Word of the day

Termagant – a shrewish woman; a harsh-tempered, violent, overbearing, turbulent, brawling, quarrelsome woman; a woman who argues noisily to get or achieve what she wants ; an imaginary deity of violent and turbulent character, often appearing in morality plays.

Yes Sir Humphrey

The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Bill was excellent legislation. No-one's spoken about it in weeks, and if they did, we'd know.

— Sir Humphrey Appleby (@YesSirHumphrey) March 23, 2021

Rural round-up

500 migrant staff needed to fill labour shortage – Gerald Piddock:

Federated Farmers and DairyNZ are requesting the Government allow 500 migrant dairy staff into New Zealand to avoid a worker shortage in the new milking season.

These staff would fill positions in the mid to high skilled employment category that New Zealanders new to the sector or in lower skilled dairy assistant roles would be unsuitable for in time for the 2021-22 season, Federated Farmers employment spokesperson Chris Lewis says.

The request comes after the two organisations commissioned a survey in March to gain a better understanding of the staffing issues facing dairy employers.

That survey drew 1150 responses in just one week. . . 

Money versus morals – Robert Carter:

The continued conversion of hill country farmland to forestry is a trend concerning Robert Carter.

The 50 Shades of Green has led a good informative campaign about the spread of pines onto good hill country farmland, however I too feel compelled to say something before I become relegated to the state of a ‘quaint curiosity’ folks will pay to visit to see how things used to be in the good old days.

I’m referring to the steady and seemingly unstoppable conversion of our hill country breeding farms to hectares of pine trees for carbon sequestration purposes.

Just recently another couple of local farms succumbed.

The carbon investors, buoyed by our government policy, which encourages conversion in this market, are buying properties as they come up for sale. . .

Guardians of the land – Fiona Terry:

Innovating to advance is something that runs in the blood of those at Caythorpe Family Estate in Marlborough. Fiona Terry spoke to the Bishell brothers managing the business they hope will thrive for many generations to come.

As fifth-generation guardians of the land first purchased by UK immigrant David Bishell, Simon and Scott Bishell are continuing a long-standing tradition of diversification and trend-bucking to future-proof.

Their great, great grandfather was a farm labourer who arrived in Nelson in 1876, with his wife Mary and three children. He leased some land to grow pumpkins, and following a successful crop, purchased 50ha west of Blenheim township in 1880.

Within two years, and despite the hard mahi converting the flax-covered swamp land into a productive area, he became the first farmer in the country to grow red clover as a seed crop, commissioning the build of an innovative thresher to harvest. . . 

Product check: how to find the good oil – Jacqueline Rowarth:

As the tsunami of mail arrives in the inbox, through rural delivery or the internet, there can be some confusion in sorting whether the products and suggestions will be useful or not. Are the fliers marketing or science? How do you know whether adoption will be positive – or whether not taking up the offer will mean you drop behind?

For people swimming in a flood of information and trying to find the good oil, consider asking the following questions:

Is there a time limit or quantity limit on the offer? Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) induces rash behaviour. The Auckland housing market makes the point…

What problem is the new thing solving? Do you actually have that problem? I was offered a product that would improve animal health on the farm. I replied that the farm owner is a vet. I was then told that the product would improve soil health. I replied that I am a soil scientist. At that point I was told that it would do other things as well…

Congratulations to Tim Harris who once again smashed the NZ giant pumpkin record. This time pushing it to 844.5kg (1862lbs) going 12% heavy to chart. https://t.co/B4k46SEKxf pic.twitter.com/gHcO1FEhCy

— Sam – GPNZ (@giantpumpkinsnz) March 28, 2021

Triple Whammy for 2021 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards:

The 2021 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year is no stranger to the programme, having won both the Farm Manager and Dairy Trainee categories in different regions previously.

John Wyatt won the 2009 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year category and was named the 2015 Manawatu Farm Manager of the Year.

On Saturday night, he completed the category trifecta by winning the 2021 Taranaki Share Farmer of the Year.

The region’s annual awards dinner was held at the TSB Hub in Hawera with Diego Raul Gomez Salinas named the 2021 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year and Sydney Porter the 2021 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year. . . 

Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Awards winners announced:

The 2021 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners believe a good team with a can-do attitude is vital to the success of their business.

Manoj Kumar and Sumit Kamboj were named the 2021 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Share Farmers of the Year at the region’s annual awards last night in Masterton. Other major winners were Leon McDonald, the 2021 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, and Tony Craig, the 2021 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year.

The brothers are 50/50 sharemilkers on Andrew and Monika Arbuthnott, Geoff Arends and Ester Romp’s 285ha, 460-cow Eketahuna property. They won $7,882 in prizes and four merit awards.

Both Manoj and Sumit have entered the Awards previously, with Sumit placing third in the 2018 Hawkes Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Manager category. . . 

Yes Sir Humphrey

I was young and green and had not yet fully realized that the Official Secrets Act is not to protect secrets but to protect officials.

— Sir Humphrey Appleby (@YesSirHumphrey) March 23, 2021

Is the ‘flu vaccine late?

Last week I went searching for news on the ‘flu vaccine programme and came across a page with the Ministry of Health policy:

From 2019 the Annual Influenza Immunisation Programme (the Programme) will start from 1 April each year.

This start date differs from previous years when the Programme started as soon as the influenza vaccine became available, generally by early March. The Ministry has considered a range of factors in making this decision including: emerging evidence on the effectiveness of influenza vaccines, influenza surveillance data, the impact of the start date on service delivery and feedback from the sector.

The start date from 1 April will be subject to the vaccine being available for distribution across New Zealand by then. Changes to vaccine strains can result in longer manufacturing lead time and the arrival of vaccines in late rather than early March.

Duration of influenza vaccine protection

New evidence shows that vaccine effectiveness begins to decline after influenza vaccination. Maximum protection from influenza is observed around two weeks after vaccination and starts to decline by about 7 percent every month. . . .

Influenza activity may occur throughout the year with the peak incidence during the winter months. New Zealand’s surveillance data shows that the peak has moved to August in recent years. Influenza surveillance data and the shift in peak influenza activity, in conjunction with declining vaccine effectiveness supports a change in the start date. The programme start date from 1 April ensures better protection against influenza during the peak incidence particularly for our most vulnerable populations.  . .

That all seems reasonable but yesterday I checked the MOH website and found this:

The 2021 Influenza Immunisation Programme will commence on 14 April 2021, with a two-week priority period for people eligible for a free influenza vaccination. These dates are dependent on approval by the regulator. 

We ask vaccinators to focus on immunising those who are eligible for a funded vaccination for the first two weeks of the programme to protect as many of those who are at greatest risk first, well ahead of the influenza season.

The first week of the prioritisation period is only for adults aged 65 and over and there is an additional vaccine this year that is specifically intended for this population.

The second week of the prioritisation period, from 21 April, extends to all those eligible for a funded vaccination.

Vaccination can then be extended to include the general population from 28 April 2021. . . 

April 14 is two weeks later and April 21 three weeks later, than the policy to start the programme on April 1.

That probably won’t matter for the people on the priority list.

But if the general population doesn’t start to get their vaccinations until 28th of April and the vaccine doesn’t reach maximum effectiveness for two weeks, are most people going to be at risk of contracting the disease before they’re protected?

Perhaps I’m being paranoid when there are so few people coming into the country, the risk of ‘flu might be much less than it would have been pre-Covid.

But this is the Ministry that bungled the measles vaccination. It’s also the Ministry that swore black and blue that there was plenty of stock for last year’s ‘flu vaccination rollout while those on the ground who were supposed to be administering them were saying there wasn’t, and they were eventually proved right.

It’s also the Ministry that’s in charge of the Covid-19 vaccination programme, for which we haven’t been told a plan, and for which there is no target:

National is calling on the Government to make a statement of intent about protecting New Zealanders from Covid-19 by setting a target of having at least 70 per cent of the adult population vaccinated, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“New Zealand is one of only a few countries in the OECD that doesn’t have a target for how many adults should be vaccinated. The others are Colombia and Mexico.

“Almost all countries are setting a vaccination target – usually 70 per cent of the adult population – and a date for achieving that target. New Zealand isn’t doing this either.

“The best the Government can say is that it wants all New Zealanders to be offered a vaccine by the end of the year. This isn’t good enough.

“We should be setting an ambitious target and going for it. A target will make sure the health system is focused, and means vaccination progress can be meaningfully tracked.

“Targets exist for the measles and flu vaccines. Not having one for Covid-19 suggests the Government doesn’t want to be held to account on this.

“If KiwiBuild taught us anything, it’s that the Labour Government isn’t great at hitting targets. But that shouldn’t matter. Our Covid-19 vaccine rollout is too important not to have one.

Mr Bishop also criticised the slow pace of the Government’s vaccine rollout to date, and the lack of transparency about how many vaccines are being administered in New Zealand.

“Most countries are doing daily, or near-daily, updates on how many people are being vaccinated. New Zealand has to settle for sporadic updates, randomly announced by Chris Hipkins or Ashley Bloomfield.

“New Zealanders should be getting near-daily announcements, published by the Ministry of Health, so everyone can see how our vaccine rollout is going. This isn’t rocket science – it already happens with testing and tracing.

“New Zealand started slow on vaccinations and we’re falling further behind the rest of the world. The latest available public information shows we have administered just 0.56 vaccines per 100 people, while Australia has administered 1.21 vaccines per 100 people.

“We weren’t at the front of the queue for receiving vaccines, like the Government said we were, and our vaccine rollout started slow because of this. It needs to gather pace.”

Call me cynical if you like, but the government is always keen to tell us the good news.

That it has made no mention of this year’s ‘flu vaccination programme, is being quiet about how many people have received the Covid-19 vaccine, has given only vague details about its roll-out to the general population, and appears to have no plan to set targets feeds the suspicion that it doesn’t have any good news about any of this.

 

Word of the day

Ipsedixitism – an unfounded or unsupported dogmatic assertion; a declaration that is made emphatically, as if no supportingevidence were necessary.

Sowell says

We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did.

— Thomas Sowell Quotes (@ThomasSowell) March 28, 2021

Rural round-up

IrrigationNZ submits on Climate Change Commission Report – says water storage key to enabling emissions reductions:

IrrigationNZ has submitted the Climate Change Commission draft advice report and is supportive of the desire to reduce emissions in New Zealand, and play our part in this global issue.

“However, our view is that zero carbon targets won’t be met without investment in water storage, capture and precision use. Water infrastructure needs to be better recognised as an enabler to achieving our emissions reduction targets,” says Vanessa Winning, chief executive of IrrigationNZ

“Access to reliable water is essential for farmers and growers to diversify their land away from ruminant agriculture to a more mixed-production approach.

“We also see opportunity to augment or back up green electricity supply locally by local ‘bolt-on’ hydro electricity generation where water storage already exists as part of an irrigation scheme. The cost of water and energy, and the ability to source energy closer to use (localised) are going to be key to enabling behavioural change and reducing resistance. . . 

Output of dairy to fall with regulation – Laura Smith:

Mounting pressure on Southland’s agricultural sector is expected to hit dairy production.

Southland’s economic development agency Great South this month released a post-Covid scenario analysis report.

Economics consultants Infometrics produced the report.

Author Nick Brunsdon said economic activity in most industries would recover by 2025 but increasing stringency in environmental regulations would soon limit, and ultimately reduce, output from activities such as dairy and cattle farming. . . 

Breathtaking birds' eye view of Whare Creek Station (Te Anau) captured by Graham Dainty and sent in by Bridget Speight. pic.twitter.com/FpbYhMyUPY

— New Zealand Merino (@NZMerinoCo) March 28, 2021

172 – Tom Hunter:

Hours that is. One hundred and seventy two hours is what shows up in my last fortnightly pay slip for the agricultural contractor I work for.

I finally have a Sunday off. A beautiful, lovely, empty Sunday after twenty consecutive days of 5am wake ups and 11pm bedtimes.

Others have more hours and I’m informed by those who’ve worked here for several years that two hundred plus hours per fortnight is a more normal harvesting season. We assume that it’s because we’ve had a long stretch of fine weather and started a little earlier than usual, so the load has been more spread out than in the past. The boys – and most of them are boys – are not happy about this since such incredible hours are a bonus on top of their other income earned on random jobs during the rest of the year. Without such work, times would be tough.

I’d probably be working longer hours were I on the chopper crews (maize chopping) that use tractors and trailers. Suitable only for short road runs from chop site to stack site, those drivers work deep into the night to get the job done. . . 

Three ways to cook the perfect steak – Craig Hickman (Dairyman):

Craig Hickman, aka Dairyman, shares his surprising, innovative and mildly controversial ways to cook the perfect steak.

I cook a pretty mean steak.

I’ve had plenty of practice and I’ve got my methodology down pat; season the meat at least an hour before you intend to cook it, bring the steak to room temperature before it hits the pan and always, always oil the meat instead of the cooking surface.

Then I discovered three things that made me rethink my whole steak ideology. . . 

Central Hawke’s Bay farming couple named national sustainability ambassadors:

Evan and Linda Potter are the new National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing, and the recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy.

The announcement was made last night at the National Sustainability Showcase at Te Papa in Wellington, where all regional supreme winners from the 2020 Ballance Farm Environment Awards were in attendance.

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards is an annual celebration and promotion of sustainable farming and growing practices, where regional supreme winners come together to share ideas and information. . . 

Just on sunset pic.twitter.com/feEUVvl3tl

— David Williams (@david_vacy) March 25, 2021

Pasture symposium announced key speakers:

Raise the topic of pasture resilience, and key themes emerge among both New Zealand farmers and researchers, especially around climate change, according to a leading pasture scientist.

Over two days in May, arguably the best range of speakers on this topic ever brought together in NZ will gather in the Waikato to share their observations and latest findings at a one-off Resilient Pastures Symposium (RPS).

Organising committee chair David Chapman says it’s no coincidence that the presenters align so closely with what he describes as commonly-voiced suggestions about the future of NZ grassland farming.

Trend number one: “For farming everywhere south of Auckland, look at what people are doing in Northland. That’s what much of the North Island will be like in the future, so that’s where the answers lie.” . . 

Yes Sir Humphrey

Yes, it was our policy not to have a policy.

— Sir Humphrey Appleby (@YesSirHumphrey) March 22, 2021

National helps govt with numbers

A misdirected email from the Prime Minister’s office sought information on rent rises.

The response was probably not what they wanted:

In the spirit of bipartisanship, National has helped the Prime Minister prepare for her post-Cabinet press conference today by collating the data she requested on rent increases – although she might want to think carefully before drawing public attention to it, Leader of the Opposition Judith Collins says.

“Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, recent trends in house price growth, rental hikes and wage growth don’t make good reading for her Labour Government.

“Jacinda Ardern has unleashed a raft of changes on rental properties: two extensions to the bright-line test, banning letting fees, and major amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act. All the way through, officials told her that rents would increase but her Government maintained a view that the officials were wrong.

“The Government’s policies have seen weekly rental costs shoot up a massive $120 in just over three years. This is a record increase and a clear sign these policies are failing.

“Rents have increased by 8 per cent per year under Labour, compared to 3 per cent per year under the previous National Government. The median house price has also spiralled out of control on Jacinda Ardern’s watch, jumping 12 per cent per year compared to the 5 per cent per year increase under National.

“Neither of these increases under Labour have been in step with wage growth. The median weekly income increased by 2.7 per cent per year under the previous National Government and has only increased by 2.1 per cent per year under the current Government.

“The sad reality is, renters have been thrown under the bus by this Labour Government.

“As was the case with its changes to rental standards last term, Labour has failed to grasp that forcing more costs onto landlords will ultimately reduce the number of rentals on the market, making renting more unaffordable and exacerbating homelessness.

“This is why Finance Minister Grant Robertson is now on the verge of dictating terms to landlords even further by introducing a cap on how much rent they can charge.

“This policy-on-the-fly approach is eroding the confidence of property investors and, ultimately, discouraging them from building more houses, which is exactly what needs to happen to solve New Zealand’s housing shortage.

“But at least now the Prime Minister will be fully informed when she addresses the media today. I hope she has some decent answers for the many New Zealanders who will be worse off because of her Government’s housing policies.”

One of this government’s priorities was reducing poverty.

Rising house prices and rising rents have done far more harm than any good any other policies might have done.

While we’re on the topic of housing.

How much confidence does this give you that the government has what it needs to tackle the crisis?

The Housing Minister explaining (?) Labour's housing announcement… pic.twitter.com/qLbqT8J9WD

— NZ National Party (@NZNationalParty) March 28, 2021

Word of the day

Aposematism – the advertising by an animal to potential predators that it is not worth attacking or eating; the use of a signal and especially a visual signal of conspicuous markings or bright colors by an animal to warn predators that it is toxic or distasteful; the biological means by which a dangerous, or noxious, organism advertises its dangerous nature to a potential predator.

Sowell says

Our children and grandchildren may yet curse the day we began hyping race and ethnicity. There are countries where that has led to slaughters in the streets but you cannot name a country where it has led to greater harmony.

— Thomas Sowell Quotes (@ThomasSowell) March 23, 2021

Chips – a local industry under threat

Rural round-up

 Reduced foreign Labour in New Zealand fields failed experiment – Kate MacNamara:

It’s time to call New Zealand’s experiment in reduced foreign labour this harvest season a failure.

One of the country’s largest berry farmers has abandoned growing after a season of chronic labour shortage. Apple growers say they’re so shorthanded that exports will drop some 14 per cent this year, a loss of $95-$100 million. The grape harvest has come off with the help of more machinery, a tradeoff that’s likely to result in less premium wine. And growers estimate they’re still 1400 hires shy of the 4000 workers needed for grape cane pruning in Marlborough next month, the country’s most valuable wine region.

Perhaps the Government’s original idea sounded good in theory: redeploy the rump of seasonal foreign workers who remained stranded in New Zealand from the previous season, update working conditions for the few remaining backpackers, and make up the rest of the workforce from local Kiwis.

But if you add a few numbers, that calculation was always heroic. The need for seasonal hands through New Zealand’s harvest and pruning work approaches 40,000 in the peak summer and early autumn months. Before Covid, Immigration NZ anticipated that 14,500 Pacific workers under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme and some 50,000 backpackers with working holiday visas would help to make up the labour force. But New Zealand’s closed border changed that. . . 

Orchard work shortage bites – Jared Morgan:

Some workers sent to Central Otago’s orchards and vineyards are not up to standard and the lack of seasonal workers from the Pacific is beginning to bite, an industry leader says.

Continuing labour shortages across both sectors have affected planning for key phases in production cycles such as picking and pruning.

This has led to calls for the Government to open quarantine-free travel bubbles to allow seasonal workers from Covid-free countries to plug labour gaps before it is too late, if not for this season then the next.

Pipfruit industry pioneer Con van der Voort, who operates a major packing facility in Ettrick, said the “come and go” nature of this season’s workforce was affecting orchardists not just in Central Otago but nationally. . . 

NZ’s potato chip industry threatened by cheap European imports – Sally Blundell:

The impact of Covid-19 on the potato chip industry in the Northern Hemisphere is putting locally grown and processed hot potato chips at the local chippie under threat.

The problem is that quiet streets and empty bars in Covid-ridden Europe have resulted in an estimated 1.7 million tonne surplus of raw potato material.

“People can’t go out, have a beer and buy some chips,” Potatoes NZ chief executive Chris Claridge told Frank Film in a recent interview. “That means there’s a big lump of frozen fries that’s got to go somewhere. Our economy’s working, they are sending it here – it is as simple as that.”

Claridge is looking for government action to protect New Zealand potato farmers from the influx of frozen fries grown and processed in Europe undercutting their locally grown equivalent. . . 

Another beautiful day in the
Ykato 😊
R1 bulls on the Millet. pic.twitter.com/v79HQTP9Vn

— Chris🥛Proud Food Producer 🐄🐂 (@Lewisridge_Farm) March 26, 2021

‘Milking cows is the easy part now’ – Sally Rae:

South Otago dairy farmers Scott and Ann Henderson were last week crowned Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners. They talk to Sally Rae about a career they say is not just about milking cows. 

She was from a sheep and beef farm in Scotland, he was a qualified carpenter from Balclutha.

Scott and Ann Henderson might not have grown up in the dairy farming industry, but the pair have made their mark on the sector, winning the 2021 Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year title.

Industry recognition was not new for Mrs Henderson, who won the dairy manager of the year in the Southland-Otago awards in 2017, having finished runner-up the year before. . . 

Happy to be farming hops – Country Life:

Harvesting is the busiest time of the year for Holmdale Farm’s Cameron Ealam and his extended family.

They work from dawn to dusk picking, cleaning and drying several varieties of aromatic hop cones that grow on long leafy hop vines.

“The machine starts at seven each morning. We’re doing 12-hour days picking at the moment. The drying kiln will run through the night as well, so big days but (it’s) a short window to get a valuable crop in,” Cameron says.

On the floor behind the kilns are large piles of Motueka and Riwaka hop cones, waiting to be pressed and baled. . . 

When you're just happy to be alive.#lambing2021 #highflyer #airmiles #sheep #hillfarm #boing pic.twitter.com/pCse01Kpir

— Penny Paisley (@WestMoorHouseFm) March 25, 2021

Call for long-time enemies cotton and wool to join forces to push enviro credentials – Chris McLennan:

Long-time market enemies, the wool and cotton industries are looking to join forces globally to take on synthetic fibres.

Wool and cotton believe they both have the same eco-friendly credentials to challenge for better environmental ratings in Europe.

They want to form an alliance to champion the benefits of natural fibres as offering many solutions to the world’s current environmental challenges.

A wool industry leader entered uncharted waters when invited to speak to an international cotton conference in Bremen last week. . . 

Yes Sir Humphrey

The word Modernist is code for non-believer. An aetheist clergyman couldn't continue to draw his stipend, so when they stop believing in God they call themselves Modernists.

— Sir Humphrey Appleby (@YesSirHumphrey) March 21, 2021

Climate Change Commission Submission

Submissions to the Climate Change Commission on its report closed yesterday.

I submitted:

1. 1. If you expect people to accept the science on climate change you must use the best science in your response.

1. 2. All policy must ensure that action locally does not lead to a reaction that increases emissions globally.

1. 3. All policy must ensure it doesn’t result in the waterbed effect i.e. that reductions in one area don’t free up emissions in others.

1. 4. All policy must adhere to the Paris Accord’s requirement that climate change mitigation must not come at the expense of food production.

1. 5. Allowing the band-aid policy of offsetting long lived gases by planting trees must not be permitted to continue.

1. 6. All policy must balance environmental, economic and social considerations.

1. 7. All policy must, as your report proposes, recognise the distinction between short and long-lived gases.

1. 8. Farmers must be permitted to offset animal emissions with their shelter belts and soil carbon.

1. 9. Central planning did a lot more harm than good to the economy; central planning as prescribed by the CCC will do little if any good environmentally at enormous economic and social cost; and it is unnecessary when the ETS will achieve what is required without further need for intervention.

1. 10. Funding research that fosters innovation will achieve more at a far lesser cost than draconian government dictates that reduce economic activity, stifle creativity and hit the poor hardest.

1. 11. I support the submission made by Chris Garland, in particular that responding and adapting to climate change must be achieved in a way that doesn’t threaten food production, and/or have adverse impacts on mental health and livelihoods in rural communities.

1. 12. I support the submission made by the Taxpayer’s Union.

 

The Climate Change Commission let itself, and New Zealand, down in at least two major ways.

The first was by releasing its report at first only to a few selected journalists.

The second by not providing its full data.

We will all be let down again if it doesn’t treat submissions, in particular those critical of its first report, with the seriousness they’re due and provide a second report that is backed up by data which is fully disclosed for analysis.

 

 

 

Word of the day

Fract – broken, cracked; to break or crack; to violate.

Milne muses

Whenever I look up the hill
Where dark against the green and blue
The firs come marching, two by two
I wonder if perhaps I might
See suddenly a shining knight
Winding his way from blue to green
Exactly as it would have been
Those many many years ago
~A.A.Milne #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/UY2csSuwWz

— A.A.Milne (@A_AMilne) March 17, 2021

Rural round-up

Call for native tree policy rethink – Colin Williscroft:

A farmer involved in a new initiative that’s calling for a radical change in thinking to meet the Climate Change Commission’s target of 300,000ha of new native forests by 2035 says it’s going to be a big ask – but that’s not putting him off.

O Tātou Ngāhere is a programme launched on Thursday night by Pure Advantage and Tāne’s Tree Trust that not only calls for greater ambition in meeting the commission’s target, but also seeks an urgent change to the way native forests are planted, managed and valued.

Tane Tree Trust trustee Ian Brennan, who runs a small drystock farm providing dairy grazing near Cambridge that he aims to half plant in native trees, says while pine trees have been the focus of a lot of plantings for those targeting carbon credits, he cannot imagine anyone regretting planting natives – although they are a much longer-term project. . . 

UK trade talks going nowhere, slowly – Nigel Stirling:

It appears that Britain’s trade negotiators haven’t yet caught up with the news that their farmers want tariffs on imported agricultural products scrapped.

Ditching high tariffs on agricultural products from countries which meet the same environmental and animal welfare standards as British farmers was one of 22 recommendations made by British Trade Minister Liz Truss’ Trade and Agriculture Commission earlier this month.

Britain’s farmers were fully represented on the commission by the representatives of the English, Welsh and Scottish branches of the UK’s peak farming lobby, the National Farmers Union (NFU), along with several other farmer bodies. . . 

Time to call it a day, straws getting a bit chewy.
Stoked with the yield though. pic.twitter.com/rZRR8d0Icu

— Blocka 🧢 (@blairdrysdale77) March 25, 2021

 

Smedley runs faster with FarmIQ:

Running a 5660ha dry stock operation is a big ask at the best of times, but add in a teaching role and it can prove a juggling act which Smedley Station manager Rob Evans is more than up for.

Rob admits having a young crew of cadets to oversee helps him stay sharp, and has also encouraged him to look harder at the new technology out there that young cadets will be engaging with in their farming careers.

This includes FarmIQ, and for the past two years Smedley has been gradually adopting many of the features FarmIQ offers into its day to day operations, and for bigger picture planning during the season.

Initially when he started using FarmIQ Rob had been inputting stock numbers and feed budget data to give himself and staff a more up to date picture of feed supply-demand. This enabled him to share potential options with staff via the computer or cell phone. It has also meant he can get a real time picture across the station’s four blocks. . . 

Kiwi hunters likely to miss another roar due to police firearm licensing delays:

The New Zealand Deerstalkers Association says the backlog in Police’s processing of new and renewing firearms licences will mean that many New Zealanders will, again, miss out on hunting during the deer roar this March and April.

NZDA Chief Executive, Gwyn Thurlow, says “after missing out on the 2020 roar due to Covid-19 Lockdown, hunters are looking forward to the 2021 roar this March and April however many hunters will be forced to sit on the side-lines because of Police administrative delays in renewing their firearm licences.”

“Many hunters have been in touch to tell NZDA that they are one of the many people caught up in the huge backlog in firearms licence processing delays by Police.

“The timing is particularly unfair on hunters who rely on securing meat for their families at this time of year”, says Gwyn Thurlow, noting “the roar is upon the Kiwi hunting community but sadly a good number will miss out through no fault of their own, simply because of the administrative backlog at Police.” . . 

Biosecurity Amendment Bill has HortNZ’s backing:

Horticulture New Zealand is thrilled that the Biosecurity (Information for Incoming Passengers) Amendment Bill has been drawn from the Private Member’s Ballot.

‘When the border re-opens, it will be important to remind travellers of the need to be particularly vigilant when entering New Zealand,’ says HortNZ Chief Executive, Mike Chapman.

‘New Zealand’s top performing horticulture and other primary industries would be easily destroyed if a particularly virulent pest or disease entered the country. This would have catastrophic effects on exports and the New Zealand economy, at a time when things are already fragile. . . 

"We shall not, we shall not be moved!"@chesterton2015 17.3 pic.twitter.com/UgV7aWx355

— Daily Sheep (@dailysheep1) March 24, 2021

2021 Manawatū Dairy Industry Awards winners announced:

The 2021 Manawatū Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winner says he wants to contribute positively to the reputation of the New Zealand dairy industry.

Sam Howard was named the 2021 Manawatū Share Farmer of the Year at the region’s annual awards announced at Awapuni Function Centre on Wednesday night. The other major winners were Karl Wood, the 2021 Manawatū Dairy Manager of the Year, and Josh Wilkinson, the 2021 Manawatū Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Sam won $10,465 in prizes and a clean sweep of eight merit awards. He is 50/50 sharemilking for John Gardner, on his 80ha, 240-cow Palmerston North property. Sam was also named the 2016 Taranaki Dairy Manager of the Year. . .

Maya muses

"Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women." #MayaAngelou

— Maya Angelou (@DrMayaAngelou) March 6, 2021