Rural round-up

ANZCO loss at $26.5m – Alan WIlliams:

ANZCO Foods made a pre-tax loss of $25.6 million in the year ended September 30, 2012.

The year was the toughest the meat processor and marketer has had, managing director Mark Clarkson said.

ANZCO maintained its revenue at about $1.2 billion and importantly also achieved positive operating cash flow of $35.2m, after focusing strongly on managing working capital when it realised early in the year trading would be difficult. 

The level of receivables and inventories were lower than at the end of the modestly profitable 2011 year, when the operating cash outflow was $22.4m. . .

Adveco see ‘huge potential’ in China – Sally Rae:

A shipment of fertiliser manufactured in Mosgiel from raw materials mined in Otago and recently dispatched to China has been hailed as having ”huge potential” for future export opportunities.

Mining company Featherston Resources Ltd, which has more than 3000sq km of permits in Otago, produces carbon and silica based fertilisers and Enzorb spill control products. . .

Clinton manager to represent Otago – Sally Rae:

Clinton herd manager Ben Sanders will be Otago’s sole representative at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Wellington next month.Mr Sanders (25) won the Otago dairy trainee of the year title at the Otago Dairy Industry Awards dinner in Balclutha on Saturday night.

A lack of entries in the regional competition forced a revamp of the contest format, and only the dairy trainee winner has progressed to the national final. . .

Methven arable farmers scoop water efficiency award:

Methven farmers Craige and Roz Mackenzie have been recognised for their water efficient practices at the recent Canterbury Regional Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The couple were presented on March 21 with the Environment Canterbury Water Efficiency Award by Environment Canterbury Chair Dame Margaret Bazley at an event in Christchurch.

The award recognised the couple’s excellent use of technology to ensure crops’ specific water requirements are met. . .

Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) supports eucalypt forestry initiative:

A national forestry initiative with roots in Marlborough has again been successful in its bid to the Sustainable Farming Fund.

The New Zealand Dryland Forests Initiative (NZDFI), which is establishing forests of genetically improved durable eucalypts in New Zealand’s driest regions, will get $216,000 of SFF funding towards a three year programme worth over half a million dollars.

Project manager Paul Millen said the “fantastic” news would see the five-year old initiative extended to new landowners and regions, with a focus on species specific management of the existing and new blocks. . .

Nominations sought for Racing Board chair:

Minister for Racing Nathan Guy is calling for nominations for independent Chair of the New Zealand Racing Board.

“This is an important position as the head of the governing body for racing in New Zealand,” says Mr Guy.

“The New Zealand Racing Board is responsible for the promotion, organisation and development of the racing industry, and also provides racing and sports betting services through the TAB. . .

And with a hat tip to Whaleoil:

Rural round-up

Strong half year result a well-needed boost for Farmers: Brown:

A strong half year result which culminated in an increase in the Milk Price, a raise in the advance rate paid to Farmers and an interim dividend of 16cents has provided some much needed relief for Fonterra Farmers said Fonterra Shareholders’ Council Chairman, Ian Brown.

Mr Brown: “The Council has made the Board very aware of the hardships being faced by a lot Farmers in the Shareholder base and we are pleased they have demonstrated some flexibility in the form of an increased advance rate, to help relieve some of the financial pressure on-farm.

“It’s been a strong half year performance and we understand the challenges ahead.

“Particular acknowledgement should be made of the New Zealand Milk Products team who have delivered a really impressive result exactly when it was required.” . . .

RDR looks at water storage – Alan Williams:

Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR) managers are considering a centralised water storage scheme as its farmers ride out a second spell of water restrictions.

RDR, in the upland plains of Mid Canterbury, had to restrict water use in early March, much later than in some previous dry years, when cut-backs kicked in as early as December. . .

Evolution of water governance models in NZ – Bryan Jenkins:

In her work that won her the 2009 Nobel Prize in economics, Elinor Ostrom identified three types of governance models for common pool resources like water. One is the “Leviathan model” where there is direct government provision of services with integration of policy making and operational functions. The second is the “privatisation model” where there is private sector provision of services with government role as regulator. The third is the self-governing community model where there is community determination of resource management requirements.

We have seen the evolution of these different models in western countries. After WW2, the welfare state was the dominant approach of government. In relation to water management in NZ, the Ministry of Works had the prime responsibility for water management – a classic example of a Leviathan governance model. In the 1980s there was a shift to the neoliberal concept of the private sector being responsible for service provision and that the government’s role was that of regulator. . .

Returns From Beetle Battle Show Importance Of Pest Management:

Success in tackling a destructive beetle on the West Coast has underlined the importance of having integrated pest management plans on farms.

Richard Townsend, Research Associate at AgResearch at Lincoln, said that the work in battling the manuka beetle has seen a reduction of pesticide costs as a proportion of milk solid revenues from 23% to 7% a year.

Return on investment over the three-year project has been $10 for every dollar invested. . .

Progressive Arable Farmers Take out Top Award in Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards:

An intensive arable operation that utilises technology to maximise production in a sustainable manner has won the Supreme title in the 2013 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Methven farmers Craige and Roz Mackenzie of Greenvale Pastures Ltd received the award at a Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) ceremony on March 21.

BFEA judges described the Mackenzies as top producers who offer “high levels of innovation and leadership in the arable industry”.

They said the progressive couple has taken technology to the next step on their irrigated farm “using every available tool to improve their production and cost efficiency”. . .

Ballance announces new Chairman:

Waikato farmer and businessman David Peacocke has been elected as Chairman designate of Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited, set to replace David Graham who will retire from the board in September after 10 years as Chairman.

Mr Peacocke, who joined the board in 2005, was elected to the new position by fellow directors at the company board meeting in late February. He and his family are based in Raglan on their beef property and he has interests in several large family farming operations.

The Peacocke family farmed cattle up until about 20 years ago when they transitioned to a mixed operation which now includes dry stock, dairy and cropping in both the Waikato and Canterbury regions. The family are long-standing customers and shareholders of Ballance and its predecessors, and Mr Peacocke’s father Frank also served as a director on the Bay of Plenty Fertiliser Co-operative then Ballance board from 1991 to 2005. . .

New Zealand salmon producer attains global certification:

Attaining an internationally accepted aquaculture sustainability certification confirms NZ King Salmon’s world-class environmental standards the company says.

The South Island-based business has been confirmed as a sustainable salmon producer through achieving the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.

The certification covers NZ King Salmon’s entire current operations – five sites and three production facilities in Marlborough and Nelson. The company’s new sites awarded following the recent Environmental Protection Authority hearings will be audited as they come on stream. . .

Rural round-up

Quantum leap in water management policies – Matt Harcombe:

The debate centering on water and agriculture is a tangled web of interlinked policies, on-farm actions, science, emotion, perception and economic and cultural factors affecting its use, availability and quality.

Some factors are well understood, others are not. The biggest issue in the public eye is quality. However, access to water and its use, irrigation and storage are also vital.

While the vast majority of farmers are working hard to adapt and evolve alongside changing public expectations of water quality, they are also trying to keep up with the demands of the Government and regional councils, while working out what it means to their farm. . .

Challenge to grow more food from less – Tim Cronshaw:

New Zealand stands to gain from farmers getting better at growing food in developing countries, says Methven farmer Craige Mackenzie.

Mackenzie became the first New Zealander to sit alongside selected farmers at last month’s Global Farmer Roundtable at Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States.

Contrary to the view that it might be in New Zealand’s best interest if developing countries struggled to supply their own food, he found there were advantages to farmers raising production.

Better-performing farmers could feed their families, change their diet and gain an income from selling surplus food to small towns, which could mean they and other people could afford better food, creating export opportunities for developed countries, he said. . .

Land use change focus of conference – Terri Russell:

Almost 400 farmers, scientists and agribusiness professionals will be in Gore this week to discuss land-use change and what it means for farmers.

The annual New Zealand Grassland Association conference is a chance for industry professionals to network and learn more about current farming issues.

The association’s local organising committee chairman, Nelson Hancox, said this year’s theme, Opportunities of Changing Land Use, was driven by a notable shift to dairy throughout the country. . .

Jim’s greens fit for royalty – Jessie Waite:

Feeding royalty is just another day at the office for Kakanui’s Jim O’Gorman.

The local produce grower will be supplying vegetables to Government House ahead of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next week.

Prince Charles, who is a well-known advocate of organic produce, is arriving in New Zealand on Saturday to celebrate his 64th birthday. . .

The high frontier comes to meat and fibre:

Speech by Jeanette Maxwell, Federated Farmers Meat & 2012 Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre council, Wellington

Good morning and welcome to Meat & Fibre 2012.

I would like to thank our wonderful policy advisor, David Burt and the Events Manager, Hannah Williamson, for putting together an excellent programme. To my Vice-chair, Tim Mackinosh and members of the Executive, thank you.

Above all, it is you, members of the Meat & Fibre council who deserve to be recognised by your peers. . .