National’s agriculture spokesman, David Bennett on how the sector is key to New Zealand’s economic rebuild.
It’s no secret that agriculture is key to New Zealand’s economic rebuild and is cementing itself as the most reliable contributor to our economy in a post-Covid world.
It’s the same old story – no matter what, people need to eat and we have a proud reputation as the producer of some of the best food in the world.
I am a farmer and I know the contribution our farmers and growers make to our communities. It’s great to see more people outside the farm gate realising what we’ve known all along about how important agriculture is to our country. However, we can’t rest on our laurels and must always be looking at ways to grow the industry for years to come. . .
Sven Thelning is just as comfortable on the farm as he is high in the clouds.
Farm manager at dairy farm Avon Glen at Enfield for about four years, the North Otago born father of three grew up on his parents’ sheep and beef farm at Herbert but gave up life on the farm to pursue his interest in aviation.
But, as he suspected might happen one day, the lure of farm work was too great to resist.
‘‘I had a bit of experience overseas when I left school, but after that I went into aviation for a bit before I got back into farming about 2014 and have been at the same place ever since.’’ . .
When Marina married her farmer some 25 years ago, she was unsure of how her corporate background would merge with farm life. Coming from a background in telecommunications to settle on a sheep and beef farm two hours north of the city seemed daunting, however within a few short years, she had a vision to build an online horticultural business – something she had little to no experience in. RhodoDirect was launched in 2000, and over a 20 year period both she and her husband Craig not only established a five acre show garden, but provided the leadership that saw the launch the Hurunui Garden Festival, an annual, springtime event that celebrates local gardens. In 2020, RhodoDirect was sold, allowing Marina to return to her original career in training and development. With a newly acquired Diploma of Professional Coaching, Marina has since launched a new business – Thrive13 – which focusses on the personal and professional development of young women. Now with 25 years’ experience in both corporate and rural sectors and with her own horticultural career behind her, Marina has a wide range of skills to offer her clients.
When asked what concerned Marina about the health and safety of those in rural industries and communities, Marina spoke of the impact of depression on personal relationships within rural families. As a passionate facilitator of workshops for rural women, she said that members of rural families need invest energy into finding their voice and having the confidence and the courage to speak up not only for themselves, but for those around them. . .
I get to go to some amazing places for “work”. Few are more stunning than Dingleburn Station, Lake Hawea, NZ. What a morning! What a place! What a driveway!!. @neXtgenAgripic.twitter.com/kQUGJ0pUtC
New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Inc (NZDA) are disappointed to receive a final Himalayan tahr control operational plan from the Department of Conservation (DOC) for the coming 2020/21 operational period that ignores any advice and input from NZDA as the voice of recreational hunters.
NZDA Chief Executive, Gwyn Thurlow says “I have received many calls and emails from hunters, not just our members, expressing their outrage and disbelief at the government’s decision to take a course of action that flies in the face of its overarching objective of listening, being compassionate, and caring about our people and communities.
“There is no doubt that New Zealand hunters, a minority group, are being brushed aside by government and treated with a complete lack of due process and consultation. . .
Tourism industry operators are pleading for the government to halt DoC’s plan for a mass killing of Himalayan Tahr, saying the animals provide hundreds of jobs and a multi-million dollar benefit to the country.
Under a controversial 2020-21 plan which came into effect yesterday, DoC will significantly increase the number of tahr it kills, including exterminating all animals in national parks.
The Tahr Foundation has asked the High Court for an injunction to stop DoC going ahead with the mass slaughter. . .
The Single family has developed a drone-based weed detection sensor to better manage herbicide resistance in their large-scale dryland cropping enterprise south east of Coonamble.
Developed over 10 years by family members headed by Ben Single, a mechanical engineer, along with the help of robotic experts, the air-borne weed sensor has been used commercially on their farm for the past 18 months.
It can map between 200 to 300 hectares an hour and is capable of picking up weeds the size of the top of a beer can. . .
A government backed course aimed at giving heavy machinery training to people made redundant by Covid-19 is attracting a large number of immigrants on work visas.
The organisation Rural Contractors New Zealand say they will be short of 1000 skilled tractor and heavy machinery drivers this summer and it is calling on the Minister of Agriculture to allow overseas workers in under the essential worker category.
Minister Damien O’Connor said he realised there were skills shortages and that may require looking at how to bring some people safely back into the country to plug those gaps. . .
Waikato’s Health Rivers plan change 1 is confusing, poorly worded and unworkable farmers at a meeting near Lake Karapiro said.
While the intent of some rules is right the way they are written goes against the intention to improve water quality in the Waikato and Waipa Rivers, Federated Farmers’ regional policy manager Paul Le Miere told about 30 farmers.
The meeting was one of several seeking farmer feedback before the federation lodges its appeal to the Environment Court.
“They’re trying to do the right thing but the way it’s written it doesn’t really work.” . .
Some more footrot breeding values on the way after scoring the Stonyhurst and Southern X ram hoggets yesterday. Great setup and team, 2500 feet scored in 4 hours. Photo credit Erin Douglas-Clifford @neXtgenAgri@NZ_EDC@charliedc2pic.twitter.com/cpEdfg53P4
The first woman president in Federated Farmers’ 118 year history is ending her three year term today.
Katie Milne stepped down at the organisation’s AGM on Friday. She became the first women president when she was elected in 2017.
Milne said it had been a privilege to serve in the role and it was a mixed bags of emotions to see her term come to an end.
“I’m really pleased with the great succession coming up behind me and the amount of young people that are coming through the organisation,” she said. . .
Federated Farmers Chief Executive Terry Copeland is confident the newly-elected national board encompasses the depth of experience and expertise needed to maintain the organisation’s role as an effective voice for all farmers.
“Feds has been a grass roots-driven organisation for all of its 120 years and the elected leaders of our 24 provinces and our six industry groups have chosen high-calibre and committed people to sit at our top table,” Copeland says.
Manawatu dairy farmer Andrew Hoggard was confirmed as the new President at the national AGM today. As Vice-President for the three-year term just ending, Andrew has proved himself as an energetic and able representative, especially in his roles as spokesperson on climate change, commerce and connectivity, Copeland says.
Wairarapa farmer Karen Williams, who has a background in resource management and environmental planning, finishes her term as Arable Industry Group Chair and takes on the Vice-President role. The new Arable Chair is South Canterbury’s Colin Hurst, the 2019 ‘Arable Farmer of the Year’. . .
Ecrotek, New Zealand’s largest beekeeping supply company, has developed new education tools for beekeepers. With hive numbers growing from 300,000 to over 1 million, the beekeeping industry has seen significant expansion over the past 10 years.
Many beekeepers now have less than 5 years’ experience. Although not a given, lower experience levels can be detrimental to the industry, resulting in higher rates of disease and starvation, lower honey yields and decreased operational efficiency.
In order to address this issue, Ecrotek, in partnership with Dr Mark Goodwin, a world-leading beekeeping scientist and Sarah Cross a Plant and Food Research Associate have produced a new book, Best Practice Beekeeping, that covers the ‘should’ and ‘should nots’ of beekeeping in a simple easy to read format. . .
Now is a great time to introduce a new raw material for industry, allowing the new normal to be sustainable and regenerative
Aotearoa/New Zealand needs to think big and pay attention to market trends if they want to be operating at scale in global markets.
NZHIA welcomes the government’s support for creating jobs and promoting the wellbeing of current and future generations of New Zealanders. The 2020 Budget has allocated a lot of funding to support primary production, building homes, rebuilding infrastructure and support for positive health and family outcomes – and we want to help them achieve this. . .
Nitrogen is a basic requirement for the creation of soil organic matter.
It doesn’t matter whether the source of the nitrogen is synthetic fertiliser (such as urea or DAP), urine, legume fixation or animal manure – but it is required. Every tonne of carbon sequestered in the soil is associated with 80 to 100kg of nitrogen, as well as approximately 20kg phosphorus, 14kg of sulphur and smaller amounts of various other nutrients.
In many soils it is the addition of nitrogen fertiliser that has allowed more plants to grow and die, contributing more organic matter to the soil than was possible before the fertiliser was added.
This is assuming that moisture and other nutrients are not limiting for plant growth. . .
Almost 600,000 native plants were distributed to farmers, last week, as part of Taranaki’s Riparian Management Programme.
This was a record number for the scheme that’s having a huge impact on the region’s water quality and landscape.
For 27 years, the Taranaki Regional Council has worked with farmers, developing individual riparian management plans to improve freshwater quality. Plans recommend fencing off waterways and native planting on riverbanks to keep stock out of streams and reduce overland run-off.
As part of the programme, landowners can buy native plants at cost through the council, ordering one to two years in advance so plants can be grown for them. . .
The Ministry for Primary Industries released its annual Apiculture Monitoring Programme Report for the 2018/19 season today, which confirms the New Zealand apiculture industry is still growing.
The number of registered hives increased 4% on the previous season to 918,026 in June last year while the number of registered beekeeping businesses also increased, up 8% to 9,282.
The report estimates the 2018-19 season produced an estimated 23,000 tonnes of honey, up by 3,000 tonnes (15%) on the previous year, driven by the increase in hive numbers. . .
Data released today by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows there were 122 less farm sales (-32.1%) for the three months ended May 2020 than for the three months ended May 2019. Overall, there were 258 farm sales in the three months ended May 2020, compared to 251 farm sales for the three months ended April 2020 (+2.8%), and 380 farm sales for the three months ended May 2019. 1,132 farms were sold in the year to May 2020, 19.5% fewer than were sold in the year to May 2019, with 26.6% less Dairy farms, 27.8% less Grazing farms, 26.0% less Finishing farms and 1.2% less Arable farms sold over the same period.
The median price per hectare for all farms sold in the three months to May 2020 was $23,221 compared to $22,244 recorded for three months ended May 2019 (+4.4%). The median price per hectare increased 2.5% compared to April 2020.
The REINZ All Farm Price Index fell 0.1% in the three months to May 2020 compared to the three months to April 2020. . .
Trip to Dunedin today to pick up this new addition. Skye the border collie. Cute factor is off the scale apparently. pic.twitter.com/J7aveGRk5p
A nationwide plan to put fresh milk dispensers and reusable glass bottles into grocery stores kicks off today, following calls from shoppers for milk brands to ditch plastic bottles.
Lewis Road Creamery launched the initiative after receiving multiple requests from shoppers asking for a return to glass.
“The plastic problem really worries our customers,” says Lewis Road Creamery founder and CEO Peter Cullinane. “Two years ago we switched to 100% recycled plastic bottles but we’ve always wanted to do more, so this is another step in the right direction.” . .
Thirty-three years after it first teamed up with a family-owned seed business in the Netherlands, Barenbrug Agriseeds will be known as Barenbrug, effective 1 July.
Managing director Michael Hales says the Royal Barenbrug Group has been part of the NZ company since it was founded, providing unique access to plant genetics, science and knowledge.
“This collaboration has been a key part of our success in the NZ pastoral industry – we would not be where we are today without it.”
While the name on the distinctive yellow seed bags will be different as of this season, Michael says farmers can be reassured everything else remains unchanged: “Our people, products and strategy remain the same.” . .
Strategic water storage in key regions could play an important role in helping the country recover from COVID-19, says Irrigation New Zealand.
Many in the farming community were disappointed that last week’s Budget did not allocate any money specifically for water-related projects.
Although the primary sector did get a cash injection of almost $500 million, a large part of which went to fighting Mycoplasma bovis, as well as considerable investment in various schemes aimed at creating jobs in the industry, many questioned the lack of money for water storage.
The Budget came as Hawke’s Bay continues to struggle with one of the worst droughts in living memory. . .
New Zealand is home to an extraordinary number of entrepreneurs changing the world, making life easier and pushing the boundaries. In this series we meet dairy women who, along with being top-notch farmers, are entrepreneurs and business owners. They share the triumphs and challenges of starting and running a business and a farm. Cheyenne Nicholson caught up with Eva Botting.
As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.
And it was Phillip Botting’s need for new socks at Christmas 2018 and his wife Eva’s willingness to take the plunge into the business world that led to the creation of The Sock Agent. . .
From the moutains to the valleys – some beautiful snaps from a mix of ewe and wether musters at Mt Nicholas station. 😍🐑📸
New Zealand honey bees will be giving their beekeepers a buzz of thanks this World Bee Day on Wednesday 20th May.
World Bee Day was established by the United Nations to raise awareness of the critical importance of bees, and other pollinators to the health of our planet and its people. While in many countries, bee populations are in decline: impacted by disease, pests, climate change and intensive agricultural practices, in New Zealand our honey bee population is healthy and continuing to grow.
Recent international research, based on data from the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation, found that New Zealand rated seventh in the world for bee population growth over a decade. . .
A six-part online speaker series for farmers and growers will explore the nuts and bolts of regenerative agriculture (regen ag), from international trade opportunities in the wake of Covid-19 to how often animals should be moved when grazing.
Hosted by think-tank Pure Advantage and the Edmund Hillary Fellowship, the series authored and hosted by Alina Siegfried will provide insights into the benefits and costs of regen ag and the practicalities of changing systems while maintaining production on a working farm.
The series features Kiwi farmers and international experts, including Gary Hirshberg, Co-founder and former Chief Executive of Stonyfield Organics, the second largest organic dairy company in the world. Soil scientists and business leaders will explore the role of market mechanisms, funding models, soil science, systems-thinking, and community mental health. . .
THE SEARLE family can’t do too much more to streamline its dairy operation without access to affordable irrigation water.
The family, parents Geoff and Tracey along with sons Michael, 29, and Matt, 35, who farm just outside Barham in NSW, are on its second year of zero allocation and it is decimating a once thriving business.
“We have a pretty good dairy set up and we are just watching it dwindle away to dust,” Matt said.
He said the family has tried to make things work with minimal water and for the last two years a zero allocation. . .
New Zealand took a proactive response to the coronavirus, COVID-19, which meant that for a time, many businesses had to close their doors. However, with the changing of the alert levels, it’s business as usual for online sales of quality New Zealand-made products.
The Ecowool team is proud to be able to offer a variety of beautiful sheepskin, wool, natural, and knitwear products for customers around the world from their online store. These are carefully packaged following government guidelines, and then sent on their way. . .
Environmental lobby group 50 Shades of Green says the government’s policy document on waterways will provide a massive subsidy for forestry.
Spokesman, Andy Scott said the problem was it would make sheep and beef farming less economic thereby encouraging farmers to walk away and sell their land for trees.
“Modelling suggesting 68% of dry stock farms in the Waikato/Waipa catchment would be converted to forestry as a direct result of the proposed regulations will send a chill through the entire sheep and beef industry,” Andy Scott said. . .
Minister Jones Needs Assurance That His ‘Trees Fund Branching Out’ Doesn’t End up as a Knot According to 50 Shades of Green.
Conservation Group 50 Shades of Green supports Minister Jones in his efforts to put the right tree in the right place.
It also supports Iwi initiatives to regenerate native bush.
What it doesn’t support is easy access for foreign investors and carbon speculators to plant good farmland in trees for no other reason than to claim carbon credits. . .
NZ beekeepers work really hard to keep our bee population healthy. A great way to support them and their bee workers is by buying honey! We have some special honeys in NZ made from our wonderful native plants – give them a try. #nzhoneys#beeawarenz19pic.twitter.com/xOMDwGaqu5
The government is allocating nearly $6 million to a campaign to stop Australian beekeepers marketing their products as “mānuka” honey.
The Mānuka Honey Appellation Society is being granted $5.7 million through the Provincial Growth Fund, including a $1.7 million loan, to help in its bid to secure international property rights.
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones accused Australian honey producers of trying to steal what was indigenous to New Zealand. . .
When a group of dairy families opened Idaho Milk Products a decade ago, the company faced a murky future at best.
The $80 million facility began churning out cream and protein during a recession, at a time of painfully low milk prices.
“These dairy families risked everything,” Idaho Dairymen’s Association CEO Rick Naerebout said. “They rolled the dice, put everything on the line that their families had built for generations.”
Ten years and a $30 million plant expansion later, it looks like the gamble is paying off. . .
Farmers in Wales are planning to disrupt Irish trucks carrying beef from entering Wales via the Port of Holyhead.
The blockade is planned for Friday 27 September.
According to North Wales Live, the protest is a result of farmer complaints that “prices are down £150-£200 (€170-€ 226) on this time last year, blaming the slump on imports” coupled with the uncertainty of Brexit.
Farmers are urged to make a stand against “rock-bottom beef prices and ‘subsidised’ Irish beef imports.”. . .
Southland farmers are feeling under siege by campaigns believed to be by animal welfare and environmental activists questioning intensive livestock wintering practices.
There have been multiple reports in recent weeks of a helicopter with a camera on the front hovering over stock being wintered on crops in various parts of the province.
Separately, Waikato businessman Angus Robson has confirmed he plans to travel to Southland as part of a campaign highlighting questionable wintering practices. . .
New Zealand scientists have singled out the microbes responsible for producing methane in sheep, a discovery which could help reduce emissions from livestock.
Scientists from AgResearch and Otago University are part of a global team that has identified processes that control methane production in sheep and other ruminant animals like cattle and deer.
As well as identifying gut bacteria which produce hydrogen during digestion in sheep, the researchers discovered which organisms feed on that hydrogen in the production of methane. . .
Andrew Rodwell brings international leadership experience to his new job as chief executive of the North Otago Irrigation Company.
He has replaced Robyn Wells, who spent nearly nine years in the role.
Mr Rodwell has a BSc from Canterbury University and a finance diploma from Auckland University’s Graduate School of Business.
As New Zealand’s trade commissioner in Los Angeles he focused on food and agritech, then formed and led a United States subsidiary for Telecom New Zealand. . .
A South Otago beekeeper is enjoying a sweet buzz after flying high at the country’s top honey awards.
Allen McCaw, of Milburn Apiaries near Milton, received the Supreme Award at the ApiNZ National Honey Competition in Rotorua recently, after hauling in two golds, a silver and a bronze medal for his creamed honey entries.
Although he and wife Maria were now working towards retirement, he still enjoyed competing with the honey from his ”cottage” factory to the rear of the couple’s 6.5ha smallholding on State Highway 1, Mr McCaw (69) said. . .
A one-off gift let Young Farmers record a surplus for its latest financial year instead of a significant loss.
The organisation reported a profit of $4.61 million for the year ending September 30, 2018.
But that was because it was bequeathed a farm valued at $5.5m.
Its trading results show losses of about $900,000 for the year though chief executive Lynda Coppersmith is confident the organisation is on the right track to ensure that won’t happen again. . .
Stratford shearer Gavin Mutch returned to the podium at the world shearing championships in France.
The Scottish-born shearer combined with compatriot Calum Shaw to win the teams’ event at the championships in Le Dorat, western France, at the weekend.
Mutch and Shaw finished ahead of Welsh pairing Alun Lloyd Jones and Richard Jones, and New Zealand’s Cam Ferguson and Rowland Smith, who were third. . .
Watching bees burn would have to be one of the most difficult things a beekeeper could do – it is also an experience more Southland apiarists will have to face.
It is the consequence of the spread of destructive bee-killing disease American foulbrood (AFB).
Southland commercial beekeeper Geoff Scott said ignorance was a major contributor to the disease spreading.
”And we’re doing it – it’s us beekeepers doing it.” . .
Hinewai Reserve was once dismissed as a fantasy of fools and dreamers.
Now, as the 1250ha native sanctuary on Banks Peninsula flourishes it has about $1m of carbon credits plus income from a walking track and public donations.
But Hugh Wilson’s neighbours let rip when his plans for Hinewai Reserve became clear. . .
Managing disease in farmed cattle and deer is one stream of the TBfree programme’s work. It underpins the value and reputation of the meat and milk New Zealand exports.
The other essential work the programme manages is possum control — taking and keeping numbers down at a level where disease can’t keep cycling in wildlife.
That possum control work has two big benefits for New Zealand: eradicating bovine TB to protect the primary sector while supporting the goals of the predator-free movement. The TBfree programme managed by OSPRI aligns with programmes designed to protect and defend New Zealand’s biodiversity and environmental health, such as the Department of Conservation’s Battle for Our Birds and Predator Free 2050. . .
”You don’t go to the Olympic Games and wear someone else’s track shoes and you don’t go to a Formula race in someone else’s car.”
Champion ploughman Bob Mehrtens is explaining his approach to the upcoming world ploughing championships at Baudette, Minnesota.
After placing eighth in Germany last year and second in Kenya in the reversible section of the world championships, he is aiming for gold this time round in the United States. . .
The cost of sending children to boarding school is placing a big burden on rural employees, and it’s well past time a change was made to make the boarding allowance system fairer, writes Federated Farmers policy adviser Ann Thompson.
Over the past few years Federated Farmers has made requests to both the National and Labour-led governments to increase the Access Barrier Boarding Allowance.
This allowance is provided for pupils who live so far away from school that boarding school is the only realistic option.
As at June 2019, the Access Barrier Boarding Allowance was $3200 per annum while the Multiple Barriers Boarding Allowance was $7500 (plus $500 for pastoral care). . .
It seems a long time ago that National MP Shane Ardern rode ”Myrtle”, his elderly tractor, up the parliamentary steps in protest at the proposed ”fart tax”.
That was back in 2003 and there have been many iterations of carbon reduction schemes since then with agriculture sliding along relatively unscathed. One did feel that it was only a matter of time before the grace period was over. Climate change has not gone away, a raft of regulations are on their way, but they do look a little different from what we were expecting.
The biggest difference to the current scheme versus previous schemes is the split gas regime, where methane is treated separately due to its shorter lifespan in the atmosphere – the target is a 10% reduction in biological methane emissions by 2030, with a provisional reduction of 24% to 47% by 2050. . .
There has been strong growth by the honey industry during the past few years but with demand and prices dropping by as much as 50% compared to the previous season, there will be belt tightening and rationalisation, Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos says.
She said the strong growth and good returns in the past few years had attracted a lot of new entrants to the industry.
However, the domestic and international markets have been ”a bit sluggish”. . .
At this time of the year (2 weeks out from dry off) our grass cover usually drops dramatically and we get to our target of 1800-1900 cover. Farm walk today = 2147 up from 2088 🤑🤑🤑 pic.twitter.com/74wzr2JNlo
Farmers have come under fire this week from MP Shane Jones, who says they need to stop “bitching and moaning”. Jones launched into farmers while talking to host Jamie Mackay on The Country yesterday. But what do farmers say in response? Mackay catches up with one of Jones’ targets, Federated Farmers president Katie Milne, who says the urban/rural divide has damaged people’s opinions of farmers.
“I don’t like the term ‘whingeing’,” says Katie Milne. “But we do like to highlight and try to talk to the issues that do affect us that people do have control over.”
The Federated Farmers president is responding to claims from the Minister of Forestry and Regional Economic Development Shane Jones that farmers are moaners. . .
An initiative in the wool harvesting industry is changing traditional attitudes to injury prevention and wellbeing and it’s not just shearing crews who are benefiting.
Times are changing in the woolshed, Shearing Contractors’ Association spokesman Mark Barrowcliffe says.
He’s been running his King Country business for nearly 20 years, employing up to 50 staff at peak season. . .
Busby’s genetic roots might lie in the blustery North Sea island of Texel, but the owners of what was possibly New Zealand’s oldest sheep said he has thrived on a more gentle lifestyle.
The Texel-Romney cross wether is estimated by Lynley and Barry Bird to be 24-years-old, measured against the ages of their now-adult children who rescued him as a lamb. . .
When people think of farming, few think of carbon farming. But Canterbury farmers Warrick and CeCe James are using agriculture to feed people and fight climate change. Luke Chivers spoke to them on-farm.
Imagine carbon emissions and what springs to mind?
Most people tend to think of power stations belching out clouds of carbon dioxide or queues of vehicles burning up fossil fuels as they crawl, bumper-to-bumper along congested urban roads.
But in Canterbury’s picturesque Selwyn Gorge the owners of a forest of 18-year-old pine and Douglas fir trees are confident that at harvest age the trees will still be worth more alive than dead and will continue to be indefinitely. . .
A dive into the little-known field of energy return on investment for his Nuffield Scholarship was the extension of a long-held interest for Solis Norton of Otago. It measures energy flows through New Zealand’s primary food chains to see how we might move to zero emissions by 2050 while remaining a viable economy. He spoke to Richard Rennie.
Nuffield scholar Solis Norton acknowledges the area of energy return on investment (EROI) is not top of mind for many but his year’s study found the field holds important tools for one of this country’s most pressing demands – getting to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Mapping out the transition to carbon zero using economics is a good starting point but mapping our true energy use during the transition is critical too. This is what EROI does. Our path to carbon-zero economic prosperity will collapse if we run short of energy along the way.” . .
The Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) regulatory definition of mānuka honey has thrown the honey industry into turmoil and European authorities are beginning to notice there’s something wrong, a Northland honey expert says.
Dr John Craig, a veteran beekeeper and former professor of environmental studies, said the ministry’s challenged the industry to prove that its definition needs to change.
But he said the ministry’s own research has already done that. . .
”High octane” feed was the subject at the Otago Advance Party regional workshop in Poolburn last week.
Deer farmers and industry representatives met at the Poolburn/Moa Creek Hall last Wednesday in a meeting organised by Abacusbio consultant Simon Glennie.
The Advance Party workshop was part of the deer industry’s Passion2Profit programme.
The group visited Poolburn deer farmer Cam Nicolson’s property to look at his deer, then returned to the hall to discuss how he could improve growth rates and profits by using ”high octane” forages. . .
Cows are loving their autumn Fodder Beet. Enjoying what will be the last stunning autumn morning for a while. pic.twitter.com/wr4vXgTsUE
Northland still has green grass everywhere, but there’s not much of it .. normally farms would be knee deep in kikuyu and it would be a challenge to manage it, but that’s not the case. It’s not a disaster but lots of dairy herds have been partially dried off.
Outstanding autumn weather has been the main feature this week for Franklin vege growers .. in fact for much of the North Island. . .
Increasing numbers of farmers are focused on making their properties more environmentally sustainable but few plan to take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
A Nielsen Research survey commissioned by the Ministry for Primary Industries shows 92% of farmers are addressing environmental sustainability, up from 79% in 2009, but just 23% are focused on reducing greenhouse gases, a drop from 30%.
That is despite 63% of farmers agreeing or strongly agreeing human activity is contributing to climate change, up from 54% in 2009, but lower than the 82% of New Zealanders who believe human activity is contributing to climate change. . .
Being an effluent compliant dairy farmer is about pride and attitude for Alistair Johnson and Tony and Fran Allcock.
Knowing that the potentially harmful cow muck is properly contained gives them peace of mind after the two Waikato dairy farmers spent thousands on upgrades for new systems on their respective farms near Te Awamutu and Te Rore.
Both opened up their farms to show off their systems to farmers at a recent DairyNZ field day. . .
Next week 30 year 12 & 13 students from Canterbury will take part in the inaugural Rabobank FoodX program – a 4-day event being run in conjunction with @LincolnUniNZ & @nzyoungfarmers to educate participants about the many career paths open to them in the food production sectors. pic.twitter.com/Z15th0N7nG
Chinese consumers’ understanding of the brain-gut health axis is paying dividends for Hamilton biotech firm Quantec following the launch of an award-winning nutrition drink. Co-founder Dr Rod Claycomb and chief executive Raewyn McPhillips spoke to Richard Rennie about the exciting potential of some of the company’s patented ingredients.
QUANTEC took out this year’s supreme award from the natural health products industry for the second time in as many years, making it the only company to do so.
It is a reflection of the recent success the company has enjoyed following the launch of its milk protein and flax seed oil drink on the Chinese market. . .
Dogs of all shapes and sizes will take over the Dannevirke A & P Showgrounds at the weekend when the Ruahine Kennel Association hosts its Dog Dayz show.
It’s an annual event that attracts dog owners from throughout New Zealand.
Ruahine Kennel Association president Tim Delaney says it’s a busy time for owners of pedigree dogs as there are shows just about every weekend.
The show is run over the two days with judging commencing at 9am on both days. . .
Sitting down for a cuppa after cycling through the central North Island’s picturesque Timber Trail, Tracey Goodall turned to her partner, Michal Mudroncik, and made a throwaway comment: “Imagine if we lived somewhere like this.”
The outdoors-loving couple thought nothing more of it as they headed back to Auckland, but serendipity had already intersected.
Several days later, at work, Tracey’s colleague asked if anyone had seen “that job doing the rounds on social media” for a general manager of Forgotten World Adventures in Taumarunui. . .
Gold fever has taken hold in the beekeeping industry.
The value of mānuka honey has led to unprecedented returns on marginal land, in both revenue and land value. Ironically, land once cleared for grazing is now left to revert to gorse and scrub to feed the bees.
Councils too are contributing to the planting of mānuka. In return, landowners are retiring steep or sensitive areas from grazing. . .
Up to 16 million conscious foodies in California are the target of a major new beef and lamb marketing project.
The aim is to make New Zealand top-of-mind for a group passionate about the idea of grass-fed red meat and wanting to know where it comes from.
After months of research Taste Pure Nature was launched in California on March 20 and straight away there were 151 automatic pick-ups on the multi-media release, providing potentially millions of potential impressions among individual consumers, Beef + Lamb NZ market development general manager Nick Beeby said. . .
The legal definition of mānuka honey could change, if new evidence shows the chemical makeup of the honey is different in Northland, MPI says.
Far North honey producers say the Ministry of Primary Industries’ regulatory definition, published a year ago, excludes up to 50 percent of their honey, based on just one chemical marker – even in areas where the bees have nothing but mānuka to feed on.
About 80 beekeepers and honey producers from Auckland to Kaitaia turned out to challenge MPI scientists at a hui yesterday at Ōtiria marae, near Kaikohe.
They believe the definition established to protect New Zealand’s mānuka brand overseas fails to take into account regional variations in the chemical makeup of the honey. . .
The last place you would think you would find some merinos, the middle of middle earth. pic.twitter.com/J6759353xg
A Whangarei family growing raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and green and gold kiwifruit have won the Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The Malley family of Patrick and his wife Rebecca and their children Austin, 4, and Eloise, 1, and Patrick’s parents Dermott and Linzi own and operate their diversified horticulture business, Maungatapere Berries, just outside Whangarei.
Raspberries are the biggest berry crop, processed through a packhouse on the orchard, and sold domestically under their own Maungatapere Berries brand along with blackberries, and blueberries under the Eureka brand. Kiwifruit canopy extends over 16.25ha, including 3.36ha of Gold 3 under cover, to target high-taste, high-production, early season fruit. . .
Federated Farmers arable sector chairwoman Karen Williams says it is time for bold leadership.
With the traumatic events in Christchurch front of mind it has been hard to focus on topics worthy of commentary when so many of our daily tribulations seem comparatively insignificant.
This atrocity is beyond belief.
It has severely affected the Christchurch community, stunned and saddened New Zealand and sent shock waves around the globe.
Is there something we can take out of this that will at least in some small way add value to a grieving country?
The current Biosecurity New Zealand ban on pea growing in the Wairarapa is knocking down the pea weevil population, but another pea weevil free year is needed to be confident of eradication.
The pest was first discovered in the Wairarapa in 2016 and has been subject to an eradication programme since then.
“Our trapping programme did not find any pea weevils in the 2018 surveillance, which is a promising result after the discovery of just 15 the previous season, says Biosecurity New Zealand spokesperson Dr Cath Duthie. . .
One of closest commercial kiwifruit orchards to Auckland’s urban boundary – with potential to treble its production capacity – been placed on the market for sale.
Known as MacLachlan Orchard, the 12.2-hectare property at 90 Mullins Road in Ardmore is planted on flat land, and is forecast to produce some 42,000 trays of fruit in the current season.
The orchard’s 3.3 canopy hectares of productive land comprises some 2.29-canopy hectares of the Hayward green kiwifruit variety and 1.07 canopy hectares of the G3 gold kiwifruit strain picked off vines which were grafted some six years ago. . .
It doesnt matter what the weather is doing, farming carries on. There isnt a pause or fast forward to tomorrow button.
Its right here, in the moment, doing your absolute very best to deal with whats infront of you. But we always care for our stock & put them first. ❤️🐑❄️ pic.twitter.com/KsbfHGTE73
The approaching demise of Westland Co-operative Dairy (trading as Westland Milk Products) has come as a surprise to many people. It should not have done so. At the very least, either a partial sale or major joint venture has been inevitable for some years. Survival as a co-operative is now impossible.
Most of the people I talk to think the sale to Chinese company Yili is a very bad idea. West Coasters do not like it. Even Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor is of that opinion. And if a sale really is necessary, then the common perspective seems to be that it should be a local company.
Employees will get what they are owed but nearly 1200 unsecured creditors will have to wait to see if they will be paid any of the $15.8 million they are owed following December’s collapse of the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre.
An interim report by liquidators Grant Thornton says the sale of livestock will cover preferential creditors, employees, who are owed $2m, and Inland Revenue, owed $655,000, but there is no indication on the fate of other creditors.
Taratahi’s 518ha Mangarata farm is being readied for sale, over which Westpac has a secured mortgage, along stock, plant and shares. . .
Cropping demonstrations across cultivation, drilling, harvesting, balage and silage proceeded without a hitch at the South Island Agricultural Field Days at Kirwee in Canterbury.
Twelve or so hectares can sound like a lot of land area but with several different crops being grown on adjacent strips and some machinery being 10 metres wide there’s not a lot of margin for error.
It helps that each crop and activity is worked at separate times but there’s still a lot of planning and a lot of people to organise. . .
(BusinessDesk) – The Cushing family’s H&G vehicle has agreed to buy a 2.2 percent stake in rural services firm PGG Wrightson from Agria Corp. for $8.3 million.
H&G has agreed to pay 49 cents a share for 17 million Wrightson shares, matching Friday’s closing price. Agria owns 351.6 million shares, or 46.6 percent of the rural services firm, having divested a 7.2 percent holding in December when Ngāi Tahu Capital withdrew from a seven-year pooling arrangement with Agria and Chinese agribusiness New Hope International. . .
One of the oldest cows in the herd, the 10 year old Kilsunny Trump 30 EX92 5E has calved with her 9th calf. This old lady is one of the highest classified cows at Kilsunny and has produced milk yields up to 9000 litres (almost 2000 gallons) with fat to 4.24% and protein to 3.86%. pic.twitter.com/7Opt2qCr5Z
Almost a half of the country’s registered beekeepers have taken part in an annual survey to understand bee health, losses and beekeeping practice.
More than 3,600 beekeepers completed the 2018 Colony Loss Survey, which was carried out on behalf of Biosecurity New Zealand by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.
“The numbers of beekeepers participating in the self-reporting survey represents 47 per cent of New Zealand’s registered beekeepers and 42 per cent of registered colonies,” says Biosecurity New Zealand’s biosecurity surveillance and incursion (aquatic and environment health) manager, Dr Michael Taylor. . .
Most annually harvested crops require a lot of activity to get them established, grown and harvested. They need cultivation of the soil, weed control, planting, fertiliser, harvesting, sometimes waste disposal, packing and loading on a truck. Most of them need all that every year. In many cases, there is further cultivation, planting and cutting of a cover crop during the off season as well. Again, every year!
Miscanthus on the other hand needs cultivation, planting and weed control – once in at least 15 years – perhaps 25 years – plus harvesting and loading on a truck every year from year 2 onwards. There is also no waste to be disposed of with Miscanthus. There is no need to cultivate the soil again, no need for ongoing weed control, no need to replant, no need for fertiliser in most cases. . .
In the last few weeks, presumably simply by coincidence, I’ve had various comments and emails about productivity growth in the agricultural sector. The most recent one finally prompted me to dig out the official data and check that my impressions were still supported by the data. They were. Agricultural sector productivity growth was very strong, but has been much more subdued for some time now.
There are two main measures of agricultural sector productivity: labour productivity (in effect, output per hour of labour input) and multi-factor productivity (in effect, the residual after what can be attributed to growth in labour and capital inputs has been deducted). In principle, MFP is superior. In practice, estimates rely more heavily on the assumptions used in the calculation (although – diverting briefly – to the various readers who have sent me a recent piece by GMO on TFP/MFP, I reckon there is less to that critique than the authors claim). . .
(BusinessDesk) – Fonterra Cooperative Group hasn’t faced any issues getting its products into China, where its business hit some speed wobbles when the butter market slowed.
The world’s biggest dairy exporter counts China as one of its most important markets and has been a beneficiary of a burgeoning middle class in the world’s most populous nation. . .
Apiculture New Zealand supports the Minister for Agriculture’s plea for greater unity to address existing challenges around bee welfare and biosecurity, food safety and export regulations, and welcomes the Minister’s commitment to supporting the industry.
This follows a meeting by Apiculture New Zealand with the Minister late last week on the commodity levy results.
“As we advised the Minister a ‘no vote’ for the commodity levy means we do not have the investment fund needed, nor the collective focus that is characteristic of other primary industries in identifying, deciding and actioning priorities,” says Bruce Wills Chair of Apiculture New Zealand. . .
Drifting cows and calves toward the yard as some very welcome rain falls at #WaikakaStn This is the last mob of our first stage of weaning. Cows will be weighed and given copper. Calves will be weighed and #QuietWean nose flaps put in. pic.twitter.com/p3zJexXjdj
The first charter vessel carrying Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit is heading to China and Japan following this season’s early start to harvest.
The Southampton Star departed from Tauranga Harbour yesterday evening carrying approximately 3,000 pallets of Bay of Plenty-grown SunGold Kiwifruit bound for Shanghai and Kobe. The vessel had earlier berthed in Gisborne where it picked up 1,600 pallets of SunGold Kiwifruit, marking the start of what promises to be another bumper crop. . .
The Bayer NZ Young Viticulturist of the Year Competition is now in its fourteenth year and to take out the coveted title has become a key goal for many young viticulturists in New Zealand.
The programme aims to grow the wine industry’s future leaders, by stretching them, putting them out of their comfort zone and creating new relationships. It is a fantastic opportunity for Young Vits (30 yrs or under) to upskill, grow in confidence, widen their network and start making a name for themselves within the industry. . .
Livestock rustlers could spend up to seven years in prison when new penalties are imposed but a Northland farming official says police need more resources to investigate and take rural crimes more seriously.
The Crimes Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously by Parliament on Tuesday, makes theft of livestock or any other animal, including beehives and farm dogs, an offence liable for up to seven years in prison.
Also passed was the offence of unlawful entry on agricultural land with the intent to steal livestock or to act unlawfully against specified things such as buildings or machinery on that land — a crime which could see the offender put behind bars for up to a decade.
Nine influential Kiwi women from across the primary industries sector are gathering in Manawatu next week to discuss where-to-next for our food producing nation. They’re coming together as part of the ASB Perspective 2025 round-table discussion, which is a headline event at this year’s New Zealand AgriFood Week in Palmerston North.
It’s the fourth year ASB has been the main sponsor of New Zealand AgriFood Week, which is delivered by the Central Economic Development Agency, and its unique perspective panel is considered a must attend event at the Globe Theatre in Palmerston North. . .
Commercial beekeepers have voted not to support the introduction of a honey levy with only 23.56% voting for the introduction of a commodity levy.
Commenting on the result Bruce Wills, Chair of Apiculture NZ, the industry organisation which led the commodity levy proposal says: “It’s no secret that this is not the outcome I, or the Board, wanted to see. I believe it will set back the development of the honey industry, but I understand that at present commercial beekeepers are hurting with the erosion in honey prices as a result of over-supply, for all floral types other than mānuka honey.” . .
(BusinessDesk) – Indicative bids to buy Tip Top ice-cream from Fonterra Cooperative Group are due in by Monday, according to the Australian Financial Review which says it has seen a copy of the confidential information memorandum.
Its Street Talk column says the business is being pitched by First NZ Capital as a “unique opportunity to invest in an iconic New Zealand company with 80 years of heritage.”
While the memorandum talks about Tip Top’s “unrivalled market position,” it also notes that Unilever, which has the rights to Magnum ice-cream and a host of dairy free products, dominates the premium end of the market where the fat margins are. . .
Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell has confirmed Judith Swales to the role of Chief Operating Officer, Global Consumer and Foodservice. This follows her appointment to the role in an acting capacity earlier this year.
Miles Hurrell says “Judith has been providing strong leadership into our Consumer and Foodservice business unit, and the momentum she has gathered deserves to be continued.” . .
Diversified agribusiness Scales Corporation Limited today announced an agreement to enter into a petfood Joint Venture (JV) with Alliance Group Limited (Alliance). Under the terms of the JV, Alliance will pay $15 million to acquire a 50% interest in Meateor’s New Zealand business and operations.
Managing Director Andy Borland says: “We are pleased to enter into a partnership with one of New Zealand’s leading farmer co-operatives. This venture is about developing New Zealand as the premier supplier of petfood proteins. We think the venture provides a number of benefits to the entire New Zealand petfood-supply industry including as an avenue for the industry to improve scale; improved relationships with customers including the ability to commit to longer-term relationships; an ability to move into higher value and added value ingredients; and ability to leverage extended customer and supplier networks.” . .
New Zealand horticulture has made the news recently with the demand for fruit harvesters that is not being meet. With the unemployment rate hovering around 4% (3.9% is latest data) the likelihood of finding enough staff from that sector is reasonably remote.
The same issue has been an ongoing one for agriculture. Dairying has had an ongoing issue with finding and maintaining staff and while sheep and beef and cropping have lower rates of turn over, finding new staff has still been a problem and getting more difficult by the year.
When the age profile of those working in agriculture is examined then more concern should be raised. . .
Northwest Waikato sheep and beef farmers Tom and Nicole Whitford never planned on working in the primary sector but today the couple are dedicated to the intergenerational transfer of a farming business.Luke Chivers explains.
It was Gypsy Day 2016. Waikaretu Valley farmers Tom and Nicole Whitford’s succession agreement with Tom’s parents for a well-nurtured and developed, panoramic coastal slice of rural New Zealand kicked in – coincidentally the same day their son Mac was born.
Mike and Tracey Collis may run a dairy farm with big ambitions, but they have managed to achieve a small environmental footprint.
To boot, they farm in Eketahuna – a renowned challenging farming area. Their tenacity and their talents caught the eyes of this year’s Horizons Ballance Farm Environment award judges who credited the couple’s willingness to adapt their farming system to outside influences.
“We are really pleased about being a finalist,” the Collis’ say of their achievement. . .
Apiculture New Zealand (ApiNZ) is calling on commercial beekeepers to vote for a commodity levy with voting papers going out this month.
“We are at a crucial juncture in the history of this industry,” says Bruce Wills, chair of Apiculture New Zealand, the body leading the vote. “We need beekeepers to vote and we need a clear statement from the beekeepers through this vote. . .
A vote by beekeepers on a proposed honey levy next month has seen one industry group rallying its members to reject the proposal.
Apiculture New Zealand, a voluntary body of about 900 members, wants to introduce a commodity levy on honey to help manage industry growth.
The proposed levy would see all 1800 beekeepers in New Zealand with 26 hives or more to pay a levy of 10 cents on each kilogram of honey – collecting about two million dollars a year.
But New Zealand Beekeeping president Jane Lorimer said the the levy was unreasonably high.
Nitrate levels have significantly reduced at a North Canterbury stream less than two months into a pilot project to improve its water quality.
The Institute of Environmental and Scientific Research (ESR)-led denitrification wall trial at Silverstream Reserve, near Kaiapoi, has resulted in nitrate levels in groundwater dropping from 7.1mg/l to 0.5 mg/l.
The 25 metre-long wall, installed in November, is a world first, having never been tested in a fast-flowing gravel aquifer system before. . .
The earthquake recovery project for the upper South Island has been shaken up for better relevance and helpfulness to farmers.
The Government and farming and other landcare groups approved new work areas for the Post Quake Farming Project at a meeting on December 3.
“Thank you to everyone for your patience in waiting for things to get to the point they are now,” new project manager Michael Bennett wrote in a project update.
“We have a great project stacked up in front of us which will hopefully pay dividends to the rural community for many months to come.” . .
Here is a tweet for the green-ish farmers. Selective scrub cutting – cut a bit, leave a bit. #MangaRa Station. pic.twitter.com/7YGI9QMZZh
Cross Slot No-Tillage Systems of Feilding has agreed to licence a new seed drill manufacturer in the United States to supply all the Americas.
Company principal and agricultural engineer John Baker said Appleton Marine in Wisconsin was the planned manufacturer and marketer.
It would be the first venture into agricultural machinery for the big heavy-duty manufacturer and fabricator of marine and mining equipment.
Baker said the agreement had not yet been signed but a US no-tillage website had publicised the deal, including a mistaken claim that intellectual property had been sold. . .
United Kingdom sheep farming leaders have warned that British producers could lose out badly under a post-Brexit free trade deal struck between the New Zealand and the UK.
In an official response to the NZ Government’s consultation on free trade deal proposals with Britain, the UK National Sheep Association (NSA) has appealed for ‘mutual respect’ for UK sheep farmers from NZ.
“Any new UK/NZ trade deal will cover all products, industries and services and it is crucial to recognise that for sheepmeat it is an entirely one-way trade,” NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said. . .
Beekeepers are smarting at lower returns on all honey types, including the much touted manuka variety, despite reports it continues to sell strongly in overseas markets.
Downunder Honey owner Jason Prior, of Cheltenham, said honey producers face the prospect of being paid 20-25% less than 2017 by processors as the market reshapes after a shakedown in numbers over the past two years.
“The smaller, second-tier honey buyers have disappeared and then the next tier down, the fly-by-night operators, have gone too. Between these guys they would account for 30% of the market. They were often small individually but combined were quite a portion of that buying market.” . .
RT @TaxpayersUnion: National's plan to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio to 20% is welcome. Currently, it's expected to rise to 53% in 2024.
Bu… 9 minutes ago
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