Issuu

Farming

LEGACY

October 2026 Issue No. 1

Young Farmer of the Year PG 4-5

Angus bull breaks NZ records PG 6-7

Maximising soil nitrogen PG 12-13

Dairy Industry Awards entries open PG 21

Effluent & Irrigation PG 22-23

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A word from the Editor For 26 years, Coast & Country News has been telling the stories that matter to rural New Zealand, connecting farmers, growers, rural businesses and lifestyle communities across some of the country’s most productive regions.

What began as a specialised publication focused on the Bay of Plenty’s thriving agricultural and horticultural sectors has grown into a trusted monthly source of news, information and inspiration for people living and working on the land.

Over the years, Coast & Country News has evolved alongside the industries it serves, covering everything from dairy, sheep and beef farming to kiwifruit, avocados, forestry, agri-technology and rural lifestyle living. Behind every edition is a dedicated team, an editor, reporters, photographers, designers and commercial staff who work together to bring readers a publication that is both informative and engaging. Their collective passion for rural New Zealand ensures every issue reflects the innovation, resilience and success of the people who drive our primary industries forward. Now, the publication is expanding beyond

its traditional Bay of Plenty heartland and moving into the Lower North Island. This edition is the first of many we hope will bring local rural stories, personalities and industry issues from regions such as Taranaki, Wairarapa, Manawatū and Whanganui to a wider audience. This growth reflects our commitment to delivering meaningful local content while celebrating the shared challenges and opportunities facing rural communities across New Zealand. As the publication continues to grow, our mission remains unchanged: to champion rural New Zealand, highlight the people

behind our primary industries, and provide readers with trusted, relevant and entertaining content every month. Thank you to our readers, advertisers, contributors and supporters who have helped make Coast & Country News a respected voice in rural media. We look forward to continuing the journey with you for many years to come.

Letitia Atkinson

Editor, Coast & Country News letitia.atkinson@nzme.co.nz

Meet the editorial team Kem Ormond

Your FREE magazine-style monthly rural publication Distributed from Taranaki through Manawatū, across Tararua District into Masterton. To learn more about advertising in Coast & Country News, contact Kathy Sellars: kathy.sellars@nzme.co.nz

Kem has experienced most aspects of media, including radio, printing and publishing, over the past 30-plus years. The ink is embedded under her nails, so she says! Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she writes a regular vegetable gardening and Historic rural column for the NZ Herald’s rural section The Country.

Steve Edwards

Steve have been a community newspaper journalist for 40 years, most recently with New Farm Dairies, Coast & Country News Upper North Island and now the Lower North Island Edition. He grew up on a dairy farm in the Waikato and started with the local town newspaper after secondary school.

Hunter Wells Hunter Wells is a journalist for The Weekend Sun, based in the Bay of Plenty. With more than 50 years of experience in the industry, Hunter has seen it all. He shares his experiences as a city boy working on a farm during his teenage years in his monthly Coast & Country News column, which appears on page 2.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

‘The Hat’ – a rural institution He’s known simply as “The Hat”, and he’s become an institution in Coast & Country News. “The Hat”, a hardcore, no-nonsense man of the soil, became a mentor, an exemplar, to reporter Hunter Wells as the teenage newbie discovered all the joys and pitfalls of life down on the farm.

Each month, Hunter, now an older newspaper hack, shares snippets of his exploits and experiences with “The Hat” - how ‘urban’ crashed head-on with ‘rural’ and how a raw city kid and a seasoned farmer unwittingly forged a deep, unlikely, enduring relationship. Below is an introduction to “The Hat”.

Really? You’re sending a kid, this kid, with all his “paranoia” about germs and dirtiness, who obsesses about health and cleanliness, and contracting potentially fatal diseases, off to a farm for the school holidays. Really?

started well. Three hours later I had been delivered ‘unto the arms’ of the man who would affectionately become known to me as The Hat. My mentor, my saviour, the man who would save me from myself. “Geeedehhh,” he said. He could drawl a two-syllable greeting out for six or seven seconds.

You want to pack all my crazy, mixed-up, anxiety disorders in a suitcase, shove us on a steam train north to a farm, to a germfest, where billions of microbes, harmful pathogens, were waiting to ambush us, vulnerable city kids. Kids like me who don’t like dirty hands. Is this a good idea, Mum? “Yes! It is.” What about all those ghastly farm animals and their bacteria, viruses and intestinal parasites? I am doomed. “Yes”, it was confirmed. “You are going to the farm. It will do you good.” So, not negotiable, deal done, all decided. I was being bundled off to the farm with all my nicely ironed, folded and packed city-boy anxieties. “You will be just fine,” I was told. “You will be better than fine.”

And “The Hat” because the classic black, now tired and nearly expired, Fedora that rarely, if ever, left his head, and conveniently hid his eyes and his emotions. It may have been a style statement once upon a time, but now it was a health hazard because of the stains - a puke-inducing cocktail of sweat rings, sun fade, assorted animal bodily fluids, engine grease and oil. Lovely! Probably a few splashes of 2,4-D. The Hat may have been happy to see me; he may have smiled, but it was buried under a grizzled expanse of piebald whiskers with a rolled amalgam of Park Drive tobacco particles, tissue paper and saliva, tucked in a corner where his mouth should be. It was a wet and brown stub that physics had already decided would be impossible to reignite. But that didn’t seem to take away from The Hat’s pleasure. Then began my entrance exam for life on the farm. Been on a tractor? No. What’s a Corriedale? Don’t know. What’s the difference between a bale of straw and a bale of lucerne? Pass. What’s colic? Nuh. Do you know what a polar air flow is? Um,, no! The Hat planted a big gnarly paw on my shoulder, sighed and said “You’ll be right son, you’ll be right.” I didn’t know what constituted “right” but I suddenly felt fine, at ease, with The Hat. You might get to know him and love him too.

The journey

We had only crawled 50km when the train stopped at Palmerston for “refreshments”. Why do people need “refreshing” after an hour’s travel? But I still squeezed down a curiously square NZ Railways pie - yes, There was a ch hoiice square?? Aren’’t piies ovall? Th of egg, egg or egg sandwiches, so I chose egg. And a serviette to help mine the deep deposits of NZ Railways, second class, airborne soot from the nasal passages. Black snot. This hasn’t

The Hat

Page 3

Wairarapa set for busy shearing season Wairarapa is set to play a major role in New Zealand’s 2026-27 shearing season, with several key events on the calendar and the region’s iconic Golden Shears now closer than ever to the New Zealand Shearing Championships. The Wairarapa A&P Show at Clareville, near Carterton, features shearing and woolhandling events on November 1, while the Wairarapa PreShears Woolhandling competition will be held at Mikimiki on March 3. The centrepiece remains the Golden Shears in Masterton from March 4-6, one of the world’s premier shearing and woolhandling events. The competition will host transtasman

tests, national circuit finals and leading competitors from across New Zealand and overseas. A key change this season is the decision to move the New Zealand Shearing Championships in Te Kūiti to March 17-19, just two weeks after the Golden Shears. Traditionally held four to five weeks later, the event has been brought forward to better align with changing farming practices and reduce pressure on sheep suppliers. The season includes 59 competitions nationwide, ensuring a busy summer for Wairarapa competitors as they chase national honours and selection in New Zealand representative teams.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

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Young Farmer of the Year: 30 Young Farmers Clubs across the Lower North Island are gearing up for their biggest annual event.

Taranaki/Manawatū YFC YF F Regional Chair Sarah Lockhart in action at the regional final of the 2025 Young Farmer of the Year competition.

District and regional contests for the prestigious Young Farmer of the Year competition are taking place in coming months. The Lower North Island is divided into two regions for the contest – Taranaki/Manawatū and East Coast – with the respective winners going on to the grand final, over three days (July 1-3), in different venues around Christchurch. Taranaki/Manawatū has 11 Young Farmers Clubs in total – six in Manawatū and five in Taranaki – with all members eligible to enter the contest. Clubs include Central Taranaki, Coastal, Fitzherbert, Inglewood, Marton, Massey, Opiki, South Taranaki, Urenui, Wellington City and Whanganui. The Taranaki/Manawatū district final is on November 14 at Feilding High School farm, with the top eight going on to the regional final on March 7. Regional chair Sarah Lockhart says in the past there were three district competitions in her region – Taranaki, Manawatū and an open district final for those who couldn’t make the others. This later became one – an open Taranaki/Manawatū competition.

A maximum of 30 can enter the district final, on a “first in, first served” basis.

Modules

Practical modules can include subjects and activities such as seed identification, soil testing, quad bike handling and safety, fitness (moving hay bales and throwing tyres) and horses (saddling and handling). Sarah says some can also be set by veterinarians, electricians and mechanics, with beekeeping and fencing also in the mix. The theoretical modules could involve interviews with agencies such as OSPRI, which works with the farming industry to manage animal disease in New Zealand, and the Ministry for Primary Industries, which often offer scenarios for contestants to tackle. A member of the Marton YFC, Sarah is an on-farm sustainability adviser with meat processor Silver Fern Farms. She and her partner also own a dry stock block in the Manawatū, running 60 cattle and a few breeding ewes on 50ha. Sarah first linked up with Young Farmers when attending Lincoln University, with the club there for four years. At university she completed a BComAg degree and then a master’s degree in Agri Business Management. Returning to her family’s sheep and farm in the Manawatū, Sarah joined Marton YFC and rose through

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places open for district contest the ranks to secretary and chair. She became regional chair in June.

East Coast

The East Coast YFC region consists of five clubs from the Hawke’s Bay down to the Wairarapa. These include Eskview – Hawke’s Bay; Tikokino – Central Hawke’s Bay area; Puketoi – Pongaroa/Alfredton; Tararua – Dannevirke, Pahiatua, Eketahuna; and Wairarapa-Masterton/Carterton/ Featherston/Martinborough. Regional chairwoman Kato Dentith says East Coast YFC has two district contests – one in the Upper East Coast and one in the lower to increase attendance due to members covering a long geographical area. The first district contest is Lower East Coast on October 8 at Bush Multisport, Pahiatua, with Upper East Coast on October 23 at the Hawke’s Bay A&P Show. “Our modules are the same [as Taranaki/ Manawatū], but we also have a large focus on the sheep and beef industry, with

crutching, tractor tasks and stock truck loading all usually in the mix plus the odd deer farming/velvet harvesting and grading modules,” Kato says. “At district contest level we encourage all members to ‘have a go’ at the competition as not all are interested in competing at the regional or national levels but are interested in learning new skills. “After the contests, we aim to provide skills days/training sessions hosted by either individual clubs or as the region in partnership with industry experts for skills that members are interested in either learning or developing further that they may have discovered at district contest.”

Regional ﬁnal

The top four from each of the district contests go on to compete in the regional final at Bush Multisport in Pahiatua on March 13. A member of Tararua YFC, Kato works as a contract co-ordinator for Pahiatuabased arborists Treesmart.

She started her career out of high school as a utility arborist and also has a diploma in Health and Safety. Kato and her partner Dereck Davis live on a South Devon stud farm in Pahiatua, which he works on. She first became involved in YFC when they moved to Pahiatua in 2024 and her partner’s friend – Muz Lynch – wanted to start a local club. “We both helped her to start the Tararua club in October 2024, with Muz taking the chair, Dereck vice-chair and myself as secretary, where I have stayed since its inception.” Kato joined the NZYF National Committee as the secretary in May 2025 and became the East Coast regional committee secretary in June 2025. She assumed the regional chair role in July this year. “I convened our Lower East Coast district event last year and I am also convening this year’s lower region event.” Steve Edwards

East Coast YFC YF F Regional Chair Kato Dentith.

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Opiki - opiki@youngfarmers.co.nz | First Wednesday - Tokomaru RSA Massey - massey@youngfarmers.co.nz Wednesday every 3 weeks - AgHort Building, Massey University Fitzherbert - ﬁtzherbert@youngfarmers.co.nz Second Wednesday - Willow Park Tavern, Palmerson North Marton - marton@youngfarmers.co.nz | First Thursday - locations vary Whanganui - whanganui@youngfarmers.co.nz First Thursday - locations vary Wellington City - whanganui@youngfarmers.co.nz Second Tuesday - Shed 22

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Central Taranaki - centraltaranaki@youngfarmers.co.nz First Thursday - Midhurst Tavern, Midhurst Inglewood - inglewood@youngfarmers.co.nz First Wednesday - Fern Lodge, Inglewood Urenui - urenui@youngfarmers.co.nz First Thursday - Urenui Dive Club, Urenui Coastal - coastaltaranaki@youngfarmers.co.nz Second Thursday - Butlers Reef, Oakura or Rahotu Tavern South Taranaki - southtaranaki@youngfarmers.co.nz Third Wednesday - locations vary

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Eskview - eskview@youngfarmers.co.nz Second Tuesday - Puketapu Pub, Western Hills Puketoi - puketoi@youngfarmers.co.nz Third Wednesday - Pongaroa Hotel Wairarapa - wairarapa@youngfarmers.co.nz First Wednesday - Gladstone Inn Tararua - tararua@youngfarmers.co.nz Second Monday - Post Office Hotel, Paihiatua Tikokino - tikokino@youngfarmers.co.nz Last Wednesday - Sawyers Arms, Tikokino

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National record broken at

A Wairarapa family stud with more than a century of farming history behind it has written a new chapter in New Zealand Angus breeding, after a standout yearling bull sold for a national record price. KayJay Angus, run by the Kjestrup family in the Wairarapa, achieved the milestone at its annual on-farm yearling sale on Thursday, September 10, when Lot 2, KayJay Captain W901, sold for $50,000. The price set a new national record for the highest-priced yearling Angus bull sold in New Zealand. Another son of

Captain also drew strong interest, selling for $22,000. “Captain W901 was a quality animal right from a young age; he displayed real sire appeal and had a presence about him from day one,” Roddy says. “He was a heifer’s first calf, weighing 27kg at birth, 335kg at weaning and then 578kg on sale day.”

Impressions KayJay Angus stud principal Roddy Kjestrup says the young bull had been one to watch from the start. That early impression was backed by a strong data package, including calving

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ease, short gestation, growth, high fats and intramuscular fat. Combined with raw power, heavy muscle and bone, Roddy says Captain W901 offered real substance, shape and a point of difference among calving-ease sires. Interest had built from both New Zealand and Australian studs before sale day, and PGG Wrightson auctioneer Neville Clark says the result reflected the yearling’s quality. “This was a very well-balanced yearling bull that was very correct both physically and with a very good data set, which for a young bull is hard to find,” Neville says. “He presented himself very well, with natural presence on really good feet and legs and gave the impression he will be a very impressive stud sire in the coming years.”

Neville says the strength of the bull’s brothers also pointed to the consistency Roddy and Sam are developing within the stud. “It was a great day for them and for the Angus breed.” Captain W901 will now head to Jeremy and Kate Cullwick’s Tapahia Angus stud in Central Hawke’s Bay, where he will be used in their future breeding programme. The wider sale reinforced demand for KayJay genetics, with all 19 yearling bulls offered successfully sold and an average price of $13,579.

A family name While the record result has put KayJay Angus firmly in the national spotlight, success is not new territory for the Kjestrup family. In 1980, Neil Kjestrup took over stud

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Lot 2 KayJay Captain W901.

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Rural GP training pathway proposed A new proposal aimed at strengthening New Zealand’s rural health workforce is being championed as a key step towards improving access to healthcare in rural communities. The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are backing GP Rural, a proposed postgraduate training pathway designed to better prepare doctors for rural practice. The initiative follows the publication of a review in the New Zealand Medical Journal that examined three decades of research into rural medicine and highlighted repeated calls for rural-specific postgraduate training. College president Dr Luke Bradford said rural communities experience poorer health outcomes and face greater barriers to healthcare than urban populations, with

significant inequities for rural Māori. He said strengthening the rural GP workforce was one of the most effective ways to improve access to care and reduce health disparities. Hauora Taiwhenua chief executive Dr Grant Davidson said dedicated training would help doctors develop the skills, experience and confidence needed to build sustainable careers in rural communities. College chief executive Toby Beaglehole said GP Rural offered a practical opportunity to support the future workforce and encourage more doctors to establish long-term careers in rural New Zealand. The organisations are calling for continued investment in rural medical workforce development to help ensure people can access quality healthcare closer to home.

Neil, left, Joan, Sam and Roddy Kjestrup with Zara, Sullivan and Polly.

master duties and went on to achieve strong sale results through the Wairarapa combined breeders’ sale, helping set the stud up for its first on-farm bull sale in 2005. That inaugural sale reached a high of $30,000 for KJ West 422. Behind the sale-day success is more than a stud name. KayJay Angus is woven through more than a century of Kjestrup family farming history, with a close-knit family committed to breeding functional cattle with commercial relevance. The family’s story at KayJay began in 1919 when William “Bill” Kjestrup returned home from World War One after being wounded in the Battle of the Somme. He applied for the Returned Serviceman’s Land Ballot and was successful, beginning the family’s farming legacy. Bill and his wife Norah had four children - sons Terry and Graham, and daughters Noeline and Judy. Terry returned to the farm in 1940 after a brief education and stayed until 1980. For a time in the 1950s, he farmed in partnership with his brother Graham, and in 1958 they established KayJay Angus Stud. Female stock was sourced from several studs around the country, including Elgin, Cricklewood and Waiterenui. Terry and his wife Zellah had 12 children, with Neil, the third eldest, taking over as stud master in 1980. Today, KayJay Angus has celebrated 68 years of breeding, while the Kjestrup family has farmed the property for 107 years. Three Kjestrup generations have

led the stud, with third-generation Roddy and his wife Sam now running the operation alongside Neil and Joan, who remain heavily involved.

A family business

Located in Wairarapa on the lower east coast of the North Island, KayJay operates in a climate of wet winters and dry summers. The 590ha farm is 35% flat, with the balance rolling to steep hill country. The stud runs alongside 2000 commercial breeding ewes, with all lambs finished on farm and 500 hoggets lambed. The cattle must fit within that wider farming system. KayJay is currently calving 200 stud females, including rising two-year heifers, with numbers increasing annually. Around 50 rising two-year bulls are sold at the annual on-farm sale in June, while a spring sale offers 20 to 30 yearling bulls and a selection of heifers. The KJ brand is nationally recognised, with strong commercial demand for KJ-bred cattle. For Roddy, the latest record is a proud moment, but it also reflects the wider community around KayJay Angus and the clients who continue to support the programme. “We have such an awesome community around us, and we are so grateful for being able to work alongside such passionate clients,” Roddy says. “We care for what we do and for others, and this is a massive part of who we are. It is what drives the discipline within our programme to be better.” Kem Ormond

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Fast--track solar farrms raise Federated The use of quality farmland for solar poower sites has come under the microoscope in the Lower North Island.

A num mber of conversions are proposed across the regioon via the Government’s fast-track program mme for infrastructure, housing and developm ment projects with “significant regional or national benefits”. Consen nt to convert dairy land to solar farms was prevviously processed by councils, giving considerration to the Government’s National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land. This reequires the country’s most productive land to be identified and managed to prevent “inappropriate” subdivision, use and developm ment. A recen nt decision saw permission granted, subject to planning conditions, to construct and opeerate a solar farm near Foxton across about 40 00ha. Two otther applications for solar farms in the Manawaatū-Rangitīkei region are going through the fast--track process, plus one in Taranaki. One coovers about 507ha near Marton and the otheer on 433ha at Bunnythorpe, with the third on n 150ha near Huirangi. In 202 24, consent was granted to build a solar farrm on about 180ha near Ōpunake in South Taranaki. A prop posed solar farm on 450ha at Stratford is going through the regular resource consent process, as is another on 48ha of former dairy land at Kaponga.

Devellopments

Manaw watū-Rangitīkei Federated Farmers’ Meat & Wool chairman Ben McDougall says mu uch of this development in the Lower North Issland is proposed for highly productive

A number of solar farm conversions are proposed across the Lower North Island.

Manawatū-Rangitikei Federated Farmers’ Meat & Wool Chair Ben McDougall. Photo / Supplied

Class 1 and 2 farmland. Acknowledging New Zealand needs more electricity and that solar energy has an important role to play, he says solar farms can be built relatively quickly, have comparatively low construction costs, and produce electricity without operational emissions. “Our concern is not solar energy itself, but where these developments are being located. “In our view, large solar farms should not be built on productive Class 1 and 2 farmland. “This is some of New Zealand’s most versatile and valuable land,” he says. “It grows vegetables and crops, feeds livestock, and produces high-quality pasture. “Once large areas are committed to solar generation, that productive capacity may be unavailable for decades.” While solar infrastructure may technically be removable, he says restoring land to its previous productive condition may not be simple, quick or guaranteed.” Ben doesn’t blame farmers for considering these opportunities. “The returns being discussed can be far

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Farmers’ concerns

Page 9

Data key to smarter dry cow decisions New Zealand dairy farmers are being encouraged to use technology and data to support Selective Dry Cow Therapy (DCT) as new expectations around antibiotic use come into force from January 1, 2027. Under updated Veterinary Council guidance, the use of antibiotic dry cow treatments will need to be justified at an individual cow level rather than applied across entire herds as a blanket practice. MSD Animal Health Veterinary Technical Advisor Matt Buckley says selective DCT has long been considered best practice, but new guidance will place greater emphasis on evidence-based treatment decisions. Recent DairyNZ analysis suggests fewer than 5% of New Zealand herds would benefit from blanket DCT. For most farms, the recommended approach is selective antibiotic treatment for

qualifying cows combined with internal teat sealant for all cows. The shift aims to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while maintaining animal health and helping combat antimicrobial resistance. Matt says the challenge is making selective treatment practical for farmers. Individual-cow somatic cell count (SCC) data, mastitis records and other herd information are becoming increasingly important for identifying which cows need treatment. Technology is helping fill that gap. In-line milk monitoring systems can now collect SCC data throughout the season, providing farmers with a detailed health history for each cow. “By the time you get to dry-off, you’ve already built up that history rather than starting from scratch.”

Taranaki Federated Farmers’ president Nick Brown.

greater and more reliable than what many properties could earn through farming. “Faced with rising costs, uncertain commodity prices, weather risks, and increasing regulation, accepting a long-term solar lease may be an entirely rational decision. But what makes sense for an individual landowner may not necessarily be in the country’s long-term interest.” Ben says New Zealand needs renewable electricity, but it also needs food production and resilient rural communities. “Solar farms should be directed first towards less versatile land, industrial areas, rooftops, car parks, and sites close to existing electricity infrastructure.

Strong assessment

“Where highly productive land is considered, decision-makers should require a strong assessment of alternatives, cumulative regional effects, drainage, soil protection, reversibility, and eventual decommissioning.” Ben says the concern is not whether New Zealand should build solar farms. “It is whether we are sacrificing some of our best farmland because solar development offers an attractive shortterm return. “Once that land is gone from production, it may be very difficult to get back,” he says. “I fear we are being short-sighted and that today’s financial gain could become

tomorrow’s long-term pain.” Taranaki Federated Farmers’ president Nick Brown has a “balanced view” on the situation. “While solar farms are a little bit unsightly, farmers have the right to lease or sell their land as they see fit.” While there may be spin-offs for the local community involved during the construction phase, Nick says expertise “from outside” is often used. “When using farmland, I would need to see a solid argument for the net benefit to the community.” “There is real potential for it to get out of control,” he says. “Prime land is under threat.” While the fast-track process helps developers “get on with it”, Brown says this needs to be tempered with the benefits/effects of the particular project. He says the issue is one which Federated Farmers is monitoring closely. “It is front of mind.” National Federated Farmers’ board member and energy spokesperson Greg Anderson says the organisation generally favours an approach of private property rights – land owners should be able to determine what the most productive use of their land is. “Concerns arise where solar farms impact neighbours, for example, reverse sensitivity issues (when the presence of one land use reduces what another can do – limiting fertiliser application). “Or, where government policy favours one land use over another.” Steve Edwards ! #"

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS Plastic bags being recycled. Photo / Bevan Conley

Spring security reminder for rural properties South Taranaki Police are urging rural residents to remain vigilant this spring following a spate of burglaries targeting farm and lifestyle properties.

Farm plastics recycling scheme goes nationwide

A new nationwide rural recycling scheme aimed at significantly increasing the recovery and recycling of farm plastics will be rolled out across New Zealand from March next year.

The Government says the regulated Rural Recycling Scheme will replace existing voluntary programmes and provide farmers and growers with a simpler, nationwide system for disposing of agrichemical containers, bale wrap, silage sheet and other agricultural plastics. Environment Minister Nicola Grigg says the scheme had been designed by industry in partnership with farmers and would be managed by the not-for-profit Agrecovery Foundation. “The scheme has been designed by industry and, with the support of farmers, will significantly increase the recovery and recycling of farm plastics,” she says. The new programme will introduce a single national take-back system, allowing a wider range of farm plastics to be collected and processed through an expanded network of drop-off points and collection services.

Schemes

According to the Government, current voluntary schemes operated by Agrecovery and Plasback collect less than half of the plastics covered by the new regulations. “We’ve listened to feedback from farmers and growers who wanted a simple takeback system that is easy to use and can take all the usual plastic farm products into one recycling,” Nicola says. “The new national system will significantly increase recycling and recovery, and reduce the quantity of farm plastics going to landfills, being buried or burnt on farms.” Under the scheme, producers and manufacturers of regulated products will pay a small stewardship fee on sales to

fund the nationwide take-back network. The Government said the fees would typically amount to around 1 per cent or less of a product’s retail price. The existing network of about 240 regional take-back sites will be expanded to handle the greater volume of plastics expected to be collected under the programme. A free-to-use drop-off and collection network will be available, including an order-on-demand collection service for remote farms. The scheme will also align recycling services with agrichemical collection programmes, making it easier for farmers to dispose of unused and end-of-life products safely.

Page 11

Police say fuel, firewood, hot water cylinders and tools have been stolen in a number of recent incidents, with officers concerned some burglaries may have gone unreported. South Taranaki Area Response Manager Senior Sergeant Andrew Russ says spring is a particularly busy period for many farmers, making it important not to let security measures slip. “We believe there have been a number off burgllariies th hat have not been reported d and we ask the community to report any unlawful activity, even if it seems lowlevel,” Andrew says. “When a report is made, it builds a picture of where we need to be, and we need the public’s help in making our

community safer.” Police are encouraging residents to contact authorities if they notice suspicious or unlawful behaviour in their area. Andrew says taking simple preventative steps could help reduce the risk of becoming a target. “The biggest deterrent to crime is prevention, and most rural burglaries and thefts occur at properties with no to little security in place,” he says. Police recommend storing equipment securely and out of public view, as well as locking gates, sheds and other outbuildings. Installing security measures such as sensor lighting, CCTV cameras, warning signage, pin-code gates and alarms can also help deter offenders. Anyyone witnessingg susp picious activityy should call 111 immediately and provide as much information as they can safely gather. Non-emergency incidents can be reported online through the police 105 service or by calling 105. Information can also be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Users

While primarily focused on agriculture, the take-back service will be available to a wider range of users, including those in forestry, manufacturing, hospitality, tourism and sports sectors, as well as councils and contractors. Households will also have access to a dedicated service for disposing of pest and weed control products. Products covered by the regulations include agrichemicals sold in plastic containers and drums, plastic bale wrap, silage sheet, small plastic bags, and bulk woven polypropylene bags. Some products have been excluded from the scheme. Commercial cleaning products such as sanitisers and detergents are not covered because they are widely used across multiple industries rather than being specific to agriculture. However, non-regulated producers and manufacturers will still be able to participate in the programme on a voluntary basis. Existing voluntary programmes will continue operating until the new Rural Recycling Scheme comes into force on March 1, 2027.

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Police have urged South Taranaki farmers to be security conscious. Photo / NZ Police

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 12

Maize silage costs rise as fertiliser and With nitrogen fertiliser prices at high levels, it makes even more sense for maize growers to measure and allow for soil nitrogen when planning their crop, says the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).

Senior maize researcher Rene van Tilburg says growers need to factor soil nitrogen into their input calculations and, if they are applying more nitrogen than what their crop can take up, they are wasting money. “Maximise your soil nitrogen; use it or lose it.” Van Tilburg says growers generally make some allowance for soil nitrogen, but often this is anecdotal and what they have always done, rather than being based on actual soil test results. “Instead, growers should measure nitrogen supply rather than guess it and trust the result.” He recommends growers use a mineral nitrogen test to determine its levels in soil as well as a potentially mineralisable nitrogen (PMN) test which indicates how much may become available during the growing season. “This allows side-dress nitrogen applications to be better matched to crop demand and soil nitrogen supply, improving profitability.” In a recent FAR maize grain production trial, van Tilburg says large differences in soil nitrogen supply between plots in 2024-25 resulted in side-dress nitrogen inputs ranging from just 75kg to 360kg SustaiN/ha. Soil testing showed the soil supplied from $599 to $1016 worth of nitrogen at a SustaiN price of $1400/tonne.

Similar yields

Despite these large differences in nitrogen inputs, he says grain yields remained remarkably similar, with all treatments producing about 16 tonnes/ha of grain. “The result saved $446 to $805/ha if no allowance

Farmers need to protect their investment in crops such as maize.

had been made for soil nitrogen, with the lowest SustaiN rate having one of the higher yields though not significantly so, indicating no yield penalty for using the soil nitrogen tools.” Van Tilburg says growers, particularly on good-structured soils, can also consider their cultivation intensity, saving diesel and machinery costs and labour. “FAR work shows no yield penalty moving to strip till or no-till on sites with high-quality soil.

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“However, transitioning to strip-till or no-till has its challenges and may not be practical for many growers,” he says. Instead, a pass in a conventional system may be eliminated or a reduction in cultivation depth and subsequent increase in speed made instead. “A key point when making any of these changes is to ensure a seed bed that will result in consistent seed depth and good seed to soil contact.” FAR trials show that the combination of reduced cultivation intensity and the use of mineral nitrogen and PMN testing have the potential to save $300 or more per hectare, he says. Despite the cost of growing a maize silage crop rising about 30% in the last four years, growers should not be tempted to cut corners which could result in a reduced yield, says Corson Maize national research manager Mike Turner. “When you are growing a high-cost, high-input crop, doing the basics right is more important than ever.”

Rising costs

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From 2021-2022 to 2025-26, Mike says total maize silage costs, from spray out to covering the stack, rose from $4026 a hectare to $5143/ha. Fertiliser/lime and seed-related inputs both recorded the biggest increase, at about 41%. “When costs are going up you need to protect that investment and yield at harvest.” Mike says base fertiliser increased from $450/ha in 2022 modelling to $850/ha now. “In comparison, the cost of a soil test is very cheap. “So, if you are getting your fertiliser spend wrong, either too much or too little, it can have a big impact on costs.” When growers get the basics right, a higher yield dilutes their costs, he says.

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seed prices climb

A 17 tonne of dry matter/ha maize silage crop equates to 31.9 cents a kg of dry matter. At 25 tonnes/ha this falls to 21.7 cents/kg/DM and at 28 tonnes/ha to 19.4 cents/kg/DM. “Yield spreads cost across more kilograms of feed,” says Turner. “This is the strongest reason for growers to protect crop establishment and the basics. “Most costs in a maize silage crop are fixed. So, the only real way to offset that is to get a good yield.” When choosing a CRM (comparative relative maturity) hybrid for silage, growers need to be aware that while silagge yields increase for longer-maturing hybrids, so can the risk, especially in environments that can get dry and disease pressured.

Some growers are choosing a CRM out of habit,” says Mike. “Shorter CRM is not about giving up yield potential, it is about providing a more reliable return and a less risky yield. “A crop that finishes cleanly, dries down, stands well and meets the harvest window usually protects margin better than a theoretical top-yield option.” Mike says predictions of a super El Niño weather pattern producing hot, dry conditions later this season means it is recommended that growers without good moisture-holding soils shorten their CRM to get their crop well into grain fill or dry down phase before it comes under too much pressure. Steve Edwards

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Page 13

Massey owners urged to help break world record A new Cromwell machinery event will attempt a world record at Easter 2027: the most Massey Ferguson tractors gathered in one place. More than 1000 vintage tractors, trucks, earthmovers, steam engines and planes will be on display and in action at Central Otago Tracks & Wheels, running from March 26 to 28, 2027, at Cromwell Racecourse. Organisers will release 10,000 tickets per day, which could make it the biggest event Cromwell has hosted. The headline act is the world record attempt. The current record of 285 Masseys was set in County Kildare, Ireland. Organisers have set aside 500 spaces and want every Massey in the South Island there, from concours restorations to the one in the back of the shed with bird nests still in it. Massey Muster co-ordinator Peter MacDougall encourages owners to take part. “We only need 286 Massseys to take the record off the Irish,” he says. “There are more than that sitting in sheds within an hour of Cromwell. “Wash the bird muck off it, get it here, and be part of it.”

Programme of events

The programme includes earthmoving displays, a 120m tractor pull, Clydesdales, machine parades, steam and stationary engines, a local vendor market and a kids zone. Aircraft will fly into the airfield next door and park along the fence line as a static display. The arena being built at the racecourse will remain in place after the event, with local contractors and sponsors donating $350,000 worth of earthworks and construction materials. Under the land use agreement, the committee will hand over a full-size rugby paddock in the centre of the parade ground and give it back to the Cromwell community. Central Otago Tracks & Wheels is a not-for-profit event run by a local committee of machinery enthusiasts, several of whom ran departments at other major South Island machinery events. It will run every two years, and the 2027 show is the first under a h the h six-year venue agreement with Cromwell Racecourse.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 14

Bellbird farm grows from the ground up When Dan and Toni George wake on their Mangamahu property, the day often begins with birdsong – the sound that gave Bellbird Permaculture Farm its name.

supplying fresh seasonal produce directly to customers.

Colour at the market

Every Saturday, they take their harvest to the Whanganui River Market, where their vibrant stall attracts customers The Whanganui couple are building an looking for fresh, locally grown food. off-grid, organic market garden around With its abundance of colour and soil health, seasonal food and a simple variety, the display would look at home belief that working with nature is the best in a food market anywhere in France. way to grow. Depending on the season, customers With 30 years of gardening experience might find purple or orange cauliflower, between them, Dan and Toni have shallots, fennel, leafy greens, pumpkins, turned their 18-acre property into a tomatoes in a variety of colours and fresh broccoli. Their philosophy is simple: productive organic growing operation. grow what is in season and present it at More than two acres are in vegetables, its best. A 400sq m high tunnel has become an important part of the operation, providing a sophisticated growing environment that allows the couple to produce organic vegetables throughout the year. While the availability of including the River Traders & individual crops changes with the seasons, the focus remains on quality, Whanganui Farmers Market freshness and flavour.

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Working with nature

For Dan and Toni, permaculture is about working with nature rather than trying to control it. Their farming system is designed around natural patterns and relationships found in healthy ecosystems. By concentrating on soil health, biodiversity and natural growing processes, they aim to produce nutritious food while creating a healthier environment for the farm and wildlife that shares it.

Dan and d Tonii George at th he Whanganui h i River markket, every Saturd day.

“I strongly believe that if you take care of your soil, your soil will take care of you,” says Dan. Their soil transformation demonstrates the value of that philosophy. The couple have been producing vegetables from their gardens for three years, and only tilled the soil when they initially established their growing beds. The land had previously been used for cattle and horses, and the heavy clay soil was extremely compacted. Initially, it was difficult even to get a garden fork into the ground. Today, however, the soil has been transformed through their permaculture practices and compost produced on the property. It is now friable, fertile, and easier to work. The couple are also enthusiastic followers of Soil Foodweb New Zealand and are taking their understanding of

soil health a step further. This year they plan to purchase a microscope so they can regularly examine microbial activity in their soil. The information will allow them to monitor the health of their growing environment and respond if changes or deficiencies are identified.

A weekly rhythm

Running a productive organic market garden is not a nine-to-five occupation. Most weeks are divided between planting, maintaining and harvesting crops. Dan and Toni typically spend two days seeding, planting out and managing their cloches, followed by two days harvesting and preparing produce. Saturday is devoted to the market, including packing, transporting and setting up their colourful stall.

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Page 15

Better crops using N Smart coated urea It’s spring, and cropping time is upon us. But it isn’t always straightforward to get crops sown and growing. If it’s pouring down and paddocks are wet, as they sometimes can be in spring, applied nutrients such as urea are at risk of leaching. If it’s dry, which can also be the case, nitrogen can volatilise before newly germinated seedlings are able to make use of it. That’s wasted nutrient and wasted money. Wastage can also occur through machinery damage to new seedlings when post-germination or side dressings are applied. However, this wastage need not occur if a polymer-coated urea (PCU) is used in the cropping fertiliser.

Nutrients that stay put

We’ve already described the advantages of using PCU when nitrogen is required. It’s perfect for building a winter feed wedge and boosting summer pasture quality. But it’s also ideal for providing the nitrogen needed for heavy-feeding crops such as maize and brassicas, thanks to the protective coating around the urea granules that enables the

nutrients to stay put. When it’s wet, nitrifying bacteria transform urea into plant-friendly nitrate very quickly. The problem is that the rate of nitrification is usually faster than plant growth rates. As a result, newly germinated maize or brassica seedlings cannot use all of the nutrients that have been applied. Therefore, there is a high probability that the nutrients will be leached away and wasted. With PCU, the protective coating reduces wastage even when conditions are very wet. This is because the nutrient is released gradually through the semipermeable coating in a controlled pattern that is much more in line with the needs of growing seedlings. Notably, PCU is used in extremely wet environments around the world, such as wet-field rice-growing regions, to reduce nutrient loss and increase yields.

Nutrients that improve yields

In the academic journal Molecules, a recent review of controlled-release fertilisers (CRFs) such as PCU states that: “The current evidence shows that CRFs can improve yield, crop quality, nutrient recovery, and nitrogen-use efficiency…” (Siudak et al., 2026: 22). This is very encouraging in the search

No side dressings or machinery damage with N Smart in your crop fertiliser.

for tools to increase production while reducing environmental harm. Avoiding nutrient wastage while increasing yields is an important ethos for us at Fertco, and one reason we have been using PCU very successfully in our Fertco 2-Step Maize Programme and Fertco Smart Brassica Base. But there’s another reason why PCU is ideal in cropping blends. It relates to the number of fertiliser applications required for maize and brassica crops.

No need for side dressings

Typically, maize requires three applications: a base dressing applied before planting, a second dressing applied at sowing time, and a third dressing applied when the young maize seedlings are at the four-leaf stage. Brassica crops are usually given two applications: a base dressing prior to planting and a side dressing just before the young plants reach canopy closure. However, when PCU is included in the

cropping programme, there is no need for a post-germination side dressing. The nutrients can be applied in the base dressing and remain within the PCU granule until they are gradually released in a steady but predictable pattern based on soil temperature.

Machinery damage avoided

Apart from reducing fertiliser spreading costs, being able to forgo the side dressing removes the risk of machinery damage to newly germinated plants, whether from tyre damage or knifing if the side dressing is incorporated into the soil. Also avoided are the hassles associated with spreader availability, which can be especially problematic when conditions are very wet. Establishing a crop requires a significant investment. Including PCU in our Fertco cropping mixes is proving to be an effective way of helping customers reduce wastage of both time and money.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 16

‘Highest risk vehicle’: Advocates urge en off quad bikes farms to keep childre Quad bikes remain the “highest risk vehicle” on farms, say two leading safety advocates.

By law, quad bikes are not allowed to be driven by anyone aged under 16. Jane says children should also be separated from farm jobs which may present safety risks, such as calf pens and cattle yards. “Give them age-appropriate tasks, like young ones feeding calves or baby lambs.”

Safer Farms director/ambassador Lindy Nelson and EverSafe founder Jane Fowles recently spoke to Coast & Country News about the ongoing issue leading into the busy Driver training spring/summer period. Jane says while there are a number of quad Lindy says this time of year sees quad bike bike training courses available around the use hit “quite a peak” in workload on farms, country, one day is not enough to make with motorbikes and utes. competent drivers. With the school holidays, she says this time As a “backstop”, the use of rollbars, GPS of year also means more children are at home systems and speed-lim speed-limiters is highly on farms. recommended. Lindy says while theree are divergent “We know thatt solutions work,” opinions about bringingg youngsters says Jane. to work and associated safety risks, Other aspectss also need to be “there is no safe way forr a child to taken into con nsideration when get around on a quad bike”. using vehicles on farms, such as “Imagine the energy created the weather, ground conditions, when a quad bike overrturns and the rooute being taken how it could crush an adult, and tterrain. let alone a small child,,” “C Choose the right says Jane. veh hicle…the safest, not The challenge is th he most convenient,” to take children on ssays Jane. farms for work, when Tyre pressures parents don’t have a should also be ute or 4x4 vehicle. checked before “They think riding quad bikes the children will or motorbikes, be okay because while riders need of the driver’s to ensure they have experience. Well, EverSafe Founder the requisite helmet they are not,” Jane Fowles. says Lindy. and mobile phone.

“Make sure you have enough time and enough geear.” Keys incclude getting to a job safely on a farm, whaatever vehicle is being used. Jane sayss wearing helmets when riding quad bikees and motorbikes, and seatbelts on tractors sh hould be seen as “best practice”. From Jan nuary to August, 12 deaths were reported relating to farm accidents, including six involviing quad bikes or side-by-sides. There were 19 fatallities from 2021-2 2 02 5 related to quad bike accidents alone. The average quad accident puts a farmer out of work for 82 days. “That’s nearly a whole season,” says Lindy. “It is a massive industry challenge.” This time of year also sees contractors engaged for cropping and harvesting. “They are under pressure and feel stress to get crops in before El Niño hits,” says Lindy. “Many are a one-man band and they can’t work 24/7.” She says contractors need to look after themselves, with farmer support also important. “It needs to be well-planned.” Lindy says Safer Farms and EverSafe are not trying to tell farmers what to do. They know their property and know their team. “It’s about keeping families safe. Your life matters. “Too many good people are getting hurt or killed doing the everyday work of farming,” says Lindy. “Not because they do not care. Not because they do not know the risks. But because risk is often built into the work itself.”

Always adapted

She says New Zealand agriculture has always adapted. “We have improved genetics, pasture, machinery, data, production systems and environmental performance. “Now we need to apply that same innovation to safety. “Not by adding more paperwork. Not by blaming people after harm occurs. Not by relying on perfect judgment in tough conditions. “But by designing farms, tasks, tools and systems that make harm less likely in the first place. “That is how we build farms where people can do great work, produce great food and fibre, and get home safe and well every day,” says Lindy. From behaviour-led to system-led safety, farming has always relied on skill, judgment and experience. “But even experienced people get hurt,” says Lindy. “That is because farm work often happens in conditions that make perfect judgment difficult: steep terrain, bad weather, fatigue, livestock movement, time pressure, machinery, long hours and financial stress. “Safety has traditionally focused on preventing failure, but the next step is designing systems where the right outcomes happen by default.” “The human cost of farming is too high. “Accidents on-farm have far-reaching consequences, not just for you, but for your family and your business.” Steve Edwards

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EDUCATION

Page 17

Building futures through boarding

There is a distinct magic to a true seven-day boarding community: the shared weekend meals, spontaneous house games, and lifelong friendships forged across regional and international boundaries.

At Whanganui Collegiate School, seven-day boarding remains the beating heart of campus life. Yet as modern family life evolves, Collegiate is demonstrating how an iconic boarding institution can preserve its core identity while offering the flexibility modern parents need. In an age dominated by screen time and busy household schedules, full boarding provides young people with deep, uninterrupted immersion in a vibrant community. Students grow up together, building resilience, self-reliance, and global networks. “Boarding today isn’t about sending a child away; it’s about expanding their world while maintaining deep family connections,” says headmaster Ainsley Robson.

Boarding and family life

To support busy families navigating travel distances or work commitments, Collegiate offers a flexible spectrum of options alongside its full seven-day boarding core. Regional families living within one to two hours can opt for Regional Boarding to keep students focused on campus mid-week before returning home for the weekend. Local

households benefit from Whanganui Boarding, a four-night, Mondayto-Friday model offering structured evening study while keeping weekends completely free. Additionally, Part-Time Boarding (2–3 fixed nights) eliminates long daily commutes, while Casual Boarding offers flexible overnight stays on demand.

Personalised learning

At the center of Collegiate’s academic success is individual attention. Small class sizes ensure no student gets lost in the crowd, allowing teachers to mentor each individual directly. Evening prep is supported by residential tutors and academic staff who provide direct guidance when challenges arise. This academic focus is backed by a wrap-around pastoral care network, where housemasters and wellbeing teams create a warm, family environment inside every house so every student feels seen and supported. Whanganui’s safe, welcoming location offers the best of both worlds. Set away from big-city distractions yet featuring regional transport links that make regular weekend trips home straightforward.

Planning for 2027

Discover how Whanganui Collegiate School can help your child thrive: Enrolments: Applications open for 2027/28 entry across full and flexible boarding options. For more information, see Whanganui Collegiate’s advert on this page.

Boarding remains the heart of campus life at Whanganui Collegiate School. Photos / Supplied

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ELLINGHAM FARM

Page 18

Ellingham family farm enters For 136 years, the Ellingham family name has been tied to the hills, streams and farm tracks of Mangahuia. From the days when Richard Charles Ellingham first walked up the Makairo Stream to inspect land he would later buy, through to today’s use of electronic weighing, digital records and a farm drone, the sheep and beef property has kept evolving with each generation. Now George Ellingham is working

alongside his parents, Craig and Nicky, as Mangahuia enters its fifth generation of family farming. It is a story of persistence, adaptation and pride - and of one family’s long connection with land that has shaped their lives for more than a century.

Carved from the bush

In 1890, Richard Charles Ellingham walked up the Makairo Stream to inspect land he was considering buying. He purchased about 450 acres and named the property Mangahuia. His wool brand, R.C.E. Mangahuia,

remains in use today. A year later he established a camp and began clearing the bush. Over winter he continued cutting well into September, before leaving to work as a shearer. By the summer of 1893, with the bush cleared, burnt and sown in grass seed, he bought sheep and began farming the land. His first wool sale followed in 1894, with seven bales selling for 7½d per pound. That same year, the first cattle were purchased for 30 shillings per head. In 1896, Richard purchased Nicolson’s farm for £5 an acre and built a homestead and woolshed. Lincoln sheep Generations one, two and three: Selwyn, Richard and William. were the predominant breed at the time, before Romney sheep gradually replaced them during the 1920s. Richard married Jessie Lee Kerruish in 1896. Known as Dick and Lee, the couple had three children: Ada, Richard and Harry. In 1901, Richard added to the farm by purchasing the neighbouring 344-acre block known as Nikau from S. Tipping, paying £8 an acre. In 1914, there was great excitement when the family purchased its first car, a 14-horsepower Humber from Donald’s Garage in Pahiatua.

New tools

The original homestead, barn, workshop, whare and woolshed.

In 1920, Richard Selwyn Ellingham took over the running of Mangahuia. It was a period of increasing agricultural development, with lime and

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ELLINGHAM FARM

Page 19

fifth generation after 136 years superphosphate becoming more widely woolshed, providing a more modern and used. Packed on to horseback, fertiliser efficient shearing facility. Covered yards were built alongside it in 1983. was hand-spread across the hills. The original homestead was replaced The first tractor, a Fordson, arrived at in 1980 to accommodate the growing Mangahuia in December 1925. Work Ellingham family. began stumping and draining the flats, and electricity arrived in December Another generation 1926, bringing another major change to farm life. In 1993, the fourth generation stepped Selwyn married Ethel Catherine into the lead, with Richard Craig Taylor in 1930. They had two children, Ellingham taking responsibility for Valarie Lee, known as Sally, and William the farm. Richard, known as Dick. Craig married Nicola Susan Rivers in The Depression of the 1930s, followed 2001. They have three children: Jessie, by the Second who is a midwife, World War George, who from 1939 to farms, and James, 1945, meant who is in his last development and year of college. In 2005, improvements Mangahuia grew were largely put again when the on hold. neighbouring By 1952, an Powdrell property airstrip had was purchased opened at Th b p h d on JJuly l 31 The 14hp H Humber purchased 31, for $5143 per Mangahuia. A 1914, is delivered by rail to Mangatainoka hectare. The year later, the station. R.C. Ellingham is sitting on the addition brought neighbouring front of the rail wagon. another 175ha, 100-acre dairy or about 432 acres, into the farm. farm belonging to Jack Foster was Now, in 2026, the Ellingham family purchased for £46 an acre. farm has entered another important In 1965, William Richard Ellingham chapter in its long history. married Lorna Coralene Udy and took over Mangahuia. They had four children: Fifth generation Richard, known as Craig, Julie, Heather and Peter. Working alongside his parents and joined by his fiancee, Peta-Lexi Hutchins, In 1973, the original woolshed was George Ellingham is now stock manager replaced with a Cyclone four-stand

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Craig Ellingham overlooking the farm.

at Mangahuia. His role marks the beginning of the fifth generation’s hands-on involvement in the farm. Today, Mangahuia is a 750ha sheep and beef farm running about 8000 stock units, with all young stock finished on the property. Tractors, motorbikes, side-by-sides and modern handling equipment have changed the way work is done, reducing the number of staff needed while increasing efficiency. Technology is now part of everyday farming life, with electronic weighing, animal tags, digital records and phone

apps helping guide decisions. A recently purchased drone is used to check stock and fly fence lines. Yet for all the changes, some parts of farming remain much the same. Richard Charles Ellingham had no weather app or long-range forecast. He watched the clouds, felt the wind and learnt to read the signs of what was coming. “Some things haven’t changed; the stock still needs checking, fences still need fixing, and the land still needs looking after. And after 136 years, the weather still has the final say,” Craig says. Kem Ormond

Page 20

A benchmark for health

Manawatū’s neglected orchard menace in 1923 Kem Ormond looks at farming back in the day. In this month’s Pastures Past, she’s found newspaper articles on the ups and downs of orchards.

Dr Peter Hume, left ft, t Dr Greg Miles and Dr Josephine Miles serving Hawera, Waverley and Whanganui Wh h communities.

Right Ri i now, we’re surrounded by more advice about health, wellness and wellbeing than ever before. It can become overwhelming. So, before talking about what farmers should be doing differently, I want to start with what our farming community is already doing well. Most farmers move their bodies every day. You’re walking paddocks, working in sheds, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. You’re outsiide in th he fresh h aiir and sunshine, using your muscles and keeping your cardiovascular system working. That’s a pretty good starting point. But health is more than simply having no pain or diagnosed illness. The World Health Organization has long recognised that

health is about overall wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease. In my chiropractic practice, I encourage people to think about health like a farm stocktake. What’s working well? What isn’t? What can you comfortably do now? And what would you like to be able to do in five, ten or twenty years? For many farmers, the answer isn’t another five hours a week in the gym. You’re already physically active. Instead, we might need to work on mobility, flexibility, nervous system function, recovery, managiing stress and improving nutrition perhaps even returning to the simple meat-and-three-veg approach many of us grew up with. Over the next few months, we’ll look at some practical ways to help farming bodies function well for the long haul.

While we have experienced heavy frosts in recent weeks, it is interesting to look back to 1914, when Hawke’s Bay orchardists were assessing considerable frost damage to their crops. At the time, frost protection methods were limited, with orchard fires among the few practical measures to protect fruit trees from freezing temperatures.

In 1911, ready-made orchards were available for settlers, with 10 on offer in the Wanganui area. However, by 1923, concerns had arisen over several neglected orchards in the Wanganui district. Their poor condition had become an issue for the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, highlighting the importance of maintaining orchards for individual growers and the wider industry. Below is a selection of historical stories from the New Zealand Herald (1911), Gisborne Times (1914), and Wanganui Chronicle (1923).

Ready-made orchards

Eagerly applied for. The Waerenga Scheme. New Zealand Herald, July 31, 1911

The first 10 orchards prepared and planted by the Department of Agriculture at Waerenga are now offered for selection. This marks an important phase in the scheme to provide ready-made orchards for settlers desirous of taking up fruit culture. The orchards will be obtainable on the optional system of tenure. The 10 orchards vary from 21 to 48 acres. All are planted with peaches, apples, pears

and plums, and some have small vineyards. Each orchard has several acres of grass to provide a site for a home and grazing space for a horse or cow. The conditions under which the orchards will be taken up are strict regarding upkeep and general knowledge of fruit culture. As expected, the orchards are eagerly sought after, and by closing time the Lands Office had received more than 70 applications.

Last week’s frosts

Effect on Hawke’s Bay orchards (Press Association telegram), Hastings, October 8. Gisborne Times, October 9, 1914

Sufficient time has passed since last week’s frost to estimate damage to stone fruit in the district. The orchards on the plains suffered most, with the greatest damage to late peaches, Japanese plums, apricots, and nectarines. It is authoritatively stated orchardists who failed to light fires have lost more than half

their crops, and peaches in orchards where fires were lighted did not suffer to any appreciable extent. In all orchards early peaches are said to have escaped damage. Had the frost occurred a week later, much more damage would have been done.

Fruitgrowers’ conference

Neglected orchards. (Per Press Association.), Wellington, June 14.

Wanganui Chronicle, June 15, 1923

F. W. Conway, on behalf of the Manawatu branch of the Fruitgrowers’ Federation, proposed at the fruitgrowers’ meeting today that the conference ask the department for more stringent inspection of orchards in the Manawatu district. He stated that 250 to 300 tons of

apples were grown in the Manawatu district each year. There were, however, a number of small and neglected orchards, in some cases with only a few trees. It was felt there was no adequate inspection to ensure the trees were kept free from blight.

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DAIRY

Page 21

‘Excellent talent’: Dairy awards open for entries The 38th year of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards launches this month. The Lower North Island is split into three regions – Taranaki, Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa – for the prestigious annual event. Award categories include Share Farmer of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year, Dairy Trainee of the Year, plus awards for Responsible Dairying, Alumni of the Year and First Farm. With a prize pool of more than $1 million, the NZ Dairy Industry Awards celebrate outstanding performance, leadership, sustainability and innovation across New Zealand’s dairy sector. The programme includes regional and national competitions, extensive judging and significant industry sponsorship. NZDIA general manager Robin Congdon says the Lower North Island has a strong track record in the awards. This year, Karl and Jess Wood from Manawatū placed third in the National Share Farmer of the Year category. Karl, 32, and Jess, 34, are 50/50 sharemilking 230 cows on 85ha for John Gardner in Palmerston North. Conor Attrill-Mundt from the Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa area also placed third in the Dairy Trainee of the Year section at the 2026 national final. The 24-year-old is now assistant manager for Simon and Lisa Lunskey in Oeo, Taranaki.

Alumni award

Alvaro Luzardo and Ximena Puig from Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa won the 2026

New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards’ General Manager Robin Congdon.

ASB Alumni of the Year award. This prize is a collaboration between ASB and NZDIA to encourage and reward NZDIA Alumni who have made significant contributions to the programme and the industry. The section is open to NZDIA Alumni who have been entrants in the past seven years and are no longer eligible to enter the Dairy Manager or Share Farmer of the Year categories. Originally from Uruguay, Alvaro and Ximena are sharemilking 465 cows for Geoff Arends and Ester Romp in Eketāhuna and have bought a neighbouring farm as equity partners and are lowerorder sharemilking 620 cows there. Robin Congdon says the Taranaki, Manawatū and Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa regions have a great history on the NZDIA Hall of Fame.

“The Lower North Island regions have longstanding dairy farming roots and are stacked with excellent talent who we constantly see coming through the awards. “The heart of NZDIA is the people, the volunteers and the national and regional support that make the programme a success year-on-year. “These regions have quality people in spades, and it’s great to see their farming communities continue to back the programme and get in behind entrants, giving them a way to learn, grow and progress their dairy careers,” he says. Past national winners from the region include Will Hinton and Kali Rangiawha, from Manawatū, who took out the Share Farmer of the Year title in 2024, and Martin Keegan from Taranaki, who was named Dairy Manager of the Year in 2025. The Fonterra & ASB First Farm Award was introduced in recent years for first-time farm buyers, providing financial and strategic support to help the best in the industry successfully launch into farm ownership. A collaboration between Fonterra, ASB and the NZDIA Trust, Robin says the award aims to remove barriers to farm ownership by offering financial backing, mentorship, and industry support. The Fonterra Responsible Dairy Award recognises dairy farmers and businesses who are demonstrating leadership in their approach to responsible dairying, a way of conducting a farm business where actions and results demonstrate responsibility and sustainability. “Responsible dairying is not just

about the environment, it also includes management and performance of people, farming systems, finances, animal care, milk quality and ecosystem. They are all important pillars of responsible dairying,” Robin says.

2026 Lower North Island Results Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year – winner: Shicaela Kane; runner-up: Molly Yarrall; third: Karleigh Moir. Dairy Manager of the Year – winner: Miriam Lauridsen; runner-up: Kate Logan; third: Laura Potroz. Share Farmer of the Year – winner: Samantha and Tom Lumsden; runner-up: Craig and Kelsey Fisher; third: Bradley and Melissa Bullot. Manawatū Dairy Trainee of the Year – winner: Jack Foster; runner-up: Charlie Cowie; third: Elisa Berle. Dairy Manager of the Year – winner: Adrian Waugh; runner-up: Kristin Wilson; third: Alex Meads. Share Farmer of the Year – winner: Karl and Jess Wood; runner-up: Nicola Bosch and Kieran Scannell; third: Zayn Jones and Natalie Ahlborn. Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year – winner: Conor Attrill; runner-up: Johanna Wessels; third: Lucas Wilson Taopua. Dairy Manager of the Year – winner: Sam Cooper; runner-up: Micah Wratt. Share Farmer of the Year – winner: Tony Hudson and Rachel Jones; runner-up: Anna and Damian Hopkins. The National Awards Gala will be held on Saturday, May 15.

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EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Page 22

How dairy farms can protect waterways and d use nutrients

Over the years, irrigation has often drawn some pretty harsh criticism. In the 1930s, it was suggested that the irrigated area would no longer be able to grow wheat; it would be impossible to carry cattle; brown top and gorse would invade the pasture; new and unexpected diseases would be rampant; the hill country farmer would be deprived of an outlet for surplus ewes and lambs; grass grub, porina and other pests would destroy pastures and crops; soil fertility would be depleted, and foot rot and internal parasites would make it impossible to raise sheep, writes Kem Ormond.

It is well known that irrigation has played a significant role in New Zealand farming and agriculture in general, particularly in Canterbury and Central Otago, two of the country’s driest agricultural regions. The transformation from simple water races to highly sophisticated computercontrolled applications has been a real game-changer for farmers and growers. When irrigation was first introduced, it began with simple channels and water races and has since developed into highly sophisticated systems capable of applying precise amounts of water to large areas of farmland. Gold mining played a key role in the development of irrigation. In Central Otago during the gold-mining era of the 1860s and 1880s, miners constructed water races to carry water for gold sluicing. As mining declined, some of these races and water rights were adapted for pastoral farming. Farmers diverted water from streams and rivers to flood paddocks, providingg much-needed moisture during the dry summer months. Canterbury was another early centre of irrigation. Farmers began diverting water from rivers and streams in the mid-19th century, initially mainly to provide stock water. By the late 19th century, local

authorities were constructing networks of races across the Canterbury Plains. In the Ashburton district, early water races were being developed from the 1870s and 1880s.

Turning point

In the 1930s, a major turning point came with the construction of the Rangitātā Diversion Race. Work began in 1937 on the 67km scheme, which diverted water from the Rangitātā River across Mid-Canterbury towards the Rakaia River. It was New Zealand’s first major river-diversion irrigation scheme and transformed farming in the Ashburton district, allowing much greater agricultural production and diversification. Then, after the Second World War, irrigation expanded throughout Canterbury, Central Otago, and other dry-farming regions. Government-built races, canals, dams, and later piped systems supplied water to increasingly productive farms. The establishment of the Winchmore Irrigation Research Station in 1946 also helped farmers understand how best to use irrigation water and improve pasture production. As knowledge of irrigation expanded, the next major development was the shift from flood irrigation and border-dyke systems to sprinkler systems. Instead of

Careful effluent management helps farmers protect rivers and streams while returning nutrient-rich waste to productive use on the farm. Photo / NZME

allowing water to flow across the paddock, sprinklers could distribute it more evenly and use water more efficiently. Technology continued to improve, with computerised controls allowing farmers to regulate when and how much water was applied. Today, one of the most recognisable forms of irrigation is the centre-pivot system. A long arm rotates around a midway point, applying water in a large circular pattern. Modern pivots can be computer-controlled and adjusted to apply different amounts of water across a paddock. A 500m pivot, for example, can irrigate about 79ha in one rotation. Another commonly used method is the Linear move sprinkler system, and both are widely used irrigation methods by area in New Zealand, covering hundreds of thousands of hectares primarily across large pastoral and dairy farms. From the simple water race to the computer-controlled centre pivot, New Zealand’s irrigation story reflects the ingenuity of farmers and engineers in making productive use of some of the country’s driest farmland. It has been particularly important in transforming the Canterbury Plains, Central Otago, and areas of the East Coast into highly productive agricultural regions.

Effluent

When it comes to farm effluent management in New Zealand, it has improved considerably over the years. There is now greater emphasis placed on protecting waterways and making use

of the nutrients contained in animal waste. On dairy farms, effluent is produced mainly in the milking shed, yards, feed pads and other areas where animals are concentrated. It can contain urine, faeces, wash-down water, milk residues, and other organic material. This effluent is collected and directed into storage ponds, tanks, or other approved containment systems. Having storage is particularly important during wet weather, when the paddocks are too saturated to safely absorb additional nutrients. Once conditions are suitable, the effluent can be applied to pasture or crops using irrigation systems or effluent tankers. The nutrients it contains, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, can provide valuable fertiliser and reduce the need for some manufactured fertilisers. This can be a cost saving for farmers, reducing their fertiliser costs. Farmers need to carefully consider soil moisture, weather conditions, application rates and the risk of run-off or leaching. Regional councils have rules covering effluent storage, application and discharges, and resource consent may be required depending on the farm and location. Farmers aim to keep effluent out of streams, rivers and groundwater while making productive use of its nutrients. Well-managed effluent systems therefore form an important part of modern, environmentally responsible farming Kem Ormond in New Zealand.

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EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

Page 23

Revolutionising dairy effluent management A New Zealand-developed effluent management system is promising to help dairy farmers reduce environmental impacts while improving farm efficiency and pasture performance.

The Clean Green Effluent system combines automated technology, aerobic processing and low-rate application techniques to address one of the dairy sector’s most significant challenges: managing effluent in a way that protects waterways and maximises nutrient use. According to the company, the system is designed to operate with minimal human intervention, automating key processes such as effluent distribution and monitoring. The aim is to reduce labour requirements while maintaining consistent performance across dairy operations. A key feature of the system is its use of aerobic effluent processing rather than traditional anaerobic methods. Supporters of the technology say aerobic treatment allows nutrients to remain available for pasture uptake while helping reduce environmental impacts commonly associated with conventional effluent storage systems. The process is designed to retain nutrient value, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK), while producing cleaner outputs that can be reused on-farm. The company says this contributes to healthier soils and improved water quality outcomes.

Weeping wall technology

At the centre of the system is a patented “weeping wall” design that separates solids and liquids through a natural filtration process.

As effluent passes through permeable barriers within the structure, a large proportion of nutrients are retained in the solids. These nutrient-rich solids can later be used on crops or applied to poorerperforming pasture areas. The remaining liquid undergoes aerobic treatment, creating what the company describes as “green water” that can be recycled for tasks such as washing external yarding areas.

Freshwater use

One of the practical benefits highlighted by Clean Green Effluent is a reduction in freshwater demand. The recycled liquid can be used for automatic yard washing, reducing the amount of fresh water required for cleaning operations. The company says this can lower water consumption to about 20 litres per cow while eliminating the need for manual yard washing. The approach also allows treated liquid effluent to be dispersed daily, reducing reliance on large storage ponds. Another feature is an ultra-low application rate that spreads effluent at about a quarter of a millimetre over a 24-hour period. The company says this low-depth approach prevents soil saturation and

Patented weeping wall.

reduces the risk of runoff into waterways. By applying nutrients gradually, crops and pasture can absorb them more effectively, improving utilisation and reducing waste. The ability to apply treated liquid daily also means farms require less effluent storage capacity than conventional systems.

Sustainability

Clean Green Effluent says its system is designed as a closed-loop solution that minimises nitrogen losses, leaching and emissions while making better use of

nutrients already produced on-farm. As environmental regulations and sustainability expectations continue to increase across the agricultural sector, technologies that improve nutrient efficiency and reduce environmental impacts are attracting growing attention. The company believes its combination of automation, aerobic treatment and innovative application methods offers dairy farmers a pathway to improving productivity while strengthening environmental stewardship. For more information, see Clean Green Effluent’s advert on this page.

Benefits of the system • Small foot print • No storage ponds • Fully automated • Low running costs • 0.25mm application/24hrs

• Low man hours to maintain • 60% fresh water savings • Fully patented system

Superior growth from October to December from a long rotation

Fig. 1 Seasonal distribution of pasture growth under 28 day cuts

Fig. 2 Seasonal distribution of pasture growth under 14 day cuts

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