Coast & Country News - April 2020

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

As New Zealand and the world’s response to the spread of Covid-19, or Coronavirus, moves at an incredible pace we find ourselves in a very peculiar position.

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I wonder if air travel has ever to come to such a grinding worldwide halt before? Definitely not in my short blip of life on this planet. And so our lives are starting to change.

Countries and their borders are being shut down as events – large and small – are being cancelled everywhere. Our borders closed March 19.

So it looks like we’re in for a quiet Easter at home actually spending quality time with our families.

But not all is lost, people are already moving to set themselves up to work from home if need be; events are being replaced by webinars, online forums and other non-contact alternatives.

But as countries shut their borders we have got to ensure we don’t shut our minds. This moment will pass and help and support is out there. Our Government has released a business support package to the tune of $12.1 billion to help those sectors, businesses and people impacted by Covid-19.

But for those in the rural sectors other initiatives could be looked at to lessen the blow going forward until we recover economically from the expected downturn resulting from Covid-19.

Could the Government’s proposed freshwater legislation, which was set to cost farmers in compliance, be shelved until more brighter times?

Could the adult minimum wage increase, which was

Gypsum delivers Gold for Kiwi Orchardists

boosted on April 1 from $17.70 per hour to $18.90 per hour, have been postponed until the end of this year? When NZ would have a clearer picture of the full economic effects of Covid-19?

Could the Government cancel or postpone the petrol tax increase due to take effect on July 1? Could NZ residents be permitted to use their Kiwisaver funds to cover mortgage repayments up to a certain amount? If they can show they can no longer earn enough to keep payments up-to-date.

Ideas aside, our primary industries can take comfort in knowing the world still has to eat. Albeit not all products will draw their highest record prices, it is certain trade still needs to happen to keep the world spinning.

A Kiwi farmer recently pointed out that NZ can produce food to feed up to 40 million people, so we can easily feed our own and more. We may have to eat more seasonally – but that was how it was 50-plus years ago. Back then we didn’t live on Israeli couscous or quinoa, so we can live without it. There’s nothing wrong with a beautiful potato from Pukekohe or kumara from Dargaville.

Plus in today’s world we can buy groceries online and have them delivered to our door without human contact. Even Dominoes says it will drop off pizzas on the front deck with no contact – no problem.

And if you live rurally, you were probably use to ‘selfisolating’ in some form pre-Covid-19 panic.

Go hunting, fishing, tramping, hole up at the bach or bush hut for a few days. Have a spring clean at home, fix the boat, wash the car, or do some farm/property repairs. We will get through this. So, chin up!

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Kiwifruit shipments on schedule to China Despite congestion at its ports and the impacts of Covid-19 (Coronavirus) restrictions in China, Zespri expects to deliver New Zealand-grown kiwifruit on schedule to China by early-April.

“While there has been congestion at container ports, we have been advised that our key terminal for early season ship arrivals is running normally,” Blair Hamill, Zespri chief global supply officer, told Coast & Country News mid-March.

manage this year’s harvest and fruit going to market.

The Ministry for Primary Industries has published guidance on Covid-19 and food safety on its website, which is updated regularly. The advice enforces the need for food producers to follow good personal hygiene practices.

NZKGI chief executive officer Nikki Johnson says this year there are some potential hurdles around dry weather, coronavirus and seasonal labour availability.

“As the kiwifruit is packed, we will start to have a clearer picture of the impact of this year’s hot and dry weather which may be influential,” says Nikki.

In addition to dry weather, this season also has an emphasis on being well prepared for potential disruption from Covid-19.

“As we are working with a food crop, the industry already has strong processes in place around food safety and personal hygiene and these will continue to be important.

“The industry is working together to plan and mitigate disruption and will be following public health recommendations,” says Nikki.

something like SARS – the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome of the early-2000s – there was an increase in demand for fresh fruit and we’re hearing similar things from the markets again,” says Blair.

The new Zespri Red Kiwifruit will also be picked as a commercial variety this season. The sweet, berry-tinged tasting kiwifruit will be destined for markets in Japan and Singapore as well as NZ supermarket shelves.

Zespri chief grower and alliances officer Dave Courtney says Zespri is expecting another great-tasting crop

with “more SunGold than Green kiwifruit”. “And of course we’ll be bringing an increasing amount of Zespri Red Kiwifruit to market following last year’s limited release.

“We’re also excited to introduce our new brand to consumers and progressively roll this out to markets across the year,” says Dave.

The importance of NZ’s kiwifruit industry is represented through its contribution to local economies, contributing $1.82 billion to our kiwifruit-growing regions in 2018.

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20,000 workers

Based on the forecast volume and spread of the harvest season, it is currently forecast that about 20,000 workers will be required throughout the harvest period.

However, Nikki says it Zespri expects to deliver New Zealand-grown kiwifruit on schedule will become clearer if there to China this month – despite the impacts of Covid-19. are sufficient workers as the industry gets closer to the peak “While Shanghai and Tianjin are our two main of harvest and the requirement for significantly more entry ports for containers in China, we’ll bypass seasonal workers increases. this congestion by the use of our own chartered NZKGI has taken proactive steps to mitigate the reefer ships into a different terminal not suffering likely labour risk and will be communicating on congestion. The southern port of Yantian, which the steps, which will be taken in coming weeks. In takes smaller volumes of our containers, is working addition, NZKGI has been in conversations with normally and we will ship containers in there.” forestry organisations to ascertain if there is the Worldwide, refrigerated containers have been in ability to provide opportunities to forestry employees short supply because many were not being unloaded while there is a lull in wood exports. due to the restrictions placed on workers in efforts The 2020 harvest began in March with fruit picked to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, but Blair says from Gisborne and Bay of Plenty orchards – the first Zespri shipments should not be affected. of what is expected to be a very large crop of around “While this is a dynamic situation, we have a good 155 million trays of green and gold kiwifruit picked supply of empty containers in New Zealand at and packed across NZ from Northland to Motueka. present. At this stage, we do not foresee any issues in This year’s crop is forecast to be well up from the loading containers to our container ships,” says Blair. 147 million trays exported in 2019.

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Zespri and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc are also monitoring the rapidly changing Covid-19 (Coronavirus) situation onshore and adopting a precautionary approach.

The focus remains the health and welfare of people and a range of processes have been established to

Increased demand

And Zespri kiwifruit could be in even more demand in China this year as consumers look to the healthy fruit to help improve their health and immunity in the face of Covid-19.

“Kiwifruit is obviously a very healthy product and rich in Vitamin C. We know in the past with

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Ross Alexander’s family has been farming in New Zealand since his great grandfather came over from Scotland in 1910. All four of his great grandfather’s sons had a farm by the time he died.

Since 1993, Ross and his wife Gilly have farmed 376 hectares in Okoroire, South Waikato, in conjunction with 1011hain Taranaki, run by Ross’ brother Lloyd Alexander, and his wife Rebecca. Their parents, Rex and Marion, are also still actively involved in this family business.

On the Okoroire farm, Ross runs 1300 breeding Romney ewes, with 300 stud ewes. Each season he keeps around 400 ewe lambs as replacements, and the rest are for meat. Plus, 120 ram lambs are raised and sold for breeding rams.

The sheep are grass fed, with 10ha of chicory grown for lamb fattening. The property has around 100ha of flat land and the rest is rolling to steep, with an expected annual rainfall of 1800ml.

The family are passionate about breeding Romney sheep that are genetically robust in several health-related areas, where

careful breeding can influence resistance to conditions such as worm loads and facial eczema tolerance, among other things.

“My father, Rex Alexander, was a founding member of Advanced Romney Designer Genetics in the 1970s,” says Ross.

“He was an eczema tolerance breeder, and the first eczema-tolerant ram was found in his flock.”

The current Alexander farm is part of the WormFEC Gold syndicate, a group of 14 breeders across New Zealand, dedicated to breeding worm-resistant sheep, as drench resistance becomes more prevalent in NZ.

Natural solution

It is not a cheap process, costing $4.50 per lamb per test, but each farm involved is working to maintain a natural solution to the increasing issue of drench-resistance in sheep.

“WormFEC is a protocol developed by AgResearch to collect individual faecal samples from sheep, and record their worm faecal egg count,” says Ross.

The procedure is labour-intensive and involves taking a faecal sample from every sheep’s anal passage, securing it in a sample bag, labelling it correctly and sending it off to be tested at Techion.

“After weaning in December, every lamb

is drenched once. Eight weeks later the mobs are tested using general dung on the ground in their paddocks.

“From these initial results, Techion advise when to start individual sampling each mob.”

Despite the process being such a commitment to the farmer, Ross is passionate about what he’s doing.

“Figures don’t lie. Individual results tell us which ram lambs have low worm faecal egg counts, and which ones have breeding value.”

Ross has not been routinely drenching his sheep since 1994. He’s adopted this ‘wait and see’ approach, checking and observing his lambs, and drenching individuals as necessary. The more wormtolerant sheep perform better in breeding and thrive, says Ross.

The highly experienced breeder of parasite-resistant sheep, Gordon Levet, who Ross describes as the “godfather of WormFEC”, adopted the “don’t drench and see what happens” approach.

The use of WormFEC testing is just one part of the complex genetics the Alexanders use to breed the best Romney sheep they can, and strengthen the breed genetically. Ross has the benefit of his father’s breeding efforts in regard ...continued

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Page 5 Okoroire sheep farmer Ross Alexander.

continued...

to facial eczema, and also his own 14 years of experimenting, and DNA sampling at docking time.

DNA marker

“Every recorded sheep on the farm has a DNA marker, with the ram lambs having 50k ovine SNP chips, and the ewe lambs having 5k ovine SNP chips.”

Worm resistance and facial eczema tolerance are just two of 22 different breeding values that are recorded for every breeding sheep. The statistics are used to really control the breeding programme.

“AgResearch scientists use the statistics to pick rams for the best genetic fit with each recorded ewe, strengthening the favourable traits even more.”

The ARDG group all work together, and may be matched with rams from other farms in the group in the best interests of desired genetics. For example, this coming season Ross will only be using one of his own rams with his ewes.

On March 20, each ram was put in a mob with 50

Yearling Romney rams, 2018’s progeny from years of selective genetic breeding. recorded ewes, and 60-70 unrecorded commercial ewes, and the next breeding season was started.

“We have 19 million breeding ewes in New Zealand and we need 190,000 rams to service them.

“With only 14 WormFEC Gold breeders in the country, we need many more to get on board and join the group, and increase the number of parasiteresistant sheep through selective breeding,” says Ross.

“Ram buyers are really getting into the records of the sheep they are buying, and new buyers are learning fast.”

It’s a big expense testing the flocks but Ross feels it is important for the long-term growth of the sheep industry in New Zealand as a whole.

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Okoroire sheep farmer Ross Alexander ready for testing with a WormFEC sampling kit.

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Green light for harbour project It’s been 20 years in the planning, but work is finally to sta t on a new harbour for Opotiki, thanks to a $79.4 million Provincial Growth Fund investment announced by Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones in March.

The development of the harbour will enable large-scale commercial operations, primarily in aquaculture, to exist and support economic growth for the region. The most significant benefit to the community wi be the opportunities around job creation.

Jobs for the development of the harbour as well as jobs created through ongoing marine and aquaculture expansion enabled by the harbour development.

In his announcement, Shane Jones said of the 1850 jobs created from this project, 730

is for all Whakatohea, now and in the future and the harbour development is an enabler to various economic opportunities for our Iwi,” says Graeme.

Navigable harbour

Economist Ian Dickson says the harbour development will enable a year-round navigable harbour entrance built to service large-scale commercial operations to marine farm offshore from Opotiki, in a safe and accessible way.

“A marine place of safety is essential for offshore marine farming to develop in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. It is the key piece of infrastructure that provides An artist impression of Opotiki’s new harbour the backbone structure for the industry to grow on.” entrance may look like – with two groynes at the Opotiki Mayor Lyn Riesterer says the project will mouth, which will make it navigable at all tides. help unlock the full aquaculture potential on Opotiki’s would be in Opotiki. doorstep.

Whakatohea Pre-Settlement Claims “This decision from central Trust chairman Graeme Riesterer says government is the culmination of this is a game-changer for Whakatohea years of hard graft by the council, and Opotiki in terms of economic Whakatohea, private businesses and the development. wider community to bring this vision “The community will benefit y to reality. the creation of hundreds of new jobs “Our figu es and planning have held and higher wages. It provides jobs up under intense scrutiny and we for Whakatohea whanau who’ve had are thrilled that this is on the cusp of to leave the region, to come home becoming a reality. to paid employment. “And for our “We are what we like to call ‘spaderangatahi (children), who will now ready’. Short of having money in our have opportunities to stay and live account to start spending on people locally without missing out on career or and materials, we are ready to go. We Long-time project development prospects. have the contracts and consents and the campaigner, former “We know that sustainable seafood is Mayor John Forbes with project plans. This funding is our green on the rise globally, this trend supports light. sea shells collected from our Mana Moana strategy for investment Lyn says the harbour project is the local beaches. and growth in aquaculture initiatives to start of a new era for her district – new progress once the Whakatohea Settlement jobs, new industry and a new way forward. “And we has been ratified y whanau, and the harbour are more than ready to grab this opportunity with development enables this to happen. both hands – get our rangatahi into real, long-term “We aren’t just thinking about now, this settlement and meaningful work. I can’t wait to see the innovative

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a game-changer for Opotiki

Whakatohea Pre-Settlement Claims Trust chairman Graeme Riesterer.

Opotiki’s harbour and wharf area is a quiet backwater which, with the planned re-development, holds significant potential for the district’s future.

The concept drawing shows the development which could take place around Opotiki’s wharf once the harbour entrance is upgraded. continued...

future we build for ourselves with this kick start.”

Former Opotiki Mayor John Forbes, who has advocated for this outcome for more than 20 years, says it is a proud moment for the whole community.

World-leaders

“This project is an excellent example of central, regional and local government working together in partnership with iwi, industry and private businesses to bring the best outcome not just for us here in Opotiki, but also for the region and for the nation.

“It underpins our economy. Where infrastructure goes, it enables new industry, new opportunities and growth.

This project will boost NZ’s growing aquaculture industry and make us world-leaders in sustainable, highvalue protein production. All in an area of provincial NZ that has a recent history of high deprivation and under employment.

“Opotiki is using this exciting piece of infrastructure to transform the social and economic future for the district,” says John.

The PGF funding is in addition

to $20 million pledged by Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2013 as part of its Regional Infrastructure Fund, which established the local and regional commitment to the project.

This funding was focussed on enabling aquaculture development, export opportunities and job growth in the Opotiki and the wider EBOP. In the years since, EBOP councils have continued to work closely and align the area’s long-term vision and regional funding projects.

Major milestone

BOPRC chairman Doug Leeder says the RIF recognises the notable economic development opportunities that this project enables. “The funding package that the Government has approved through the PGF is a major milestone for the project and one of the key conditions on BOPRC funding.

“The potential this project brings for job growth in Opotiki and the EBOP is significant. This project enables major economic and social development opportunities which have the capability to transform the wellbeing of the broader EBOP.”

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Kiwifruit labour shortages already biting One of New Zealand’s largest kiwifruit harvest companies has already signalled it has a labour shortage of 300 positions for this season.

Seeka Limited made the announcement March 17 – before Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern closed New Zealand’s borders to all foreigners including people from the Pacific Islands.

Seeka says vacant positions are for local people across their kiwifruit orchard and post-harvest operations

in Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Northland.

Seeka chief executive Michael Franks says the usual flow of people to work for the company in its eight facilities across the North Island has been impacted.

“The number of backpackers through our doors is low, and a significant portion of our experienced Recognised Seasonal Employee scheme employees have been restricted from departing their country.”

Michael says 135 RSE workers scheduled from See more on this on page 48.

Malaysia had been restricted with Nikki says the sector expects a harvest of about their government closing their 155 million trays of kiwifruit this year and borders for both inbound predicts it will need more than 20,000 workers across the harvest and postand outbound travellers. harvest period, with significant “While we look volumes of kiwifruit well into April, to employ New and final picking in June.

Zealanders first “After encountering a shortage and foremost, we of 1200 workers at the start also need to find of 2018’s harvest, NZKGI other sources of developed and implemented a workers such as labour attraction strategy for backpackers and 2019’s harvest which was largely those from the successful.”

RSE scheme as the harvesting and More Kiwis packing window of The 2020 strategy’s key focus is kiwifruit is relatively on attracting Kiwis into seasonal short, “ said Michael roles. two days before NZ’s “We’d love to see more Kiwis borders closed to coming into the industry, prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Picking and packing jobs are there for the particularly if they’re located close to orchards and packhouses, not taking this season, with labour shortages Peak flow just for seasonal roles but also occurring. Photos: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

By March 17 long-term employment in the about five per cent of crops Seeka handles had sector or permanent roles, as well as retirees and been processed. “For the moment we have coped – students seeking work in orchards and packhouses. however in about three weeks we will hit peak flow “Kiwifruit work is almost year-round, once you and need far more numbers of people.” factor in all the orchard maintenance work that’s “We’re open to new solutions, and given there are required during the off-season.” local businesses affected by Coronavirus in tourism NZKGI is also working hard to try to lessen or forestry who may be having difficulties keeping barriers to working in the industry, such as pressure staff employed, working in the kiwifruit industry for on accommodation and transport challenges, a short term could be beneficial for everyone. We ask says Nikki. “We’re also keen to ensure seasonal anyone looking for work to get in touch.” employees are treated properly and recommend New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated potential workers choose their employer carefully CEO Nikki Johnson has also invited workers from from our list of approved contractors.”

As for Michael, he says the phoneline to Seeka is Covid-19-impacted hospitality, tourism and forestry open. Call 0800 733 525 or visit: www.seeka.co.nz industries in NZ to join the harvest.

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PC1 to be notified - with changes The ground-breaking plan to improve water quality in the Waikato and Waipa rivers has reached a major milestone, with Waikato Regional Council last month voting to notify a decisions version following hearings.

Recommendations of five independent commissioners on Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 were presented to councillors at a special meeting in Hamilton.

Commissioners heard more than 359 hours of evidence during 59 days last year. As well as reading more than 1100 submissions, they heard evidence from 360 different parties during the hearings and had 199 expert appearances.

WRC chief executive Vaughan Payne says hearings took longer than hoped “but it’s a complex plan change and the panel wanted to ensure legally robust policies and rules were being put in place which could be achievable for farmers, industry and WRC to implement”.

Substantial changes

3, 4 or 5. resolved through Environment Court appeals.

• Overseer is not the only decision • Stock exclusion from water bodies has Concern was also raised around timing of notification support tool able to be used. been linked to slope and the number in light of farmers experiencing the impacts of drought, • There is greater recognition of stock units. and impacts of Covid-19 on their businesses. of lakes and wetlands, and • Greater use has been made of stock A motion was put to delay a decision for six an acknowledgment of the unit tests to provide for low intensity months until Covid-19’s impact on the economy Whangamarino Wetland as an dry stock farming. was understood and advice was received from the outstanding waterbody.

• Provision has been made for the Government on its National • The priority 1-3 status has been expansion of commercial vegetable Policy Statement for Freshwater removed, with subcatchments production as a discretionary activity Management. The motion was lost, required to implement contaminant in some identified subcatchments.

9 votes to 3, with councillor Kathy reduction actions in either years 1, 2, White abstaining.

Councillors then voted 11-1 in favour of notifying the decisions version of the plan. Based on legal advice, councillors Pamela Storey and Fred Lichtwark withdrew from the vote because they’d submitted on the plan change.

The decisions version of the plan change will be notified by early-April.

Submitters to the plan will have 30 Waikato Regional Council working days in which to lodge their chair Russ Rimmington. appeals with the Environment Court from the time they are notified.

Appeals close mid-late May. More information is at: waikatoregion.govt.nz/healthyrivers.

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“It’s fair to say substantial changes have been made to objectives, policies and rules to take account of the submissions received,” says Vaughan.

“We appreciate the genuine consideration the commissioners 0800 300 313 GrainCorpFeedsNZ www.graincorpfeeds.co.nz have given to the submissions and CEO Vaughan Payne.

Summary of decisions to help further deliver a locally• FEPs remain as a key tool in reducing the diffuse driven, fit-for-purpose policy framework for the discharge of contaminants.

Waikato and Waipa rivers.

• The need to establish a nitrogen reference point “Significantly, the panel’s decision offers some has been removed and replaced with a set of actual pragmatic initiatives to address issues the current nitrogen leaching numbers for each Freshwater Government is struggling to address through its Management Unit.

Essential Freshwater package. That includes issues • The 75th percentile provisions have been removed. like how best to use FEPs to support the necessary • The decisions version incentivises farming activities change and how to set bottom lines for nitrogen and to have a lower N leaching loss rate so they can be a phosphorus to improve ecosystem health. permitted activity.

“There’s still an 80-year horizon for water quality improvement. While it might not be quick enough for some, it recognises the complexity of the issues being addressed and that change takes time.”

WRC chair Russ Rimmington says his council’s decision last month is a vote of confidence in locallydriven driven planning, as opposed to waiting for solutions to come out of Wellington. “It means our farmers in the Waikato and Waipa river catchments are ahead of much of NZ to make changes which will Specialists in customisable ultimately deliver improved water quality.”

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Ahead of the vote some councillors noted the recommendations were a better outcome for many farmers, but there were issues which would likely be

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 11

Get involved in upcoming milksolids levy There is good cause for optimism about the future of New Zealand’s dairy industry, according to Dairy NZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle.

farmers through science and sound evidence,” says Tim. Securing alternative funding is also an important part of DairyNZ’s work: for every $1 dairy farmers invest via the levy in industry good activities, Tim says the Government and other organisations co-invest a He told 150 attendees on the Waikato leg of the further $1.80.

Dairy NZ Famers Forum, that Supporting better farming the purity and naturalness of locally is another priority work New Zealand dairy was one of area and DairyNZ facilitates field the industry’s strengths. “Our days, farm discussion groups and future is grounded in technology workshops and special interest and innovation, and we can be events like the Once A Day both hi-tech and natural. milking conference.

“There is a strong future, but Farmer feedback about how we can’t be complacent. We need the estimated $67 million in to evolve and adapt.” milksolids levies should be spent Developing better solutions was also shared with forum through science is one of the attendees. ways that DairyNZ is working Farmers put a priority on to help deliver a better future for farm systems research and Kiwi farmers. development, followed closely by Tim highlighted several key policy and advocacy work. Also areas of work including hybrid important was work to improve ryegrass breeding, investigation public perception of the industry, into genetically modified grasses, says Tim. Offering formal DairyNZ chief executive research and development into training was identified as the Dr Tim Mackle. forages that reduce nitrate lowest priority by farmers. leaching and analysis of variable milking times.

Tim says the work farmers are investing in through DairyNZ is also leading a seven-year research DairyNZ is vital to the success of the industry, and programme to breed cattle with lower nitrate leaching he urged those at the gathering to get involved in the footprint. upcoming vote on whether the milksolids levy, which Shaping a better future for the sector includes telling is currently set at 3.6c per kgMS, continues. farmers’ stories and DairyNZ’s advocacy work around Voting on the milksolids levy will happen this year proposed policy changes. from mid-April to May 30, 2020.

On dairy farmers’ behalf, Tim says DairyNZ has The vote happens every six years and is required by helped prepare submissions on regional plan changes government legislation because the levy is collected and on national land, water and climate change under terms set out in the Commodity Levies Act 1990. proposals – all aimed at getting the best outcome “Together, we can farm the future with a lot of for farmers. confidence,” says Tim. Josephine Reader “Our work in this area is providing a voice for

Around 150 people attended the Waikato DairyNZ Famers Forum.

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FARM REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE

Page 13

Tis the season for repairing...

The season is changing and unless you’re busy autumn calving or picking kiwifruit, now is the ideal time to knock off that list of jobs on the farm that never seem to get done.

Many last-on-the-list jobs tend to be repairs. Did you notice the barn roof leaking at the end of last winter? Or drains that needed widening or clearing that you just haven’t got to yet? Maybe there’s a few fences that need your attention or the effluent pond needs a clean-up? Getting these jobs done before winter and rain deluges and mud arrive is key. Having your farming operation in top shape and all set-ups, equipment and machinery ready to roll when you need it can make life run a lot smoother on the land.

And with autumn’s cooler weather our environment is usually a lot more comfortable to get these tasks done. Think fence-clearing, fixing stock yards, building retaining walls or farm bridges, repairing sheds, hanging gates, laying new pipes – all easier jobs in this weather.

And how about your raceways, drains, tanker loop, and ponds? Do you need to get the grader blade out to smooth some bumps and clear some weeds and overgrown areas, or call a professional to get this work done before it turns wet and muddy?

What other things do you need to maintain on-orchard or on-farm? Shelterbelts or trees? You don’t

want a storm to blow through in winter and cause carnage from overgrown trees. So tidy them up now. Do you need to get on top of weeds or renovate pastures? Get onto it now before autumn rains arrive, to give new seed

a good start. So pick up the hammer, chainsaw, pliers or get on the digger, bulldozer or tractor and get onto it. As one of our regular columnist’s favourite saying goes: Proper planning prevents pitiful performance.

New ‘app’ to help farmers manage weeds Farmers can now measure and, as a result, better manage weeds on their property with the help of a phone app developed by AgResearch.

The ‘Grassland Cover Estimator App’ provides an estimate of the percentage of a paddock that is occupied by a weed. This enables the productivity lost due to the weed to be calculated and used in a costbenefit analysis for a proposed control operation.

Launched in February, AgResearch principal scientist Graeme Bourdot says the app will have broad appeal among a wide variety of users working directly or Store Details here indirectly in the pastoral Store Details here sector, including farmers, regional council Store Details here biosecurity officers, Store Details here rural professionals, farm AgResearch principal advisors, scientists and scientist Graeme Bourdot. students.

Graeme says the feedback from farmers has so far been very positive. “It’s a simple-to-use but powerful, enabling measurement of the cover of any component of a natural grassland or sown pasture including any weed, desirable pasture plant, diseased plants, bare ground etc. The app keeps track of ‘present’ and ‘absent’ observations made by the user and uses this data in a method known as ‘Step-point Analysis’ to calculate the percentage of the paddock that is covered by the weed or other component of interest. The app also enables data to be exported for more detailed analysis including, for example, mapping of the cover estimates for the paddocks on a farm.” Precision and

accuracy of the cover estimates generated by the app are the subject of an ongoing collaboration between AgResearch and Professor Joe Neal, a weed science extension specialist at North Carolina State University.

Results from this study will inform sampling protocols for using the app and will be published in an international weed science journal. The app is free to download on Google Play and Apple App stores.

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LOVE YOUR LAND

Page 14

COPING WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Protecting waterways during the big dry Bay of Plenty Regional Council is putting extra preparations in place to ensure the region’s waterways are well cared for if this summer’s dry weather continues.

BOPRC regulatory services general manager Sarah Omundsen says that exceptionally dry weather conditions are starting to put the region’s waterways under unusual pressure.

“We already have rules and consent conditions in place to protect the base

flows that keep local waterways healthy.

But soil moisture levels are getting very low and some of the region’s rivers and streams, especially in the western Bay of Plenty, have come close to record low flows.

“We haven’t reached the threshold for extra water restrictions yet,” said Sarah, in mid-March. “But we’re getting close and making preparations to act if it’s needed.

We’ve had small amounts of rain recently but need significantly more to really make a difference.”

At an extraordinary regional council

meeting on March 10, Sarah told councillors that staff have increased their water and compliance monitoring efforts in response to the prolonged dry spell.

Staff have also been meeting weekly with the BOP Primary Sector Co-ordination Group, which includes agencies such as Ministry for Primary Industries, Rural Support Trust, Fonterra, and NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc, to ensure a coordinated response to the effects of the current prolonged period of low rainfall for the region.

“MPI and industry groups are offering Bay of Plenty Regional Council senior environmental data officer Craig Putt collecting low flow measurements from a Bay of Plenty stream. support to farmers and growers through their networks and the Rural Support Trust 0800 number (0800 787 524). We’ve also been in close contact with our local district and city councils to monitor how their municipal supply systems are holding up.”

All of the municipal water suppliers have been encouraging people to conserve water as much as possible. Only Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council have needed to put formal restrictions in place so far; in the form of a sprinkler ban for Tauranga, and a sprinkler and hose ban for Te Puke.

Water shortage directions

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As part of regional council’s preparations, councillors approved a process for issuing Water Shortage Directions under the Resource Management Act (s.329), at the extraordinary meeting.

“We’ve never had to use a Water Shortage Direction before, and we hope we won’t have to. The decision means staff can be responsive, flexible and act quickly as needed based on changing weather conditions and the particular water demands, environmental and cultural values in each waterway and catchment,” says Sarah.

If water flows in a particular river or stream get too low, BOPRC can use a WSD to temporarily manage that. Direction details will be determined on a case-by-case basis but could include actions such as staggering the timing of water takes or reducing the amount or the purposes for which people may take water from a river, stream or aquifer.

Temporary measure

“If we do have to put a Water Shortage Direction in place, we’ll inform consent holders and water users in the affected catchments about the direction details at that time. It would be a temporary measure until we get enough rain to restore and sustain minimum base flows,” says Sarah.

“In the meantime, everyone can help avoid the need for new restrictions by checking for leaks, reducing water use wherever they can, and making sure they’re not taking water illegally.

“People should call us on our 0800 884 883 Pollution Hotline if they’re concerned about low flows or potentially illegal water takes.”

Information about water take consents and permitted activated levels is available at: www.boprc.govt.nz/wateruse.

Live monitoring data, including stream/river water levels, rainfall, ground water level and soil moisture information from BOPRC’s network of more than 100 hydrological monitoring sites is available at: www.boprc.govt.nz/livemonitoring.

COPING WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Page 15

New US ‘grass fed’ label rule good for NZ Zest Biotech chief technical officer Nathan Balasingham.

The updated United States Department of Agriculture rule for “grass fed” or “pasture fed” milk or meat is very restrictive.

But, if managed prudently, it could actually give Kiwi farmers a market advantage, according to Zest Biotech chief technical officer Nathan Balasingham. “The rule, which was published December 2019, will exclude a lot of our competitors, who will not be able to eliminate grain from their feed, from this valuable market,” says Nathan.

According to the USDA, ‘Grass Fed’ or ‘100 per cent Grass Fed’ claims may only be applied to meat and meat product labels derived from cattle that were only 100 per cent fed grass, or forage, after being weaned from their mother’s milk. The diet must be derived solely from forage, and animals cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season until slaughter.

Nathan says this means 100 per cent grass-fed animals are never confined to a feedlot. “Forage consists of grass, annual and perennial; forbs, for example, legumes, brassica, browse, or cereal grain crops in the vegetative, pre-grain state. Hay, haylage, baleage, silage, crop residue without grain, and other roughage sources may also be included as acceptable feed sources.”

Nathan says grass-fed milk and meat are considered healthier with better taste and flavour and animals raised as grassfed have better animal health, animal welfare and climate change outcomes.

Grass-fed milk and meat has a better omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, higher levels of antioxidants, lower risk of E. coli infection and antibioticresistant bacteria and are, therefore, better for consumer health.

While grass-fed cattle produce tender beef because it cooks faster due to higher concentration of conjugated linoleic acids (unsaturated fats). The well-marbled meat, in the opinion of many connoisseurs, is better-tasting than grain-fed beef, says Nathan.

“According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, our rotationally grazed pastureland sequesters 50 per cent more carbon than the equivalent area of forestry.

“By increasing pasture production, we can increase carbon sequestration even further and earn significantly more carbon credits than forestry.”

Zest Biotech, based in Pukekohe, has developed a pasture spray called Biozest that is reported to significantly increase pasture productivity.

Louise and Neville Williams, certified organic dairy farmers from Karapiro and winners of the Sustainable Business Network: Transforming Food Award, did a trial on baleage. The Biozest-

treated paddocks produced 13 bales per hectare on average. Meanwhile, untreated control paddocks averaged just seven bales/ha. There was a 78 per cent increase in baleage overall.

Mike and Janelle Kelly in Orongo, near Thames, carried out a similar trial and produced 12

bales/ha from the Biozest-treated paddocks and five bales/ha out of untreated control paddocks.

There was a 129 per cent increase in baleage overall in the Biozesttreated paddocks. “If our farmers can improve pasture productivity on this scale, they can safeguard our grass-fed brand, which is

valuable in all markets. The increased carbon fixed in pasture will make a significant contribution to our climate change management obligations – increasing the likelihood farmers will earn, rather than pay, carbon tax. This will also prevent productive land being converted to forestry.”

Zest Bi tech

Page 16

ENVIRO FRIENDLY FARMING

ENVIRO FRIENDLY FARMING

Not all soil tests equal

Kiwi Fertiliser managing director Ron McLean, Terragen Biotech general manager NZ Karl Stokes, Forward Farming Biological Consultancy managing director David Law.

You wouldn’t expect a doctor to use a throat swab to diagnose a broken leg, would you?

The same goes with soil testing: using a testing protocol that is not compatible with the result you are trying to achieve is a recipe for disaster, says Total Replacement Therapy facilitator David Law. “The Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program is a trusted, highly scientific method that forms the basis of the Total Replacement Therapy Method,” says David, who is on a mission to regenerate New Zealand soils cost-efficiently and quickly using the Total Replacement Therapy method.

“Its principles have been taught in more than 75 countries by Dr Albrecht’s successor, soil consultant Neal Kinsey, to help farmers balance their soil to improve soil structure and fertility, creating sustainability for long-term benefits.”

But not all lab tests are created equal. To accurately apply Albrecht/Kinsey principles of soil fertility, you must use a laboratory that will produce figures that replicate Albrecht’s figures, says David.

“The Perry Agricultural Laboratory is the exclusive auditor of soil samples taken by those who practise the Albrecht/Kinsey principles of soil fertility.

“Manuals and training for interpretation and application to any circumstances are then provided by Kinsey Agricultural Services.

“PAL founder Bob Perry and Neal Kinsey follow Dr Albrecht’s methods to the letter, and as Kinsey-trained individuals, so does the Total Replacement Therapy team.”

So don’t be afraid to ask for verification from the consultants who say they practice the Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program, says David.

“Choosing a Perry Agricultural Laboratory soil audit, and implementing the accompanying Kinsey Agricultural Services recommendations, will ensure the most accurate testing with highly repeatable and excellent results that build and maintain soil fertility for optimum quality and yields.

“The integrity of the Total Replacement Therapy team mirrors the integrity of the Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program and Perry Agricultural Laboratory.”

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Page 17

FIELDAYS PREVIEW

Page 18

Fieldays 2020 postponed FOOTWEAR

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The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has postponed Fieldays 2020 scheduled for June 10-13 this year in a bid to do its part to curb the spread of Covid-19, or Coronavirus, in New Zealand.

NZ National Agricultural Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation.

Fieldays 2019 saw 128,747 people visit the event.

As of late-March, a new event date for Fieldays 2020 had not been offered.

New Zealand National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation says the move was made swiftly on March 17 after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s announcement regarding the cancellation of large gatherings to prohibit the spread of Covid-19.

“The society stands by the Government’s decision to cancel events that draw crowds of more than 500 in order to stall the spread of Covid-19,” says Peter on March 17.

“We value our loyal stakeholders, including the many exhibitors, suppliers, volunteers, visitors, staff and their extended family, immensely.

“The whole event is about them.

Their health and safety is of utmost importance to us and we take the government’s decision seriously.”

But Fieldays remains a central part of the New Zealand agricultural community and calendar, says Peter.

“It’s a chance for friends to catch up, local and global businesses to network, cutting edge innovations are out on show and education is at the heart of the event’s delivery.

“The world may be undergoing major challenges in response to Covid19, but in this changing environment Fieldays will remain, albeit at a later date.”

Fieldays – which is set to host its 52nd event this year – is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek, which is 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere.

Fieldays draws people from around

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the globe – both as exhibitors and visitors. Fieldays 2019 saw 128,747 people visit the event, generating $549 million in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses.

Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing primary industry.

The 2019 Fieldays Economic Impact Report, conducted by Dr Warren Hughes of the New Zealand Institute for Business Research at the University of Waikato and released last November, states $549 million in sales revenue for New Zealand firms was generated y the 2019 event with $183m going into the Waikato region alone.

This was a national sales revenue increase of more than $50m from 2018’s figu es. And, based on the official e ent attendance figu es for 2019 of 128,747, it was calculated that each person through the gate contributes around $4200 to the economy.

The report also states more than 2000 full-year jobs had been sustained in the New Zealand economy from the 2019 event with almost 900 jobs sustained specifically in the Waikato region.

Another figu e from the report was $247m of additional GDP was generated for the NZ economy, which is an increase of $21m from 2018.

And $80m was also added to Waikato’s GDP. The report also estimates the brand value of Fieldays as being at $610m following the 2019 event, an increase of $122m following the 2018 event.

For more information on Fieldays, see: www.fieldays.c .nz

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FIELDAYS PREVIEW

Page 19

Fieldays’ aim to be plastic-free by 2023 ‘Plastic Free Fieldays’ by 2023 is the aim of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, which has made a commitment to achieving long-term sustainability goals through environmentally responsible business.

as a well-recognised leader in best practice and sustainability leadership.

“As the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere, it is crucial the event is delivered in a way that supports industry and exhibitors to satisfy the marketplace demand for product and technology transparency.

“Products and services are increasingly scrutinised in real-time by an environmentally-driven global market.

“Excellent support from all areas of food vendors, exhibitors and general stakeholders allows the short-term target of moving away from traditional problematic packaging and plastic material to gain momentum year-on-year.”

In 2019 successful waste initiatives included introduction of sorting waste to send to commercial

composting, partnerships with 20 large exhibitors with the Waste Partnership Scheme and removing single-use plastic from the bar.

This resulted in a 97 per cent increase in compostable material being separated and composted correctly.

Digital ticketing

Promoting digital ticketing through the introduction of the explorer bands, reusable silicone wristbands, contributed to a reduction in printed material with 683,497 fewer sheets of paper used, the equivalent of 82 trees.

Beyond Fieldays, the society runs a Predator Free programme supported by

the Department of Conservation and dedicated volunteers, with the goal of total pest eradication by 2050 on the Mystery Creek site.

Branded uniforms and clothing from past events is sent to developing countries via community groups the society supports. And where possible, event material is upcycled and made into bookbags for school children in need.

As a non-profit organisation, any surplus generated from Fieldays, or from hosting other events on-site, is invested in further development of the property, venues and facilities, and charitable purposes along with advancing agriculture.

Instep director Peter Birkett helps volunteers sort waste at Fieldays in 2019.

Comedian Te Radar lends a hand at the 2019 Fieldays recycling centre.

“Environmental concerns are increasingly at the forefront of our visitors’ and exhibitors’ minds, says NZ National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation.

“Across all sectors of our organisation, from events to everyday practices, the society aims to be a leader through sustainable practices.”

Fieldays 2019 saw the highest landfill di ersion rate in the history of the event with 41 per cent of waste diverted, or 10,285 fewer kilograms sent to landfill.

Total waste fell 16 per cent from 2018 and landfill waste by 19 per cent. The target for composting was achieved, with 1500kg sent for composting.

Fieldays continues to implement the Event Sustainability Management System ISO 20121 to ensure the event is delivered in accordance with this internationally recognised ISO standard.

Innovative Innovative Design Design Improves Improves Efficiency Efficiency Ezi-flo pit gates completely Ezi-flo pit gates completely clear exit ways and cannot clear exit ways be touched byand cowscannot leaving be touched bythe cows leaving milking area. the milking area.

Sustainability programme

The fully galvanised gates “This process continually challenges us to improve are available in kitset for The fully galvanised gates our event planning, processes and delivery whilst speedy are available in installation kitset for addressing major impact areas such as environmental speedy installation management and carbon emission generation from the event,” says Peter.

0800 226974 For the last eight years the society has partnered 2 C OW S H E D with Instep, which has supported the design and Ph Jim 07-850 Mob. 0274 936 693 2 C5971 OW SH ED implementation of the Fieldays sustainability Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 ezi-flo programme and report. Instep director Peter Birkett Ph JimP.O. 07-850 5971 0274Hamilton 936 693 Box 10 188,Mob. Te Rapa, PITGATES believes it is these initiatives, along with actions to www.dairybuilders.co.nz Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamilton minimise energy consumption and specific waste PITGATES management programmes, which positions Fieldays www.dairybuilders.co.nz

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Page 20

EDUCATION

New CEO for rural leadership trust The New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust has appointed Chris Parsons, MNZM, DSD, as its new chief executive officer.

“Chris’ expertise in strategy design, delivery, international relations and leader development will be important as Rural Leaders expands its offering and impact to keep NZ at the forefront of global agribusiness.

Chris says he’s honoured and excited to lead to the NZ Chris will replace Anne Hindson on May 4, after she steps down as general manager on April 30. finding, developing Rural Leadership Trust. “I believe fi NZRLT board of trustee chair Andrew Watters says and mentoring future rural leaders matters to the NZRLT is fortunate to have someone of Chris’ calibre and prosperity of NZ and NZers, the protection of our experience step up to NZ’s Rural Leaders through its next environment and to thriving rural communities.” stage of growth.

Andrew also thanked Anne for her efforts and her Hailing from the Far North, Chris has a sheep and beef service to NZRLT since her appointment in 2014. background and co-owns Ashgrove Genetics Ltd. He’s “Anne has been crucial to the establishment and a decorated Army officer, certified member of the development of NZRL, which runs the iconic Institute of Directors and holds master’s degrees in Nuffield Scholarship and the Kellogg Rural management and in strategy.

Leadership Programmes.

Andrew says the NZ farming and growing “These programmes select, develop and help sectors are at a pivotal moment. “More than accelerate the leadership potential of NZ’s ever we need rural leaders who can perceive the exceptional rural talent and the alumni of which challenges and seize the opportunities presented by contribute significantly to the food and fibre rapid technological, environment, consumer and The NZLT’s new CEO sector across NZ policy changes.”

Chris Parsons.

Attracting overseas students to study agricultural emissions in NZ A new scholarship aimed at boosting global scientific expertise in agricultural emissions is now open for applications.

Called the New Zealand Global Research Alliance Doctoral Scholarships, the scholarship programme will see six science students from developing countries complete their PhDs at a New Zealand university.

Announced by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, he says New Zealand is a global leader on

member and key contributor to the GRA. “Our role is at the core of our global leadership on climate change.

“Through the GRA we have successfully mobilised action around the world – from governments, international organisations and producers – to better understand the opportunities we have to reduce global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re committed to supporting the scientific capability in developing countries, and to broadening the pool of innovation and ideas globally.

These scholarships will help us tap into the new research and knowledge these students will bring to NZ, while enabling them to expand their knowledge and expertise in agriculture emissions science.”

Applications close June 1.

climate change.

“As part of that leadership role, we’ve created these scholarships to support global efforts to tackle climate change and foster the next generation of climate scientists. We need to ensure the world’s brightest minds have access to our world-class education.”

Funding for the new scholarships is being provided by the Ministry for Primary Industries, in support of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases.

The GRA focuses on improving agricultural productivity and production efficiency while addressing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions and food security. It also facilitates a wide range of capability building and research programmes.

Damien says NZ is a founding

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Marketing Association, was a keynote speaker at in February. Photo: Jamie Troughton Dscribe Media

Walking robots that deliver parcels to your which is bigger and sweeter. By treating an acre of land this way, it is also possible to offset the carbon door, or store staff who bring groceries to emissions of one passenger car for a whole year. your home and put them away in the fridge “A robot used in Californian lettuce and caulifl wer stries Ltd ph (09) 820 0272, email : sales@cosio.co.nz. crops uses AI vision as it goes up the rows detecting 021 280 7266 for more information.

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Robots and AI were also being used to monitor Cathy Burns, CEO of the USA-based Produce plant health, again reducing labour costs. Concerns Marketing Association, one of the keynote speakers at the February Zespri Momentum Conference at Mount over the declining population of bees had led to the development of a drone that can hover over a fl wer Maunganui, says both versions of home delivery were and pollinate it and a new robot has been developed being trialled now in America. to carry out 3D mapping of blackberry bushes and to IRRIGATION WATERservice STORAGE In a Walmart trial for an onlineAND ordering “a pollinate them too.

Walmart associate will go into yourEPDM house TRA-PRO Shade cloth fabric FIRESTONE pondand put Another device to assist the human workforce was an TRA-PRO Windbreak groceriesfabric away for you. liners.

They are wearing cameras so horticultural irrigation, TRA-PRO Hail electric wheelbarrow. “These are assigned to individual thenetting customer can watchFor them go into the home,” says water storage, effluent TRA-PRO Pea and bean mesh storage liners. pickers, following them up and down the row.

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TRA-PRO Woven weed mat 20 year Firestone Warranty Once a crate [of produce] is ready it is placed on the Another trial involves a robotic self-drive van.

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See us at the wheelbarrow which takes it away for packing, almost the back is a robot that can walk up to a client’s TRA-PRO Canopy Netting NZ door, Agricultural Fieldays LYGRO 200 EVA greenhouse covers around Mystery Creek like a conveyor system.” using AI to navigate in its way – such Contactobstacles us for nationwide OCIL non woven weed control fabric installers as a child’s toy on the footpath – and deposit aPavilion box ofsite PB30Cathy says the fruit and vegetable industries are uniquely placed to help turn around the increasingly s Ltd, P.O.Box 15014,on New 0640, Auckland goods theLynn, doorstep.

Email : sales@cosio.co.nz Crescent, Avondale, Auckland dire health standards of much of the world’s Internationally and in New Zealand, online shopping Website : http://www.cosio.co.nz 2 Fax 09 820 0274 population, especially in Western nations. is growing fast. The global online grocery market is “Six in 10 adults in the US have chronic disease and predicted to grow from $150 billion in 2017 to $334 four in 10 adults have two or more chronic diseases. billion in 2022 and there has been a 59 per cent dollar Based on the current trajectory, adults will live four growth in New Zealand supermarket e-commerce. years less. If we don’t change that trajectory young However, technology, robots and AI are not just people around the world will be the first generation being used in retail. They are also helping make food not to live as long as their parents and we cannot stand production more efficient and sustainable, says Cath . for that.

Regenerative agriculture, which uses farming Useprinciples Polygro to increase “We have part of the answer, which is to eat more designedcovers to mimic nature to build healthy profits Replacesoils yourand tiredfertile, old filmthriving with Polygro and forget recovering to 5 years and vegetables.” Cathy predicts doctors will be ecosystems, is receiving a lotfor upfruit Polygro is easy to use in - High EVA prescribing fruit and vegetables, including kiwifruit, of attention and financial estment in thefor US.longer life to improve the health of their patients and reduce infilms Florida, inserting fungi or dripping Polygro lasts“One longer project than other - Antifog additivebeneficial to prevent condensation on plants. healthcare costs.

Wide rolls from 4m - 10m - standard lengths of 50 or cut to length to suit your house. . bacteria intowidth the soil has been able to metres produce citrus Elaine Fisher

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TREE CONTROL FOR CONTROLLED TREE REMOVAL Reaching Heights Of Up To 30 Metres

We Have The Latest In Tree Control Equipment And The Expertise To Get The Job Done Efficiently!

Purpose-built tree machine reaches 30 metres A Bay of Plenty tree removal company is achieving new heights – ones few others can equal.

Tree Control has a new purposebuilt machine with a 30-metre reach, and co-owner Matt Duytshoff says it’s ideal for removing gnarly old trees previously thought too difficult to tackle.

“No other Bay of Plenty company has equipment to reach this high.

The machine has four-wheel steer, allowing a tight turning circle and minimal damage to the ground.

“The way Tree Control bring down trees in a controlled manner enables removal of branches, full trees and shelterbelts with no damage to orchard structure, buildings and fencing.

“The cab-levelling system allows work on steep terrain. And with this machine we can reach heights well above that which our existing 18m machine can.”

Matt says the new machine not only extends the type of work the company can do, but also is in keeping with its strong focus on health and safety.

“Safety is extremely important to us and it is a focus for our clients too, with many being worried about dangerous branches hanging over kiwifruit structures or buildings, making conditions unsafe for workers.

“Orchardists also worry about their trees during high winds, concerned they might fall or drop branches causing damage.

“With our machines we specialise in shelterbelt topping, being able to reduce trees to any height but still leaving them high enough for wind protection, unlike conventional digger set-ups.”

Tree Control has a chipper capable of reducing even the largest trees to chip and promises ‘no further clean-up work’ for clients when they leave a job.

“Our large chipper disposes of all debris removed by our tree topper. We either leave it on-site for your use or we can chip straight into the back of our truck to cart away,” says Matt.

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Page 23

Organics Bill great for growers

Organic kiwifruit growers and industry with Minister Damien O’Connor, centre right, and Green Party co-leader James Shaw, centre.

The Organic Products Bill, introduced to Parliament on March 1, means a national standard for organic production is on its way.

Regulations under the new standard are still in the drafting stages – but once in place, organicproducing businesses will have to be certified organic by a relevant government industry, and making a claim without certification can be fined under the Commerce Act. Coastal Kiwis Orchard owners Mark and Catriona White, who grow kiwifruit organically at Opotiki, say the standard will give credibility to New Zealand organic producers, and is therefore welcomed by those in the industry.

“We have been in organics for 13 years, and the need for regulations has probably been discussed amongst those in the industry for that entire time,” says Mark.

“It has taken a lot of people and hard work to get to this point, so it’s exciting for many of us. It will be great for us to have clarity, and to be on par with other fair trading nations.”

Out of the top 25 organic markets in the world, only New Zealand and one other country have standards that are voluntary, not mandatory.

According to a government press release, global demand and local supply of organic products is rising. The European Union organics market is worth around NZ$65 billion, and the US market is worth upwards of NZ$70 billion. The number of organic producers in Oceania has almost tripled since 2006.

Mark says the benefits of the bill go beyond economic gain. “Timing is everything, and the standard has come when protecting the environment is of the utmost importance. It will help organics step forward as a viable way to grow food for our future.”

Catriona says having the standard will be assuring to both consumers and producers. “Consumers being able to have faith in organic claims on products is huge. It covers not just food, but pharmaceuticals and clothing as well.”

“We thank Agriculture and Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor for pushing for the standard to become a reality. He’s been working on this for a long time, and has committed to having those in the industry be part of the political process.

“We are happy that with all of the things the Government has to prioritise, they’ve chosen organics to be one of them.”

The public can make submissions on the proposed Organic Products Bill in coming months.

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COUNTRY LIVING

Catching pest control views Scientists have created an online survey based on new research to test how New Zealanders feel about pest management and want as many people as possible to take part.

New enhanced formula

The survey, a research project supported by senior scientists at Auckland and Victoria universities and the Department of Conservation, has produced a new Pest Management Attitude scale and is the first of its kind.

“The scale we have come up with is similar to an existing scale measuring environmental attitudes but the information we are seeking is more specific,” says Associate Professor James Russell from the University of Auckland’s School of Biological Sciences. “That’s because while people might be very proactive in environmental sustainability, which is great, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will support a rat eradication project in their region in the ongoing fight against introduced species.”

Survey questions based on the new scale include whether pest control interferes with nature, has unknown side effects, is beneficial for future generations, or is less important than other conservation issues.

It has already been tested on more than 2600

residents from two communities; the first in Wellington where the survey found 84 per cent of people were generally pro-predator management.

The other survey has just been released and looked at the different attitude of inhabitants on four of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf islands to pest management and also compared those results to a community on the Auckland mainland.

The results suggest island communities are generally more supportive of pest control than their mainland counterparts but attitudes varied. Rakino landowners were the most supportive, with comments in the survey suggesting that may be linked to a successful rat eradication there eight years ago.

But a strong theme among island respondents was communities wanted to know exactly what was planned for any pest control programme and whether they would be consulted. “There have been a wide range of pest management initiatives on those islands going back some decades and we do think that how those were done and the level of community engagement makes a big difference to how people feel about future programmes, which is critical in working towards a Predator Free NZ,” says James.

The survey is based on the new Pest Management Attitudes scale designed by Joanne Aley from DOC, Victoria University’s Associate Professor Taciano Milfont and James Russell of UOA, and is published in ‘Wildlife Research’.

Time can be a great healer – Part 2 There are three components of any nutritional support programme I create. There is diet; making sure that foods help not worsen the problem. There are supplements; these help us target specific nutrients and other compounds that can help the body heal the problem.

Abundant Health

The vital third component is time. I’m regularly contacted by people who have a problem and want to ‘try a bottle’ of a supplement to see if it would help.

My advice is fairly blunt. If you want to try a bottle you are better to save your money as you will be disappointed. While the product may be fine it eliminates the most important element of time.

For example, I’ve been helping

an ex-builder for the last two years. When I first spoke with him he had significant pain from osteoarthritis in his knees and hands.

He described the knee pain as debilitating and it severely impacted his mobility and quality of life. He was told he needed a knee replacement.

I put him on my osteoarthritis programme but also added and multimineral and antioxidant complex because of other cardiovascular issues. Last time I spoke to him his knees had improved to the point where he had decided not to have surgery and his hands had much less pain. He also noted his overall health had significantly improved.

Adding therapeutic levels of high grade chondroitin is critical. In

this case we used doses as high as 1600mg daily. Glucosamine, of course, helps as does curcumin from turmeric to reduce inflammation. Adding extra Omega 3 from fish oil is a great idea as it helps tip the body into an antiinflammatory state.

The key ingredients then of any nutritional support programme are helpful foods, helpful supplements and time. Miss any one of these three and you may well be disappointed. Contact me if you need some help.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice, contact John on 0800 423559 or email: john@abundant.co.nz Join his all new newsletter at: www.abundant.co.nz

COUNTRY LIVING

Love for landscape design Soft landscaper Megan Wilson spent much of her time this sweltering summer working in “an air-conditioned office” – one with no walls, windows or heat pumps.

Her workplace was under the canopy of native trees, which naturally conditioned and cooled the air around her.

“You can, with the right plants and right place, take just four years to establish that kind of environment,” says Megan, owner of Earth Canvas Limited, a soft landscape concepts and implementation business, currently based in Tauranga.

Megan’s experienced management makes it easy for clients, from planting concepts through to plant supply, site preparation, implementation and maintenance. The work is allocated at times to subcontractors or to work with others who clients source.

Megan has formal education from universities, technical institutes and waananga. Nursery management, landscape design and technology dove-tailed and grew with tikanga Maori and te reo courses. The awareness of changes and response to changes in the natural world, in her experience, is the greatest university.

Ancestors

Megan says she’s always enjoyed the creativity of her projects as well as the hands-on teamwork with homeowners, landscape and pool designers. Her ancestors, both Maori and European, have a history of planting, protecting and nurturing the environment so it’s hardly surprising she has followed the same path.

Page 25

Outdoor classrooms flourish Children are getting a chance to shine in an outdoor classroom.

Garden to Table Trust is helping to establish vegetable gardens in local schools so students have the opportunity to discover for themselves a love of fresh food by learning how to cultivate and cook their own vegies during class time.

GTT has helped 14 schools to set up gardens around the Bay of Plenty,

and regional coordinator for the trust, Belinda Smith, says they would like to see that number grow.

“I think it’s something we need to keep in mind in today’s fast-paced world of pre-packaged foods that sometimes children and families can lose touch of where food actually comes from.” Anyone interested in learning more can visit GTT’s website: www.gardentotable.org.nz

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Septi-CureTM is: Landscape designer Megan Wilson enjoys helping clients create the landscapes they aspire to.

“I have an empathy with nature, trees and plants which comes from rediscovering my whakapapa connections and observations over 35 years. That heritage has been complimented by some of my settler ancestors who also had an early aspiration for land management. One was the reserve once known as the Le Roy Bush at Birkenhead, a farm turned back into native plantings.”

A return to the Hauraki, Thames and Coromandel region to complete the cycle of planting native and or projects on lifestyle blocks, waterways or farms is what Megan now aspires to. In 1986 Megan was invited to Driving Creek Railway, Coromandel, and created a native tree nursery there.

From there to a stint shearing sheep around New Zealand, and then setting up the landscape business Earth Canvas Limited in Tauranga, has been the road travelled.

Mark Cashmore, of Mark Cashmore Design Ltd in Tauranga, speaks highly of Megan’s work. He’s a landscape designer dealing with structural landscape and swimming pool design, and 25 years ago Megan approached him to see if he was interested in working with a garden designer, installer and maintenance person such as herself.

Aspiration

“I’ve been recommending Megan since that time as I’ve found her a delight to work with; she listens, she understands and is more than capable of delivering,” says Mark.

The aspiration Megan has, to continue to connect people to the spaces around them be it a home or a greater space has been the way to build better understanding. A landscape is a reflection of many things, says Megan.

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Unusual waterfowl bred in the Waikato Waikato couple Breony and Mitch Bearman are known for owning and breeding some unusual animals. On their Karamu block they breed waterfowl, as well as rare poultry, and Highland cattle.

A good-sized pond, and plenty of grass on their 10-acre block, makes the perfect home for their Sebastopol geese and Muscovy ducks.

Sebastopols are relatively small geese, with orange beaks and feet, bright blue eyes, and soft, flexible feathers, which grow out in graceful curls and waves.

After owning Pilgrim geese previously, Breony was drawn to the breed because of its billowing feathers

and how “dramatic” they look when on the water. She sourced a white and brown goose, and a white gander from Canterbury.

“They are usually approachable and non-aggressive, but when the goose is sitting on eggs, the gander puts on a big show of aggression,” says Breony.

The geese only hatch one batch of eggs a year, taking 30 days to hatch, and usually not more than seven eggs.

“The breed is known for having low fertility, and often only have of the eggs hatch.”

Breony also has six female Muscovy ducks and one drake. These large domesticated ducks originated from Mexico, and are usually some mix of black and white in colour, with pink/red bills and distinctive bright red

caruncles around their faces which is more pronounced in males.

Breony is the first to admit they are not the most attractive of creatures – but she says they make up for it in personality.

“They bob their heads and wag their tails like dogs to communicate and it’s quite cute to watch.”

Their quiet quack, which is more of a hiss, is appreciated by human owners.

These ducks are productive breeders.

Ducklings are easy targets for rats, so depending on the positioning of the

nest, Breony sometimes intervenes and raises them in a brooder.

“They are a lot less flighty than most ducks, with gentle temperaments and are very intelligent.”

Unusually for ducks, Muscovy have claws on their webbed feet and roost in trees.

Both the geese and the ducks need a pond where they can fully submerge to clean, and rinse their sinuses.

The flightless Sebastopol and the relatively content Muscovy tend to stay on a property, foraging and feeding on grass and greens. They make excellent orchard companions as they also eat slugs and snails, and mosquitoes and other bugs.

While people buy the ducks mainly for meat, the few goslings bred each year are sought out by lifestylers wanting pest management on their land, says Breony.

Catherine Fry

Sebastopol goslings at a few days old. Photo: Breony Bearman.

  

    

  

         

     —       — — —  - —

     -  - -    -    

                        

                                       

               

    

COUNTRY LIVING

Achieving the impossible Experience, standards and safety are the hallmarks of Tree Removal BOP. Pete Cook, who runs the business with his wife Kelly, says their small and highly experienced crew has more than 50 years’ combined experience in tree removal and logging.

“We make it feasible to remove and log small blocks and rows of trees at a very high standard,”

The team at Tree Removal BOP making short work of a potentially dangerous road-side tree. Photo: supplied.

says Pete.

A key part of the business is work on shelterbelts in orchards. “Shelterbelts get too big and start to shade the orchards from the sunlight,” says Pete.

“They become dangerous in the winter winds.”

Or, he says, orchard owners want the space to plant more orchard trees.

“We can cut, grab and place the shelterbelt trees in a pile,” says Pete.

“We can then proceed to mulch, burn firewood. Often, we can or cut into fi extract the logs and market them to subsidise the cost.”

Pete says the company has a reputation for “achieving the impossible” when it comes to tree removal. “We love the challenge and we love getting great feedback from our customers.”

Based at Oropi, Pete says Tree Removal BOP offers fast, free quoting and advice and uses up-to-date, specialised equipment.

Pete says they cover the Bay of Plenty, targeting orchards, lifestyle blocks and farms. “I’ve been in the tree removal, logging, farming and earthworks’ industry for more than 20 years. This has given me recognition with, and greater first-hand knowledge of, my target market,” says Pete.

And all of his staff are certified for their job and under constant training, and subject to random drug testing, regular safety meetings and audits.

Contact Tree Removal BOP today by viewing their advert on this page.

Steve Edwards

Tour the best of the South Island Five different tours of the South Island are on offer via long-established four wheel drive back country tour operation NZ Adventures for the 2020-2021 season.

“The dates for these trips have just been set,” says Connie Crickett, who owns and runs the business with husband Robbie.

The tours are the High Country Heritage; the West Coast Explorer; the 46 South; the Eastern Explorer; and the Big Sky. “High Country Heritage is a six-day, or seven-day in March, tour from Blenheim to Cardrona with overnights in Hanmer Springs, Methven, Fairlie, Omarama and Cromwell.

“The route of this popular trip follows the eastern foothills of the Alpine Divide along the 1200km trip,” says Connie.

The West Coast Explorer is a five-day tour starting in Hanmer Springs with overnights in Murchison, Westport, Reefton and finishing in Greymouth.

The 46 South is NZ Adventures’ most popular tour, which follows an imaginary line across the far south from the Catlins to Fiordland before turning north to end in Cromwell.

“The Eastern Explorer, from Geraldine to Alexandra, winds its way through the Eastern hillcountry of South Canterbury and Otago and is incredibly diverse.”

And the Big Sky is six days touring from Geraldine south into the MacKenzie Basin and Central Otago before finishing in Alexandra. For further details on the tours, see: www.nzadventures.co.nz

One of the five NZ Adventures tours that offer breath-taking views and scenery of the south.

Page 27

Water hyacinth eradication in Waikato A joint Biosecurity New Zealand and Waikato Regional Council work programme is underway following the discovery of a small cluster of pest water hyacinth in the Waikato River near Huntly.

The agencies are working together with local iwi to ensure any water hyacinth is located and removed. The team will then coordinate ongoing checks to ensure it doesn’t return.

Biosecurity NZ manager of pest management, John Sanson, says water hyacinth is a rapidly growing water weed that if

left, can form dense mats that reduce water quality, crowd out native water plants and animals, block irrigation systems and alter ecosystems. “In this instance, we’ve found just two individual plants in the slow waters at the edges of the river and one plant in a cluster of willows further out into the stream.”

John says now all known plants have been removed the area will be regularly surveyed for 20 years to ensure the plant doesn’t return. “If people believe they’ve seen it, call our pests/ diseases hotline 0800 80 99 66.”

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 28

Can I subdivide my farming property?

This question is getting harder to answer by the day.

You have all heard of the Resource Management Act – every political party wants to either repeal it or amend it.

Well, that won’t be happening near you any time soon. Since being enacted in 1990 it has become entrenched in our society, being amended many times with the desire to make it work better. My experience is that the many amendments have made subdivision so much harder.

To be fair, it is not just the legislation but how each individual council interprets and implements the RMA, when setting their subdivision rules, which has made it hard.

Perhaps the current housing shortage will push government into repealing it and starting afresh – who knows.

So, every council has their own rules. They have minimum areas

for both rural and town sections being created. In the rural areas there are also rules relating to the size and sometimes the age of the existing ‘parent’ title. Often now the minimum rural block size on quality soils or grazing land is around 40ha. However, some councils set aside localities for more intensive horticultural or lifestyle block subdivision – or allow limited small blocks to be cut off older farms, as in Waikato. So, the first place to look might be the respective council’s website, or you may see a neighbour doing a subdivision.

If you believe that your property may qualify, you’d be best to contact a local subdivision specialist. Those who specialise in this space will know the rules, and what discretion they have to propose a subdivision which doesn’t quite fit the rules.

It is not just a matter of getting the areas correct though. There are

many issues to investigate, such as the ability to build safely on the new section, provide safe access from the road, eliminate possible past contamination of the land due to cropping or other activities, and avoiding archaeological sites to mention but a few. These issues must be formally reported on to council as part of a resource consent application.

The subdivision specialist will work, on your behalf, to demand from council the best conditions on the resource consent, as they work through the process to obtain a saleable new title for you. Most often you will be required to provide the new section with appropriate service connections for wastewater, electricity, telephone and a permanent safe entry to the adjoining road. Such conditions can be onerous and must be considered at the outset.

This process can take many months to complete, depending on the

specific site issues, and is not something you’d take on without expert help. There are many opportunities for holdups and, in fact, failure if you don’t engage with the correct process and engage a specialist company.

If you have an idea that subdivision is a possibility for you, due to activity in your area or you have had a good steer from council, I’m happy to give you the time to discuss the full potential for your land.

Feel free to give me a call and discuss your situation.

Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato, Coromandel, Hauraki and Bay of Plenty. For further information, call 027 4993 778 or email: btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz

What do you look for in a trustee?

• Ideal for Cattle Troughs • High Flow • Side/Bottom Mount •• Ideal for CattletoTroughs Detatches Clean • High Flow •• Compact/Robust Side/Bottom Mount • Detatches to Clean • Compact/Robust

What are your responsibilities and regard for other family members’ wishes or what do you need to do? I’ve seen people what is fair. A trustee has to be mentally appointed as trustees to family trusts strong to stand up for what is right and to and wills and have witnessed them remain fair and objective. making some terrible decisions. This has prompted me to write this article.

Two trustees Some time ago two trustees were Trusts usually have two trustees. Your entrusted to look after a large farm that solicitor will ask you to nominate two had not been well maintained. They spent trustees. Do not make this decision in haste. every cent that was in the coffers to tidy Take time and go away and think about the up the farm and then the trustees thought decision. Talk to the people who you are they would lease it, new fences, races, considering as trustees. Make sure they have buildings and all! All the money was you and your family’s best interests in mind. spent, the farm looked great, but…

Do they understand your family dynamics?

The trustees then put their own stock on the farm Solicitors do not generally make good trustees. They and tried to remain as trustees. There is a huge breach tend to look at everything from a legal perspective. They of integrity here and they’d completely forgotten the are included to be pedantic and litigious rather than original instruction and intent. Trusts are a fantastic objective. Accountants often make better trustees. They vehicle to carry land from one generation to the next. may have a more realistic understanding of the issues However, you are dependent on the trustees, who are to and will look at these from an accounting aspect.

Ideal for • Id C act on your behalf when• you have vacated this earth, to Because of the liability of a trustee regarding unpaid • Hig make the right decisions and to look after the asset for GST and tax, accountants are often more aware of issues • Side/Bo • the beneficiaries of the trust. that may arise. They usually have a better understanding of day-to day-activities of businesses and can normally • Detatch • Family members be moreComp familiar with the family.

• Family members should not be trustees in my opinion.

Some professional trustees have a trustee company that Upon your demise they have a huge job and will be they operate from. The trustee company offers some subject to pressures from everywhere. I know of a case protection should a claim be made against the trustees where an ex-wife of a settlor of a trust tried to influence and/or the trust. Independent trustees, who have a wide the settlor’s own brother, who was a trustee, away from experience in all aspects of farming and business are buying more real estate following a marriage break-up. generally more ideal. They are likely to charge for time Why? Because she, being the estranged wife, did not in attendance, but you expect to pay any professional want her ex-partner to progress forward. Needless to say, person for advice anyway. the brother had to be removed as a trustee. He was no The key points in selection of a trustee are: objectivity; longer objective. He was supposed to be acting for the independence; have a good understanding of people, trust but the settlor’s ex-wife was able to influence him. law and accounting issues; experienced and not aged; Some people’s greed seems to be more prevalent live within easy commuting distance if possible; are not these days. Family members will see an opportunity beneficiaries of the trust. So you’re dependant on their to prosper and will chase that opportunity with little decision-making ability when you have vacated this planet. Selection of a suitable trustee for your trust is a very important decision and not to be made lightly. It is essential you get this selection right as they represent you upon your demise.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance.

Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the farming industry. Call him on 021 777 675.

AVOCADOS

Page 29

Five-year target met in three by DMS In 2017 post-harvest company DMS set a five-year business plan to pack 10,000 bins of avocados. This was achieved this season, due to the phenomenal growth during the last three years.

Today, DMS’ restructure of its avocado business three years ago continues to improve its dividends both for growers and business.

The restructure included changing exporters to Avoco.

“We now represent eight per cent of the industry’s export volume and that figure is growing,” says DMS general manager of avocado business development, Phil Chisnall.

“We have gone from strengthto-strength, packing more than 550,000 trays of which 290,000 trays were exported in 2019/2020 season, up from 137,000 export trays in 2018/2019 season.

“We are waiting with keen interest on the final Orchard Gate Returns from Avoco, which I

DMS avocado orchard manager Hamish McKain and Phil Chisnall, general manager avocado business development with DMS. believe will again be the best OGR in the industry. It’s important to have an industry-standardised reporting from all exporters so there is no confusion on returns.

“OGR has to be the measure as we understand that OGR is after packing and packaging costs have already been deducted from the reported figure.”

Phil says key to the success are his team of avocado manager Hamish McKain and AvoGreen manager

valued clients. We are keen to invite more growers to join DMS and enjoy these benefits,” says Phil.

“The company currently harvests fruit from more than 300 hectares of orchards, we go as far south as New Plymouth. Including in our portfolio of orchards is Motuhoa Island and Motiti Islands orchards. Orchards include those which are leased or managed

by DMS, or orchards which clients manage themselves. Lindsay Heard of Brenmark Consultation Ltd is a DMS horticultural consultant, advising on all aspects of tree health and orchard management.

“Our aim is to increase orchard

production and we take a back-to-basics approach believing in quality inputs including fertiliser, sprays and injecting against phytophthora to ensure tree health.”

Phil and Hamish both own their own avocado orchards. “We have ‘skin in the game’ and this increases our understanding of what orchardists face and reflects our commitment and passion for the avocado industry.”

DMS is a leading kiwifruit and avocado orchard management and post-harvest operator in the Bay of Plenty. Locally owned and operated, DMS’ brand promise is to increase grower profit.

Hugh O’Connell. The partnership DMS has with exporter Avoco is also crucial as are the services DMS offers its growers including sound advice, exceptional packing facilities, complete orchard management, orchard lease options, AvoGreen service and harvest flexibility.

“We pride ourselves on exceptional grower service.

Growers need that regular contact, and this is very important to our

Summer has gone so start planning Hot dry conditions highlighted the 2020 avocado summer. And they were conditions we probably haven’t seen for some time.

It’s bought a sense of reality to that of living in an ideal location and being an orchardist – hot summers, long evenings and great beach locations, but we still need water to grow our fruit.

Take stock

Now summer has ended it’s another opportunity to take stock of your orchard. Assess trees and start planning the winter programme. As I write this I’m still waiting for a significant rain. While I want water I also don’t want to hold up our next programme.

That programme includes a big prune and injecting with a 15 per cent solution of HiPK and Avojects. We have many tree carrying too much crop and with the dry we haven’t grown the flush required to fruit next year. If I don’t take some crop-load off and have a high nutritional programme, I won’t grow fruit and flush. Research indicates the autumn flush is a poor producer of fruit and flowers, so any flush

we grow now will be about protecting the crop from sunburn and damage in the growing fruit. Damage that occurs quite often in November-December.

Promote vigour

I’m also a believer that you need leaf on the fruiting branches. If you want to grow fruit you should remove overloaded branches to grow leaf and promote vigour.

Don’t be scared to prune to promote vigour. Vigour can be slow in arriving, it comes from the tree being in a great growing condition and is a bit like a head of steam.

It builds steadily and lowly and then is full steam ahead.

Vigour in heavy cropping trees is hard to stimulate. This respiratory vigour helps fruit and leaf growth. It is vigour that promotes flowering fruit retention and we believe aids crop-loads.

Therefore, one key job after the rain is to get a soil and leaf test and compare results to previous years.

There’s plenty of information available on nutrition levels, however we do need a nutrient budget for our local area. This is presently one of our biggest weakness in the sustainability pathway.

All the best with getting those jobs done early.

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team on 07 549 1809 or visit www.aaltd.co.nz If you need advice or to find out more contact our team on 07 549 1809 or visit www.aaltd.co.nz

AVOCADOS

Page 30

Trophy this year honouring Maori horticulture Three top performing Bay of Plenty orchards are finalists in the inaugural Ahuwhenua Trophy competition to honour excellence in Maori horticulture.

Traditionally awarded to dairy and sheep and beef farming enterprises, for the ÿ rst time in the trophy’s 87-year

history, the competition has been opened up to Maori horticulturalists. ° e three ÿ nalists were announced at a special ceremony at Parliament in February by the Minister for M˛ori Development, Nanaia Mahuta.

Hineora Orchard, Te Kaha 15B Ahu Whenua Trust, is a Maori freehold land block located in the Eastern Bay of Plenty township of Te Kaha, 65km east

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Download your profitability guide at thetruthaboutOGR.co.nz

of Opotiki on which the trust run a kiwifruit joint-venture operation. ° e land comprises an area of 11.5 hectares, on which the trust run a kiwifruit joint venture operation, a commercial packhouse facility housing the local kiwifruit spray company (in which the trust holds shares), and a four bedroom home for accommodation at the block. Today the trust jointly manages 8.13ha of G3 SunGold kiwifruit, producing just over 133,000 trays annually.

Otama Marere, Paengaroa North A5 Block, in Paengaroa near the Bay of Plenty town of Te Puke, grow a mixture of Green, SunGold and organic kiwifruit as well as avocados.

Today, they operate is 11.87ha of Hayward Green kiwifruit, three blocks of SunGold G3, and in 2018, Otama Marere became one of the ÿ rst Maori-owned orchards to embrace organic SunGold and now has 7.08ha of organic Gold in development.

From 2018-2020, the trust

planted 950 Gem avocados spanning four separate blocks, and 2.1ha. A full return is expected on these avocados in year ÿ ve. ° ird ÿ nalist is Ngai Tukairangi Trust, which is a very large kiwifruit operation with one of its orchards, based at Matapihi, just a few kilometres from the centre of Tauranga City.

Like most kiwifruit enterprises, Ngai Tukairangi was caught up in the Psa-V crisis, but immediately grafted the Psa-resistant variety G3 SunGold. By acting early, the trust became one of the ÿ rst orchards to be producing SunGold and gained a commercial advantage.

Ngai Tukairangi Trust has 1,650 beneÿ beneficial owners

and makes a point of encouraging whanau involvement and employs about 56 sta˝ .

With the March-April ÿ nalist ÿ eld days and the May 22 awards dinner cancelled due to Covid-19, the winner will be now announced by the Minister for Maori Development, Nanaia Mahuta and Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor, and a special event for the trophy presentation will be arranged once Covid-19 related restrictions are eased. ° e Ahuwhenua Trophy is the most prestigious award for excellence in Maori farming and was inaugurated 87 years ago by the visionary Maori leader, Sir Apirana Ngata, and then-Governor General, Lord Bledisloe.

Live-streaming monthly workshops for growers Avocado packer and exporter ability to send through Just Avocados has revolutionised questions as they watch, which the traditional field day format the presenter can answer in for its growers by filming and real time. live-streaming their monthly “It’s now up to the grower workshops. how they choose to consume “What’s the goal of a field this information, it has become day – to communicate technical really personalised – we have information to as many of our even had some people attend growers as possible, so why not the workshop and watch the give them every opportunity live-stream on their phone at to get the information and get the same time! Others have involved in the conversation tuned in while they are out regardless of location and time,” and about on the orchard,” says Just Avocados growers now have the says Just Avocados’ Bay of Plenty Kyra. ability to participate in workshops grower services representative The workshops are largely streamed live online.

Kyra Fielden. facilitated by Just Avocados Just Avocados hour-long workshops are recorded and technical manager Erica Faber. simultaneously live-streamed to an online members“Although I love one-on-one technical transfer to our only platform. The video is then posted to that growers on their individual orchards, we felt we could platform after the workshop so growers can refer to it. reach more growers and transfer information they need in a more timely and efficient manner by offering “Growers that could not make the event or watch the live-stream can catch up at a time that suits them,” online delivery.

“Being able to refer back to a workshop or our says Kyra. growing library of orchard management videos enables Growers who watch the live-stream also have the growers to access technical information instantly without waiting for an orchard visit. It also helps them to be more confident in tackling orchard tasks on their own,” says Erica.

Just Avocados’ Auckland and Northland grower representative John Emett says rising travel costs, time constraints, and information overload can be an issue with field days.

“We’ve solved all of this and are able to run more frequent events and include all of our growers – they can attend in person, watch live online or watch at a later date,” says John.

Just Avocados grower Diane Pitkeathly agrees, saying the live-stream and filming is effective if a grower is unable to attend or missed some of the information at the event.

CONTACT US TODAY: “The workshops offer so much information it is often hard to take it all in. Viewing the filming Kyra Fielden retrospectively allows one to revise information that Grower Services Bay of Plenty 027 257 5028 may have been missed on the day. What a great kyra@justavocados.co.nz initiative,” says Diane.

Just Avocados implemented the new format in January. Three workshops have been held since then John Emett Grower Services Northland and covering one to three-year-old tree management; soil South Auckland nutrition and assessment; and three to four-year-old 027 476 9087 tree management. john@justavocados.co.nz “Sharing our technical information in this innovative way allows us to get across key points for orchard health more often and keep them top of mind – our @justavocados main aim is to increase production and profits. Growers www.justavocados.co.nz should be thinking of the long-term sustainability of their orchard business and utilising the best methods to achieve a sustainable OGR per hectare,” says Erica.

AVOCADOS

Page 31

Leadership programme applications open Applications are open now for 30 places on the 2020 HortNZ Leadership Programme, which in its 18-year-history has helped more than 250 graduates excel in their chosen fields.

“This is a wonderful programme open to anyone in the horticultural industry between the ages of 22 to 55,” says programme director Sue Pickering of Develop Ltd. “There are no qualification requirements to apply for the programme and in the past our graduates have included everyone from former seasonal workers to those with PhDs. That diversity is part of the strength of the course and why those taking part gain so much from it.

“The programme is very real, with a focus on horticulture issues and individual development.

Participants also hear from top speakers and facilitators and have the chance to learn from each other.”

Sue encourages employers, co-workers and family members to shoulder-tap people they believe have leadership potential and suggest they apply for this year’s programme.

There are 20 scholarships, which cover all course fees and accommodation costs. There are also 10 positions available for a fee of $3900+GST. Travel costs are additional in both cases.

“The programme is in three phases Diversity is part of the strength of the HortNZ and this year we have two cohorts.

Leadership Programme.

Phase one at Lincoln University for individual projects, which each participant the first cohort is from Wednesday, works on and in phase 3 both groups will August 19 to Sunday, August 23. The second come together in Wellington from Tuesday, cohort attends from Wednesday, September 2 November 3 to Thursday, November 5.” to Sunday, September 6.

“Phase two of the programme is the Sue says the programme benefits those taking

part and the wider horticultural industry.

“Horticulture in New Zealand is in growth mode but also facing an uncertain world. If we are to thrive as an industry, we need a strong pool of high-quality leaders.”

Those who have taken part in the programme say it has inspired them to step up to leadership in their fields and equipped them with the skills to do so.

“Another great advantage is the networking they enjoy through the programme and the chance to meet people from throughout the country and from all sectors of the industry.”

Applications for the HortNZ Leadership Programme close May 31, 2020. For an application form, see: http://www.hortnz.co.nz/ our-work/people/hortnz-leadership-programme Or email: sue.p@developme.nz Or phone: 021 938 825.

Avocados offer diversity of income Dairy and livestock farmers are planting avocado trees to diversify their land use and income streams, says Stuart Pascoe of Lynwood Avocado Nursery in Whangarei. “This is a good strategy for farmers but it’s essential that they get the right advice on which parts of the farm to convert, and what varieties to plant. These are the vital decisions for the future success of their orchard but are often made when growers know the least about avocados.

“That’s where our team at Lynwood Avocado Nursery can help. We have a combined knowledge of more than 200 years’ experience and are happy to share this with farmers,” says Stuart.

Some areas are too cold for the trees, but Lynwood has supplied plants for new orchards in areas not previously considered for avocados, including Pirongia and Raglan. “As well as climate, another crucial factor is the availability of water.”

Choosing the right rootstock is also key. A vigorous variety is probably not necessary for most of Bay of Plenty’s rich soils, but ideal for those in areas like Whangarei with its volcanic and clay soils. The optimum time for planting is from October to March. Trees should be planted into warm or warming soils, and when the risk of frosts is low.

Lynwood Avocado Nursery has been producing avocado trees for more than 30 years and is NZ’s largest avocado nursery. The nursery operates under the independently-audited High Health

Sarah Williamson, who holds sales and technical support roles at Lynwood, visiting a planting of fouryear old Lynwood trees in Tapora.

Scheme for all its stock and has tracking procedure to ensure all trees are true to type. Lynwood produces trees on both seedling Zutano rootstocks as well as new clonal rootstock varieties sourced from NZ, California and South Africa.

The nursery is licensed to propagate Dusa, Latas, Bounty and SR1 clonal rootstocks as well as to propagate the licenced varieties GEM, Maluma Hass and Hass Carmen. “We have trees available for the coming planting season as in recent times we’ve increased capacity to meet demand.”

Stuart says the future of NZ’s avocado industry is looking bright with excellent orchard gate teturns. “The fact that the Australian industry has suffered from drought, fires and floods is regrettable for those growers, but it means there is increased demand for NZ fruit which will positively impact on prices.”

Are you a potential leader in the horticulture industry?

Want to know more? www.hortnz.co.nz/our-work/ people/hortnz-leadershipprogramme Sue Pickering 021 938 825 All emails to sue.p@developme.nz Deadline 31 May 2020

Horticulture New Zealand Leadership Programme 2020

AVOCADOS

Page 32

Coronavirus: It is time to re-focus Coronavirus or Covid-19 has impacted the world. Things that we have all taken for granted are under threat: unrestricted air travel, goods being rapidly shipped around the world, and New Zealand being highly connected to the whole world despite being a long way from major population centres.

For a trading nation such as New Zealand, a significant reduction in tourists, imported goods not arriving and our fresh produce

not being able to be exported to market is a major financial catastrophe. If this continues, it will become a social catastrophe with jobs disappearing because we cannot import or export goods. We are already starting to see the effects of this in the forestry industry.

Globally-dependant

An example of how globally-dependant we have become is seen in the wine industry. As the grape harvest commences, skilled winemakers come from Europe and elsewhere for our wine-making season. When the season is over, they return to their home countries in time for their grape harvest

and wine-making season.

Seasonal labour is also necessary for pruning the grape vines in winter and assisting with the harvest of our fruit and vegetables.

We are not only dependent on tourists, imported goods and produce being exported out of New Zealand, but we are also reliant on skilled and semi-skilled labour coming to New Zealand each year.

For New Zealanders who no longer have a job due

Super sized 95.8ha - horticulture land Lot 2 Far North Road, Waiharara, Northland

Super sized 95.8ha - horticulture land Lot 2 Far North Road, Waiharara, Northland

to coronavirus, there are opportunities available picking up these semi-skilled jobs in the wine and horticulture industries; but for the skilled jobs, we do not have enough people here in New Zealand.

Anyone wanting work should contact their local growers or HortNZ because we have jobs that are available now.

As the world’s population rapidly grows, and the effects of climate change continue, it is easy to predict that what we’re currently experiencing may become more frequent. The drought that we are facing in many parts of the country is one symptom of this and a situation that will most likely become more common place.

Self-resilient

Simply put, we need to take notice of what is and has happened this year and make some real long-term plans for the future. Be it a pandemic, worldwide drought and food shortages or some other traumatic event, we as a country need to become more self-resilient and self-sufficient.

Our reliance on imports, including the amount of food we import – about one-third of the food we eat is imported – and seasonal labour needs to have an active contingency, resilience and self-sufficiency plan. This is not just a role for government; it is everyone’s responsibility to be part of the country’s much needed resilience planning.

We must work the lessons we are learning now into a comprehensive New Zealand-wide plan to meet the country’s future challenges.

Eating fresh to increase When scale is a prerequisite to get investors engaged in a new development opportunity, this super-sized option shouldscale get their attention. to get investors engaged in a When is a prerequisite

On offer is 95.8ha of sandy soils on flat to easy ready to be planted into a new development opportunity, thiscontour super-sized option large scale, high performing Avocado orchard. Water consents allow for two bores should get their attention.

to be put down on the property, allowing a well planned, staged development to On offer is 95.8ha of sandy soils on flat tohave easyproven contour ready to be planted into a in take place.

The surrounding neighbours that Avocados perform well large scale, high Avocado orchard.

Water consents for two bores this location withperforming recent developments now well advanced andallow into production.

The to be put down on the allowing a the wellideal planned, staged development temperate climate andproperty, sandy soils provide growing environment for to take place. to The surrounding neighbours haveand proven that Avocados perform well in Avocados thrive with early fruit maturity consistent production year on year. this recent developments now welltoadvanced and into The location scale of with the property could also lend itself diversification intoproduction. other cropsThe temperate climate and sandygardening, soils provide the ideal growing such as early season market blueberries, hemp, orenvironment salad crops, for as Avocados thrive with earlyyear fruitround maturity andsand consistent production year on machineryto can be operated on the country.

The Far North hasyear. a The scale the property could also lendonly itself to diversification crops great ruralofcommunity with local shops a short drive away. into Youother will be spoilt such as early season gardening, blueberries, hemp, orgreat salad swimming crops, as and for choice with both market west and east coast beaches providing machinery can be operated year round on the sand country.

The Far North hashave a fishing options - as the saying goes Visitors don't want to leave, Locals don't great rural community with local shops only a short drive away. You will be spoilt to leave! for choice with both west and east coast beaches providing great swimming and fishing options - as the saying goes Visitors don't want to leave, Locals don't have Property Details toLocation leave!

Sought after location, surrounded by other large orchards Land Property Details Opportunity Location Water Land Recreation Opportunity Water Recreation

Flat to easy contour, sandy soil types Develop or diversify Sought after location, surrounded by bores other large orchards Fully consented water, allowing two Flat to easy contour, sandy soil types Short drive to both West and East Coast beaches Develop or diversify Fully consented water, allowing two bores Short drive to both West and East Coast beaches

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Fresh fruit and vegetable consumption is expected to rise as more people stay at home due to Covid-19, as recent research suggests that lack of time was a factor in Kiwis falling to consume their recommended daily intake.

5+ A Day Charitable Trust project manager Carmel Ireland says recent research indicates those with more time on their hands do consume more fresh produce. “Given many of us are in social isolation, and we’re all very aware of building and maintaining immunity, we expect Kiwis to be eating more fresh produce.”

A new nationwide survey of 1000 people on breakfast habits of Kiwis in regard to consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables suggests those aged 60-plus who regularly eat breakfast on weekdays are much more likely to consume fresh fruit and vegetables at that time compared to those younger.

“This suggests to us time is a big factor in Kiwis consuming fruit and vegetables, as many younger people rush out the door to work or school.

“People are very focused on buying essentials and dried goods right now as the threat of Covid-19 draws closer and that is understandable. But fresh produce is one of the most valuable items you can place in your shopping basket and will go a long way towards ensuring you remain as healthy as possible.

“For your body to function at its best, it is important to eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables to give your body a lot of the nutrients, minerals and vitamins it needs,” says Carmel.

AVOCADOS

Page 33

High achiever’s end goal to help growers Former Tauranga resident Alex Tomkins is the 2020 recipient of an Avoco scholarship, which provides $5000 to one worthy tertiary student each year to encourage research and study in subjects that could benefit New Zealand’s avocado industry.

Alex is studying a Bachelor of AgriCommerce at Massey University, majoring in international agribusiness and minoring in horticulture.

The 20-year-old will complete her third year of study in 2020 and is grateful to Avoco for its financial support in what will be an exciting final year achieving her undergraduate degree.

“My favourite papers last year were around understanding the agribusiness value chain and international supply chain management,” says Alex.

In future

“In the future, I can see myself being involved in the post-harvest supply chain, or in developing new

global markets. Avoco is already an industry leader in these areas so it’s great to have a connection with them as a university student.”

As well as studying, Alex is also an active member of Massey University’s Horticulture Society, and is serving this year as its president. Along with hosting social events, the society helps build connections between students, lecturers and horticulture industry stakeholders, to help students make decisions around their career options.

Early introduction

Alex, however, got an early introduction to the principles of international marketing when she lived in Thailand and Singapore with her family. As a young student, she had work experience where she remembers learning about the premium positioning of NZ food products in retail stores.

“Those experiences stuck with me so when we returned to NZ, I decided to focus on studying agriculture and horticulture, as well as economics at Bethlehem College.”

Dedicated to her studies at Massey University, Alex has excelled academically and last

year was named Rural Student of the Year in the academic section. She was also selected for the International Horticultural Immersion Programme, a study tour that saw her travel with other young leaders to Europe and Asia.

Key insight

at every step in the supply chain.

“There are sensory tests for size and texture and very strict measures for what did not meet export requirements.“Being able to meet the expectations of the consumer is a consideration at every level. “It’s the same for growers in NZ. I’ve worked

on a kiwifruit orchard in the past, so I know how much work and pride goes into producing food for export.

“I can’t wait to graduate and eventually work in the horticulture industry where I can play a role in helping growers feed the world and enhance NZ’s international reputation for excellence.”

“In Europe, we were exposed to the advanced mechanisation and huge scale of horticulture, particularly glasshouse technology.

We also saw how Europe has a strong commitment to innovation, collaboration and sustainability within the industry.

“A key insight was that NZ tends to be more risk averse to innovation compared to Europe, which is a barrier for future productivity and an area where more investment is needed.”

During summer Alex spent time in Thailand with other Massey and Lincoln University students selected for the 2020 Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia.

The Agribusiness summer study trip exposed students to supply chain systems for various crops, including rice and bananas.

Alex says she learned that rice, as with most export products, had exceptionally high quality standards

Avoco scholarship recipient Alex Tomkins is looking forward to a career in horticulture after she graduates.

Call for HortNZ directors 2020

You do the maths.

This year three grower-elected Horticulture New Zealand directors will retire by rotation, and the HortNZ board is also looking to appoint a director to complement the skills, experience and knowledge of the grower directors elected by members.

Growers supplying AVOCO have been handsomely rewarded for their efforts across the 2019/20 season.

Can you say the same?

Talk to the Grower Liaison Team reps at any of the four packhouses we partner with in the Bay of Plenty. They can help you work out how much better off you are exporting your avocados through AVOCO – the largest and most experienced export marketing company in New Zealand.

Nominations are being sought from individual grower members, affiliated product groups, and affiliated grower associations for the three director vacancies. The nomination form and job description are available on the HortNZ website.

Candidates who are interested in applying for the appointed director position can also find more details, including a job description, at: www.hortnz.co.nz

CC0320

avoco.co.nz

Page 34

FORESTRY

Contractors at breaking point New Zealand’s forestry crisis is dire and contractors are reaching breaking point in an ever-worsening situation, according to the Forest Industry Contractors Association.

FICA chief executive officer Prue Younger says rapid impacts were felt in recent weeks by the forestry industry with the effects of the outbreak of Covid19, or Coronavirus, with many out of work and in serious financial crisis.

Prue says logging and forest roading contractors, who employ the bulk of the people and carry the highest debt, have been hit extremely hard. “The planting crews are the least effected for now, but their work will inevitably be impacted if depressed log prices continue long enough.”

On March 17 the Government announced a $12.1 billion economic rescue package as New Zealand responds to the Covid-19 crisis.

Businesses are set to receive the lion’s share of the support, with $5.1 billion allocated towards wage subsidies for affected businesses in all sectors and regions.

Also, $2.8b is being invested in business tax changes to free up cashflow.

That will include a provisional tax

threshold life, reinstatement of building depreciation and writing off interest on the late payment of tax.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson says this package is about “cashflow and confidence” and is only the beginning of the support that will be rolled out to help New Zealanders through this crisis and to recover from it. “The package represents four per cent of GDP and is more than the total of all three Budgets’ new operating spending in this term of Government put together.” Information on government support available to businesses is on the FICA website: https://www.fica.org.nz/ Forestry Minister Shane Jones has since announced a $28m relief package for forest workers in the Gisborne region, which will provide work for 300 forest workers in jobs such as road maintenance of removal of trees in danger of falling onto roads or powerlines.

Meanwhile, Prue says the contracting workforce is more vulnerable than ever before in any previous market crash. And, as a consequence of the mid-1990s planting boom, far more of the national cut is now in smaller forests.

“Smaller owners have a short window to harvest and are far more sensitive to price drops than larger corporate forests historically were.

Lay-offs are a direct result, with hundreds of workers already laid off and more to follow.

“Our contractors do not have cash reserves to sustain unemployed staff or the capital repayments on their machinery,” says Prue.

“To top it off, we are now heading into winter, when economic conditions typically only get tougher for contractors.”

Another olive branch being offered to the forestry industry comes from New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry, which needs more people to pick and pack the current season’s harvest.

Kiwifruit work

NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive officer Nikki Johnson says the kiwifruit sector is expecting a harvest around 155 million trays of kiwifruit this year and predicts it will need more than 20,000 workers across the harvest and post-harvest period.

Nikki says the industry is extending a message out to those in the forestry, hospitality and tourism industries, or anyone who may not have sufficient work due to Covid-19, that there are plenty of jobs available in kiwifruit orchards and packhouses in coming months.

“The gold kiwifruit are ready first and it’s a very short turnaround to get that fruit off the vines and into the packhouses.

“Then the green variety will be ready and it’s full on till early winter.”

FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 35

A tractor still surrounded in mystery Third generation Mangawhero dairy farmer Colin Murphy has had a lifelong interest in “old things” and has been collecting for many years. And he still enjoys tractors and farm machinery.

In 1976 he bought a second-hand 1972 Leyland 384 from A. R. Johns Ltd in Matamata. It had been used by an agricultural contractor, with a Belcher front-mounted hedge trimmer.

“At the time we were running a closed herd of pedigree Friesians, and we were self-contained, rarely bringing in feed,” says Colin. “We needed something to load our new feed-out wagon.”

The Leyland fitted the bill for a “2WD tractor of substance” with its diesel, four-cylinder, 72hp engine.

“It was a good general purpose farm tractor and we also used it for rotary hoeing, hay making and silage making.”

The tractor has a Pearson Quick Tach front loader, which was perfect for loading silage. When big bales came into fashion in the mid-1980s, Colin had the loader modified.

“Darcy Lupton from Otorohanga Engineering left the three middle prongs intact and added two much longer prongs, one at each end. These could handle the large rounds.”

The body is still sporting its original two-tone Leyland blue paint, and both Leyland and Nuffield branding. The purchase receipt from 1976 detailed it as a 1972 model, which is well past the 1968 merger of Leyland and Nuffield, so the dual branding is something of a mystery!

The engine didn’t fare so well, requiring a complete engine re-condition in the mid-1980s. This work brought another anomaly to light.

“The mechanic was surprised to find the Leyland had a single

O-ring at the bottom of the wet sleeve, when he was expecting two.”

This discovery, paired with the unusual branding, makes Colin wonder if the dates got mixed up at some point and the tractor could be a little older, perhaps from around the time of the company merger.

In the early-2000s, corrosion to the engine block where water leaked through the O-ring of the fourth

wet sleeve, exiting into the oil sump, mixing oil and water, had caused damage. This was fixed with the solution of the time – pink silicon gasket filler in the recess, and a new sleeve.

“The problem came back in 2019, but modern fillers are so much better and it was an easy fix.”

Parts are still readily available in New Zealand and the tractor is still being used on the now-leased farm today, when required.

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FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Preserving NZ’s ‘industrial archaeology’ Mal Evetts says every Friday morning, members of the Waterwheel Trust meet to drink tea.

It’s a tongue-in-cheek remark that makes light of the fact members have painstakingly restored hundreds of pieces of vintage machinery, vehicles and equipment – many to working order – across an estimated 100,000 hours of labour.

The trust was formed in 1989 by Stan Fretwell and a small group of locals who

“The fact is, it made us the wealthy nation we are today.”

First registered as a community company in 1990, the organisation became a charitable trust in 2006 and was renamed the Waterwheel Historic Trust.

saw a need to preserve the history of the Eastern Bay of Plenty – what Stan called the “industrial archaeology of New Zealand”.

Since the 1960s, hundreds of vintage pieces have been donated by local people, having lain in disrepair on farms, in sheds and homes.

“Every piece of equipment we have saved has its own story,” says Stan.

“The donors often tell us the price they paid and the effort to save enough money to purchase it, and how much better life was after it came into use for them.

Bursting at the seams

The trust has been run from the former Kawerau Intermediate School for the last two years, with the workshop, storage and the museum housed in several different buildings on-site.

Trust member John Couch says around seven years ago, a fire ravaged much of the collection and is one of the reasons they’re currently cramped in the old school rooms.

“Sadly, the machinery was mostly in good condition with some completely restored. There were a lot of engines, and a huge number of old chainsaws. There were also agricultural implements and hand tools.”

Waterwheel Trust member John Couch.

The Te Umuhika Waterwheel replica.

Despite the limited space, the museum is a comprehensive collection of treasures from yesteryear.

Buggies, carriages, tractors and other vehicles are displayed, as is farming equipment such as sprayers, tools, chainsaws and saddlery.

There’s also an extensive household item display, which includes Singer sewing machines, typewriters, packaging and containers, and kitchen items.

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FARM VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

The Waterwheel Trust founder Stan Fretwell and his wife Phyllis.

Open Wednesday and Friday mornings and by appointment, the museum hosts schools, retirement village and social groups with people often “staggered by just how much we have in our collection,� says John.

Trust co-chair Stephanie Johnson Bull says they’d love to ďŹ nd a larger premises nearby. “A bigger building would allow us to accommodate the entire collection by creating a formal museum, with the equipment set up permanently so the public can have a hands-on experience.â€?

Preserving history

Stan knows more than most the sheer toil that NZ’s early farmers endured.

Historically, the Eastern Bay of Plenty was swamp land, and an enormous amount of hard work was required to turn it into the high-producing land it is today. “What is often forgotten is that much of the land went through as many as six owners before it was ďŹ nally proďŹ table enough to sustain the last person to take it on,â€? says Stan. “Those who failed often walked off totally broke, with only what they could carry; my own family lost three properties through my Dad’s lifetime.â€?

As much of the ďŹ rst farming endeavours were small

areas of wheat, barley, and oats, Governor General Sir George Gray commissioned the region’s ďŹ rst power unit to be built in 1860 – the Te Umuhika Waterwheel.

The waterwheel – after which the trust is named – was set up at Braemar Rd and used to drive a our mill, which enabled local grain processing and in later years, a ax mill. The mill burnt down and the remnants of the waterwheel lay in disrepair for many years. However, the wheel hub and rim section was salvaged by the Whakatane and Districts Historical Society in 1959 and subsequently passed to Stan.

He used the relics to estimate the dimensions and construction of the original wheel, which was replicated and put on display in the museum.

Memento

The museum also holds the remnants of the tools used to drive the service industry, which was created when the land became more settled and cattle began to arrive. “It is these agricultural items that The Waterwheel is trying to save as a memento of how basic and useful this was to our growth in this district, and to the skill and determination of local farmers to get on and get the job done,� says Stan.

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Page 37

PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 38

No hugs or handshakes but a warm welcome Don’t be offended if you don’t get a handshake or a hug when you call in at our Paengaroa depot.

It’s not that you won’t be welcome – we’re just following Ministry of Health guidelines for “social distancing” in an effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

If you are unwell, please give us a call and limit personal contact. Our numbers are on the door, and we can sort your order over the phone.

We completed our harvest from maize crops planted in the areas from Pahoia, the wider Bay of Plenty, Te Puke and Rotorua

by March 17 and overall yields were good. Some areas were slightly down because of the dry but crops in lower ground did better than last year. Maize planted on higher ground also did well.

We planted our normal varieties which are tried and true with good results, but we did trial one new variety which didn’t do too well. We put this down to January temperatures, which got to 34 degrees Celsius. It was a very dry summer with only around 16ml of rain here during January and February. This was the second dry summer in a row, and I hope it is not the new norm.

Most of our regular customers signed contracts as usual, but some farmers took a ‘wait and see’ approach.

Sold out

Due to the drop in pre-season orders we cut back on the total area sown and returned some paddocks to permanent pasture. Now demand has picked up we have sold out, as have other suppliers because the drought has been so widespread there is not much surplus around.

Because of the drought, freezing works reduced their intake of stock and farmers have had to retain animals.

It takes just about as much to feed a dry animal as one which is milking. Even though the weather is unpredictable, as I always say: good farming involves preparation and planning to avoid pitiful performance – and preparing for the worse while hoping for the best. Planning in advance is essential to avoid raised prices due to high demand or difficulty to source feed.

Covid-19 has caused, among other impacts, the postponement of many events including Mystery Creek Fieldays. The Government has introduced a support package, but even so, many businesses and

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individuals are going to be hurt. We will remain open as usual during normal working hours and by phone after-hours, unless instructed otherwise. We are here to support the rural industry as the dry conditions continue and the need for feed exists – we are committed to helping where we can. We do have plans in place to keep staff safe and for some to work from home if required, though someone will be available to load out orders.

One of the realities of the Covid-19 environment is the world still needs to eat and our farmers and orchardists are still in great position to fill that need. Farming can’t grind to a halt and now is the time farmers need to be thinking about re-grassing paddocks. If rain looks unlikely, cultivating will cause the soil to dry out even more and compaction hard to achieve and can turn powdery which can cause topsoil to blow away (or wash away when it does rain and you don’t want that), so it might be wise to direct drill and re-sow in spring.

Drilling annuals

While the soil remains warm, pasture should re-establish well but by April it takes longer to get established and may not be ready for grazing until spring. This is where drilling annuals now might be best as they establish quickly and grow better in the cold and give good winter and spring growth.

DairyNZ has an excellent guide on its website about pasture renewal, giving an insight from its trial work on hybrids and which species perform best in which areas. It also sets out the costs so farmers can make selections to fit their budget. Use coated seed and once pasture is sown, keep an eye out for army caterpillar and slugs that could be waiting for nice new pasture to emerge. Be sure to spray weeds and follow up with nitrogen after each grazing.

With the uncertainty of what lies ahead, please keep yourselves, your family and your staff safe and well. There are good guidelines on the DairyNZ and Ministry of Health websites about Coronavirus.

Although supplementary feed is in short supply, we keep our finger on the pulse and will do our utmost to help keep your animals full and healthy. Feel free to give us a call for an obligation-free quote. We still have hay, straw and silage available at this stage.

DAIRY

Page 39

Why regenerative wins – every time To have a view on regenerative farming it’s essential that the term be defined – and in our view most New Zealand pastoral farmers are currently abiding by regenerative farming principles and have been for the last 50 years or more.

Any operator on a property where soil carbon is being steadily sequestered is farming regeneratively. And although there is always scope to increase the speed at which carbon is being stored, they by definition fall into the regenerative camp.

It is under-grazed permanent pasture that carbon is sequestered more rapidly than in any other situation, and the fact that not all farms are carbon positive should be genuinely concerning.

When farming inevitably enters the Emissions Trading Scheme, farmers stand to either be paid or penalised for carbon stored or lost. And should the balance be on the side of the Government, it will be an opportunity they won’t pass up.

The price of carbon is set by government, placing owners of farms losing carbon in a potentially vulnerable and uncertain position.

Carbon and its role in agriculture is currently being considered by farming leaders and the recently released joint statement ‘Agricultural organisations unite to call for IPCC to consider GWP*/GWP- we for greenhouse gas emissions’ is signed by Andrew Hoggard of Federated Farmers and Andrew Morrison of Beef + Lamb NZ, among others.

The final sentence of the statement is: “We cannot afford to wait for more accurate measures to be developed; urgent action is needed now to improve productivity, conserve the carbon already in our pastures and grasslands, and store more carbon for the good of society”.

The loss-of-carbon focus is on intensive dairy where the average nitrogen application is 230kg/ha annually, and there is a link.

Maximising annual pasture growth without applying nitrogen on a monthly basis is possible and has been practised by numerous farmers during the last 17 years.

Pastoral soils naturally contain 500015,000kg N/ha within the root zone of plants. Annual uptake of N is around 450kg/ha with clovers able to provide all the nitrogen necessary for annual growth of 18 tonne DM/ha.

Building soil carbon levels by growing topsoil improves the resilience of farms.

An extra one per cent increase in soil carbon means as much as an extra 144,000 litres of extra water stored.

Long-term Functional Fertiliser clients have regularly mentioned that dry seasons are less of a concern than they used to be, with pastures growing noticeably longer into a dry spell and recovering more rapidly when rain arrives.

active soils. Apart from growing up to 30 per cent more total feed in a 12-month period, clover rich-pastures provide a range of other benefits.

Because of its higher digestibility animals can eat more kilograms of pasture in their naturally-allotted grazing time, resulting in higher milk production and more rapid weight gains.

Clover also contains more soluble sugars and that’s important because apart from the peak of summer animals respond positively to extra energy.

Strategically applied nitrogen can still be beneficial, however it’s the non-reliance on synthetic N that provides these farms with a range of unique benefits, and a bright future. For more information, call Peter on 0800 843 809.

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DAIRY

Dairy can handle bumps on horizon Economist Cameron Bagrie had an optimistic message for the 150 farmers who gathered at the Waikato Dairy NZ Farmers Forum in March.

planet. Again, says Cameron, the Kiwi dairy industry is already on this journey. He also discussed the areas where farmers will likely take a hit, including debt.

The high proportion of interest-only loans in the dairy industry, compared to other sectors, is an area where farmers can expect to continue He believes the industry is well placed to to see change. weather challenges, but it will take some hits.

“Low interest rates have been On the plus-side, he says while there distorting the price of risk, and as a is more work to be done, the NZ dairy result risk has been mispriced. Lending industry is ahead of its international standards have been tightened, and this counterparts on putting in place strategies will continue.” for sustainable environmental management.

He also talked about a range of factors Cameron also talked about the consumerconfidence impacting on farmer confi driven trend of moving away from including uncertainty around shareholder capitalism – a system compliance regimes, and disruptors driven by short-term results like plant-based protein and the – to a stakeholder capitalism impact of large-scale natural model, where a long-term focus weather events. drives decisions, and businesses Plant-based protein is an are there to serve not only Cameron Bagrie, from opportunity rather than a their shareholders, but also Bagrie Economics. employees, customers and the threat, and Cameron describes

Economist Cameron Bagrie talks about what is driving change, at the forum. it as an “economic reality” to feed the world’s burgeoning population.

He also urged farmers not to be complacent about the rate of change, which is happening quicker than ever before. Failure to adapt and evolve would lead to the dairy industry falling behind, he said.

“Think about what’s going on globally,” says Cameron. “But put effort into what you can influence at a micro level on your farm.”“Putting your head in the sand is not a strategy,” says Cameron, who encouraged farmers to focus on the things that they can control.

Coronavirus, or Covid-19, is gearing

up to be a global economic issue according to Cameron, and its effects will be felt for some time to come.

He says Coronavirus has undermined oil demand, which resulted in a sharp fall in oil prices in early-March. “This is something for Kiwi farmers to watch, because there has traditionally been a correlation between oil prices and dairy commodity prices.

“Coronavirus is derailing the global supply chain, but I agree with Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Reserve Bank Governor Adrian Orr that New Zealand is in a good position to handle global turbulence.”

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Page 41

Accuracy key to the regenerative system With the growing excitement, passion and enthusiasm toward regenerative farming, there are opportunities to connect with those representing what we believe to be the best science in the world, to take farmers from a chemical to a biological farming system.

But what is critical to the accuracy of this science is where the accompanying soil audits are performed.

The soil audits undertaken by Perry Agricultural Lab (PAL) in Missouri, US, are high-tech, accurate, and comprehensive. They are also inextricably linked with the Albrecht/ Kinsey Soils Program, the principles on which the Total Replacement Therapy method is based.

The Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program is a complex set of scientific formulas that have now been taught to a range of people in 72 countries around the world.

Pioneer

Dr William Albrecht, as the pioneer of this system and long-time professor and chair of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri, was considered the foremost authority on the relation of soil fertility to human health with research spanning

many decades.

His method was founded on finding a distinct balance between all minerals in the soil, which creates correct soil structure and provides the basis in which the soil biology can flourish, building organic matter and resilience for longterm sustainability.

His system has been further refined by one of his last students, soil fertility specialist and author Neal Kinsey, who runs introductory, intermediate and advanced soil fertility management courses worldwide. Neal is one of the few remaining people to use Dr Albrecht’s unique calculation and analysis methods.

Our visits to farmers who are serious about making a change to their farming system has confirmed that they want to do it right the first time.

But alarmingly, some have commented that they’ve “already had the Albrecht/Kinsey guys here”.

These people have turned out to be ‘consultants’ who may have read Neal Kinsey’s books and taken it upon themselves to become self-professed ‘experts’ in the Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program. Or those who proclaim to be using the Albrecht/ Kinsey Soils Program but are not

sending the soil samples to Perry Agricultural Lab to be analysed.

Intertwined

The Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program and Perry Agricultural Lab are intertwined; they are required to be used in conjunction with each other to truly practise this highly accurate and effective system of soil fertility.

If these consultants are not trained

by Neal Kinsey, or do not get their soil audits performed at Perry Agricultural Lab, they are making a total mockery of the accuracy of science, and I take personal offence to anybody who says they are doing that job, without actually doing that job.

These people are using the Albrecht/Kinsey name because of the excellent reputation attached to it but are failing to use the whole system as it was intended.

The Total Replacement Therapy team is made up of Kinsey Academy graduates alongside experts in agronomy and animal nutrition. In fact, leaders of the team have just attended a consultants’ conference in Hawaii led by the Perry Agricultural Lab, Neal Kinsey and other world-leading consultants.

Don’t be fooled by those who falsely proclaim to be using the Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program; if you want the job done right the first time, make sure your consultant can show you evidence of their training in the Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program, and that their soil audits are performed by Perry Agricultural Lab. If anybody is interested in learning the true Albrecht/Kinsey Soils Program, Neal Kinsey will be running a course in New Zealand at the end of June; details are to come. Everyone is welcome to be part of it.

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SHEEP & BEEF

Sheep milk to Kiwi spirit A mission to make New Zealand its own iconic beverage inspired Whangamata’s Sam Brown to start The White Sheep Co – a business that turns sheep milk into alcohol.

The idea came to Sam while overseas, when his international group of friends were making a toast with each country’s signature drink.

“We drank whisky for a Scottish friend and tequila for Mexico, which got me thinking – NZ doesn’t have an iconic spirit,” says Sam. He returned to NZ in 2012 to his career in international trade, with the idea stuck in his mind.

Unfazed by not having a background in agriculture, he began brainstorming how to master an iconic Kiwi taste using plants and herbs.

After ongoing research, including with Massey University in Palmerston North that specialises in the dairy industry and food technology, Sam learned that White Sheep Co founder Sam Brown with sheep milk could be turned into alcohol – and decided to use milk & honey gin and sheep milk cream liqueur. sheep milk for his Kiwi twist. first year of operating, The White Within its fi the vodka to make a sheep-expresso martini.”

Sheep Co’s two starter products, the sheep The sheep milk is sourced from Central milk vodka and the sheep milk & honey gin, North Island farms and fermented for 12 won multiple awards at both the 2019 NZ days, before being distilled in an “old-school” Food Awards and the NZ Spirit Awards. copper still into a full strength spirit. Every Since then sheep milk cream liqueur and batch takes two to three weeks to make. sheep milk soaps have been added to the “Having a longer fermentation process brand’s line-up. flavour carries means that the sheep milk fl Sam describes the flavour of his alcohol over into the end product,” says Sam. – much like concept itself – as “unusual”.

“Mainstream brands tend to distill their “The undertone of the vodka is buttery, alcohol multiple times so the result is creamy and delicate, which is quite around 90 per cent alcohol, which strips different to traditional vodka that can flavour.” away the fl be tasteless or even harsh depending on The White Sheep Co’s online store the quality. delivers nationwide, and products are “People often comment the gin is not available at duty-free outlets at Auckland, unlike a fine whisky taste-wise because Christchurch and Queenstown airports. of the honey.

Sam has already sent small batches to “Both can be drunk on their own, or the US and Asia and is looking to export made into a cocktail just like regular gin larger volumes overseas.

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FERTILISER

Page 44

Specialists appointed to review Overseer Eight independent experts have been appointed to lead a technical review of the Overseer environmental modelling software, according to the Ministries for the Environment and Primary Industries.

The Overseer work is a major part of efforts to improve decision-making tools for use on-farm. Panel members were selected based on their depth of knowledge and their collective range of skills and perspectives, says MFE in its announcement on March 11.

“The eight independent and internationallyrecognised environmental specialists will look ‘under the bonnet’ of Overseer to critically assess its modelling capability and explore potential improvements for its use,” says MFE deputy secretary – water and climate change,

Cheryl Barnes. “The panel’s conclusions and assessments will be critical to New Zealand’s future approach to land management.

“We must be confident that Overseer is the right tool to drive sound land management decisions and improve freshwater quality.”

The review consists of two parts. The first will be an assessment of whether Overseer’s modelling approach is fit to use as a decisionmaking and regulatory tool and, if so, which aspects should be subject to a more in-depth review. Its inaugural meeting is on March 30 and its report back on this part is expected in late-2020. The review’s second part is dependent on these findings, and would take place over a year. Related work to build knowledge to strengthen Overseer is also commencing, says MPI acting deputy directorgeneral – policy and trade, Ruth Fairhall.

An additional $4 million per year has been allocated to a new contestable fund to commission longer-term research to develop and evaluate new technologies and systems to improve freshwater quality. “More knowledge about different farming and growing technologies will enable us to fine-tune environmental models including Overseer to more accurately calculate potential impacts of different land management practices.”

In addition, funding has been allocated to extend the coverage of S-Map across NZ. S-Map is a digital soil map for NZ that collates a range of data and information. Produced by Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, S-Map is one of the underlying databases that Overseer draws on and is used by regional councils in environmental modelling. “We want to support farmers and growers to have greater confidence

in their decision-making,” says Ruth.

“The collaboration between government and industry, combined with leading-edge science, will ensure environmental models can be applied at the grassroots level for better freshwater management decisions.”

The panel’s eight members are Australian agricultural modeller Dr Ian Johnson; dairy industry consultant Dave Clark; P&FR principal scientist Dr Brent Clothier; Manaaki Whenua’s Dr Donna Giltrap; Land and Water Science Ltd founder Dr Clint Rissmann; Massey University associate professor in horticulture Dr Nick Roskruge; Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia’s chief research scientist Dr Peter Thorburn; and Integrated Beef Systems Management, Virginia Tech, associate professor Dr Robin White.

Healthy horse pasture made easy It’s often considered that horses don’t require good quality pasture – but improving soil balance in their paddocks will not only benefit a horse’s health, but also potentially their behaviour, says Simon Inkersell of C P Lime Solutions.

www.cplimesolutions.net.nz

“Old pasture may be lacking in magnesium which can have an influence on horse behaviour; and it may also be short of calcium, essential for teeth and bones,” says Simon.

That’s why C P Lime Solutions has a product called Equi-lise Healthy Horse Pasture Fertiliser, formulated specifically for horse paddocks. The lime-based pellets include magnesium, phosphate, sulphur and a small amount of selenium.

Equi-lise helps maximise nutrient effectiveness resulting in a sweeter, palatable and more balanced soil and pasture. It is also a great general-purpose fertiliser for small block-holders that run other livestock too.

“Equi-lise is an ultra-fine lime-based fertiliser in a pelletised form, which means it breaks down quickly once it encounters moisture ensuring a more rapid response in the soil. Ideally the pellets should be applied just before rain, but autumn dews will also begin the breakdown process.”

While horse dung and urine provide plenty of potassium it can also cause an imbalance in calcium and magnesium,

Improving soil balance in paddocks benefits horse health and potentially their behaviour. limiting pasture growth, soil and plant health and palatability, says Simon.

Applying Equi-lise increases soil pH, improves availability of key nutrients, enhances nutrient cycling and soil biological activity, sweetens pastures and restores mineral balances faster.

Customers who use the product say their horses enjoy the new pasture growth, eating in areas they had previously avoided.

Equi-lise is made using all-natural ingredients with no chemical or acidic forming nutrients. It is available in 25kg, 500kg and 1000kg bags and can be applied by hand, by spreader or from the air.

FERTILISER

Page 45

Exposing more soil fertility myths Continuing from last month’s column, here are some more myths that are commonly espoused by people pedalling products and ideas to farmers.

Myth 5: The chloride in Muriate of Potash is harmful to the soil.

High amounts of chlorine will sterilise soil media, but chloride and chlorine are different animals, one being a solid and the other being liquid or gas. Plants actually need small amounts of chloride, and pasture dry matter is typically around one per cent chloride, with more chloride taken up than phosphorus. Many critics of muriate of potash (potassium chloride) are advocates of sea salt, which has a higher percentage of chloride. And the most common element in the sea apart from hydrogen and oxygen is chloride, yet the sea is teaming with microorganisms in an environment many times richer in chloride than what we get when applying potassium chloride as a fertiliser source. Some ‘biological’ farmers and growers even get sea water and spray it onto their soils and crops, believing it provides beneficial properties for their soil, plants and animals.

Myth 6: All of the nutrients plants and animals require are naturally there in the soil.

While it may be true that all 16 elements plants and animals require to grow are naturally found in all soils, most soils will have at least some of these in such small

quantities that their shortage will be limiting potential productivity, and making plants and animals more vulnerable to ill-thrift and disease. This is why soil and tissue testing is so important as the extractants used in the laboratory reveal the amounts of critical elements in the soil growing media, and whether these levels are sufficient for production. Many lawns that have been mown for decades, and which haven’t received any fertiliser over this time, will still have all elements plants need to grow present in the soil. However such lawns are only likely to be growing 3-5 tonnes of dry matter compared to fertilised pasture on the same soil which could be growing 12-15 tonnes of dry matter.

Myth 7: All you need is good soil biology.

It is true that soil organisms – earthworms, nematodes, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other microbes – are an important part of our agricultural and horticultural production systems. In more intensive systems their numbers can be compromised from overcultivation or the overuse of harsh chemical pesticides, fertilisers, herbicides and fungicides. However, it is soil chemistry which has a far greater impact on production as can be seen in hydroponics where plants can be grown in sterile water infused with soluble chemicals, with no earthworms or microbes are present. Having a highly fertile

and sustainable soil is dependent on its physical, chemical and biological characteristics and how we manage and nurture these will determine its future productive capacity.

Myth 8: Artificial fertilisers are bad for the soil long-term.

Two fertilisers often given a bad rap are superphosphate and urea, which also happen to be the two biggest sellers in terms of volume sold in New Zealand.

Although urea provides no longterm benefit for the soil, causing harm in terms of increased acidification and nutrient loss, as well as being an environmental contaminant, it is the cheapest source of artificial nitrogen that farmers and growers can use to boost production when nitrogen deficiency occurs. Although not necessary in pastoral situations where clovers should provide the necessary nitrogen, in cropping and horticulture applying nitrogen at certain times will have a significant impact on crop production. Superphosphate on the other hand does provide long-term benefit to the soil as a source of phosphorus, calcium and sulphur when these elements are found to be limiting. At the old Ballantrae Research Station in the Manawatu, where annual applications of superphosphate were applied over 35 years compared to where nothing was applied, the amount of pasture grown and number of earthworms found were much higher on the superphosphate

treatments compared to the zero-fertiliser treatments, where woody weeds were encroaching and taking over.

Phosphorus is a contaminant in our waterways, and although superphosphate is 85-90 per cent watersoluble, there are alternative sources such as serpentine super and the new Surephos fertiliser from Ballance that have less than one-third of water-soluble phosphorus, as well as dicalcium phosphate and RPR fertilisers which can contain no water-soluble phosphorus and can be considered in areas where excess phosphorus run-off or leaching is of environmental concern.

Robin Boom, CPAg, member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists. Phone: 0274448764.

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Needed: long-term plan to manage water It’s been pleasing to see some much-needed rainfall during the last few weeks, but for most of you this is nowhere near enough and drought continues to bite.

The reality is that it will take more than a sprinkling of rain to combat the effects of drought and what is really required is a long-term strategy that manages and implements our water in a responsible and efficient way.

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world, but it’s hard to keep this high standard when crops aren’t growing and there’s no access to a reliable water source. Farmers are facing new challenges with hotter, drier and more volatile conditions.

And unfortunately our water infrastructure is not good enough to address this in many regions.

New Zealand’s water discussion in recent years has been too one-dimensional and betrays its true importance.

While irrigation has been held up by many as simply enabling intensification this is not how we should be approaching it.

Water storage utilised effectively has positive impacts on the environment, economy and our communities.

It can be utilised to support renewable energy generation, it improves water flow and recharges aquifers, it enables land use change and helps farmers maximise market opportunities, it improves municipal water supplies and it provides vital food security by ensuring crops don’t wither up and stock are well fed and watered.

National is determined to enable water to unlock our economic potential and safeguard our rural communities. We’ve already committed to a Water Infrastructure Fund that will service both urban and rural infrastructure, and we view water storage as a critical infrastructure necessity that needs Crown investment.

Access to water brings with it responsibility.

Farmers must continue to improve their efforts to farm within science-based limits and meet the highest environmental standards, but considering the environmental strides made in recent years I’m confident we can get there together. In NZ an environmentally sustainable farming operation is not

just a source of pride within the community, but an asset to pass down to future generations.

The previous National Government supported and invested in water storage through Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd. One of first moves by the Labour/ NZ First/Greens coalition government was to disband this, leaving NZ with no specific fund for water storage. This was a hugely regressive act and has stalled our nationwide water strategy significantly.

While the Government has signalled some investment through the Provincial Growth Fund, the reality is that it is a scattered and incoherent approach that is synonymous with Shane Jones’ slush fund.

Rather than sprinkling money here and there, National believes there should be a clear vision and a government who is committed to playing a substantial role in achieving it.

We can’t keep letting our water flow out to sea while our towns run out of water and our farms dry up. National will provide water storage that delivers for your business, delivers for your environment and delivers for your community.

FERTILISER

Page 47

Showing the way to regain profitability The incumbent agricultural and silvicultural practices are degenerating soils, and polluting water supplies.

The model that treats symptoms instead of causes lines the pockets of corporations, companies and co-operative head offices at the expense of farmers’ and growers’ profits. Government agencies, regional councils, advisory services and the Government itself are equally culpable. One study measured a mere two per cent difference between Canadian farmers’ gross and net incomes.

Most of us have been brainwashed by the system that demands high inputs of a mostly chemical nature in the mistaken belief that it gives higher yields and produces healthy food. Nothing could be further from the truth. Food quality has declined markedly during the last 70 years. Any spray for any pest or disease is a short-term solution with unforeseen longterm negative consequences.

Better nature

Man has strived for generations to better nature.

Very rarely do we work with nature. We fight with her and seemingly win the day, but we do not win.

We lose. Natural cycles are ignored. In doing so we short circuit an inexpensive model and replace it with a costly one. In doing so, the service industries clip the ticket time and time again. The primary producers miss out. Even the banks have joined that feeding frenzy.

An example is the use of synthetic nitrogen. In 1979, just 16,000 tonnes of urea were imported.

These days the usage of urea has surged to 820,000 tonnes per year. Pasture production in the 1960s and

1970s was measured at 17,000-18,000kg/ha in the Waikato. These days it is less. Our reward is polluted rivers and ground water aquifers. In Canterbury it has reached crisis point. Another example is phosphate. We invariably see excess phosphate in the soil test results, but certain companies keep on putting more and more phosphate on when there is already too much in the soil.

Government believes planting conifers, an action that displaces farmers, will sequester carbon. So will pasture. It is well documented that pine forests transpire more moisture and decrease surface and ground water levels. They reduce biodiversity plus increase temperatures by several degrees compared to native forests. Ultimately, they make things worse. Where has honest leadership gone?

It is so easy to get out of this mindset.

This is what Kiwi Fertiliser and Total Replacement Therapy is all about. It’s about getting off the hard chemicals and encouraging biodiversity. It is about stopping the destruction of the soil microorganisms and encouraging them to flourish. It is about building vibrant, robust systems, not restricting them. It is about melding the chemical, the physical and the biological spheres together into a cohesive, thriving package. It is about improving stock health and conception rates. It is about increasing profit. Production isn’t necessarily compromised, but the factors that drive profit trump making production goals the target.

Ten years-plus

We at Kiwi Fertiliser have been practising this for 10 years, some of us

FAR moves buildings After eight years in its offices at Templeton, Christchurch, the Foundation for Arable Research has moved.

“But not we are not going a very long way. We’ve shifting to a newly refurbished building on the same Innovation Park campus at Templeton,” says FAR communications manager Anna Heslop.

FAR is an applied research and information transfer organisation responsible primarily to New Zealand arable growers.

There are more than 2700 farmers in NZ involved in arable cropping activities, with combined farm gate sales of approximately NZ$1billion, including cereal grains, pulses, maize grain and specialised seed crops for export and domestic markets.

Annual crops are grown from the northernmost parts of New Zealand down to Southland, with maize being the dominant crop in the North Island whereas cereal grains and seed production is carried out mainly in Canterbury and Southland. The official move of FAR happened on March 9.

have been involved for longer. We are part of a worldwide system that improves your farms and orchards, the

environment and the bottom line. Call your Kiwi Fertiliser consultant. Let them show you how to regain control.

Page 48

RURAL HOMES & BUILDINGS

A build with minimal environmental impact It’s always inspirational when someone passionately embarks on a house project, putting their heart and soul into making their dream home a reality.

Husband and wife, builder Luke Lennox and architectural designer Alice Gironella, have thrown themselves

wholeheartedly into building a healthy and comfortable home with minimal environmental impact, on the off-grid five acres they own near Raglan. “I’ve always wanted to build my own home, and Alice has always wanted to design her own home,” says Luke.

The concept of energy efficient, passive homes appealed to their values.

The Scoria Hill project in its rugged, rural setting.

Alice’s original design plans for the three bedroom, 232m2 home evolved, incorporating new ideas as they researched options.

Luke carries out the majority of the building with project management under Matt Nichols’ company, while Alice works on the tools when she can around her own business. According to Luke: “she can certainly swing a hammer”.

In line with their environmental impact goals, sustainable treated pine was used for the frame. Macrocarpa from fallen neighbouring trees was milled by Luke for the rafters and beams.

The striking cladding consists of some vertical shiplap weatherboard, and some board and macrocarpa battens, painstakingly oiled in contrasting colours by Alice. “A passive house needs to be as airtight as possible,” says Alice.

The framing has a rigid external

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building wrap, plus healthy, sustainable R3.2 sheep wool wall insulation and R5.1 in the ceiling, with an internal wrapping of a high performance humidityvariable vapour retarder, airtight membrane. “It creates a moistureproof, airtight layer for the bones of the house,” says Luke.

He used Totara to make the extensive number of tall joinery himself. All windows are double-glazed with Low-E (low emissivity) glass, oiled on the internal faces, with light-coloured paint on the outside to maximise protection from moisture and temperature changes.

The metal roof has a five-degree pitch and its light colour reflects heat. An underfloor heating system within the polished concrete floors warms the house, boosted by a fireplace and solar hot water system. To complement the airtight nature, a true heat recovery and ventilation system

Luke Lennox milling the macrocarpa himself. has been ducted through every room.

Hot water solar panels on the roof, and an electrical array on the hillside, will power the home’s energy needs.

The cavernous open plan living area, is with raked ceilings reaching 4.5m, and opens onto decking with far-reaching views to the Raglan coast, which as the inside nears completion, the couple will be able to enjoy at last.

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Choose the best in the earthmoving game Colin Amrein’s team carries out all types of work – whether it be rural, industrial or residential.

With more than three decades of experience in the industry, the team at Colin Amrein Contracting has a thorough understanding of earthmoving and excavation.

“We know the importance of matching the right machinery to the right job, and we’ve probably done the kind of job you’re wanting carried out before – so you can trust us to get it done right,” says owner Colin Amrein, who believes earthmoving and excavation requires attention to detail and a great deal of skill to be completed correctly.

“We believe we offer the finest earthmoving service in Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty.”

Autumn, with generally drier ground conditions than mid-winter, is an ideal time to get stuck into earthmoving work on the orchard, farm, lifestyle block or blank canvas. It’s also the time when planting of redeveloped sites will establish more quickly.

Colin Amrein’s team carries out all types of work – whether it be rural, industrial or residential – from forestry roading, demolition, river works, oxidation ponds, frost protection ponds, desilting ponds, house and shed sites, roadways, engineered filling to jobs needing rock breaker/stick rakes, mulcher heads and augers, to ripper picks and swamp matts.

“We have excavators with long reaches – from 6.5m reaches to 15.5m. We also have truck and trailers to cart metal, sand, pumice and topsoil. We have a bobcat on rubber tracks and mucker, loaders, rollers, bulldozers and much more,” says Colin.

Owned and operated in Tauranga, Colin Amrein Contracting Ltd has been serving the local building and construction industry for 33-plus years, offering affordable excavator hire and efficient earthmoving services.

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Page 49

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 50

No events calendar this month Due to the evolving situation of how New Zealand moves to curb the spread of Covid-19, or Coronavirus, Coast & Country News has decided to not feature its monthly Events Calendar for April.

We will review this decision before our next edition, and so groups are still welcome to send in their notices to: merle@sunmedia.co.nz

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Hazelnut trees good for environment and income Hazelnut trees may reduce nitrogen leaching into waterways as well as provide an alternative income for New Zealand farmers.

That’s a message the Hazelnut Growers’ Association of NZ is keen to convey to farmers and landowners. The association was planning a free workshop in Rotorua on April 24, to be addressed

by Winston Churchill Memorial Trust fellow and hazelnut grower Tom Cannon of Kent, UK. “However, because of the border closure put in place by the New Zealand Government due to the Covid-19 virus, Tom, who was in Australia in mid-March, will be unable to be present in person at the April event,” says Paul.

“So we’re looking at other options, including an online webinartype event.”

Paul says the association is keen for existing and potential growers to hear from Tom and to continue in its work to increase awareness of the hazelnut industry and increase the plantings of trees.

Hazelnut trees have been the subject of a Bay of Plenty Regional Council trial to assess the trees’ ability to help reduce nutrient leaching to waterways in the Rotorua Lakes catchment; and Paul says the added advantage is that they provide an income from the nuts they produce. Tom Cannon was to visit NZ to share his knowledge of growing hazelnuts and learn from Kiwi orchardists.

Kent Cobnuts

He is the third generation involved in his family’s Roughway Farm in Kent, which operates an online business providing fresh produce such as cherries and Kent Cobnuts – a type of hazelnut traditionally grown in Kent – directly to customers.

In 2019, the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust awarded Tom a Churchill Fellowship, a research grant to investigate hazelnut production throughout the Northern and Southern hemispheres. In September 2019 he visited Turkey, China and the USA. This year he was set to visit New Zealand and Australia.

Tom Cannon, third generation of his family involved with Roughway Farm in Kent, promoting nuts at a market day.

The survey also reported total yield of 53.5 tonnes in-shell from 39,000 trees.

New Zealand imported $58m of almonds, walnuts and other edible nuts in 2017, almost tripling the figures from 2008. Specifically, 250 tonnes of hazelnuts are imported per annum.

HGANZ has a website with ‘how to’ information and regulation assistance and a members-only section Growers association with research information.

In NZ, hazelnuts are grown from Waikato Newsletters with updated national and international to Southland. The only organisation information regarding the industry, upcoming events, dedicated to supporting the hazelnut Winston Churchill Memorial industry in NZ is the Hazelnut Growers’ Trust fellow and hazelnut grower reports on field days and other useful titbits are emailed to members.

Association of New Zealand, although Tom Cannon of Kent.

HAGNZ holds twice-yearly education weekends of many growers are also members of the NZ presentations and field days and regional gatherings are held during Tree Crops Association. the year.

As at August 2019, HGANZ membership stood at 81. A 2017 To register interest in the April hazelnut seminar, which will survey of 43 members reported 67,585 trees planted, with a mean most likely be an online event, email: paul@rehuaorchard.co.nz average orchard size of 1570 trees and median average 1000 trees.

Cows gatecrash rural editor’s wedding Given her occupation, it was entirely appropriate – if not exactly appreciated – that cows should gatecrash the wedding of Coast & Country News editor Merle Foster on a Northland beach in March.

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As guests focused on Merle and her groom Steve Cave standing beneath a floral and foliage-draped arch on a beautiful private sandy beach, a small herd of cows filtered down from the hills behind.

Lured by the smell of fresh hay bales set around a refreshment marquee, they made their way quietly towards the feast.

A few guests spotted their approach and sprinted up the beach to move the intruders off before they reached tables of finger foods, while bride, groom and guests watched on in amusement.

The cows managed to snatch a few mouthfuls of hay, but fortunately didn’t reach the buffet, nor dislodge the marquee

poles before being herded off.

However, they weren’t too keen to leave the celebrations and had to be tempted to away with a hay bale of their own.

Merle, the daughter of Agnes and Colin Foster of Oruaiti, wore an elegant, full-length white gown with train, and her bridesmaids Amy Restall, Andrea Clarke and Jocelyn Lenssen wore navy blue dresses, matching the colour of groom Steve’s Cows made an uninvited appearance at shirt. The ladies walked barefoot editor Merle Foster’s wedding. through the sand to the ceremony.

Photo: Haley Adele Photography.

Steve, son of Pauline and Matt Cave of Katikati, was accompanied by best man Callum Armstrong and Merle and Steve, who are parents to groomsmen Liam Smith and Mat Boyes, Isla, 4, and Eden, 2, met 10 years ago who wore white shirts, mustard-coloured when Merle moved to Katikati to work as shorts and jandals.

Katikati Advertiser’s chief reporter. The The beachside ceremony, followed by family live in Katikati and while Merle a reception attended by 100 friends and edits and writes for Coast & Country family from New Zealand and Australia, News, Steve is a builder in the Western Bay was held at Ramada Resort at Taipa Beach. of Plenty.

Elaine Fisher

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 51

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS Ryan, aged 7, and Alex, aged 4, with their friendly cow in Waitoa.

James, aged 2, checking out the new neighbours and having a play on ‘Fergie’ the Massey Ferguson tractor in Manawatu.

Evelyn, aged 18 months, at Grandma’s riding ‘Brambles’ in Morrinsville.

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e ‘Bronson’ Kayce Prier, aged 5, and his best mat Lichfield. in swim enjoying the sun after a farm