Wairarapa Rural Outlook March 2019

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019

■ Experts and or/lawyers may or may not need to be involved In Australia, NSW has had a scheme since 1994 and there are now schemes in Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland. It appears that the New Zealand scheme will be based on the NSW legislation.

The NSW scheme is well used and between 1995-2016 there were 1659 “satisfactory mediations” that took place with a settlement rate of nearly 90%.

The bankers have recognised that farm debt mediation creates an opportunity for bankers to finally sit down with farmers.

Recently, the range of activities covered by the legislation was extended to include aquaculture and timber harvesting.

They take steps to ensure that farmers are fully aware of their rights and are encouraged to seek mediation earlier.

■ supported financially by governments; and ■ recognise the unique circumstances that can affect farm debt.

In the US there are state and federal schemes, and the USDA reports that mediation has been utilised in “tens of thousands of disputes over farm credit”.

In its first year, 2008, the Minnesota FDM Programme

opened 2002 mediation cases.

“Nearly 80% of such cases reached some kind of settlement, meaning farms stayed in business, lenders got paid and people stayed in their communities.”

Some take-outs from the US schemes: ■ it is preferable to use skilled specialist mediators, who are subject to a code of ethics;

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■ mediation is more effective if pertinent information is furnished in advance; ■ even if mediation does not resolve the dispute it can still improve relationships and outcomes; and ■ there will be more than one way to mediate these disputes, they may be one single meeting or it more may take more.

There are enhanced penalties for failing to comply, including fines for lenders who have taken enforcement action in breach of the legislation.

In Canada during the period 20002010 there were approximately 500 cases a year. That scheme provides for an administrator who can assist the farmer, including by preparing a detailed review of the farmer’s financial affairs.

Previous attempts to provide a scheme in New Zealand have gone nowhere. There is a sense that a farm debt mediation

statute will be passed by this government. Submissions to the Government have included that: ■ there should be broad definitions of Farm, Farm Debt and Farm Debtor; ■ mediation should be available at an early stage in the deterioration of the relationship - default, or significant default, should be the “trigger point” and at that stage lenders must advise farmers that they have the opportunity to mediate; ■ mediation should be mandatory for the lender, where requested by the farmer; ■ once mediation is in train all forms of enforcement action, other than for interim relief, should be deferred pending conclusion of the mediation; ■ considered preferable costs are low shared; ■ parties should exchange relevant, non-privileged, information ahead of mediation; ■ party should be allowed legal representation and must attend in good faith; ■ the scheme will have a reporting and review regime.

Arbitrator’s and Mediators Institute of New Zealand have submitted that they should have an exclusive role in the provision of mediators to the scheme.

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019

Unique urban insight for emerging red meat leader in Wairarapa Awards A new addition to this year’s Keinzley Agvet Wairarapa Sheep & Beef Farm Business of the Year Awards - The Wairarapa Emerging Red Meat Leader Award - has been won by Sam Vivian-Greer.

The award was introduced as it was felt that while the Farm Business of the Year and the Shepherd of the Year were being awarded, the level between the two competitions was not being celebrated.

To be eligible for the award, nominees had to be a 2IC, block manager, stock manager or head shepherd, with a minimum of three years practical farming experience, and be having a meaningful impact on farm performance but not involved in the financial management or governance of the business.

Sam grew up in West Auckland and went to a secondary school that offered a small farm course on 10 acres, populated with a couple of cows and a few sheep.

“I asked my mum what agriculture was in Year 10 and she said it was farming and working outdoors so I thought I would give it a go.

“It included a week working on a large sheep & beef farm at Port Waikato, and then I came to Taratahi in 2007 and 2008, studying up to Level 4.

“I was lucky to land a scholarship from Wairere Rams here in Wairarapa, which came with a job which was my first venture into farming.”

red meat is exported overseas, and Sam sees its natural market as being quality dining, and the home cooking market.

For the latter, this doesn’t necessarily mean the cook at home, with Sam pointing to companies like My Food Bag, who source ethically-and sustainablyproduced meat.

Since then Sam has worked at Landcorp’s Titoki sheep & beef farm north of Whangarei for three years, before returning to Wairarapa to work at Waiorongomai Station and most recently Spring Valley Enterprises.

New Zealand red meat farmers already produce a quality product but the emphasis has been instead on quantity, Sam says.

The award was given to Sam for “his understanding of animal performance, of what drives financial success, and of his awareness and understanding of issues around food production in New Zealand.”

When congratulating Sam on their Facebook page, Matt and Lynley Wyeth of Spring Valley Enterprises said, “We believe future leaders in agriculture must understand their urban counterparts to be able to provide them with the very best quality product from our farms and Sam has this in spades.”

And indeed, some of Sam’s insight into the future of the red meat industry come from having grown up in New Zealand’s largest city.

“There has been a huge shift in people’s awareness of what they are eating,” Sam says.

“Consumers want to know that the animals have been ethically

“We want to go beyond expectations in terms of ethical farming and sustainable inputs, and broadcast that message out.”

Sam is now taking 12 months off from farming to study extramurally with Massey University from his home in Masterton, with the long-term goal of working in rural banking or consulting. farmed - they have had a good life while they are alive - and they don’t want too much chemical input.”

opportunity as sheep and beef are “a superior product that is a cut above these cheaper sources of protein.

Sam sees challenges for red meat coming from other cheaper ways of producing protein, such as synthetic meat, and animals that convert feed into protein more efficiently than sheep and beef.

“Because people are eating less red meat, doesn’t mean they like it any less. It does mean they want better quality when they eat it.

They want to talk about the great steak or roast they had last night.”

However, Sam sees this as an

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019 Manager for Selwyn and Jenny McLachlan on their 210ha, 920cow Masterton property.

He is no stranger to the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

He was 2013 Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year and was the runner-up in the 2018 Dairy Manager category. He won $5520 in prizes plus three merit awards.

“There are numerous benefits to entering the Awards,” says Nicholas. “Growing our business, accountability, goal-setting, progression and networking as well as industry awareness and knowledge.

“Although my wife Kirsty is not employed by Willowpark, without her this business would not be as profitable and successful as it currently is.”

Future farming goals include a long-term, large-scale sharemilking role and farm ownership.

“I’m also very interested in moving into governance or politics in the agricultural space.”

Dairy Trainee of the Year Matthew McDougall, 22, is a Farm Assistant on Stuart Cordell’s 165ha, 530-cow farm at Dannevirke.

He won $5414 in prizes and four merit awards. Matthew was placed third in the 2018 Dairy Trainee category.

Matthew steps up into a manager’s role next season and hopes to be sharemilking in five to 10 years.

“I have a passion for the outdoors.

I love working with animals and my hands so I could not think of a

better job.”

Matthew feels that over time in the various roles he has had in his career, he has developed his timemanagement skills. “They weren’t the best to begin with.”

Share Farmer Merit Awards: ■ DairyNZ Human Resources Award – Liam & Margot Richardson ■ Ecolab Farm Dairy Hygiene Award – Kirstin & Scott Mathis ■ Federated Farmers Leadership Award – Nicholas & Rosemarie Bertram ■ Honda Farm Safety, Health & Biosecurity Award – Nicholas & Rosemarie Bertram ■ LIC Recording & Productivity Award – Hamish Hammond and Rachel Gardner ■ Meridian Energy Farm Environment Award – Hamish Hammond and Rachel Gardner ■ Ravensdown Pasture Performance Award – Hamish Hammond and Rachel Gardner ■ Westpac Business Performance Award - Hamish Hammond and Rachel Gardner Dairy Manager Merit Awards: ■ Moore Stephens Markhams Ltd Employee Engagement Award – Nicholas Verhoek ■ Vet Services Leadership Award – Damon Ashworth ■ Hawke’s Bay Wairarapa DIA Feed Management Award – Nicholas Verhoek ■ Fonterra Dairy Management Award – Kelli Pailthorpe

Dairy Trainee of the Year Matthew McDougall.

Dairy Manager of the Year Nicholas Verhoek.

■ DeLaval Livestock Management Award – Nicholas Verhoek

■ TFM Tractors Farming Knowledge Award – Matthew McDougall

■ Primary ITO Power Play Award – Dan Phillips

■ T.H. Enterprises Ltd Communication & Engagement Award – Matthew McDougall

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and Westpac, along with industry partners DairyNZ and Primary ITO.

■ Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa DIA Community & Industry Involvement Award – Matthew McDougall

Further details on the winners and the field day can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

■ Westpac Financial Management & Planning Award – Derek de Jong Dairy Trainee Merit Awards: ■ Irrigation Services Most Promising Entrant- Charlotte Oram

■ DairyNZ Practical Skills Award – Matthew McDougall

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019

Wairarapa shearers aiming for world championship place this weekend Wairarapa will have two shearers in with a chance to represent New Zealand at the World Shearing Championships in France this June.

All they have to do is come first in the New Zealand Open Title Shearing Competition at the New Zealand Shears which starts at Te Kuiti today, with the open final on Saturday.

Paerata Abraham of Masterton and David Buick of Pongaroa are both in with a chance, says Shearing Sports journalist Doug Laing.

By winning the Golden Shears in March, Rowland Smith has already ensured his place on the New Zealand team as one of its two machine shearers.

The other place will be filled by whoever wins the Te Kuiti open final. However, Doug points out

that Rowland Smith has been so efficient in beating all comers in shearing competitions this season, that there is every chance he will win the Te Kuiti title too.

If this happens, whoever comes second will accompany him to France.

Buick is one of the favourites to get the second berth. He was in the New Zealand team in the UK last year and has won 18 open finals. He first shore open class in 2002 but had to wait until 2011 to have his first win.

Abraham has been an open class shearer for 13 seasons but had to wait until March last year for his first win.

His win in the PGG Wrightson Wool National Circuit final at the Golden Shears this year was only his second open win.

Tasman tests in Dubbo, New South Wales and at the Golden Shears.

The New Zealand team to the World Championship at Le Dorat will have two machine shearers, two blade shearers and two woolhandlers.

David Buick.

Already selected along with Smith are blade shearers Tony Dobbs and Allan Oldfield, and woolhandlers Pagan Karauria and Sheree Alabaster.

Wairarapa has produced two world champions, the late Rick Pivac who was shearing teams champion with David Fagan in Perth in 1986, and Tina Rimene – Pagan Karauria’s mum – who won two World woolhandling teams titles, in South Africa in 2000 and Toowoomba Qld in 2005.

But it won him a place in the three-man New Zealand shearing team for next summer’s Trans-

Paerata Abraham.

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019

Lifestyle properties lead the way in rural real estate It has been a golden summer and autumn for lifestyle properties in Wairarapa.

There were variable volumes in the lifestyle market across New Zealand for the three months ended February 2019, says the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

However, “Wairarapa/Wellington continue to impress with strong activity around $750,000, albeit slower over $1 million.

“The current shortage of listings has resulted in many properties being sold immediately upon being listed; purchasers from Wellington City continue to dominate the market.”

This is a view echoed by Tim Falloon, Lifestyle/Rural/Branch Manager at Farmlands Real Estate.

“Lifestyle is very strong. There is a lot of interest from over the

hill, particularly Upper Hutt.

Residential property values are growing there so people have the money to move to Wairarapa.”

Tim says that buyers aren’t just coming from other regions.

“The residential market in Masterton is very strong so people there are moving to lifestyle properties too.”

Sheep & beef farms in Wairarapa are enjoying some of the best prices ever, Tim says. The problem here is a lack of supply, with less than 10 properties on the market at present.

Wairarapa/Wellington region it is “harder work with limited listings in the drystock sector, and very quiet on the dairy front”.

There are only one or two dairy farms for the sale in Wairarapa, Tim says. “Nationally, there are a lot of dairy farms on the market so there is probably an oversupply.”

Nationally, there were 370 farm sales in the three months ended February 2019, compared with 384 farm sales for the three months ended February 2018, says the Real Estate Institute.

He has noted a few dairy farms converting back to sheep & beef from dairy because they are seen as more profitable and less labour intensive.

Brian Peacocke, Rural Spokesman at REINZ says: “The easing in total sales volumes for the three-month period ending February 2019 is the main point contained in the sales data, particularly for the dairy sector.

Tim’s impressions are confirmed by the Real Estate Institute in its rural property report for the three months up to the end of February, saying in the

“Weather conditions have again been a major influence with a booming later spring followed quickly by an extremely dry summer period leading into

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prices for the dairy sector.

“For some farmers, however, those returns have not been sufficient to change their decision to exit the rural industry, as evidenced by the high number of farms on the market in recent months, these decisions in turn being based on frustrations relating to issues including, but not limited to, labour, compliance and marginsqueezing cost increases.”

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www.age.co.nz Thursday, March 28, 2019

Sheep and beef cattle vet of year nominations wanted Do you know a veterinarian who deserves recognition for their work?

Nominations are now open for New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) Sheep and Beef Cattle Vet of the Year.

costs of attending the conference dinner if not planning to attend.

The award is judged by the Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians Special Interest Branch (SIB) Committee and if required, members of the NZVA board.

“We all know a veterinarian who really stands out in their field.

Someone who loves chewing the cud about cattle, or whose sheer love of sheep underpins everything they do, says the NZVA.

Criteria

“We are pleased to announce your chance to recognise the sheep and beef cattle veterinarian who has had a lasting impact on the health and well being of the animals we care for.”

■ Be working in New Zealand and a registered veterinarian.

Veterinarians can be nominated by colleagues, farmer clients or members of the wider agricultural industry with nominations closing on 26 April.

The award will be presented on the evening of Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians annual dinner at NZVA Conference.

As well as the prestige associated with the award, the recipient will win a mystery weekend for two to celebrate their success and the

The following criteria for Sheep and Beef Cattle Vet of the Year are required for nomination and the nominee should:

■ Have made a significant contribution to the sheep and beef industry in the past 12-18 months ■ Have used their position to have a positive influence, either through education, mentoring, advocacy, representation of the profession, media relations, or in other relevant ways at a local or national level.

Good wine harvest expected in Wairarapa Wairarapa winemakers are looking forward to a good season as they start their harvest.

contributing to the New Zealand * Veterinary Association or the Sheep and Beef Special Interest Branch and through other industry groups.

■ The recipient must be open to promotion of the award by media and promote the profession in good spirit.

A 500-to-1000 word written brief is required from the nominator which should include both contact details of nominee and nominator.

Nominations are to be emailed to the Secretary of the Society of Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians, Rochelle Smith at rochelle@nsvets.co.nz before 26 April 2019.

For more information visit www.nzva.org.nz

Gladstone Vineyard’s winemaker Craig Fryett said it had been an “early struggle” with a little bit of frost damage and early flowering but the season was looking good.

This year’s harvest would be “down a touch”, he said, particularly with some of the pinot noir varieties, but the quality was still good.

“You get more texture and depth with our pinot.

There’s going to be a lot of concentration,” he said.

Fryett said there was good growth for next year and this year would yield a “ripper of a vintage”.

Joel Watson from Martinborough’s Luna Estate said with a wet spring and frosty nights, it had been a “challenging” growing season, but this year’s grapes looked fantastic.

“What we aim to produce in Martinborough is quality. It’s an early vintage. “[There’s] some really good flavours.”

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slightly lower than previous years, he said the harvest as a whole would be up due to the first cropping of new vines planted a few years ago.

Opaki’s Loopline Vineyard owner Ian McGovern said the season looked good.

“It’s all coming on nicely,” he said.

McGovern said it had been quite a wet December but the past few weeks had brought it round.

“I think everything is pretty good now.”

He said volume might be a “little bit [down]” but was similar to last year’s harvest.

As a smaller boutique producer, he expected to harvest around 12 to 13 tonnes of grapes.

Most of the 30 or so wine producers in Wairarapa are small, family-owned and boutique vineyards with the region contributing just one per cent of the country’s total production.

The region’s most common planted varieties include Pinot noir and Sauvignon blanc, with small plantings of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Syrah.

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