Halliday, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s senior advisor biosecurity and animal welfare, says the best and most effective approach to preventing flystrike is to use a combination of strategies also known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM). He says IPM aims to keep pressure on the pest throughout its lifecycle by using a combination of chemical and nonchemical tools. “It’s about attacking maggots and flies from different angles at different times.” For example, weekly monitoring for the four blowfly species that cause flystrike (Australian green blowfly, European green blowfly, Brown blowfly and Hairy Maggot blowfly). Using small
offal-baited fly-traps will detect when these flies are active which can then trigger a management response.
Chemicals play an important role in the prevention and treatment of flystrike, over-reliance can lead to resistance.
During high-risk periods, intensive grazing should be avoided if possible and hotspots on the farm identified and avoided. These could include sheltered, scrubby gullies, patches of thistles, bush lines and the lee of shelter-belts. It could include shearing, crutching, dipping and/or moving sheep to higher ground with cooler temperatures and higher wind speed. During high-risk periods, intensive grazing should be avoided if possible and hot-spots on the farm identified and avoided. These could include sheltered, scrubby gullies, patches of thistles, bush lines and the lee of shelter-belts.
It is important to only use chemicals known to be effective on individual farms and use different chemicals to treat an active flystrike lesion than those used for flystrike prevention. Halliday adds that the Managing Flystrike and Lice publication put together by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Merino NZ and Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians explains the lifecycle of
Controlling the risk of flystrike could include actions such as shearing, crutching, dipping and/or moving sheep to higher ground with cooler temperatures and higher wind speed.
pests, helps decipher chemical product labels and applications. “It is an excellent resource to help farmers put together a management plan for the prevention and treatment of both flystrike and lice.”
Preventing flystrike
• Use offal-traps to monitor fly activity. • In high-risk periods move sheep to higher, more exposed paddocks. • Identi void farm hotspots (thistle patches, bush-lined paddocks, shelterbelts). • Use different che micals for the treatment of active flystrike lesions than those used for flystrike prevention. • Understand the chemical options available and withholding periods.
AVOIDING PNEUMONIA AT A HIGH-RISK TIME WEANING, DRAFTING, drenching and shearing create the perfect environment for pneumonia and pleurisy in lambs. However, some simple management ideas can reduce the risk of these production limiting diseases. Pneumonia is a disease that causes lesions in the lungs. The most common form is Chronic NonProgressive Pneumonia which can be caused by bacteria, mycobacteria or viruses.
Symptoms are usually not obvious, although lambs will be slower growing and often pant and cough following exercise. Lambs with pneumonia are more likely to develop pleurisy, which is where lungs stick to the chest wall. At processing, affected carcasses are downgraded or condemned. A 2000/2001 study carried out on a database of 1719 farms in Canterbury, Manawatu and Gisborne found the prevalence of pneumonia ranged from
0–100% per flock. But on average, flocks had 24% of lambs affected. The number of flocks with some pneumonia present ranged from 40–70% – in other words it is very common and costly. Slower growing lambs cost more to feed and then their carcasses are downgraded. Risk factors include high temperatures and humidity, crowding, stress, dust, excessive exercise, poor ventilation, low immunity and high parasite burdens.
Preventing Pneumonia
• A healthy animal with good nutrition, up-to-date animal health and minimal stressors are at reduced risk of developing pneumonia. • Keep the time of yarding lambs to a minimum. • Water the yards before use to reduce dust. • Keep mob sizes small to reduce animal stress and dust inhalation. • Avoid shearing lambs at weaning.
• Minimise stock movement in the middle of the day when dust levels are highest and avoid long distance movements where possible. • Reduce the extent and duration of open-mouth panting when mustering or droving lambs. • Satellite yards can reduce longdistance movements. Try and reduce pressure on lambs when droving, laneways are ideal as allow lambs to drift at their own pace.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
20 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Electric telehandler for agriculture MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
FRENCH HANDLING specialists Manitou has developed its first allelectric telehandler concept aimed at the agricultural market. This should prove useful for those operating in enclosed cattle yards, greenhouses and environments where emission fumes might be a problem. Said to offer a maximum lift capacity of 2.5 tonnes, reducing to 2 tonnes at the maximum lift height of 6 metres, the MLT 625e follows on from the construction version shown at last year’s Bauma Exhibition. The agricultural version shares the same technology, with the usual diesel engine exchanged for a 14kW electric motor to power the hydrostatic transmission and a second 25kW unit for the boom hydraulics. A 25kWh lithium-ion battery should provide around four hours of continuous use in the standard operating mode. A regeneration system recovers energy during deceleration, thereby helping to
extend operating times. The battery can be replenished by an on-board 9kW charger. A recharge takes around three hours when plugged into a 380v socket, or slightly longer when using a standard 220v outlet. A ‘boost mode’, activated by the touch of a button on the dashboard, propels the handler to its maximum speed of 16km/h quickly, but also results in faster boom and bucket cycle times. Offered with standard, all-wheel and crab steering modes, 4WS offers a tight turning radius of only 3.31m. Meanwhile, the electric model can work with the same attachments as its conventional diesel MLT 625 counterpart. A driver-presence sensor, alongside an automatic parking brake, are part of the standard package. This also includes LED main beam and working lights, a phone holder and an adjustable steering column. While the MLT 625e is still a concept, factory sources suggest that the French manufacturer will open its order book in the second part of 2024 for deliveries in mid-2025.
Manitou’s all-electric telehandler should prove useful for those operating in enclosed environments where emission fumes might be a problem.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 21
Delivering accuracy and output MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
HAVING ACQUIRED the distribution rights for the German Horsch brand earlier in the year, Carrfields took the opportunity to showcase the products at a Feilding farmers day late last year. On display, the Pronto DC drill can be used for drilling into mulched, ploughed or well cultivated ground, with the ability to meter up to three individual products. Available in three, four and six metre working widths. While, over time, the six metre units became the machine of choice, more recently there has been a move back to four metres. “There appears to be a move back to the smaller unit, probably driven by a lower horsepower requirement, but also because the machine is a little more manoeuvrable in smaller paddocks,” explains Paul Collins, Carrfields’ precision and technology manager. “Of course, the six metre drill still has a good following in the Canterbury regions.” A design upgrade sees a new generation 40:60 split hopper with a capacity of 3800 litres on the four metre units and 5000 litres in the six metre variant. Meanwhile, a third independent, 400 litre capacity hopper can be optioned on the rear of the machine to allow additional seed or microgranule application. The double hopper layout with the PPF system allows tow components to be applied in two areas at the same time. The PPF disc system uses separate, single disc coulters to
allow for a placement below and between the seed coulters. When sowing catch crops, coarse-grained legumes – for example – can be applied in a deep seed horizon, while another component is placed more shallowly via the TurboDisc seed coulters.
A design upgrade sees a new generation 40:60 split hopper with a capacity of 3800 litres on the four metre units and 5000 litres in the six metre variant. The soil engaging elements sees 46cm discs with a serrated profile that mix aggressively and create a level seedbed. The disc elements are arranged in pairs to deliver excellent clearance, hydraulic depth adjustment allows infinitely variable adjustment on the move. Behind the discs, a single row tyre packer ensures even levelling and consolidation in front of every seed coulter. The double disc seed coulter, controlled by press wheels, offer up to 125kg of downward pressure via a rubber torsion system. This allows operational speeds of up to 20km/h, while maintaining accurate depth control. A Horsch Maestro CX 8 on display was described as a ‘compact
Paul Collins with the Pronto DC drill that can be used for drilling into mulched, ploughed or well cultivated ground.
mid-sized planter’. It delivers precision planting for single seeds ranging from maize, canola and beets. Configured around an aerodynamically designed hopper, that offers a 3000kg fertiliser and 800kg seed capacity, the six metre toolbar, carrying eight precision seeding units, folds to three metres wide for transport. From the main hopper, seed is transferred by positive airflow to individual, intermediate holding hoppers above the planting units. Then the positive displacement AirSpeed system pushes the selected seeds – of up to 6mm diameter – into the apertures on the seeding discs. Seeds pass through a “singulator” to ensure double seeds are avoided, from where the positive airflow accelerates the
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seed through the shoot pipe and into the soil, after being caught by a mounted catching roller. Seeds pass a grain sensor during the “dropphase” to monitor accuracy. The system
informs the operator of grain counts, seed spacing and any indication of any spots or gaps. During the drilling operation, the machine’s AutoForce function
ensures all seeds are embedded consistently, even during changing conditions. This helps to ensure even germination and regular plant populations. Operators can choose
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between pressure levels of 20, 50 and 80kg. Meantime, overall coulter pressures can be adjusted between 150 and 350kg, via weight transfer from the main body of the machine.
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RURAL NEWS // JANUARY 16, 2024
22 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Clean swathing with ease MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
ANYONE WITH a hint of grey hair will remember names like Acrobat and Haybob – both machines of the sixties and seventies, designed to gather swathes ahead of small square balers. As times passed and round bales and bulk silage became more popular, the task of ‘rowing up’ then fell to the likes of single, twin and more lately 4-rotor swathers or rakes. Today, as selfpropelled harvesters climb nearer the 1000hp mark, the need to produce larger swathes to maximise output and slow down forward speeds has become a challenge. Therefore, large-scale operators are looking to the latest innovation, typically in the form of belt mergers. One such machine, the Austrian-built, Reiter Respiro R9 Profi is imported by the Morrinsville-based Piako Tractors. Despite a hefty price tag, the machine is developing a growing
following in the main fodder production areas of the country. Looking at the machine in detail, over-dimensioned components include a central main frame with three pick-up units of up to 3m wide. The machine is mounted to allow accurate ground following in any conditions. The central pick-up unit is carried on two hardened boron steel saucers or skids, with the same system on the lateral units. With a typical ground pressure of 200kg, the layout is said to ensure that no damage is done to the paddock surface. Crops are gently lifted by a small diameter pick up equipped with trailing tines, which ensures no dirt or foreign objects are lifted with the crop. The cam-less design comes with a centredrive that incorporates double bearings. Its tines are cleverly mounted, using a single M8 bolt to fix six double tines. To aid gentle, yet positive crop flow up front, a roller crop press ensures
The Reiter Respiro R9 Profi machine is developing a growing following in the main fodder production areas of the country.
lumps are evened out before a tined rotary feeder delivers the crop to the metre-wide crop conveyors. Offering multiple delivery strategies, the R9 can be set up for centre or side delivery, twin single or half-sized swaths. In the centraldelivery mode, a working
width of 9m is available to deliver a 1.2m wide swath. Using side delivery, two passes can deliver a cleared width of 15m, three passes 21m, or multiple passes to clear up to 50m. The twin single swath mode allows night swaths to be set up to avoid heavy dews and
the half swath mode is designed to reduce the size of the swath in high volume crops. Mounted on the tractor across the rear link arms, an oscillating and rotating gearbox mount ensures the PTO shaft always stays straight. The drive is taken to an axial piston
hydraulic pump that is fed by a 180-litre reservoir, fitted with an oil cooler. At the rear of the spine frame, four 550-45 x 22.5 flotation tyres carry the 6400kg machine, working in conjunction with a fourlink kinetic suspension system centred around
coil springs. This ensures constant ground pressure and accurate contouring. Requiring a tractor of around 180hp, with twin double acting remotes and an ISOBUS connection, the machine has a transport width of 2.96m and a height of 3.95m.
DEUTZ TAKES OVER ROLLS ROYCE ENGINES MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
DEUTZ AG has reached an agreement with Rolls Royce Power Systems to take over its sales and service operations for off-highway engines with a maximum power output of up to 480kW (643hp).
The deal encompasses the 5 to 16-litre diesel engines, using Daimler technology, which are developed and manufactured by Daimler Truck AG to meet Rolls Royce Power Systems specifications. Used in agricultural and construction vehicles, particularly large self-propelled harvesters,
they include the MTU Series 10001500 engines and the older Classic OM900 and OM460 series. As part of the agreement, Deutz AG will also take over the service support for engines already in service. The German engine manufacturer says this acquisition will allow it to optimise and further develop
its current conventional engines. Deutz adds that the takeover will allow the company to take a next major step towards growth in its modern internal combustion engine business. Subject the final agreement, the multi-million Euro deal is expected to be completed by mid-2024. Deutz
expects the new engine business to generate additional annual revenues of more than €300 million. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems will refocus its production towards higher-powered off-highway engines and systems, primarily from the company’s in-house production offerings.
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HAIR SHIRE® Stud Ram Sire “CRUSADER” progeny for sale
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BEST QUALITY | BEST Price | BEST ADVICE WATER TANKS, PUMPS & FILTRATION WATER TANKS, PUMPS & FILTRATION
WATER TANKS, •PUMPS & FILTRATION DEVAN CALPEDA PURETEC • OASIS CLEARWATER DEVAN •• PROMAX PROMAX • •CALPEDA • PURETEC • OASIS CLEARWATER
WATER PUMPS & CLEARWATER FILTRATION DEVAN TANKS, • RX • CALPEDA • AQUA • OASIS
Hair Rams Ewes & Lambs available MANGAPIRI DOWNS ORGANIC STUD FARM®
HAIR SHIRE® Stud Ram Sire “SILVER” progeny for sale
DEVAN • PROMAX • CALPEDA • •PURETEC • OASIS CLEARWATER P: 326 8888 www.thetankguy.co.nz P:0508 0508 326 8888 • www.thetankguy.co.nz A: A: 30 30 Turners RoadRoad – Feilding Turners – Feilding
Auction link 26th Jan 2024 https://bidr.co.nz/auction/2809
www.organicstud.co.nz • Email: tim@organicstud.nz Phone Tim & Helen Gow 027-225 5283
P: 0508 326 8888 • www.thetankguy.co.nz 30m Hose Reel Spot 300 TRAILED 12V– SPRAYER A:c/w30 Turners Road Feilding
SPRAY UNITS
Spray Gun
650kg Break Strength Strapping
• •
www.mckeeplastics.co.nz
PETROL DECK SPRAYER
Honda GP200 Motor • 40 Bar/580 PSI • Flow Rate 41L per min • Comet APS41 Diaphragm Pump •
• 5D Suction Filter • Pressure Regulator & Return System NORTH ISLAND:
SOUTH ISLAND:
23 Mahinui St, Feilding. Ph 06-323 4181
35 Wilkin St, Waimate. Ph 0800 625 826
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SIDE BY SIDE/ATV SPRAYERS
Petrol & 12V Trailers available Comes in 200L, 400L & 600L models
Hot dipped Galvanised Trailer
RUMINATING CALENDAR 2024 LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE
RUMINATING 2024 CALENDAR ❱❱ $25 including post & packaging ❱❱ 12 of the best Ruminating cartoons ❱❱ 330mm x 240mm, spiral bound S
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