C&C Oct 2011

Bay of Plenty and Waikato Farm, Orchard and Rural Lifestyle News

PH (07) 578 0030

October 2011

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A depression is oozing out of kiwifruit vines and spreading over the Bay of Plenty with confirmation in recent weeks that Psa-V has moved beyond the Te Puke priority zone to a kiwifruit orchard in Katikati, Whakatane and as far north as Waihi.

Read more on pages 2-3.

Issue No. 134

a S pri n g m

Te Puke orchardist Braden Hungerford has cut out 12ha of his Gold kiwfruit vines since finding Psa-V last November.

Photo by Sheryl Brown.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 2

Coast & Country

Not recession, it’s a Gold depression It is just shy of a year since Psa was first detected on an orchard in Te Puke, sending the kiwifruit industry into a tailspin.

The spread of Psa had been contained to the Te Puke region since then, but with the start of spring and with sap starting to flow, the number of Psa-V infected orchards has increased rapidly.

Rather than looking for spotting on leaves, the symptoms are more obvious in spring, with a red sap oozing out of vines. With it, the reality is sinking in that this may be uncontainable and the full impact is still yet to be seen on the growers, the community, the regional and the national economy.

The disease has a stranglehold over the kiwifruit industry and people are saying it is the ‘foot and mouth’ of the kiwifruit industry. There should be empathy throughout the rural community as well as the urban community – who will all be affected by the ripple effect as money and jobs are stripped away.

With so much uncertainty about the future, industry leaders are limited in the advice they can give to growers.

The main advice is centred on trying to contain the disease and give as much information to growers as possible so they can make some big decisions.

Big decisions to make

Growers with Psa in their orchards have to decide whether to put resources into regrafting another variety, try and carry on producing a crop, or do they cut back their vines, pull out the infected stumps and wait for more answers?

Do they rip out their canopies and start again, plant another crop completely such as avocados or tamarillos? Do they join blocks with neighbours and build a cowshed on the once prime dairy land?

The banks are going to be pivotal to whatever decisions the growers make.

At the moment, growers are reasonably comfortable financially, with the income still coming in from this year’s crop.

However, once the cash flow ceases the pressure will come on.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chairman Mike Chapman says the mood is bleak.

“As a group…we are depressed,” says Mike.

“Because we have such a vibrant industry – and I do believe we’ll have a vibrant industry again, but at the moment it’s really tough.

“You’re seeing your life’s work destroyed and what do you grow next? That is the question.”

Mike says some of them are just going to grow grass.

“It’s pretty rugged.”

“The key thing around this is to make sure they don’t run up a lot of debts outside the bank.

“If they identify that it is terminal, they should stop spending, so they’re not spending money they don’t have.”

Don says if growers have to sell, “and many will”, then banks may let them off the hook on special occasions.

“They may be able to negotiate with banks to retain some capital – maybe a modest amount of $100,000 or $200,000 and their personal belongings and their vehicles.

“Banks do have provisions for debt write-off, but they didn’t expect to see it in the kiwifruit industry.

“It’s actually not their fault... it’s an incursion that’s taken them out.

They’ve got to watch that they don’t blame themselves.”

Time for support

It is a time for people in the community to support the kiwifruit growers says finance consultant Don Fraser.

“It is important for growers to get their heads around the fact and accept that it is not their fault.

“It’s actually not their fault that they failed; it’s an incursion that’s taken them out.

“People who are badly affected, they’ve got to watch that they don’t blame themselves.”

Don says it is time for people in the community to lend support to growers.

“If you think they have a problem they have.

“If you think you need to ring them you do.

“Already driving around, all the gates are locked shut and there are not a lot of people out in the district. Everybody is hunkered down.”

“For an owner it’s hard enough already on any day juggling your debt, your spray programme, staffing issues, family issues and the world economy which is pretty grumpy and then you’ve got this.”

Don says there are some good people helping out and lending support and there are 24 road groups set up to form a support network around growers. Don says growers need to know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Once the hard decisions have been made then the dark cloud will lift.

“Once you decide to move on and get rid of the load then you become a happy person again.”

He says in the meantime growers need to be vigilant with their spending if they hope to negotiate with banks.

“But they’re faced with it.”

Don says it is key for growers to get help in their negotiations with bankers because they will be emotionally involved and upset.

“So they need somebody to help them out.

“That goes back to the discounting days of the ‘80s when we went in and identified the loss and the bank agreed with it and everybody got on with their lives.”

Don says the effect of Psa on the whole community and economy is going to be hugely significant.

“It (the kiwifruit industry) was a big economic driver wasn’t it?

“People have to have an income, a lot of people within the communities that go in and work in the packhouses over the picking season – that’s all going to stop.

“So there is going to be a lot of cash taken out of the economy.

“Then there is the macro affect; you’ll see falling school roles, you’ll see retailers in trouble in the towns, you’ll see doctors getting overloaded with people coming in with all their problems and that will be an issue.

“There are a lot of social issues that are going to come up.”

The man in charge of tackling Psa, Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc. chairman John Burke, is himself in the same boat – Psa-V was confirmed on his Gold orchard at Te Puke in September.

John says he is in the same position as

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other growers of having to make some tough decisions. When asked if Psa meant the ‘end of Gold’ – John’s reply was “it doesn’t look good”.

“It seems a weak plant; grafting back Gold is not an option.”

John says KVH and Zespri are reluctant to encourage growers to graft new varieties, even though some of the new varieties seem to be proving more resistant.

Industry advice uncertain

“The industry is reluctant to go out with wholesale recommendations to growers around ‘try this new cultivator’ – and it could fail.

“So they would have spent a whole lot more money regrafting and growing it back and training it – and it tips over on them. So that’s more money down the gurgler.”

So if they are not grafting and are having to cut out the infected Gold orchards what is left?

“It might be better for some growers to actually pull their vines out and wait, but of course with that, you have a bank loan, which you might have to pay interest on, so it’s a really tough financial decision for them.”

John says one of the things KVH is looking to do is give growers some considerations around their options.

“So a grower with really heavy infection could make the decision quite easily to cut their vines off. And if they think the infection is right in the stem of the vine, which we have found – when it’s gone right though the plant – they’ve had to pull them out by the roots.

“If they think the infection is just in the canopy of the vine, well a lot of them will either go for cutting below the graft and looking to graft on something else onto that stump.

“The human instinct is to say ‘I’ve got to keep going’, but financially it may be better to actually do a ‘stop loss and wait’ – and deal with how you’re going to cash flow your way through it until you can find a more resistant root stock and cultivator to put on your vine.

“We’re saying to the growers and we’re saying to the banks – we’re talking about a timeline; we’ve set ourselves an objective to find some serious solutions by 2013.

“We’re trying to get everyone planning two years out to say ‘I’ve got to get through this hole, but of course come 2013 you’re not going to be back to full production again.’”

COAST & COUNTRY

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Page 3

The state of the kiwifruit industry

Early Psa detection key Kiwifruit grower Braden Hungerford has cut almost half his orchard out since first finding Psa-V in November 2010.

His orchard is a ghostly remnant of its former state, with some canopies cut right back to stumps, others with vines draped in tape to mark where the red ooze is leaking out – a spring symptom of the vine disease.

As we walk down the orchard, Braden spots new vines showing symptoms of Psa, which were not detected during monitoring just days before – a sign of how quickly this disease is spreading.

One of the first orchards to be confirmed with the Psa-V bacteria disease, Braden has since cut 12 hectares of his canopy out.

“We’ve systematically cut the vines out since then.

“It was 26 hectares, it’s 14 now. All the Gold is gone, we’ve only got Green left.”

Numerous trials are being carried out on remaining parts of his infected orchard in a bid to find a cure.

“We don’t have anything to put into vines to fix it (at the moment),” says Braden.

“All of our sprays are protectant, they don’t do anything once it’s in your vines.

“Once it’s like this, you need to use a chainsaw.”

Braden is working as operations manger for Kiwifruit Vine Health, taking key messages from the industry to growers – including advice on when to cut out kiwifruit vines.

“The worst day for growers, the hardest time for them, is cutting it out,” says Braden.

“But if you cut it out early you can potentially save parts of your orchard.”

The kiwifruit industry is seeing new symptoms of Psa as they monitor the infected orchards for the first time leading into spring.

“Since the sap flow started, the pressure starts to push out through the

vines. “It’s the plant defence mechanism.”

Braden says growers need to be monitoring their orchards closely for signs of Psa and cutting it out as they find it.

“Especially in Green, we have got to cut it out if you want to keep producing fruit.

“It seems to be a lot slower in the Green.”

Bradon has grafted about 2.3 hectares of his orchard with one of Zespri’s new varieties.

Other than that, expenditure on the orchard has been kept at a minimum.

He says at the moment growers are still okay as they are still getting the income of this year’s crop.

“At the moment growers are still getting paid. Most people are still doing pretty well.”

But it’s when they have to cut out their vines and can no longer produce fruit is when the impact will really be seen.

Banks are in a tricky position. They will not want to see growers walking off orchards and leaving them properties they can’t resell.

“That’s why the banks are behind us at the moment,” says Braden.

“Because they don’t want to manage orchards – they’d rather have a grower on it.

“So they’ll be with us till 2013.”

But if the industry doesn’t have some solutions by then, the banks won’t be able to continue to support growers with no cash flow coming in.

Braden says the three key messages he is telling growers at the moment are: hygiene border controls, using protectant sprays and monitoring orchards closely.

“You have got to treat your orchard as if your neighbour’s orchard is infected – even if you are not in the priority zone.

“Assume every worker that comes on is coming from an infected orchard.”

Have an opinion on this story?

Email sheryl@thesun.co.nz

By Sheryl Brown

The facts:

1.2 billion export business 12,000ha of kiwifruit 2000 growers 10,000 full time workers 8600 seasonal workers 10% of the Bay of Plenty GDP Zespri’s 30 million trays potentially to be halved next year 1500ha potentially picked for the last time 50% of the Gold orchards in Te Puke affected

Psa numbers

As of Monday, October 3 when C&C went to print: 395 orchards confirmed with Psa 312 orchards confirmed with Psa-V All orchards are in the Te Puke region bar one in Waihi, one in Katikati, one in Whakatane and six in Tauranga region.

48% of NZ Kiwifruit hectares are now in a priority zone 13.7 NZ kiwifruit hectares on an orchard with Psa-V

For more information on Psa and a list of grower support numbers visit www.kvh.org.nz/grower_support or www.nzkgi.co.nz

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COAST & COUNTRY

Coast & Country

Wetlands – an undervalued resource HiFLO PUMPS HiFLO PUMPS & IRRIGATION LTD

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Worldwide it has taken centuries for man to work out how useful wetlands are, particularly in relation to flood control, water storage, filtering of pollutants and sediments, which these days are referred to as ‘ecosystem services’.

Saving and replacing wetlands, both in an attempt to preserve the biodiversity contained within them and also to undo the pollutant and sedimentation problems created by intensive land use practices, is now being undertaken by agencies and governments in many countries.

Part of the 15th International Conference of the IWA Diffuse Pollution Specialist Group, held this time in Rotorua, was a one-day symposium focused on wetland ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes.

Draining of bogs, marshes and peat lands has drastically reduced wetland areas everywhere. Shona Myers, an ecologist now working for Wildland Consultants, advised that in New Zealand we’ve been particularly efficient at it – and for a country which was once generously supplied with wetlands, we now have only one per cent of the land mass – 249,776ha – still with wetland areas.

Most of these are smaller than 10ha and

only six per cent lowland land still contains swamp areas. What is left contains 20 per cent of our endangered species.

While we signed up to the Ramsar Convention in 1976 and wetland preservation is seen as a matter of National Importance and Priority – supported by legislation under the RMA (1991) a Biodiversity Strategy (2000) and a Freshwater Management National Policy Statement (2010), plus the Clean Streams Accord, actual progress has been much more patchy.

Many councils have different requirements over permission and consent and at the end of the day, most of the land involved is in private ownership. So first there is a need to persuade the landowner to take some suitable land out of production and then funding has to be found to fence and plant, not only the wetlands themselves, but also indigenous buffer zones.

Created wetlands are being tried, both here and overseas, however, research is still being carried out on the best places to put them. To date, work done by NIWA has found that those placed higher up in catchment areas are efficient at catching and retaining phosphate runoffs, larger ones at the base of catchments are more effective at doing the same for nitrogen leaching, particularly as they are more likely to contain groundwater flows.

By Sue Edmonds

COAST & COUNTRY

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Page 5

Kina farming key to meet market demand in a very good position, provided we’re willing to put in a little bit of effort.

If the quality is not always up to sushi standard, then there’s always ‘not-for-human consumption’ products that can be almost as lucrative as uni, but are not subject to any of the health or presentation restrictions that apply to the food market.

The main one is kina roe as aquarium food; it’s highly nutritious, highly valued and in high demand. At the lowest end of the scale, reject sea urchins and byproducts can be sold as frozen burly – ‘burly bags’ were successfully, but unofficially, tested by NIWA a few years ago and sea urchin burly is internationally regarded as one of the best fish attractants.

Then, with kina, there is always the alluring prospect of using them in pharmaceuticals and beauty products – both of which would be more valuable than the highest quality uni. The cultivation of kina is a challenge that, if met, will prove to be a lucrative business for New Zealand, but cultivation and processing into whatever form the market demands will not just generate income, it will provide much needed employment in our small coastal communities.

By Graeme Dobson

The tropical species Tripneustus gratilla is cultivated for reseeding in southern Japan, but its high value has led to population crashes in some parts of South East Asia.

Sea urchins appear to be an ideal candidate for aquaculture.

They’re so easy to breed that they’re used as demonstration models in aquaculture training courses; they’re omnivorous and therefore comparatively easy to feed and, most importantly, there’s an established, lucrative and undersupplied market.

Sea urchin roe is a traditional food in parts of Europe and Asia – particularly Japan – and through the spreading popularity of sushi, it’s coming to the notice of gourmets in an increasing number of other countries, including the US and UK – check the internet for ‘sea urchin butter’ to get an idea of the versatility.

The Japanese particularly esteem sea urchin roe – known as ‘uni’ – so much so, that they consume about 75 per cent of world production. Top quality uni retails at up to NZ$550/kg and quality live urchins sell for about NZ$10-15 each.

The market and distribution system in Japan is, however, complex and multilayered – so the price to the producer would be less.

Demand

The Japanese have a large sea urchin fishery that’s lucrative enough to attract the attention of the Russian mafia, but they still have to import 80-85 per cent of their needs. This level of demand brings familiar problems – much of the world’s sea urchin stocks are over-fished and in decline. In South East Asia, the problem was so severe that the most valuable sea urchins almost vanished from some areas before remedial action was taken, but that’s another story.

New Zealand kina is also in decline, but it’s not commercial exploitation that’s the problem here: Kina are much sought after kai moana and it’s recreational fishing in accessible habitats, such as Mauao and Maketu, that has kept numbers down. In New Zealand, there is a small commercial

“There is no reason why New Zealand should not have kina farms – or at least fattening facilities to improve flavour and texture.” fishery that services the domestic market, but their sporadic forays into the international market have had mixed results – primarily because of the flavour of the roe. Put bluntly – no one else likes it. The Japanese are said to eat with their eyes – a trend that is increasing in the West.

Therefore appearance; colour – which should be a rich orange; texture; uniformity in size – 40-50mm is best; and a high glycogen level are very important. For various reasons, New Zealand kina does not measure up to these criteria.

This is where aquaculture plays a part.

Sea urchins are being farmed successfully in many places in the world that have similar conditions to New Zealand – places such as the Norwegian fiords are full of them. In Scotland they are being farmed alongside salmon; keeping algal growth down, chewing through left over fish food and providing a much needed economic boost to Highland and Island economies. There is, therefore, no reason why New Zealand should not have kina farms – or at least fattening facilities where they are fed specific diets to improve their flavour and texture.

Cultivation

Dr Andrew Morgan from the Bay of Plenty Polytech has been working with sea urchins for years and says that different species of New Zealand urchins have different potentials for cultivation. In his opinion, the common one – Evichinus chloroticus – has limited potential, but a second, less common, species that lives in deeper water has great promise.

The market New Zealand producers should aim for is chilled nama uni; that’s the grade used in sushi. It is high grade and high priced, but needs to be presented very well to be accepted. The rapidly increasing international popularity of sushi and the introduction of sushi dispensing machines is set to raise the demand for this product well beyond present supply capacity. It doesn’t take a genius to realise that New Zealand’s waters – extra nutrients and all – put us

KIWIFRUIT

Page 6

Coast & Country

Reduced packing costs to help growers EastPack has announced it is reducing its packing charges by 20 cents per tray for 2012 and intends paying its growers 20 cents per tray rebate in June 2012.

The move follows Zespri’s reduced per tray returns forecast – green kiwifruit growers are facing a

forecast 60 cents per tray reduction in payout for their 2011 crop.

EastPack chairman Ray Sharp says EastPack want to help growers who will suffer financial stress as a result of the reduced fruit returns and the potential impact of Psa. “The 20 cents per tray reduction in packing costs and 20 cents cash rebate is the best deal in the industry and has been made pos-

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sible from efficiency gains from our world class ‘Growing Excellence’ LEAN manufacturing processes and technology and our commitment to quality.”

EastPack, the second biggest kiwifruit post harvest operator and the largest supplier of gold kiwifruit, consistently delivers industry-leading orchard gate returns for its growers. EastPack

has had market share growth more than double that of the industry during the last 10 years.

“As a grower-owned company, we are following our tradition of helping our growers during difficult times and passing back some of the gains made by the improved performance,” says Ray. “Growers are at the heart of everything we do.

“To find out more about EastPack, give us a call. We’d love to talk, show you around our packhouses, compare your current OGR and discuss increasing your orchard’s productivity.”

EastPack is reducing packing charges by 20 cents a tray.

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KIWIFRUIT

Page 7

Keeping bees around for pollination Now winter pruning is out of the way, pollination is the next big spend in the kiwifruit calendar. Getting pollination right is crucial to the all-important orchard gate return.

Bees should go into the orchards when at least 20 per cent of the female flowers are open and should be removed at no more than 90 per cent of the pollinated flowers.

With the use of artificial pollen still up in the air for this coming season due to the inability to have an effective pollen sanitisation treatment against Psa, the challenge of achieving satisfactory pollination will be difficult.

The introduction of pollen to the orchard is a potential infection pathway for Psa. So taking the alternative approach, it is time to think about the number of hives you require for successful pollination.

The industry advice is for eight hives per hectare, but growers may wish to increase it or decrease it depending on the circumstances.

Introducing varroa Historically, before the use of artificial pollen the number of hives was much higher and the introduction of varroa has eliminated the feral bee population that added significantly to the pollination outcome.

Aongatete Coolstores Ltd recommend growers place 10 hives per hectare in some orchards to ensure there is the right number of foraging bees in the orchard.

Making sure the hives are placed in an area of the orchard that gets the sun early in the morning is very important in helping the beehive warm up, encouraging the bees to come out of the hive and start foraging.

Growers should ensure that they put the beehives in an area where the beekeeper can easily place the hives and feed them without the issue of negotiating tight shelter rows or around tight headlands.

Growers should think about keeping the bees in the orchard. Kiwifruit flowers don’t attract the bees the same way clover in your neighbours’ dairy paddock or flowering willows in the shelter. Once flowers are about five per cent open, growers should mow the sward – the fewer other flowers to deter the bees from the job at hand the better.

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Growers should think about using bee-friendly products such as bee pheromone to keep the bees in the orchard. This season, Aongatete Coolstores is using Bee-Scent™ – which is a pheromone-based liquid formulation that attracts foraging bees to the treated blossoms.

Bee-Scent™ encourages foraging behaviour because the synthetically produced pheromones imitate those produced by bees. As a result, foraging behaviour increases and the bees stay focused on working in the blossoms harder, which improves crop pollination and results in additional fruit set and better fruit quality.

If any sprays need to be applied during the flowering period, apply later in the evening when the bees are not foraging.

There will be challenges with scheduling Psa protectant sprays and bees so growers should set out their Psa plan well in advance to avoid issues and discuss intentions with your beekeeper.

Don’t forget to warn the beekeeper as they will not take kindly to a dosing of chemical when they are checking the hives.

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POLLINATION

Page 8

Coast & Country

Pollen standard and guidelines KVH has the mission of minimising the negative impact of Psa-V on the New Zealand kiwifruit industry and enabling affected growers to re-establish their orchards.

In line with this mission, it is currently considering the potential risk of spread of Psa-V through the artificial pollination programme.

A soon to be published article has concluded: ‘There is currently no

evidence that artificial pollination leads to increased infection or that pollen has been responsible for the introduction of Psa in a previously Psa-free area.’ (Vanneste et al., 2011)2.

At the same time, KVH recognises the publicised link between spread of Psa-V and contaminated plant materials and remains focused on minimising the potential risk posed by the movement of pollen from vine to vine and orchard to orchard achieved by both natural (beetransfer) and artificial pollination.

This document provides:

• Guidelines by which all involved in artificial pollination of kiwifruit orchards can reduce the risk of Psa-V transfer through use of artificial pollination • A standard against which pollen facilities can be audited to assure that collection and handling of pollen is adequately managed to reduce the risk of Psa-V transfer through use of artificial pollination.

Growers should: • Carefully consider all potential risks in deciding whether or not to use artificial pollination in their orchard: there is no guaranteed treatment or process that eliminates risk of Psa-V contamination through any form of pollination • Only use pollen that has been

sourced according to the guidelines • Enter details of batches of pollen applied to their orchard into their Zespri Electronic Spray Diary.

Contractors applying pollen should: • Be familiar with the guidelines so that they can explain to growers how they are being protected from any potential risk of spread of Psa through use of artificial pollination and what risks remain • Follow the guidelines issued

by KVH for orchard hygiene (http://www.kvh.org.nz/vdb/document/321) and contracting practice (http://www.kvh.org.nz/vdb/document/78).

• Keep accurate records of dates on which each orchard is pol-

linated, the supplier of the pollen and the number, sizes and batch numbers of all packs of pollen applied and provide a copy of this record to each orchard owner/ manager.

Equipment for applying pollen should be cleaned and sterilised with a KVH approved sanitising agent (see http://www.kvh.org. nz/vdb/document/63) between orchards.

Read the guidelines in full at www.kvh.org.nz

Minimising the risk of spread Pollination is one of the most important activities in the orchard calendar and most kiwifruit orchards rely on the introduction of bees to ensure effective pollination takes place.

The movement of pollination hives between orchards must be managed to minimise the risk of Psa spread associated with vehicle and equipment movement and potentially the movement of bees themselves.

• Psa spreads through the air, on living or dead plant material, machinery and other equipment.

• Regardless of whether orchards show symptoms of Psa, the movement of equipment within and between orchards must be considered a key controllable risk.

• The potential for bees to act as a vector of Psa is unknown but is being investigated.

• These protocols have been designed to mitigate the potential for contamination of orchards via the use of pollination hives.

Definitions

PZ: Psa Priority Zone as defined by KVH Hive dump site: Locality where bee hives are placed temporarily

Movement of hives

• Hives used within a PZ should not be used again in any orchard outside a PZ. Any hives leaving a PZ should be removed to an area that is at least 5km from a kiwifruit orchard.

• Where possible temporary hive dump sites should not be located within a PZ. • Hives, pallets and vehicles need to be cleaned before leaving an orchard to

remove all physical debris. Refer to the KVH Orchard Hygiene information sheet available from www.kvh.org.nz for a complete list of protocols.

Multiple use of hives

• Hives placed within a PZ maybe used again within a PZ only, with adherence to orchard hygiene protocols.

• Hives placed in orchards outside a PZ maybe used again on other orchards, with adherence to orchard hygiene protocols.

• Stand-down periods may be applied to hives moving between orchards but the efficacy of stand-down periods is not yet known but will be advised once research results are known.

Hive placement and removal • Hives should be placed to avoid any contact with vines and shelter and should allow easy access for sugar syrup feeding.

Feeding

• Feeding should be carried out using a dedicated orchard vehicle if possible.

• Contractors employed to feed hives must follow orchard hygiene protocols.

• Reducing the recommended frequency of hive feeding is likely to reduce pollen collection and compromise pollination.

Auditing against the industry hive standard • It is recommended that hive auditing against the industry standard continue provided that orchard hygiene protocols are adhered to.

Orchard spraying

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• Orchard swards must be kept mown to ensure that flowers are not present when streptomycin and other sprays are applied.

Hayward orchardists should be aware that bees may be present in Hort16A orchards that are flowering.

This is very important for ensuring that spray residues are not found in honey.

• Windbreaks surrounding orchards should not be sprayed while they are in flower.

• Orchardists and spray contractors must adhere to best practice spray guidelines at all times. Refer to the Zespri Key StreptoTM User Guide and the Spray information section of the KVH website for more information on spraying (available from www.kvh.org.nz).

• KVH streptomycin auditing will be undertaken in the PZs and HRAs. Refer to the KeyStrepto User Guide for more information.

These protocols apply to the movement, feeding and removal of pollination hives in all regions.

Updates will be available from www.kvh.org.nz

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Firestone EPDM Lined Pond advantages New Zealand’s largest avocado “At the moment, there is more Austral- have much fruit in the wholesale Aushave just arrived in Japan, Korea, be stored and applied strategically during exporters, is in the early stages of Enable ianeffluent fruit intothe Brisbane, Sydney and Malaysia and the USA. tralian market, it is going into the big drier periods or in Spring and Autumn when grass growth slows the harvest and is already hitMelbourne markets than expected.”

John says in the first month of supermarkets, like Coles and Woolting significant volumes in both Ease of Indaily the management next two to from threetroublesome weeks Tedeffluent irrigators harvesting, each week has been worths.” ranty its Whangarei and Bay of Plenty expects the Australian market to pick up bigger than the last.

In Japan – New Zealand’s second ers Realize the Australian value of yourdomestic effluent and utilise slows. its real potential packhouses. as the supply “We are keeping ahead of it and largest export market – Ted says the first Primor export manager Ted managing. I think we are now at avocados have arrived and so far prices 20 year Firestone Factory warranty - best in the business on your Firestonefruit issued Warranty Certificate Thomas says this is a huge season InsistDomestic a pace that we can sustain until have been steady.

Despite a slightly late start to the . and although it is still in the early Christmas when the northern “Prices are satisfactory at this stage.

“We are hoping the market will clear season in the Bay EPDM of Plenty due to liner stages, he expects Primor to export itself up a bit. As some of the big packhemisphere finishes.”

We are competitive with the Mexican cold weather, Avocado Exporters’ Contact Cosio Industries Ltd ph (09) 820 0272, email : sales@cosio.co.nz. or call Vaughan approximatelyon one million trays, It is only early in the season and INDUSTRIES product in terms of pricing, but we have in the Australian market finish up we Council chairman John Carroll 021 280 7266 for more ers information on Firestone EPDM and your nearest installation contractor.

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By Phillipa Yalden trays. wholesale market, as there is still “At the moment, New Zealand doesn’t expected to be picked and packed some local product available. this season.

“There is a bit more AustralTop gear ian fruit hanging around in the “From now until mid to late FebClearing fruit Australian domestic market than ruary we will be in top gear.”

“More orchards are starting to we first thought, however, it is only Ted says the Australian market is clearSTORAGE fruit. The cold snap did delay ND WATER early in the season.” a tough one at the moment with the fruit in reaching the maturiEPDM pond Primor Produce, prices in the wholesale market ties, but it is one of sitting between $14 and on schedule al irrigation, $18 a tray. , effluent now.”

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Australian fruit than per cent of the one Warranty nstallations. we first anticipated. We fruit has Seebeen us at the NZ Agricultural Fieldays thought they would be exported to Mystery Creek nationwide through their main Australia Pavilion site PB30 production season and the before we arrived, first shipEmail : sales@cosio.co.nz but that hasn’t hapments of Website : http://www.cosio.co.nz pened. avocados

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HORTICULTURE

Page 10

Coast & Country

Clean operation at packhouse Kiwifruit and avocado post-harvest operator Apata is blanketing its avocado packing process this season with the same strict hygiene practices it has been forced to apply to kiwifruit.

Since the outbreak of the Psa infection in kiwifruit orchards in the Bay of Plenty, coolstores and packhouses have had to enforce stricter protocols and regulations to help minimise the risk of spreading the infection between orchards.

With a record crop of avocados starting to be harvested and exported in the Bay of Plenty, some of which are coming off properties that have kiwifruit orchards too, it is logical to apply the same strict protocols.

The threat of Psa is very real to the likes of Apata and its large volume of employees, who rely on growers’ abundant crops of fruit each season.

Apata fruit marketing manager Jim Tarawa says new protocols may be a bit more of a hassle and more time consuming, but they are extremely important.

Preventing spread

“We’ve got to make sure we are not spreading anything around during the harvest.

“All of the plant material has to now be bagged and incinerated – we have to wash down any trucks or gear that go onto orchards.

“It is a bit of a hassle, but you bring it in and it becomes a part of everyday life.”

Apata is estimating to pack more

Apata workers do the final selection of Class 1 and Class 2 fruit. than one million trays of avocados for export this season – a record amount for the company.

Jim says they have been waiting

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for a crop this size and are well prepared for it.

It helps that they are used to dealing with large volumes of fruit – packing eight million trays of kiwifruit this year.

Apata packs one third of the national avocado crop, their headquarters are at Katikati in the Bay of Plenty and they also have another packhouse in Whangarei.

They can pack between 10,000 and 12,000 trays a day and have all fruit packed within 48 hours of it being picked.

On any given day they can be packing for Australia, America, Japan and Singapore.

1st class Australia

Australia is the biggest export market – with 60-70 per cent of the trays expected to land across the Tasman.

The other 30 per cent is shared between the US and the developing markets in Japan, Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Each market has its own set of criteria and requirements.

Coles – the Australian supermarket – has strict criteria around quality, only taking the best Class 1 fruit.

They take three sizes of avocados.

The United States are taking Class 2 fruit for the first time this season, which is used for food service.

A bigger proportion is being sent to Japan and Southeast Asia this year, says Jim. “It’s a good market (opportunity) – it just needs some time and effort put into it.

“It’s close too – it’s just on our doorstep, unlike Europe.”

The Japan market has a preference for smaller fruit – they take size 30s – and they do take size 24 too.

“They prefer the smaller fruit, if we’re sending it to Australia, we wouldn’t be getting as good a price. So it’s a good mix.”

The new protocols around Psa are not too much of a stretch for the clean and regimented operation at Apata.

The cleaning processes and the technology involved at Apata makes impressive viewing.

It helps that Apata harvest all the avocados they export, so can have good control right from the orchard.

The trucks and gear are all washed between each orchard and upon arrival at the packhouse.

The avocados are then unloaded and put through a water blaster to remove any residue, pests or other material.

“It’s a $500,000 piece of equipment and removes about 90 per cent of the residue off the fruit” says Jim. “It makes a huge difference. Not many countries have them.”

The water blaster distributes cold water at a pressure of about 1000 psi – which is then sanitised and recycled.

It is an invaluable machine as export markets are extremely strict on pest restriction.

“Particularly Australia – they send over inspectors on three-week stints as part of the pest cleaning programme. If they find a pest – that’s it.

“They select a pallet randomly as a sample and are looking for any foreign material.”

The fruit is then run through the pre-sorter which includes an Invision blemish sorter, which takes a photograph of each avocado and sorts it into Class 1 or 2 according to the blemishes it sees.

“It’s an efficient, well oiled machine.”

Information on the orchard’s crop has already been processed into the machines.

Suitable market

“When we go out to access crops on orchards, we rate their crop so we know what class it is likely to be, what size – and so we know what market it is suitable for.

“So when the fruit comes in, all the information is there; we know what orchard it came from, what spray programme they use; what market they are bound for.”

The technology has come a long way, says Jim. “A lot of it has been driven off the back of kiwifruit, it’s been a real advantage for avocados, having that ability.”

Complying with new protocols and regulations is just part of working to meet the market.

“We are an expanding business, you are an expanding grower – if that’s what the world wants, then you’ve got to comply otherwise you won’t get access –

By Sheryl Brown it’s that simple.”

HORTICULTURE

PH 07 578 0030

Page 11

Specialist horticultural tractor dealers It’s now been eight years since AgTek, the national distributors of Goldoni Tractors, first launched the Italian specialist horticultural tractor with Dave MacKereth and his team at Capital Tractors on Barkes Corner in Tauranga.

Dave says it’s been exciting times.

With the majority of kiwifruit orchards using pergolas, the

demand had changed from converted agricultural tractors – which were difficult to get low enough and still maintain ground clearance – to a need for a powerful tractor with a very low seat height, reasonable under body clearance, decent lift and towing capacity and big enough wheel equipment for stability, traction and comfort.

“The Goldoni Quasar, ‘kiwifruits’ king of comfort’, has just been so well received here,” says Dave.

“It’s just such an awesome machine, with its super low seat

height and purpose-built design for kiwifruit.

This tractor is also available with a specialist cab designed for the likes of avocados, where a narrow cab is needed to avoid fruit damage and no one else has such a cab to offer.

“We’ve been in tractors along time and we’re in a very strong horticulture region with kiwifruit and avocado, so having a range of purpose-built horticultural tractors was a necessity.

“Goldoni has such a range of model options to cover all needs.

one of their customers in back up and support that has seen Capital Tractor again take out top spot as Goldoni Dealer of the Year for 2010.

To celebrate this award, call into Capital Tractors and catch a celebration deal on one of their new Goldoni tractors before it’s too late.

After eight years with the product, the proof is in the results – Goldoni was very quickly accepted by the growers.”

Agtek director Gayne Carroll says that while Goldoni has grown its reputation throughout the country in the other horticultural regions, it has been the strong Goldoni focus and the extra mile that Dave and his team go to for every

Supplied by AgTek

HORTS SHORTS

Processed apples bring in jobs

Once a by-product, process-grade apples are becoming liquid gold for hard hit New Zealand growers creating new jobs and investment in the industry.

Enzafoods is commissioning its new $4 million processing line at its Hastings site to produce premium added-value fruit products adding another 14 jobs to its team.

By pureeing and dicing apples, Enzafoods has created huge demand for premium value-added fruit products under the Freshfields brand that is delivering profitable returns to growers.

NZ dollar impacting on returns

The relatively high value of the New Zealand dollar against key trading currencies is having a significant negative impact on the export-focused kiwifruit, pipfruit and wine industries says MAF senior policy analyst Annette Carey.

“Exporters are unable to raise prices high enough to compensate because of competing supplies overseas and options for consumers to substitute products.”

Despite most markets performing well this year, the high New Zealand dollar will erode export returns

resulting in poor financial outcomes again for many growers in 2011.

“As a result pipfruit growers are deferring expenditure where they can and assessing alternative business models,” says Annette.

She says the outlook for the medium term is encouraging, with potential for market expansion in Asia, particularly China and India and the possibility of selling apples in Australia for the first time in decades.

Chinese apple protocol established Chinese and New Zealand quarantine authorities have finalised an agreement that clarifies the conditions of access for New Zealand apples into China and provides greater certainty for traders.

The agreement, protocol of phytosanitary requirements for the export of apples from New Zealand to China, was signed in Wellington in September.

New Zealand has supplied high-quality apples for the Chinese spring-summer, off-season period for many years. In 2008, China sought assurances about quarantine pests, including fire blight and in 2009 the two countries’ quarantine authorities began negotiating the protocol.

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Page 12

HORTICULTURE

Coast & Country

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Fighting psyllid Monty Spencer is involved with two industries, which are currently afflicted by disease; he is managing the constant threat of psyllid to potatoes – while spraying his Katikati kiwifruit orchard prolifically in the hope of protecting it against Psa. Monty is the research and innovation manger for AS Wilcox & Sons Ltd, based in Pukekohe – overseeing the growing of the company’s potatoes, carrots and onions.

He and his wife are also the private owners of two small Gold kiwifruit orchards in Katikati and Ardmore.

Psyllid is considered the greatest threat to the New Zealand potato industry, while Psa is pulling a depressing cloud over the kiwifruit industry.

“It is a depressing situation – there is no doubt about that.

“The problem is that the control measures that are currently available are probably, at best, about 10 per cent effective in trying to halt the spread of Psa. So it’s not good news.”

On the other hand, in the battle against psyllid, Monty says he can see the “light at the end of the tunnel”.

“With psyllid, we have control methods and they work fairly well.

From that point of view it’s not so bad.

“At least we’re basically being able to have some control over it compared with the Psa in the kiwifruit.”

That control, however, comes from a carefully designed spray programme, which has driven the cost of a healthy yield skywards.

Monty says they first got psyllid in

My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

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We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

their potatoes three years ago and fought back with a tight insecticide programme.

At the same time Potatoes NZ, the potato growers national organisation, mobilised a very intensive multifaceted research and development programme, “which has produced some very successful outcomes during that time, which we have been able to incorporate into our approach in fighting the psyllid,” says Monty.

“When we first got it, and we

“The home gardener has an increasing hard job growing potatoes, unless he sprays a lot. Because it’s dynamite.” were doing 20-odd sprays, we could be spending $1200/ha for a season.

“Before it came in we would have been pushing to spend $100 or $200/ha on insecticides.”

The 20-plus sprays were not sustainable, however, says Monty.

“Last season we came back from the very intensive weekly spray programme, to one that had applications with wider intervals.

“To enable us to have confidence in this approach each of our paddocks was scouted weekly for psyllid incidence in the foliage and applications were made on a more ‘as required’ basis.

“Now we could be spending probably $500 to $700/ha.”

Monty says the costs have only flowed on “a bit” to

consumers, “but because it is so competitive – the returns haven’t gone up commiserate with the costs.”

AS Wilcox & Sons grow potatoes in three main areas; Pukekohe, Matamata and Ohakune, while also growing some north of Kaitaia and also in Rakaia.

It grows potatoes for fresh markets and for processing – crisping and French fries.

“What happens with the psyllid is you get lower yield, the drymatter gets lower (they get more watery), this is a particular problem in the processing industry as they require high dry matter (floury) potatoes and the third thing that can happen is you get ‘ZC’ – a zebra chip.

The crisp upon frying looks like it’s got a zebra pattern.”

This damage is a considerable problem in causing down-grading in the processing industry in particular.

Psyllid carries a bacteria-like organism – Liberibacter (this is actually the organism causing the ZC) – the psyllid injects the liberibacter into the plant, it gets transported throughout the plant and down into the tubers.

The leaves turn red/yellow and roll up and the plant dies.

“But this is for all the solanaceae family (the nightshades),” says Monty.

“Tomatoes, capsicum, tree tomatoes, all of these get attacked by psyllids. So they’re all having to deal with the psyllid.

“The tree tomato guys are getting trees knocked out.

“In the glass house, control can be achieved more easily, because you’ve got more of a controlled environment than you get outside.”

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HORTICULTURE

Page 13

More solutions in the pipeline Monty says the potato industry is monitoring psyllids using sticky traps, but they are “not often highly correlated of what’s actually in the crop itself, so it’s a real rough indication” to ascertain numbers more accurately.

“So we do counts of psyllid in the crops, from that we can ascertain our spray interval. So if, for instance, it’s a period where they are building up rapidly, then we can put on a spray ahead of when we would normally.”

There can be three to four generations of psyllid during the summer and how quickly those build up is very dependent on weather conditions. Rainfall has a big effect – “if you get a big dumping of rain it knocks the psyllid numbers back quite a lot”, says Monty.

“But in general, there is some evidence that comparatively few psyllids can do a lot of damage to yield and dry matter.”

In general, the spray programme is about one spray every two-three weeks, says Monty.

“Last year we would probably have

averaged 10 or 12 sprays and achieved good control; we use a range of sprays because if you use one spray all the time resistance can develop.”

The insecticides now found to be the most effective “are a lot safer to humans and the environment” and don’t knock out the predators to psyllid, but come at a considerably higher cost because they have only recently been developed.

“Previously, when we applied 20-odd sprays a season, we achieved very good psyllid control, but it was not sustainable.

“That’s when we decided we needed to be a bit smarter. We also had a lot more knowledge because of all the research that the Potatoes NZ had been undertaking plus our own.

“We now had chemicals registered for psyllid control – when psyllids first arrived in New Zealand there were no materials registered for psyllid control – we now also have some idea about the merits of each material and therefore target its application strategically.

“When I look back over the last three

years and the progress that has been made, principally by the industry R&D programme and its associated extension programme, but also by growers being able to integrate the results from this programme into their own situation on farm – progress has been rapid.”

Monty says there are potentially plenty more solutions in the pipeline, with ongoing research into breeding resistant/ tolerant varieties, researching even softer materials than currently available, the introduction of more specific predators and many other initiatives. “It has also tended to make the potato industry more cohesive.

“I hope we can get the same sort of outcomes out of the programme that Zespri, KVH and the kiwifruit growers have got in train at the moment to try and control Psa. “Although the psyllid problem looked monumental for the potato industry when psyllids where first detected in New Zealand, it tends to pale when compared with the Psa challenge in the

By Sheryl Brown kiwifruit industry.”

Have an opinion on this story, email sheryl@thesun.co.nz

Increasing carbon in soils Bacteria and fungi need a carbon source when breaking down fertilisers.

So if you add fertiliser without one, you deplete the soil and if the soil is not sufficiently rich the fungi and bacteria will simply not be able to do their job properly.

New Zealand Humates has a product that contains up to 67 per cent carbon. Humates is full of beneficial fungi and bacteria.

Its other two key ingredients are Fulvic and Humic.

Fulvic provides the chelation – it surrounds an atom of fertiliser and it takes it with it into the cell walls of

the plant. Fulvic also stimulates fungi and bacteria as does Humic.

Humic doesn’t chelate fertiliser, but holds it until plants want to access it. It can also release existing fertiliser or minerals in the ground over time, saving many dollars.

All soil has a CEC rating – cation exchange capacity – indicating its ability to hold fertiliser.

There is a direct correlation with the amount of carbon in the soil.

Peat has a high CEC, sand a low one. Average soils have a CEC around 20-25 per cent. HuMates has a CEC of more than 165, therefore will increase the CEC rating of any soil.

Other products that NZH have include Nitrogen Express. Nitrogen Express is an easy and effective way to increase the nitrogen levels in pasture or crops at a time when this is required the most. Nitrogen Express can be applied through centre pivots or fertigation as well as the usual application methods.

It won’t leach through the soil contaminating waterways etc and is environmentally friendly. Apply at 20-30 litres per hectare.

ORGANICS

Page 14

Coast & Country

Containing mastitis organically A recent meeting of organic farmers and supporters was held at the farm of Janette and Carla Perrett near Ngahinapouri.

Numbers attending these meetings seem to rise at each gathering and this time there were 34 present to hear Alan Thatcher of Massey University talk about coping with mastitis in organic dairy herds.

When you can’t just reach for antibiotics, you need to do what you can to prevent mastitis from racing through your herd.

Alan’s main message was based on ‘prevention is better than trying to cure’. He explained that the skin of cow teats had no oil glands and thus was prone to drying out, leaving it susceptible to damage and a handy home for bacteria. The latter could

then quickly travel up the milk duct and set up house in a nice warm, moist environment.

Both Streptococcus uberis and Staphyloccus aureus, which cause mastitis, are normally resident in many cows’ guts and are passed out in faeces. One place which collects more than its fair share of faeces is the last 100 metres of the race leading to the cowshed. With every cow walking through it twice a day, a lot gets transferred into the shed.

So keeping that 100 metres as clean as possible is needed. Getting and keeping a good surface on a race, which has the right camber – a slope of 1 in 12 each side – so rain will wash it clean and keeping heavy machinery off that length so it doesn’t get damaged is a priority. In pasture, the bugs don’t live longer than two weeks, so with a longer rotation pastures are ‘clean’

by the next round. Staph aureus is mostly found on cow skin and can be transmitted from cow to cow when they touch. Susceptibility to mastitis is strongly related to stress, which can be produced by inadequate feed, behavioural activities like bullying – note not bulling – and climatic stressors such as long rainy periods. Heifers in particularly can be subjected to herd bullying when introduced to an adult herd.

Research at Massey has found that keeping them in a separate mob and initially using once-a-day milking had improved reproductive performance and growth.

For coping with Strep uberis, teat spray is considered very important.

Even when cups had been rinsed between cows, the bacteria had been proven to be able to be carried across to the next nine cows. Not all of these would develop mastitis, but

A good crowd discussing preventing mastitis in organic herds.

A long dried off period can help, along the threat was there – because any flaw or with post milking stripping – using a nick in the liners would retain bacteria. clean glove each time. The bugs can’t Alan recommended changing liners after spread from quarter to quarter internally, every 2500 milkings – or twice a year. so drying off just one teat can work.

Irregular pulsation could cause backjetThere are still farms with low selenium ting of milk, allowing bugs to squirt back levels and this can compromise cow and infect teats. Dunking into disinfectimmune systems. Levels should be about ant in a bucket had limited use because the 500 mark and keeping it at this level the disinfectant loses potency each time. could increase production. When drying Glycerine or grease on teats worked well, but was time consuming. Inspecting teats off, Massey used once-a-day for three days and then stopped, but provided lots could show up machine inefficiency, of hay in feed. Alan warned that cows particularly on younger cows. Constant should not be near or in effluent padvigilance was necessary, identifying and docks at this time. keeping infected cows separate and

By Sue Edmonds milked last.

Non profit for organic farms OrganicFarmNZ is a not-for-profit organistion; its mandate is to increase the community’s understanding of organic principles and the practice of organic gardening and farming in New Zealand.

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Page 15

Factors affecting animal susceptibility to infectious diseases Peter Lester of Quantum Laboratories

from the lab The body’s first line of defence against infection is the skin, mucous membranes and digestive tract lining.

Bacteria can usually not penetrate the skin unless there is a break or wound in it. Three factors make it possible for bacteria, as tiny as they are, to kill a beast. The first is their prodigious rate of multiplication, in which they can increase in numbers to countless billions within a few hours, which places a tremendous burden on the tissue. The second is their ability to destroy the tissues of the body, thus interfering with the body’s functions. And the third most deadly attack, the formation of toxins.

Pathogen exposure

As with any disease, the animal must first be exposed to a pathogen to acquire the necessary acquired immunity. Because we know certain diseases do not return twice in a lifetime, we expose ourselves to various forms of the disease so that the body will produce the necessary antibodies. This line of defence is known as acquired immunity and is the last line of defence against infection.

Back in the 18th century, people exposed themselves to smallpox early in life in order to have it at their convenience and get it over with. It was later discovered that people who contracted cowpox, a similar pathogen, became immune to smallpox.

The person who has gained

immunity to smallpox, however, is no more immune to measles than any other disease. This shows us that the immune reaction is specific. The action of acquired immunity is dependent on the production of specific proteins, called antibodies. In the presence of some foreign protein, termed an antigen, the body reacts specifically with its antigen destroying or neutralising it. As this response is produced by the body’s exposure to the pathogen in the first instance through the production of specific proteins, it stands to reason then that the animal must first be provided with the tools necessary for the production of the specific proteins including the required activator ions. Such protein formations are very specific; they require the assistance of protein catalysts – or enzymes – and each enzyme has only one function.

The formation of these enzymes is also very specific. The temperature must be right; the pH of the substrate must be right, the specific activator ions must present and the presence of nitrates; nitrites and Non Protein Nitrogen will slow down or inhibit the formation of the specific enzyme.

Stress or lack of it will enhance or retard the animal’s defences.

If for some reason we create an environment that is foreign to an environment that would be termed ‘normal’ we also increase the need for the animal to adjust to the new set of conditions. Such adjustments may require increases in energy, protein, minerals or vitamins.

In the main we are dealing with ruminating mammals, this means we are first and foremost dealing with bacteria, which, in the main are beneficial. In dealing with bacteria we must understand that these little critters are environment specific. That is, changes in their environment will also change the violability and population mix.

Changes in rumen pH will enhance the activity of some bacteria and suppress the activity of others.

For example, e-coli bacteria thrive

and become a problem when the pH of the rumen climbs above the threshold necessary for their check in growth. The microbial ecology of the cow rumen is one of the most densely populated microbial ecosystems known. Problems arise when imbalances occur such as the ingestion of feeds high in NPN (Non-Protein-Nitrogen) raising the pH of the rumen contents. E.coli were assumed to be a problem in hand fed animals only, ones where the pH of the rumen was in a state of flux. Feeds too ‘HOT’ ie. containing to high a content of soluble CHO, tended to raise the rumen pH and thus encourage a proliferation of e.coli organisms. While this is still the case, along with our obsession with urea and other ammonia based soil additives, copious amounts of NPN are being consumed much of which are saturated with ammonia.

This ammonia when reaching the rumen raises the pH of the rumen fluids and thus encourages the proliferation of e.coli bacteria. E.coli has now become a grass fed animal problem too.

Along with e.coli we have higher rates of salmonella and cryptosporidium; BVD (Bovine Venereal Disease) is becoming a major animal health issue also.

More grass

Growing more grass is not the answer; it is a case of growing better forage, not more forage. We are brainwashed into believing that headaches are a lack of aspirin.

Commerce does not want to fix the problem it wants to make money out of it. While they are making money, you are going broke.

I had reason to have a conversation with a client’s bank manager recently who had perused the client’s soil test results and recommendations, he asked where the recommendation for nitrogen was on the report, my reply was that in an all grass pasture situation no nitrogen should be applied as it was a biological cycle, not some element you bought out of the bag. He replied abruptly and angrily, “What a load of bull s***,” – sadly there are no keys

invented to open closed minds. Forget the hype about NPK and dry-matter and address all of the pre-requisites required for both soil fertility and animal health.

NPK, mentality is as basic as believing that A, B and C are all we need to know to spell correctly, I should know, my spelling is atrocious. The cultivation of grey-matter should be more important than our obsession with the production

dry-matter. The encouragement for farmers to apply urea along with chemicals that will inhibit its conversion from the applied ammonia to plant and microbial preferred nitrate N, is a monumental blunder.

To subsidise this approach to nitrate pollution reeks of industry influence and fails to assess the obvious backlash that no doubt will follow.

A & P SHOWS

Page 16

Coast & Country

Enjoy the Cambridge A & P Show for free There are close to 20 different categories in the horse section at the Cambridge A&P Show on November 26.

Ranging from the little miniature horses, (these are very colourful) up to big Clydesdales – being judged, not just on looks, but also their ability to work and everything in between.

This includes pony classes for children aged five and up until they are competent enough to compete with adults on the bigger hack horses. Other sections include side saddle and mounted games, which is very exciting to watch says chairman Bruce Clow.

The cattle section has both dairy and beef cattle as well as a calf club section for primary and middle school-age children. After being successful in its first year last year, the young handlers event will again be one of the main attractions in this section.

There is also sections for dairy goats and donkeys and the Young Farmers are again holding their regional fencing competition.

Santa is expected to be making an appearance around lunch time.

There are also craft and trade stands, as well as food and drink stalls and children’s entertainment.

The Cambridge Show has stopped charging an entry fee for some years to encourage families to bring their children to the show to see farm animals up close and personal.

The Cambridge Show is at the Cambridge Raceway on Taylor Street, just off Highway 1B. If you are interested in participating at our show please see accompanying advertisement for contact details.

Kirsty Harnett from Gisborne, riding Blue Sapphire.

Great weekend at the Waihi show The Waihi A&P Show has all the traditional dairy cattle, highland cattle, pedigree dairy goats, calf club, pet lambs and kid goats, horse and pony events, flat and around the ring jumping, as well as Arabian and Standardbred, a wide range of stalls and highland dancing, lots of

entertainment and side shows.

Alpacas were on show for the first time last year and secretary Marilyn Parker says they will be back again this year.

“They created a lot of interest.

The owners took them out of their enclosure and walked them out

108TH

SHOW

Cambridge A&P ASSN

Saturday 26th November at Cambridge Raceway FREE GATE ENTRY • Family fun da y, bouncy castle , childrens rides, trades & craft stands, food stal ls and Santa.

• Horses – minia tures to Clydesdales, Sh owjumping.

• Donkeys and mounted games .

• Cattle, Dairy & Beef.

• Young Handle rs Competition.

• Milking Goats.

• Young Farmer s Regional Fenc ing Competition.

Any enquiries contact Robyn Brettell - 07 827 5542 email - robxtwo@clear.net.nz Schedules available mid-October at: www.ras.org.nz

C1110sacambridgeA&P

facebook.com/CstCountry

The Waihi Agricultural and Pastoral Association have a long standing tradition, with the 73rd show being held this November.

amongst the crowd.”

The lucky gate draw has a travel voucher of $250 up for grabs as well as second and third cash prizes for the adults – the children have cash prizes as well for first, second and third. Winners must be on the grounds at the time of the draw to win the prizes.

Sunday is show jumping and show hunters and is well supported says Marilyn.

Horse competitions are non-grading for showjumping and training for show hunters, which appeals to many.

“It’s a fun day, an opportunity to school less experienced horses and inexperienced rides to have a go at something new.”

The competitors are more than welcome to compete on the Saturday and stay overnight for the Sunday, making it a great weekend without all the cost of travelling.

The Waihi A&P Show is November 12-13 at the Waihi A&P showgrounds on SH2.

Schedules are available from the Secretary Marilyn Parker, 5 Kimberley Road, Waihi. Phone 07 863 8243 or send an email: marilyn@ktd.co.nz and get one posted out.

Please advise what section you are looking for.

Hope to see you at the Waihi Show for a great weekend.

COUNTRY LIVING

PH 07 578 0030

Page 17

Fine tuning your health supplements The majority of people who call me are using natural health supplements.

The most common are Omega 3 Fish oil and some form of vitamin mixture. As part of any initial conversation I always ask about any supplements or remedies a person is using. For the most part, people are taking things that are beneficial. The other day I had a call from someone who really surprised me.

She had a complex range of health problems and she had been essentially taking all the nutrients I would have recommended. All I needed to do was fine tune her excellent programme.

Most people I speak to have a good idea of what they are trying to achieve with supplements and have generally adopted part of the necessary solution.

Fish oil

A common example would be taking fish oil and glucosamine for osteoarthritis. Both are really positive steps.

The fish oil helps to reduce joint inflammation and the glucosamine helps with cartilage function.

What is often missing though are the antioxidants that deal with the underlying disease process.

The frustrating aspect of a partial solution is that you get partial results. Sometimes it is just a matter

not a partial one. This means the right nutrients at the right levels for the right length of time. Monthly monitoring can really help make sure you are on the right of changing dosages appropriate for age, weight and severity. So often I speak to people taking a low dose of fish oil and comment that when our mothers and grandmothers gave us cod liver oil it was by the teaspoon – which is 5mls. When taking fish oil capsules, generally we need around this level.

track. If you are not sure what to do, get a second opinion on what would be best for you. You may need just a fine tune to make a big difference.

In an emergency a St John medical alarm could make all the difference.

Get the levels right

Taking well-formulated supplements can make an incredible difference to your health. The main reason is we can target specific amounts of nutrients at exactly the right levels for any time period and the result can be a major improvement in your health.

The skill comes from making sure that you implement a full solution

New activity sensor in medical alarm Are you ok? That’s what the new St John medical alarm asks if your mum or dad isn’t up and about as they should be.

With just one press of a button, St John medical alarms connect directly to St John. St John personnel immediately call to check if everything is okay. If there’s no reply or if there’s an emergency, St John will send an ambulance.

Now, thanks to St John, further safeguards can be put in place if needed. St John has just extended its medical alarm range to include the option of a daily activity check for those needing added reassurance and peace of mind.

Abundant Health

It allows for help to be summoned even if, due to a health condition or accident, your mum or dad can’t push the alarm button to call for help.

The heart of the new St John service is the combination of an in-built activity sensor and monitoring process. The activity sensor checks that the client is up and about in line with their normal morning routine.

If after an hour no activity is detected, the alarm begins asking the client “Are you OK?” If this is not acknowledged, a process is initiated to determine the client’s welfare and a medical response is mobilised if required.

The activity sensor can be enabled

or disabled remotely by St John and is included as a standard feature of the new St John medical alarm, so there is no extra charge for this service.

If you know someone who would benefit from this extra level of assistance and would like a demonstration from one of our uniformed St John representatives, please call us today.

A free trial period of up to one month applies for all St John medical alarms*. In addition, ongoing funding for a medical alarm may be available from Work and Income – for more details visit www.workandincome.govt.nz *Subject to terms and conditions

If you value your independence but would like a little extra support, consider a St John medical alarm. Our service begins with a free trial period of up to 1 month.*

0800 50 23 23

enquiries@stjohn.org.nz

Page 18

COUNTRY LIVING

Coast & Country

Time running out for rural subdivision I'm continually surprised by the number of farmers that don't realise how their ownership flexibility is being eroded by the removal of existing subdivision rights.

It seems that many are too busy to absorb the proposed changes and take the action necessary to protect their position.

When it comes to crunch time in respect to retirement, debt reduction or diversification, the opportunities for subdivision could be long gone.

Over the years councils have allowed a reasonable amount of subdivision, providing the opportunity for farmers to retire on the land or purchase small run-offs to expand their operation. Those options are disappearing fast.

Recent hearings at Waikato District Council have considered a proposal to significantly reduce the number of lifestyle blocks able to be subdivided.

There is still time to make application if you haven't moved yet and did plan to subdivide, but don't waste any time.

In the future it will only be those with larger blocks that will be able to take off a block.

In an arguably more significant move, Hauraki is promoting a virtual ban on lifestyle blocks on the plains.

The minimum block size is proposed to be 40 hectares – up from the current six hectare minimum.

That is a huge jump, and perhaps unnecessary when there were not many actually taking advantage of the six hectare minimum.

It is interesting to note that the Western Bay of Plenty District Council has just introduced a six hectare minimum for 'productive land'.

If implemented elsewhere this would provide opportunities for diversification on the better land.

Currently many of the rural district councils in the region are working through a review of subdivision rules.

Along with Hauraki and Waikato; Otorohanga and Western Bay of Plenty are part way through the legal process.

Waipa is due to announce major changes soon.

Other districts, including ThamesCoromandel, South Waikato, Rotorua and Matamata-Piako, have all signalled their intention to review their rules and will embark on the legal process in the months ahead.

In most areas, rural subdivision will be harder to achieve in the future, so if you have plans you should act sooner rather than later.

We only need to secure a resource consent now under the existing rules and the balance of the work can be spread over the next eight years.

This secures the opportunity and delays most of the costs until you need the titles.

There is little time left to apply for subdivision under the old rules.

If you are wondering how the changes may affect you I am happy to discuss it, so give me a call.

Time in the great outdoors Kiwis spend a lot of time in the great outdoors – whether working on the farm, tending the orchard or enjoying time to go fishing during the summer – and that is one of the reasons we have such a high rate of melanoma and other skin cancers.

The detection of these skin cancers always seems to increase during the summer period, so make sure you have any unusual or changing skin lesions checked by an expert and follow simple precautions to limit your skins sun exposure during the warmer months. Clothing, including a hat, that reduces the amount of exposed skin is usually the most reliable form of

sun protection and allows you to continue your all day activities in the sun with less risk.

Clothing that carries an SPF rating or densely woven clothing is best. Cover your shoulders, back and chest and save your strappy dresses for evening barbecues.

Sunblock provides useful short term protection for those areas that can not be practically covered with clothing.

With the intense heat in the middle of the day, try and leave work and exercise to the early morning or early evening hours, which also reduces sun exposure.

Consider doing the same for other

activities such as sports games, picnics, beach trips, swimming and visits to the park with the kids.

If sitting outside, do so under an umbrella or tree if available. Put a shade sail over children’s play areas and pools.

Summer is for enjoying;

By Dr Amy Stanway do it safely.

Spot the difference?

Skin Cancer is by far the most common cancer in New Zealand and here in the Bay, and the number of diagnosed cases continues to rise each year.

Skin Cancer can be life threatening, specifically melanoma if not treated early, so ensure you receive the right analysis and treatment at an early stage.

Bulk r e Fertiliz

Call the Skin Centre today to arrange an examination.

Skin Cancer

171 Cameron Road, Tauranga Freephone: 0508 578 578 www.skincancercentre.co.nz

COUNTRY LIVING

PH 07 578 0030

Page 19

Sitting down to discuss farm governance Whatever way you look at it, on most farms often there is very little good governance.

Governance means ‘the act or manner of governing’, in other words, the control.

For the farmer, this means identifying and documenting all that happens on a farm. It must be considered best practice and lead to better systems and reporting.

As a trustee of a number of farms, I find improving governance fascinating. Again – as I always say – the best way to achieve this is to call a meeting with all your professionals. Have an agenda and discuss each issue in detail. Here are some starting points for the meeting: 1. Ownership structure What is it and is it the best for the owners and the property? If it is a Trust, are the Trustees doing their job and are the minutes kept? Are there issues around gifting and who the succeeding Trustees are?

2. Analysis of balance sheets This is always a good place to start too. Ask the accountant to verbalise a report and discuss how

it compares to previous years. Also, get him to identify any blow-outs and what could be improved.

3. Budget for the coming season How does this look and is it realistic?

4. Stocking Is the farm carrying the correct number and are they being adequately cared for? Are there any liabilities here?

5. Fertiliser Is there sufficient going on? Is the asset being maintained? Table some soil tests and discuss. Does the farm need more fertiliser? Is the lime input adequate?

6. Effluent disposal This is a big one. By law, you must now have an effluent diary to record all activities. This is a daily diary too. Should the farmer be using the new dairy diary? Are the ponds big enough? Are they sealed?

It looks likely that soon all ponds will have to be lined with bentonite clay or an approved liner. Various authorities are now bringing in pond ‘size calculators’. Has the effluent disposal system been discussed with the Fonterra rep?

sional assistance should be sought.

Don Fraser is the Principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the farming industry.

Ensure you get this one right as there is liability everywhere if you do not.

7. Wills and lists of wishes Are these done and up to date?

Where are they kept and who are the succeeding Trustees?

8. Powers of Attorney Are these in place? Who has the PoA and is the Enduring Power of Attorney done?

9. Leases Are there unwritten leases between entities in your business? ie: does the partnership lease from your Family Trust? This needs to be independently assessed and formalised. Are you leasing from a neighbour on a hand shake? Not a good business idea really.

Finally – and the most important point – is to record all the minutes, keep copies and file them. Copies should also go to the banker if they are not present.

So, in conclusion, farm governance will be the new ‘buzz word’. It

takes organisation, effort and focus. It can be fun and very rewarding, but records need to be kept.

As best practice it nullifies liability for all parties involved – ignore it at your peril.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate profes-

Building up nursery from home “... everything from groundcovers to trees and topiary”

Beachwood Plants is a wholesale outlet nursery in Te Puna, catering for the landscape industry and the growing number of ‘do it yourself ’ gardeners.

Cathy and Bernie Schneider opened Beechwood Plants at Te Puna in February this year, after building up a nursery on their lifestyle block in the Bay of Plenty.

Bernie had farmed deer, then sheep in Aongatete during the last 23 years, in which time, he and Cathy built up a small nursery – which just kept on growing.

So a year ago, Cathy left work and decided to open Beechwood Plants on Te Puna Road.

Since then the nursery has continued to grow in earnest.

Kathryn Adcock manages the everyday running of the nursery for Cathy, who remains focussed on the growing side of the business.

“She has years of experience and knowledge.

“Kathryn and I make the occasional trip to other growers as well as the horticultural trade days to see what is new.”

Cathy says they sell everything from groundcovers, shrubs, natives, tropicals, to trees and topiary.

“The business has gone very well since we opened; we are very

pleased with the response.”

Bernie and Cathy still have a small flock of fallow deer, sheep, chooks, dog, cat and a horse – still waiting to be broken in – which keeps them pretty busy.

“Bernie is the veggie gardener,” says Cathy.

“He keeps an eye on the fruit and nut trees as well as continuing to plant for the birds and bees.

“One of the absolute joys is to spend my days working in the nursery while the Tui and Kereru forage only metres from me.”

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COUNTRY LIVING

Page 20

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Pukes with an appetite for broccoli This business of self-sufficiency and growing one’s own vegetables can be full of surprises; some nice – some not.

After my successes during the summer in keeping myself supplied with lettuce, tomatoes, beans and courgettes, plus the enduring silver beet plants, I chose broccoli as the winter vegetable most likely to get eaten.

Punnets of vege plants seem inevitably to come in sixes. So, if I succeeded with them, there was going to be a lot of broccoli to pick at some stage.

The vege patch is around the far side of the garage and, when I’m busy, it doesn’t get visited very often. When I did check, the plants were growing all right, but the slugs and snails were doing their best to give the leaves a perforated look. I finally remembered to fling round some slug baits and things grew faster, although they wouldn’t have won any prizes for good looks.

Finally, the flower heads

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CELEBRATING

50

Coast & Country

YEARS OF FASHION

began to form and I kept reminding myself that broccoli really should be on the menu, rather than the quick or instant meals I was existing on during a very busy patch. I finally

picked one huge head, which was at least 25cm across and was going to do me for multiple meals.

More forgetting occurred and then one evening I suddenly remembered my growing crop and sallied forth with a knife.

I gazed in astonishment at six leafy plants with not a skerrick of flower heads between them. The pukekos had beaten me to it!

The neighbour’s steers had been working on the assumption that the ‘grass is greener over there’ and had been pushing down the chicken netting which I had lined that part of the

boundary fence with. I hadn’t noticed any real holes, but the ‘pukes’ had obviously found one and pounced.

The total area is too small for them to manage taking off within it, so it must have been a ground level raid.

So before next summer I’ve obviously got some anti-pukeko strategising to do. In the meantime, it’s back to the supermarket for all but silver beet, just when all the prices have shot up.

On a more cheerful note, the grass is finally growing again and my 27 bales of hay have been carefully eked out to provide supper for my six fatties. The cows are definitely feeling the most hard done by. The goats simply glide under the tape each morning and jeer from the ‘good’ side all day and the donkeys stand at the back fence giving me the evil eye until I relent and go and open the gate. They then either wander round the garden for a couple of hours or, if the front gate is left open, they trundle off down the road, returning when they’ve filled their tummies.

However, despite accusing me of starving them all day and practically leaping on their hay ration at night, Sally and Rosie do not appear to have lost more than a kilo each. So I’ve assured myself I’m doing them a good turn by looking after their waistlines!

PH 07 578 0030

POOLS & SURROUNDS

Passion behind swimming pool product “I have used a Floatron for more than 15 years now and realised I wasn’t the only person who wanted an easy alternative to using chemicals.”

Did you know that you don’t have to do a typical ‘clean up’ to your pool each spring if you have a Floatron?

That’s because the water stays clear all year round, even through winter.

Having a Floatron in their own pool for more than 15 years has made a world of difference to family life for Floatron NZ Ltd owners Craig and Melissa Growden.

They have a passion for this product because they have a six year old daughter with eczema and allergies.

She suffers when swimming in chemical-laden pools, but they are thrilled she can swim in their pool all day long, with no skin or health issues at all.

The Floatron is a revolutionary solar powered water purifier for swimming pools, which replaces the need for chemicals by up to 90 per cent.

One statement made by many people in New Zealand is that they simply don’t have the time to look after their pool.

Melissa says clients are so glad to finally come across a product that keeps the pool clean all year round, without having to use a lot of chemicals.

Developed by NASA to purify drinking water on space missions, the Floatron uses the same technology in swimming pools.

“So if the water is pure enough to drink, then it’s got to be pure enough to swim in,” says Melissa.

The Floatron is a revolutionary solar powered water purifier that floats around in the pool. It uses the process of ionisation to combat algae and bacteria in the water.

“With a Floatron, you swim in virtually pure water, with no taste, smell or chemical effects – that means no dry skin or red stinging eyes.”

Melissa says people are amazed to find a product that can save them so much time and money on their pools.

“You save so much time on pool maintenance because you don’t have to add excessive chemicals or frequently test the water. And you save money too because chemical usage can be cut by an amazing 90 per cent.”

For people with a swimming pool in their garden, it needs to look pristine all year round to match its surroundings.

“Some people think that the Floatron sounds too good to be true, which is why we give it a money back guarantee.”

Some people are led to believe that pool care is typically a lot of work and in today’s busy society people don’t want to spend their leisure time cleaning their pool. So a Floatron is the easy answer says Melissa.

“In a world that is full of pollutants, isn’t it good to know that you can do something to reduce the effects of chemicals on your family. By using a Floatron you can effectively reduce chemicals by up to 90 per cent.”

Floatron has been sold in New Zealand for more than 15 years. This is the most revolutionary and exciting product available in the pool industry today says Melissa.

“The numerous testimonials from extremely satisfied customers reinforces its ever-growing popularity.

“Don’t miss out – get your Floatron now and start enjoying the benefits.”

Floatron NZ Ltd also supply Baracuda Automatic Pool Vacuums to make pool care even easier. These simply fit onto the vacuum point and automatically clean the pool whenever the filter is on, instead of spending hours out there cleaning, yet another way to reduce the workload when it comes to a pool.

Melissa Growden (Director, Floatron NZ Ltd)

Page 21 Andrew Gorringe of Gorringe Bros Ltd.

MACHINERY& EQUIPMENT

Page 22

Coast & Country

Titanium industry to build economy A new manufacturing industry is emerging in the Bay of Plenty that could create $1 billion in revenue a year, with higher paid jobs for New Zealand workers, all through a low carbon footprint process.

At the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in Tauranga, Titanium Industry Development is at the forefront of a new industry that could change the country’s manufacturing landscape.

Using titanium powder produced by Tauranga based company Titanox, one of only a few companies in the

world producing this form of titanium, Tida are creating titanium-based products that are lighter, more durable and more efficient through a power metallurgy process that uses skill and innovation instead of lots of labour and is overall more economical.

Tida chief executive Warwick Downing says they are currently working with companies in the medical, industrial and marine industries, making a range of parts from medical devices like heart valves and artificial joints, to fittings for boats.

“It is perfect as a medical material as it is non-toxic,” says Warwick.

“As a medical implant the titanium is similar in elasticity to bone and encourages integration with the bone, especially when the new titanium foam material is used.

“The foam is made the same density as the bone and

Orchard tractOrs

aG tractOrs

Grass carE

allows the bone to regenerate through the implant.”

The corrosive resistant properties of titanium alloys also make them perfect for use in the marine industry.

“In a marine environment, stainless steel will corrode when in contact with

Tida chief executive Warwick Downing.

new-age products through a process called powder metallurgy.

Powder metallurgy is a consolidation process that takes powder and converts it into solid forms. The process starts with the powder being tested to ensure it is of an appropriate standard. Using powder injection moulding the powder is then melted and lasered into the desired shape.

“Essentially metal parts can be made in the same way as you would make plastic ones, this is a more cost-effective way than machining them as it cuts down time and reduces waste.

“Because it is using less energy per part at a faster rate and reducing the amount of waste it is lowering the carbon footprint.”

Warwick says there is typically between 50 to 90 per cent waste with machine manufacturing, but there is only two per cent waste with this technology.

“This is one of the advantages of powder metallurgy.”

Warwick says titanium alloy powder metallurgy is a relatively new global process having been developed in the last 10 years, with the BOP facility opening last year.

carbon fibre, but a thin titanium nitride coating protects the stainless steel from corroding so it can be used in boating, shipping and jewellery.”

Warwick says the properties for titanium alloys include shape memory, Tida research officer Aamir Mukhtar and which can be used in a range of medical and indusMassey Scientist Steve Matthews. trial applications.

Warwick says advanced manufacturing “The alloy has a set shape and can techniques will help create a competitive be changed to another shape, but will automatically return to the original shape economy which will bring higher paid jobs and huge financial growth. when a trigger temperature is reached.”

In order to be competitive on a global With this cutting-edge technology, stage, however, Warwick says the skill Warwick says there is huge potential to level of people in New Zealand manufacwork in the industrial, aerospace, aviaturing needs to be increased. tion and automotive sectors and expects “We need people to be upskilled in the industry will really take off in the advanced manufacturing in order to next 12 months.

“The aim is to produce $1billion a year understand this type of technology. The people that are will be invaluable in for the New Zealand industry, but to do their engineering field and it will lead to this we need New Zealand companies to higher paid jobs. get behind the technology.

“This is why we are based at the Poly“There is already interest building from technic, with our partners we can create overseas companies.” a platform for New Zealand manufacturAt the BOP Polytechnic facility,

By Phillipa Yalden ing to prosper.”

Warwick and his team are creating these

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RURAL DRIVER

Page 23

A breath of fresh air

Peugeot’s new 508 vehicle range offers a refreshing approach to comfortable cruising, with a touch of refinement and a whole lot of power.

Following on from the massive worldwide success of the 407, Peugeot is turning heads with its stunning new mid-size sedan and wagon the 508. When introduced in 2004, the 407 blazed a trail in this country for Euro-sourced diesel-powered cars. It also did much to educate the motoring public about the smart filtration technology and sheer efficiency of this new breed of diesel and in the process, really threw down the challenge for other motoring marques.

With this new model, Peugeot has angled for a more conservative styling, while still retaining the unmistakeable elegance and sophistication that is synonymous with the brand. First impressions indicate the 508 has a well-proportioned and nicely understated appeal. What is not immediately obvious is the concealed features, performance and comfort levels that unfold as you become more familiar with it.

Diesel power at its best Equipped with one of the world’s leading diesel engines, developed specifically for power, economy and environmental compatibility, you have an expectation that the 508 will perform – and it does so, effortlessly.

In the vehicle tested by Rural Driver, the topof-the-range 508 GT sedan, the 2.2 litre/150kW power

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plant reinforces Peugeot’s reputation for building quiet, free-revving diesels that still have plenty of “stump-pulling” torque within them. In the case of the GT, that is a hefty 450Nm of torque, all coming out at only 2000rpm.

The next model down in the range, the Allure, is fitted with a 2.0 Litre/120kW diesel engine producing 340Nm of torque. Both the GT and Allure are matched to a six-speed automatic gearbox that paces itself nicely alongside the engine’s power profile. There is also a paddle option, but

Aerodynamically superb. The 508 Allure Wagon has all of the features of the sedans, but with extra space and load capacity.

you actually feel entirely comfortable with the auto, which is intuitive and timely in its changes.

It also appears Peugeot has targeted noise levels and refinement as key focus areas for the 508.

The noise suppression, combined with an ultraclassy cabin, delivers a driving environment that feels like it belongs to a car in the $100k-plus bracket, rather than the more modest price tags of the 508 models.

Handling is very precise, while the whole car carries itself with a great sense of balance and control. Coming in with a

The stunning new Peugeot 508 GT offers a stylish, but conservative profile, hiding a myriad of technological delights within.

combined cycle fuel efficiency of 5.7L/100km (claimed), the 508 is well positioned to compete with many of the more traditionally popular brands.

Superior comfort levels Peugeot has also paid a lot of attention to the cabin appeal and layout of the 508. It comes ‘jammed’ with extras, including a delightful back massager for de-stressing on those extra-long journeys and when coupled with the heated front seats, makes for great winter driving comfort.

Another gismo that impressed is a heads-up visual display that becomes surprisingly easy to get used to. It does not impose on your view out the front and your eye quickly becomes accustomed to picking up the speed figures in particular. The stereo system all meshes nicely with Bluetooth phones and the ability to stream music wirelessly off your iPod or phone is a very cool option. Steering wheel controls, that include a trip computer as well, make it all so easy, but there are a few less buttons here in the Allure model.

Typically for Peugeot, the 508 offers excellent safety features and particular focus has gone on its lighting functions.

It is an impressive lighting array up front that includes LED daytime running lights and Smart Beam main lights. These will switch automatically between high and low beam and back again, removing even more stress during long

distance travel. The high visibility LED lights are also on the rear of the car, while smart cornering lights will illuminate the inside of a bend when travelling under 40km/h – providing valuable candlepower when going around tight bends and intersections.

Rear passengers are also well catered for, with a decent amount of leg and head room, separate climate air control and super-sumptuous seats that lend a wonderful cosseted feel to the classy environment. The keyless ‘touch’ locking and unlocking feature will also surely prove to be very popular.

Wagon adds versatility Blessed with the same elegant lines as the sedan, but with a more Latin style and a panoramic glass roof, is the 508 Allure Wagon.

The designers have triumphed in creating a wagon that is streamlined and compact-looking on the outside, but with an unbelievable air of spaciousness on the inside.

Equipped with the same superior set of features as the sedans, including 18 inch alloy wheels, six airbags and a 5-Star ENCAP safety rating, this is a wagon that will turn heads.

It’s still early days for the 508, but having had the privilege of driving one around the Bay for a while, it’s quite easy to understand why even the notoriously hard-to-please Germans have embraced the new 508 and voted it top in its segment in a magazine reader survey earlier this year.

Prices start from $54,990 for the 508 Allure sedan, while the GT model comes in at $65,990. All models are available for a test drive at Tauranga Peugeot, 619-627 Cameron Road, Tauranga.

By Richard Rennie

Coombes Johnston BMW Coombes Johnston Coombes Johnston BMW BMW

RURAL DRIVER

Page 24

Coast & Country

Hamilton Tauranga Coombes Johnston Hamilton BMW Hamilton Tauranga Tauranga

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The latest to arrive is the 4WD version of the brisk selling 2WD V200 ute, recently profiled here in Rural Driver. The 4WD looks certain to tempt that hard core group of ute buyers wanting the technology and ability to hit the rough for work or for recreation.

Now available at Tauranga’s Great Wall outlet, Ingham-Sears, the new 4WD model includes the smarter, business-like front end that was introduced on the 2WD a couple of months ago, while underneath comes a common-rail turbo diesel “workhorse” engine.

Transmission is a robust six-speed manual, with the sixth gear giving some extra legs to the 2.0L engine when needed.

It gives the impression that it is well up for handling the workaday demands thrown at it by the construction, farming and industrial sectors – groups that will find its price and practicality very appealing.

It shares all the same interior and exterior features as the 2WD model, including an easy-clean

interior that will take all the muck and dirt that comes with long days on the farm or orchard. There is a simple dash layout with a comfortable driving position and supportive seats offering good rear leg room. The rear tray area is just the business for carting loads, with a hefty tail gate offering easy access and a tray liner would be ideal for keeping it looking the part.

The only interior difference is the easily operated High-Low 4WD buttons, easily punched in for dialling up the extra axle when things get sticky. Matched to that handy sixth gear, the low range proves invaluable providing just another ratio to push you through the tough spots without binding up under too low a ratio.

Exterior cred is helped by the smart 16 inch five spoke alloy wheels and an appealing profile that sits comfortably in any setting – it’ll even polish up a treat for taking the gang into town.

This price and the features included in the new V200 models means that a new Great Wall ute purchase stacks up very well against second-hand options. Most of those will also be at least five years old, lack the latest common rail diesel technology, may not have airbags and are going to need some tender care to keep them going.

The V200 also comes with a 100,000km or three year warranty and the reassurance of a well-established dealership, in the

form of Ingham Sears, to provide long-term support and service. It also fills the gap nicely for anyone seeking a machine that simply gets about its business, has enough ground clearance to avoid ripping the diff out and handsome enough to want to be seen on the road in.

Hitting the showroom floor at $29,990, with most new Japanese models now well in excess of $40,000, buying a V200 could also mean you would have to consider what else you could do with the spare change. Maybe use it as a deposit on a Great Wall SUV? Test drive at: Ingham-Sears, 55-59 Totara Street, Mount Maunganui Enquiries to: Julian Clements phone 07 572 8260 or 027 544 3102 By Richard Rennie

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MAIZE

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Page 27

More dry matter; more milksolids hectare – from a hybrid with one ME advantage over another – and seed savings through lower populations – could show an advantage of $2432 per hectare.

The total cost of cultivation, planting and seed through to harvest can be in excess of $2200. So based on current seed and milk payout prices, planting PAC624 provides significant financial benefits for both growers and dairy farmers.

A silage only maize hybrid, PAC624 is a large robust plant with excellent standability, good stalk and root strength, very large cobs, good

disease resistance and high yields of soft starchy grain – even at lower planting rates.

It also has a slow dry down, which provides a long harvest window, allowing growers the opportunity to harvest at ideal maturity levels for optimal silage quality. These strong attributes have really impressed growers throughout Northland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.

Northland’s Kelly Ludlow of KVL Ltd is one of them; with clients who collectively planted 75 hectares of PAC624 last season.

“Last year was extremely dry and

whist other hybrids were ‘pineappling’ all around us, PAC624 really stood up to Northern Leaf blight and everything our Northland weather could throw at it,” says Kelly.

“Best of all – and despite the drought – it still yielded an average 25 tonnes per hectare of DM, with the best property doing 30 tonnes DM. “Well be increasing our planting to 100 hectares this season.” For further details phone Barry Smallridge 027 494 7706 or visit www.pacificseeds.co.nz

Ross Carter (pictured) says with the record payout announced by Fonterra, the milksolids achieved through feeding PAC624 will be a “major bonus”.

Modern hybrids like PAC624, bred by Pacific Seeds, deliver savings right across the board.

They are the result of intensive international breeding programmes which focus on the development of elite hybrids with quality agronomic traits.

PAC624 has been in commercial release for two seasons and the response from the performance of this hybrid has seen it sell out in both seasons.

“The ME levels we received from PAC624 are way ahead of those from other hybrid brands that we’ve grown previously,” says Ross Carter of Nagtea.

The results from the Carters’ PAC624 produced an ME of 12.1. When one ME on 100 tonnes of DM will produce 1600 milksolids, then it becomes a simple equation when choosing which maize

hybrid is the best choice.

“And with this year’s payout reaching records levels, that’s a major bonus for us,” says Ross. A feature of PAC624 is its ability to be planted at much lower sowing rates than many other hybrids, without compromising final yield. ”Our planting recommendation is 85,000 per hectare,” says Pacific Seeds territory manager Barry Smallridge.

“Our population data compiled over three different environments in the Waikato last season, showed that 85,000 seeds per hectare was about optimum.

“When you look at some hybrid planting recommendations in excess of 100,000 plants per hectare and factor in the impact of the high ME from planting PAC624, your sums could show an advantage of up to $12,160 on 100 tonne of DM.” A yield of 20 tonne per

Hear “Ross talk PAC 624” @ www.pacificseeds.co.nz

THEY’RE COMING BACK FOR MORE

PAC 624

Barry Smallridge

Scott Shaw

• Northland • Waikato • Bay of Plenty • South Island

New Zealand Product Development Specialist

GENERAL

Grain Type Soft

DISEASE

Stalk

Grain End Use N/A Root

Common rust

Northern leaf blight

Cob%

“Size of kernels was also really impressive and we’ll be growing more this season”.

That’s why he planted Pacific Seeds PAC 624 last year.

Stay Green Good

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“The ME levels we received from PAC 624 are way ahead of those of other hybrid brands that we’ve previously grown”.

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Yield consistency

Ross talks PAC 624...

Yield for maturity

When you’ve only got one shot at it serious maize growers like Ngatea’s Ross Carter know the importance of selecting a hybrid with the quality agronomics they can trust to do the job properly.

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MAIZE

Page 28

Coast & Country

How to select the best maize silage hybrid

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JORDAAN

Whether growing maize silage on-farm or signing a contract to purchase it in, deciding which hybrid to plant is a critical step.

The maize silage hybrid farmers choose to plant (or purchase) will determine harvest date, yield, quality and ultimately the profitability of their cropping operation. Pioneer brand seeds hybrid evaluation data would suggest that the best performing hybrids will yield as much as 4,500 kgDM per hectare more than the worst performing hybrid. Assuming a milksolids response of 100gMS/kgDM fed and a milk price of $7.00kgMS, this translates to a profit difference of more than $3000 for every hectare of maize silage planted.

So how do farmers determine the maize silage hybrid that will be the most profitable for them? Industry experts recommend considering the following factors – in priority order:

Hybrid maturity

Hybrid maturity is important because it will give an indication of the amount of heat required and therefore the number of days

it takes the crop to reach harvest maturity. For best results, select a hybrid that’s not too long or too short for the growing environment.

Agronomic strengths

Selecting hybrids that have the right agronomic strengths for the area will help to ensure yield stability. That means farmers will achieve good yields year after year. For example: if planting maize on light soils in a low rainfall area, choose a hybrid with a good drought tolerance rating.

Seed quality

For best results purchase high quality New Zealand produced seed from a company that has ISO certified quality control systems in place. Insecticide seed treatment (for example Poncho) is a must.

Yield

Yield is the key driver of maize silage profitability in New Zealand.

It sounds simple, but how can farmers pick a hybrid that will produce consistently high yields on their farm? Multiple side-by-side yield comparisons and statistical significance hold the key.

In a side-by-side yield comparison, Hybrid A and Hybrid B are planted side-by-side in the same paddock allowing their performance to be measured under the same growing

conditions. Side-by-side trial data collected from a number of locations during several seasons is pooled to create an average side-by-side yield result for the two hybrids. A robust statistical analysis is used to calculate the statistical significance of the measured yield result. Statistical significance, indicated by significance stars (3), shows how likely the measured average side-by-side yield difference is due to an actual genetic yield difference between the two hybrids rather than just chance.

Nutritional quality

Nutritional quality is important, but it should be considered after the factors above. Maize silage provides energy from two sources – the grain and the stover (the green part of the plant). Maize grain contains high levels of energy rich starch.

Starch accounts for 55 per cent of the energy in maize silage and the maize kernel (which contains other high-energy components such as oil) accounts for 75 per cent of the energy in maize silage. As well as driving total energy content, maize silage starch content drives milk protein percentage and the size of the milk cheque. For these reasons, starch content (measured by laboratory analysis) is the nutritional parameter that should be considered first.

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MAIZE

PH 07 578 0030

Page 29

The Premier Bay of Plenty Hybrid

34P88

676 New Zealand comparisons for grain and silage

Industry leading grain yields Maize hybrid comparisons ther brand hybrids Pioneer® brand other compared

34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88

no. of comparisons

Harvest moisture difference %1

Advantage to Pioneer® brand hybrid ttest est weight kg/Hl

y yield kg/ha

DKC57-83

47

-1.57

-0.6

501

goldfrank oldfrank

151

-2.23

0.39

1,056

n51-n4

70

-2.31

0.27

712

n64-l5

84

-0.98

-0.61

1,017

nZ6121

31

-0.35

-1.59

1,171

Statistical significance

Top silage yields for maturity Maize hybrid comparisons

no. of Drymatter Dryma comparisons difference (%)2

Yield and income advantage to the named Pioneer® brand hybrid

Pioneer® brand

other brand hybrids compared

34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88 34P88

Ctl108

83

2.21

3,081

2,311

DKC57-83

36

-0.76

1,747

1,310

goldfrank rank

26

-0.32

2,545

1,909

n51-n4

15

-3.99

3,446

2,585

nZ6121

14

0.16

3,163

2,372

Maximus

49

0.07

3,610

2,707

olympiad lympiad

70

2.42

2,374

1,780

y yield (kgDM/ha)

Statistical significance

Milksolids income ($/ha)3

• Balanced agronomic profile • Superior drought tolerance and staygreen To find out if this hybrid is right for your growing environment, talk to your local Merchant or Pioneer® brand seeds Representative.

www.pioneer.co.nz

0800 746 633

Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchasing, which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM, Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Positive moisture differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a lower average harvest moisture percentage at harvest. Such hybrids are usually earlier in maturity or faster to drydown than the comparison. Negative moisture differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a higher average harvest moisture percentage at harvest. Such hybrids are usually longer in maturity or slower to drydown than the comparison hybrid.

1

Positive drymatter differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a higher average drymatter percentage at harvest. Such hybrids are usually shorter in maturity than the comparison.

Negative drymatter differences indicate that the Pioneer hybrid had a lower average drymatter content at harvest. Such hybrids are usually longer in maturity than the comparison hybrid.

2

In this table milksolids income is calculated assuming a milksolids response rate of 100 g milksolids per kg of maize silage drymatter fed, a milksolids price of $7.50/kg and industry average maize silage growing and harvesting costs.

3

Source: National Yield Performance of Pioneer® Brand Maize Hybrids Compared with Other Brand Hybrids for Silage and Grain yield in New Zealand Trials.

Robin billett AreA MAnAger BAy of Plenty Mobile: 027 273 0497 Phone: 07 544 0957 rbillett@genetic.co.nz

SUMMER CROPS

Page 30

Coast & Country

Summer crops on dairy farms The practice of growing summer crops such as maize and turnips is common on North Island dairy farms.

More recently biennial (chicory) and perennial (plantain) crops are becoming popular. Growing summer crops to increase the supply of feed in the system alone

is unlikely to increase whole farm profitability.

Numerous farm systems studies have found that, at typical crop yields achieved by farmers, the increase in utilisable dry matter grown from summer crops was insufficient to cover the costs of growing the crop, replace the dry matter that would have been grown by pasture and show

a profit. This point is simply demonstrated in Table 1 where the relative crop yield (gross yield less the pasture that would have been grown) divided by the costs of growing the crop is calculated.

The cost per kg DM can be compared to other feed options such as purchased feed.

Table1: Yield and costs of growing maize and turnips on dairy

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Reasons other than increasing the feed supply such as renewing pasture, more effective use of effluent areas, managing spring surplus pasture and protecting pasture from over-grazing in the summer, may justify growing summer crops on farm.

If pasture renewal is a key reason for growing a summer crop, selection of the right crop to achieve pasture renewal target dates is most important.

Whenever a paddock is sprayed

out, the farm is exposed to increased risk until the new crop or pasture is established.

Management practices must ensure that the crop has the best chance of success as high yield and utilisation are important, regardless of the reason for growing the crop.

For more information on summer crops read The place of summer crops in dairy farm systems in the September edition of DairyNZ’s Technical Series.

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SUMMER CROPS

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Silage quicker, better and easier

www.facebook.com/CstCountry Bradstreet Contracting has brought a new toy to the Bay of Plenty to power through baling and wrapping grass silage in less time this spring.

Contractors Peter Bradstreet and Ross Austin have brought their Gowiel bale trailer south from their original business in the Bombay Hills.

The efficient piece of machinery will help them get around farms quicker to do farmers’ grass silage in time.

Peter and Lynne Bradstreet bought the Te Puke contracting business off Bill Webb in August.

Peter says they are settling into their workload in the new region and meeting all of the farmers.

The new trailer, which adds to their fleet of tractors and machinery, will help them save time and labour and help meet farmers’ deadlines, say Peter and Ross.

“We have brought our bale trailer down from Pukekohe to work with the grass silage.

“We’ve had it for three years up there; there is only a few in the country.”

Peter says the trailer not only transports the bales, but picks them up by itself, saving another labour unit and another tractor having to load the trailer.

“It loads the bales straight to the trailer by itself.

“It’s supposed to be quicker, better and easier – which it is.

“It saves you having to handle the bales after they’ve been wrapped too. Which isn’t ideal as they can start fermenting, and if you shift them after they are wrapped you can always rip the wrapping doing that.”

The trailer simply empties the bales next to the bale wrapper, where they can be immediately wrapped and stacked.

“You only need two men in the paddock,” says Ross.

“It loads itself up so you don’t need another guy driving around loading the trailer up.”

Peter says all that extra time saved on a labour unit will give “cockys time to go out fishing”.

Peter and Ross and their team have been busy with grass silage since the weather has warmed up again.

They have been planting a lot of turnips and are gearing up to start cultivating for maize during the first few weeks of October.

“We are getting set up and making sure we are on top of things,” says Peter.

“It’s going well so far anyway. The cockys around here

By Sheryl Brown are very good.”

WEED CONTROL

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Coast & Country

Watching wiley weeds Weeds will be back with vengeance this summer after recent droughts, followed by a wet winter, open up pastures.

Chris Hale says stress on the pastures over the past few years will have opened up gaps for weeds to take over.

The Waikato pest plant contractor says farmers will have more than their usual share of pastoral weeds like nodding thistles and ragwort.

But he says farmers need to be more concerned about invasive weeds such as Noogoora Bur, Alligator Weed and Yellow Bristle Grass.

With the arrival of cropping season, Chris says farmers need to be vigilant when it comes to machinery coming on to their property. That way they can help stop the spread of these highly invasive weeds that have been found in the Waikato in recent years.

“These things don’t just happen by bad luck.

“In most cases machinery is responsible for the spread of these three pest plants. We are trying to get the message out there about hygiene.

“Farmers need to be very aware of the importance of machinery being clean when it arrives on their properties. While this may seem an onerous task at times, it is nothing compared to the time and cost involved in trying to eradicate these pest plants if they get established on a farm.”

Xanthium strumarium

One of the weeds brought to Environment Waikato’s attention in recent years is Noogoora bur.

It is an erect summer annual found growing in maize, and its seedlings are poisonous to all livestock.

Growing 1.5 to 3 metres high, it has a deep taproot and extensive root system. The leaves are shaped a little like maple leaves. The seeds are held in a bur with hooked spines and they attach themselves to clothing or animal fur and are easily spread in this way.

Chris says these plants like warm situations on fertile disturbed soils. Several germinations occur after late spring and summer rain. Noogoora bur is more aggressive and has a more extensive root system than its relative, Bathurst bur.

Mowing or rotary slashing may give effective control over Noogoora bur, but it must be done before burs are formed.

Little is achieved by cutting the plants after burs

have been formed unless the plants are gathered and destroyed, preferably by burning.

Chemical control is also effective, especially on young plants. Plants must be treated before any burs are formed to ensure seeding is prevented. `Blanket’ spraying is effective, either by boom spray, aerial spray or mist spraying techniques, provided the correct application rates of chemicals are used.

Advice on the most suitable herbicides available for control of these plant pests can be obtained from your Biosecurity Plant Pest Contractor.

(Setaria pumila) (YBG)

Yellow Bristle Grass (YBG) has become a big problem in the Waikato over recent years says Chris.

“Although common on roadsides throughout New Zealand, YBG has only recently ‘jumped the fence’ and become a big problem in the Waikato.

“It is a very serious threat because cows don’t willingly eat it. It is an extremely aggressive annual seeding plant which spreads rapidly through clean pasture.”

Stock avoidance leads to open pastures in winter and spring, resulting in rapid re-infestation and there are as yet no effective selective herbicides for this grass, says Chris.

He says spraying YBG with Roundup is impractical because it also kills the grass.

A YBG action group has been formed in the Waikato to work on trials with AgResearch on different methodologies for controlling the weed.

‘AgResearch are trialling a selective herbicide called Puma S which gave 100% control of small YBG plants and 90% control of larger ones with no damage to ryegrass or clover. However Puma S doesn not have a label claim for use in pasture at this stage and has a 42 day non grazing period. More trials are planned with the aim of obtaining a label claim for YBG in pastures.’ (Yellow Bristle Grass - The Ute Guide, 2nd edition; 2011. Sustainable Farming Fund, AgResearch & Dairy NZ) Farmers can get updates from the action group by emailing Fiona Harrison at Fiona.david@xtra.co.nz

Alteranthera philoxeroides Alligator Weed is a palatable weed to stock which is actually toxic and can cause blindness and possibly other effects in stock.

It is a serious threat to farming and not just waterways, says Chris.

“It is also a major threat to farming and market gardens and urban properties because it grows quickly on dry land and is hard to eradicate.”

A low-growing, non-woody perennial, its leaves are generally arranged in opposite pairs or whorls, spaced at intervals along hollow horizontal stems.

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WEED CONTROL

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Farmers to keep a sharp eye out These develop into burs that change from green to brown as they ripen. The burs are woody, about 7 mm long and each bur has three sharp spikes. When the burs are shed they lie with one spike always pointing upwards.

Pest plant contractor Heidi Pene discovers some Noogoora bur. be the main method of spread. Whether Stem and leaf sizes vary greatly. They the plant produces viable seed here can be very compact in lawns or grazed remains to be seen. pasture, or much larger when growing Bill Kent, contractor to Bay of Plenty in water. It is a perennial aquatic and Regional Council, says Horsenettle was terrestrial herb that does not seed in found in the region 25 years ago and New Zealand, but spreads aggressively was thought it had been eradicated, but from even the smallest fragmented stems two sites at Te Puna and one on the East and can double its area in less than two coast past Opotiki were found about months. If you see this weed on your four years ago and work is ongoing to property do not cut or treat it says Chris.

Instead Call 0800 BIOSECURITY (0800 bring them under control.

“Farmers should contact us in the first 246 732) to report it to your nearest instance if they suspect they have it and biosecurity pest plant officer. we can positively identify and help set up a management plan so it’s not spread Solanum carolinensis any further.”

Noogoora bur and Alligator Weed Bill says farmers need to keep a sharp have also become thorns in the sides of eye out to help wipe out the weeds at an Bay of Plenty farmers over recent years, early stage. along with Horsenettle “Once a weed becomes wide-spread, Horsenettle is a poisonous plant that eradication becomes very difficult, but has been found in maize paddocks on if we get onto it in the earlier stages, it’s two sites in the Bay of Plenty.

Another common name for it is ‘devil’s possible.” tomato’. It is a member of the tomato family and its leaves and stems are covThree Corner Jack ered in fierce spines.

Bill says another plant for farmers It grows about 60cm tall, with large to look out for is Spiny Emex (Three irregularly lobed leaves. The flowers are Corner Jack). white, tinged with purple with bright “We found a two hectare paddock at yellow centres, very much like a large Maketu infested, which we have subpotato flower. The fruit is like a small stantially controlled, but we would be tomato but dark green and stripy when keen to hear of any other sites.” young and maturing to yellow. Like Spiny emex is a hairless semi-prostrate many other solanums, the plant dies annual herb which develops a stout down in the winter. taproot. Leaves form a rosette in early But very different from other tomato growth and branch later. family plants are the roots, which are The leaves are very similar to dock rhizomes sending up new shoots from leaves in shape. Flowers are inconbelow the ground. The roots are broken spicuous and are produced in clusters in up during cultivation which seems to between the leaf stems.

Waikato farmers can find information about the standards of control required for these species at www.ew.govt.nz and following the environment then plant and animal pest links. Alternatively they can contact their local pest plant

contractor on 0800 246 732. Bay of Plenty farmers can find information about the standards of control required for these species at www.boprc.govt.nz or by contacting a Pest Plant Officer on 0800 884 880. By Sheryl Brown

No Mess No Spray No Weeds!

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KING COUNTRY

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Coast & Country

Getting the most from red meat The Red Meat Strategy Conference held in Rotorua recently came at the wrong time of year for many farmers.

It was thus rather dominated by other industry players. The content, however, was none the less useful for all that.

The sheer size of the red meat industry is probably its biggest handicap in any

attempt to get its act together. Whereas mussel growers, merino growers and dairy farmers supplying small cooperatives such as Tatua have managed to get the two aspects of production and marketing focused and profitable, meat is still a mass of squabbles from farm to consumer.

Until now, most sheep and beef farmers have grown sheep and beef animals and then sent them off to the works with much blaming of the processors if the prices they get aren’t considered adequate.

Meanwhile most processors fought tooth and claw to get enough stock throughput to run their plants and have turned those animals into meat, which they then attempt to sell at premium prices into different markets.

Precast silo pads

External Platform

Internal Platform

Apart from some small attempts to get farmers to grow animals of the right sizes and shapes to create suitable meat cuts, it has been something of the ‘luck of the draw’ when stock purchases are made.

Not only is each processor trying to compete with its Kiwi mates in many of the same markets, but what each market wants in the way of meat cuts varies enormously.

We aren’t telling our stories well enough to those markets. Prof David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at University College London, not only woke people up at the conference with his energetic presentation, but insisted that our story telling – about how and where our product is created – needs much improvement. With food safety so risky in some countries, we need to be backing up our good reputation with good stories that consumers will listen to.

How and where the consumers in the different markets look to buy their meat rations may well not be supermarkets, but open real markets with small sellers having stalls there.

Where lamb racks or even joints may be the norm in some western countries, it could be kebabs, slices or offal and other unmentionables further east.

There’s also the newish requirement to cope with rapidly changing demographics, where some countries are ageing and their populations are shrinking, while others are breeding and growing in numbers. Older people eat less, so huge cuts and packs aren’t suitable.

Unless we get these factors right and have them appearing related to Brand NZ, we lay ourselves open to pricing and discounting pressure from the retail buyers.

Thus we need to act more collectively, even if it’s too far a stretch to get all processors into a single group and not having them that way is not the most vital handicap.

If the Green Lipped Mussel growers can double their selling price, despite not all sitting in the same camp, then surely the meat industry can achieve some cohesion, somewhere.

There is now a working group which is trying to push the concepts contained in the Red Meat Strategy along, but it will not be the job of that working group to metaphorically pull rabbits out of hats and make it all work.

Despite years of distrust all round, the processors and the farmers have to all have changes of mindset, get into new measures of trust and get some clear linkages between farm and consumer – aided and assisted by processors and all the others in the current supply chain systems.

Unless they can ‘lay down their arms’ and get some of the strategy recommendations working, New Zealand’s meat industry may well be overtaken by other meat growing countries in the possible profit stakes.

By Sue Edmonds

PH 07 578 0030

KING COUNTRY & TE AWAMUTU

Tourism in the region Arguably, the Waikato region is New Zealand’s best-kept secret.

Even when removing the Coromandel and Lake Taupo from its geography, it embraces beaches, surf, rivers, volcanoes, mountains, hills and plains; nestled within are delightful villages like Pirongia, enchanting small towns like Te Aroha, vibrant large ones like Cambridge and a genuine city.

Specific and valued tourism attractions like Waitomo and strenuous, professional efforts to support tourism to one side, however, and the Waikato doesn’t really do it. We do have landscapes

that tourists would love, but other regions have more spectacular ones.

How to counter that?

Just look at another great centre of dairying – Normandy in France.

Frankly, the Normandy landscape isn’t that distinctive, yet it is a renowned centre of tourism. What does it offer – apart from battlefield tours? Normandy offers what the Waikato could offer; an artisan dairy industry that over centuries has crafted world famous, branded cheeses under powerful appellations; a superb culinary experience and a love of hedgerows and trees.

We have a world-famous dairy industry. We are renowned for high quality food and beverages. We have a beautiful landscape. What is

more, we produce copious volumes of cheese and can now produce elite, unpasteurised cheeses. We have shown that in just two decades, we can create world famous culinary brands – in our wines. It wouldn’t take much for us to stop cutting down graceful and distinctive trees and hedgerows and to start planting and nurturing them again. Plus we have the mystique of Pirongia, Te Aroha and Cambridge.

Can the Waikato not then be the Normandy of the Southern Hemisphere? After all we even have the battle fields.

Proposals for water funding

In a burst of what might easily be misconstrued as pre-election enthusiasm, ministers Smith and Carter recently announced $15m of new funding for next year relating to cleaning up seriously polluted lakes and rivers and $1.1m to allow work by the Land and Water Forum on putting some much needed definitions around water quality.

The ministers also looked for initial proposals from regional councils on the ‘$35m over five years’ budget announcement on the Irrigation Acceleration Fund.

The forum is required to report by May 2012 on methods, tools and governance arrangements for setting limits for water quality and quantity and by November of that year on methods and tools on allocation.

Lake Ellesmere has been given $6 of the $15m cleanup fund, but there is still $9 remaining to be allocated for next year.

With so much watery stuff on its plate at present, Waikato Regional Council has advised they are looking into whether they should be applying for any of this new funding and how it might fit with money already allocated for co-management of the Waikato River.

At present, everyone is nervously waiting for the judicial decisions on the final wording of Variation 6, relating to allocations from the river and other surface and groundwater.

Although some definite decisions on water quality will make some issues simpler to rule on, they may also let loose another round of arguments and protests.

While some of the irrigation funding will obviously end up in drier areas such as Canterbury and Hawke’s Bay, there has already been interest from irrigation providers to do more in the Waikato area. How this would tie in with Variation 6 decisions will be yet another interesting conundrum for the regional council.

By Sue Edmonds

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DAIRY

Coast & Country

Getting more for less

organism and the health of the soil directly impacts on plant and animal health, which in turn influences the amount of feed grown. In an ideal state, 25 per cent of soil volume is air.

We know earthworms and other beneficial soil dwellers increase in both numbers and activity with increasing soil calcium levels. New Zealand research has shown that earthworm activity can be highly beneficial resulting in: faster litter incorporation (6t/ ha/yr); increased nutrient turno-

Is each individual farm’s financial viability becoming increasingly delicate with the demand for ever-increasing farm production?

We have a client, previously a farm banker, who states that the farm clients with the greatest financial surplus each year were those that best controlled their costs. He also claims that almost without exception, these farms were geographically the most isolated, which is another study all of its own.

Total annual pasture production is now consistently less than that achieved in the late 1970s and early 80s. The cost of obtaining the growth now is significantly higher – particularly where regular fertiliser nitrogen is applied – and the costs come before the return.

Risk involved

Why, if there is not a benefit to farm owners and operators, is there the demand for increased production? If there is a risk involved in obtaining extra production and climatic conditions cannot be foreseen, it needs to be compensated for by higher incomes.

Is it possible to grow more grass each year at a lower cost? Our work during the last 10 years indicates that efficiencies can be achieved.

There is plenty of information to show that increasing plant available soil nutrient levels – i.e. higher soil test numbers – reduces the possibility of low production, however, that data also shows that maximum pasture production can be achieved at levels significantly less than those usually recommended.

Aside from management of pasture, the greatest influence on seasonal pasture production is physical soil structures. Soil is a living breathing

ver/availability (especially N & P); increased water infiltration (4-10 fold increases); improved water holding capacity (up to 20 per cent more); greater pasture productivity (25-30 stock carrying capacity on pasture – average 2.5 stock units).

The properties using CalciZest and DoloZest on a regular basis report marked increases in earthworm numbers compared to previously. As a result, soils become softer and plant roots are able to access moisture and nutrient from as deep as 0.8m.

Increasing quantities

With soils often containing in excess of 10,000kg of nitrogen in the top 25cm, as well as 1000kg of phosphorus, there is the ability to grow steadily increasing quantities of pasture each year with less than the normally accepted inputs of each of these essential nutrients.

CalciZest applied in October and November, increases the amount of clover grown throughout late spring, summer and early autumn. Clover fixes the nitrogen necessary for 18-plus tonne of annual dry matter production, as well as providing feed that is higher in calcium and more nutritious, resulting in higher production at a lower cost.

DAIRY

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Good feed needed Spring has arrived and summer crops are on the agenda for farmers.

Bill Webb says farmers need to start thinking ahead about feed solutions.

He says farmers can maximise the good season they are already having by having plenty of good quality feed on standby.

“Everybody is saying they are doing well so far – some are hitting record production for September.

“They’re all happy with the payout and Fonterra is still forecasting a good one for this coming

season, so that’s all looking positive.

“It’s a good opportunity to feed their stock well and keep them milking well.

“They need to keep them fed, and make the most out of these good payouts.”

Bill Webb Feed Solutions is on hand to supply farmers with feed leading into summer and beyond.

“Farmers need to be planning for the summer and maize silage for the autumn because who knows what the season is going to bring.

“It’s been a dry August and a dry September after a very wet period.

So we seem to be getting extremes.

Everybody has to plan to brace themselves.”

Bill says volatility seems to be in the weather patterns as well as the markets.

“The dollars dropped quite considerably – about 10 cents – so that will put the price of palm kernel up.

“It’s a matter of planning ahead either cropping on farm or buying in to fill those gaps later on.

“It may seem like it’s a long way out, but farmers need to continue planning ahead so they have a good supply of quality milking feed to maximise production.”

Taking a close look at farmer health During the last six months, nearly 800 farmers across the country have had their health checked at a Health Pitstop – and the results make interesting reading.

The initiative is in the first year of a seven-year programme looking at the health and wellbeing of dairy farmers in New Zealand.

We know farmers seem to find it hard to prioritise their own health or find time for a periodic check up.

So rather than getting farmers to go to the clinic, we took the clinic to the farmers through a number of industry events around the country.

DairyNZ and the New Zealand Institute of Rural Health set up Health Pitstops at events such as the Dairy Business Conference, DairyNZ Face-to-Face events, Mystery Creek Fieldays, the South Island Dairy Event, Dairy Women’s Network days and the SMASH (smaller herds) events.

Basic physical health indicators were measured – such as the relationship between height and weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol – and information on stress, diet, exercise, and health and safety practices were discussed with each person.

Of the 794 farmers seen, 65.2 per cent were male and 91.3 per cent were New Zealand European.

Key findings: • 67 per cent had no tetanus injections • 79 per cent did not wear helmets on bikes • 27.5 per cent experienced pain that interfered with work or sleep

dairy nz

By Geoff Taylor, DairyNZ • 9.6 per cent were smokers • 6 per cent were not registered with a GP • 82 per cent wore sunhats • 65 per cent wore sunscreen • Blood glucose levels (an indicator of potential to develop diabetes) averaged 6.2 mmol/litre (normal is 3.6 – 5.8 mmol/litre) • 44 per cent had systolic blood pressure > 140 mmgHg (desirable level is 90-119 mmgHg) • 48 per cent had cholesterol > 5 (desirable level 4) Farmers are on-board with the sun-smart message, but the results show some serious health issues.

Blood pressure and cholesterol are a big concern, with almost half the farmers’ tested being above the desirable levels. Not wearing helmets on motorbikes is another issue.

There are issues emerging around chronic stress and fatigue on farms. The next phase of the project involves working with AgResearch and Lincoln University to delve into that area and find ways of responding practically to provide more support for farmers.

We’ve made a start in finding out what the issues are – the challenge now is in working out where we can best help people so they can deal with these issues.

TAKING THE CREAM Record Payout

Fonterra has announced farmers are to receive a record payout of $8.25 per kilogram of milksolids before retentions.

The payout is broken down to a Farmgate Milk Price of $7.60 per kg/MS for the 2011 milk season and a distributable profit of 65 cents per share for the 2011 financial year.

The payout is $1.55 ahead of the prior period’s $6.70 and exceeds the previous record of $7.90 achieved in 2008.

Fire risk to tractors

FMG, is launching a campaign to raise awareness of the risks of tractor fires during the nesting season.

The campaign comes with the endorsement of the National Rural Fire Authority.

FMG insures more than 20,000 tractors for some 12,000 customers so they see the large majority of claims caused by bird’s nests. During recent years they’ve received more than 500 claims costing more than $7.5 million for tractor fires.

Walking the distance An LIC Waikato weigh station manager has decided to put away the pottles (milk sample flasks), swap his gumboots for hiking boots and walk from one end of Aotearoa to the other, starting in November.

Poppy, as Eric Diamond’s grandchildren affectionately call him, has packed up his house and will be carrying it on his back for the next 12 months as he embarks on an adventure he has been hankering to do for 25 years.

He is walking from the Bluff to Cape Reinga.

“E S I programmes consistently out-perform fertiliser N driven programmes with more total DM grown containing more energy resulting in higher levels of animal production.”

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FISHER DAIRY SHED

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Coast & Country

Farming with robotic milking Making a decision to build a new farm dairy using robotic milking bails may be the way of the future, but at present it requires some fairly large changes in thinking, as well as an ability to fund the cost.

There are already about 10,000 farms, however – mostly in Europe – who have moved to robotics and most of them are smaller farms.

As SMASH (Small Milk & Supply Herds) has set itself up to be of assistance to what are still a very large

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number of smaller farmers in New Zealand, it seemed logical for that group to hold a Technology in Action event on John Fisher’s farm near Cambridge, where a four bail De Laval robotic system started milking in March this year.

About 40 interested farmers came along to learn about the easy and the not-so-easy bits of making the change.

Jenny Jago of DairyNZ has been involved with introducing robotic milking here, including the Greenfield project, which ran for several years at Newstead. She says so far there are five plants of two brands up and running around the country, representing some very different types of farming – ranging from organics to winter housing and heavy supplementation.

Installing robotics isn’t just a case of building a different dairy shed, but includes taking a hard look at the farm shape and topography to see if it’s suitable and possibly redesigning much of the pasture layout and race systems.

Farms need to be designed as three separate grazing blocks, each containing a number of paddocks of similar size and a race system which accommodates having the cows move from one to another every eight or nine hours, each time via the shed yards.

On the Fisher farm, this proved feasible, with only two short stretches of race which are two-lanes to accommodate comings and goings.

When a cow reaches the yards, she passes through a gate where computer records know how long it is since she was last milked. If it is less than nine hours, she is drafted back to either the paddock she came from or the next feed break. If more, she gets into the shed queue, if one has formed at that time.

It became obvious during the event that it’s not only the cows who need to be trained to the new system, but the farmer also has to get used to the fact that the shed and the farm are now running 24/7.

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FISHER DAIRY SHED

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First season in the shed supplements are fed out, which is another time and labour saving measure. Eventually the yard will also have a roof, giving cows shade and shelter while they wait. The yards are hosed down twice a day, preferably when only a few cows are waiting.

Like any new system there’s a lot to learn and getting it all right for your cows on your farm takes time and patience. But the joy of not having to lift hundreds of milking clusters twice a day and the energy retained thereby, is going to make robotic milking very desirable for older farmers, with good businesses, good infrastructure and who are looking to keep on farming, but be kinder to themselves as

By Sue Edmonds well.

Proven Designs, Proven Profits

Waikato Dairy Builders are specialists in the design and construction of herringbone dairy sheds.

A Waikato Dairy Builders shed is designed to maximise milking efficiency and provide better profitability.

Cows often adopt very individual milking patterns when they get to choose, ranging from three times in 24 hours, to the 1.6 times which seemed to be chosen by many on the Fisher farm.

So organising the laggards to walk up from the bottom of the paddock may make the farmer a bit twitchy until they all get used to the system and can involve some late night roundups to begin with.

In-shed feeding

Getting them to come to the shed can involve putting all the water troughs there. If the paddocks are long rectangles which are strip grazed, however, this doesn’t work so well. On the Fisher farm, John has opted for in-shed feeding of measured quantity of pellets and this arrives in a manger at the front of the bail when the cow has arrived.

The complex technology involved in robotics records times and milk production from each quarter of each cow at every milking. Thus a quick look at a computer screen can tell the farmer how many cows have come through in any time span, including the wee small hours and keep tabs on cows as individuals.

New Zealand is the only country operating robotics on mostly pasturebased systems. The Fisher farm is the first to operate a robotic system

on seasonal calving, with the other four opting for split calving. This has required some new thinking in how the technology can work best for this.

So far, it has included auto-drafting all the colostrum cows through one bail, which seemed to work well.

While there are already a number of add-on features available for the systems, including weight scales, activity meters, conductivity measures and somatic cell counts, John will add these if and when they are considered sufficiently advantageous to merit the required outlay.

As this is the first season in the shed, they are opting for visual heat detection and tail paint for the reproductive cycle. They plan to use both AI and bulls – who will be turned around at the first gate.

Less labour required

So how has this changed the way the farm is run? John says the size of the farm (80ha) and number of cows (327) meant it had always been a one and a half labour unit operation, ultimately requiring two labour units. These days, it only requires a single unit. He says one had to be comfortable with running so much computerised technology, but there is now much more time available to look after pasture production, residuals, fertiliser application, topping etcetera.

When the new yard was built it also included feed troughs where various

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226974 2 C OW S H E D

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FORESTRY

Coast & Country

Using competition when selling trees

D L SO We’ll get you

more money for your trees

Do you have trees ready to be harvested in the next 2 years?

Woodmetrics’ competitive tendering process is your best option to realise your investment and our complete sale management process will ensure you get paid — why take the risk?

For further information,visit www.woodmetrics.co.nz

Be prepared — call 0800 96 63 63 now to talk about your trees with Peter Harington, your Regional Manager.

One of the things I like most about my job is visiting interesting places and meeting interesting people. I get to travel into remote valleys throughout the central North Island and see places I would never otherwise get to see.

Wherever I travel, I am almost always regaled with horror stories of a rouge logger who has left his mark in the district by taking the wood, leaving a mess, and falling short on financial expectations – if not disappearing completely without paying.

Historically, most small forest owners sold their wood through a managed log sale process where a log trader harvests the trees and markets the logs on the owner’s behalf.

There are a great numbers of

flaws to this system, not the least of which is that there is no competitive element to assure the owner they are getting the best price from the market. Does this trader really have the best markets for the log mix for this particular forest and the lowest cost harvesting and cartage systems? How will the forest owner know they have achieved the best that they can from the market?

There are plenty of log traders to choose from – Woodmetrics has sold to more than 30 different buyers. Each log trader has relationships with a number of different sawmills and exporters where they sell their logs.

Woodmetrics revolutionised the private sector sales process by making the competitive stumpage tender model available to private forest owners to address the weaknesses associated with the traditional managed log sale approach.

A competitive stumpage tender involves setting up the sale of a forest or woodlot with lots of information about the quality of the trees and inviting all the players in the market to tender for the wood, usually on a per tonne composite price basis.

This is the beauty of competition. The bidder who can generate the best returns by having the best markets and the most costefficient operation will win the tender. The seller has the comfort of knowing they have won the best price the market can pay.

I get the impression there are fewer log traders at the rogue end of the spectrum these days, but I still hear stories of sales that have fallen short of expectations.

Unfortunately, with selling trees, you only get one shot at it and if it goes wrong you have to wait 25 years to get it right next time.

By Peter Harington

Forestry to boom in Bay A new forestry strategy for the Bay of Plenty is being launched with a goal to be processing 70 per cent of logs harvested in the region by 2020.

Currently, more than 60 per cent of trees harvested in the Bay of Plenty are exported through the Port of Tauranga as logs, with no local processing.

A new forestry strategy is being launched in Bay of Plenty.

In the next 10 years the log harvest in the Bay of Plenty and the surrounding areas is forecast to increase by between 3.2 and 5.3 million cubic metres a year.

If no new or additional wood processing facilities are installed in this time, all of the increased harvest will be exported as logs; with only a modest contribution to the region’s wealth.

Bay of Connections – the region’s economic strategy – has published a Forestry and Wood Processing Strategy designed to extract more value from the region’s valuable forest industry.

Governance Group chairman John Cronin says the strategy and its action plan are also aimed at increasing employment, income levels and living standards across the Bay of Plenty.

The industry is a major employer, especially in Kawerau and Rotorua.

“In 2010 wood and paper product manufacturing, and forestry and logging were fifth and sixth as contributors to the region’s wealth and together they made up 10 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product.

“In the next 10 years, the log harvest in the Bay of Plenty and surrounding areas is forecast to increase by 25 per cent, however, a large proportion of the 10 million cubic metres of trees harvested each year in the region are currently exported as whole logs, with no local processing.

“That contributes only a small amount to the region’s wealth – and this is where there’s a significant opportunity to get more value from wood.”

Industry consultant for the strategy John Galbraith says that compared to other regions and other countries, the Bay of Plenty has a number of competitive advantages.

“We have an increasing supply of sustainably produced softwood, renewable sources of energy in both geothermal and hydroelectricity, highly developed and competitive engineering and support suppliers and world-class research centres in wood processing and biomaterials.”

PH 07 578 0030

The long awaited review of the ETS came out recently and is being criticised by all and sundry, either because they hoped for the system to be speeded up or because they hoped they could be left out altogether.

Page 41

ETS on standby

The panel considered that using forestry, nitrificaa huge amount of consideration, a lot of work by the panel and reveals some curtion inhibitors and ‘good practice’ farm management rent misperceptions of where New Zealand’s efforts stand in a world scale. techniques, which are already available, allowed for a It’s a pity it looks as though a great deal of their efforts will have been wasted.

2015 start-up date to be considered reasonable.

The report can be viewed at: http://www.climatechange.govt.nz//emissionsThe decisions weren’t all hard on agriculture, trading-scheme/ets-review-2011/review-report.pdf

By Sue Edmonds however and the report had some softening recommendations on the transition phase and free allocation aspects which extend the one-for-two obligation to include agriculture for the first two years after entry, with a three year phase out after that, taking the full obligation date to 2019.

With regard to all industries, the report recommended a moving cap on the price of NZU’s from the current $25, upwards by $5/year beginning in 2013 to a price of $50 by 2019. But it also separated the market price from the cap price, to preclude price gouging of consumers.

There had obviously been some bad maths done originally on the phase out of free allocation which allowed for no reductions after certain levels were reached. This matter has now been altered in the report to allow agriculture 90 per cent of baseline initially, phased out at 1.3 per cent per annum on a straight-line basis from 2016.

So something of a ‘curate’s egg’ set of recommendations, but when viewed as a whole, the report reflects

THREE BROTHERS

The government has since, via Climate Change Minister Nick Smith, announced it will override the report and defer agriculture’s entry into the scheme indefinitely – stating that until ‘practical technologies are available to enable farmers to reduce their emissions and more progress is made by our trading partners to reduce their emissions’.

Well Federated Farmers is celebrating, but let’s look at what the report actually said: Having read most of the 98 page report, it is obvious the panel had done an enormous job in attempting to look at all aspects of all industries and the likely implications of decisions which could impose undue hardship or, alternatively, encourage others to subvert the system by claiming greater costs in order to increase their charges.

The report had, however, thrown up some falsehoods, which have been bandied around of late.

Having looked at what is being done around the world, the claim that New Zealand is too far in front has proven untrue, with many countries, including the EU and China well advanced with plans or systems similar to or more draconian than ours. It has also pointed out that reductions in emissions for industries already included in the scheme have yet to happen in New Zealand.

There was a careful analysis of whether some form of worldwide reduction mechanisms is likely, with three different potential results defined. The overall conclusion was that some measure of agreement will be found and we stand to lose too much if we are not seen to be doing our bit.

Carbon trading is a somewhat patchy effort at present and only Forestry has the right to trade our NZU’s overseas. Until a cohesive trading and measurement system does get going, the multiple systems must be carefully watched and other industries permitted to trade units when it is seen to be practicable.

So what happened for agriculture and its ‘biological emissions’ of methane and nitrous oxide?

Well the report recommended that agriculture still be included and the dates for voluntary and mandatory reporting (2012) and surrender obligations (2015) weren’t changed. What was changed is that the point of obligation recommendation has shifted to farm gate, rather than processor level.

The conclusion was this would be more likely to produce individual reductions in on-farm emissions.

FORESTRY

THREE BROTHERS

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 42

Coast & Country

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Get longer battery life Sulphation is a major problem with lead acid batteries and the less they’re used the worse it is.

“All lead acid batteries sulphate and most die from it,” says Gerard Anselmi of Recharge Battery Revitalizer & Conditioner.

“Sulphation not only reduces the batteries holding capacity, but also corrodes the lead plates.”

Recharge Battery Revitalizer breaks down the sulphation build up and dissolves those sulphate ions back into the electrolyte to hold the charge again.

The battery regains its charge holding capacity and stops further corrosion of lead plates.

“The key to using Recharge is to get the batteries before they have reached the point of no return,” says Gerard.

“A lot of farmers in our conditioning programme are getting eight to 10 years out of most batteries and sometimes more.”

COAST & COUNTRY

Wednesday 7 October North Waikato Biz Grow Group

At Barkers Function Centre, Ngutumanga Road, Waihou 10.30am – 1.30pm. This session on financial budgeting. We will be discussing the importance of budgeting, how to do an annual cash budget and a monthly cashflow budget. Ph Murray 021 242 2127, email: murray.perks@dairynz.co.nz

Thursday 6 October PioPio Discussion Group

At Chris and Sarah Capcott’s, 76 Hooper Road, PioPio SN74969 11am – 1.30pm. The Clapcott’s are now into their second season of dairying on this farm since the conversion. See how they’ve managed the conditions. What are the future goals of the business and what are the strategies to achieve them? Sarah 021 770 859 or email: sarah.dirks@dairynz.co.nz

Taupiro/Orini Ladies Discussion Group

At Leanne Crosby’s, 126 Middle Road, RD1 Hamilton SN72613 9.30am. In meeting monthly, keep abreast with seasonal issues and new developments, and challenge each other to improve on what we are doing. Ph Phil 027 483 9820 or email: phil.irvine@ dairynz.co.nz

Sunday 9 October 98th Annual Matamata Spring Carnival Show

At 129 Station Road, Matamata. Entertainment for all the family.

Monday 10 October Mihi Whole Farm Assessment Group

At Robin and Fou Walker’s, 1350 Tutukau Road, Reporoa SN78999 11am – 1.30pm. This group discusses and investigate the farm system on the host farm. Discussion on current issues and upcoming seasonal topics. An open forum that utilises the experiences of all members within the group.

Lunch supplied by Rabobank. Ph Sharon 021 225 8345 or email: Sharon.morrell@dairynz.co.nz

Page 43 Tuesday 11 October Eureka Discusssion Group

At Mike Healy’s (Lower Order Sharemilker) 1477 Piako Rd, North Waikato SN72589 11am. Meet on second Tues of the month. A dryland peat farm with the usual challenges of growing feed. Ph Phil 027 483 9820, email: phil.irvine@dairynz.co.nz

Wednesday 12 October Kereone Discussion Group

At John Higgons, 555 Hutchinson Road SN76884 11am – 1.30pm. The group discusses and investigates the farm system on the host farm.

Discussing surplus management, weed management and provide feedback for the host. Ph Dave 027 474 3258 or email: david.swney@dairynz.co.nz

Kiwitahi Discussion Group

At Colin Taylor’s, Washbourne Road SN76 860 11aam – 1.30pm. The group discusses and investigate the farm system on the host farm, providing feedback and covering any seasonal topics. Ph Dave 027 474 3258 or email: david.swney@dairynz.co.nz View rural events online www.sunlive.co.nz, under rural.

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Page 44

COAST & COUNTRY

Coast & Country

Billion dollar industry battling The devastating news that kiwifruit killing disease Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (Psa) has spread from Te Puke to Tauranga, Waihi and Katikati highlights the need to deal with biosecurity incursions faster and better.

The spread of the virulent Psa-V strain is a devastating blow for this billion dollar industry. Nearly 10 per cent of New Zealand kiwifruit orchards are infected and, unfortunately, the lucrative Gold variety is worst affected.

This New Zealand developed variety earns about four times as much as green.

Having been the real earner in recent years, its loss would hit the industry hard. Work is beginning on creating a disease-resistant Gold variety, but will take years.

Federated Farmers Bay of Plenty has a number of members growing kiwifruit alongside dairy operations and also many affected beekeeper members. With farmers facing the same kinds of biosecurity threats, we offer our support to our horticultural cousins and champion stringent border security.

New Zealand leverages off our relatively disease and pest free status when marketing our food exports.

One of our greatest biosecurity defences has been our isolation and the natural barrier of being an island nation, but increased air travel and importation of goods has weakened our border. During the last two decades, several organisms have arrived, placing industries and the environment at risk.

We need better funded research and

testing facilities to quickly identify pests and find solutions.

The Ministry of Agriculture response needs to be more nimble when pest organisms are first detected. We need response plans in place to counter new incursions. Central government needs to be willing to take on local knowledge and teams should be available 24 hours a day. Bugs and diseases don’t work on a ‘9-5’ schedule.

Currently, the government’s eradication response ends once an incursion is deemed too difficult, leaving industries to solve the problem. We can play a part, but need scientific expertise to find real, long term solutions.

Adding this cost onto people already struggling under additional control expenses and lost income could be a fatal blow.

That said, Kiwifruit Vine Health and Zespri are doing a great job of telling growers what is happening and how to deal with Psa. The strength and solidarity of the kiwifruit industry and the wider Te Puke and Bay of Plenty community is indeed a bright spot in a grim situation.

The votes are counted Kiwifruit growers voted ‘yes’ to funding NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated’s activities via a Commodity Levy for the next five years, with 87 per cent of the growers who voted saying yes to the proposed levy.

The levy vote serves two purposes.

First it funds NZKGI for the next five years from a levy deducted from growers’ return. Secondly, it gives NZKGI a very solid grower mandate to represent and serve kiwifruit growers.

Psa is our prime focus. NZ Kiwifruit Growers is not funding the Psa response, but is providing member and staff resource where they can have best effect.

Two of Kiwifruit Vine Health’s Board members are appointed by NZ Kiwifruit Growers. NZ Kiwifruit Growers also supports and has representatives on the Kiwifruit Vine Health regional committees and provides the KVH board secretary. Most importantly, NZ Kiwifruit Growers is working in conjunction with KVH and with government and anyone in the community to support growers and their families, staff and the community as we respond to Psa and try and deal with it.

NZ Kiwifruit Growers’ other work continues, but at a somewhat reduced level. We are ruthlessly prioritising what is important so that we can keep maximum efforts focused on Psa. At a national and international level, NZ Kiwifruit Growers makes sure that growers’ views are heard outside the kiwifruit industry wherever decisions that could affect growers are made. This includes maintaining good relationships with government as well as working with the media.

Keeping growers informed is one of NZ Kiwifruit Growers most important roles. For example getting timely and accurate information on Psa out to growers. NZ Kiwifruit Growers’ communications platform provides growers with concise and relevant information and directs growers to the sources of more detailed data.

NZ Kiwifruit Growers also contributes to national and industry publications, always with a view to advancing grower interests or informing growers and the public.

Growers in the recent levy vote have endorsed NZ Kiwifruit Growers activities and work on their behalf. Much of it happens behind the scenes and out of sight of the media.

It is nonetheless vital work.

PH 07 578 0030

HUNT FISH EAT

Page 45

Welcoming the trout season The trout season opened on the first weekend of October, drawing many eager fishermen to the most popular spots.

During the last few years, Lake Rotoiti has become one of the stand out lakes in the country reports Mike Davies.

Lake Rotoiti has an uncanny ability to produce huge average sized fish in the seven to eight pound class. On top of all this, fish that weigh in between 10 and 11 pounds are thought of as good fish and it takes a fish of about 15 pound to make the locals impressed such is the quality of the fishery.

As a generalisation, the fishing on Rotoiti has always been a little on the hard side, but during the last few years methods such as jigging have opened up massive opportunities to the boat fisherman. As the lake surface warms up it traps a layer of cold water in between the warmer surface layer and the deep water and this is called the thermocline.

Depending on different environmental conditions such as the weather and wind direction, the layer of water called the

thermocline may vary in depth. In the middle of summer this may be somewhere around 25-30 metres in depth.

This is naturally too deep for the fly fisherman and trollers to reach, but is no problem for the jig fisherman.

In Rotoiti the most popular method of jigging is to use a 1-1/2oz sinker with three flies above it at 1m intervals apart. The flies are attached to a 20cm dropper trace coming off at right angles to a swivel that separates the three metres of trace. The flies used are all various smelt patterns and all will work better than other patterns at different times of the season. The most popular patterns are the Grey Ghost, Parsons Glory, Jack Sprat, Green Orbit and Ginger Mick. The smelt tend to be darker in colour early in the season and lighten up considerably in the summer.

Most jigging outfits have a colour coded braid at 10m intervals to identify the depth of water which is invalu-

able when the fish are up off the bottom. The number one rule is to trust your fish finder fully, because that is where the fish are.

When the fishing is red hot during the summer months the good jig fisherman can land 10-15 fish in a short session. Most reels are low mount free spool reels paired up with light 2-4kg graphite rods. The boat can be anchored or drifting with a drogue across and over the back of reef structure can produce very good fishing. The best spots to try jigging are around the drop offs in the lake especially as reef structure falls away into deeper water.

Get out and enjoy the trout season this year. Visit your nearest Hunting & Fishing store to get your fishing licence and gear and go in the draw to win a Toyota Hilux.

HUNT FISH EAT

Page 46 Upland game, pheasant and quail

Benelli M2 20 gauge semi auto

Coast & Country Volkswagen Amarok

German Shorthaired Pointer

The hunters become the hunted The ute that stalked our hearts and minds

F QUOREE TES!

Earlier in the season, on the coldest day of the year, upland game started out the target of a Wild Side outing.

But as sometimes happens in the great outdoors, it’s not how the day finished.

road, so the Amarok promised the ideal match for the blend of tarmac and dirt track.

It certainly delivered on both.

While the upland game destinations didn’t really fire, the Amarok did.

The thrill of the kill subsided to a most enjoyable open country and highway cruise.

The fish and game guru’s promise of copiWith duck season well and truly over, the decoys shelved for some well deserved hiber- ous numbers of pheasant cavorting in the rolling coastal scrub country between the nation, the Wild Side team dusted off the light load ammo and the 20 gauges for some Tarawera and Rangitaiki rivers soon became a fanciful notion. serious stomping through the scrubland in And just because we had a permit, didn’t search of pheasant, quail – and later in the mean masses pheasants were going to take day with the 12 gauges handy – maybe a any notice and have the decency to show up. crack at some Canada geese.

Even the pointer couldn’t see the point – Little did we know, however, that the huntand despite a fair bit of sniffing and running, ers were to become the hunted. even after the odd rabbit, there was little It’s not often that a magnificent day in appeal in carrying on after several hours of the outdoors can be overshadowed by the traipsing through the undergrowth. mode of transport. The shooting wasn’t that It was much more appealing to head back inspiring, but the vehicle certainly was. The to the Amarok, sample the mandatory bacon Amarok was on a mission to stalk our hearts and egg pie and get driving again. and minds.

The pointer was We’d picked up the demo all for that and Where’s a VW ute from Farmer Motor could hardly wait retriever Group, partly because we for the Volkswagen when you wanted something that would tailgate to drop need one? handle some 4WD tracks, but and to jump back The also because we wanted to suss on board. Clearly old boy out its legendary a bit of German would’ve fine ride on bonding going on. sorted it! the highway The boys demolbetween our ished a good 180 shooting degrees of the pie, possies. We then turned the knew there’d Amarok through be a mix of the same and highway headed back out and offto the highway.

Plan B: We had reliable reports of a flock of Canada geese ravaging a lakeside property, so a cunning plan was hatched.

After further sampling the easy handling of the ute through the scrubland tracks and dunes, it was time to find the highway and push the button back to 2WD. The Amarok has a two litre, twin turbo diesel engine and a six-speed box. It may not outwardly seem the gruntiest diesel ute “Told you there was one lurking there, Boss.” we’ve driven, but it’s

certainly the smoothest and best riding.

However the stats overcome the myth about Amarok – this engine delivers 120kW and 400Nm from 1500rpm so it’s every bit as powerful as its competitors. So really the power and torque is equivalent to that of its competitors out of a smaller engine – but with the added benefit of better fuel economy.

There’s a smooth, wide powerband in the middle there. It likes to have those gears worked and unlike the raw, low torque of other utes and our older Nissan, the Amarok is a much more refined drive. After getting the hang of the six-speed shifter, the journey became a real pleasure as we traversed the pheasant-less dunes to the highway, then onto the gravel lakeside roads between Rotoma and Rotoiti.

Ironically, the roadsides were alive with pheasants flying in all directions.

Our closest encounter of a pheasant came on Maniatutu Road, when two trotted out in front of the Amarok. The best chance we’d had all day at nailing a pheasant wasn’t with the shotgun, but with the front grille of the VW ute. Tempting as it was, we let them fly for another day.

Besides, we had other fish to fry. Or should that read geese.

Arriving at the lakeside the lads loaded up with heavy steel shot and stealthily snuck down to the paddock to find a heap of wary geese giving us that sideways look, with a fair bit of honking signalling that we’d been spotted.

A bit less bacon and egg pie might have lessened the profile, boys.

Before the lads could get into position between birds and lake, the geese bolted.

The big semis opened up at seemingly impossibly long distance for steel, yet managed to drop a couple.

Now that was fine, except the plan had called for birds to be dropped on the paddock, as without a boat and the pointer too small to haul a dead goose from the lake, there was a technical problem.

So after a bit of rummaging around a nearby bach we “borrowed” a kayak from under a deck. .

One intrepid shooter stripped d.. ue to his boxers and paddled n i nt out with his hands for the Co retrieval. Egged on, of course,

COAST & COUNTRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 47

A vehicle that bridges a difficult gap

As mentioned earlier, it’s not often by helpful buddies, warm in their the drive is more satisfying than the polarfleece and possum socks, on the lake edge. All was going well, till the icy hunting. This cold lake water started is a vehicle welling that bridges upside the that increddodgy old ibly difficult boat. gap – between Now we a serious work truck with won’t get off-road capainto intimate bility – then detail here, pulling on its but on the Sunday best coldest day of to look and the year, late behave like a July with half the Central Plateau snowed in and a stiff Southerly blowing – on Rotoiti in a sinking kayak with no paddle and wearing just wet boxers and a grimace – well we can see how the aviation industry first imagined the concept of the retractable under-carriage.

Mission accomplished, the boat returned to the undergrowth and one wet shooter plied with more The Amarok at home on pie and a tot for good measure.

He didn’t take well to the suggesthe track and the highway. tion that all wet respectable family car. bodies such as We didn’t get a chance to try its geese and dogs towing performance and that’s Any readers with a and lake-dunked something I’d like to see, how the particular hunting/ shooters be tied two litre copes with a decent load in the back of fishing mission you’d of building materials or a serious the ute. The like to see The Wild boat on behind. lads loaded up The Amarok delivered on both Side team cover; or the Amarok highway and off-road, distracting landowners with and, enjoying the Wild Side boys from the fact the comforts of animal pest issues, they are useless pheasant pluckers its superb road and have some serious homework give us a shout! handling, quiet to do on their venues. brian@thesun.co.nz ride, cruised And no, guys, you can’t take an back to the city Amarok again, unless you with few tales of wild birds, buy one. but a good one about brass monkeys.

Goose Pate

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Helping you grow

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Page 48

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up Prize Pack ! s b ra G r fo emailed (high

ails can be Pictures and det un.co.nz to contest@thes resolution jpgs) Coast & ra” or posted to me Ca try oun “C Please x 240, Tauranga.

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Logan Pinkerton of Te Puna, 11 months, tries his mother’s gumboots on for size.

A high quality magnesium-lime blend available in several different ratios for optimum application.

High quality calcium carbonate direct from RMD’s quarries.

RMD LimeMag delivers:

RMD quality lime delivers:

A combination solution lifting pH and Mg levels together.

Boosted Mg levels improving plant health and pasture performance.

Improved stock health raising Mg levels over high stress periods.

Quicker release fine particle size ensures rapid breakdown and release.

Elevated soil pH increasing nutrient availability.

Improved soil condition improved microbial activity lifts organic matter and worm populations.

High Quality Calcium & Magnesium Products www.rorisons.co.nz

From Lynn Pinkerton (Grandma) of Te Awamutu.

Lachlan Woulfe (aged 3) with his future milkers.

This is my son, Zac Gaby, sitting on Caramal, his calf-club calf from past.

From Lachlan Woulfe of Galatea.

From Lisa Gaby of Ohaupo.

Ethan Hemingway (13 months) making the most of a wet winter on the farm in Hodderville, Putaruru.

From Janice McDonald and Jason Hemingway of Putaruru.

Who loves who? Cameron, five years old, from Arohena, spending time with his calf ‘Ice Cream’, ready for Ag day.

From Vanessa Wilson of Te Awamutu.