Coast & Country September 2017

Best in hort Erin Atkinson of Tauranga is the ďŹ rst woman to win the New Zealand Young Grower of the Year title.

Read about her achievements and where to next for this young horticulturalist on page 5. Photo Tracy Hardy.

Chickens PAGE 8

Avocados PAGE 12-15

New Products PAGE 23-25

Travel PAGE 26-27

Fertiliser PAGE 34-37

Kiwifruit PAGE 38-41

Effluent PAGE 42-44

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 2

Tax on water ‘is inevitable – eventually’ Labour’s proposal to impose a tax on water has farmers, growers and those involved in processing primary products worried, and with reason.

Brian Rogers Director/ Editor

Elaine Fisher Editor 07 928 3046

www.coastandcountrynews.co.nz

The plan creates uncertainty because there’s currently no firm indication of how much the tax will cost individual users and also how the revenue generated will be used.

Already there are rumours that large operations may consider moving off-shore if such a tax is imposed.

However, sooner or later, despite which party is in power, it’s inevitable there will a tax on water use.

Public pressure is mounting for one, but the focus from the public’s point of view has been largely on bottling companies exporting fresh, pure New Zealand water overseas.

Labour has taken that popular view several steps further to encompass a much wider scope of users, including farmers and growers, but not city residents.

HortNZ believes the policy hasn’t been well thought through and could lead to significant increases in the costs of the healthy foods we should be encouraging Kiwis to eat – see page 16.

Ashburton farmer David Clark is concerned at the debate’s impact on rurl/urban relations - see page 30.

There is no doubt New Zealand takes the abundance and availability of its water for granted and we could all do more to not only use less, but also use it more wisely.

I well remember the outcry from Tauranga residents when early in 2000, the city introduced water meters.

My in-laws were among those worried their garden would die without its daily watering but the threat of

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a large bill caused them to modify their garden management and ‘amazingly’ the plants survived. More than that, the city’s water usage dropped significantly and the usual summer water restrictions have seldom been imposed since.

Throughout primary industries, technology is constantly being applied to reduce water use. The latest irrigation technology is a prime example of how less water can be used to greater effect - see page 44 Wash-down systems in dairy sheds have significantly reduced water consumption and in horticulture, smart spray equipment and advances in chemical formulations are also resulting in reduced water use.

If a tax on water is applied, it should be paid by all users, including those in urban areas because it’s unfortunately true that few people value what they get for nothing.

Such a tax will also spur on further improvements in the smart use of a resource without which we can’t survive.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 3

Landfills preferred carcass disposal option Burying, not burning, infected animal carcasses is the preferred option for disposing of large numbers of livestock in the event of a serious disease outbreak, says Dr Evelyn Pleydell of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Although such measures are not needed in the current response to the cattle disease mycoplasma bovis, MPI does have plans in place for large scale disposals if required, says Evelyn, who is the ministry’s incident controller for the current mycoplasma bovis response.

She has also led the carcass disposal project that was part of an extensive MPI and industry readiness programme for the event of a foot and mouth outbreak.

Mycoplasma bovis was detected in New Zealand for the first time in July this year on two Van Leeuwen Dairy Group farms in the Oamaru area. By late August animals on a third farm, with links to the first two, also tested positive to the disease. In light of these outbreaks Coast & Country News asked the Ministry what its plans are for the mass disposal of livestock, should that ever be required.

“Burying is an option, but it must be carried out with a welldevised system in place to manage any leachate over a long term,” says Evelyn.

“The best way to ensure that the environmental impacts of burying

Mass burial of diseased animals in landfill ‘best option’ if required carcasses are minimised would be to bury them in a permitted landfill of a suitable grade.

Oyster disease

“This is the solution being used to dispose of shellfish in MPI’s current response to the oyster parasite Bonamia ostreae in Southland. MPI works closely with the landfill operators to ensure that hygiene measures are in place to prevent spread of disease to other sites during the disposal process.”

In the case of mycoplasma bovis, the carcasses do not require special handling because the animal products are fit for human co sumption, technical products and pet food, Evelyn says.

“The premises where they are slaughtered operate under risk management programmes and there is a full time MPI veterinary presence. Waste generated from the process is managed to prevent disease spread by a method approved by MPI. The transport used to carry the animals is

cleaned and disinfected before it leaves the premises.”

However, MPI does have provisions in place for disposing of large numbers of animals. As part of an MPI and animal industry readiness programme for the event of a foot and mouth outbreak, the options for the mass disposal of carcases were fully researched.

Mass disposal

“Setting up purpose-built mass disposal sites is an option but based on overseas experience, and New Zealand specific fa tors about setting these up, it is considered a better option to use established landfills. These have the required leachate management systems. We have developed agreements with a number of the major landfills in preparation for such an event.”

Evelyn says much has been learned from experiences in other countries, including Britain where, in the past, thousands of animal carcasses needed dispos-

Medical technology aid for Vanuatu Medical examinations have been made easier in Vanuatu thanks to funding from the Kiwifruit Industry Community Support Fund Inc. The fund, together with the Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust, has raised more than $50,000 to purchase equipment for the island of Santo, making it easier for workers wanting to come to New Zealand for seasonal work to complete the necessary medical examinations.

“We are delighted to have been able to raise enough money to provide easier medical examinations.

Employees from Vanuatu make an important contribution to our kiwifruit industry and the New Zealand economy as a whole and we are pleased to be able to give them something in return,” Kiwifruit Industry

Community Support Fund Inc chair Neil Trebilco says.

The money has been used to buy a digitiser, which together with an x-ray machine, will be available in Santo for up to 2000 RSE workers to use the radiology service.

Every year 3500 people from Vanuatu come to New Zealand under the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme to work in the horticulture industry during peak times when there are insufficient workers available in New Zealand.

As part of their visa application, RSE workers must undergo an Immigration Medical Examination to be able to come to New Zealand. Previously this could only be done in Port Vila.

ing of because of foot and mouth and bovine spongiform encephalopathy diseases.

“Much has been learned from overseas experiences, particularly relating to the necessity for effective longterm management of leachate from any burial site and also about public perceptions of disposal methods. For example, the large-scale burning pyres adopted in the UK were not perceived well by the public.”

Meanwhile the Ministry remains focused on eradicating the cattle disease mycoplasma bovis. MPI’s director, response, Geoff Gwyn “This is not a

game-changer for us. Along with the animal industry bodies, we remain committed to continuing the biosecurity response, finding any infected properties, controlling the disease and, if possible, eradicating it from the country.

“The disease is being well-contained on the known properties and we are confident our control measures are sufficient to contain it there. Our surveillance programme continues to investigate whether the disease had been spreading around the country before it was discovered in South Canterbury.”

Elaine Fisher

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 4

A patch of dirt to start a haven They’ve got the animals, the people, willing sponsors, the will and the way.

The only thing they’re missing is the land.

High Hopes Haven Rehabilitation and Educational Centre is a not-for-profit organisation where abused and abandoned animals can come for recovery and rehabilitation in safe, secure and loving environment.

The haven takes abused animals, rehabilitates and finds forever loving homes for them. Those animals that have the nature and characteristics for helping others join the HHH Trust AnimalAssisted Therapy Programme to help rehabilitate abused children and people with PTSD and other stress-related issues.

But High Hopes Haven can’t start helping until it finds a patch of earth to call its own.

ANNE TOLLEY

DELIVERING FOR EAST COAST

Our region is growing, and now is our chance to build on that growth. I will keep:

P Growing our local economyNjÅ®Nj}» qÅ Nj§®» Nj ®|¿Njq¨ Nj¢ ÅNj ¨}®§ ¿ư P Supporting infrastructure for growthNjǀNj|»®q |q¨ ƫNj»®q ¨ Njq¨ Nj ¢ }Å» } ÅÚư P Lifting education standardsNj ®»Njq¢¢Nj®Ê»Nj} ¢ » ¨Njq¨ Njhelping young people ¨Å®NjÔ®» ư family violence and crimeNj¿®NjÔ Nj}q¨Njq¢¢Nj¢ Ó Nj ¨Nj¿q »Nj P Combating q§ ¢ ¿Njq¨ Nj}®§§Ê¨ Å ¿ư high-quality health servicesNjq¨ Nj¿Ê¸¸®»Å ¨ Nj ¨ Å qÅ Ó ¿Nj P Ensuring Å qÅNj|» ¨ Nj§®» Njڮʨ Nj ®}Å®»¿NjÅ®Nj®Ê»Nj» ®¨ưNj our farmers, growers and businessesƫNj¸q»Å }Ê¢q»¢ÚNjÅ ®¿ Nj ¨Nj P Backing é®® ǀqã }Å Njq» q¿ư

VOTE ANNE TOLLEY FOR EAST COAST facebook.com/honannetolley Authorised by Anne Tolley, 5 Gladstone Road, Gisborne

The centre is the dream of Bay local Heidi Moller who has a long history in both animal and human care.

“I had veterinary experience for 11-and-a-half years.

I knew from when I was a teenager what I wanted to do. So basically it’s been 30 years in the making, this idea that I’ve had, and I knew I needed experience and the knowledge to be able to make this work, not to rush into something without the experience and the knowledge.”

She’s been a veterinary receptionist, vet nurse, animal photographer, a manager at Cheetah Outreach in South Africa, a paramedic in Heidi Moller and house cat Whizz.

South Africa, an equine manager, and now she works as the people from different walks of life. practice manager at Skinspots in “Rest homes can bring a party of resiTauranga. dents to see the animals as well. Most of But Heidi says that will all those villages don’t allow animals, or if they change once she gets High Hopes Trustee John O’Brien and do there’s only very few, but we’d be able Haven off the ground – or rather, founder Heidi Moller. to provide an opportunity to be with horses, on the ground. dogs, cats – whatever it’s going to be – rather She’s on the lookout for a prime than having to take them off to a zoo. piece of land to start her haven. She’s got “Children who are in cancer wards could benefit just about everything else she needs except the too; we can take some animals down there or they can patch. be brought to us.

Trustee John O’Brien says two hectares are needed “That’s where we see the connection,” says John. for the facility itself. “There are a lot of people that are “Not just the abused animals, but the abused animals prepared to and want to donate, but we don’t want to working with adults and children who could benefit.” look at that or start talking to anyone for sponsorship “That’s our vision,” says Heidi, “the abused animals until we have a piece of dirt.” working with people – whether they’re disabled, “Even a short-term or a low-cost lease to begin with abused, whatever.” would be good. Or six months rent-free and then go Heidi says they’re stuck in a bit of a catch-22; they into it because we can’t get sponsors until we get some can’t get sponsorship approval without land, but they land. Once we have got the land we can go to council can’t purchase land without sponsorship approval. The and get resort consent and that sort of thing.” first step, says Heidi, is finding appropriate potential The plan is to have animals of all types at High land space. If you have a piece of land, know of any Hopes Haven – from cats and dogs to horses and that might be suitable, or can help in any way contact birds.

Heidi on 021 078 2279. For more information visit And the programme isn’t just restricted to helping www.hhhtrust.nz Cayla-Fay Saunders abused children – John says it can benefit a range of

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 5

Tractor driving and nail gun skills all part of the test Erin Atkinson, the first woman to win the New Zealand Young Grower of the Year award, left nothing to chance in preparing to go head to head with four male competitors.

She swatted hard for the theory tests and honed her skills, including tractor driving and using a nail gun in preparation for the day-long contest in Christchurch in August.

“I had some good advice from previous Bay of Plenty Young Grower winners Craig Ward and Chris Clements who had competed at the nationals,” says Erin, who in February also became the first woman to win the Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower of the Year.

Erin, 30-year-old technical advisor for Apata Group in Te Puke, has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and has spent most of her working life in the horticulture industry. She is also the third Apata employee to win the Bay of Plenty Young Grower award.

Erin is extremely proud to have been named Young Grower, especially as the standard of the other finalists was very high.

“It was an extremely challenging competition but I've really enjoyed meeting the other finalists. There was a lot of good natured banter between us and I now have four new friends in the industry. That’s another advantage of taking part, the people you meet, including from different areas of the horticultural industry.”

Runner-up for Young Grower Erin Atkinson of Te Puke was Scott Wilcox of Pukekohe, is the 2017 New Zealand who is also Young Vegetable Young Grower of the Year.

Grower 2017 and third place went to Ben Geaney of Waimate.

Future leaders

The Young Grower of the Year is an annual competition to determine the best young grower in the country and is run by Horticulture New Zealand and sponsored by the Horticentre Trust.

The competition is now in its 11th year and is part of Horticulture New Zealand's strategy to support the growth and development of New Zealand's future horticultural leaders.

During the competition, all five finalists are required to compete in a series of practical and theoretical challenges designed to test the skills needed to run a successful export-focused horticultural business.

Erin says she did not expect, nor did she receive, any quarter in the competition. “I expected to compete on an equal footing with the other contestants and be judged on my skills. I work in a maledominated industry so I’m used to working alongside men. The important thing is being able to do your job and do it well.”

Erin says she was probably slower at the tractor driving than the men and not quite as skilful at using a nail gun to assemble a crate as they were.

“However, I did finish the crate task in the time, and thanks to advice from Craig and Chris, made sure I had the smooth sides of

the boards on the inside of the crate.”

When it came to the speech contest, Erin had a range of ideas for the topic on how to encourage every New Zealander to become involved with biosecurity.

“We need to tailor the message about how important biosecurity is to this country so everyone understands the potential impacts.

Those in the industry know how important it is to keep unwanted organisms out but we need to inform urban residents that incursions will affect them too.”

She also advocates appointing biosecurity champions, well-known leaders from outside the industry who would help raise awareness of the importance of keeping unwanted pests and disease out of the country.

Judges looked for individuals who could make a difference in their sectors and the industry, going beyond great skills to also include leadership, attitude and personality.

CEO of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Nikki Johnson says, “I congratulate Erin and her supporters on winning the Young Grower of the Year competition. It’s great news for the kiwifruit industry that the winner of the BOP final has now gone on to win the national competition.”

Specialising in Specialising in • • • • • •

Career opportunities

A core area of NZKGI’s work is to show how attractive career options are in the kiwifruit industry. Competitions such as the BOP Young Fruit Competition not only showcase the industry’s talented future leaders but also support the development and growth of skilled personnel in the kiwifruit industry.

Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman says the aim of the competition is to foster excellence

among young growers and future-proof a $5.6 billion industry that exports 60 per cent of total production to 124 countries.

“The Young Grower competition is a great way to nurture the interest and passion of younger generations as well as showcase the industry. It's a very rewarding industry to be in and it is so encouraging to see the depth of young talent demonstrated. We look forward to seeing the career progression of each of these potential industry leaders.”

Erin will now go on to compete for a share of $40,000 worth of prizes in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition. Competitors in the Young Horticulturalist of the Year are drawn from the winners of the country’s six horticultural competitions.

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Page 7

Stressed farmers – it’s okay to ask for help The need to be proactive rather than the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff plays a big part in the Rural Support Trust.

A nationwide organisation which supports the rural community during both adverse events like floods, earthquake or fire, plus its ongoing ‘peacetime’ operations, Rural Support has grown considerably since it started in 2004 and has 14 trusts throughout New Zealand.

Coordinator for the Waikato-Hauraki Plains-Coromandel region, Wanda Leadbeater, arranges events and wellness initiatives and supports the trained facilitators.

She says her role is to raise awareness of Rural Support’s Wellness Programme and The GoodYarn events and workshops.

“It is at these GoodYarn workshops people can learn to identify the signs of trouble, where to get help and just gain the knowledge that there is someone there to help.”

The first port of call if there are signs of mental stress or depression is to call 0800 787 254. The phone will be answered

by Rural Support’s specially-trained administrator who will chat to the caller and assess what the problem is.

With permission from the caller, their information will be passed to a suitable facilitator who will make contact and, if needed, meet with the person face-to-face.

“Often all that is needed is just someone to listen, acknowledge and suggest,” says Wanda.

“The client’s individual needs will dictate what support or help is needed. The next steps are decided between the client and the facilitator and they will then help the client navigate to the appropriate services and the way through it,” she says.

Facilitators understand

The facilitators are farmers or ex-farmers, or have been involved in the rural industry so they understand the type of issues the rural community faces every day.

Wanda says the trust deals with a varying scale of issues; some are complex while others can be dealt with quite quickly. Clients might be stressed, tired, overwhelmed and exhausted with their everyday circumstances. The problem can be financial, legal, contractual, or the breakdown of a partnership either personal or business.

“And that’s what we call operating in ‘peacetime’.

During ‘adverse’ events – some sort of natural disaster which is classified by the Ministry for Primary Industries – we scale up our involvement. The recent three cyclones (Debbie, Donna and Cook) and the storm which affected Edgecumbe are prime examples.

We work closely with local councils, civil defence and industry partners like Fonterra, DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb, along with others.”

Rural Support checks on farmers’ well-being and helps identify the needs of the rural communities.

“During the recent flooding we were able to arrange events to give information to farmers and rural communities and, with support from the Ministry for Social Development, to arrange extra help with cleanup using an initiative called Enhanced Taskforce Green which provide teams of workers to help farmers with their clean-up at no cost.”

Social events

After these events Rural Support helps with building up morale with social events such as a comedy night in Ngatea, taking farmers to the rugby and arranging events for children.

Wanda says many calls received via the 0800 number relate to extreme stress. Farmers are tired, things start to go wrong; one thing leads to another, the stress builds and often triggers outbursts which affect relationships or family life.

“Sharemilkers stress about escalating costs and the stress pressure just builds. This is when a call to Rural Support is a good idea.”

The organisation gets calls from the stressed person or the partner of that person. Or it can be a neighbour who is worried about someone’s stress or mental health, or a good friend who has seen the signs and knows to call for help.

“When it is not the person in need of support, we need permission and we will get the caller to get the person concerned to give us a call to ensure it is alright to start the process. Keeping it confidential is important,” says Wanda.

“It’s okay to ask for help. There is not such a stigma about asking for help today. It’s farmers helping farmers so they understand the pressures; the difficulties.”

A great Rural Support initiative is ‘GoodYarn’ which enables farming communities to talk about mental

health in an environment which is comfortable. For more information contact Wanda at Rural Support Trust on

021 180 2995. If you or someone you know needs help call 0800 787 254.

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CHICKENS

Page 8

Give hens a health check in spring Spring is in the air and it is the perfect time for poultry keepers to prepare their flocks for the upcoming laying season says Wendy Majoor of Chook Manor, Pukekohe.

“Now is a good time to make sure your birds have come through the winter in good condition. Hopefully they have finished their moult and now is the time to have a close look at each of your birds to check over their general health – make sure they haven’t picked up a lice burden over the winter thanks to our wild birds friends and also consider worming them.”

Worming hens

There are several options for worming and not all need an egg withholding period but it is good to get this out of the way before the egg season starts.

“Chook Manor stock several options for you to worm your birds:

check out our website for details.

Most birds will start laying again as the longer daylight hours start and often this alone will be enough to kick-start egg production.

Protein diet

“Age is a factor so older birds will take a bit longer each year to come back on to the lay but don’t forget to make sure you are feeding them a good protein rich diet – an egg is, after all, mostly protein and without a good source of this in your flock’s diet it is hard to expect them to lay well if they are not given the right building blocks. Most importantly enjoy your feathered friends,” says Wendy.

Healthy chickens equal great egg production.

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Grandpas product range can help. There is the tried and proven Grandpas feeder which will give your chooks on-demand food that stays dry, clean and is not accessible to wild birds and rodents, says Alla Kirkham of Grandpas Feeders.

“With this feeder there is no wasted feed as the chooks cannot flick or scratch the food out onto the ground thanks to the special anti-flick grill.

“The feeder has an opening weight that allows the chooks to open it but it is too heavy for rats and wild birds to activate.

The feeder is weather-proof, so can be left anywhere that is convenient for the chooks.”

The feeder can be topped up at any stage from the hopper and the old feed comes through to the trough surface first, so no stale food.

“Grandpas now have drinker cups for your chooks which will provide a good source of clean water without any hassle.

The two-cup unit simply attaches to any water container with a standard size bung and the cups fill as the chooks drink from it by a small valve that gets pressed by their beak as they drink. There is no dirty water, no spillage and it is perfectly safe to use with little chicks as there is not enough exposed water for them to drown in.

With a good source of high protein food, a clean supply of water and if you are able to free range for part of, or all day, you will have happy healthy chooks that will treat you with a good supply of delicious tasty eggs. All you have to do is collect them,” says Alla.

Grandpa drinker cups provide fresh clean water for chooks.

Any colour hen you like so long as it’s brown Keeping a few hens in the backyard has become popular.

They make great pets and the eggs they produce are an added bonus.

Nic and Maria Stolwyk of Eureka Poultry Farm raise hens from day-old chicks, selling them as pullets (around 10 to 18 weeks old) to people keen to have

hens and enjoy fresh eggs each day.

“You can have any colour hen you want so long as it’s brown,” says Nic, who is happy to give advice and guidance about keeping hens for the first time.

The couple, who have been farming for 30 years on their registered poultry farm, say hens are social creatures and people should have at least two, so they will be content together.

The Brown Hy-Line chickens are known for their reliable laying ability so they are ideal for backyard coops, farms and free-range situations. Their docile nature make them excellent pets for children young and old.

Nic says a well-fenced, secure chicken house is needed to protect the hens from predators. Nesting boxes should be filled with either wood shavings (un-treated), straw or hay. The floor of the chicken house should drain freely and be kept clean and dry, and there must always be dry areas for roosting. The hens must have access to fresh water and a shaded area is important during summer. Cover the floor with wood-shavings for ease of cleaning, and for the birds to scratch and forage in.

“Good quality feed is also essential for great production and access to grass and vegie scraps, including spinach and pumpkin, are a bonus, but beware of rhubarb leaves and green potatoes as these are poisonous to them.”

Eureka Poultry Farm is located at Hooper Rd, Eureka off SH26.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 9

Buying off the plan – what you need to know Buying a brand new home off the plans can seem extremely attractive, especially if you’re struggling to find a property that meets all your needs.

If you decide to go down this route it is absolutely crucial to enter the process with your eyes wide open.

Reading the fine print – starting with the photo caption advising you that ‘some images are an artist’s impression’ – is just the beginning.

There are many benefits to buying off a plan. Not only are you signing up for a new home that should meet all the latest building specifications, but you are buying something at a set price with an initially low outlay.

A long settlement period (while the development is completed) gives you time to get your finances in order. In theory, if the market remains buoyant then the property will increase in value over this period so you will be getting more than what you paid for at the outset.

However, the process is not without risks, says Kevin Lampen-Smith, chief executive of the Real Estate Agents Authority.

“If the market falls, then you may encounter problems if you try to sell. Also, the property may not meet your expectations and the build may take longer than expected. You are entirely reliant on the developer, so you are at risk if their business fails and/or the development is on-sold to another company.”

landscaping, exterior colour and cladding choices and may even include car parking rules for you or your visitors.

Developers will approach selling off plans in many different ways. Some contracts are designed to allow the buyer to choose their own floor plan; others may allow the developer to change the layout without checking first.

Every detail of the property, from the expected timeline to the finishes used, must be spelled out in the contract.

It is vital to get legal advice before signing anything.

“If you don’t go through these details very carefully before you sign you may be in for

some unpleasant surprises later. Remember to check the contract to see if there is a ‘sunset clause’ that specifies what will happen if the development is not finished in time.

“Don’t forget to ask what will happen if the developer goes into liquidation and the project is sold to another company.

The last thing you want is for your dream home, not to mention your deposit, to vanish into thin air.”

For independent advice on buying or selling property visit www.reaa.govt.nz

Due diligence

Kevin says buying off a plan requires all the same due diligence and care as buying an existing property. “Start by putting in some solid research,” he says.

“Don’t be swayed by pre-sale sweeteners and flash show homes that may bear little resemblance to the actual finished product. Do your homework about the developer and the construction firm – find ou what their track records are, examine their credentials and look at any previous developments they have been involved in. Remember that you are giving these people your hard-earned money and you need to be confident that they will deliver the goods.

Generally, buying off a plan means providing a deposit up front to secure the property. The remainder of the money is due on completion, but you will have to prove you have the finance from the outset.

Situation changes

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While the long lead-in period provides time to save money, there is also a risk that interest rates may go up or lending criteria may change. Kevin suggests discussing these issues with your bank or financial advisor to make sure you are prepared if the situation changes.

“If a real estate agent is involved in selling properties in a proposed development they can help you navigate the process.”

It’s also important to engage a lawyer to help you understand all the details of the sale and purchase agreement and any covenants on the title. These may extend to the ‘look and feel’ of a development or new subdivision, and include restrictions regarding fences,

SOUTH & EAST WAIKATO

Page 10

Rescued kids easy to re-home Mana Rescue was inundated with people wanting to re-home a baby goat after a story appeared on the SunLive website recently.

three and the dairy goat operations have to find a home for them otherwise they would be culled.

“Basically they come to me from the farms and they go out to new homes quite quickly (as long as they are healthy). We do get the odd one which might need Mana Rescue owner Fiona a little bit of attention. We check them out before Montgomerie says they not only they are re-homed. found homes for all 46 baby goats “I am learning a lot about the welfare of the but she now has a waiting list of goats and the best method of feed – the tricks people who want to adopt other of the trade and I try to pass on as much young goats. information as I can to the new owners.

Mana Rescue has been running “Many people wanting to adopt goats are for six and a half years and finds wanting at least two as they are great comhomes for all kinds of animals pany for each other and they are happy from household pets to rural to take a white and a coloured. animals, but baby goats have “I am trying to take on as many been the most successful by young goats as I can. I can’t travel far. Her two granddaughvery far from home as I have ters, Akeria and Kaylee, the commitment to feed have two of the original 46 the youngsters four times and the young girls have been a day. very helpful, bottle-feeding “At one stage I was the young goats. bottle-feeding 24.

Fiona says someone wants The numbers fluct to take 10 goats for their ate and it’s nice to farm; several are waiting get the young goats for kid goats for Ag-days to their home early so at schools; an animal the bond with the new sanctuary at Galatea want owner can develop. Most a couple of baby goats to people have common sense hand-rear and for people to – if you have raised a child interact with. These are just Fiona Montgomerie’s granddaughter Kaylee you can raise a goat.” If some of the requests for baby Montgomerie, 6, with a rescue goat. people would like to adopt a goats. young goat it is good to visit “Goats are lovely creatures. They are already very Fiona at her Mamaku Village house. The homes need people-friendly at only a couple of days old,” Fiona to be rural as most suburban councils do not allow says. goats to be kept in urban areas.

She says when goat dairy farms start kidding, Mana Fiona says it doesn’t take much land to have a couple Rescue get bobby or male goats as the goat farmers of goats and they will basically ‘eat anything’ but are wanting to keep the female kids for replacements secure fencing and housing along with hay and water for the dairy herd. Once they have their replacement is essential. female goats they give Mana Rescue both male and Fiona also rescues other animals, including chooks, female young. sheep, pigs, and cats so it is good to check out her There has been an increase in goat milking operaFacebook page, Mana Rescue, as the first port of call tions she says.

DeLaval

“Goats often have twins and sometimes they have

Fritha Tagg

Matamata celebrates 104th show The Matamata A&P Association is dairy cows and sheep dog trials which also holding its 104th annual show on usually attract a big crowd on the day,” says Saturday, October 7 at Station Rd Phil. The equestrian events also attract on the town boundary. a large number of entries and onlookAssociation president Phil West ers alike and the miniature horses are says the show is continuing with particularly popular. its strong tradition in the dairy A full entertainment schedule is section showcasing Jersey, Friesian planned with ‘Highly Flammable’ and Ayrshire breeds. attending this year with jugglers, “The calf club section is also very mirror-man plus more kids’ entertainwell-supported and provides an ment like pony rides and face painting, opportunity for budding young plus plenty of food and trade stalls. farmers to demonstrate their The Matamata A&P Show brings animal rearing and animal hantown and country together for a great dling abilities. day out once a year. Entries for all “Other popular activities include events are open now and the show Dairy goats are also judged schedule is available by emailing the dairy goat section which is at the Matamata A&P Show. matamataaandp@gmail.com judged in a similar manner to the

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 11

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AVOCADO

Demand for NZ-grown avocados The team at JP Exports has been preparing during the past few months for the coming avocado season.

Your CROP will travel to markets all over the world

Procurement managers Glyn Williams in the Bay of Plenty and Chris Frost in Northland have been busy advising and assisting growers.

As part of those preparations, avocado trader Darren Hughes has just returned from visiting JP Export customers in Thailand, Malaysia and Korea. He saw avocados from Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Australia in the markets.

Darren says the trip was timely and insightful. He visited wholesale markets, a wide range of supermarkets, and independent

JP Exports avocado tastings at the markets in Asia. stores in each country. Darren felt the markets were quiet with the only product really selling in volume were USA cherries, which were being heavily promoted in all stores, in all countries he visited.

“Our customers are looking forward to the arrival of our New Zealand avocados,” he says.

JP Exports will follow on from last season with promotions in Thailand and Malaysia, using the AIC Contestable Funding and PGP Funding to help customers promote our growers’ avocados.

“We will keep the focus on the taste and quality of the New Zealand avocado, reaching new consumers and reminding consumers who already know our avocados that they are healthy and great to eat.

“Our customers understand that the New Zealand avocado supply will be down in volume this year and that prices will be firm, ho ever their demand for our growers’ avocados is strong.”

Research shows avocados may help gut health We look after our growers avocados from the orchard to the worldwide markets

Chris Frost

Chris Frost Northland - 021 981 384 Northland - 021 981 384

GLYN WILLIAMS

GLYN WILLIAMS BOP, Coromandel, East Coast - 021 276 6081 BOP, Coromandel, East Coast - 021 276 6081

New research shows avocados may be good for gut health, which would be another previously unknown benefit Scientist Gunaranjan Paturi says avocados contain compounds that are already known to support cardiovascular health, blood glucose regulation and have anti-infla matory effects. As avocados are high in ‘good fats’ and dietary fibre, Plant & Food Research’s Dr Paturi and colleagues Dr Christine Butts and Dr Kerry Bentley-Hewitt decided to see what impact they might have on gut health.

Their study, funded as part of MBIE’s Food for Health programme and published in Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, is the first to examine the direct effect of avocados on gut health.

Macronutrients in food such as dietary fibre are known to alter gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity, so the team fed rats different diets that included 5, 10 or 15 per cent avocado for six weeks.

Gunaranjan says they were surprised to find the av cado had no noticeable effect on bacterial populations in the rats’ guts compared with the control. But their study did find other beneficial health effect The gut bacteria metabolised the dietary fibre in the avocado to produce short-chain fatty acids as a result

of fermentation. SCFAs are associated with a number of health benefits including the stimulation of cells to produce antimicrobial peptides called defensins, which play an important role in immune protection. The research showed higher concentrations of defensins in the gut tissues of the avocado-fed rats. This is not solid proof of beneficial activity in the body itself but higher levels are probably better for gut health.

Another change to the gut lining has more straightforward benefits. SCFAs are also the fuel for goblet cells. Goblet cells produce mucus in a healthy gut that protect gut tissue. The team found significantly more goblet cells in the gut wall in rats on the 15 per cent avocado diet. Gunaranjan says this finding implies avocado also positively influences gu mucus secretion.

As this trial was working with a known safe and beneficial food, Gunaranjan says the next step could be a move straight into testing with humans.

“This is exciting research,” says New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular. “It potentially opens the door to a whole new area of benefit we hadn’t seen before.

“It would be great to see this research followed up to find out if it translates into real benefits for huma gut health.”

AVOCADO

Improved spray results with less water

Without Du-Wett – the droplet, with dye, on an avocado fruit.

When first introduced to the concept of concentrate spraying, many in the horticultural industry often ask how can that work – better coverage with less water?

Garry Elliott, adjuvant manager for Du-Wett, says for several years now, many growers of kiwifruit, vegetables, grapes, pipfruit and other crops have been reaping the rewards from the use of Du-Wett as a crucial part of their spray programmes.

Many of the benefits growers comment on are; superior spray results, even on hard to wet areas; ability to spray a bigger area with every tank full; less leaf phyto symptoms and saving a lot of time when spraying.

Better results

At present many in the avocado industry use high water volumes (up to 6000 litres/ha on large trees) to obtain adequate spray coverage for pest and disease, arguing that high volumes are needed to obtain adequate cover and deposition, especially in the top of the canopy of large trees.

By adding Du-Wett and reducing the water volume to achieve a three times concentrate spraying, the same or better results can be achieved. Du-Wett will reduce drift. The product affects the properties of the water droplets, making them slightly larger, enhancing the droplets’ ballistic profile. Larger droplets are also less likely to evaporate under the same conditions as smaller droplets.

The New Zealand Avocado Industry Council and the MAF Sustainable Farming Fund have supported research into the use of Du-Wett in low-volume concentrate spraying in avocados in both Northland and the Bay of Plenty.

The findings from this work have concluded that low-volume spraying with Du-Wett can provide higher and more evenly distributed spray deposits on avocado fruit and foliage throughout the canopy compared to high-volume spraying. Concentrate spraying will not increase the residue profile of insecticides.

Du-Wett, acting as a super, will spread a three times concentrate droplet over a much larger surface area compared to a same size high volume droplet.

In the trials it was found that pest and disease control was also maintained or improved with low-volume spraying, with gains for growers in both spray efficiency and orchard returns. Du-Wett low-volume spraying also provided effective deposits on the avocado lower leaf surface which were poorly covered with conventional dilute spray mixtures.

Rain fastness

The challenge of rain fastness due to the unsettled weather can be mitigated by using Du-Wett WeatherMax to enhance spreading and foliage deposition, just like Du-Wett, and also provide rain fastness.

Growers and contractors have experienced the same efficacy from Du-Wett WeatherMax in three times concentrate spraying as they have come to expect from Du-Wett.

Low-volume spraying with Du-Wett has proven to be non-phytotoxic to avocado trees using a third of normal dilute water volumes to the point of run-off even with oils such as D-C Tron and Excel Oil at the same oil rate per hectare as dilute spraying than standard practice.

Aerial spraying with Du-Wett has shown a massive reduction in costs, reducing water volumes from 600700 litres/ha down to 200 litres/ha using three times concentrate spraying and resulting in better coverage on the all-important fruit.

The result of this work has allowed best practice guidelines to be developed for New Zealand avocado growers; to set up sprayers for concentrate sprays to accurately apply them to different sized avocado trees with the use of Du-Wett to maximise the quantity and evenness of concentrate spray deposits on fruit and foliage.

So the message is spreading: low-volume spraying with Du-Wett delivers results and saves time, with no additional leaf or fruit problems.

Page 13

AVOCADO

Page 14

Copper levels and their side effects JOIN THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS Leading technical advice Orchard management plans Flexible harvest options Top rating packing facility Chat with our experienced team today about how we can help you reach your orchard goals.

Greg O’Carroll, Grower Services 027 268 0374

Until alternative, effective controls are found, it seems they are our only option.

So, what can growers do to minimise these negative side effects? Excessive copper can contribute to poorer performance and yield in avocados as it can affect the uptake of phosphorus, zinc, manganese and iron, resulting in low levels of these nutrients within the plant.

High levels of copper have also been found to inhibit root growth as well as have an adverse effect on beneficial fungi (which suppress phytophthora), bacteria, protozoa and earthworms.

Avoiding elevated levels

Erica Faber, Orchard Productivity Manager 027 549 8229 John Emett, Grower Services 027 476 9087 @just_avocados

Copper-based fungicides are an effective means of improving pack-outs and returns by controlling fungal diseases such as anthracnose and post-harvest rots.

www.justavocados.co.nz

The following are some suggestions for avoiding elevated levels of copper and their side effects within our orchards. By managing orchard sanitation, we can reduce the source of fungal inoculum in orchards. Chipping or mulching the old prunings and removing windfall fruit from the orchard floor is an essential practice. This will lower the incidence of anthracnose and post-harvest rots and will reduce the amount of copper sprays eventually required for the control of these fungal diseases.

Pruning also plays an integral part in reducing the severity of these fungal diseases by allowing better air

movement throughout the canopy, thereby improving drying conditions.

Calcium sprayed onto young developing fruit will be absorbed by the fruit and ensure improved fruit quality as well as strengthened cell walls. These strengthened cell walls are more resilient to penetration of the fungal hyphae as well as post-harvest bruising. Remember though that Boron also affects calcium absorption, so this needs to be in balance for the calcium to be effective.

Limit the copper ion concentration on plant surfaces by using copper products that are relatively insoluble in water i.e. fixed copper.

Soluble coppers erode faster and require more frequent applications as they are less persistent. Less soluble coppers are more persistent and release a supply of copper ions for a longer period of time.

These less soluble formulations require less frequent re-application thereby improving efficacy and reducing excess build-up in soils.

Time copper sprays

Copper can accumulate to high levels on plant tissue when sprayed repeatedly to cover new growth during periods of no rain. In this situation, after a rain event, a large amount of copper ions may be released leading to phytotoxicity or contamination of the soil.

Timing copper sprays to conditions of spore release and conducive weather conditions will ensure copper is only sprayed when it will be effective and thereby reduce sprays that are ineffective and only add to unnecessary copper excesses. Application of humates also ‘stabilises’ excess copper in the soil so that it is less reactive and/or hazardous to both the soil microbiology and the plant.

If current copper levels are high resulting in, for example, limited uptake of phosphorus or zinc, regardless of their soil levels, foliar applications of these nutrients can be applied. This will help to correct these imbalances or deficiencies in the plant until the soils are more balanced.

All the above can assist in reducing the high copper levels in the soils and with it the resulting problems associated with nutrient imbalances and soil health and fertility.

An integrated approach to managing fungal diseases will not only ensure improved returns by reducing the incidence of post-harvest rots but also a more sustainable approach to growing avocados.

Erica Faber, orchard productivity manager, Just Avocados

AVOCADO

Page 15

New partners ~Avocado~

Development, Management & Leasing Packages Avoco director Alistair Young says the opportunity Avoco is embarking on a new avocado to partner with DMS was a “no-brainer”. export season with a new packhouse partner “For the past four years, we’ve had incredible and a fresh commitment to delivering support from Golden Mile Packers and Far North Packers up north, as well as Trevelyan’s, KauriPak growers solid orchard gate returns.

Growers up-skilling

“What’s encouraging for us is that New Zealand growers are up-skilling themselves around orchard management all the time so in the low crop years, volumes are generally higher each time.

“Our game plan this season has received an added boost through our new packhouse partnership. The crop from DMS growers will lift our export volumes and help us maximise the value of fruit sold in all our offshore markets.”

Internet of things helps save water Using soil moisture sensors, analytics and water automation systems linked through the Internet of Things, Californian avocado growers have been able to reduce water usage by 75 percent.

This is an example how in countries, right across the world ‘Internet of Things’ devices are being used to help with water consumption, New Zealand IoT Alliance executive director Kriv Naicker says.

Places like Israel and California have had to learn how to manage their farms and use of water really well as they don’t have much of it available, Kriv says.

“In New Zealand, we have plenty of water so we haven’t paid as much attention to the impact of farming until recently. There is now a push to make all New Zealand’s waters and rivers swimmable again.

“Earlier this year the government set a new target to have 90 per cent of New Zealand's lakes and rivers reach swimmable water quality standards by 2040.

“New Zealand can quickly learn from other nations and use sensors to monitor water quality, water levels, nutrient flows and other metrics, analytics to quickly understand what is happening where on the farm and automation and robotics to adjust delivery of nutrients and water to reduce impact on waterways.”

A water sensor that will allow people to check the health of waterways has recently been tested on the Manawatu River near Palmerston North. The sensor will allow communities to check the health and safety of their local waterways.

“Spark, Vodafone, and Thinxtra and Kordia are rolling out IoT water management solutions.”

and Apata in the Bay of Plenty. Growers have great relationships with these packhouses and long may that continue.

“DMS and its growers bring that same commitment to growth, technical excellence and an understanding that collaboration can generate improved results for everyone.

Southern Orchards will tailor a lease or management plan to suit your requirements and gain the most from your orchard using innovative and sustainable growing methods.

P: 07 548 2540 info@southernorchards.co.nz www.southernorchards.co.nz

Call us today to start growing your future

Collaborative partnership

“We’re thrilled they’re now a part of our team and we look forward to seeing them at grower meetings, field days and in their orchards over the coming season.”

Avoco, a collaborative partnership between exporters Team Avocado and Primor Produce, has enjoyed four successful seasons since the two companies joined forces in 2013. Much of the success has come from forward-thinking and collaborative approaches to exporting, disciplines around flow planning, technical support for growers and expertise in market development.

Most of Avoco’s fruit will head to Australia but as 100 per cent owner of the Avanza brand, Avoco is committed to shipping about 20 per cent of its crop to Asian markets with a focus on Japan, Korea and Singapore.

The export programme to Asia will start with Avanza representatives attending Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong this month – Asia’s leading trade show for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry.

The Asia supply programme runs between September and the end of January. For the fourth consecutive year the Avanza team will operate a joint trade booth with US-based marketing partner, Mission Produce, with both parties using the trade show to meet with their existing Asian customers and show them how effectively their partnership provides a 12-month solution to the growing demand for premium avocados.

AVOCO’s game plan just got a boost.

We welcome DMS and their growers to our family of professional growers and packers.

Nothing fl ashy. Just good old-fashioned teamwork.

www.avoco.co.nz

CC0817

DMS in Te Puna has joined the ranks of Avoco’s professional growers and packers for the start of the 2017-18 season – a move that boosts Avoco’s export volumes in what is a low crop year for the industry.

New Zealand is expected to export up to 2.4 million trays – half of what was shipped offshore in 2016-17. Avoco, the industry’s largest export marketer, handled about 2.9 million trays during last year’s record-breaking season but this year, growers’ crops are well down, with Avoco expected to export about 1.46 million trays.

The see-sawing figures illustrate the irregular bearing nature of avocados common among avocado growing nations around the world, and is caused when trees produce fruit in large quantities one year then in smaller volumes the next.

The problem creates challenges for export marketers but is one Avoco was prepared for, Avoco director John Carroll says.

Our recipe for success is in our diverse, knowledgeable and experienced team that help deliver the best possible results for our growers.

Page 16

HORTICULTURE

Water tax is an issue for us all

You can’t grow anything without water.

FARMOSH Helping Farmers Reduce OSH Risk

Water in the right quantities, at the right time, is vital to grow premium quality fresh fruit and vegetables. Water is also needed to ensure productivity per hectare is maximised.

The Labour Party has proposed a water tax on primary production, but not on city dwellers or industrial users. The aim is to clean up our waterways. But what this Labour proposal ignores is our towns, cities, and industrial users are among the major polluters of our waterways. If you are going to tax water use, then everyone needs to be taxed.

But I question, why tax water use? What any government should be doing is supporting the initiatives from all around the country that farmers and growers are doing, and have been doing for some time, to clean up our waterways.

There is also a disconnect with this policy – just because you use water, that does not mean you are a water polluter. Would it be more logical to tax the water polluters to encourage them to stop polluting?

Not right way

I do not believe a tax is the right way to deal with water pollution. The best way forward is to work with the primary sector, industrial users and urban New Zealand to all contribute to cleaning up our waterways.

There are numerous water storage schemes being built privately by farmers and growers across New Zealand.

Building these structures is not cheap. Another question to ask, is rain

going to be taxed when it is used to fill up water storage ponds and tanks? Then there are projects to recharge aquifers so that water flows are maintained during dryer periods. Are projects such as this going to be taxed? There needs to be equity and a recognition of efforts farmers and growers are already making.

My major objection to taxing water users however, is that it will ultimately result in increased prices for fruit and vegetables. The water tax will end up being passed onto consumers with more expensive fruit and vegetables.

Healthy diet

Already one-fifth of New Zealand do not buy fresh fruit and vegetables each week. Increased costs will likely result in less New Zealanders having a healthy diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables. What this means is that the government will end up paying more for health care, as there will be an increase in obesity, diabetes and heart disease. So taxing water use has a massive unintended consequence – a less healthy New Zealand and the need for increased medical care. Was this really intended? I do not believe so.

The industry will always work with government and political parties to develop policy. Labour is saying that if elected to form the next government, they will then meet with industry to develop the policy. To be fair, this is only an idea at present. The detail is yet to be developed. But before the detail is developed, I think that the unintended consequences of a water tax, and the disconnect between users and polluters, need to be factored in.

It makes sense to work on the concept pre-election so that when it comes to working out the detail, it is focused on achieving the stated aim and not penalising the primary sector – one size does not fit all.

So we are keen to sit down and work through the proposal and then the detail.

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 17

Farm animals charm visitors

The feathered and furry residents of Bullswool Farm and Nature Park have the public well-trained.

They know their persistent calls will result in a tasty snack from their fans.

The chorus of quacks, clucks and baas work their magic whatever the age of the visitor but it’s the children who are most entranced by the chance to get up close to friendly farm animals.

Providing that positive experience is exactly what the family-run park is all about. It certainly seems to be working as the property just south of Paeroa off State Highway 2 is visited by family groups and school parties throughout the year.

Gray Fisher from Kumeu celebrated his first birthday at Bullswool with his dad Roy and mum Skye.

Most of the unique wooden play equipment at the park is the work of Tony, an award-winning sculptor who runs a kauri gallery at Whangamata.

As well as the animal attractions, there is also a bush discovery area, a replica miner’s camp and a small museum telling the story of the region’s early history, including kauri logging and gold mining.

Bullswool Farm and Nature Park is open daily from 10am to 4pm.

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It’s a 100 acre working farm owned by the extended Austen Family which became a tourist attraction almost unintentionally. Jan Austen’s love of rare breeds led her to introduce new animals to the farm, and Keith’s talent for poetry and story-telling won him fame both locally Rosie and Mon ty the don and nationally. That resulted in requests to visit Farm and Nat keys at Bullswool the farm, which first opened its gates to the ure Park. public in 2004.

Today Jan and Keith are joined in running the park by daughter Sue and son-in-law Tony Howse and their children Ashleigh, Tallis and Matt.

It’s a well-structured and relaxed set-up with visitors supplied with small buckets with colour-coded containers of food for different creatures. Some can be fed by hand but for others, there are slots in which to place the food. When it comes to the beady-eyed emu, the risk to fingers is avoided by the use of a stick fitted with two staples at the end.

A large pellet of food is fitted between the staples and the stick offered up to the tall bird who deftly slides its beak through the wire fence to pluck the food free – well-trained bird, well-trained public.

There’s even a handy ‘scoop-on-a-handle’ for little ones to use in feeding the animals, keeping tiny hands safe.

Feeding animals is just part of the appeal. The park has quirky playground areas too with a pirate ship, a bandstand complete with ‘instruments’, miniature cars to tow up hill and ride down on – and in one paddock, a ‘top dressing plane’ on a wire to broadcast pellets to the sheep.

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COUNTRY LIVING

Page 18

Abundant Health Bettafle Super Joint Formula What is Bettaflex

• Bettaflex is a joint support formula to promote healthy joint cartilage function.

• Bettaflex combines high grade chondroitin sulphate, glucosamine sulphate and a potent 95% curcumin (turmeric) extract.

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• Curcumin from turmeric helps to balance joint immune function to support joint health • Research suggests chondroitin is effective only at levels of over 700mg daily.

John Arts comments:

“I formulated Bettaflex based on the latest research into natural compounds that can help with joint support and function. The normal dose is 2 capsules daily but I recommend a double dose for the first 1-2 bottles to saturate joint tissue.”

(John Arts, Founder Abundant Health Ltd)

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Improving joint health - Part 1 The best part of what I do is to see improvements in those who have the courage to try something different.

My client files are full of testimonies of those who have improved.

Recently a client I have been helping for four months called for her monthly check in. When I first spoke with her she had a very sore hip and various muscle aches and pains.

We made some changes to her diet and put her on a number of antiinflammatory and joint supporting supplements. As a result her hip has improved to the point she can walk again. Additionally she has much more energy and the vitamin D we added has helped a great deal with moods and general motivation.

The body is quite miraculous. If you feed it the nutrients it really needs then dormant healing processes can help restore body systems back towards normal. This is especially true for joints affected by osteoarthritis. In

March I started helping a man in his 70s with painful arthritis in his knee, feet and hands, especially his thumbs. Worst of all was the joint where the thumb attaches to the wrist.

This joint is highly susceptible to arthritis and it can be very disabling.

When I spoke to him in June his feet and knees were much improved. He could now use stairs with ease. His hands and thumb have improved significantly and are still improving.

While we made some dietary changes, the main benefits came from increasing his Omega 3 fish oil to 6000mg daily and adding a double dose of my joint formula. This meant he initially was taking 1500mg of glucosamine, 1500mg of super-high grade chondroitin and 200mg of my proprietary 95 per cent curcumin (turmeric) extract. Feel free to contact me for more information.

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

Rainbow book prize for best caption Kiwi ingenuity can be found everywhere – including along rural side roads like the one near Katikati where an elephant of many parts has been installed.

The structure was the subject of the August ‘Country Funnies’ contest and J Salmon of Hamilton suggested the following captions; ‘From rubbish to this – I have a lot to trumpet about!’ and ‘I may not be as strong as 6 Million Dollar Man, but I was built on a No 8 Wire budget’.

‘I’m trumpeting to my own steel drum’, and ‘Tonnes of junk in this trunk!’ came from Tracey Scott.

‘Gardening is not such a hard tusk’, is the suggested caption from Jim Ruiterman of Waiuku.

The winner; ‘You've heard of the Saggy Baggy Elephant, well this one is the Scaredy Weirdy Elephant’ came from Sharron Ruitermam of Bombay who receives a copy of the ‘Engaging Adolescents’ by Michael Hawton, published by Exisle.

This month’s book prize is ‘The Chalk Rainbow’ which explores difference and diversity through the story of Zane who has Autism Spectrum Disorder. It’s also a story of unconditional love, of trust and of learning to look at the world through the eyes of others.

The story is told by Zane’s older sister in a way that young children can easily relate to. The ending is uplifting as all members of the family learn to look at things differently and find a way to move forward together.

Author Deborah Kelly has written several popular picture books for children as well as a chapter book series. She also writes Haiku poetry, inspired by living in Japan for two years. Born in New Zealand, Deb

now lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

Gwynneth Jones drew all through her maths book at school, so left to study art at TAFE and then majored in plant and wildlife illustration at the University of Newcastle. Deborah says ‘The Chalk Rainbow’ was inspired by her experiences with children on the autism spectrum and their families. “With autism becoming increasingly widespread there is a real need for engaging stories which help shed some light on the condition for parents, siblings, extended families and classmates as well as the children themselves.

Thanks to Exisle, Coast & Country News has a copy of ‘The Chalk Rainbow’ to give away. To be in to win, email captions (as many as you like) for the photo of the vehicle above and send with your name and address with Country Funnies as the subject line to elaine@thesun.co.nz Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to Country Funnies, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140 to arrive no later than September 19.

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‘Country Calendar meets Master Chef’ Also featured are Jono It’s been described as and Sara Walker of Soggy ‘Country Calendar meets Bottom Holdings near Master Chef’ which is a Ngaruawahia who raise way of saying Gerhard and heritage breeds.

Henrietta Egger’s book The book aims, says Ger‘Source New Zealand’ hart and Henri, to bridge not only tells the stories the gap between populabehind New Zealand-protions in the cities and those duced foods, but also how on the land – “many have to cook and enjoy them. become removed from the The couple, from source of where their food Rotorua, are foodies who comes from,” they say. travelled the country Daybreak on a mussel farm in the Coromandel Gerhard and Henri believe visiting those who farm, Harbour is one of the images in the book ‘Source that the concept of 'good grow and harvest some of New Zealand’. Photo: Gerhard Egger. food' starts with the people this country’s finest foods, told in an engaging style which who are passionate about illustrating their stories captures the personalities of those producing it. with Gerhard’s stunning photos. involved, as well as providing facts “Good food is also about working The hardback, beautifully-preabout their ventures. with, and caring for our environsented book tell the stories, in six Harvesting mussel spat from ment; and about handling and chapters, of food produced from Aotea Harbour on the North cooking the produce with respect.” the ocean, the paddock, the dairy, Island’s west coast, and growing ‘The Source’ is also a wonderful lakes and rivers, the land and by green-lipped mussels in the Coropromotion of New Zealand food at tangata whenua. mandel Harbour, which bring an its best, and as such will have wide Each story is referenced with a insight into the mussel industry, are appeal Kiwi readers and overseas map showing the location of the Elaine Fisher among the stories. visitors. food producer and their stories are

Sweetening up all those sour pastures Some horses can be let out onto pasture unrestricted, but with other horses, their owners wouldn’t dare do that, says Sarah Morgan of Optimise.

“There may not be a silver bullet answer to these troubles, but you can certainly make a start in the right direction by giving your horse-soured paddocks a little TLC,” she says.

“Healthy horse pastures and healthy horses rely on healthy soils.

A lot of the problems we see with ‘grass affected horses’ can be caused by mineral deficiencies. The grass might look healthy, but lacks key minerals especially calcium and magnesium.”

There are huge health benefits to horses and other livestock by having correctly balanced soils.

Horses are particularly hard on pastures. They ‘sour’ paddocks by overgrazing and with their daily deposits of dung and urine. These areas become rank and are

high in nitrogen and potassium, throwing the soil’s mineral balance out of whack.

“Bringing your soil back into balance needn’t be a chore. A simple way of providing the necessary calcium and magnesium is by using Equi-lise.

“Equi-lise also contains phosphorus, sulphur and a small amount of Selenium too. Being in pellet form and 100 per cent plant available means the amount required is much less compared to using straight aglime. It is super easy to apply to small horse paddocks either by hand or a small push spreader or tow-behind spreader.

“Using Equi-lise will raise the pH of your paddocks.

This will help increase the microbiology in the soil, helping to break down the manure and remove the ‘sour’ patches in the paddock, enabling your horses to graze your paddocks more evenly.”

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COUNTRY LIVING

COUNTRY LIVING

Mowing at the White House Grasshopper Mowers represented Kansas at the White House at the recent ‘Made in America’ product showcase hosted by President Donald Trump.

people, where the company has been based since production started in 1969.

Grasshopper incorporates the latest manufacturing technology and automated systems including laser cutters, press brakes, CNC lathes and robotic welders to maximise A Grasshopper mower product quality was on display outside and minimise the Rose Garden along raw material with 49 other products input and waste. from all 50 states.

Unlike most Andrew Peacocke of modern manuZTR Mowers in New facturers, every Zealand says GrasshopGrasshopper per mowers have been mower is driven used by White House and tested by an groundskeepers since operator before 2003 for mowing, leaf being crated up collection and snow for delivery. This removal. commitment to The mowers have been quality ensures used during the terms of issues are identithree presidents, under fied before the two parties and with mower leaves the one goal: to keep the President Trump inspects a Grasshopper mower at the factory, making White House grounds in ‘Made in America’ showcase at the White House. a Grasshopper pristine condition for its residents, visitors and the the reliable workhorse customers have grown to rely people for whom it exists. upon.

Andrew says every Grasshopper mower is designed, Grasshopper mowers are readily available in New engineered, manufactured, assembled and tested by Zealand. For more information or the location of a skilled and dedicated workforce of more than 280 your closest dealer call ZTR Mowers on 07 543 2700 highly trained employees at a 350,000sqft facility or visit www.zeroturnmowers.co.nz in Moundridge, Kansas, a town of less than 2000

Preparing for a potential volcanic emergency Ensuring people are ready and able to respond to an emergency on Whakaari/White Island will now be the task of the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.

It follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the group and associate minister of local government Jacqui Dean.

The MOU officially sets out the responsibilities of the group in relation to the active volcano, including readiness and response work, support for the work of other agencies including police and GNS, and giving the group the authority to declare a local state of emergency if required.

BOPCDEM Group Joint Committee chair, Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless says, as is the case of many of the

country’s offshore islands, Whakaari did not come under the authority of any city or district council, which would usually have had these responsibilities under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

“Because of this, the group has been carrying out this type of work as required and as able, on behalf of the Minister of Local Government, however it’s great for us to formalise this agreement and set a clear direction for the future.”

The group will continue working with those who visit and use the island, i “Our staff will be liaising with tour operators to ensure the risks to visitors on the island are managed appropriately, with GNS which regularly communicates to the public about the island, and

with police to ensure any search and rescue plans for the island are prepared and current,” says Greg.

Items included in the MOU for the Bay of Plenty CDEM Group include: • Preparing and making any necessary changes to the Whakaari/White Island Response Plan, in consultation with the Department of Internal Affairs; • developing an annual work programme for Whakaari/White Island; • supporting the development of other agencies’ emergency management plans; • liaising and building relationships with land owners, tour operators, GNS Science and any other key stakeholders; • providing public information, if the Civil

Defence Emergency Management Group considers this appropriate, online and through other media.

Page 21

Page 22

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Should it be landlord or farming focus?

More and more farmers are finding this to It’s not uncommon that when you buy the a liability rather than an asset. neighbouring block you will end up with an beManaging such a property can distract you additional house. from your main farming focus and even lead

to serious problems and financial difficulty.

In these times of houses being written off through meth contamination, the lucky ones might be those whose house is burned to the ground. I’m sure you have all heard the horror stories of decontamination going on forever and costing more than the house is worth – not to mention the stress, distraction and wasted time.

So when you purchase an adjoining property it is best to demand a separate title from the vendor – resisting a boundary adjustment if possible, especially if you don’t own multiple titles already. Once you have this title you often have some options.

Most councils allow the adjustment of boundaries between adjoining titles or complete relocation, however there are exceptions so please seek advice from a professional surveying company even before you

purchase. Having now purchased the land it may well be possible to subdivide the house off. The aim of the game will generally be to sell as little land as possible. Most value lies in the house site but, being a rural block, they may want a little land for a garden and a few animals. So we would seek approval to shrink one title in size, transferring the bulk of the productive land into the other title.

Should you actually wish to retain the house, or a house didn’t come with the block, this additional title may possibly be used somewhere else on the property to create a lifestyle block or be retained for future flexibility. Some people use these additional titles to create a retirement lot around their house, enabling them to retain it when they eventually sell, or simply to create a ‘house title’ separate from the farm business right away to protect the family home.

If your current goal is to rearrange your boundaries or subdivide prior to next season, now is the time to act. It is not uncommon for the simplest boundary change to take six

months to complete and, if there are legal issues or delays in gaining approvals from other parties, there is potential for this to be even longer.

Boundary adjustments, where there are no new titles created, are becoming more common now as a means of subdividing since many councils moved to tighten their subdivision rules. However, if there is a chance of creating a new title under the local council’s rules, we always advise that you do that now. That way you will have more options in the future for rearranging boundaries or selling part of your land.

So, if you are contemplating any changes to your boundaries, or wanting to subdivide for flexibility in the future and to get the best value out of your land, now is the time to act before it is too late. Feel free to give me a call and discuss your situation.

Brent Trail, Managing Director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

For further information call 0800 268 632 or email btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz

Hypomagnesaemia can be problem in spring New Zealand’s fast-growing spring pastures are traditionally low in magnesium and it is this lack of magnesium that can enhance the disease hypomagnesaemia, also known as grass staggers. This can occur when animals are grazed on lush grass or fed green cereal crops.

Adult lactating cows are most susceptible to the disease due to loss of magnesium through the production of milk.

Soils that are naturally high in potassium and those fertilised with potash and nitrogen are high-risk areas for cows to develop hypomagnesaemia. Low blood magnesium levels interfere with nerve activity throughout the body, causing general weakness, loss of appetite, and eventually brain dysfunction.

An early sign of grass staggers is cows may appear to be grazing normally then suddenly

throw their heads in the air, bellow and run blindly around the paddock. They start twitching, are nervous, may have staring eyes and stiff movements and may also urinate frequently.

They can be dangerous to people and other stock as these signs progress. Ultimately they become unsteady on their feet and once down, spastic movements develop with the head often moving up and down incessantly with a lack of muscle control. Respiration is rapid and laboured.

Left untreated the cow will die in a short period of time.

This disease should be treated as an emergency and immediate treatment to restore blood magnesium levels is crucial.

An intravenous injection of a metabolic solution containing magnesium is required, sometimes with the aid of a sedative to be done safely. Guidance is recommended for inexperienced people who are using jugular vein access and a vet should be called upon to assist. This step must be done slowly as the condition of the heart and brain is vulnerable at this stage.

The simple magnesium sulphate 20 per cent solution (yellow bag) can be safely given under the skin as a follow up supportive treatment. Full recovery may take several hours as the magnesium balance is restored to normal levels in the brain tissue.

Once the cow has the swallow reflex it is important to maintain the blood magnesium levels for at least the next two to three days to guard against a relapse, which can be done with an oral magnesium supplement.

Magnesium oxide powder or a similar magnesium enhancing supplement should be given to cows prior to calving to help to prevent hypomagnesaemia developing. Supplementing magnesium can also be of benefit in itself with an increase in milk production expected.

NEW PRODUCTS

Page 23

Keeping costs down

Having been farmers themselves, really competitive prices. So easy,” says the team at Electric Fencing NZ Donal Stuart of Electric Fencing NZ. “The customer is always our prime know how fencing costs add up. focus, so you can be assured of great “We cut out the middle man clipping the ticket by sourcing from the manufacturer, also keeping our own costs well under control so we can supply you with quality fencing equipment, shipped right to your door at

customer service. We see our customers returning to us time and time again because they like our products and our special service. Become a member of our fencing family and drop us an email now with your requirements.”

Bagging pesticide residues Tesco, one of the world's leading supermarkets, is launching a major test of food safety bags that will help consumers eat pesticide-free fruit and vegetables.

If successful, the bags could be used in stores around the world.

Tesco Safety Bags, introduced recently in China, are fruit and vegetable bags that use new technology to remove harmful pesticide residues.

Cheil World Wide Hong Kong created the bags for Tesco in China after the supermarket chain was prompted to help consumers concerned about food safety following a series of welldocumented scandals in the country.

One Greenpeace study found that up to 90 per cent of all fruit and vegetables sold in supermarkets contained harmful pesticide residues.

Safety Bags use photocatalysis, a process that breaks down compounds

using the power of light, and is proven to destroy toxic chemicals, including pesticides.

The bags feature a safe, inner coating that absorbs light to trigger the action of breaking down toxic elements found in fruits and vegetables before dispersing them naturally into the air.

Shoppers simply need to place their fruit and vegetables inside the bag and expose it to light for three hours to allow the process to work fully. Consumers can then rinse their fruit and vegetables and eat them without concern.

The technology behind Safety Bags is FDA-approved and following the completion of its testing, Tesco hopes to roll the bags out globally in 2018.

Jay Jeong, general manager at Cheil WW Hong Kong, says thankfully Tesco saw a need to make a difference.

“As one of the world’s leading supermarkets, this was an opportunity to think like a leading brand, act like a leading brand and lead by example.”

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A new sanitiser that’s scientifically engineered to replace Chlorine.

The problem with Chlorine The way farmers typically destroy pathogenic microorganisms is with chlorine. And it works: chlorine is a good sanitiser.

The problem with chlorine is that it doesn’t differentiate between bad bacteria and good bacteria.

It is a blind bomb that kills by burning everything it touches.

Chlorine kills the bacteria good guys Good bacteria are a farmer’s allies. For a farm to thrive, good bacteria need to be present and active. These good guys do the following: Mineralise nutrients into plant-available forms Release nitrogen and nutrients for plants to use Increase nutrient retention Suppress disease-causing pathogens Detoxify the soil by degrading toxic materials Improve the accumulation of organic matter Produce plant-growth hormones Ensure root architecture is correct and extensive Enhance soil structure to improve water flow and reduce erosion

Chlorine and soil sterilisation The sterilising nature of chlorine has the upside of killing many pathogens. Unfortunately, when chlorine is washed into the effluent pond and then spread onto the soil, its sterilising properties has a negative affect on the soil biology.

Chlorine and milk tainting Unlike other countries, New Zealand does not test for chlorine residues in milk. Given the growing global desire for eco-friendly products, it is unclear how long we will be able to abstain from this practice.

If the eco-push comes, the New Zealand dairy industry will need to think of ways to negate the downsides of chlorine.

Stabilised Chlorine Dioxide Though it sounds similar in name, Chlorine Dioxide is very different from elementary chlorine, both in its chemical structure as in its behavior.

Chlorine Dioxide only kills pathogens DX50 Chlorine Dioxide is extremely selective in its oxidising: only pathogens are destroyed. Here’s how its targeted sanitising works.

Pathogens are small and carry a low energy charge – 200MV. Chlorine Dioxide carries a voltage of 942MV. This superior voltage gives it an electrical strength that overpowers the weaker bacteria.

When DX50 comes into contact with bacteria, it seeks to give one of its four electrons to the micro-organism.

Pathogens don’t want to make the exchange but are forced to receive the extra electron because of DX50’s superior electrical strength. This give-and-take process is called oxidation, and it is lethal to bad bacteria.

With the enzymes ruined, the pathogen is instantly destroyed. This different killing mechanism enables DX50 (Chlorine Dioxide) to kill pathogens more effectively that chlorine.

Chlorine Dioxide cannot be resisted The triggering action for DX50 Dairy Sanitiser is the sugar-like substances that are an integral part of the target pathogen cell walls. Due to this mode of action, disease bearing organisms cannot build up resistance to the product.

Very wide kill range Another significant upside with stabilised Chlorine Dioxide is that it is not pH dependent and works most effectively in cold water.

DX50 also breaks down the protective bio-film surrounding a wide range of pathogens, a film which shields them from other sanitisers.

Good microbes are unharmed Good bacteria are larger in size and carry a voltage of 1000+MV. This superior voltage gives the Good Guys enough strength to resist the electron exchange that DX50 seeks to enforce.

Because no electron exchange is possible, good bacteria swim happily in the DX50 wash.

DX50 kills 2.46x better When oxidation occurs, the cell wall of the bacteria is dissolved, exposing the enzymes that lie beneath the surface. These enzymes control the biochemical reactions within that cell. When DX50 contacts these enzymes, it immediately deactivates them by breaking their chemical chains.

Chemical

Killing Power

DX50

High 2.46

Chlorine

Moderate 1.0

Chlorine Dioxide

No residue or tainting DX50 does not leave an acid residue. That’s because DX50’s chemical make-up is altered as it sanitises.

When DX50/Chlorine Dioxide oxidises pathogens by giving one of its electrons, it becomes a different chemical – chlorite (ClO2-). This new chemical is so low in residue, it is below the level of detection.

That’s why Chlorine Dioxide has an EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) rating of 9.1D – the lowest rating available.

With DX50 there is no taint on the milk and no corrosive acid in the shed.

Parts Per Million

Dose

Killing Speed

Broad Spectrum: effective against all bacteria, E coli, virus, mould, fungi algae and spore formers

50 ppm

Minutes

Negligible at use concentration

2-11 pH

Less effective against fungi & spore formers.

Ineffective against viruses.

600 ppm

Minutes to hours

High for most metals

6.8-7.3 pH

Microbial Range

To read more: fowardfarming.co.nz To contact David Law: 027 490 9896

Corrosivity

Optimal Kill conditions

NEW PRODUCTS

Page 25

Chlorine use in dairies raising concerns Many dairy farmers testing their water are finding they are not meeting the standards of water quality necessary for compliance for milk collection, says David Law of Forward Farming.

“In a quest to improve hygiene, not only in water, but also in dairy shed plants and vat cleaning systems, chlorine has been the go-to product of choice. Recent farmer meetings have reported a massive encouragement

towards its increased use.”

David says there are many farmers on water exclusion, which means that chlorine treatment of any water touching the inside of the milklines for cleaning purposes is enforced. Plant washing proceedures also enforce that any detergent or alkali used for cleaning purposes require rinsing with compliant quality water.

“In effect these farmers are rinsing their milklines with chlorinated water. Reports suggest that every other country in the world rinses chlorine out from the food areas and in contrast we are rinsing with chlorine.

New name for blossoming industry The apple and pear industry has a new name - New Zealand Apples and Pears Incorporated – a change from its former one of Pipfruit New Zealand.

The unanimous decision to change the name was made at the industry’s annual general meeting held in Napier.

New Zealand Apples and Pears chief executive Alan Pollard says the new name tells exactly what the industry is about – apples and pears – and takes advantage of the strong global reputation of ‘brand New Zealand’.

"In the early days Pipfruit New Zealand was primarily engaged with growers, who all know what pipfruit is.

“While that is still our primary role, today we are engaging with a much broader audience from career seekers, government officials both here and overseas, and the general public.

"We found that there was some confusion about who we represented with some thinking we rep-

resented other fruit with pips such as mandarins, lemons and oranges, which we don’t.

"We can now more easily tell our story and people will know exactly what we grow and market."

In export terms pears make up just four per cent of the industry, compared to apples at 96 per cent but Alan says some exciting new pear varieties released in the past couple of years could change that.

Prior to the AGM, the organisation tested the new name and brand with targeted audiences at the Mystery Creek Field Days, the Hawke’s Bay Horticulture Field Day and at the Nelson Young Grower competition.

"Feedback was very positive and that was supported by the strongly favourable vote by the industry.”

New Zealand apple growers have good reason to be optimistic, as New Zealand continues to be the world’s most competitive apple performer for the third consecutive year, as announced in the World Apple Review Report.

Captive cropping changes feed dynamics The capability of producing in excess of 100 tonnes of fresh green feed a year from an area less than the size of a 20-foot shipping container is not only possible, but also a game-changer when it comes to intensification of livestock feed production, says David Petterson of Fodder NZ. The Fodder NZ system centres on the sprouting of barley under computerised, climaticallycontrolled growing conditions.

“Whether you are feeding calves, cattle, sheep, deer, goats, pigs, horses or any number of exotic species, the ability to provide fresh nutritious green feed each and every day is a massive leap forward in captive cropping.”

With a Fodder NZ fodder shed, droughts and floods no longer define the limitations of the farm

management plan. With these growing facilities the farmer response to climate event challenges is a continuous supply of fresh, sustainable, daily available green-feed.

While the transportable growing rooms offered by Fodder NZ can produce green feed ranging from 44 tonnes to 182 tonnes a year, David says these rooms were only an indication of the true production potential of Fodder NZ’s growing facilities.

“The real production gains are to be made in the onetonne-a-day-plus sheds which can produce green feed starting at 360 tonnes of green feed a year. Existing farm buildings can be retrofitted so there is no need to buy a purposebuilt fodder shed. For further Spouted barley provides fresh nutritious information visit the company’s website www.fodder.nz green feed each and every day.

“This high chlorine system is creating problems which until recently have not been reported. Effluent ponds are showing increased dark green slime on the surface which is only apparent when chlorine is used.

“When chlorine is taken away, the green slime does not occur and testing has shown that beneficial biology is being anihilated with this chemical.

“There is a movement, particularly

in Europe, away from this high use of chlorine, primarily in food and drinking water, after scientists are proclaiming an overwhelming link with cancer with its use.”

David says chlorine is increasingly being replaced by chorine dioxide.

“This is a product which ticks all the boxes for sanitising without any residuals, resulting in only benefits to the end user.”

TRAVEL

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Self-drive tours are a popular way to discover the South island back country.

High Country Journeys is now run by Maniototo-based John Mulholland. Last season the company introduced two new fully-guided tour options which were extremely popular and known as the ‘South Island High Country Grand Slam’, and the ‘Great Mackenzie Country and Central Otago Explorer.’

The South Island High Country Grand Slam is a seven-day/eight-night package that starts in Blenheim and takes in Molesworth Station and then follows the usual route near Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia River down through the Mackenzie Country to Cardrona/Wanaka in Central Otago.

The Great Mackenzie Country and Central Otago Explorer is a six-day/five-night tour that starts in Omarama and takes in the rugged tussock lands and majestic high country of the lower Mackenzie Country/ Lindis Pass and Central Otago area, also ending in Cardrona.

“A lot of our clients are coming down from the North Island anyway so it was a logical progression to offer them an option to do

Molesworth on the way. The other option we started in Omarama has some incredibly stunning new tracks and is popular with clients who have done some of our other tours before and who might be looking for something a little more challenging”.

These two tours are also complemented by the original six-day/seven-night ‘Heart of the High Country Tour’ that starts near Lake Coleridge and also ends in the Cardrona/ Wanaka area.

These packages are an adventure as well as a holiday that combine fine hospitality in very comfortable rural farm stays, good food, farming tales, high country yarns and four-wheel driving through stunning scenery with passionate local guides who really know the country.

“You will be able to drive your own 4WD vehicle (or a hired one) and travel at a more relaxed pace from station to station as part of a smaller, more personal group of vehicles.

Each vehicle is in radio contact and has access to remote tracks, some only available to High Country Journeys.”

Cruising excellent way to enjoy South Island Affinity Cruises is hosting a series of events around the North Island in September to showcase New Zealand’s best South Island cruising locations; Fiordland, Marlborough Sounds and

Stewart Island. “Eighty-five per cent of our cruising passengers come from the North Island, with the rest coming from the South Island and Australia,” says Vicky Maitland of Affinity Cruises.

“Captain Brian Appleby from Affinity Cruises will be in the North Island to tell people about our remarkable cruising locations and what they can expect to see and do on their extended cruises, as well as offering some great deals.”

The cruises range from two to 10 nights and the itineraries are interesting and flexible to allow for weather and places of special interest to the passengers. Most days passengers go ashore and either wander along the beach or take a scenic walk on a range of tracks. There is also the opportunity for a bit of social fishing.

“As well as the marine life, flora and fauna and the remarkable sea birds there is always something to behold and photograph.”

There are eight separate share twin or double cabins and a comfortable lounge/saloon; there is a large deck that goes right around the vessel which is great for fishing; and the back platforms at the rear of the vessel makes it easy to get on and off.

“All cruises are fully catered and designed for the mature market,” Vicky says.

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If you are looking for a quiet holiday break with uninterrupted views of a sandy beach then check out Beachpoint Apartments right across the road from the beach at Ohope.

The apartments are situated at the western end of Ohope Beach which is a great beach for swimming, surfing and other water sports and one of the safest beaches in the country.

Edgar and Felicity Johl manage the Beachpoint Apartments which has 42 apartments.

“Some are occupied by permanent residents while we have a number which are let out for holidays,” says Felicity.

“It is quite possibly the best holiday spot in New

Zealand with not only 11kms of beach but plenty of other activities in Ohope and the surrounding region.

There are some beautiful reserves offering bush walks and if you love golf, you will love the Ohope International Golf Course.”

All apartments are well situated and all have sea views. The complex has a large heated swimming pool as an option or after spending time on the beach.

The apartments are fully-furnished and selfcontained. They are two-bedroom with several having two bathrooms. Each apartment has full kitchen facilities with comprehensive kitchenware and full-sized refrigerator and a washer and dryer in the apartment laundry.

“Ohope is a hidden gem; a delightful beach only minutes from Whakatane,” says Felicity.

Carefree touring for mature travellers Scottsdale Tours has carefully researched all the best locations and the most comfortable accommodation to design fully-escorted tours that allow the traveller to sit back, relax and embrace the very best of New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific and beyond says Scottsdale Tours owner/ operator Andrew Moore.

Andrew says with friendly guides and top notch service, you will not only experience the sights, scenery and atmosphere of some spectacular destinations, you will also create unforgettable memories with a great group of like-minded people.

So make the most of Scottsdale Tours’ expertise and join the High Country Spectacular tour departing in September and be swept away by views of snow-capped mountains, braided rivers and tussock grasslands as you explore New Zealand’s beautiful South Island.

“Another option is to venture further afield in November and experience the beautiful beaches, rugged coastlines and Norfolk pines that are synonymous with the beautiful sub-tropical paradise of Norfolk Island” says Andrew.

For more information on these tours and many more visit www.scottsdaletours.co.nz

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Page 27

Page 28

SHEEP & BEEF

Bulls pride of family Kelvin and Robert Port are offering 100 Bushy Downs Hereford bulls for sale this month.

One of the country’s oldest and most respected Hereford studs will hold its twenty-third annual spring bull sale on Wednesday, September 27.

Bushy Downs will be offering 100 bulls for sale on the farm where they were reared in Ngaroma Road, Te Awamutu, says Robert Port whose father established the stud in 1943.

As for the previous 22 auctions, Trevor Hancock of NZ Farm Source Livestock will be the auctioneer.

It’s a well-established relationship between auctioneer and breeder which Robert says is valued and works well.

“Trevor knows our animals and our stud extremely well and he knows the buyers our animals will suit too.”

This year the property and herd has been under the management of Kelvin and Cynthia Port. After 51 years of full-time farming Robert and Marian moved off the farm and now reside south of Te Awamutu on 4.88 hectares with a few Herefords to keep the place tidy.

Next generation

Robert says it was time to let the next generation take over and he is very pleased the Bushy Downs brand will be kept up and promoted. Robert enjoyed the busy and full life, from when he and his father first worked together building the stud, and then after 1982 when he took on full management.

There were many challenges along the way but it was also very rewarding. Many client friendships

formed into life-long friendships, even spanning two generations. Robert is confident that the quality of the stud will be even further enhanced with fresh enthusiasm, and direction from Kelvin.

The September sale will see 70 two-year Hereford bulls and 30 one-year bulls go under the hammer and, as in the past, the sale is expected to attract a number of previous buyers.

All the bulls are TB tested, BVD clear, vaccinated and performance recorded. They have strong feet, are well-bred service bulls and Bushy Downs totally guarantee their bulls.

Bushy Downs has a reputation for breeding bulls with good temperament which are easy to handle, and produce calves with low birth weight which grow well to achieve premium prices when offered for sale.

Calving ease

Robert says decades of careful breeding and handling are the reasons for the stud’s reputation for placid bulls. “We are also breeding for calving ease and shorter gestation length with moderate to low birthweight, but it’s a slow process and must be carefully managed so as not to comprise other desirable attributes.”

More than 80 per cent of the stud’s bulls are sold to dairy farmers keen to produce quality white-faced, well-marked dairy/beef calves.

The bulls up for sale are among 500 pedigree Herefords over-wintered on the property where, on September 27, members of the Port family will be hosting potential buyers and, as always, providing a fine lunch.

SHEEP & BEEF

Page 29

Calf-rearing – hard but rewarding work With the beef schedule sitting at near record highs and good prospects ahead for that continuing amid tight global beef supplies, rearing calves for the store market may be an option for small block holders over late winter-early spring.

to match that risk if you want to commit.”

The operators of this business have found a market for contracted supply of quality weaned bull calves sought by larger beef operators and finishers. The business includes its own hydroponic feed growing facility, taking barley seed to feed over eight days.

“They have also found a niche in the past on-selling calves they have started rearing to small block owners who are seeking calves from a healthy source.”

Healthy calves

Sourcing healthy calves is often the biggest challenge for lifestyle and small block owners.

Bas says trust is important; knowing that the seller is not just passing on their problem calves.

“Another common mistake is to go the local sale and buy the ‘cheap’ calves on offer, only to find they are sick and either die or just do not do well.”

Once those calves are home, the business remains one loaded with a level of risk, dependent upon keeping disease at bay, and hoping the store beef schedule does not turn against you when it comes weaning time.

New Zealand also now has a very robust Animal Welfare Code of Practice, and rearers are advised to keep in mind that this applies as much to them as it does to large scale commercial farmers or rearers.

But as appealing as rearing a few calves can seem, experienced animal health and farming experts caution it pays to do some homework before embarking on what can be the riskiest end of the livestock supply chain.

Dr Bas Schouten has spent the past 40 years advising on how to rear better calves. He admits he can be frustrated by what he sees unfolding on small rural blocks annually over late winter.

“It is easy to think that rearing a few calves on your small block will be a nice interest for you and your children to be involved in. But it comes with some big demands upon your time and your wallet, well before you get to see a return on those calves, and it may be a return that is not what you were hoping for,” says Bas. But for anyone seeking a dedicated, large-scale operation, opportunities also exist in the market.

Big rearing unit

Bayleys Waikato rural agent Scott Macdonald recently had an operation on the market capable of rearing 4000-5000 head a year, located close to Hamilton. With 37ha of land and full-scale rearing sheds, it offers an opportunity for anyone who may have cut their teeth on smaller scale rearing operations.

“No doubt, calf-rearing can be a riskier business and experience is important, but the returns are there

to doing a good job, calf-rearing can be hard but rewarding work.

“If you can have a relationship with

a local farmer who is prepared to offer advice, that can make a big difference between succeeding or not.”

Richard Rennie

Okupata Herefords 31st Annual Bull Sale

Under cover on farm sale Monday 11th September 2017, 12 noon

Disease risks

Morrinsville veterinarian Richard Mason says the first step in securing quality calves to rear involves knowing you can trust the person selling them to you, and building on that relationship over several seasons.

He also advises spending some time with a calfrearer before embarking on it to see if it is an option.

“And it is a good idea to visit your local vet and get some good advice on hygiene and disease risk. Also, making sure you have all your facilities and sheds ready to go before you start, rather than trying to adapt as your numbers grow, is important if you are to avoid disease outbreaks.

“When it comes to rearing, it’s a business that can turn on a dime if you get disease running through the operation.”

Common calf diseases include cryptosporidium, roto-virus, and leptospirosis. Typically crypto’ and roto-virus will cause wasting and diarrhea. Cryptosporidium in particular can be a hard disease to eliminate and sometimes persists to the following season in rearing facilities.

Where possible calf-rearers are advised to source calves from herd vaccinated against roto-virus and bovine viral diarrhoea, and ensure they had good colostrum intake.

BVD can be contracted in the womb from an infected mother and can result in calves being weaker at birth. Bas says for small block owners committed

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Page 30

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Irrigation ‘transforms Ashburton’ David Clark, arable farmer of Ashburton, says he’s saddened to hear and read the hatred and vitriol that been brought into this election campaign.

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“I am very concerned at the rift between urban and rural and the disconnection between food production and our population,” says David, who feels so strongly he’s written down his thoughts, some of which are reproduced here: I live in a district whose main town has virtually the lowest unemployment in New Zealand. We have a vibrant, multi-cultural community that offers a wide range of employment opportunities and a very high level of community facilities. This is much transformed town that come out of the 80s with its tail firmly between its legs.

Ashburton is a town that has been transformed in the past 25 years by the development of irrigation, both in arable and dairying land uses. This district grows over half of the world’s carrot and radish seeds along with a wide variety of other crops exported worldwide. We produce eight per cent of the national dairy production.

I am an arable farmer using irrigation to grow seed crops that are exported worldwide, and grain and vegetable crops for domestic food consumption as well as finishing lambs for New Zealand butchers and export.

We first put irrigation on in 1998 and then in 2011 installed pivots to achieve more efficient water use and lower leaching than the older irrigators we had originally operated, at a cost of well over $1 million.

We did that voluntarily because it increased our production, reduced our water use and significantly reduced our environmental footprint, however we could only justify that expenditure because our business was bankable.

Profit reinvested

Our business proudly supports local firms for the provision of goods and services and, like our fellow farmers, most of the gross income is spent in the

local community and profit, if any, is largely reinvested in our business via local firms.

I recently attended a public meeting to hear Labour water spokesperson David Parker present his proposal for a tax on irrigation water. His presentation was headed ‘How did we get to this?’ and showed a series of photos from around New Zealand of environmental degradation caused by agriculture.

The photos showed practices that are unacceptable for sure, no argument about that, but a selective portrayal of the worst of the worst in my view.

Urban waterway

At not one point did I hear any positive comment of the actions of the farming community in New Zealand. But interestingly, none of the photos

depicted anything in Mid-Canterbury, had nothing to do with arable agriculture and only one shot of Coe’s Ford after three years of drought had any connection to irrigation. There was only one photo of a degraded urban waterway and that was one that Federated Farmers had provided to Mr Parker earlier in the day and challenged him to display.

The purpose of the meeting and continuation of his presentation was to explain the Labour Party’s intention to impose a tax on irrigation in New Zealand with the intent of using the money raised to repair environmental damage. ...continued

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 31

Bringing home Trans-Tasman skills Kerry Wellwood, new service manager at Capital Tractors, brings to the role extensive industry experience from both sides of the Tasman.

“Our last trip home in April of this year, seeing family, nieces and nephews growing up fast, parents and grandparents ageing, the call to return home was getting stronger. The real clincher was when the Australian government announced the “It is with great enthusiasm that the entire scrapping of the ‘Commonwealth Places’ team welcome Kerry on board. His knowledge for Kiwis which meant my son, who is a in the industry and management experience budding astrophysicist, would see his uni will be invaluable,” says Reg Hedges fees double if not triple. of Capital Tractors, Tauranga.

“We had talked about Kerry owned and ran an moving back on a number engineering and machinof occasions and it was ery repair business in decided early on that Ramarama before spendTauranga was our preferred ing several years working location,” says Kerry. in the industry in Aus“Since working for tralia, including as service Kerry Wellwood is the new service manager at Capital Tractors I’ve found manager with a team of 10 Capital Tractors, Tauranga. the staff to be very helpful, technicians for Agrimac, dedicated and knowledgeable on the products they a large agricultural machinery dealer in Ballarat, deal with. I’m excited about what the future holds Victoria. and the passion that I see in Reg and Michelle is Kerry says that during his interview for the Capital infectious throughout the company,” he says.

Tractors’ job he was impressed with the enthusiasm “Kerry will be the first contact for our busy workand drive for their customers and the industry shown shop. He will be implementing new initiatives to give by owners Reg and Michelle Hedges. you the best possible customer service experience.

“I have not seen passion like that for a long time.

“Our technicians have a wealth of knowledge and After visiting the business, seeing it in action and look forward to helping customers in the Bay of seeing the growth potential I was convinced it was Plenty from Coromandel to Opotiki and beyond, right for me and Tauranga would be perfect for my with repairs and servicing,” says Reg. family in our move back to New Zealand.

Cities contributing to water pollution continued...

I listened to the proposal and wondered why, if using a public resource for private profit was so villainous, would a food producer using irrigation be taxed, but a soft drink company abstracting water from the Auckland Municipal supply be exempt?

Environmental footprint

I accept that farming has an environmental footprint; no doubt. I also accept that practices need to, and will, change. In my view, technology and regulation will go hand-in-hand to solve those problems.

Interestingly the three key policies that David Parker said he would implement are already in place by way of the Canterbury Land and Water Plan and he congratulated the national government-appointed commissioners at ECan on introducing a robust water management framework.

We regularly swim with our children in the river that bounds our farm; in fact I would happily drink it. I, along with thousands of others, enjoy recreation in Lake Hood which is fed by the Ashburton River.

But the media and the Left would portray our rivers as dangerously polluted and degraded.

In comparison, I cannot swim in the Avon or Heathcote, nor the Christchurch Estuary which are subjected to storm water flows, overflows from the sewer network, seepage from broken sewers and heavy metals and petroleum contamination, which at times are several hundred times safe levels.

Ruataniwha Dam

We hear much of the risks of the Ruataniwha Dam, but overlook the reality that the Hawke’s Bay’s two cities pump their sewerage out in the bay. Invercargill City is currently arguing in the courts to renew its consent to discharge sewerage into four waterways, including a lagoon.

I grew up in South Auckland and enjoyed swimming at the most magnificent beaches during summer. The situation now is that one million cubic metres of sewerage and wastewater pours into the harbour every year, regularly requiring the beaches to be closed to swimmers.

Yet the Left are silent on urban water quality issues – best not scare the voters with any suggestion they may need to fund the upgrade of their own effluent disposal system. It is far more politically expedient to poke the borax at farmers. We all have a footprint on this planet – poor water quality has many causes and we are all responsible for the many solutions. Taxing only one group is not that solution.

Across New Zealand we are covering much of our elite food producing soils with the ongoing march of urban sprawl, permanently removing this land from

production. Surely mankind cannot have more of a footprint than covering food-producing soil with concrete.

In our world we are challenged to produce food at the lowest price in the world. We do so by employing world-leading technology to be some of the most efficient producers on the planet. If we are not, the manufacturers and supermarkets will turn and import the ingredients quickity-split.

Our family has proudly farmed continuously in various parts of New Zealand for 140 years; I am but a caretaker and would hope that at least one of my children might take our family forward as food producers. It is in our very best interests to ensure that this property is in better condition for the next generation than when I began my stewardship.

David Clark

글

䄀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 椀渀 琀栀爀攀攀 猀椀稀攀猀 昀漀爀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀琀攀 椀渀琀攀爀氀漀挀欀椀渀最 吀栀攀 昀愀猀琀攀猀琀 愀渀搀 洀漀猀琀 攀挀漀渀漀洀椀挀愀氀 洀攀琀栀漀搀 漀昀 挀漀渀猀琀爀甀挀琀椀漀渀 昀漀爀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀⸀ ⴀ 倀愀氀洀 欀攀爀渀攀氀 戀椀渀猀 ⴀ 䴀愀椀稀攀 戀椀渀猀 ⴀ 匀椀氀愀最攀 戀椀渀猀 ⴀ 䴀攀琀愀氀 戀椀渀猀 ⴀ 䈀甀氀欀 猀琀漀爀攀 戀椀渀猀 ⴀ 刀攀琀愀椀渀椀渀最 眀愀氀氀猀 ⴀ 吀爀愀昀昀椀挀 戀愀爀爀椀攀爀猀 ⴀ 䈀愀爀爀椀攀爀猀 ⴀ 䐀椀瘀椀搀椀渀最 眀愀氀氀猀 ⴀ 䌀漀甀渀琀攀爀 眀攀椀最栀琀猀 䌀愀氀氀 昀漀爀 愀 昀爀攀攀 焀甀漀琀攀 愀渀搀 氀愀礀漀甀琀 琀漀搀愀礀

Page 32

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Climate change action needed Climate change – whether or not you think it’s real, and man-made, we are already having to cope with it.

Last summer’s wildfires in Christchurch, and the endless rain, floods and ruined paddocks of this winter, are all symptoms of what we have been told to expect.

In the Northern Hemisphere’s current summer there have been wildfires in many countries, and anyone who has had friends visit the UK this summer will have heard about the ‘excessive’ heat they’ve been experiencing.

As usual, I have read a number of science papers and journal articles, as the science fraternity continue to find more indications, and produce more prognostications on what can/will happen when and where. And then one reads something else which shows that what we have been warned about is happening right now.

Look at the Larsen ice shelf breaking off.

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The scariest article of late was titled ‘The Uninhabitable Earth’ by David Wallace-Wells, published in the New York Magazine. This worked through nine different scenarios leading to the extinction of humankind, a number of which are already under way. Excess heat, lack of food, plagues of old when the ice melts, air pollution, perpetual war, economic collapse, marine dead zones – any of which will kill millions, and all of which will accumulate, probably rapidly.

When the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s most recent report ‘Stepping Stones to Paris and Beyond, climate change, progress and predictability’ was published in July I was stunned by the number of ‘disbelievers’ who commented on it.

Are they waiting for a dramatic drum roll and an announcement that ‘climate change began today’?

Putting climate change work in the hands of ‘experts’ and not ‘vested interests or central government’ seemed eminently sensible to me, and it’s working in the UK and a number of other countries, even if not in the USA.

Some countries are getting on with doing things differently, but so far New Zealand has just watched its emissions rise and rise. As the PCE stated, we supposedly have ‘targets’ but absolutely no plans about how any of these could be reached.

We may be small on the world stage, and with huge agricultural emissions which are different from highly industrialised nations, but by doing seemingly nothing we are putting our international reputation on the line, and if our customers take umbrage and stop buying, we’re sunk.

Control the levers

While ‘big business’ can seemingly control the levers on funding, requiring our science community to keep ‘toeing the line’ on what gets looked at, I feel the status quo will prevail here.

Those trying to promote ‘Mother Nature’s methods’ are told they are living in the past or talking rubbish, and only technology has any chance of making the desired changes. But while we hear about the new technologies being investigated, not one has yet proved either ‘up to the job’ or ‘without the possibility of making things worse’, despite the millions in grants spent on them.

Storing carbon forever in our soils, and stopping using the chemicals which upset animal rumens, is an idea becoming more obvious to many farmers. But until our ‘advisors’ stop telling farmers to keep on doing the things that caused the problems in the first place, and we begin teaching real soil science again, we are going nowhere.

Soil is a living being, containing trillions of workers who know how to work together. Once we’ve killed it off, as has already happened in places worldwide, we’ll all go hungry.

One small ray of hope reached me recently. A small group, including some well-known names, has created a declaration which spells out what needs doing and how it might get done here.

Go to www.ourclimatedeclaration.org.nz and see what you think of their ideas.

Sue Edmonds

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Seat cover designed for tough treatment Hard-working Kiwis tend to give their vehicles a tough time, both on and off the worksite, which is why Rugged Valley seat covers are designed to protect vehicles from day-to-day damage, and keep seats in perfect condition, says Renee Smith of Rugged Valley New Zealand.

“This means you can work hard and play hard whatever the weather.” Rugged Valley seat covers have been used and abused in the roughest testing grounds by farmers,

tradies, sparkies, four-wheel drivers and weekend enthusiasts,” she says.

“Tried and true, they’ve survived the heaviest punishment and have been put to test in the harshest of New Zealand conditions.

We understand Kiwi drivers. We know how hard you work and make seat covers that work as hard as you.”

Rugged Valley has tailor-made heavy duty canvas seat covers for utes, trucks, vans, tractors, excavators, quads and ATVs, so you can get your whole fleet covered.

“Our seat covers are proudly manufactured in Masterton – the heart of the beautiful Wairarapa. We pride ourselves in that our seat covers have a superior fit to

for the staunch Hilux or macho Ranger driver either as we have covers for Foton, Tunland, Mahindra Pik-up and SsangYong models.

“So, whatever the newest vehicle to your fleet is, we can get you covered. Invest in cover that will protect your investment. Get in contact today with our friendly team to discuss your protection needs,” says Renee.

The latest Rugged Valley seat covers are airbag certified. other brands on the market, with all latest models being airbag-certified. We aren’t just

Cereal crop yields increasing, survey shows

The Arable Industry Marketing Initiative Survey determined the final size of the 2017 harvest of wheat, barley and oats; sales channels and levels of on-farm storage, both sold and unsold, of the 2017 harvest and the autumn sowings of wheat, barley and oats; and sowing intentions for the spring of 2017.

Data from 113 survey farms as at July 1, 2017 show that while wet weather had delayed sowing in many regions, the area sown in wheat and barley is expected to increase this season.

Final estimated average yields were up this season compared to last season for all six crops, with milling wheat yields up 12 per cent, feed barley yields up

eight per cent, and milling and feed oats yields up 13 per cent and 10 per cent respectively on last season.

Over the two-year period (2016 harvest to predicted 2018 harvest), the harvest area for feed barley is predicted to increase by 29 per cent; the harvest area for feed wheat is predicted to increase by 11 per cent, and the harvest area for milling wheat is predicted to increase by six per cent.

Over this same period, the harvest areas for malting barley, milling oats and feed oats are predicted to decrease by 13 per cent, 20 per cent and 54 per cent respectively. When totalled over all six cereal crops, the 2018 harvest hectares are predicted to be 13 per cent up on the 2017 harvest hectares (from 108,400 hectares to 122,100 hectares).

The tonnages of unsold feed grain this year were estimated at 63,600 t of feed wheat and 89,800 t of feed barley, as at July 1. In addition, there was an estimated 25,000 t of unsold milling wheat. For feed barley, the 2018 harvest hectares are predicted to be 51 per cent up on the 2017 harvest hectares (which is a reversal of the continuing decline in

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sowings over the two previous seasons).

Feed wheat: Estimated final total tonnage (373,200 t) was up nine per cent compared to last year’s harvest.

Of this total, 83 per cent has been sold (309,600 t), with 53 per cent of the sold grain still stored on farm.

The amount of unsold grain is 63,600 tonnes (17 per cent), which is less than at the same time last year (101,800 t). The amount of unsold grain decreased between April 1 and July 1, 2017 (down by 25,600 t, or 29 per cent), as compared to a 53,400 tonne decrease in unsold grain between the same dates last year.

Figures used in the report are scaled up to the national level using the most recent Agricultural Production Statistics. Source: Foundation for Arable Research.

FROM

Average yields of New Zealand cereal crops were up on last season and unsold stocks of feed barley, milling wheat, milling oats and feed oats are higher, but feed wheat stocks are much lower than this time last year, according to a recent survey.

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Page 33

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FERTILISER

Page 34

Fertiliser company ‘puts clients first’ ™

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Landco Fertiliser, the ag-division of longstanding business Hortigro Ltd, specialises in providing modern generation fertilisers and service excellence to the region surrounding Pukekohe.

The company’s ‘one-price on-farm policy’ (terms and conditions may apply) is but one of the ways they have been turning heads.

General manager Keith Jackson says being quoted a price for fertiliser by the large companies, and then often seeing several additional charges on an invoice totally changes the actual price of application per hectare, meaning comparing apples with apples is a must.

In addition, Keith says great service is a fundamental component of business differentiation, yet it is such an easy expectation to deliver and therefore to outperform competitors. Meeting needs such as prompt delivery, providing all quality granular fertiliser products, bags with bottom unloading chutes that can be returned and

reused, and a modern blending plant all equal reasons for Landco Fertiliser’s growth and success locally.

Keith says the Landco Fert pricing policy is reflected in sales of ‘winter fertilisers’ where urea is not sold as a single product for reasons the company’s representatives are happy to discuss. Rather, AmSul sulphate of ammonia and N30 (Urea + AmSul) are applied to offer greater benefits to soil, the environment, and stock health.

Landco Fertiliser is ‘a modern fertiliser company’ putting customers first.

“We have sincere beliefs and philosophies about soil health which start with a comprehensive soil analysis and recommendation.

We don’t believe in incomplete soil tests; guessing what nutrients are required; selling products if they aren’t required; or putting excess on, as it simply gets wasted,” says Keith.

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FERTILISER

Funding the fluxmeter network The project known as ‘Protecting our Groundwater – Measuring and Managing Diffuse Nutrient Losses from Cropping Systems’ has been recognised by the Ministry for the Environment for funding through the Freshwater Improvement Fund.

The project is one of two newly announced projects with a national focus. Diana Mathers, Foundation for Arable Research’s environmental research manager, says the project has a strong focus on farmer engagement and will deliver long-term, robust information about nutrient losses from cropping systems from a network of fluxmeters in five regions.

“This information will provide farmers and scientists with evidence to drive on-farm management changes and to improve farm system models used for predicting losses. The value of this information will increase over time as more data is collected.”

The project partners include; FAR, HortNZ, Ravensdown, five regional councils and Plant & Food Research. The total value of the programme is $1,040,168, with MfE contributing $485,168 and the balance coming from the industry and regional council partners.

Five objectives

The programme of work has five objectives: • A unique data set for cropping farms: Collection of a scientifically robust set of data measuring diffuse nutrient losses from the cropping rotations in the fluxmeter network, established in 2014.

• Good management practices for cropping farmers: Promoting industry-agreed good management prac-

tices to cropping farmers and the wider industry through community engagement.

• Soil quality monitoring: Developing soil monitoring programmes to assess quality and the risk of losses from cropping farms.

• Informing and improving the functionality of Overseer for cropping systems • Engagement with Maori farmers and iwi in the vulnerable catchments “This is an important project for FAR and HortNZ. Our commitment to our farmers is to support sustainable, profitable businesses producing quality products while practicing good environmental stewardship.”

Rootzone reality

Broad-acre arable and horticultural cropping covers more than a quarter of a million hectares of New Zealand’s best productive soils.

The crops grown range from fresh and processed vegetables, grains for human and animal consumption, forages and specialty vegetable and pasture seed crops.

In 2014 an MPI SFF project, Rootzone Reality’, funded by multiple stakeholders, established a network of drainage fluxmeters on arable and vegetable farms. Data collected from the network is providing insights into diffuse nutrient losses from cropping systems and the interactions between seasonal effects, soils and farm management practices.

Having this information provides weight to discussions with farmers about good management practices. The MfE programme of work will enable this project to be extended and for data to be collected from a full cycle of the rotation and across a range of seasons.

A technical team from Plant & Food Research is managing the data collection and analysis from the individual sites.

Page 35

FERTILISER

Page 36

Chicken manure - packs a punch

CUT WASTE, REDUCE COSTS

The team at Bennett Fertilisers has been supplying dairy and drystock farms, orchards and lifestyle blocks around the country for more than 20 years – so what is it about the company’s chicken manure that makes it so popular?

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“We have significantly reduced the stock wastage issue we had with the old hoop and pull on cover system letting in a lot of water because the sliding roof keeps everything dry.”

Leith Watene, general manager of Bennett Fertilisers, talks passionately about a product he believes packs a special punch. “Driving round the countryside can be quite special some days. We’re privileged to be able to supply a product that helps create that green countryside.”

Chicken litter is a valuable resource to optimise pasture production. It is mostly organic matter and supplies nutrients, helps hold moisture, improves soil structure and encourages organisms such as earthworms. Chicken litter is used to fertilise all

types of pasture and forage crops where high levels of production are required like maize, kiwifruit and avocados to name a few.

So how does it work, what’s so special about chicken manure?

Chicken litter contains key components: The major nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in mineral and organic forms. The mineral proportions of the N, P and K are immediately available to plants.

The organic remainder reacts in the soil to change into a form that is available for plant use.

Trace elements include copper, zinc, manganese, boron and chloride.

Organic matter, which improves soil structure and water-holding capacity.

These components result in the conditioning of the soil, resulting in higher yields. All this and it’s cost-effective and totally chemical-free.

Peter, Dairy Farmer, Te Puke

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Bennett Fertilisers has been applying chicken manure to pasture and orchard land for more than 20 years.

Workshop focuses on plans for Kaimai hut Plans are nearing completion for the construction of a new hut in the southern part of the Kaimai Forest Park and a workshop is being held on September 9 to outline the proposal.

Roger Montgomerie of the Kaimai Ridgeway Trust says the

Kaimai Forum will bring together representatives of all stakeholder volunteer groups. “We want everyone to help plan for a much improved Kaimai park for all to enjoy.”

The venue for the meeting, which begins at 9am, is the

Oteora Camp, Odey Rd (off Whakamarama Rd) Tauranga. The meeting will focus on the Kaimai initiatives including volunteer efforts and results to date and on-going plans for the Kaimai park. For more information email kaimairidgeway@gmail.com

FERTILISER

Page 37

Decrease carbon in atmosphere by increasing carbon in the soil This article continues information on how to cut carbon dioxide emissions by adopting simple strategies.

Pasture can sequester more than enough carbon to reverse the situation we live with now, which is leaking carbon from our pastoral and cropping land into the atmosphere.

Why should we pay $1.4 billion for the next 10 years to do so when there is no need to? Can you name another country that is taking this view?

There are several ways of building humus in soils.

Humates from a humus-building perspective are the most important of all farm inputs. Humic acid is the most powerful known stimulant of the cellulose-digesting fungi that build stable humus. It holds seven times its own weight in water.

Humates improve root growth, soil structure and buffer the dehydrating biocidal impact of salt fertilisers.

Humates have the ability to magnify nutrient uptake by one third, via a phenomenon called ‘increased cell sensitisation’. Soluble humic acid granules can be combined with fertilisers at the rate of five per cent.

Composting needs to become standard practice wherever possible.

Composting involves the conversion of organic matter into stable humus.

When we add compost to a soil it stimulates and regenerates the soil life responsible for building humus. We do not just add some stable humus to our soil with the compost; we trigger the existing soil life to build humus much more rapidly. However, only properly made compost is beneficial.

Humus-rich topsoil

Biochar is based upon the discovery of terra preta soils in the Amazon that seem to be self-generating and expanding. They feature humus-rich topsoil metres deep and they expand out beyond the villages from which they originated. It has been found that this remarkable fertility appears to originate

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from charcoal that was added to the soil from cooking fires.

On the basis of this finding, the concept of manufacturing biochar as a humus-building soil additive has attracted considerable interest and research. Smaller particles disappear into soil quicker, mixing more thoroughly and intimately with soil particles and organisms. Thus, crushing, grinding and screening char are valuable to increase char’s dispersal throughout soil and optimise its effects on soil structure, ion absorption and microbial colonisation.

The soil glue that stabilises topsoil is humus. We have lost two thirds of our humus as a result of industrial, extractive agriculture and it is now time to address that issue. The words ‘human’ and ‘humus’ mean the same thing, ‘of and for the earth’. If our core purpose is to nurture and sustain the precious soil that supports us, then we have strayed from our path.

Ending global warming

Below is an extract from Hugh Lovel, a very talented American sustainable farming consultant who lives in NSW, entitled ‘Ending Global Warming’.

“Change in agriculture is up against the likes of DC Edmeades, Hamilton, New Zealand, author of a lengthy paper entitled ‘Pseudo-science: a threat to agriculture?’ Edmeades brandishes the buzzword ‘pseudo-science’ 37 times in a 10-page paper on Dr Christine Jones’ admirable work on soil microbiology, cultivation, artificial nitrogen fertilisation and carbon sequestration— topics much in need of investigation if we are to arrest the alarming weather trends threatening our economy, safety and well-being.” You can read the full article on the Kiwi Fertiliser website. http://www.mannkal.org/downloads/ environment/2011conferenceinvitedp. pdf

Soil-friendly farming

Regardless of your personal beliefs, we can improve productivity and reduce the potential for climate change by adopting soil-friendly farming practices. Some of these changes are only visible through microscopes.

must use the latter, please add a carbon source to them. This makes it easier for the microbes to detoxify them.

Others are so subtle they are barely noticeable to the naked eye.

Yet others are really fast to show up. Sooner or later they lead to a massive reduction of toxic rescue remedies and an improvement in quality of produce, stock health and production. It is increasingly important to carry out life-enhancing practices rather than lifedestroying activities such as toxic sprays. If you

Acknowledgement to Graeme Sait, Nutri-tech Solutions, of Yandina, Queensland and to Acres USA.

Page 38

KIWIFRUIT

Zespri will award two scholarships Nourishing strong plant Zespri’s horticultural scholarships are open now and secondary students heading to tertiary studies and planning to work in the kiwifruit industry are encouraged to apply.

Zespri general manager grower and government relations Dave Courtney says Zespri awards two

scholarships worth up to $15,000 each towards tertiary tuition. As well as receiving up to $5000 a year for three years, recipients also receive valuable mentorship, networking and engagement opportunities in the industry.

“The kiwifruit industry is set to more than double sales to $4.5 billion over the next seven years and there are great careers to be had right across the industry from the orchard, to postharvest, to sales, marketing, accounting, HR, law and much more,” says Dave.

Scholarship applications are due by September 30 with recipients announced on November 3. For more information visit www.zespri.com/Pages/HortScholarship.aspx Eligibility criteria: NCEA Level 3 endorsed with merit or higher – but don’t need Level 3 finished by application time; Provide examples of leadership skills, community service and/or sporting activities; Give examples of how their study will benefit the kiwifruit industry; A New Zealand citizen or New Zealand permanent resident; Maintain an academic grade average of B+ or higher throughout the scholarship.

and pasture growth

While many orchardists and farmers across the Bay of Plenty are still discovering the secret to healthy soils, healthy vines, healthy pasture and healthy profits, it’s something many loyal Revital Fertilisers customers have known for more than 20 years, says Revital Fertilisers’ horticultural sales representative Phil Jefferson.

It involves regular applications of the company’s environmentallysustainable, organic-based fertilisers, which can be blended with other fertilisers to provide the nutrient and organic requirements necessary for strong plant and pasture growth.

Sold in bulk to the horticultural

and agricultural markets, the fertilisers are based on compost, chicken manure and vermicast naturally produced by earthworms.

“Available in liquid and solid form, the fertilisers are not only good for the environment and productivity, but can also help suppress weeds and plant diseases – including PsaV,” says Phil.

“These days there’s a move towards more of a biological approach to farming and horticulture and our products are being used successfully on both conventional and organic orchards and farms.”

Revital Fertilisers is a one-stop shop for farmers and orchardists, not only supplying a great range of BioGro certified, organic fertilisers but blending them with other fertilisers as required and providing a cartage and spreading service too.

Revital Fertilisers’ products come in liquid or solid form for spreading in orchards or on pasture.

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KIWIFRUIT

Page 39

Artificial pollination machine ‘insurance policy’ for production An artificial pollination machine designed and built in Whakatane is proving its worth on a T&G owned kiwifruit orchard in Northland.

The PollenSmart machine, designed and engineered by agricultural engineering firm The Wrangler, works by blowing pollen onto open kiwifruit flowers not once, but four times via a vacuum intake which recycles the fallen pollen.

T&G Kerikeri kiwifruit orchard manager Denis Barker says because of the vine disease Psa-V, the orchard’s male kiwifruit vines were removed and replaced with new males, which have taken time to establish.

“Our males are at 80 per cent now but we will continue to use the PollenSmart every year.

“We’ve seen the best results to date using the PollenSmart; it has helped the orchard achieve optimal pollination.”

Methodology Trial 1 was conducted on T&G’s Kerikeri kiwifruit orchard in a block with no male flowers.

Six treatments

During flowering, six flower buds of the same age (popcorn stage) on each of the 20 canes were identified and randomly allocated to one of six treatments using coloured wool. The treatments evaluated were hand pollination (optimal pollination), and one to five applications of pollen using the PollenSmart.

Pollen was applied daily at 400g/ha, and once the flowers had been exposed to their allocated number of pollen applications, the fruit was bagged so the flowers would not be exposed to any further pollen.

The bags were applied late in the day of the final pollen application to allow for a full day(s) of bee activity and remained on the fruit until after fruit set when they were removed.

At harvest, fruit from each of the canes was harvested separately and weighed with average weight determined for each of the treatments.

The results showed five applications of pollen using the PollenSmart was equivalent to hand pollination, or optimal pollination.

worked but future trials would use 150-200g of pollen.

“The PollenSmart is an insurance policy for us. I’m happy to say the PollenSmart is user-friendly and has an efficient application method.”

Weight increase

Additionally, two applications of pollen with the PollenSmart increased the fresh weight of the fruit by 33 per cent, compared with one application; and three applications increased the fresh weight of fruit The PollenSmart machine has completed successful trials on a Kerikeri kiwifruit orchard.

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There was no difference recorded in weight between three and four applications.

Denis says the methodology trial 1 used 400g/ha of pollen to ensure it

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Healthy, tasty foods add value for consumers and growers The Delicious Nutritious Food Company, a producer of high-value nutritional foods, is now open in Te Puke.

The Seeka Limited’s start-up company takes a fresh approach to the use of local produce, getting more from existing resources and increasing profits for growers.

Based on Te Matai Rd, the new production line is creating ‘Kiwi Crush’ and ‘Kiwi Crushies’ and bottling avocado oil.

The Delicious Nutritious Food Company takes by-product, surplus kiwifruit and avocados below export quality, which are often destined to feed stock, and transforms them into healthy and tasty food products.

“We’re proud to be producing high-value nutritional fruits and foods in our local community,” says Seeka’s CEO, Michael Franks.

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The ice-block version, ‘Kiwi Crushies’, is popular with children.

Bright ideas winners for students International student Harpreet Kaur is the winner of the University of Waikato 2017 ThreeMinute Thesis competition for PhD students.

Harpreet, from India, isULTRA-PRO studying non-invasive ways to detect kiwifruit quality using light-based, ULTRA-PRO light-weight equipment and her three-minute explanation of her research won her first prize and People’s Choice awards at this year’s event. She will now go to Queensland to represent Waikato at the Australasian final. Second place-getter Bridgette Farnworth is studying the feasibility of using light to deter rats and mice from entering bird sanctuaries where fences have been damaged or destroyed.

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Page 41

A short history of kiwifruit shelter trees

The plant’s training system was basically a fence with the top wire at six foot and another halfway up the post. The laterals were cut back or ‘hedge-hogged’.

So, working with these spiky vines was hazardous, especially when picking fruit, as the laterals were facing you. All those orchardists have been lacerated in the eye with a sharp, sometimes hairy, vine.

The shelterbelts on those early orchards were lombardy poplars, cypress-lawson and benthamii, phebalium, sometimes pine and later cryptomeria. In the 70s, a poplar rust blew in from Aussie and pretty well wiped out the lombardy poplar from all the fruit growing areas except the cooler areas where they still grow okay. New poplars have now been developed.

The industry then quickly caught on to a fast-growing tree willow called salix matsudane. This discovery, coupled with rapid orchard developments, led to mass shelterbelt planting. The government

Plant Material Centre in Palmerston North used S.matsudana as the female parent and crossed it with male willows from around the world. In the early 80s they released two batches of clones.

These ground and water-robbing vigorous trees became the bugbear of many poor orchardists who renamed them with colourful international language.

During the late 70s nurseries had started producing casuarinas, cas cunninghamii and cas.glauca. They were fast-growing at 1.5m a year, evergreen and had a semi-open structure giving an ideal wind porosity, making them useful to let cool air travel through, thus avoiding such heavy frost damage to crops.

The cas.glauca tolerated wet ground and was recommended for the ‘flats’ of Te Puke and Edgecumbe, but its form was twisty and gnarly. The cas cuninghamii proved to be mildly vulnerable to phytophthera when over watered.

So our nursery concentrates on a hybrid form of casuarinas with the best attributes of both which we named Supercasys. These grow faster – up to 2m/year – with a strong upright form and are phytophthera resistant.

Casuarinas are also the only shelter belts, natural or artificial, that do not harbour the kiwifruit vine disease Psa-V.

S SThhreeelt lteer Treeess r

SPECIALISING IN LARGE SPECIALISING LARGE FIELD GROWN IN PLANTS FIELD GROWN PLANTS

Organic Organic Growers Growers

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

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

Matt Reid – Te Puke Nurseries

The scholarships are designed to improve the international competitiveness of businesses by providing access to top international business programmes unavailable in New Zealand.

Blair is general manager supply chain for Zespri and will be using his scholarship to attend the Advanced Management Programme at the Institut Europeen d’Administration des Affaires outside of Paris. INSEAD is internationally renowned and features highly each year in business education rating lists.

Blair spends a good six months of the year travelling the world getting New Zealand kiwifruit into world markets and manages about 100 staff.

He will attend the four-week intensive ‘lock-down’ at INSEAD either later this

year or early next year, following six weeks of reading and preparation.

Blair is looking forward to gaining insight into broader and diverse views from global business leaders.

“It should be great – stepping out of the business and sharing views and other people’s perspectives from around the world. The diversity will be rich and it will be a fantastic learning experience.

Bringing some of that back into Zespri would be exciting for me and hopefully for the business.”

PO Box 326 Te Puke 3153 PO 326Road Te Puke 3153Paengaroa 139 Box Wilson South, 139 Wilson Road South, Paengaroa

My Name is Neil Woodward.

Zespri GM wins business scholarship Zespri’s Blair Hamill is among 14 senior executives and business owners who have been given the opportunity to attend the world’s most prestigious business schools after receiving a Prime Minister’s Business Scholarship.

it K ifnrrtuusit iwlaif Kpiw plants

MATT MATT

DA DA RY RY L L

Back in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, orchardists in No 3 Rd Te Puke were growing Chinese gooseberries. Some called them ‘Chinas’. Bruno, Abbott and later Hayward made up the varieties.

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.

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.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

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.

Our Atom combined three noz accuracy.

We also u applicatio

We hold complian

We look a your crop

Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and accuracy.

We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications.

We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance.

We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

Ph E-ma

Zespri’s Blair Hamill is one of 14 recipients of the 2017 Prime Minister’s Business Scholarships. WithWith newnew Health Health andand Safety Safety requirements requirements changing, changing, there there is aisreal a real demand demand on on farm farm & orchard & orchard owners owners to keep to keep compliant. compliant.

Kyle Kyle from from Nexus Nexus Signs Signs hashas been been assisting assisting owners owners by by creating creating a very a very effective effective interchangeable interchangeable H&SH&S SiteSite SignSign tailored tailored to each to each farm farm or orchard. or orchard.

TheThe signsign consists consists of separate of separate modules modules thatthat cancan be be updated updated as and as and when when details details or maps or maps change. change.

It also It also features features areas areas in which in which staffstaff cancan fill in filland in and wipe wipe off temporary off temporary or new or new hazards. hazards.

Signs Signs areare made made of Composite of Composite Panel Panel Board, Board, 1220 1220 X 800 X 800 withwith high high performance performance vinyl vinyl andand Laminate.

Laminate.

AlsoAlso available available is aiskitset a kitset withwith posts posts andand fixings fixings to keep to keep things things simple. simple.

ThisThis H&SH&S Solution Solution hashas been been so popular so popular thatthat he he is rolling is rolling them them outout across across farms farms andand orchards orchards all over all over thethe Country.

Country.

Contact Contact Kyle Kyle @ Nexus @ Nexus Signs Signs today today to order to order yours. yours.

Nexus Nexus Farms Farms Ltd:Ltd: 62 62 College College Road Road Site Site Emergency Emergency Information Information

Nexus Nexus Signs Signs Orchard: Orchard: 62 62 College College RdRd Site Site Emergency Emergency Information Information

GPS Location: 176.944558, GPS Location: -37.978164 176.944558, -37.978164

Contact Details for person Contact in Details for person in This Site Address:This Site Address: Charge of this orchardCharge are: of this orchard are:

Te Rahu Farm Ltd Te Rahu Farm Ltd

Name:

220 Te Rahu Road220 Te Rahu Road Whakatane

Whakatane

3193

3193

Cam Bierre Name:

While on Farm, all persons shall take all While takeon allFarm, practicable all persons stepsshall to ensure take all their takeown all practicable safety and the steps to ensure their own safety and the

Ph:

027 2999 Ph:239

027 2999 239

Position:

Manager Position:

Manager

AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZED PERSONNELPERSONNEL ONLY! ONLY!

safety of others. They shall carry out work safetyinofa others. mannerThey that shall will keep carrythemselves out work inand a manner all others thatonwill keep themselves and all others on

Nearest Medical Facilities:Nearest Medical Facilities: Remember the emergency Remember telephonethe emergency telephone Number for: Number for: Medical Centre: The Doctors Medical Phoenix Centre: The Doctors Phoenix Fire: Phone: 07 307 0586 Phone: 07 307 0586 Police: Police: Hospital: Whakatane Hospital: Hospital Whakatane Hospital Ambulance: Ambulance: Phone: 07 306 0999 Phone: 07 306 0999 Power: Power:

COMMON SITE HAZARDS COMMON SITE HAZARDS

Fire:

National Poisons Hotline:National 0800 764Poisons 766 Hotline: 0800 764 766

Treat all fences as live.

1. Remain calm

1. Remain calm

Treat all fences as live.

Notes

Notes

the yellow letterbox.

drains in some paddocks

have been trained

have been trained

ORCHARD HYGIENE ORCHARD RULES HYGIENE RULES

- Covered footwear must be worn at - Covered all timesfootwear must be worn at all times

drains in some rotating paddocks platform, hazardous substance rotating platform, hazardous substance

- Slips, and falls - Effluent pipes may be hidden by grass - Effluent pipes may trips be hidden by grass

- Slips, trips and falls

in effluent area.

ACCIDENTS

ACCIDENTS

- Report all accidents, including all-near Report misses all accidents, that couldincluding have resulted all near in an misses injury, that could have resulted in an injury, immediately.

-Vehicle movement – Motor bikes, tractors -Vehicle movement - Dust – Motor bikes, tractors

- Dust

and feed wagons

immediately.

- Accident Register is located in the- yellow Accident letterbox.

Register is located in the yellow letterbox.

- First Aider – Cam Bierre 027 2999 -239 First Aider – Cam Bierre 027 2999 239 - First Aid Kit is located in the Dairy- Shed First Aid in the Kittoilet is located cupboard in the Dairy Shed in the toilet cupboard

-Stock

-Stock

VISITORS REPORT TO: CAM BIERRE VISITORSPHONE: REPORT027 TO: 2999 CAM BIERRE 239

PHONE: 027 2999 239

PLEASE REPORT ALL NEW UNIDENTIFIED PLEASE REPORT HAZARDS ALL TONEW MANAGEMENT UNIDENTIFIED HAZARDS TO MANAGEMENT

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PROVIDE FIRST AID, CALL 111

PROVIDE FIRST AID, CALL 111

EVACUATE WORK SITE IF REQUIRED EVACUATE WORK SITE IF REQUIRED

62 College RD Edgecumbe

PERSONAL HYGIENE This is a smoke free workplace

PERSONAL HYGIENE This is a smoke free workplace

- Always wash your hands before eating - Always andwash drinking your hands before eating and drinking - Toilet facilities are located at the dairy - Toilet shed facilities are located at the dairy shed

Bas Overdevest

While on site, All workers shall take all practicable Whilesteps on site, to All ensure workers theirshall owntake safety alland practicable the safety steps to ensure their own safety and the safety

DATE AUTHORIZED AUTHORIZED PERSONNELPERSONNEL ONLY! ONLY!

Ph:

021 224 Ph:0732

021 224 0732

Position:

Manager Position:

Manager

THIS IS A MULTIPLE THISHAZARD IS A MULTIPLE AREA HAZARD AREA

of others. They shall carry out work in a manner of others. that will They keep shall themselves carry out work in a manner that will keep themselves

HAZARD DATE

ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY POINT POINT

CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION - KIWIFRUIT CANES AND DEBRIS

and other workers or visitors safe.

GENERAL

- Do not perform any task, operate any machinery - Do notorperform deal with any any task, substance, operate unless any machinery you haveor been dealtrained. with any substance, unless you have been trained.

- SPS’s must be available at all times.

ACCIDENTS

- SPS’s must be available at all times.

ACCIDENTS

- Report all accidents, including near misses- that Report could all accidents, have resulted including in injury, near immediately. misses that could have resulted in injury, immediately.

- Make sure you know who your first aider is.

- Make sure you know who your first aider is.

- Keep your first aid kit in your work area at -all Keep times. your first aid kit in your work area at all times.

ORCHARD HYGIENE ORCHARD RULESHYGIENE RULES PERSONAL HYGIENE

- DUST

- Do not eat or smoke under the canopy.

CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION - NOISE - KIWIFRUIT CANES AND DEBRIS

and other workers or visitors safe.

- Never undertake a task if you feel it is unsafe.

- Never undertake a task if you feel it is unsafe.

COMMON SITECOMMON HAZARDSSITE HAZARDS

DUST - SPRAY DRIFT / CHEMICAL SPILLS, - SPRAY DRIFT /-CHEMICAL SPILLS,

CONTROL GENERAL

- Always be aware of all hazards on the property - Always yoube areaware working of all on. hazards on the property you are working on.

Nearesttelephone Medical Facilities: Nearest Medical Facilities: Remember the emergency Remember telephone the emergency Number for: Number for: Medical Centre: Riverslea Medical Medical Centre: Cen Riverslea Medical Cen Fire: Fire: Phone: 07 304 9106 Phone: 07 304 9106 - MOVING VEHICLES - TRUCKS, TRAILERS - MOVING VEHICLES - BEES- TRUCKS, AND HIVES TRAILERS - BEES AND HIVES Police: Police: QUAD BIKES, SPRAYERS OR MOWERS QUAD BIKES, SPRAYERS OR MOWERS Hospital: Whakatane Hospital: Hospital Whakatane Hospital Ambulance: Ambulance: UNEVEN WATERWAYS OR STEEP / DRAINS / PONDS - OPEN WATERWAYS / DRAINS / PONDS Phone: 07 306 0999 Phone: 07 306 0999 - RABBIT HOLES, UNEVEN OR STEEP- RABBIT HOLES,- OPEN GROUND GROUND Power: Power: National Poison Centre 0800 National 76 47 Poison 66 Centre 0800 76 47 66

HAZARD CONTROL

- It is your responsibility to report all and health - It is and yoursafety responsibility related issues to report to your all and Supervisor. health and safety related issues to your Supervisor.

Persons entering this property must Persons comply entering with all this Health property and Safety must comply at Workwith Act all 2015 Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and its amendments and its amendments DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT PERMISSION DOAND NOTNOTIFICATION ENTER WITHOUT OF THE PERMISSION HAZARDS AND WITHIN NOTIFICATION OF THE HAZARDS WITHIN

the yellow letterbox.

- If you open a gate, shut it. All road- If gates you open MUSTabe gate, shut. shut it. All road gates MUST be shut.

- Open waterways (fenced off) and hidden - Open waterways - Dairy (fenced Shed –off) slippery and hidden surfaces, pinch-points, Dairy Shed – slippery surfaces, pinch points,

and feed wagons

4. First Aid Kit is located in the4.Dairy First Aid Shed Kit inisthe located toiletin cupboard. the Dairy Shed in the toilet cupboard.

5. Farm Manager is a qualified5.First Farm Aider Manager is a qualified First Aider

62 College RD Edgecumbe

Bas Overdevest Name:

- Always be aware of hazards on the - Always property beyou aware areof working hazardson. onFull theregister propertyisyou located are working in on. Full register is located in - It is your responsibility to report -allIthazards is your responsibility / accidents / near to report miss to allthe hazards Farm Manager / accidents / near miss to the Farm Manager

- Abide by the speed limit of 20Km/Hr, - Abide 15Km/Hr by thefor speed tractors. limit of 20Km/Hr, 15Km/Hr for tractors.

2. Contact the Farm Manager 2.

Cam Contact Bierrethe as soon Farm as Manager possible Cam – 027 Bierre 2999as239 soon as possible – 027 2999 239 3. Move quickly to the evacuation 3. Move point quickly located to opposite the evacuation the vatpoint stand located at the dairy opposite shedthe vat stand at the dairy shed

farm safe.

Name:

- This is a drug and alcohol free property.

- This isZero a drug Tolerance. and alcohol free property. Zero Tolerance.

- Do not perform any task, operate-any Do not machinery, performor any deal task, with operate any substances, any machinery, unlessoryou deal with any substances, unless you - Slippery / uneven surfaces and tracks- Slippery / uneven - Live electric surfacesfences and tracks – Do Not Touch. - Live electric fences – Do Not Touch.

in effluent area.

In case of any emergency, it isIn important case of any you..... emergency, it is important you.....

farm safe.

THIS IS A MULTIPLE THIS HAZARD IS A MULTIPLE AREA HAZARD AREA

GENERAL GENERAL Persons entering this property mustPersons complyentering with all Health this property and Safety mustatcomply Work Act with 2015 all Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and its amendments and its amendments - All people entering the property MUST - All people sign inentering and out.the property MUST sign in and out.

DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT PERMISSION AND DO NOT NOTIFICATION ENTER WITHOUT OF THE PERMISSION HAZARDS WITHIN AND NOTIFICATION OF THE HAZARDS WITHIN

LIST OF NEW LISTHAZARDS OF NEW HAZARDS ORCHARD HEALTH ORCHARD AND SAFETY HEALTH RULES AND SAFETY RULES FOUND ON FOUND SITE ON SITE

Contact Details for person Contact in Details for person in This Site Address: This Site Address: Charge of this orchard Charge are: of this orchard are: Nexus Signs Orchard Nexus Signs Orchard

Farm HealthFarm & Safety Health Rules: & Safety Rules:

Cam Bierre

PERSONAL HYGIENE - Do not eat or smoke under the canopy.

- Always wash your hands after eating, smoking - Always andwash toiletyour breaks. hands after eating, smoking and toilet breaks.

- NOISE

In case of any emergency, itIn is case important of anyyou..... emergency, it is important you.....

- ELECTRICITY - ELECTRICITY - PERGOLA WIRES AND PROTRUDING - PERGOLA WIRES AND PROTRUDING 1. Remain calm 1. Remain calm LIMBS FROM VINES LIMBS FROM VINES 2. Listen to your supervisor 2. Listen to your supervisor - SLIP, TRIPS ANDAND FALLS - SLIP, TRIPS AND FALLS - SECATEURD, LOPPERS, POWER AND - SECATEURD, LOPPERS, POWER 3. Move quickly to the Evacuation 3. Move orquickly Musterto point the Evacuation identified below or Muster point identified below HAND TOOLS HAND TOOLS 4. Ensure you stay together 4. with Ensure youryou group stayand together take others with your with group as youand go take others with as you go 5. Remember to take your Orchard 5. Remember Healthto and take Safety yourFolder Orchard Health and Safety Folder VISITORS REPORT TO:............................................PHONE........................

VISITORS REPORT TO:............................................PHONE........................

6. First Aid Kit with Supervisor 6. First Aid Kit with Supervisor (This Contains the names of(This everyone Contains in your thegroup. namesWhen of everyone you getintoyour the group. musterWhen point you get to the muster point PLEASE REPORT ALL NEW UNIDENTIFIED PLEASE REPORT HAZARDS ALL TO NEW MANAGEMENT UNIDENTIFIED HAZARDS TO MANAGEMENT Check this list to make sure Check everyone thisislist accounted to make sure for) everyone is accounted for) EMERGENCY PROCEDURES EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

- Always cover cuts or grazes.

- Always cover cuts or grazes.

- Cover mouth and nose if you sneeze.

- Cover mouth and nose if you sneeze.

- Only use designated toilet facilities provided.

- Only use designated toilet facilities provided.

- No rubbish is to be left on the orchard or placed - No rubbish in harvest is tobins/bags. be left on the orchard or placed in harvest bins/bags.

- Appropriate clean clothing and enclosed sturdy - Appropriate footwear clean shallclothing be worn. and enclosed sturdy footwear shall be worn.

- Any jewelery likely to be a hazard must be-removed.

Any jewelery likely to be a hazard must be removed.

- Where required clean footwear and sanitise - Where your hands required prior clean to leaving footwear andand entering sanitise Orchard. your hands prior to leaving and entering Orchard.

OPERATIONAL HYGIENE

OPERATIONAL HYGIENE

- Grazing of livestock under the canopy is prohibited - Grazing of during livestock harvest under or at the spraying canopy times. is prohibited during harvest or at spraying times.

- Animals must be kept away from harvest bins, - Animals including mustload be kept out away pads. from harvest bins, including load out pads.

- Any risk of contamination to product must- be Anyreported risk of contamination immediately. to product must be reported immediately.

SICKNESS REPORTING

PROVIDE FIRST AID, CALL 111 PROVIDE FIRST AID, CALL 111

SICKNESS REPORTING

- If you are feeling unwell, report it to your supervisor - If you are before feelingitunwell, becomes report an issue. it to your supervisor before it becomes an issue.

EVACUATE WORK SITE IF REQUIRED EVACUATE WORK SITE IF REQUIRED

LIST OF NEW LIST HAZARDS OF NEWFOUND HAZARDS ON FOUND SITE ON SITE DATE

Full Hazard Register Fulllocated HazardinRegister H & S folder located in dairy in H &shed.

S folder in dairy shed.

HAZARD HAZARD CONTROL CONTROL DATE

EMERGENCY EMERGENCY ASSEMBLY ASSEMBLY POINT POINT

IN THE EVENT IN THE OF EMERGENCY EVENT OF EMERGENCY OR SPILLAGE OR SPILLAGE

Ph: 07 323 66 M: 022 674 93 41 Liverpool St, Kawer kyle@nexussigns.co MANAGER: BAS OVERDEVST MANAGER: BAS OVERDEVST PH: PH: IF ANY ONE IS HURTIF ANY ONE IS HURT

PHONE AMBULANCE: 111PHONE AMBULANCE: 111 Advise - Location, Number Advise involved, - Location, Chemicals Number involved, Chemicals

FIRE INVOLVED

FIRE INVOLVED

PHONE FIRE SERVICE: 111PHONE FIRE SERVICE: 111 Advise - Location, NatureAdvise of incident, - Location, Type and Nature quantity of incident, of chemical Type and involved quantity of chemical involved

SPILLAGE INVOLVED SPILLAGE INVOLVED

Contain spillage, warn others, Contain advise spillage, H&S Manager warn others, if waterways advise H&S - Manager if waterways Land contaminated Land contaminated National Poison Centre National Poison Centre (03) 477 7000 (03) 477 7000

Ph: 07 323 6608 Ph: 07 323 6608 M: 022 674 9339 M: 022 674 9339 41 Liverpool St, Kawerau 41 Liverpool St, Kawerau kyle@nexussigns.co.nz kyle@nexussigns.co.nz

Page 42

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Expo eyes the future of effluent

Do it once, do it right is a great guiding philosophy. Waikato Regional Council’s latest Effluent Expo at the Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton on Tuesday, October 17 will help farmers wanting to upgrade their effluent systems to do just that.

The expo will have stands featuring a host of effluent management system suppliers and advisors, including those from the council.

They can help farmers get the best out of their effluent as a resource but also to be compliant with rules designed to protect the environment.

On the compliance front, the council is aware some farmers can be worried that, despite best efforts and considerable expenditure on upgrading systems, they might be forced to do it all over again at some stage as circumstances and rules change.

But the farming services team notes current rules are well-established and science-based, with future proposed rules outlined in the Proposed Plan Change 1 in the Waikato and Waipa rivers catchments.

Also, following some basics will help farmers future proof themselves regardless.

“The principles underlying effluent management rules align with current science,” says sustainable agriculture advisor Mark Gasquoine.

“This science shows that applying effluent to

“we make farming ezy”

The 2015 Effluent Expo at Mystery Creek was well attended by both farmers and exhibitors. pasture when soil moisture is at suitable levels has a relatively low environmental risk.

“So farmers can help future-proof their properties by having systems that provide for a low risk approach.”

Also, the dairy industry’s Farm Dairy Effluent Design Standard and Code of Practice has been put together to address questions that farmers generally have around future-proofing their effluent systems. It outlines the expectations for all aspects of effluent systems.

“Any effluent system that is designed to code standards is going to meet regional council requirements now and is likely to meet any near-future requirements,” says Mark.

“It’s great to see so many farmers making an effort to manage effluent better, but as a region we still have some way to go.”

This is borne out by the latest compliance statistics for the Waikato region based on monitoring of almost 1200 dairy farms.

While the vast number of farms rated in the three higher compliance categories, 24 per cent scored only partial compliance and nine per cent had significant non-compliance.

“The findings particularly re-inforce the need for farmers to ensure they have adequate storage to comply 365 days a year and this will continue to be a focus for our one-on-one work with farmers,” says farm services team leader Stuart Stone.

For more information visit www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/2017-effluent-expo/

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Page 43

Water tax scary proposal for primary producers Tax on water? That proposal has got to be the scariest thing any farmer has heard in a long while.

There has been a lot of discussion about these three words during recent weeks, including ownership of water. One spokesperson has estimated consented water users would contribute around $2 billion. Now the talk is that half will go to iwi and the other half will go towards fixing our polluted rivers and streams.

What an irresponsible shambles. Then I remembered – there is an election looming. I think this idea has got a lot more to do with election vote-grabbing than actually looking after rivers and streams.

Maybe more about getting townie votes at the expense of farmers being whipped with another stick.

A wild stab, which is all anyone is doing, is that only a quarter of that tax will be used for what it is intended.

put in place to mitigate these problems and where the farming industry is focusing their efforts, good progress is being made.

River and stream fencing, riparian planting on water edges and nutrient budgeting are among these.

A disturbing fact which has never been mentioned by media among all this noise is the cause of this pollution in our waterways.

Where did all this begin? In March this year, after the release of the Waikato Healthy Rivers Plan, I wrote a column titled ’Don’t blame the Farmers’. I still

Good progress

There is no longer any dispute that there is a problem with our rivers and streams and now the focus is on fixing the problem.

After studying the process

The government announced it will be pushing for minimal changes from the original TPP agreement with a TPP11 proposal due to go before trade officials from 11 countries at November’s APEC Conference in Vietnam.

“This is good news for the primary sector and all of New Zealand. Let’s get on with it and get it done,” says Federated Farmers’ national president Katie Milne.

“The TPP 11 will improve our country’s global competitiveness and

Outdated practices

Despite the pressure on farmers to clean up their act, these major NPK fertiliser companies are still piling on more phosphate and unstable nitrogen than the soil can handle. Old outdated soil and fertiliser practises are keeping these farms in a primitive state, reducing the soil’s ability to hold on to nutrients and water efficiently.

It’s time that the experts charged with the responsibility of our clean rivers’ future began addressing this issue and challenged these major fertiliser companies . This action alone will immediately mitigate the primary cause of our problems.

This direct action alone will make more progress than two to

Fertiliser application is part of the problem.

TPP agreement closer A long-awaited Trans Pacific Partnership agreement can’t come quick enough, and approval for a mandate to negotiate is good news says Federated Farmers.

stand by that comment.

The cause of excess phosphate and excess nitrate in our rivers is common sense yet it has never been mentioned. Farmers get all their fertiliser and nutrient advice from consultants who are appointed by the companies who sell the fertiliser.

market access. And it is encouraging all members are sticking together and continuing to move forward.”

One particularly attractive prospect is a trade deal with Japan – the third largest economy in the world.

“Japan is one of the major global economic powerhouses and their recent decision to apply a 50 per cent tariff on frozen beef to countries it doesn’t have a Free Trade Agreement with has further eroded New Zealand’s competitiveness and highlights the importance of securing an FTA,” says Katie.

“TPP11 will cut that tariff to just nine per cent and level the playing field.”

New Zealand, meanwhile, has been invited to co-chair a TPP11 ministerial meeting in Vietnam in November.

five years of taxes, collecting vast amounts of money to be wasted on bureaucrats to discover what we already know.

David Law specialises in balancing soils and reducing dependency on nitrogen while growing more grass.

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Page 44

Nutrient management with irrigation Precision agriculture technologies continue to push the limits and allow farmers to sustainably manage natural resources and reduce negative environmental impacts.

Lindsay Corporation, the manufacturers of Growsmart precision variable rate irrigation, has recently released new nutrient management tools giving farmers advanced control and reporting capabilities when applying nutrients through their Precision VRI system.

Denis Gavin of Lindsay Corporation says the exciting new features enable farmers to create irrigation plans to apply effluent, fertigation and/or chemigation to specific areas under an irrigator with Precision VRI technology.

“The intelligent system will automatically switch to a specified plan when the nutrients are being injected into the irrigation water line. This enables farmers to target resources to maximise yields, ensuring efficient use of inputs such as water and nutrients, yet preventing leaching and run-off.”

The Precision VRI technology individually pulses sprinklers on and off, while also controlling the irrigator speed to modify the application depth along the length of the irrigator. Control of the irrigator speed and individual valves allows the amount of water and nutrients applied to each area to be carefully regulated, optimising application efficiencies.

“As well as varying irrigation and nutrient application according to spatial variations in soil characteristics, Precision VRI can also be used to avoid irrigating over buildings, tracks, roads and non-productive The Growsmart Precision VRI system provides proof-of-placement reports which help farmers justify responsible nutrient application.

WE MAKE NUTRIENT APPLICATION THIS SIMPLE Growsmart® Precision VRI with FieldNET® now enables you to use your irrigation system to apply nutrients exactly where they are required, all while continuing to control the irrigation of your crops and pastures.

Individual, specific irrigation plans can be created for effluent, fertigation or chemigation. The innovative technology will automatically switch to the appropriate plan when the ingredient is injected into the irrigation water line. Proof-ofplacement application reports will ensure you meet regulatory requirements and help with future decision-making.

This amount of control makes improving the sustainability of your operation effortless, so you can spend less time in the field, giving you more time for what matters.

CALL YOUR LOCAL ZIMMATIC® DEALER TO MAKE IRRIGATION CHILD’S PLAY! ZIMMATIC, FIELDNET AND GROWSMART ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE LINDSAY CORPORATION. © 2017 LINDSAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

0800 438 627 growsmartvri.com

areas,” says Denis. Buffered avoidance zones can be placed around environmentally sensitive areas and waterways, which may be particularly prevalent for farmers choosing to apply effluent, fertigation or chemigation through their irrigator.

“As a company, Lindsay understands the expectation that farmers are under pressure to demonstrate they can manage natural resources responsibly – to the community, to government and to their neighbours.

“Proof-of-placement reports and analysing individual nutrients applied help farmers to justify responsible nutrient application. Growers can produce reports from a 24-hour period right up to an entire irrigation season which can also be helpful for future decision-making.”

Growsmart Precision VRI is compatible with centre pivots, laterals, pivoting laterals and reverse pivoting laterals. It can be installed on new irrigation systems or as an add-on to existing systems. For more information contact your local Growsmart by Lindsay dealer or visit www.growsmartvri.com Lindsay Corporation is a leading provider of automated mechanical move irrigation equipment and of transportation safety products.

The company manufactures and markets centrepivot, lateral-move and hose reel irrigation systems which are sold through its worldwide network of dealers. The Company’s Zimmatic, Growsmart and FieldNET brands are highly recognised for their quality and technological leadership.

Irrigation ‘good for the environment’ Irrigation is good for farming and for the environment, says Nick Pyke, CEO, Foundation for Arable Research. “This message needs to be made loud and clear. All we hear in the media is that irrigation is bad for the environment and that it is intensifying agriculture, which is also assumed to be bad.

“These messages that irrigation is bad are usually provided with little, if any, supporting scientific data.

While bad irrigation can result in excess nutrient loss, good irrigation can reduce nitrogen loss to groundwater and improve soil quality. It also has the potential to improve river flows, and reduce the risk of erosion.”

Nick says irrigation is a very effective tool to mitigate nitrogen loss through leaching. Irrigation ensures that the plant is actively growing and, if it is growing, it is relatively easy to i) work out the nutrient requirement of the plant for each stage of growth, ii) estimate the amount of nitrogen available from the soil and iii) apply the requisite amount of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, to meet the plant’s demand.

In many situations, extra nitrogen applied to dryland crops is not utilised due to unfavourable soil and growing conditions, leading to the potential for it to be leached by a rainfall event during, or at the end of, the growing season.

“Alongside good scientific data that illustrates the benefits of irrigation, we also need good scientific data that demonstrates its negative impacts so these impacts can be addressed. Using good quality scientific data to support irrigation management should result in increased stream flows, reduced water extraction from aquifers, reduced nitrogen leaching to ground water and reduced erosion, sediment and phosphate loss.”

MAIZE, SPRING PLANTING & CROPPING

Page 45

Cost-effective spring pasture options With farming costs consistently rising, it is hard for farmers to keep costs down yet maintain their productivity and profitability.

One key area of all farms’ expenditure is re-grassing and cropping. To maintain production levels, pastures need to be renewed regularly and forage crops sown to ensure an even, year-round feed supply says Riley O’Neill of Pastoral Improvements.

Pastoral Improvements aims to make re-grassing and cropping more cost-effective. To ease the cost of spring re-grassing and cropping programmes, the company has a full range of high performing pasture species that can provide valuable pasture feed – but at very cost effective prices.

“Two key products available from Pastoral Improvements this spring are Herbivore Chicory and Hercules Plantain. The use of Chicory and Plantain as summer forage crops has increased immensely in recent years thanks to these

species producing high levels of quality summer and autumn feed,” says Riley. ”Both Herbivore Chicory and Hercules Plantain produce long and fibrous root systems, allowing the plants to draw moisture and minerals from deep within the soil. Both varieties have very high feed quality and yield, contributing high trace element content and high levels of ME and protein to grazing animals.”

For farmers looking to repair and thicken up winter damaged pastures, Pastoral Improvements has a range of short to medium-term grass options.

“Contest Italian Ryegrass has extremely good establishment speed, enabling damaged pastures to be thickened up quickly, enabling paddocks to be grazed sooner. Marsden and Dual Hybrid Ryegrass offer quick establishment, high feed quality and increased persistency,” says Riley.

For more information on these and other varieties available from Pastoral Improvements visit www.pastoralimprovements.co.nz

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High performing pasture species can provide valuable pasture feed at cost effective prices.

Better information for maize growers The Maize Hybrid Performance Trial programme is now able to provide more valuable information on hybrid performance with the publication of the third edition of its results booklet.

This 2016/2017 edition is the first to include results from multiple sites and multiple years, providing more robust data and thus supporting better decision making for growers. FAR’s spokesperson on the Maize Technical committee, Allister Holmes, says the 2016/17 MPT book provides hybrid results as averages from three seasons, and up to eight separate trials.

“Results averaged over multiple seasons are more valuable than results from a single season as they show the hybrid’s ability to perform over seasons with different weather patterns. Ultimately, the most consistent performers will rise to the top of multiple year results. The

more trials a cultivar has been in, the more confidence can be taken from its reported performance.”

This year’s booklet reports on the results from six maize trial sites. Silage trials were hosted on farms at Tamahere and Gordonton in Waikato, Whakatane in Bay of Plenty, Ohakea in Rangatikei, Opiki in Manawatu and Lincoln in Canterbury; while maize grain trials were restricted to the Tamahere, Whakatane, Ohakea and Opiki sites.

The number of trial sites will increase to eight for the coming season, with two of the maize seed companies in the programme hosting, managing and harvesting MPT trials.

The Maize Hybrid Performance Trial results books are sent out to maize growers and are also available in the publications section of the FAR website.

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MAIZE, SPRING PLANTING & CROPPING

Page 46

Feed shortages could be a problem this season

Sean Cuff of Sean Cuff Contracting.

After a very wet autumn, many farmers are short of feed after their maize crops did not yield as much as they would have liked, says Sean Cuff of Sean Cuff Contracting Ltd. “This could put a pinch on farmers in the spring or over the summer months, especially if the weather gets dry and we don’t have a good grassgrowing season.

“So farmers who think they may be short need to be proactive in ordering spring bulk grass or bales as there is not going to be a lot around for sale.

This is because a lot of lease maize block didn’t get put back into grass, or only parts of them did, and

it will be first-in, first served,” says Sean.

Ground conditions at this stage are still very wet so it could be another late start to the cropping and grass silage season which will put a lot of stress on contractors as the window for doing the work gets shorter.

“It is very helpful if farmers book their work in a week or so out from when they want it done.”

Another thing for farmers to look at if it is going to be late start for maize planting is to change their maize hybrid to a shorter maturity, says Sean. This means the crop still comes off at a normal time at the other end and grass can be put back into paddocks nice and early so the farmer can get a good yield off it over the winter months.

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MAIZE, SPRING PLANTING & CROPPING

Flood hit farmer ‘wouldn’t be without’ maize silage In April 2017 you would have been excused for thinking Matt Went’s 240ha Papamoa property was a lake rather than a dairy farm.

The floods that ravaged the Bay of Plenty earlier this year following Cyclone Debbie hit the low-lying coastal farm particularly hard, with 95 per cent of the farm left underwater.

But despite the hand nature dealt them, the Wents only dried off three days earlier than their traditional date of May 15 – thanks to the strategic use of Pioneer maize silage.

Matt milks 920 cows on wife Marie’s family farm, with the herd producing around 395,000kg/MS. The System 5 farm is pasture-based with three main supplementary feeds added to the cows’ diet – Pioneer maize silage, palm kernel and kiwifruit.

Matt feeds 975 tonnes of maize silage annually, of which the majority is bought in from a local contractor; however, 12ha is grown on farm.

During the April flooding, Matt fed 5kg of maize silage per cow on the feed pad to get them through the critical period. They also consumed 4kg of palm kernel, and kiwifruit.

In addition to the maize silage already bought-in and grown on farm, Matt also purchased 600 tonnes of maize silage from his neighbour.

The ability to pick up 60-70ha of grazing nearby, in addition to the 50ha runoff, was also important.

“It was a big walk for the girls but the extra grazing was invaluable. They ate half their diet at the shed and half at the pasture, and we managed to get through.”

Matt has run the farm for the past six years and says the 2016/17 season was the hardest by far.

“We would have had to dry off a long time ago if we didn’t have that maize silage on hand. That 5kg was a big portion of their diet. We still averaged 455kg/MS/cow over the season.”

Matt says some farmers liked to save maize silage for milking but

he preferred to use it throughout the year, as required. “It’s great to have options on hand for getting condition on cows. It’s all about condition around here; the cows are fed to appetite all year round. If I’m not wasting

food on the feed pad or in the paddock, it’s worthwhile.

“Once you’ve used maize silage, you don’t like to be without it. We would definitely like to grow more maize on farm in the future.”

Matt Went – maize silage helped his cows keep milking despite extensive flooding of pasture.

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MAIZE, SPRING PLANTING & CROPPING

COMPLETE ORCHARD & SHELTER REMOVAL

Best-performing hybrids grown for NZ farmers

VPMaxx, New Zealand’s newest player on the maize seed market, began operations in June 2014 and is now experiencing significant growth throughout New Zealand.

James Creswell, brand manager of VPMaxx says the company’s hybrids are hand-selected from across North America, offering some of the best-performing maize silage and maize grain hybrids on the market.

“But although VPMaxx travels the world to bring Kiwi farmers the best maize hybrids, each hybrid is vigorously trialled and tested right here in New Zealand, proven to perform in New Zealand conditions,” he says.

“What’s more, every bag of seed is grown and produced in Poverty Bay by Kiwis, for Kiwis.”

The company is represented in

VPMaxx staff members Barry Smallridge (left) and James Creswell inspecting a crop of VP432 for grain. all maize-growing regions across the North Island, with staff on hand to offer advice on everything maize from growing and agronomy, to feeding and farm systems.

“VPMaxx embraces modern technology and brings only the best to its customers – the best products, the best people, and the best ideas. It aims to help New Zealand maize growers achieve

more with the same or less inputs, thanks to high-performing genetics.

“And with a second-to-none customer focus and an ethical and transparent operation, it’s no wonder VPMaxx brand seed is the maize brand that everyone is talking about.”

To find out more visit www.vpmaxx.co.nz

Port wins biosecurity award The Port of Tauranga has been recognised for its work in preventing biological and biochemical incursions at this year’s New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

Out of 43 nominations only 11 awards were handed out, with the port’s Biosecurity Operational Excellence initiative receiving the industry award.

Port of Tauranga is New Zealand’s busiest and fastest growing port, handling more than 22 million tonnes of cargo annually. It is also the only port in the country to process over a million containers in a year.

As one of the busiest gateways to the country, biosecurity is a key part of operations and requires collaboration to prevent incursions. The Port of Tauranga works with Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Customs, industry groups and stakeholders such as Bay of Plenty Regional Council to protect the Bay from new pests.

In 2014 the Operational Excellence Initiative was introduced with the help of Kiwifruit Vine Health to

encourage everyone who works around the Port of Tauranga to play a part in keeping pests out of New Zealand. The initiative further extended the partnership to include the freight and logistics sector as well as local residents living near the port.

Greg Corbett, biosecurity manager for Bay of Plenty Regional Council, explains that New Zealand’s best defence against incursions is everyone working together and the initiative is the perfect example of how effective collaboration can be.

“This proactive approach has created a community of more than 10,000 people working together on the frontline to protect New Zealand. They’re a key part of our biosecurity team and the results speak for themselves”.

Key elements of the initiative included biosecurity training for all port workers, targeted awareness campaigns for key pests and investment in surveillance, research and new technology to improve biosecurity performance.

The Operational Excellence initiative is also committed to sharing its learnings with other ports and the creation of a national model.

MAIZE, SPRING PLANTING & CROPPING

Page 49

New partner joins company “David worked for me last year and was keen to buy a share in the business,” says George who, at 63, reckons the timing is ideal as he’s keen to slow down.

“It’s time for some new blood. I hadn’t been trying to grow the business but now we will. My son Nick is also working for the company.”

As well as experience working for the contracting company, David’s background includes dairying on a large farm so he is well aware what farmers need in terms of service and quality from their contractors.

The Ohauiti-based company has bought a round baler and a round combination baler to add to its square baler, two loader wagons plus other machinery for the wide range of contracting work it carries out.

This includes baling, making balage hay, pit silage, cultivation, direct drilling, mowing, track maintenance, forage harvesting, discing, parks and reserves maintenance, earth moving, land clearing and development, root raking, mulching and windrowing.

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After 17 years as owner and operator of d’Emden contracting Ltd, George d’Emden has sold a half-share in the well-known agricultural contracting company to David Kehely and restructured into d’Emden Contracting 2017 Ltd.

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David Kehely and George d’Emden are now joint owners of d`Emden Contracting 2017 Ltd. The company also has tractors and log trailers set up to tow logs from hard-to-access forestry sites to the logging trucks.

“This saves the forestry companies the time and expense of building roads, and our tractors are up to WorkSafe standards, including being fitted with bullet-proof glass,” says George. In one recent ninehour day, the d’Emden team moved enough logs to fill 15 truck and trailer units

Three scientists nominated for KuDos awards Three University of Waikato scientists are finalists in this year’s KuDos awards, held to celebrate science in the Waikato. Associate professor Karin Bryan from Earth and Ocean Sciences primarily researches sediments and nutrients in coastal environments in New Zealand and overseas. She is a finalist in the Waikato Regional Council Environmental Science category. Dr James Neale is a senior

research fellow and leader of the engineering energy research group, a team investigating industrial energy efficiency, process efficiency plant reliability and GHG emission reductions, mostly in the dairy and pulp and paper sectors. He’s a finalist in the Engineering Science category, while Dudley Bell, Team Leader (Aquatic) in the School of Science, has been nominated in the Science Manager category for

his work in marine, freshwater, behavioural and Antarctic science, supporting graduate and staff research, developing resources and facilitating and managing the vocational aspirations of a large group of technical staff across biological disciplines. Winners will be announced at the KuDos Awards Gala Dinner, September 28 at Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton.

FOR SUSTAINABLE PROFIT

FOR SUSTAINABLE PROFIT FOR SUSTAINABLE PROFIT

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FORESTRY

Sustainable forestry role important for region A new forestry science and education partnership has been created in the central North Island with the establishment of a new Chair of Sustainable Forestry at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

Creation of the role is a collaboration between Toi Ohomai and Rotorua-based Crown research institute Scion. The chair will be based at both the Toi Ohomai and Scion campuses.

Professor Linton Winder, academy leader for primary industries, science and the environment, Toi Ohomai, says a key purpose of the role is leading the development of a Centre of Excellence for Forestry for the region and New Zealand as a whole.

“The opportunity for Toi Ohomai to work with Scion to meet the needs of our region is fantastic.

Scion is a global leader in forestry and wood technology and we look forward to building a stronger relationship with them to meet the needs of our industry.”

For Scion, this partnership between the two institutes will strengthen its links with relevant tertiary institutions throughout New Zealand and cement Scion’s position as a key player in the Bay of Connections economic development plan.

The first appointment to the chair is Scion’s Dr Tim Payn, principal scientist and research leader economics, ecosystems and climate.

Tim took up his role as Professor of Sustainable Forestry in August for a term of three years.

In addition to championing a new Centre of Excellence for Forestry, he will facilitate collaborative

student-based research projects between the two institutes, continue to conduct his internationally-recognised research, and contribute to teaching programmes at Toi Ohomai.

Tim says he is very much looking forward to making links between Toi Ohomai’s student programmes and Scion’s scientists and technologists.

“This is an exciting opportunity to get some of the really new advances in forestry in front of the next generation of foresters and help future-proof the sector both regionally and nationally.”

Tim has a background in soil science and has specialised in research on sustainable forest management. He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry and is heavily involved in global efforts to support sustainable forest management. He currently chairs the 12 Country Montreal Process Technical Advisory Committee which supports policy aimed at defining and measuring sustainable practice. He is also vice chair of the Engagement Committee of Future Earth, a global sustainability initiative.

Dr Tim Payn has been appointed Chair of Sustainable Forestry at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

Environmental forestry standard for plantations introduced The introduction of a National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry is vitally needed for better environmental outcomes, according to Forest Owners.

The government has released the NES to bring in a standard set of environment regulations for plantation forests.

The regulations cover eight forestry activities including re-afforestation, earthworks, harvesting, quarrying and installing stream crossings.

Forest Owners Environment Committee chair Peter Weir says for some operators, the NES will require a step up in the quality of their harvesting, erosion and sediment control and forest road construction.

It has taken eight years to get the NES through to implementation to resolve the lack of consistency, and too much complexity, between different regional and district council rules for forestry, he says.

“We’ve had forest blocks straddling local body boundaries and have had to comply with different sets of sometimes contradictory rules in building roads and harvesting the trees. It’s made no sense on the ground.

“And it’s been expensive and frustrating for our industry, and for environmental advocates for that matter,

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to frequently have to work through the same issues time and again in plan changes with multiple regional councils.

“Looking forward, the NES means large areas of erosion-prone farmland will effectively become off-limits for plantation forestry. The NES specifies these areas can now only be planted with a council resource consent and it’ll be subject to a detailed risk assessment.”

Peter believes the NES will direct investment into planting in more stable landscapes, meaning a much reduced risk of slopes failing in storms after harvest and thus fewer debris flows downstream.

He also predicts the NES will increase forest roading and harvesting standards.

“We know there is currently too wide a range in the quality of forest engineering. Harvesting is the most expensive stage of forestry and for some owners and contractors in the past the temptation to cut corners was too great.

“If there is heavy rain then we read about the result in the newspapers.

“NES has made it much clearer what the expected standard is, although for some forests, especially small blocks, costs will increase.

“The next step I would like to see is that some aspects of the standards are extended across all land users, from agriculture to government departments, including stream crossings in the DoC estate.”

DAIRY

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Environment awards open Organisers of the prestigious Ballance Farm Environment Awards are encouraging farmers and growers to consider entering the 2018 awards.

Entry is now open for the awards, organised by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust to promote land stewardship by showcasing sustainable farming.

NZFE national judging coordinator Andrea Hanna says all farmers and horticulturists, including orchardists, vegetable growers and viticulturists, are eligible to enter.

The awards operate within 11 regions, following regional council boundaries, each with their own judging timetable. Winners are announced at an awards dinners in early 2018.

Supreme winners of the 2017 Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards are Jared and Sue Watson who milk 282 dairy cows in the Waiotahe Valley near Whakatane which is prone to frequent flooding.

The Watson also won the Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management Award, LIC Dairy Farm Award and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environment Award 2.

awards has been a great journey.

The judging process was a chance to look at our farm through other people’s eyes and question what we are doing and how we do things.

“You start to look at the little things and the beautiful things and how you can enhance them. It’s about perception, especially from the front gate, working on beautifying things, to create a beautiful space – we (farmers) have got to change how people perceive us.”

Andrea says most people participate because they want high quality feedback from independent rural professionals which they can use to improve their business.

“It’s not just targeted at top farmers. Every farmer should take the opportunity to enter.”

Free to enter

The awards prove good farming practices and sound business management go hand in hand. Farmers who participate in the awards programme are also encouraged to share ideas and innovations with

the wider farming community.

Entering the awards takes about two minutes by completing a simple form, available online at www.bfea.org.nz It costs nothing to enter and the awards programme offers excellent educational opportunities for any farmer and grower who is interested in improving the sustainability of their farming business, including key social, economic and environmental outcomes.

The judging teams have a wide range of skills and look at all parts of the farming business. Judging is conducted in a relaxed and friendly manner and climatic factors are taken into account.

Providing the entrant agrees to be involved, people are able to nominate another farming or growing business they feel is worthy or may be interested in the awards programme.

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Award winners Jared and Sue Watson, dairy farm in the Waiotahe Valley.

Overwhelmed at taking the supreme title, Jared says neither he nor Sue expected to win when they entered. “Taking part in the

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Disbudding regulation delay ridiculous Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy and his MPI cohorts are failing NZ farmers and NZ’s reputation once again.

Given that many of the new animal welfare reforms are long overdue, MPI’s pencil-pushing policy makers have failed once again to get off their concrete-seated backsides in Wellington and put in place ‘best practice disbudding regulations’ within a sensible timeframe.

Farmers expected the requirement for use of pain relief to become compulsory, preferably this season or, at the latest, in 2018. A study of pain in cattle in 2012 states that disbudding without some form of pain relief is the near equivalent of ‘breaking a calf’s leg or 7/10 on the pain scale’. Considerably more pain than being carelessly mishandled. So Mr Guy has designated that it will take three years to embed this process.

Absolute bollocks!

Training can take place in a matter of hours and processes for legal use of the Restricted Veterinary Medicine can be simply completed. Vets all use anaesthetic, as do the best contractors in the industry. The cost to use anaesthetic is minimal.

Overseas buyers are demanding our dairy companies make this a compulsory requirement. However up to 50 per cent of calves are still disbudded without any pain relief.

No doubt Mr Guy’s conscience is clear with the fact that hundreds of thousands of calves will feel the pain equivalent of a broken leg because of his complete lack of empathy and insight. I wonder why bobby calf pens are so much more important? Most would be appalled by this and many vets and good farmers are calling on this to be immediately rectified.

B Warren, Farmer BOP.

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DAIRY

Page 52

Prepare now for summer crops The days are getting longer and soil temperatures are gradually rising – all of which means it’s time for sowing summer crops.

By now most farmers will have selected which paddocks to use. As part of preparation, taking individual paddock soil tests at 150mm depth instead of the usual 75mm for pasture, is worth doing.

Those tests will quickly show any

nutrients which may be lacking and may reveal some of the reasons those paddocks may not have produced well in the past.

It may be that the pH needs addressing or potash and magnesium levels may be down. In most cases levels of phosphate will be fine. Given the wet winter we’ve had, sulphur levels may be down and drainage issues may also need addressing.

Some farmers may be planning to plant maize this season in paddocks which next autumn will be converted to new kiwifruit orchards after contouring and if that’s the case, cropping is an ideal way to help prepare the land.

Best varieties

Once the soil’s nutrient needs have been sorted, contact your seed merchant or rep to discuss the best maize varieties or forage crop seeds for your location and requirements. You might want to plant a maize which matures a little earlier or even later and there is plenty of choice now with modern breeds which have improved yields and are less susceptible to diseases and drought.

Once soil temperatures reach around 14 degrees and rising, it’s time to get the seed in but if potash has been applied, don’t forget to allow seven days before sowing seeds to prevent burning of the young emerging roots, especially if it turns dry.

Spend time and money on weed control too as there’s no point in doing everything else right if weeds are going to rob your plants of nutrients and moisture.

It’s also vital to keep your contractors in the loop regarding your plans so they can fit you into their schedule and be available when you want them.

Speaking of contractors, farmers should expect to pay a little more for their services this season. Contractors have kept their prices down to assist farmers

ST CHOICE

while dairy prices have been depressed.

Contractors I have spoken to say they can’t continue to remain in business at prices which are at the best break even, and worse, below cost otherwise they may not be there when you need them.

Inflation may be low but contractors are hit with costs of imported fuel, tyres and the replacement costs of machinery. The costs of leasing land for cropping is also going up, in some cases fuelled by land converting to kiwifruit.

If farmers want their contractor there for the long term, it’s time to show support in accepting a modest increase in charges.

On that note the cost of maize is also looking like going up as low prices, low yields and rising costs are hurting feed supply companies too.

Maize is likely to be even more important this season as Fonterra keeps a close eye on and monitors the amount of PKE fed to cows, with residues showing up in their milk. Maize is low in protein and high in starch so makes a good mix to help dilute the high protein in PKE, so helps to keep levels down.

Turn dry

It might not seem like it – but things have to turn dry at some stage and when they do, grass protein content will go up as pasture becomes more mature which is also when you need to supplement with PKE but this is more than likely to also be when you will have an issue with feeding high levels of PKE. So you will need to reduce PKE intake and supplement with low protein grass or maize silage to help stay within Fonterra’s guidelines. We have bulk grass silage available now for stacking on farm and are taking orders for maize silage as well for the coming season.

So get your contract in early to avoid missing out, as there is limited supply as demand will be up. So as I say plan for the worst and hope for the best.

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DAIRY

Page 53

Untapped potential of Chilean dairy industry Earlier this year I was invited by a Chilean-based fertiliser company called Bayovar Fosfato to present a series of talks to farmer groups, consultants, vets and agronomists there on the benefits of Reactive Phosphate Rock fertilisers.

Bayovar has its own phosphate mine in Peru in the Sechura desert, although the P content of this is lower than most RPR fertilisers, being around 7.5 per cent total P, but it is highly reactive at around 50 per cent Citric Solubility.

Ballance in New Zealand imported this product a couple of years ago and I was very happy to recommend it to clients because of its high reactivity, meaning it should all work over two to three years.

It is far better than the BG4 product Ballance and Ravensdown have been selling to their clients the past 12 months which will take 20-30 years to fully work.

It is unfortunate that Ballance has not continued importing this Sechura as Bayovar had a contract with them to supply 80,000 tonnes, but only around 30,000 tonnes was ever purchased.

Bayovar also have the marketing rights for a 13 per cent P Sechura RPR in Chile which has a higher cadmium level than what is allowed here in New Zealand but still has excellent agronomic properties.

The area Bayovar is based in Chile is around Osorno which is about 1000km south of Santiago on a similar latitude to Wellington and is right in the heart of the main Chilean dairying and beef-producing region.

what our cows do, but there is a lot of grain and silage added into the diet.

Since a lot of dairying supplies the fresh milk market, most farms milk all year round and are not seasonal. Labour efficiency is not great, and one farm I visited milking 400 cows had 17 staff on the farm.

pick up RPR very well, and they were interested in looking at other methods such as the Bray, Resin and Mehlich tests which are more suitable for acidic

Robin Boom CPAg, Member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists, phone 027 444 8764.

Expensive lime

Soil fertility advice, like here in New Zealand, is largely driven by companies selling products, with triple super being the main phosphate fertiliser used which is imported from China or Mexico.

Sechura RPR is becoming increasingly popular through the efforts of Bayovar, as one of the main limiting factors to pasture production is aluminium toxicity which can be mitigated with the liming effect of RPR. Lime itself is very expensive in Chile since it needs to be trucked in from Argentina over the Andes.

Some farmers who used RPR commented that they observed a better response to RPR than Triple super, and I told them that is was probably not a P response they observed, but rather the liming value in reducing aluminium toxicity. Potassium and magnesium levels are generally okay, but sulphur and the trace elements boron and zinc are common deficiencies.

Length debate

Herbage testing is unfortunately very rare, and for soil tests, I had some interesting discussions as to how deep samples should be taken. The standard soil depth Progressive farming in Chile on pasture is Progressive farmers over there have adopted a lot 100mm which is the of New Zealand grazing management practices, use same depth the AustralNew Zealand pasture cultivars and with a similar ians use and which I also climate and rainfall to what we have here, there is do, as I think it is better potential for them to produce as much per hectare than the standard New as what we do. The soils in this region are volcanicbased, with deep topsoils, and most of it is flat or easy Zealand depth of 75mm.

However the profesrolling in contour. sor of soils at the local There is still quite a lot of land which is unfertilised university there advocates and not well-managed which has huge potential. A 200mm sampling, and big New Zealand based syndicate of farmers called I had a lengthy debate Manuka currently farms 23,000ha milking more than with him on the pros and 50,000 cows, and over the next few years hopes to cons of this. Like in New grow to 40,000ha milking 100,000 cows.

Zealand, the Olsen P test Fonterra subsidiary Soprole is one of three main dairy companies operating there, the other two being is the standard phosphate Nestle and a local Chilean co-operative called Colun. test used, which is an issue for Bayovar as the Most of the dairy products and beef produced is Olsen P test does not for the local market, and the size and quality of the steaks are massive compared to what we are used to.

I would imagine vegans would find dining there a bit of a challenge.

The average cow in Chile produces about double

Robin Boom

soils, and which other South American countries use.

CPAg MBSPC

Independent Agronomy & Soil Fertility Consultant

GRUNDFOS ®

Phone: 07 362 8433

DAIRY

Page 54

Why cost isn’t the most important factor The old saying that ‘cost is soon forgotten with only performance remembered’ has endured for generations because it contains a large element of truth, and it applies to fertiliser as much as it does to any other consumable.

The mainstream fertiliser industry and associated consultancy groups adhere to the least-cost-per-unit-ofnutrient model in a futile attempt to protect what is being increasingly viewed as an outdated and inefficient industry.

It makes the assumption that it doesn’t matter in what form nutrient is applied, as long as what is removed is replaced. What hasn’t been factored in are accurate

measures of the outcomes of nutrient applied in different forms, and farmers are being short-changed as a result.

False assumption

The least-cost model is logical.

However, because it is based on a false assumption, the outcomes are far from the best available. It’s important to bear in mind that local scientists have reported that intensively grazed permanent pasture has been losing carbon over the past 30 years in parts of New Zealand, with a corresponding decline in pasture production.

If the least-cost model is the best available why does it not apply to tractors, grasses and animals? If the logic holds as long as it has four wheels and starts when wanted, the cheapest will do, the same can be applied to both animals and pasture plants.

The weakness in the argument comes when performance and longevity are also considered. The cheapest may provide adequate initial performance, but not for any length of time, and the residual value is low. Pinching pennies has never been a philosophy of those that have accumulated genuine wealth over time.

Heavy metal content

With regard to imported phosphorus, the cheapest on the market is what is not wanted or less favoured by other countries, often due to its heavy metal content.

There are areas in this country where the cadmium concentration of the soil now makes them unsuit-

able for vegetable production.

Historically the least-cost model made perfect sense.

New Zealand farming was in a development phase.

Pastures responded to both phosphorus and sulphur, and single superphosphate – the product manufactured here, was the obvious answer. However, things change over time.

The advent of alternative milk and laboratory-produced meat means the future of New Zealand’s pasture-based industry will be in producing top-end, high-value products. Those customers who are already prepared to, and capable of, paying more, want to know where their food has come from, and how it’s been produced.

Feeding the world by supplying low-value commodity products will not pay the bills, now or in future. The cost of production is steadily climbing, and for those with debt, budgets remain tight, even with the recent increase in dairy product

returns.

Driving down the cost of production at farm level, as one of the largest corporate dairy enterprises is currently doing, will put more funds in the bank account in the short-term, but it remains a stop-gap measure.

Way forward

By adopting soil fertility programmes that provide steadily increasing pasture production, there will continue to be a way forward.

These programmes may not be cheaper; however they often are and provide real financial gains by reducing the necessity for bought-in feed, markedly cutting animal ill-health costs, and the requirement for costly pasture renewal.

The carbon story is one to still fully unfold. The measures to date show that the lift in pasture and total farm production comes with an increase in soil-held carbon, potentially a future income source rather than an unwelcome tax.

For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

Fish & Game salutes farming pledge Fish & Game has applauded the pledge by Federated Farmers to make all New Zealand rivers swimmable.

The pledge was launched on the banks of the Ngaruroro River in Hawke's Bay, by Federated Farmers president Katie Milne, representing an informal grouping of pastoral farming leaders that was established in May this year.

Fish & Game Chief Executive Bryce Johnson says; “we welcome with open arms this statement – and a frank admission from farming leaders that the industry has not always got it right.”

Fish & Game agrees wholeheartedly with the comments that the pledge is ambitious but “simply the right thing to do.”

“We at Fish & Game have spent some years calling for this sort of stand and action from farming leaders, and dairying in particular.”

Some real steps have been taken in the form of measures like fencing off waterways, to prevent cattle from fouling streams and rivers.

“This new commitment puts farming leaders in step with the community at large. Now need to see concrete details. In other words, the industry putting its money where its mouth is.”

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DAIRY

Farmer confidence ‘good for nation’ The Federated Farmers July Farm Confidence Survey shows there’s a spring in the step of those who work the land.

The responses to the Research First survey from nearly 800 farmers show the highest level of confidence in current general economic conditions since 2014. Dairy and arable farmers are the most optimistic looking forward and all regions are demonstrating more optimism compared to the last survey, in January this year.

Compared to 12 months ago, the proportion of farms making a profit has doubled (55.4 per cent versus 27 per cent in July 2016). Notably, the percentage of all farms making a loss has substantially decreased by a factor of four (9.6 per cent in July 2017 compared to 42.5 per cent in July 2016), particularly within dairy and ‘other’ farm groups (goats, rural butchers, high country, bees), and those farms based in the Auckland-Northland and Otago-Southland regions.

Federated Farmers economics and trade spokesperson Andrew Hoggard

says this is consistent with strong recovery in commodity prices and farm incomes since mid-2016 for most farm produce, and the continued absence of farm expense inflation.

Good news for the nation and the provinces is that a net 32.3 per cent of farmers expect their farm production to increase over the coming 12 months (up 16 points on the January survey) and a net 19.1 per cent expect their on-farm spending to increase over the coming 12 months (up 17 points on January), Andrew says.

A net 35.9 per cent of farmers expect to be able to retire some farm debt over the next year but on the downside, a net 25.6 per cent say it has been harder to find skilled and motivated staff this year.

"The survey showed the biggest concern for farmers is regulation and compliance costs, which has leapfrogged over farm gate and commodity prices (now in second place). The public perceptions of farming is third on the list of concerns and the environment is fourth."

Andrew says the survey shows

The truth is in the telling A farmer named Clyde had a tractor accident. In court, the trucking company's fancy hot-shot lawyer was questioning Clyde. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'?" asked the lawyer.

Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favourite cow, Bessie, into the..."

"I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted.

"Just answer the question, ...please. Did you, or did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?"

Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer behind the tractor and I was driving down the road...."

The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Your Honour, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the highway patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."

By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favourite cow, Bessie".

Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded. "Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favourite cow, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my John Deere tractor right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other.

I was hurting, real bad and didn't want to move.

However, I could hear old Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.

“Shortly after the accident a highway patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her fatal condition, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the patrolman came across the road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, "How are you feeling?"

"Now tell me, what the heck would you say?"

that farmers rate reducing regulation and compliance costs as the highest priority for the government, followed by the economy and business environment, gaining reelection, and biosecurity.

Page 55

RURAL DRIVER

Page 56

‘Charging-up’ at home preferred by EV owners Despite being a shift from a decades-old tradition of ‘filling up at the petrol station’, more than 92 per cent of electric vehicle owners now prefer to charge-up at home.

Most of the remaining eight per cent consider charging at home as the same amount of effort as going to a petrol station. This is the finding of the latest poll by Flip the Fleet, a citizen science collaboration of New Zealand electric vehicle owners that have signed up to share data from their cars’ dashboards each month.

The poll found that EV drivers

find home charging fast, reliable, clean and easily integrated into their daily routines – significantly different from a common perception that electric vehicles are a hassle to keep ‘topped-up’.

Respondents put it these ways: “Busy life, don't want detours, but one always drives home!” Another said “The whole act of filling up is so time-consuming – getting into the car, driving to the station, filling up, paying... it’s like the old days of having to go to the Post Office to make a telephone call”.

Daily routines

Home charging quickly becomes a habit and refuelling your EV integrates seamlessly into your daily routines. “It’s just as easy as

charging my phone each night”. “It just becomes a way of life to plug in most nights”. Other respondents to the survey said: “It charges automatically while we sleep”.

Sigurd Magnusson from the Wellington EV Owners Group is a contributor to the Flip the Fleet project that conducted the survey.

“EV owners particularly enjoy not having to interrupt their drive home or make a special trip to a petrol station. The lack of fumes and hazardous substances makes refuelling with electricity a more pleasant experience.

“Nor do they have to dig around for a discount voucher or credit card – home-charging means you just get one automatic bill at the end of the month – which, in a

way, is interest-free credit for up to a month.

“There are no snacks to tempt the kids, no waiting for a bowser, and no queues of people getting coffees – making the whole process take 15 seconds rather than 15 minutes. And that means 15 minutes more to do what you enjoy,” he says.

Reduces costs

Apart from being more convenient, home charging also helps EV owners to significantly reduce their family’s transport costs. Thirty-five percent of 310 electric vehicles being monitored

by Flip the Fleet use a timer to charge between 11pm and 7am when the price

of electricity is much lower. “That’s also better for New Zealand – we need to reduce electricity demand in the morning and evening peak periods if we are to reduce the amount of coal and gas used to make electricity.”

Many EV owners also have solar panels at home so home charging gives them even cheaper travel.

Forty percent of users charge their cars using standard (8 amp) household plugs. Slightly more (43 per cent) have installed higher capacity (15 and 16 amp) plugs, mostly ‘Commando’ caravan plugs, at home to enable faster charging.

Faster option

The remaining 17 per cent have opted for the more convenient and usually faster option of building in a wall-mounted specialised charging equipment in their garage. Many owners carry both an 8 amp and 16 amp charging lead in their boot as extra insurance, or to top up their battery when visiting far away friends.

“It’s all pretty hassle free and reliable.”

Flip the Fleet is a citizen science project that provides scientifically reliable information on the benefits and constraints of electric vehicles in New Zealand. The project is partly funded

by MBIE’s ‘Curious Minds’ portfolio through Otago Museum. Participation is free and all New Zealand’s electric vehicle owners can enrol at www.flipthefleet.org

Awards category for electric cars Electric vehicles have their own category for the first time in the 2017 New Zealand Car of the Year awards.

While EVs aren’t new to the New Zealand Car of the Year line up with the BMW i3 taking top honours in 2015, this year organisers have moved to create a new category to reflect the increasing numbers available and growing market interest.

New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild President Robert Barry says the inclusion of an EV category is timely.

“It reflects not only the growing market but also that this technology is

becoming a more affordable and reliable mobility solution for the New Zealand motorist.”

The New Zealand Car of the Year is in two parts.

The Car of the Year award which is selected from a top 10 list of finalists chosen by a panel in October. To be eligible, the car must have been released in the New Zealand market between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017.

The Best in Class awards are selected from any new car on sale now in each category.

This means a make and model released in previous years could beat out a

newer car in its class. For example, the Ford Ranger was selected winner of the Best Utility class for the last five years.

The safest car for 2017 will also be announced at the December 12 event based on Australasian New Car Assessment Programme crash test results.

The New Zealand Car of the Year People’s Choice award will also be announced on December 12.

From November 1, the public will have a chance to vote for one of the top 10 finalists on the AA’s website and earn a chance to win a nine-day Pacific islands cruise for two.

RURAL DRIVER

All the bells and whistle at an affordable price Mahindra’s diesel seven-seater SUV is as good as it gets, says Andy Lawson of Transport Maintenance Ltd. “Available as front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the Mahindra is a great family wagon.

It has the luxury of leather seats and all the electronics you would expect in a car twice the price.”

The power comes from a 2.2 litre DOHC, common rail, turbo-charged, intercooled

diesel engine. Reports from customers have claimed nearly 1000km from its 70-litre fuel tank. Andy says this SUV has plenty of power to overtake or tow a caravan or trailer.

“Driving the Mahindra is a pleasure.

Comfortable seating, six-speed automatic gear box, good vision and a smooth ride are standard. The XUV 500 has Sat Nav and Bluetooth as standard, cruise control, reversing camera, excellent stereo, with charging ports and USB inputs.”

Andy says even he could work out the controls without having to get a teenager to explain them. When compared to the competition, the Mahindra XUV 500 stacks up in every way. Andy reckons the Indians have done a great job with this car, a really nice SUV, with all the bells and whistles at a very affordable price.

Alcohol interlocks put brakes on drivers Alcohol interlocks becoming a mandatory sentence is one of the most significant blows against drink-driving in New Zealand’s history, says the Automobile Association motoring affairs general manager Mike Noon.

“Alcohol interlocks are the best weapon we have to keep drink-drivers off the road but, until now, they’ve been sitting in the holster.

“The law has now finally been changed to make it mandatory for the highest risk drink-drivers to have to get an interlock put in their vehicle. That is going to mean less drink-drivers getting back behind the wheel, less crashes and less lives lost.

“One third of the deaths on our roads right now involve alcohol and we have to do more to stop them.”

The government’s Land Transport Amendment Bill that has now passed into law will make alcohol interlocks a mandatory sentence for repeat drink-drivers or those caught at very high levels of intoxication.

Alcohol interlocks are like an in-car breathalyser that requires the driver to do tests before and during a car

trip. If the driver has any alcohol in their system the car will not start.

About 10,000 drink drivers eligible for an interlock normally appear in courts each year but under the previous sentencing system only a few hundred were receiving an interlock sentence.

Even so, in 2016 the less than 400 interlocks currently active in New Zealand stopped a driver affected by alcohol being able to start their car 2124 times.

“The AA is going to be closely monitoring the number of drink-drivers receiving interlocks from 2018. If we can get at least 5000 offenders a year having an interlock put in their vehicle it’s going to likely prevent tens of thousands of attempts to drink and drive,” says Mike.

International evaluations have found alcohol interlocks reduce reoffending by an average of 60 per cent and in the Australian state of Victoria interlocks have stopped someone affected by alcohol driving more than 250,000 times since they were introduced in 2003.

“The AA praises the government for striking another blow against drink-driving.”

Page 57 The Mahindra XUV 500.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 58

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September 1

Daffodil Show,

11.30am-3.30pm, Campbell Hall, Canada St, Morrinsville, gold coin entry.

September 2-3

Plant Sale, 10am-4pm, Hamilton Gardens.

September 3

Western Bay Camellia Show, 1-3pm, Bob Owens

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Retirement Village, 112 Carmichael Rd, Bethlehem (Tauranga).

Permaculture Design Process, Waikato Environment Centre, Hamilton, $109. See www. envirocentre.org.nz

September 4

Restoring a Local Treasure: McGregors

Wetland, talk by coastal scientist Jim Dahm, 7pm, Moon Hair Salon, Coromandel town, gold coin.

September 4-15

Permaculture Design Course, Koanga Institute,

Wairoa, $1900 (includes all meals). See www.koanga. org.nz

September 9

Rotorua Botanical Society Field Trip, Galatea Foothills.

Ph Sarah 07 345 5912/021 924 476.

Drawing Property Designs by Hand, 9.30am-3.30pm, with Trish Waugh, Whakamarama (near Tauranga), $65. See www.plentypermaculture. co.nz

September 9-10

National Daffodil Show (North

Island), Showgrounds Events Centre, Gisborne.

Women’s Self-defence, 10am-4.30pm, Wintec, Hamilton, free. Register at tinyurl.com/y9ophrbe

September 15-16

Wairoa Orchid Show. Ph 06

838 6331.

September 16

Ferment, Preserve, Pickle,

9am-4pm, Pakaraka Farm, Thames, $140. See www. pakarakafarm.co.nz/education

September 19

Free Home Composting Workshop, noon-1pm,

Gisborne, includes a free compost bin (1 per household). To register ph 06 867 4708.

Friends of Hamilton Gardens AGM, 7pm, Hamilton Gardens, free. Guest speaker: Sandra Simpson on Paradise Gardens of Iran.

September 22-24 Tauranga Orchid Show,

10am-4pm, Greerton Racecourse, $3 (adults).

Massed plant display, plants for sale, repotting demonstrations, cafe, raffles.

Managing a House Cow, Tirau, hands-on milking and processing of milk, $250/$400 per couple. See www.lals.nz

September 23

October 1

October 4-8

Workshop, 1-3.30pm, Historic Village, Tauranga, $34.50 (take home a starter pack worth $180).

Puna Quarry Park (off SH2 north of Tauranga), free.

Garden, Plant & Orchid Extravaganza, 10am-4pm, Hamilton Gardens, free.

www.tulipfestrotorua.co.nz

Worm Composting

September 24

BOP Bee Interest Group meeting at 2pm.

Contact Gordon 0275442882 or email bopbeekers@gmail.com

September 25-27 Biointensive Gardening,

Koanga Institute, Wairoa, $600. See tinyurl.com/j5fbbj7

September 28

Waikato Horticultural Society: Clivias, 7.30pm,

Hamilton Gardens (Gate 2).

Visitors $5.

September 28-29 Growing Nutrient-dense Food, Koanga Institute,

Wairoa, $320. See tinyurl. com/j5fbbj7

September 29-30

Grazing Workshop, Koanga

Institute, Wairoa, $380. See tinyurl.com/j5fbbj7

September 30-October 1

Plant Sale, 10am-4pm,

Hamilton Gardens.

Clivia Show, noon-4pm, Te

October 1-2

Animal Management & Grazing, Koanga Institute,

Wairoa, $180. See tinyurl. com/j5fbbj7

October 2-4

Forest Garden Design,

Koanga Institute, Wairoa, $460. See tinyurl.com/j5fbbj7

October 2-6

Tree Week at Koanga Institute, Wairoa, $820.

Includes forest garden design and propagation. See tinyurl. com/j5fbbj7

October 3

Organic Gardening Course,

9am-noon for 10 weeks (finishes December 5), Pakaraka Farm, Thames, $325. See tinyurl. com/y7jrl6d2 Regenerative Systems for Egg Production, Koanga Institute, Wairoa, $180. See tinyurl. com/j5fbbj7

Tulip Festival, Rotorua. See

October 5-6

Propagation Workshops,

Koanga Institute, Wairoa, $350. See tinyurl.com/j5fbbj7

October 5

Organic Gardening Course,

9am-noon, 10-week course, Pakaraka Farm, Thames, $325. See www.pakarakafarm. co.nz/education

October 6

Entries close for Birds Aplenty Photo Competition.

Details at tinyurl.com/ ycmqgw2h

October 6-8

Animal Husbandry, Tirau, including cattle, sheep, pigs, bees and chickens, $250/$400 per couple. See www.lals.nz

October 7

Beginners Home Gardening Workshop, 9am-5pm,

Pakarakara Farm, Thames, $140. See www.pakarakafarm. co.nz/education

October 8

Advanced Home Gardening Workshop, 9am-5pm,

Pakarakara Farm, Thames, $140. See www.pakarakafarm. co.nz/education

Where are the monarchs?

S

BER TR TIM E

NT ME AT

PEPP ER

Jacqui Knight, secretary of the Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust, is puzzled.

“Where are monarch butterflies overwintering?” she asks. “We have received reports of new locations this year but nothing from other parts of New Zealand. And in some parts of the country females are still laying eggs and caterpillars munching away.”

Historically, every year at the end of the summer, monarch butterflies go into diapause. This means that although they’re sexually mature they won’t breed until the spring. Instead, they accumulate in trees, gathering on the sunny or sheltered side in large numbers, waiting out the winter, only coming out on sunny days to top up their nectar reserves.

"By staying still in the treetops during the cold or wet weather they conserve their energy.

But when they get warm enough to fly they will go looking for nectar sources in gardens. People with old-fashioned camellias and bottlebrushes will tell you monarchs visit during the warm winter days," says Jacqui.

However, this year there have been no sightings recorded from some parts of the country.

“There is something truly magical about seeing large numbers of monarchs in the treetops,” she says. “It makes you reflect on the environment, about biodiversity, and gives you hope for the future. If these insects have been surviving for millions of years, there’s

hope for us all.”

Most reports have come from various parts of Auckland, Whakatane, Gisborne, Hamilton, Levin, Martinborough, Clive, and Christchurch.

“There used to be many reports from Christchurch, Timaru and Oamaru,” she says. “But not this year. We encourage people to post reports on the special webpage for this purpose www.mb.org.nz so we can study what is happening with these beautiful butterflies,” says Jacqui.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

lamb th her anga. i w s r y r 9 Lillia, home in Tau t a y s i a D

Alaska, a white Swiss shepherd puppy tuckered out after a day in the mud. The calf club chickens are on board still having fun.

Cody, 7 yrs taking his sister Zoe Morris, 2 yrs for a ride on their pony in Morrinsville.

PRIZE UP FOR GRABS!

Haliah, 7yrs and River, 3yrs breaking ice on troughs one frosty morning in Tauranga.

Pictures and details can be emailed (high resolution jpgs) to kathy@thesun.co.nz “Country Camera� or posted to Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga. Please include a name, address and phone number with every entry.

Rosie having some time out with Daisy in Hamilton.