Rural round-up

Senior Aussie PGG Wrigthson exec to head Landcorp:

 (BusinessDesk) – PGG Wrightson’s Steve Carden, who heads up its Australian seeds unit, will leave the country’s biggest rural supplies firm to take up the reins at New Zealand government-owned Landcorp Farming in July.

The Wrightson general manager will take up the chief executive role being left vacant by long-standing Landcorp boss Chris Kelly, the company said in a statement.

Carden has been with Wrightson since 2008, and responsible for the Australian seeds business since 2010, overseeing the acquisition and integration of a number of businesses while confronting some challenging climatic and market conditions. . .

Collaborative water management delivers water solutions in North Canterbury – David Eder and Ian Whitehouse:

In July 2013 the Hurunui-Waiau Zone Committee will notch up three years of work. It was set up as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy – a collaborative process for finding local solutions to water issues within an environmentally sustainable framework.

In July 2010 the committee’s daunting task was to sort out water storage in the Hurunui catchment and set water quality limits.

We held dozens of committee meetings, public meetings involving more than 300 people, and received written feedback from more than 120 people before finalising our zone implementation programme of recommendations.

Working collaboratively empowered us to reach consensus decisions on local water issues that are acceptable to a wide range of people. The ZIP now guides local government work programmes and policy to achieve the agreed goals of the Strategy. . .

 

TAF scheme could benefit independent processors:

Massey University’s professor of agribusiness thinks Fonterra’s Trading Among Farmers (TAF) system will play into the hands of independent dairy processors, including Chinese companies, setting up new milk powder plants in New Zealand.

Two Chinese companies have been cleared by the Overseas Investment Office to establish plants in South Canterbury and northern Waikato processing milk for infant formulas.

Hamish Gow does not think they will have a problem finding a supply of milk from local farmers. . .

South Canterbury farmer welcomes Chinese investment:

A dairy farmer who sold part of his land for a new Chinese owned milk powder factory to be built in South Canterbury says it will be a huge economic boost for the region.

Aad van Leeuwen had a 12.5% shareholding in the Oceania Dairy company – which has just been bought out by the Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, after it got Overseas Investment Office approval. . .

Westland Milk Products’ new nutritional plant enters commercial production:

Westland Milk Products, New Zealand’s second largest dairy cooperative, has made a bold strategic step into the international high-value paediatric nutrition market with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art nutritionals plant at Hokitika.

The new multi-million dollar plant commenced commercial production in February and already has committed customers, taking Westland from being a well-respected dairy ingredient supplier to an exciting new entrant in the infant nutrition sector. . .

Happy, Profitable, Sustainable Dairy Business Wins Top Prize in Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards:

Walton farmers Grant Wills and Karen Preston have scooped a string of awards in the 2013 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards, including the highly coveted Supreme title.

Judges said decision making on the couple’s 244ha (215ha effective) dairy farm ‘Tremeer’ focuses on profitability while caring for the people, the cows and the environment.

Grant and Karen were announced winners of the Supreme Award at a Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) ceremony on April 3. They also collected the Ballance Agri-Nutrients – Nutrient Management Award, the LIC Dairy Farm Award, the Hill Laboratories Harvest Award, the Massey University Discovery Award and the Meridian Energy Excellence Award. . .

Adding a hole lot of value to a piece of pine – Peter Kerr:

We all know that we’d prefer to export more than just a log of pine to overseas markets.

At the same time, the NZ Inc desire to add value to our raw commodities such as trees is almost tiresome through over-use.

So, it is a pleasure to be able to highlight a company and person doing something different and in their case, making a better pine pole. 

Now TTT Products (and no, I’d never heard of them either until going through a recent exercise to maximise the return from a 20 year old four hectare block of pines that I’m involved with) isn’t a small firm. Its North Island headquarters at Tuakau covers 20ha, specialising in creating pine poles of many different sorts.

Search begins for the 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year:

The future of New Zealand’s horticulture industry could easily be in the hands of the finalists in the 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year. Professor Jacqueline Rowarth says that the life skills that the contestants learn through the competition sets them on the path to future leadership.

This statement launches the search for the 2013 Young Horticulturist of the Year, and for up to 7 finalists to line up in the grand final in November.

Finalists (30 years and under) compete for a prize pool of over $40,000 that includes a $7,500 travel and accommodation package, and a $5,500 Massey University study scholarship and travel. While the prizes are tempting, it is the development opportunities that are the real reward for finalists in the Young Horticulturist of the Year competition. . .

Green Meadows Beef Continues To Grow Demand. Export- Quality, 100% Grass-Fed Beef Now Available In Wellington & New Plymouth:

Green Meadows Beef, 100% grass-fed, free-range, export–quality Angus beef from South Taranaki, has responded to increased demand for their beef by making it available in two North Island food stores. Moore Wilson in Wellington and Fresha in New Plymouth are now both stocking a wide variety of Green Meadows Beef, from Scotch Fillet and Rump Steaks to Premium Beef Mince.

Moore Wilson will publicly launch Green Meadows Beef at an in-store tasting event on Sunday, 7 April from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Wellington chef, Liam Brash, who has worked at The Savoy in London, will be cooking up a variety of gourmet bite-sized beef treats for the public to try. Green Meadows Beef Directors, Michael and Nick Carey, will be on hand to answer questions about the different cuts of beef and the Green Meadows Beef way of farming. . .

Rural round-up

Patchy rains helped some areas, others left dry, Landcorp’s Kelly says – Kristen Paterson:

Patchy rains have provided relief for some farming areas and left others without substantive moisture, says Chris Kelly, chief executive of state-owned Landcorp, New Zealand’s biggest farmer.

The west of the North Island saw higher rainfall, with 15-40mm from Northland to Waitomo down through to Taranaki. The West Coast, which applied for drought status last week, received 20-40mm with more expected to come. The East Coast fared the worst, experiencing no substantial rains, MetService says. . .

Govt awards more than $4m to environmental projects:

A project that will use recycled potato starch to produce more than 17 million compostable packaging trays annually is among the successful recipients of more than $4 million in government funding.

Environment Minister Amy Adams today announced funding of more than $4 million to 11 innovative waste minimisation projects around New Zealand.

Earthpac receives $2.1 million for a project to manufacture compostable meat and vegetable trays. The trays are produced by capturing starch generated from washing potatoes. . .

DCANZ Cautiously Welcomes Japan To TPP:

The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) today cautiously welcomed Japan to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement.

DCANZ Chairman Malcolm Bailey said it is a significant achievement to have Japan enter into the TPP. However, at the same time he hopes that Japan’s entry won’t delay the conclusion of negotiations beyond the October 2013 timeline and that they will support the basic premise of TPP.

“We encourage Japan to uphold the commitment made by TPP leaders in Honolulu back in 2011, which was the comprehensive elimination of market access barriers like tariffs on traded goods,” Mr Bailey said. . .

NZ Pork Disappointed With Appeal Dismissal:

The New Zealand pork industry is very disappointed by the Court of Appeal’s dismissal of its appeal regarding the Ministry for Primary Industry’s (MPI) proposed new Import Health Standard (IHS), Chairman Ian Carter said today.

“We are disappointed as we have concerns about the level of risk the new IHS constitutes.”

MPI welcomes judgment on pork imports

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is pleased with today’s Court of Appeal judgment which found that MPI followed the correct decision-making process before allowing imports of raw pork from countries where the disease Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) is present.

At issue in this case was MPI’s response to an Independent Review Panel report and the process that led to the Director-General’s decision to issue four new import health standards for raw pork.

NZ Pork had alleged MPI did not follow the correct decision-making process.

“Agriculture is vitally important to our economy. In order to protect our primary producers from biosecurity risks, it is essential that we do the right thing when developing import health standards and that we base them on the best available science,” MPI Director-General Wayne McNee says.

NZPork appealed against the introduction of a new IHS relaxing the border standards for importing pig meat from countries with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). . .

Hard yards pay dividends in Methven:

Matthew Bell is the latest Grand Finalist to be named for the 2013 ANZ Young Farmer Contest. Matthew will be joining six other contestants at the Grand Final in Auckland 16-18 May.

“It’s still all sinking in…I’m over the moon!”, commented Matthew on his triumph on Saturday (16 March) in the Aorangi Regional Final at the Methven A&P Showgrounds and Heritage Centre.

Sam Bryan was runner up followed by Phil Campbell and Phil Wilson placing third and fourth respectively. . .

Rural round-up

Synlait Farms Takes Out South Island Farmer of the Year title for 2012

Canterbury-based dairy enterprise Synlait Farms clinched the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition for 2012 last night (Thursday 8 November 2012) with an entry that judges hailed as a prime example of New Zealand’s leadership role in innovative and entrepreneurial agricultural practice.

Chief Judge Bob Simpson said that all four finalists demonstrated leadership, excellence and innovation.

“Any of the finalists could have won this award tonight,” Simpson said. “But in the finish it was Synlait’s blend of family-based traditional farming practices with the very best of modern corporate innovation and management systems that saw this multi-farm company stand out. Synlait’s approach to its people, its stock and its land can be held up as an example of what can be achieved when good leadership and good people go hand-in-hand.” . . .

Landcorp ready to run Crafar farms – Andrea Fox:

State farmer Landcorp says its Chinese client Shanghai Pengxin will settle the Crafar farms purchase with receivers on November 30 and it is scheduled to start managing the dairy farming estate the next day.

Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly said that to the best of his knowledge this was the timetable that would mark the end of the tortuous three-year Crafar farms sales process.

Landcorp’s management of the 16 central North Island farms is a condition of Government consent to the controversial sale to the Chinese company, which has waited through a string of court challenges and consent processes to put its money on the table as receiver KordaMentha’s preferred bidder. . .

Wool growers asked for $10m – Gerald Piddock:

Wools of New Zealand is asking for $10 million from strong wool growers in a capital raising offer to expand its sales and marketing capabilities.

The raising would give strong wool growers the opportunity to invest in a grower-owned sales and marketing, company, chairman Mark Shadbolt said.

The company has made significant inroads into transforming Wools of New Zealand into a commercial entity, aimed at connecting customer to grower, he said. . .

Wine sector senses a whiff of recovery – Claire Rogers:

The wine industry is on the mend after a gruelling few years that prompted a string of closures and collapses, New Zealand Winegrowers says.

One recent high-profile casualty, Hawke’s Bay winery and vineyard Matariki Group was put into receivership in September owing creditors, including the Government, about $11.2 million. Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers said the winery struck financial trouble after reduced harvests in 2011 and 2012 led to weak sales, and that was compounded by a lack of capital.

New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive Philip Gregan said the 2012 harvest was down 19 per cent on 2011, and that had dealt another blow to the industry, which had been struggling since 2008 with over-supply and weak demand from the global downturn. . .

Sea air tenderises spring lamb – Jon Morgan:

Logan Brown’s head chef Shaun Clouston takes a bite, chews thoughtfully, swallows and then licks his lips.

“By crikey, that’s beautiful,” he says, shaking his head slowly, wonder in his voice.

On the plate is a lamb rump, finely sliced, with kumara, crushed peas and roasted tomatoes. It’s a simple dish. “I want the lamb to be the hero,” Clouston says.

This is not any lamb. The meat is from a young spring lamb, only 4 months old when it was sent to slaughter, and from a farm on the coast south of Whanganui. . .

Kiwi to Lead International Tree Society

A Dunedin arborist became the first-ever Australasian president of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) last week.

Mark Roberts, an experienced arborist and academic director of horticulture training firm Thoughtplanters, is the second non-American elected to lead the 88-year-old society.

More than 20,000 arborists from 18 countries are members of ISA today. . .

Rural round-up

New growing sites may help save kiwifruit - Jamie Morton:

The Psa bacterium is here to stay so growers must manage it, says horticulture expert.

Kiwifruit growing regions outside the Bay of Plenty could soon play bigger parts in a $1 billion-a-year industry battling a bacterial scourge that is here to stay.

Professor Ian Warrington, co-president of the International Horticulture Congress, has suggested ways New Zealand could live with Psa-V, which has now spread as far as Hawkes Bay since its discovery in heartland Te Puke nearly two years ago. . .

Landcorp denies Crafar farms ale meddling – Andrea Fox:

Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly says he’s getting fed up with suggestions that, as intended Crafar farms manager for Chinese purchaser Shanghai Pengxin, he is frustrating iwi efforts to buy two of the central North Island farms.

The state-owned enterprise boss said he had heard the rumours and they were “simply not correct”.

However he said that as the two farms at Benneydale constituted a significant 25 per cent of the whole 16 farm Crafar estate package, personally, he would be asking Landcorp’s future Chinese partner to consider why it would want to sell them. . .

 

Trial may be of global importance:

The Clutha Agricultural Development Board’s latest project, on the value of probiotics to calves in their first few weeks of life, is believed to be of national and possibly international importance.

The project involved about 300 calves on three farms in the Clutha district.

In New Zealand, only one limited study of the possible weight gain and health benefits to calves has been done previously, and the board was thought to be undertaking a “significant study of national and perhaps international importance”, the board said. . .

Future of sheep farming ‘not flash‘ – Sally Rae:

The potential for New Zealand’s primary sector is significant but the industry must get better at how it takes its products to markets, both individually and collectively, New Zealand Merino Company chief executive John Brakenridge tells Agribusiness reporter Sally Rae.

Imagine New Zealand without sheep and without a sheep industry.

That is a scenario New Zealand Merino Company chief executive John Brakenridge poses.

A scenario that he says is “actually quite on the cards” if the status quo continues. . .

Bettering deer genetics just the job for Sharon – Sally Rae:

Sharon McIntyre reckons her new role as DEERSelect manager is about “a perfect fit” for her skill set.

The Gore-based farm consultant, who has been heavily involved in genetics for 25 years, was enthusiastic about the part-time position.

She has provided technical assistance to Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) for five years and it was a “logical step” to be involved with improving deer genetics as well.

DEERSelect runs a system to evaluate the genetic worth of stags which then allows breeders and finishers to select for desirable traits in their deer herds. . .

Why has Landcorp bought another farm?

Landcorp has bought a 1270 hectare property near Feilding,  which was owned by Tawera Land, which is in receivership.

The sale was another step in the process of selling the former farming interests of bankrupt businessman Ken Thurston.

The sale attracted bids from about 30 groups, in what was the biggest land-holding sale by one owner in the district.

I wonder how the under bidders felt about being beaten by an SOE?

Meanwhile, Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly said the corporation planned to invest “significant capital” in the Feilding properties bought from Tawera’s receivers. The land was earlier reported to lack fencing and water systems.

Landcorp already makes a pitiful return on capital.

The last annual report (to June 30, 2010)  showed the company made only a $10 million net profit from $1.52 billion of assets.

 Buying more land and pouring money in to develop it won’t do anything to improve that.

Losing the farm to nature

The term losing the farm usually refers to financial problems but in Hawkes Bay it can be applied literally as record rainfall caused floods and slips:

Large areas of low-lying farmland were been flooded in the two-day storm; one station near Waipawa recorded 500mm of rain.

Marion McKee, who with her husband farms 610 hectares near the coast at Blackhead, said up to three-quarters of the property has been lost to slips and other damage, and their immediate neighbours had been hit just as badly.

Another coastal farmer, John Nation, said 530mm of rain in two days had caused deep slips on hillsides, destroyed fences, including boundary fences, and damaged buildings.

Mr Nation estimated about half his farm has been destroyed in the storm.

A Landcorp farm is among those worst hit:

Landcorp says much of Te Apiti station (1200 hectares) has been destroyed.

Chief executive Chris Kelly says 30% of the farm has been lost and boundary fences are largely gone.

The SOE estimates repairs will cost about $450,000.

The worst of the damage was fairly localised. Farmers outside that area welcomed 120mm of rain and will be able to help those who’ve lost large parts of their farm to nature.

Key tops Listener power list

John Key is number one on The Listener’s 2008  power list, up two places from 3 last year.

He’s followed by Bill English, who was at 5 last year, Alan Bollard (6), Steven Joyce (new), Tumu Te Heuheu (13), Pita Sharples (9), Rodney Hide (new), Helen Clark (1), Michael Cullen (2) and another newcomer to the list Gareth Morgan.

For the past four years the list has been a comprehensive one ranking 50 people in a variety of fields, this year’s list has the top 10 with 11 different lists of five for other categories.

They are: heroes topped by Willie Apiata VC; business & economy where Graeme Hart is number 1; Maoridom led by Federation of Maori Authorities chief executive Paul Morgan; the law where Sir Geoffrey Palmer is at number 1; agriculture topped by Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly; health & medicine led by Health & Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson; arts, culture and entertainment with Flight of the Conchords in the top spot; science and technology where science entrpreneur Jim Watson is number 1; the media led by Dominion Post editorTim Pankhurst; environment with David Parker in the top spot; and sport topped by Sparc chair John Wells.

Some observations on the list:

*  The only woman in the top 10 is Helen Clark who’s slipped from 1 to 8 and as there’s usually nothing so ex as an ex-Prime Minister she is unlikely to be in the list at all next year.

* There are only seven women among the 55 people on the other lists.

* The environment list is led by a former minister followed by Jeanette Fitszimons and Russel Norman, all of whome are now in Opposition.

* David Farrar of Kiwiblog is in the So close but missed the list  category under media which reflects the growing influence of the blogosphere.

UPDATE: The list isn’t yet on line but the print edition says:

And yes, the panel did consider the bloggers, but was not convinced that any of those opinionated voices were yet having a marked influence on Main Street.

It also notes:

A total of 55 people have appeared in the Power List in the five years it has been published by The Listener. Only four people have been on all five lists: Helen Clark, Michael Cullen, Alan Bollard and Graeme Hart. Ths is the first year neith Labour supremo Heather Simpson nor All Blacks coach Graham Henry has appeared on the list.

Of the total, just 27 (17.4%) have been women. And only 16 of the total (10.3%) live in or are strongly associated with the South Island.