Labour’s legacy

If you’re reading this before 9am, perhaps you should stop, turn your computer off and put on more clothes to keep warm rather than using a heater.

Transpower is asking us to save power for a couple of hours.

I can’t be the only one who sees the problem with the previous government’s policies.

They taxed the productive sector – tradies, farmers and others who need utes for work, to subsidise buyers of electric cars when we don’t have enough power.

One reason for that is that Labour stopped exploration for gas which resulted in the need to import more coal – and Genesis is having to do that again:

Power generator Genesis Energy expects to be buying coal again by the end of this year, in part due to a quickly diminishing gas supply.

Genesis said it aimed to maintain its solid fuel stockpile “to keep the lights on” for its customers through the “yo-yo” effects of the energy transition away from carbon dioxide emission. . . 

They put the green cart in front of the alternative power source horses.

That’s Labour’s legacy – a policy that was supposed to be better for carbon emissions making them worse and a potential power shortage just as winter bites.

Rural round-up

Forestry conversions are putting land at risk, farmer says –  Sally Rae:

“We just hate to see our land for future generations put at such risk.”

Quintin Hazlett, a passionate sheep and beef farmer, is referring to Hukarere Station, New Zealand’s largest family-owned working organic sheep and cattle property and his home.

The West Otago tussock hill country was renowned for its landscape features and its history. The isolated area comprised a tight-knit community which relied on each other during adverse events and also for social connection as it was “too bloody far to go too far”, Mr Hazlett said.

Seeing Ernslaw One’s forestry development over the fence on the previously productive farmland of Warthill was “tragic” and he shared fellow neighbours’ concerns about the potential for wilding spread on to his property.

Ernslaw One said it was operating under the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry regulations and it would have an ongoing wilding management programme that included close management and monitoring of boundaries, regular engagement with neighbours and proactive remediation if wilding spread did occur. . . 

Fears over forestry development – Sally Rae :

A large-scale forestry development in the heart of West Otago hill country is causing ripples among the isolated community, which fears serious repercussions from the plantings of particularly Douglas fir including its spread to neighbouring properties. Business and rural editor Sally Rae reports.

A group of West Otago farmers — concerned about the ramifications of a neighbouring forestry development — are outraged a wilding tree risk assessment was completed by one of the forestry company’s employees, likening it to “marking your own test”.

They fear Ernslaw One’s conversion of Warthill, a 2500ha property in Wilden Runs Rd, could lead to a repeat of the “environmental disaster” seen in other parts of the country with wilding tree spread.

But the forestry company says it is not a conflict of interest and it is standard practice in the industry for staff to conduct the assessments. The employee who completed the assessment was a professional forester with 45 years’ experience and the company maintained the assessment was accurate, Ernslaw One said. . . 

Beauty of a day bit nearly a frost this morning. pic.twitter.com/goSxSJ3KcW

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) April 28, 2024

Much on the line for Alliance – Neal Wallace :

The future of the Alliance Group as a co-operative depends on how shareholders respond to its capital raising programme, says chair Mark Wynne.

“If farmers want Alliance to remain a 100% farmer-owned co-operative, the only way that can happen is if shareholders contribute,” he said.

Alliance’s recent capital-raising announcement prompted some shareholders to question why Alliance on occasion pays more to third-party or volume suppliers than to its shareholders for their stock, with accusations that is not consistent with the co-operative spirit.

Wynn acknowledged that concern. . . 

Shepherding a sector back to health – Neal Wallace:

To those with an abundance of grey hair or receding hairlines, the current downturn in the sheep industry is not new.

The reasons for and the scale of the sudden decline in sheepmeat prices have been well traversed by Farmers Weekly and will not come as a surprise to some.

That is not to diminish the effect on individuals squeezed by low returns, rising input prices and debt servicing, but as our investigation this week reveals, it comes after several consecutive years of once-in-a-lifetime returns for lamb, driven by insatiable global demand for protein.

A market correction was expected after the heights reached following the outbreak of African swine fever in China and the changes in consumer behaviour during covid. . . 

Farm forestry options in a world of imponderables – Keith Woodford :

In early April I spoke to the New Zealand Farm Forestry Conference in Napier about farm forestry options as I saw them.  Most of the farmers I was talking to have had many years of experience in farm forestry, so I was certainly not going to tell them how to grow trees. Rather, I explored how to find a pathway through some of the challenging and at times imponderable issues that farm foresters currently face.

Many of my forestry presentations have focused on flaws in the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). This presentation was different. I simply took the rules as they are and looked at how farm foresters could best respond in their own interests, be they economic interests or broader issues coming from the heart.

My starting point was to briefly look at the journey New Zealand’s production forestry has taken in recent decades. I used three graphs published in November 2023 in a USDA GAIM Report, where GAIN stands for Global Agricultural Information Network. GAIN . . 

Finally got all the contract Raddish harvest finished last night, what a long slig harvest has been. Time to give Frank a full clean and tuck him away again for 8 months of rest. pic.twitter.com/HuqColYEOW

— Blocka 🧢 (@blairdrysdale77) April 23, 2024

Cheers to many fewer grape harvest spills :

It’s been a good wine harvest in more ways than one this season in Marlborough.

Spillages from the picked grapes on the way from vineyards to wineries can see the road covered in grape juice which can make for slippery roads, and makes for sticky cars. It doesn’t help the amount of wine being made either.

Late last year a collaborative initiative between Wine Marlborough, wine growers, harvesters, harvest transport operators, infrastructure groups, Police and Transporting New Zealand led to the development of guidelines intended to help cut the number of grape spillages.

Harvest transport operators including Heagney Bros Ltd and Renwick Transport were key in providing their knowledge, experience and technical expertise. . . 

Prime development opportunity with astounding alpine views hits the market in picturesque Omarama high country :

Spanning approximately 30.857 hectares of rural-residential zoned land, 4345 Omarama-Otematata Road presents an unparalleled opportunity for discerning buyers, developers and investors.

“The rarity and scale of this property makes it uniquely appealing for those looking for large scale development opportunities. Its spectacular location also comes with a more cost-efficient resale value for purchasers” says Bayleys salesperson Jessica Frewen.

The groundwork has already been laid for prospective buyers to reap the rewards, with extensive efforts to secure resource consent for subdivision into fifteen lifestyle lots. . . 

Shades of 80s agsag

North Otago was particularly hard hit by the agsag of the 1980s.

The problems with farms that were too small to be economic units were compounded by recurring droughts.

Inflation and interest rates were high, input costs were too and the axing of subsidies by the Lange government resulted in very low prices for stock. Returns were so low that farmers were getting bills from meat works because what they earned didn’t cover the costs of transport and killing.

Some predicted farmers would be forced off their farms in their thousands. Some were but there was safety in numbers – banks and stock firms knew forced sales when there were few, if any potential buyers, would only depress land values further and worked with farmers to allow them to hold on until things improved.

Farmers’ adult children left for education or work elsewhere and at least one partner, usually but not always the wife, went to town for work, earning enough to keep farms and families afloat.

However,  people and businesses servicing and supplying farms were hard hit. Jobs were lost and businesses failed.

The current situation isn’t too bad for those in dairying or cropping but beef returns are only just okay and it’s horribly reminiscent of the 80s agsag for sheep farmers.

Widespread drought, shearing costs which exceed the price of wool and low returns for lambs and sheep mean few who depend on these stock for their income will be making a profit.

Stock and real estate agents are already telling some sad stories and at least one in many farming partnerships is looking for work off farm.

Low prices for sheep meat are partly due to sluggish markets in China and partly due to an over supply in Australia.

Demand for by products including pelts and tallow is also contributing to low returns.

Why wool prices are so bad is hard to fathom. It ticks so many green boxes – free range, renewable, natural . . . and it’s versatile. Strong wool is now not only used for carpets, it has a variety of other uses including cosmetics, surfboards and coffins.

A silver lining to the low price for wool is that it is relatively cheap to use in research for what might – fingers crossed – lead to another wool boom.

That won’t come soon enough for too many who are feeling like they’re back in the 80s and contemplating giving up.

Some who can will sell. Others will hang on, hoping and praying that rain will come before it’s too cold for pasture growth and demand for sheep meat and wool will bounce back, as it eventually did when the ag was over.

RMA changes end war on farming

The government is making urgent and much-needed changes to the Resource Management Act:

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment Bill which will make urgent changes to the resource management system.

“RM Bill 1 focuses on targeted changes that can take effect quickly and give certainty to councils and consent applicants, while new legislation to replace the RMA is developed,” Mr Bishop says.

“This Bill will reduce the regulatory burden on resource consent applicants and support development in key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries. These sectors are critical to rebuilding the New Zealand economy.”

“The Bill will also speed up and simplify the process to make or amend National Direction which is currently unnecessarily onerous, costly, and takes too long.”

Five changes will be included in the Bill, these will:

• Make it clear that, while the NPS-FM is being reviewed and replaced, resource consent applicants no longer need to demonstrate their proposed activities follow the Te Mana o te Wai hierarchy of obligations, as set out in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM).
• Amend stock exclusion regulations in relation to sloped land.
• Repeal intensive winter grazing regulations.
• Align the consenting pathway for coal mining with the pathway for other mining activities in the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (NPS-IB), NPS-FM, and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (NES-F).
• Suspend the NPS-IB requirement for councils to identify new Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) for three years.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says improving primary sector profitability is key to boosting our largest exporting sector. Regulations need to be fit for purpose and not place unnecessary costs on farmers and growers.

“Removing the need for resource consent applicants to demonstrate that their activities follow the hierarchy of obligations will better reflect the interests of all water users,” Mr McClay says.

“Cabinet has agreed changes to stock exclusion and winter grazing regulations representing a move to a more risk-based, catchment-focussed approach.

“We’re proposing to remove the problematic and contentious low slope map and for regional councils and farmers to determine where stock need to be excluded, based on risk. The focus is on farm-level and regionally suitable solutions. This will reduce costs for farmers.

“Importantly, effective non-regulatory measures are already in place to support the continued improvement of winter grazing practices going forward. Sector groups have confirmed their continued and collective commitment to work alongside farmers and regional councils to ensure good outcomes.”

“Regional councils tell us there have been significant improvements in winter grazing practices, with farmers changing where they plant fodder crops and how they manage winter grazing. The national requirement for farmers to obtain prescriptive and expensive winter grazing consents is being removed in time for the 2025 season, and instead being managed through good practice and regional council plans,” Mr McClay says.

Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard says freshwater farm plans will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm and catchment.

“Property and catchment specific farm plans make sense because they can be used to identify environmental risks and plan practical on-farm actions to manage those risks,” Mr Hoggard says.

“Sector groups and farmers have told us the current system is too complex, so the Government is working at pace to simplify and improve the freshwater farm plan system.

“We have heard that many in the sector would like existing environmental programmes, including farm environment plans and industry assurance programmes, to be integrated with the freshwater farm plan system.”

The freshwater farm plan roll-out began in Southland and Waikato in 2023 and expanded to areas of the West Coast, Otago, and Manawatū/Whanganui earlier this year.

“The first RMA Bill will also give effect to the previously announced changes to suspend the identification of new SNAs through the NPS-IB for a period of three years.

“The criteria for identifying new significant natural areas within the NPS-IB were an attempt to provide a standard approach to identifying the most important areas of biodiversity.

“However, there are concerns less significant areas are being captured and this can place too much restriction on how land is used.” Mr Hoggard says.

RM Bill 1 is expected to be introduced to Parliament in May and passed into law later in this year.

Federated Farmers welcomes the repeal of anti-farming legislation:

Federated Farmers are welcoming today’s repeal of the Natural and Built Environment Act and Spatial Planning Act.

“This was one of Federated Farmers’ 12 key policy priorities for restoring farmer confidence, so we’re really pleased to see the new Government have made it a priority,” Feds RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says.

“Farmers have been crying out for reform of our cumbersome resource management laws for decades, but those reforms needed to be done right. “Unfortunately, Labour’s reform programme completely missed the mark.

“Instead of offering more certainty and making life easier for New Zealanders, they were going to deliver the exact opposite – complexity, cost, and uncertainty.”

Hooper says Labour’s model of unelected regional planning committees would have moved decision-making further away from local communities and reduced democratic accountability in our planning system.

Federated Farmers also had serious concerns about vague new concepts that were being introduced that would have led to years of needless and expensive litigation through the courts.

“Today’s repeal is a positive step forward, but its very much a case of the job only being half done.

“The new Government now need to get to work drafting a replacement that will reduce cost and complexity in the planning system, and empower local democracy.

“Federated Farmers are urging the new Government to start work on replacement legislation early in the new year.

“It’s important reform is progressed at pace so new legislation can be introduced this parliamentary term,” Hooper concluded.  . . 

For six years farmers felt the government was waging war on them and their industry the these changes put an end to that:

Today’s changes to unworkable and expensive regulations mark the end of the war on farming, says Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst.

“These impractical rules have been a complete nightmare since the day they were introduced and farmers will be pleased to see the back of them,” Hurst says.

“They were rushed through before the 2020 election by overzealous regulators with a complete disregard for those who would actually need to implement them behind the farm gate.

“Farmers are always looking to improve environmental outcomes on their properties and to care for the land, but regulation needs to be practical, pragmatic and affordable.

“These rules failed on all three counts. They were completely disconnected from the reality of farming, devoid of all common sense, and heaped on a tonne of unnecessary costs for farmers.”

Hurst says farming rules were so poorly thought through they had to be amended eight times in just three years, and even then they remained totally unworkable and confusing for farmers.

“The constant chopping and changing has been incredibly confusing and has completely undermined farmers’ confidence to invest in their businesses,” Hurst says.

“The previous Government should have listened when farmers told them a one-size-fits-all approach was never going to work. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”

Winter grazing rules would have required over 10,000 farmers around the country to get a resource consent just to feed a winter crop to their stock.

“Even if farmers had complied, the councils wouldn’t have had the capacity to process that number of consents.”

Hurst is also deeply critical of flawed stock exclusion rules that currently require extensive sheep and beef properties to fence their waterways by July 2025.

“Fencing streams on extensive properties with low stocking rates has the potential to cost farmers hundreds of thousands of dollars, for very little environmental gain,” Hurst says.

“It makes no sense to have a blanket rule requiring fences on these vast properties with difficult terrain and a very low stocking rate.

“The previous Government had two attempts at mapping out where sheep and beef farmers needed to fence streams, and they still couldn’t get it right.

“Fences don’t go up overnight, so the reality is that those farmers couldn’t comply with the current rules by July next year, even if they wanted to.

“Farmers are New Zealand’s leading conservationists. I can’t think of any group of people who are doing more to protect and enhance our countries biodiversity.

“We need to be empowering farmers and supporting them to make further improvements on their properties instead of tying them up in needless red tape.”

Federated Farmers strongly believe that winter grazing, stock exclusion and on-farm biodiversity can be better managed through the upcoming rollout of farm plans.

“Farm plans allow farmers and rural communities to tailor their environmental improvement actions to match their specific local needs,” Hurst says.

“This will always lead to much better outcomes, and more community buy-in, than impractical and expensive one-size-fits-all rules driven out of Wellington.”

These measures put the balance back into sustainability by taking into account economic and social considerations as well as environmental ones.

That balance maintains environmental protections without imposing unnecessary and unworkable regulations on farmers.

Rural roundup

Freshwater farm plan systems to be improved :

The coalition Government intends to improve freshwater farm plans so that they are more cost-effective and practical for farmers, Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay have announced.

“A fit-for-purpose freshwater farm plan system will enable farmers and growers to find the right solutions for their farm and catchment,” Mr Hoggard says.

“Farmers faced an avalanche of regulation under the last Government, including its national Freshwater Farm Plans system.

“Using property and catchment specific farm plans makes sense because they can be used to identify environmental risks and plan practical on-farm actions to manage those risks. . . 

Can Kiwifruit help fill the gap? – Keith Woodford:

New Zealand has an unbalanced economy and desperately needs more exports. Kiwifruit is one of the few industries with potential to help fill the gap. ***

New Zealand’s economy is in trouble. It is not just inflation and the cost of living. It is something much more fundamental.

New Zealand has for a long time imported more than it exports. MPI data show that 80 percent of the exports come from food and fibre industries. There is no easy solution to the problem of too many imports and too few exports.

We also have a problem that New Zealand is running big deficits on international services payments. This means that the income we receive from tourists, overseas students and interest payments from overseas, is considerably less than what we currently pay out for international services.  The big-ticket service expenditure items are our own international holidays, plus interest and dividend payments to overseas investors for all those previous investments they have made.

The overall foreign-exchange balance on trade in the combined categories of goods and services is called the current-account balance. If we earn more than what we spend then there is a surplus. If we earn less than what we earn there is a current-account deficit. . . 

First maize harvest ever on farm today. Very exciting stuff. 🌽🌽🌽 pic.twitter.com/lCesziAM4D

— 🚜🐄 🧢Bruce🧢 🐄🚜 (@fairleigh_ag) April 21, 2024

Big opportunities in wellness for red meat :

Overseas consumers have a strong interest in improving their wellbeing through eating red meat, newly published research shows; highlighting opportunities to achieve a premium for products with proven health benefits.

Crown research institute AgResearch partnered with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to survey attitudes among red meat eaters in Australia and the United States towards physical and mental wellness related to consumption of red meat.

The United States and Australia both play crucial roles in the domestic and global red meat market, serving as major producers and exporters of red meat, and having substantial red meat consumption per capita.

When asked, more than 90 per cent of survey participants across the two countries indicated interest in purchasing red meat to improve their wellness status, while about 85 per cent indicated their willingness to pay more for red meat for potential wellness benefits. . . 

Still trying to shake that dry pattern – Philip Duncan :

Rain has fallen, but more is needed for those in the driest parts of New Zealand. Some regions still have a “late summer/early autumn” look to them despite the rain that has fallen so far this month. 

El Niño has officially gone now – but autumn’s usual westerly driven weather means many may not notice an immediate change, and we’re still seeing eastern parts and northern parts of both main islands leaning drier.  

Soil moisture deficit maps show the eastern half of Northland, the eastern side of Auckland, the Hauraki Plains, Coromandel Peninsula, much of Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, East Cape, Hawke’s Bay, eastern Manawatū, southern coastal Taranaki to Whanganui, Wairarapa, southern inland parts of Marlborough, and a decent chunk of Canterbury are all “thirsty”. 

Some of these places are much drier than normal right now and need at least 100mm of rain (preferably not in one day!) to change things. . . 

NZ Post to change delivery days for newspapers and parcels to rural addresses :

NZ Post is changing its delivery days for newspapers and parcels in rural areas of New Zealand. From 29 June 2024, there will no longer be newspaper and parcel deliveries to rural addresses on Saturdays due to commercial viability, but Monday to Friday deliveries will continue as usual.  

NZ Post Chief Operating Officer Brendon Main says Saturday services to rural areas are not commercially viable.  

“Today, the items delivered by NZ Post rural delivery partners on Saturday are limited to subscription newspapers, as well as some parcels. We deliver very low volumes of items on these days, and it costs us more to deliver on Saturdays than we earn from the products we deliver.” 

“From 29 June 2024, NZ Post will no longer deliver newspapers and parcels on Saturdays in the majority of rural New Zealand, with the exception of 17 rural delivery runs that will be phased out by June 2025. These 17 delivery runs are in Canterbury and Waikato and are being kept in place to give our business customers more time to put alternative arrangements in place for their customers.”  . . 

Please don’t block roads or gateways as farmers need to access fields to keep lambs alive.

And if you ignore polite requests and good sense, they might have to take urgent action like they do up in Cumbria 😄😂

📸 Herdwick Shepherd pic.twitter.com/YnLikjRnps

— FarmingUK (@FarmingUK) April 21, 2024

Christmas on the first weekend in May – Phil Weir :

April is an exciting time of year because it means we are getting really close to Christmas. 

Putting out the mānuka tinsel and anatine baubles is very much a part of my autumn, in anticipation of the joy of Christmas come the first weekend of May. 

My children think it is mad, but one day they will realise that my April mirrors their December. 

The start of the month is about preparation, getting the tree up and dusting off the lights, or sighting the gun again after it being in the safe for the best part of 12 months.  . . 

Show no-show

The New Zealand Agricultural Show – better known to many as the Christchurch show – will be a no-show this year.

The 2024 New Zealand Agricultural Show – an annual fixture on the Christchurch event calendar – has been cancelled and more changes may be on the horizon. . . 

The show has run for 161 years, cancelled only for a World War and Covid.

Show week is also Cup week and the racing will still go ahead, but no show will be a big blow for Christchurch businesses which will miss the visitors who would have come to the city for the show.

Hospitality and retail will be hardest hit but the loss of custom won’t be confined to the city. Businesses which supply raw ingredients to cafes and restaurants, for example, will also lose out.

Stock competitions will still go ahead, but that will bring only a relatively few people to the city compared with the tens of thousands who normally come for the show.

This is a financial blow to the city, and the loss of a valuable opportunity to bring country and town together.

A contributing factor to the A&P Society’s  problems was the cancellation of the show in 2020 and 2021.

The then-government that chucked money in all directions refused to underwrite large events to allow them to go ahead with planning without the risk of crippling costs if they had to be cancelled at the last minute.

The Christchurch Show has been the country’s biggest. The Upper Clutha Show in Wanaka isn’t as big as the Christchurch one but it has been growing year by year will take over that title until the city one is resurrected – if that happens.

At last some science

Is getting rid of plastic really good for the environment?

Substituting plastics with alternative materials is likely to result in increased GHG emissions, according to research from the University of Sheffield.

The study by Dr. Fanran Meng from Sheffield’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Cambridge and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, has revealed the emissions associated with plastic products compared to their alternatives.

Published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the study looked at plastics and their replacements across various applications, including packaging, construction, automotive, textiles and consumer durables. These sectors collectively represent a significant portion of global plastic usage.

Findings from the study have revealed that in 15 out of the 16 applications examined, plastic products actually result in lower GHG emissions compared to their alternatives. The reduction in emissions spans from 10 percent to as high as 90 percent across the product life cycle. . . .

Dr. Fanran Meng, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Chemical Engineering at the University of Sheffield, said, “Not all alternative or recycled products are better for the environment than the products they replace. Environmental policymaking needs life cycle assessment guided decision-making to make sure that GHG emissions are not unintentionally increased through a shift to more emission-intensive alternative materials.”

New Zealand got rid of so-called single use plastic  bags on the strength of children’s letters to then Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

How typical of that government to go with emotion rather than science and do more damage as a result.

Apropos of greenhouse gases, at last  science is being applied to developing climate policy around methane:

Rebuilding New Zealand’s economy will rely on the valuable agricultural sector working sustainably towards our climate change goals. 

Today, the Climate Change and Agriculture Ministers announced that an independent panel of experts will review agricultural biogenic methane science and targets for consistency with no additional warming.

Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says the coalition Government has been clear in the commitment to maintain a split-gas approach to our domestic climate change targets. 

“This independent review which will report back to the Government by the end of the year, will provide evidence-based advice on what our domestic 2050 methane target should be, consistent with the principle of no additional warming,” Mr McClay says. . .

Evidence-based advice will be a much-needed change from emotion-based advocacy which has driven too much policy.

Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says the Terms of Reference for the review, along with appointees to the independent Ministerial advisory panel will be confirmed in the coming months.

“The panel will consist of reputable experts to provide integrity and trust in the process. They will review the latest science on methane’s warming impact and will provide that advice to the Government. . . 

“The independent advisory panel’s review will complement the Climate Change Commission’s review of the 2050 targets this year and will provide an input into the Government’s response to the Commission’s advice in 2025,“ Mr Watts says.

Associate Agriculture Minister Andrew Hoggard says agriculture is the backbone of our economy, contributing over 80 per cent of our goods exports to feed an estimated 40 million people worldwide.

“We need to ensure its contribution to the 2050 Climate Change targets are fair and appropriate compared to other parts of the economy.

“It’s important that domestic efforts to cut emissions do not drive a drop in our agricultural production. New Zealand farmers are the world’s most carbon-efficient producers of high-quality food and fibre, and it is in no one’s interest to see this production filled by other countries with higher emissions profiles,” Mr Hoggard says.

Cutting emissions here to increase them elsewhere would be economically and socially costly with no environmental benefit.

Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson says an investment in innovative technology is the key.

  “The coalition Government is investing heavily in research and development to provide farmers tools to reduce methane, not productivity. We want to ensure that our farmers remain the best in the world and at the forefront of global methane mitigation efforts.

“We expect a science-led approach is taken to assessing the targets, with the government and sector working towards practical tools and solutions for our farmers,” Mr Patterson says. . . 

There’s nothing to be gained and far too much to be lost if policy to reduce emissions is imposed on farmers unless they have practical tools that enable them to comply.

Federated Farmers welcomes the review:

Federated Farmers are welcoming today’s announcement that methane targets will be reviewed as a major win for farmers, fairness, and the New Zealand economy.

“This is a really positive step forward and will be welcomed by farmers and rural communities,” says Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford.

“Methane targets have been a point of contention since they were first introduced because the Government of the day chose to set targets that were highly political instead of scientifically robust.

“They go much further and faster than what is needed to achieve ‘no further warming’ and will come at a huge cost to farmers, rural communities, and the New Zealand economy,” Langford says

“That’s why Federated Farmers have opposed the current targets from day one and have been calling for this independent review for some time now.”

An urgent review of methane targets was one of Federated Farmers’ 12 key policy changes for restoring farmer confidence during last year’s general election.

“All New Zealanders should want climate targets that are scientifically robust, realistic, and fair for our communities,” Langford says.

“We need to be taking a science-led approach to targets that reflects the different impact each gas will have on warming.

“Other parts of the economy are being asked to reach net zero and stop their contribution to further warming by 2050, but farmers are being asked to go much further than that.

“It’s important that this review is given a clear objective of aligning methane targets with what would be required to stop farmers contribution to further warming,” Langford said.

At the best of times it would be stupid to sabotage the country’s biggest export earner. It is even more important to not do that when we’re in recession and debt is so high.

We’ve got a government that understands the importance of farming and it is sensibly seeking the science needed to inform sound policy.

Farmers care

The militant anti-farmer and anti farming activists say farmers don’t care for their stock.

It’s both ethically and economically imperative to care for you stock – even if it means you have to go to these lengths to do it:

Sheep farmer Marian Porter with one of the greatest rescues we’ve ever seen! 🤩

🎥 Gary Thornborrow pic.twitter.com/wOrgvqIEYO

— Farmers Weekly (@FarmersWeekly) April 5, 2024

Rural roundup

NZ trusts its farmers – but we can do better :

The urban-rural divide is a myth, according to newly released research projects led by the Our Land and Water Science Challenge.

The five projects also found the public consider farmers themselves to be the most trustworthy source of information about food and farming. Generally, urban and rural New Zealanders agree on what “good farming” looks like. 

Farming for Good is New Zealand’s most comprehensive study of the social licence to farm, drawing on findings from five research projects conducted during 2022–2023. 

“The Farming for Good research collection is about understanding where trust and connection is strong in our food & farming system, where it might be faltering and how to build it back,” said Peter Edwards, senior researcher at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and lead on the Connecting Food Producers and Consumers research project.  . . 

Synlait battles for survival – Keith Woodford :

Synlait’s announcements to the NZX on April 2 made it clear that it is battling for survival. Notes to the half-yearly accounts confirm that there are big doubts as to whether it will be able to continue as a going concern beyond the end of this year. 

Potentially, the final crash could occur even earlier, with the support of its bankers having been renewed only through to July and highly conditional on new outside funds becoming available. 

It all depends on whether Synlait can sell sufficient assets plus raise lots of new equity or quasi-equity elsewhere. It is now clear that Synlait, having made an after-tax half-yearly loss of $92.2 million, cannot hope to survive unless both can occur.  

Much of the big loss is due to asset impairments linked to underutilisation, particularly in the North Island. But the problems run a lot deeper than that. As Synlait CEO Grant Watson summed up succinctly in a subsequent audio hook-up for the financial community, the pickle (my term) that it finds itself in is having “too much debt and too much capacity”.  . . 

Another day in Southland paradise pic.twitter.com/1IduqocohA

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) April 2, 2024

Branching out into planting pine alternatives for farm forestry – Shawn McAvinue :

The benefits of planting alternative tree species to pines are plentiful, New Zealand Farm Forestry Association president Neil Cullen says. He talks to Shawn McAvinue about his reasons for growing alternate tree species on his family sheep and beef farm in South Otago.

Farmers wanting to plant exotic production forestry on their marginal land have alternative options to pine trees, New Zealand Farm Forestry Association president Neil Cullen says.

About 90% of exotic forests in New Zealand were radiata pine trees and there was considerable risk of being reliant on one species, he said.

The appeal of pine trees was they grew more quickly than other species, could handle most of New Zealand conditions and were easy to market. . .

Central Otago events to focus on wellbeing, support – Sally Rae :

As a farmer’s daughter, wife and sister, Lana Van Lierop can relate to the stresses and challenges involved in farming.

Originally from The Key, near Te Anau, the Cromwell-based occupational therapist has provided mental health support and coaching for the past five years.

Passionate about seeing people thrive and teaching practical tools to manage stress and support wellbeing, she is looking forward to sharing her wisdom with the farming community at two separate events this month.

Mrs Van Lierop spent more than 20 years working as an occupational therapist. Throughout that time, she was working with people who had suffered the likes of strokes and brain injuries to try to make their life as best they could. . . 

New Zealand’s top Beef and Lamb chefs revealed :

Beef + Lamb New Zealand has unveiled the four talented chefs who will serve as their next Ambassador Chefs, taking up the term throughout 2024 and 2025. These chefs represent a diverse range of culinary styles and hail from various regions across New Zealand, each bringing their own unique flair to the table.

The 2024/2025 Beef + Lamb Ambassador Chefs are:

• Cameron Davies, The Fat Duck Te Anau
• Chetan Pangam, One80° Restaurant, Wellington
• Dean Thompson, Schnappa Rock, Tutukaka
• Mrinal Ghosal, Mudbrick Restaurant, Waiheke Island

For more than a quarter of a century, Beef + Lamb New Zealand has been recognising and highlighting the immense talent within the New Zealand culinary scene and are proud to see the accolade remains highly sought after in today’s hospitality industry. . . 

Twins …. pic.twitter.com/ipvN33HzM0

— Alison O’Neill ~ Shepherdess (@woolismybread) April 2, 2024

Who invented the flat white? Italian sugar farmers from regional Queensland likely played a big role – Garritt C. Van Dyk :

Australia’s coffee culture — a source of great national pride — is usually associated with the wave of Greek and Italian migrants who settled in Melbourne and Sydney following World War II. But it was very likely in regional Queensland that one of Australia’s favourite brews first took root.

This is the story of how Italian sugar growers in the Sunshine State are said to have inspired the “invention” of the flat white — a drink that would go on to become a global sensation.

Tracing this history shows a different side to how European tastes were imported to Australia beyond the capital cities. It also reminds us big trends can come from small towns, and that multicultural influence can be easily taken for granted in something as basic as your daily cup of coffee.

Popular conceptions of Italian migrants in Australia are often focused on the wave of migration to the capital cities in the 1950s, overlooking the many migrants who were already settled in regional areas. . . 

Rural roundup

The fury of Europe’s farmers – Fraser Myers :

Europe’s farmers are rising up – and the elites are terrified. In France, farmers recently staged a four-day ‘siege of Paris’, blocking major roads around the French capital. In January, thousands of tractors descended on Berlin in Germany, lining the streets leading up to the Brandenburg Gate. In Brussels, farmers have gathered from all over Europe to demonstrate against the EU and pelt the European Parliament with eggs. In the Netherlands, tractors have caused the longest traffic jam in the nation’s history, as part of a years-long battle between farmers and the government. This farmers’ revolt is now truly Europe-wide. From Portugal to Poland, from Ireland to Italy, almost every EU country has been rocked by protests. So what is driving this populist uprising? What do the farmers want?

Farmers in each country have their own specific grievances, of course. But there is a common root to their anger. What connects them is the European Union’s green agenda, which has been imposed on agriculture from on-high. It has made farmers’ lives a misery, sacrificing their livelihoods at the altar of climate alarmism. Bureaucrats who have no idea how farmers work and live, have essentially been condemning farms – many of them run by families for generations – to oblivion, all at the stroke of the regulator’s pen. And farmers are simply not putting up with it anymore. . . 

ORC piling more regulations on farmers – Feds – Sudesh Kissun :

Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.

It says ORC councillors voted 7-5 yesterday to move forward with notifying its controversial draft Land and Water Plan on October 31.

It’s a poor decision that will result in even more regulation being piled onto Otago farmers in the coming months, Federated Farmers environment spokesman Colin Hurst says.

“The last thing farmers struggling through high interest rates, low payouts and drought conditions want to be waking up to is news that more red tape is likely on the way later this year.” . . .

2 paddocks done this evening, one more to go, then, I think, only 2 more for the season! pic.twitter.com/zo92SdhlgV

— Ben Dooley 🧢 (@BenDooley8) April 2, 2024

Cutting all that dam red tape :

Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says.

“The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track.

“Dam safety regulations imposed by the previous government are set to come into force on 13 May 2024, requiring dams over a certain height to have a Potential Impact Classification.

“Feedback from farmers and growers is that these new regulations will add an unreasonable amount of compliance costs for the low risk posed by small dams that are used in farms across New Zealand for water storage. . . 

Silver Fern Farms annual results 2023: results reflect challenging market conditions  :

Silver Fern Farms Co-operative and its investment, Silver Fern Farms Limited, have today released their Annual Results for the 2023 year.

Silver Fern Farms Limited has posted a $24.4 million loss after tax, with revenue decreasing $497 million on the previous year to $2.78 billion. Silver Fern Farms Co-operative has posted a $10.7 million loss after tax.

Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Chair, Rob Hewett says the financial results reflect a year of challenging market conditions which have impacted the whole supply chain.

“Depressed consumer confidence across our key markets has put pressure on our customers, the Operating Company, and ultimately, returns for our farmer suppliers,” he says. . .

Forward thinking sees farming family win award :

Simon and Josi Beamish and Hugo & Pip Beamish of Awapai have been announced as the regional supreme winners at the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Gisborne this week.

Awapai, which is in the WhanaWhana Valley, west of Hastings, is a 2,100ha (1,625ha effective) slice off the family’s original 7,910ha property.

The grazing and finishing farm runs about 5,500 breeding ewes, 3,700 trade lambs, 850 beef cattle, 300 bulls and 300 Wagyu beef cattle. All animals are finished on-farm except for the Wagyu.

The judges say they were impressed with the use of innovation, technology and modern ideas, all implemented within the framework of a well-established and enduring family business. . . 

pic.twitter.com/N2K9nZz0hk

— James Rebanks (@herdyshepherd1) March 31, 2024

A shepherd’s sermon on the eternal joys of spring – James Rebanks :

There was a calf born in the bottom meadow this morning. I went to check last night and the mother was lying purposefully beneath some bushes. And at 6am this morning the same ground was muddier, as if the cow had lain on her side half the night thrashing and turning around, but she was now standing proudly with a strong bull calf nuzzling her udder.

The calf was black with a bright white stripe round his midriff, and he was shining in wet curls from all the licking his doting mother had done. He was creating a foamy lather round a teat, and every few seconds would get a bit overexcited and stumble forwards and have to reset his balance.

I love spring — all that new life and promise appearing when you have almost stopped believing. Winter is struggle, a time of hunger, the time in nature when things are tested to destruction, a trial. Six months of barren hillsides makes you long to see the grass begin to green.

Spring is a new chapter full of hope. In the next few days we will begin lambing, and there will soon be 400 little black Herdwick lambs running about the fields. . . 

Rural roundup

Farmers hit with low prices, rising costs – Hamis MacLean & Mark John :

Drought-stricken farmers are facing a long winter and a “double-whammy” as rising costs and low product prices are compounded by this year’s dry conditions.

The coalition government is expanding its medium-scale adverse classification to cover Canterbury and Otago after it was declared in Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough last Thursday.

Rural communities minister Mark Patterson said the declaration released some funding for the Otago Rural Support Trust to support farmers through what were some “pretty tough times”.

The trust will receive $20,000 to organise community events that will offer management advice to farmers as well as one on one consultations with experts. . . 

Maize grain growers facing ‘perfect storm’ – Gerald Piddock :

Grain and seed traders are warning North Island maize grain growers to prepare for a “perfect storm” this autumn as oversupply issues, few storage options and falling prices hit the industry.

Feilding-based grain trader Bruce Gibson of Gibson Grain said it is the result of several interwoven factors.

There is a substantial amount of grain carried over from the 2023 harvest, resulting in storage issues for this season’s crop.

The low payout at the start of the season led to dairy farmers halting their spending, with many choosing home-grown feeds over grain or imported feed. . . 

#Southland pic.twitter.com/gHhOwEUdzb

— Ben Dooley 🧢 (@BenDooley8) March 23, 2024

Staying active to lessen pain on the journey to recovery  – Alice Scott :

After a near-tragic farm accident in his early 20s, East Otago farmer and engineer Matt Hutchinson is grateful his stubborn attitude meant he didn’t listen to the advice of a top orthopaedic surgeon. He tells Alice Scott about his journey to recovery and doing things now that he never dreamed would have been possible.

It was the late 1990s, a drizzly, wet day on slippery East Otago hill country. Digger and dozer operator Matt Hutchinson was heading back to the yard after he and boss Geoff Scurr had taken a look at the site of their next contracting job.

Climbing back up a steep grassy slope, the truck lost traction as it reached the top.

“We started sliding backwards and then the truck went sideways and was heading down a ridge towards a steep drop-off. I just remember reaching for the door handle and trying to bail out as fast as I could,” Mr Hutchinson said. . .

Differing benefits for differing sectors – Sudesh Kissun :

New Zealand’s free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Union comes into force on May 1, offering differing benefits for different sectors.

The earlier than expected entry into force means tariff savings of $43 million for kiwifruit exporters, and $3 million for onion exporters this season.

The FTA will bring tariff savings of $100m per year on New Zealand exports to the EU from day one. NZ International Business Forum (NZIBF) executive director Stephen Jacobi notes that achieving the agreement was difficult.

“It offers differing benefits for different sectors”, says Jacobi. . . 

Sheep dosing promises methane cut – Richard Rennie :

New Zealand farmers are not alone in facing the challenge of striving for value while mitigating their environmental footprint. Senior reporter Richard Rennie is in Australia to find out how our neighbours are approaching the issues of gene technology, carbon farming and sustainability.

Water dosing, pellets and feed additives are all options Australian researchers are considering when exploring ways to deliver methane mitigators to sheep.

Dr Julius van der Werf, head of animal genetics and production at the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, is co-ordinating four research groups across Australia.  

In Armidale they are trialling combinations of methane mitigators fed at varying frequencies and quantities to sheep. . . 

A misty morning pic.twitter.com/bhF0GWIaOg

— David Williams (@david_vacy) March 24, 2024

Goat farmer hopes genetic breeding program will improve Australian Angora fleece quality – Andrew Chounding :

An academic-turned-farmer in Western Australia who stopped a flock of Angora goats from going to the slaughterhouse hopes to increase the sustainability of the animals through genetic breeding.

The goats, which originated in Turkey and are bred en masse in New Zealand, South Africa and the United States, produce the yarn needed to make mohair, a fabric prized by the fashion house of Europe. 

After taking the goats in 2021, Gina Wood launched a selective coupling program she says will make the breed more productive and ethical to farm. 

“What we’re trying to achieve with our genetic program is that as the animal ages, its micron [measurement of fibre] doesn’t blow out, it will stay stable,” Dr Wood said. . .

What is this?

Does anyone know what tree and fruit this is?

We spotted it on a farm near Dannevirke in autumn.

Rural round-up

The counter agricultural revolution – Saul Zimet :

Should we abolish farming? Not if we care about human well-​being.

The conflict between farmers and environmentalists has been simmering for years, and in 2023 it finally boiled over into electoral politics. The Dutch BBB (BoerburgerBeweging) or Farmer-​Citizen Movement began in 2019 as a series of protests against environmental regulations that had a disproportionate impact on farmers. In March 2023 it became a winning political party.

“A farmers’ party has stunned Dutch politics, and is set to be the biggest party in the upper house of parliament after provincial elections,” the BBC reported as the votes were being counted. “Results on [March 16th] showed the BBB party had won the most votes in eight of the country’s 12 provinces,” CNN reported a few days later. As BBB party leader Caroline van der Plas stated in the wake of the victory, “Nobody can ignore us any longer.”

Years of increasingly harsh agricultural regulations and widespread farmer protests in the Netherlands and elsewhere had led up to this point. Back in 2019 when US Senator Ed Markey and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-​Cortez’s original “Green New Deal” resolution called for the eventual elimination of “farting cows,” drastically cutting agricultural output for environmental interests struck many people as a novel concept. By 2023, conflicts between farmers and legislators had broken out across the globe. . . 

Campaign aims to increase wellbeing – Sally Rae:

Former All Black and now mental health advocate Sir John Kirwan donned his “Auckland gumboots” to officially launch the Otago Daily Times-Rural Life Rural Champions campaign at the Wānaka A&P Show last Friday night.

The campaign highlights farmers and growers making positive contributions to their communities as well as champions who work in the rural services industry, and has a theme of rural mental wellbeing.

Sir John, whose own battles with mental health are well known, called on the farming community to normalise talking about mental health.

“As a farming community, I need you to bring it into your community halls … normalise it. Change the dialogue, talk about it as much as you can.” . . 

Farming is a pretty wonderful thing pic.twitter.com/hslILpGcN6

— Adam Thompson (@ktuluadam) March 5, 2024

Farmer remembers the pivotal moment ‘godlike creature’ Shrek the Sheep was found –

It has been almost 20 years since New Zealand – and the world – fell in love with a rugged, rural, hirsute South Islander.

Shrek the Sheep (‘the sheep’ necessary thanks to the Dreamworks legal team, more on that later) found overnight fame in April 2004, after musterer Ann Scanlan found perhaps the only farm animal that will ever be described as a “rock star” on John Perriam’s Otago high-country farm.

“What you do when you get up to start mustering is you have a big bark-up just on daylight,” Perriam told RNZ’s Nights.

“And so the dogs light up and you can hear that echoing around the hills as far as Cromwell, the sheep start moving, you follow them through to the end of the block through the bluffs and everything. . . 

Open Farms 2024: New Zealand’s fourth national open farm day a success – Kem Ormond :

They came, they saw, and most of them will be back again next year.

Around 4100 New Zealanders visited 25 farms last Sunday as part of the fourth Open Farms, New Zealand’s national open farm day initiative.

Farms of all types took part in the nationwide project – from dairy farms near Auckland to horse breeders in the Waikato; sheep and beef farms near Wellington to food forests in Christchurch, and alpacas near Dunedin.

Open Farms founder Daniel Eb said the record visitor turnout came amidst a tough year for farmer hosts. . . 

Smart collars handy tool : farmer – Shawn McAvinue :

Smart cow collars make it easier to employ staff as it makes a job more attractive, a South Otago dairy farm owner says.

Farm owner Brendon Anderson said he and his wife Kate converted the farm from sheep and beef to dairy in 2010.

The reasons for converting the farm included making it more profitable and making secession planning easier.

He invested in Allflex collars for his herd and was in his second season using the technology. . . 

The cutest time of the year when the main lambing season has begun.
Adorable Grey Faced Dartmoor twins 🐏 🐏 😍

📸 & 🐏 IG shepherdess_beth https://t.co/HemQtS0lOq pic.twitter.com/PMafFvVffg

— Campaign for Wool (@Campaignforwool) March 12, 2024

Former Queensland ballet dancer switches career to invest in cattle farming in Noosa – Robert Burgin :

A former ballerina has executed a career pirouette to become a beef cattle farmer, unwittingly highlighting a potential alternative for those unable to crack the property market and willing to roll up their sleeves.

Queenslander Alison Russell was involved in the performance dance industry for 30 years before a combination of injury, motherhood, divorce and COVID-19 saw her take the leap into agriculture.

From investing in 10 cattle on a leased property at Yandina on the Sunshine Coast, the creative arts graduate is now raising her three daughters on a 20-hectare cattle farm near Noosa, selling to high-end markets.

“My friends do think it’s a laugh. It is a bit of a jump in career paths,” Ms Russell said. . . 

Rural round-up

Brosnahan a staunch advocate for agriculture – Neal Wallace :

The agricultural sector has lost a staunch advocate with the passing this week of long-serving journalist, Terry Brosnahan.

A journalist for 33 years, Terry edited the Country-Wide magazine from 2009 to 2023 when it was bought by new owners.

Raised on a farm near Timaru, Terry initially intended becoming a farmer and studied at Lincoln University.

On returning home in the 1980s having lived overseas, he realised farm ownership was not attainable, so studied journalism at Aoraki Polytechnic under tutor Dale McCord. . . 

Time to grasp the agri-food nettle (genetically modified or not) – Katie Henderson :

Genetic technologies offer promising solutions to New Zealand’s agricultural challenges, but do they align with our national brand? With the Government’s proposal for dedicated legislation on genetic technology looming, what implications does this hold?

Globally, scientists have been calling for society to consider the more widespread use of genetic technologies in agriculture to combat challenges such as climate change. They argue that this approach could play a role in securing better access to nutritious foods without exacerbating environmental damage. These calls are pertinent, considering 130 world leaders recently endorsed the COP28 declaration on sustainable food and agriculture.

But should genetic technologies be part of the solution to develop more sustainable food? Ever since genetic modification and, more recently, gene editing technologies were introduced, they have been the subject of intense debate. With gene editing, DNA can be cut and modified at specific locations much more efficiently than genetic modification. Producing organisms without any foreign DNA is also possible.

Some 30 countries worldwide grow GM crops, but it is also prohibited in dozens of countries, including in New Zealand, and several countries have recently excluded some gene-editing techniques from their GM policies. New Zealand has not yet taken this step, and in 2016, the Government clarified GMO regulations indicating its decision was based on market perceptions considering our status as an exporter of billions of dollars’ worth of food products. . . 

Here’s your daily dose of cuteness (and 30mm of rain overnight) pic.twitter.com/EzBGhDXQz0

— Adam Thompson (@ktuluadam) March 14, 2024

Federated Farmers back fast-track consents – Mark Hooper :

A water storage scheme in Kaikohe, a green hydrogen project in Taranaki, a solar farm in Rangiriri, a new hospital in Dunedin, a railway station in Drury, and the replacement of sewer pipes in Porirua.

All these projects have received a so-called Resource Management Act ‘fast-track’ under a mechanism introduced in 2020 to cut through red tape and actually make stuff happen.

Activist groups like Greenpeace and the Environmental Defence Society call it “an assault on our natural world” or “a dark day for nature” – but do people really care what they think?

Most reasonable Kiwis would agree that all of these projects have made our country a better place to live from an environmental, social, and economic point of view. . . 

Red meat farmers welcome suspension of SNAs – Sudesh Kissun :

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has welcomed the Government’s announcement it is suspending the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA). 

B+LNZ chair Kate Acland said this announcement will be applauded by sheep and beef farmers. 

“Our farmers are doing it tough now – this week we released our mid-season update showing the widespread cash losses our sector is facing this financial year. 

“Concern about the expense and workability of the previous Government’s environmental reform agenda is affecting farmer confidence, so any move to address some of the particularly flawed rules is very welcome. . . 

The A2 milk journey is just beginning – Keith Woodford :

I have been involved with the A2 milk journey since 2004 when I first started writing about A1 and A2 beta-casein. Then in 2007 I wrote the book ‘Devil in the Milk’ about A1 and A2 beta-casein and the associated milk politics. That caused quite some controversy. An American edition followed in 2009, then a New Zealand update was published in 2010, and then in 2018 there was a Russian language edition. There were also requests more recently for an edition in other languages, but I turned those down because I knew that a totally new version was required to bring things up to date.

I had planned for that to be written in 2023, but my own health issues got in the way and it is still sitting on the back burner. Time will tell.

In the meantime, my recent article on Synlait and its problems, including the disagreements between Synlait and The a2 Milk Company, has led to email correspondence with readers asking: what is happening within the overarching A2 milk category? It seems to have gone quiet, they say. . . 

Sounds like a sector that needs to be taxed!!!??

I'm a big believer in finding ways to reduce emissions. But there needs to be some sensibility around how we do it.

Farmers will and I think should fight for their animals rights to exist and not be driven into obscurity. pic.twitter.com/xUCcz8yKNO

— Deane Carson (@deane_ag) March 14, 2024

Young family turns table grape property into watermelon farm in Far West New South Wales – Lilly McCure :

It was a “vision” that prompted watermelon farmers Nick and Lou Gebert to buy an old table grape growing property near the outback town of Menindee in Far West New South Wales.

The family, who already ran a watermelon farm in the Western Murray region of Wentworth, purchased the 1,619-hectare former table grape property in 2021 with an idea to turn 113 hectares into watermelon crops.

“I had a suspicion it was going to be quite good for watermelon,” Mr Gebert said.

“We had a vision, and it’s come through for us,” he said. . . 

Rural round-up

Another unworkable farm regulation hits the dust :

Federated Farmers says the suspension of Significant Natural Areas (SNA) rules are a positive step forward for both farmers and New Zealand’s biodiversity.

“These unworkable rules were universally despised by farmers, and we’re pleased to see the back of them,” says Federated Farmers biodiversity spokesperson Mark Hooper.

“Farmers opposed these rules because they infringed on our property rights and added endless layers of unnecessary complexity, compliance and cost – for very little environmental gain.

“They risked driving perverse outcomes where farmers actively choose to plant exotic species instead of natives because the Government have just made everything too hard.” . . .

Can the last shearer out please turn off the lights? – Toby Williams :

As a sheep farmer, I’m sick and tired of hearing how amazing wool is as a product. Not because I don’t believe it, but because it sure doesn’t feel that way right now.  

Any time this topic rears its head, there will undoubtedly be somebody on hand to remind you what a great product we have and how the world just doesn’t appreciate it like it used to. 

They’ll tell you wool could solve all the environmental problems synthetic fibres are creating or how we’re on the cusp of a breakthrough that will send demand, and prices, soaring.

The issue is that I already know all of this and believe it to be true. I don’t need another sales pitch on the virtues of wool – what I really need more than anything is a return to profitability.  . . 

Can't beat Southland at the moment 👌 pic.twitter.com/OYA44kECM1

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) March 13, 2024

Hore family doggedly traditional – Sally Rae :

A sheep dog trials club has changed venues many times in the past century but a Maniototo family remains a constant.

The Patearoa Collie Club centenary trial was being held yesterday and today.

A newspaper report on the first annual trial in 1924 stated the “doggie men” in attendance included Charles “Chas” Hore, who won one guinea for his dog having the fastest time in a novice or maiden event.

“That was my grandfather who helped start it off”, club patron Jim Hore said. . . 

Fire sparks questions about DOC choices – Annette Scott :

Management of Department of Conservation land has come into question following a vegetation fire in North Otago that threatened neighbouring farmland.

Federated Farmers North Otago dairy chair Otto Dogterom has a run-off block as part of his dairy farming operation for his young stock adjacent to the block of DOC reserve land that went up in flames over a weekend in early March.

The fire was one of several in the tinder-dry region over that period.

“This didn’t need to happen,” Dogterom said. . . 

Rogue Councils – Rural News :

When the country elects a new government, we all know there will be policy changes as outlined on the hustings.

So, it is unlikely councils around the country were unaware the new Government intends to reform the Resource Management Act (RMA), and that those reforms would impact district plans. These reforms were clearly telegraphed.

And yet it’s clear that some councils – particularly those with activist staff members – are trying to implement district plans under the previous Labour government’s rules before the new coalition Government can change the RMA.

One example is the Waitaki District Council (WDC), which is trying to push through its Waitaki District Draft District Plan to notified stage. . .

Beware – The world is full of scammers, some less obvious than this one.
Make sure you ‘Check it’s Wool’, real wool and not a substitute trying to imitate wool’s natural properties and benefits 🐏 🐏 🐏 🐏 🐏 🐾 🐺 🐾 🐏 🐏 🐏 🐏 🐏

📸 IG hatterist pic.twitter.com/nYrhbG24J2

— Campaign for Wool (@Campaignforwool) March 8, 2024

Taranaki Manawatu good sorts compete to inspire the next generation of young farmers :

Two Manawatu shepherds competing to become New Zealand’s top young farmer are hoping their efforts will inspire others to get outside their comfort zone.

Baylee Hodges and Angus Brodie are throwing their hats in the ring to compete at the upcoming Taranaki Manawatu FMG Young Farmer of the Year Regional Final.

The two-day contest between 15-16 March at the Central Districts Field Days in Feilding – is one of seven regional finals taking place across Aotearoa between February and April. Only the top contestants will qualify for a spot at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, being held in Hamilton in July.

Hodges and Brodie are two of 147 FMG Young Farmer, FMG Junior Young Farmer and AgriKidsNZ contestants from Taranaki to Manawatu – for them the ultimate prize of taking part is bringing the community together. . . 

SNA requirement suspended

Good news for farmers:

Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).
“As it stands, SNAs identified on private property limit new activities and development that can take place on that property. In their current form they represent a confiscation of property rights and undermine conservation efforts by the people who care most about the environment: the people who make a living from it,” says Mr Hoggard.

The previous government’s requirement for councils over SNAs was bureaucratic overreach.

SNAs are still significant because they’ve been looked after by generations of farmers and that will continue without the heavy-handed coercion.

“As part of the ACT-National coalition agreement the Government committed to ceasing the implementation of new SNAs. This work will be carried out as part of the Government’s RMA reforms. For now, the Government has agreed to suspend the obligation for councils to impose SNAs under the NPS Indigenous Biodiversity, and we’re sending a clear message that it would be unwise to bother. . . 

Some councils haven’t come to grips with the change of government and consequent change of priorities and policies.

The message that it would be unwise to bother must be very strong.

. . . New Zealand currently has 180,000 hectares of privately-owned land in QEII covenants. The impressive engagement and growth of QEII covenants – all voluntary – shows that private landowners do care about conservation. This Government will be taking a collaborative approach with them, rather than undermining their rights.

How refreshing to have a government that will take a collaborative approach.

“This Government is firmly committed to protecting New Zealanders’ property rights. 

“If government takes away property rights there’s no incentive to be a conservationist. Ill-conceived regulations such as SNAs and the NPS Indigenous Biodiversity put roadblocks in place and turn biodiversity and conservation efforts into a liability.” . .

And how refreshing to have a government that respects property rights which are one of the foundations stones of properly functioning democracies.

Farmer confidence up but . . .

Farmer confidence has risen but that’s off record lows:

Concerns about high interest rates, poor commodity prices and excessive red tape are weighing heavily on farmers, but rural confidence has risen from last year’s record lows.

Federated Farmers’ latest Farm Confidence Survey shows there’s been a positive shift in the rural mood since 2023, when confidence reached its lowest point in the survey’s 15-year history.

“It’s good to see the first improvement in farmer confidence for quite some time now,” Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford says.

“I want to be clear that it’s only a slight improvement and it’s coming off a very low base. I wouldn’t say farmers are feeling more confident yet – they’re just feeling less unconfident.

“Confidence is no longer going backwards, but it’s still in the gutter.”

Langford says farmers are struggling with high inflation, high interest rates and lower commodity prices, and the impact of those on their profitability.

“Most farmers are still feeling that general economic conditions are bad, and most are still making a loss.

“Where we are seeing a shift is in the number of farmers who expect things will improve in the next 12 months. So, times are tough, but there’s a sense of cautious optimism.”

Compared to last July, the January 2024 survey shows more farmers expect their production and spending to increase, and fewer farmers expect their debt to increase, in the 12 months ahead.

Langford says there are a number of drivers behind the confidence recovery.

I’ve had a tent raising awareness of ovarian cancer at the Wanaka show four times.

Last weekend raffle sales raised a little more than half the amount we made the other three times.

I think that’s a sign of the times, the impact that the cost of living crisis is having in general and more specifically on farmers.

It’s always a very relaxed and social couple of days and people were enjoying themselves but lots spoke of how tough farming is at the moment.

With high interest rates and inflation, lower prices for milk and beef; and very low returns for wool and sheep meat, it’s reminding us of the ag-sag of the 1980s.

There is an important difference though. Back then government policies hit farmers hard. Now we’ve got a government that understands the importance of farming and the need to reduce the complexity and costs of compliance imposed over the last six years.

Rural round-up

A $20 million magic wand – Sharon Brettkelly :

Just outside of Rotorua is a sheep farm that looks like any other. Until you climb the stairs of a big shed and peer inside a small room that is a surgery, where the sheep are operated on.

Look closely at the sheep in the pens and you might see that they have small scars on their heads.

They are the pioneers of research that is set to change – and save – the lives of hundreds of Kiwis and potentially millions of people around the world who have the brain-swelling condition hydrocephalus.

The diagnostic device at the centre of this research is a tiny implant in the brain and a wireless wand that is held over the head. It’s been successfully tested on the sheep and is about to take the momentous next step to human trials, first on adults and then children. . . 

Agriculture a hot topic for conversation – Sally Rae :

Tarras woman Emily Walker has teamed up with Otago Daily Times Rural Life 2023 Year of the Farmer winner Myfanwy Alexander to launch a podcast called Ag in Conversation, digging into hot topics in the world of agriculture. She talks to business and rural editor Sally Rae about how she landed in the rural sector.

When Emily Walker first moved to Tarras, she thought she lived in the city.

It has become something of a standing joke; having previously lived at remote Forest Creek, at the top of the Rangitata Gorge in Mid Canterbury, it seemed Tarras was quite the metropolis, she laughed.

Originally a city girl from Christchurch, Mrs Walker is a civil structural engineer who met her farmer husband Matt while she was studying at the University of Canterbury and he was at Lincoln University. . . 

Fresh out this morning pic.twitter.com/UbzHm9doyl

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) March 5, 2024

Where does Synlait’s future lie? – Keith Woodford

For much of the last 20 years, Synlait was an entrepreneurial player in the New Zealand dairy industry, with a strong focus on growth. For a long time, Synlait seemed to be doing everything right.

Alas, after remarkable growth through to 2019, the wheels have progressively fallen off over the last four years. Synlait now faces an existential threat. Where did things go wrong and where does the path now lie?

Synlait’s fundamental problem is that for the second year running it is operating at a loss. Synlait’s recent stock exchange guidance is that it expects to report a loss of between $17 million and $21 million for the first half of the 2023/24 year.

Go forward a little further, and unless there is a big unexpected turnaround in the next few months, Synlait will have made a loss in three out of the last four years. . . 

Firsr time competitor earns a spot at FMG Young Famrer of the Year grand final :

A Pleasant Point Young Farmer is one step closer to winning one of New Zealand’s most prestigious farming awards after being crowned the Season 56 Aorangi FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

Gareth McKerchar was announced as the Aorangi FMG Young Farmer of the Year on Saturday evening, following two days of fierce competition in Kurow. Now, he gears up to take on six other regional finalists in the ultimate showdown at the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final, being held in Hamilton in July.

The weekend’s event was one of seven Regional Finals happening across Aotearoa between February and April. Details of what challenges would be thrown at them at the Aorangi event were kept under wraps from the 20 determined contestants. . . 

Positive forecast for Zespri growers :

Zespri has released its final forecast for the 2023/24 season with record per tray returns forecast for Green, Organic Green, SunGold and RubyRed Kiwifruit.

The February forecast has Green at a record $9.44 per tray, significantly up from last season’s final Orchard Gate Return (OGR) of $5.78 per tray.

Forecast SunGold Kiwifruit returns are also at a record level of $12.62 per tray, well above last season’s final OGR of $9.97, while Organic SunGold Kiwifruit is at $14.21. . . 

On the left non-transgenic, drought tolerant maize hybrid.

On the right GM TELA maize.

Both under moderate drought and severe fall armyworm and stem borer infestation.

GM maize had a 6x higher yield.

The most potent instrument to transform the world is education. pic.twitter.com/rXeJkAGGBN

— Simon Maechling (@simonmaechling) March 3, 2024

Finalists of Ahuwhenua Trophy announced :

Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the two finalists for this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy at Parliament yesterday.

“I am pleased to see such a high calibre of Māori dairy farms featured as finalists this year,” Mr Potaka says.

The finalists for 2024 are:

• Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani
• Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board . . 

Labour’s legacy – high food prices

World Vision highlights steep increases in food prices:

New Zealand experienced a 56% increase in the cost of a food basket*, with the price in 2023 coming in at NZ$78.32 compared with NZ$50.16 in 2022. . . 

World Vision’s Head of Advocacy and Justice, Rebekah Armstrong, says the report highlights the need for investment in strong and resilient food systems both here and overseas. . .

“We’ve all been feeling the financial pain of buying food, but this report shows clearly how markedly the cost of basic staples has increased. We know that some of this is due to Cyclone Gabrielle and the impact it has had on the price of staples in New Zealand, such as fruit and vegetables, but there are bigger issues at play as well. Food prices in New Zealand are higher than the global average due to other established issues, such as the lack of competition in the supermarket sector.

I used to wonder how poor people coped at the supermarket. Now it’s not only the poor who are struggling and the higher food prices are another part of Labour’s damaging legacy.

Labour’s steep increase in the minimum wage added to costs of production, processing, transport and retail.

It imposed other costs and compliance requirements on farmers, it made a major contribution to inflation and interest rates, and it incentivised converting productive land from farming to forestry.

When it costs more to produce food, and there’s less produced,  it inevitably leads to higher prices.

Dam good idea

This is a dam good idea from the government:

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants to remove “red tape” preventing large-scale water storage projects from being built in Hawke’s Bay, and nationally.

Speaking to Hawke’s Bay Today, Luxon said dams were “absolutely critical” to ensuring land was productive and his coalition Government was united on their importance.

“We have an abundance of water that is desperately needed in different place.

“And when you think about how it can help transform regions or make land use more productive, that’s all good for us because it means we’re enlarging our economy.

“And when we enlarge our economy, we get higher wages and salaries for regular Kiwis and that’s what it’s got to be all about.

Luxon said dams were “key pieces of infrastructure” and the need for them was part of the reason the Government had repealed the Resource Management Act before Christmas.

“We think it gives local resilience, enables more productivity, all of that stuff.

“That’s why in this quarter, we’re wanting to release fast-track provisions and consenting so that we can actually get critical infrastructure built across the country.”. . 

Dams store water when there’s a surplus and release it when there’s a shortage. They are the most environmentally sustainable way to provide water for irrigation, replenish groundwater and maintain minimum flows in waterways when nature doesn’t provide enough.

They have economic and social benefits too through job creation, more reliable food production, and enabling recreational activities like swimming and boating.

Dams can also provide protection from floods. The Opuha dam in South Canterbury held back water that would have inundated Pleasant Point after torrential rains a few years ago.

New Zealand is, as Geoffrey Palmer once observed, a pluvial country. But not all of the abundant rain we have falls in the right place at the right time. Dams are a good way to get enough water to where it’s needed, when it’s needed and more dams are a dam good idea.