Federated Farmers Southland hosted events in last week in Invercargill, Mataura and Tuatapere last week to give sheep and beef farmers tips on how to navigate tough times. Shawn McAvinue reports on the event in Invercargill.
Sheep and beef farmers are doing it tough due to an economic downturn but it has been worse, a southern farm consultant says.
Rural Solutions owner Graham Butcher, speaking at a Federated Farmers Tips For Tough Times event in Invercargill last week, said he had been a consultant in Otago and Southland for many years and had experienced economic downturns before, including the 1980s.
“I cut my consulting teeth on Roger Douglas and I don’t think this is anywhere near as bad as it was back in the day.”
The scale of beef and sheep land purchased for forestry is higher than first thought, according to a report on land-use change.
Commissioned two years ago by Beef + Lamb NZ to track the amount of land purchased for afforestation and taken out of pastoral farming, the report from consultancy firm Orme & Associates shows that 63,582ha was purchased by forestry interests in 2021. This compared with 37,950ha in 2020 and 7,000ha in 2017 – showing a significant upwards trend in conversion.
B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor says the report will be “alarming” for farmers, rural communities and wider New Zealanders already concerned about the conversion of food producing sheep and beef land into carbon farming.
“This takes the total to more than 200,000ha of sheep and beef farms bought over the last five years,” he says. . .
A hunting trip conversation between two friends has sparked an ambitious plan to bring a youthful perspective to the conversation on farming’s future.
Future Farmers NZ (FFNZ) are a group of young people who work in or around the food and fibre sector.
But they’re not just talking – they have laid out a manifesto built on the shared values of the diverse group.
Secretary Findal Proebst told the Farmers Weekly In Focus podcast that the manifesto centres on seven key themes: land-use design, forestry and carbon credits, knowledge and education, farm management, hauora: holistic wellness in agriculture, supply chains and innovation, and markets and finance. . .
Sealord is investing $10 million over the next ten years in a carbon offset programme that will see underutilised Te Arawa whenua around the wider Rotorua region developed into permanent forest.
The programme, developed by Te Arawa Fisheries and New Zealand Carbon Farming (NZCF), will help offset some of the carbon resulting from Sealord’s operations, maximise the potential of marginal land, create jobs and improve whānau outcomes, and help improve the local environment, including water quality in and around Te Arawa lakes.
Called Ara Rākau, Te Arawa Fisheries CEO Chris Karamea Insley says the initiative is a solid example of the opportunities the carbon economy offers Māori, while highlighting the role Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading companies can take in supporting the country’s climate commitments.
“The Emissions Trading Scheme represents a $16 billion economic opportunity for Māori – one which will be transformative for generations as poor quality land can be used to generate better economic, cultural, social and environmental outcomes – not just for Māori, but for entire communities. . .
Tai Nelson from Soljans Estate in Kumeu, Auckland has taken out the prestigious title of New Zealand Young Viticulturist of the Year 2023.
The National Final was held under beautiful blue skies at Paritua Vineyards in Hawke’s Bay and the winners announced at the Awards Dinner in Hastings.
Congratulations to Nick Putt from Craggy Range in Hawke’s Bay who came a very close second and to Nina Downer from Felton Road who placed third. Zac Howell from Indevin in Marlborough also impressed the judges with his skills and knowledge throughout the competition.
The Young Viticulturist of the Year is a very tough competition and the contestants were certainly put through their paces and were tested on trellising, irrigation, machinery, pest & disease management, wine knowledge and had a grilling interview. Prior to the competition itself they all submitted their report on their recommendations for establishing and managing a sustainable vineyard which would thrive long into the future. . .
A boutique ice cream maker from Queenstown who moved to NZ to work as a hang gliding pilot – has taken out the country’s top ice cream accolade – with Patagonia Chocolates, Hazelnut Cremino named Formula Foods Supreme Champion Boutique at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2023.
Patagonia Chocolates, Hazelnut Cremino received two trophies – the Boutique Champion as well as the PACT Packaging Champion Standard Ice Cream Award. Chief Judge Jackie Matthews noted that the base of NZ-grown nuts which are hand roasted, “provided a delicate and truly authentic flavour, which combined with a superbly crafted and well-made ice cream is simply stunning, deserving of the Supreme Award.”
Patagonia Chocolates founder Alex Gimenez moved to Queenstown in 2002 and in 2005 the chocolate-loving Argentinean and his wife Lorena Giallonardo started their business. Despite the challenges of Covid-19 closures and ongoing staffing issues, the couple run four stores in the Southern Lakes, creating delicious flavours ad ice cream experiences. This year their entries were recognised with five Gold Medals and three Silver Medals as well as two Trophies. . .
Welcome to From the Ground Up, a podcast brought to you by Young Country. This is a podcast for the go getters, the big dreamers, the innovators of the primary sector. I’m your host Rebecca Greaves, and we’re taking a closer look at people in the primary industries who have dared to think big, push the limits and give it a go in business. We’ll be asking them what the catalyst was to take the plunge and make a change. We find out how they got to where they are now, what they’ve learned along the way, and what their advice is to other aspiring agri-innovators. So, settle in and listen up as we serve you a healthy dose of inspiration, motivation, and maybe even challenge your thinking a little.
Rebecca catches up with Delwyn Tuanui from The Chatham Island Food Co and learns about how he chased his dreams from the ground up.
Running around Melbourne in his early 20s with a chilly bin full of Chatham Island blue cod, knocking on the doors of the city’s top chefs, Delwyn Tuanui knew he had a special product.
Social media handles and and website links to check out Chatham Island Food Co for yourself:- Instagram handle @chathamisfoodco- Facebook account @ChathamIslandFoodCo Website: Chatham Island Food Co | Ocean to your Door – Chatham Island Food Company http://www.chathamislandfood.com#fromthegroundup #agriinnovators #primaryindustries #nzfarming #nzfishing #youngcountry #ruralchat #agchatnz
New Zealand’s primary producers deserve a Christmas bouquet – or a big hamper stuffed with goodies – as food and fibre export revenue is projected to top $50 billion for the first time next year. They are achieving this despite the challenges of regulatory compliance, increasing costs for inputs such as feed and fertiliser, Covid impacts on freight movements and constraints around labour availability.
Total export value is expected to rise 6% to $50.8bn in the year to June 30 2022, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report released today.
Ministers were quick to hop on the bandwagon, despite framing many of the new regulatory constraints.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the healthy growth forecast across the majority of the primary industries showed the future of the food and fibre sector is bright. . .
This year’s annual awards celebrated 24 awardees across three award categories – Early Career Researcher, Individual / Lifetime Achievement and Team. A Supreme Award winner was chosen from the 24 awardees.
Supreme Award Winner
The AgResearch Breeding Low Methane-Emitting Sheep Team
AgResearch’s Breeding Low Methane-Emitting Sheep leads the world in breeding sheep that produce less methane. This innovation gives farmers practical tools to lower methane emissions on their farms. As methane is a short-lived but potent greenhouse gas, this could contribute significantly in helping to reduce New Zealand’s greenhouse emissions.
Gains made by using this technology in sheep flocks are permanent and cumulative. The team’s work is gaining momentum with other livestock industries, particularly cattle and deer. . .
Innovative New Zealand apple company, Rockit Global Limited is celebrating its strongest season yet, with forecast turnover up 45 percent year on year in a tough economic environment.
Global demand for its snack sized apples is continuing to grow exponentially, with the high-performing business this year recording 33 percent growth in bin volume, resulting in over 75 million apples being packed and shipped to consumers around the world. Rockit is also forecasting orchard gate returns of around NZD $230,000 per hectare on mature orchards.
Rockit Global CEO Mark O’Donnell puts these impressive results down to a combination of the company ‘doing things differently’ on the global stage through innovation, backed by its disruptive new brand and great product.
“To see such a robust result among this year’s economic challenges is extremely exciting,” says Mark. “As global consumer demand increases – and more Rockit trees are planted to meet this – we’ve implemented leading edge automation and artificial intelligence to meet our strong growth trajectory and reduce reliance on manual labour across all parts of the supply chain– which is also creating higher value, and more innovative roles for our people.” . .
A Hawke’s Bay company making a pumpkin milk has been recognised at the World Plant-Based Awards in New York.
The product, known as Kabocha Milk, is produced by one of New Zealand’s largest buttercup squash growers.
The company said squash is staple part of the Japanese and East Asian diet and the milk allows them to make use of crops which aren’t export grade due to cosmetic blemishes.
It’s milk is stocked in two high-end Japanese retail store chains which plans to extend to 5,000 stores across Japan, Korea and China in the next couple of years. . .
The Australian Manuka Honey Association is delighted that the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has rejected an application by a group of New Zealand producers to trademark the words “Manuka honey”, recognising that it is a purely descriptive term for a type of honey. The decision will have widespread ramifications in jurisdictions beyond the United Kingdom.
In reaching its decision, the IPO accepted there was significant evidence that the general public understands manuka honey is not produced exclusively in New Zealand, but rather originates from a number of places including Australia.
Australian Manuka Honey Association (AMHA) Chairman Paul Callander said: “This decision is the right decision and a fair decision. The term manuka has been used in Australia since the 1800s and the Australian industry has invested significantly for decades in manuka honey science, research and marketing. It would be deeply unfair – and financially devastating – to deny that reality.” . .
House prices across the country have risen nearly 20% to a median $725,000 in the past 12 months. At the same time, New Zealand’s Reserve Bank has announced a $28 billion programme aimed at forcing down borrowing costs and left the official cash rate at 0.25%.
Thankfully though, the Reserve Bank is concerned about the residential property market, with Governor Adrian Orr commenting that the Bank “has seen a marked acceleration in higher risk loans, particularly to investors in the property market”. As a result, the Reserve Bank is considering imposing loan to value ratio restrictions, in a bid to curb risky lending in the residential property market.
Simply put, investing in residential property will not aid New Zealand’s recovery from the current economic downturn. The housing market does not produce products that can be eaten or used by consumers. It does not create jobs, and it does not earn overseas return through exports. It is a wasted investment when what we should be investing in is New Zealand’s economic recovery.
This is, in my view, where the Reserve Bank’s focus should be: enabling significant investment in businesses that will drive our much-needed economic recovery and create jobs. . .
A Lake Ōhau resident says thousands of dollars worth of native plants and 80 predator traps went up in smoke when the fire tore through the village earlier this month.
More than 5000 hectares and multiple properties were burnt in the blaze.
Before the fire, Lake Ōhau was surrounded by dryland with tussocks and shrubs, special plants that could survive the dry summers and bitterly cold winters. Beech forest grew down onto the lakeshore and along three creeks that drain the hills behind the village.
It was home to native birds, lizards and insects. . .
It doesn't get more springtime than lambs and daffodils! Image sent in from Fraser Alderton, Gore. pic.twitter.com/OFvTEOh3Mz
When it comes to goals, Steph Matheson dreams pretty big.
Mrs Matheson (27) is on a mission: to make sure women feel they are not alone, that they are confident and comfortable “in their own skin” and that they feel as if they can do anything.
Through Project Steph 2.0, her personal blog, her overarching goal is to spread that message globally online.
It is not all unicorns and fairy dust; her content is realistic and raw as she talks about health, wellness, family and rural living in Gore. . .
Andrew Sherratt was not just going for the bid, he was gunning for the title when he took up the gavel in the 2020 Young Auctioneer of the Year competition. He talked with Annette Scott.
When Andrew Sherratt was finishing up his studies at Lincoln University he wasn’t certain what career pathway he would take.
But with the prestigious New Zealand Stock and Station Agents’ Association (NZSSAA) Young Auctioneer trophy in hand, he is convinced he eventually made the right decision.
In one of the closest contests yet, Sherratt headed off the seven finalist contestants in the ninth annual 2020 Heartland Bank Young Auctioneer competition held at Canterbury Agricultural Park. . .
Fruit and vegetable prices fell 5.6 percent in October 2020 as the local growing season picked up, Stats NZ said today.
Fruit and vegetable prices follow a very seasonal trend and typically fall in October, with the lowest prices for the year in summer.
“Warmer weather makes it easier to grow many crops, with higher supply making these products cheaper,” consumer prices manager Nicola Growden said. . .
Getting hoggets sorted for tailing 2moro, happy with how they are going, still working on getting more inlamb. All flavour rams this year, merino, Ile de France and Romney. @NZBeefLambpic.twitter.com/2vDrJR102o
Mt Cook Alpine Salmon and Central South Island Fish & Game Council released 50,000 smolt into the crystal clear waters of Lake Tekapo last week.
The young salmon, which are about two years old, were raised at the nearby Mt Cook Alpine Salmon Ohau hatchery on the Ohau Canal. Last week’s release was part of the Fish & Game Council’s “put and take” programme in Lake Tekapo, developed over the past 10 years.
Fish and Game officer Rhys Adams says the release will “reinvigorate” the salmon fishery in the lake, but they will need time to grow to between two and four pounds.
The tanker load of smolt was taken to the outlet of Lake McGregor on the western shore of Lake Tekapo for release. . .
Newshub has obtained an explosive audio recording of Fisheries Minister Stuart Nash talking about NZ First MPs Winston Peters and Shane Jones.
The recording was from February 2018, around the time the Government first delayed the rollout of cameras on nearly 1000 fishing boats – since then it’s been delayed again until at least October next year.
In it, Nash points the finger of blame squarely at them for delaying plans to put cameras on commercial fishing boats to make sure they don’t break the law. . .
Michael Morrah has done a public service in reporting on this, not just because of questions over the delay to cameras but because of the link between the policy and donations.
Fishing company Talley’s donated $10,000 to Shane Jones’ 2017 election campaign. RNZ also revealed that Talleys donated $26,950 to the NZ First Foundation.
Newshub has verified these donations.
Talley’s Andrew Talley told Newshub “within the right framework cameras have a place in modern fisheries management”.
He says there’s “no connection” with donations and the camera delays. . .
It would be hard to either prove or disprove whether there is a connection.
But there is a problem with NZ First and its foundation which the Serious Fraud Office has referred to the police.
Referral does not mean guilt and for everyone’s sake this must be cleared up before voting starts.
Whether or not it that happens, this story provides yet another reason for National to keep its resolution to rule New Zealand First out as a potential coalition partner.
Labour won’t be able to do that without collapsing the government unless but they agreed to having the dog as a partner and have to put up with the fleas.
Scores of irrigators have told the Otago Regional Council the direction of its deemed permit overhaul will ‘‘destroy rural New Zealand’’.
They are at odds with environmentalists who are pleading that the status quo should not continue.
Twenty-one groups spoke at the council’s public forum yesterday about changes to its deemed permits process, which it has been instructed to undertake by Environment Minister David Parker.
Deemed permit irrigators have been working towards next year’s deadline to replace mining water privileges with consents. . .
Bega Cheese’s shares fell 9.3 per cent to $3.92 on Monday, as the company and its dairy providers started to assess the damage caused by fires that have raged around the towns of Bega and Cobargo.
About 30 to 40 farmers had been affected in the area, said Shaughn Morgan, chief executive of the industry group Dairy Connect, with some reporting they had lost the bulk of their livestock.
Other farmers without power were struggling to milk their cows, while others were spilling their milk because dairy processors including Bega were unable to access roads to collect their produce. . .
Agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has announced extended support measures for bushfire impacted clients, following further widespread fire activity in recent days.
Rabobank Australia CEO Peter Knoblanche said the bank’s staff in bushfire-affected regions were continuing to contact clients to check on their safety and welfare and offer assistance where required.
“Unprecedented fire activity has impacted a significant number of communities across the country, with loss and damage to agricultural land, livestock, houses and infrastructure and most tragically, lives. Although it is still too early to assess the full extent of the damage, the impact of the fires on farming businesses has been compounded by ongoing drought with many holding very limited reserves of feed, fodder and water,” he said. . .
An application from the country’s largest salmon farming company to start farming fish in the “open ocean” has divided opinion, with some calling it an “innovative milestone”, but others labelling it “premature”.
New Zealand King Salmon wants to set up a farm as large as Kāpiti Island in the waters off Marlborough and eventually farm 8000 tonnes of king salmon a year in the colder waters.
It lodged a resource consent with the Marlborough District Council last July asking to build the farm within a 1792-hectare site in the ocean – a New Zealand first. The company says the farming operation will take up a small fraction of the site, 7km north of Cape Lambert. . .
Veganuary will be countered with a co-ordinated message using expert speakers and social media influencers to promote healthy meat-based meals and combat misinformation about the UK farming industry.
Farmers are the most trusted link in the food supply chain, with only six per cent disagreeing and 62 per cent of consumers feeling positive about British agriculture, a survey by AHDB ahead of Veganuary has revealed.
AHDB, which has joined forced with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), to turbocharge the promotion of red meat and its benefits for human health and the environment throughout January, said the industry should be proud to ‘hold its head up high’. . .
The New Zealand Rural Leadership Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Parsons, MNZM, DSD as their new Chief Executive Officer. Chris Parsons will replace Anne Hindson on 04 May 2020, following her stepping down as General Manager at end of April.
“We were thrilled by the quality field of candidates and consider ourselves fortunate to have someone of Chris Parsons calibre and experience step up to lead New Zealand Rural Leaders through its next stage of growth,” said Andrew Watters, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Hailing from the Far North, Chris Parsons has a sheep and beef background and co-owns Ashgrove Genetics Ltd. He is also a decorated Army Officer, Certified Member of the Institute of Directors and holds master’s degrees in management and in strategy. . .
Went out and did some rut monitoring in the @nzapples Smart Tools for Orchard Drainage project. Some treatments have definitely been holding up better than others – just doing a deep rip after harvest has not been effective at removing excess water from the block. pic.twitter.com/NMINXdS4nJ
South Island rural service trader Ruralco says its chairman Alister Body has signalled his intention to step down from his role and pursue broader agribusiness interests.
Body chaired the Ruralco board for the past two years and served as a director since 2011.
Body has agreed to continue to support the business until June 30 when he will retire from the board. . .
John Wilson who died on Monday at just 54 years of age was possibly the last Fonterra chairman to take a hands on approach to governing New Zealand’s largest company.
It was inevitable that Wilson would play a strong and sometimes quite political role in public life in New Zealand – the upshot of Fonterra’s dominance of the dairy industry – at times locked into confrontational situations with equally strong-minded politicians on both sides of the House.
Wilson was passionately devoted to Fonterra; strong-willed, direct, not afraid of anyone – yet also imbued with sufficient charm, persuasiveness and an ability to ride through the hard-knuckled politics of the NZ dairy industry to survive many a battle until his last year as chair. . .
The European Union’s parliament has taken a decisive step towards unilaterally reducing New Zealand’s rights to export specified quantities of tariff-free sheepmeat, beef and dairy products to the trading bloc if and when Brexit occurs.
The move has been slammed as “outrageous” by former trade negotiator Charles Finny in a Tweet and “disappointing” by the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the proposed moves risk compounding “growing international economic uncertainty and rising trade tensions”. . .
Evidence from nine experts supports Horticulture New Zealand’s evidence that a water conservation order (WCO) is not the way to ensure healthy Hawke’s Bay rivers, Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman says.
Horticulture New Zealand opposes the application for the WCO in the Lower Ngaruroro River and the Clive River.
“This impacts our economy and our food supply and a WCO is a blunt instrument that has been surpassed with better national and regional planning tools,” Mr Chapman says. . .
With the uncertainty around Brexit and what the balance of future access to both the EU and the UK for sheep meat maybe it could be timely to have a look at the drivers of international sheep meat trade.
Australia and New Zealand account for approximately 90% of international trade and both have declining flock numbers. Since 1990 Australia have dropped from 180 mln down to 65 mln and New Zealand from 58 mln to around 28 mln today. It has only been the increased productivity of both flocks, in regard to meat production, that has kept the industry viable with the critical mass required to remain competitive. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Synlait Milk has cut its forecast payout to farmers for the current season, following Fonterra’s lead, as weaker global demand and strong domestic production weighs on international prices.
The Rakaia-based milk producer expects to pay $6.25 per kilogram of milk solids for the 2019 season, down from its previous forecast of $6.75/kgMS. That projection will depend on commodity prices recovering for the rest of the season, something Synlait said it considers realistic. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Scott Technology and Mt Cook Alpine Salmon have teamed up to automate the removal of pin bones from King salmon with backing of more than $500,000 from Seafood Innovations.
Brent Keelty, Mt Cook’s processing operations manager, says the only way currently of de-boning King salmon is by hand. . .
A pioneering arable farming tech trial is expected to make a quantum leap to help boost New Zealand’s primary export revenue.
New Zealand has a low understanding of how the internet of things (IoT) can assist with farm management and sustainability and adoption of precision agriculture techniques also remains low.
New Zealand’s primary industry export revenue is forecast to reach $43.8 billion for the year to June 2019, an increase of 2.5 percent from 2018. . .
Integrating two of the country’s leading farm software systems means farmers can now have TracMap Proof of Application data seamlessly passed to their FarmIQ account, ensuring records are updated quickly and accurately for compliance and management needs.
“This is an important development for FarmIQ’s customers. Many farmers have been asking us for Tracmap’s Proof of Application and Proof of Placement data for some time,” said FarmIQ chief executive Darryn Pegram. . .
While farmers and horticulturalists continue to integrate new digital technologies into their businesses, this data reliance does bring with it new vulnerabilities and risks. The next generation of producers are doing away with basic spreadsheets and building their businesses using a real-time data streams and cloud-based platforms for analysis and storage.
In the past, a simple computer backup was, in many cases, all that was needed. It has now been replaced by a complex web of data-points, data validation, storage, security access and data control. . .
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has today announced funding of $9.8 million for 31 new Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) projects.
The SFF provides funding for projects led by farmers, growers, and foresters aimed at building economic, environmental and social sustainability in the primary sector. It has recently been replaced by MPI’s new Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) programme. The 31 projects were in the pipeline prior to its launch in October 2018.
“SFF has been instrumental in kicking off both small and large innovative, community-led projects, and laying the groundwork for SFF Futures,” says Steve Penno, Director of Investment Programmes.
“The new 31 projects cover areas from apiculture and dairy to soil management and horticulture, and are great examples of innovative thinking. . .
‘Ill-informed’ and ‘disgraceful’ are just some of the words Victorian farmers have used upon finding their details on the controversial Aussie Farms map.
Made public last week, the map identifies a large number of rural and farming enterprises, as well as some saleyards, abattoirs and intensive production operations, across Australia.
Many farmers are furious that their personal information has been displayed on the map without their permission. . . .
The Wakatipu Basin, with Queenstown as its main town and Arrowtown a secondary town, is a key location for the war between wilding pines and humans. On the human side, the war is led by the Department of Conservation (DOC), but there are also lots of community volunteers. There are battles to be fought. It is not clear who is going to win.
New Zealand’s wilding pines include at least 11 species. They can be any North American or European conifer which has blown in on the wind to where it was not intended to be. And that is what is happening across the tussock grasslands of the South Island.
In its natural state, the Wakatipu Basin was stark, There were very few trees. And so the early European settlers planted trees that came from their homelands. These trees have greatly softened the landscape. Indeed much of the beauty of the valley floors is associated with these trees, particularly the deciduous trees in autumn. . . .
Waikaretu Valley sheep and beef farmer Kate Broadbent is committed to improving the odds for New Zealand sheep farmers against natural hazards. Luke Chivers reports.
Sheep and beef farmer Kate Broadbent from Nikau Coopworth in Waikaretu Valley in Waikato is combining her passion for the land with sheep genetics and performance recording.
The former Canadian has a longstanding connection with the primary sector, science and innovation.
“I grew up on a dairy farm in Nova Scotia, Canada and it was there my love of farming was born,” Broadbent says. . .
Southern shearers opened a big weekend of shearing sports in New Zealand with a near cleansweep of all five places in the Open shearing final at the Northern Southland Community Shears near Lumsden today.
The rout in the Selbie family’s Five Rivers woolshed, including the biggest Open-class win in the career of former double Golden Shears lower grades champion Brett Roberts, 24, of Mataura, came in the first of two-back-to-back A-grade Southland shows this weekend. . .
Waikato farmer Lee Cheyne isn’t going to let a few hundred kilometres stand between him and the chance to help boost the shearing competitions over the next few weeks.
It’s all about fun, he says, and while he won’t be at the Kaikohe show which kicks off the second annual ANZ Northland Shearing Competition on Saturday he says he will make the trip north for at least three of the other shows all of them at least two hours away – one close to four. . .
Health Canada scientists say there is no reason to believe the scientific evidence they used to approve the continued use of glyphosate in weed killers was tainted.
On Friday they rejected, again, arguments that the ingredient in herbicides like Monsanto’s Roundup causes cancer if the substances are used as they’re supposed to be.
The department’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency is required to reassess herbicides every 15 years and after such a reassessment in 2017 it approved glyphosate for continued use in Canada with some additional labelling requirements. The review looked at more than 1,300 studies and concluded glyphosate products pose no risk to people or the environment as long as they are properly used and labelled. . .
Intergenerational knowledge has long been a sort of secret ingredient to success in sheep and beef farming in New Zealand. Though that component was vital in the early years of Tom and Sarah Wells farming careers they are also using their passion, drive and determination to forge their own brand of sustainably farmed products. Andrew Stewart reports.
Both Tom and Sarah Wells used to work in completely non farm careers.
Sarah was a television journalist covering breaking news in a time poor, mentally draining role.
“I grew up mustering with my father on horseback on the station and I wanted to be a shepherd right through school but somehow lost my way,” she said.
“But there was always a pull back towards the farm.” . .
The complexities of farming with irrigation in the Lindis and Ardgour valleys of the Upper Clutha were spelled out at an Environment Court hearing in Cromwell this week.
Bruce Jolly, who owns 3000ha “Ardgour” farm, which has 160ha of irrigated land, was the final witness before the hearing was adjourned until January 28.
After seven days of evidence from hydrologists, ecologists and specialists on trout, Judge Jon Jackson ended the hearing a day earlier than planned, admitting in a light-hearted moment, he was somewhat “overwhelmed” and needed a day to reflect on what he had heard.
The Otago Fish & Game Council is arguing 900litres per second of water flowing in the river is required to sustain the brown trout population, while the Lindis Catchment Group (LCG) considers 550litres per second is necessary to sustain irrigation systems. . .
The Fonterra Shareholders’ Council is working on the rules for the next election to fill the vacancy on the board that resulted from the incomplete 2018 director election.
Council chairman Duncan Coull said there is a range of scenarios and potentially the second election will not be held until early next year.
The constitution gives discretionary powers over the election procedure to the council and therefore the possibilities are quite wide-ranging, he said.
In the meantime, the board can appoint an interim director but not be one of the three unsuccessful candidates – Ashley Waugh, Jamie Tuuta and John Nicholls. . .
Federated Farmers is pleased to see a new safety initiative made accessible for the wool industry workforce.
Education is key to improving most aspects of someone’s life, says Federated Farmers national president Katie Milne.
With that attitude in mind it is great to see the successful launch of health and safety programme Tahi Ngātahi at the New Zealand Agricultural Show today, she says. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Sanford says annual earnings fell short of its expectations due to “challenging” climatic conditions leading to a decline in harvest volumes.
However, that impact was more than compensated for by the company’s efforts to extract more value from both its wild and farmed fish and seafood and its underlying earnings rose 1.5 percent.
The fishing company lifted net profit 12.9 percent for the year ended September to $42.3 million, but that was largely driven by an insurance settlement for damage caused to its Havelock mussel processing facility by the Kaikoura earthquake in November 2016. . .
China Forestry Group NZ (CFGNZ) is once again backing local wood processing with a ground-breaking agreement on harvesting and processing wood from Taranaki’s largest forest.
China Forestry Group NZ and Taranakipine sawmill in New Plymouth have signed a supply agreement today that supports long term wood processing in New Plymouth and employment for the 170 workers at Taranakipine. It’s another initiative that demonstrates China Forestry Group NZ’s ongoing commitment to New Zealand. . .
The nursery and fruit-growing companies at the heart of the legal action against MPI over seized apple and stonefruit plants and plant material have been working hard to facilitate the rebuilding of the relationship between MPI and the USA-based Clean Plant Centre North West (CPCNW).
Overnight last night at the CPCNW facility in Prosser, Washington, representatives from MPI held their first face-to-face meeting with members of the CPCNW since a discontinued audit in March. . .
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) today announced nominations have opened for two B+LNZ director roles and one position on its Directors’ Independent Remuneration Committee (DIRC).
Under the requirements of the B+LNZ constitution, two electoral district directors and one existing DIRC member retire by rotation at the Annual Meeting. . .
Sir Peter Gluckman issued a flurry of reports in his last few months as Prime Minister’s science adviser. His final report to Jacinda Ardern made some striking points about the future of farming. Eloise Gibson digested the five main issues.
Methane matters
Don’t be fooled by anyone implying that methane doesn’t matter much in the scheme of things – cutting methane is crucial to New Zealand’s efforts to slow climate change. That, in essence, was one of the key messages from Gluckman’s final report to Jacinda Ardern.
Whether to ignore, eliminate or “stabilise” methane, the single biggest climate impact from cattle farming, has been major feature of debate about New Zealand’s proposed Zero Carbon Bill. . .
Margaret Thatcher is said to have quipped, “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” New Zealand has discovered that this result may not be all bad. In the mid 1980s, New Zealand faced bankruptcy. The tab for years of socialistic policies had finally come due. The Labour government was forced to act quickly and drastically to cut expenditures.
The New Zealand economy was — and still is — heavily dependent on agriculture. Farmers and farm prices had been subsidized for years through a multitude of government programs. In 1984, the government eliminated over 30 subsidy programs, not gradually, but overnight. The ruling Labour Party predicted an economic disaster. They foresaw a mass exodus of farmers and fully expected to be forced to reinstate some type of subsidy program . .
Central Otago’s shearing industry will honour one of its own in a double-billing today.
Alexandra woolhandler and shearer Pagan Karauria will not only be recognised as a Master Woolhandler at the annual New Zealand Merino Championships, but will also feature in a film about the shearing industry being launched in Alexandra.
Karauria is profiled in the film She Shears, which is about five women working in the shearing industry. It will screen at the Otago Daily Times Theatre in the Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery this afternoon at 4pm.
She will be present for the screening and take part in a question and answer session afterwards. . .
It features shearing and woolhandling royalty, alongside “teddy bear” novices.
And there is also some “good old-fashioned” transtasman rivalry to boot, as Australasia’s best compete at this weekend’s New Zealand Merino Shearing Championships in Alexandra.
Up to 200 shearers and woolhandlers were competing at the two-day event, including Damien Boyle, of Australia, who had won the event’s open shearing category seven times, event organising committee member Graeme Bell said. . .
(BusinessDesk) – New Zealand’s export log market took a hit from the trade dispute between the US and China as the declining value of the yuan crimps the buying power of the country’s largest log market.
The average price for New Zealand A-grade export logs dropped to US$133/JAS from US$141/JAS in August, and US$145/JAS in July, and is now the lowest since June 2017, according to AgriHQ’s Forestry Market Report for September. . .
Most people in New Zealand are not aware that technology has been commercialised in the United States for the production of fully drop-in renewable diesel made from cellulosic feedstocks. This renewable diesel is a direct substitute for mineral diesel and meets all of the New Zealand specifications other than density (kilograms per litre). But it makes up for that by having a high energy density per kilogram so that the amount of energy per litre of fuel is equal to, or in some cases better than, that of fossil fuel diesel. . .
Sept. 27 (BusinessDesk) – Cavalier Corp is close to selling its stake in New Zealand’s only wool scourer as part of a plan to reduce debt and free up capital to invest in carpet manufacturing.
The firm owns 27.5 percent of Cavalier Wool Holdings, alongside global giant Lempriere Wool, Accident Compensation Corp and Direct Capital. The scourer, known as CWH, operates plants in Napier and Timaru with a combined capacity of 100 million kilograms annually. . .
(BusinessDesk) – New Zealand King Salmon hopes it will be allowed to move around half of nine square hectares of its Marlborough Sounds fish farms to better locations, but is braced for a “disappointing” outcome for both the company’s growth and environmental outcomes.
Speaking to BusinessDesk at the Aquaculture New Zealand conference in Blenheim, NZKS managing director Grant Rosewarne expressed frustration at the likelihood of a “sub-optimal outcome”. . .
In 1995 Andrew and Maree Palmer saw the value of being part of CRV Ambreed’s progeny testing programme so jumped on board and haven’t looked back.
Andrew and Maree have had a hand in developing many generations of daughter proven sires.
Today, they’re still part of the herd improvement company’s progeny testing programme and reckon they’re doing their bit to strengthen the value of the national dairy herd. . .
Evidence given to the Environment Select Committee from the Department of Conservation (DOC) today just goes to show the deeply divided factions occurring within the Coalition Government, National’s Fisheries spokesperson Gerry Brownlee says.
“Speaking at DOC’s annual review, the Director General Lou Sanson was asked what input his department has had on the new Government’s decision to firstly postpone and then, this week, cancel the introduction of cameras on fishing boats.
“Mr Sanson and DOC have always been spirited advocates of on-board cameras as one of the best practical measures needed to protect our declining marine bird species.
“He told the committee that DOC ‘absolutely’ maintains its position that cameras on fishing boats are essential if we are to reverse the decline in the sort of seabird species we see in our waters.
“It’s therefore quite extraordinary that his Minister, Eugenie Sage, has so quickly and thoroughly distanced herself from Stuart Nash’s decision to cancel the roll-out that the National Government initiated.
“It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to work out that Mr Nash is being leant on by Coalition partner, New Zealand First.
“I’m surprised that as a junior Coalition partner, the Greens have allowed themselves to be side-lined in this way,” Mr Brownlee says.
The Green Party has had to swallow a lot of dead rats in its agreement to support Labour and New Zealand First in government.
Had they been able to countenance a deal with National last year, there would be no compromise over on-board cameras.
If the Greens could moderate their radical left economic and social agenda, they could sit in the political middle, able to go left and right.
A teal deal would have been better for both the economy and environment than what we’ve got – a red and black one with a weak green off-shoot.
A four-year plan to trap stoats, rats, possums and weasels in the Matukituki Valley, near Wanaka, is music to the ears, writes Kerrie Waterworth.
This summer, for the first time in years, tourist jet-boat operators report hearing birds in the forests of the Matukituki Valley between Lake Wanaka and Mt Aspiring.
Wanaka-based River Journeys guide James Blunt has been taking tourists up the Matukituki River for six years and said he had really started noticing the birdsong since October.
“We’ve gone from long periods of nothing to now getting four to six species of birds most trips.” . .
Concerns about the sensitive environment of the Kaipara Harbour prompted the top-performing drystock unit Te Opu to transition from sheep and beef breeding to a successful unit finishing bulls and lambs.
This gave the farm the flexibility needed to respond to the sensitive environmental challenges of its location on the Kaipara Harbour shores.
The farm is now a three year Beef + Lamb NZ environmental focus farm sponsored from several sources. . .
Fish farming in Mackenzie Basin hydro canals is feeding worms usually found in sewage, aquatic expert Rowan Wells says.
Wells, a NIWA freshwater botanist, monitored the health of the glacier-fed water and said the ecosystem in the waterways around the area’s salmon farms was clearly degraded.
NIWA was reporting to Meridian Energy on algae and periphyton and fungal bacterial matter coating rocks and plants. . .
The rising fortunes of global farming are raising the demand for European-made tackle, which might signal supply problems for Kiwi farmers and contractors looking to hit the new season with new toys.
Several importers and distributors — including Origin Agroup that imports Pottinger, Joskin and Alpego, and Power Farming Wholesale that imports and distribute McHale, Kverneland and Maschio – are advising early ordering to guarantee delivery by late August.
“European manufacturers were predicting a 3% rise in volumes for the 2018 season after a couple of stagnant years,” David Donnelly, managing director of Origin Agroup told Rural News. . .
Good prices were secured across the board at the annual Rollesby Valley onfarm lamb sales on Thursday with halfbreds especially in strong demand for their dual wool and meat income.
About 20,000 lambs from 12 vendors were sold across nine properties in the wider Burkes Pass area of inland South Canterbury.
Most were store lambs but a good number of primes sold well for processing,with a top price of $160 and the better types trading up from about $130. The second cut of primes sold at $120 to $129, PGG Wrightson’s South Canterbury livestock manager Joe Higgins said. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Aad van Leeuwen found himself at the centre of a storm when he reported an outbreak of Mycoplasma bovis in his South Canterbury herds but said the bacterial cattle disease didn’t originate on his farms and if government compensation doesn’t come through soon his operation could go under.
“It’s been devastating,” the owner of Van Leeuwen Dairy Group told BusinessDesk. “We are struggling at the moment. Because we notified the disease we are eligible for compensation, but it’s a battle. It’s not coming through. The government is very slow and confusing. This could put us under if it doesn’t come through. It’s as simple as that.”
Van Leeuwen Dairy is a large-scale, high-performance dairy business in the South Island with 16 farms and associated business, including silage. . .
One of Japan’s two largest meat processing and marketing companies, Itoham Yonekyu Holdings, has received OIO consent to increase its shareholding in ANZCO Foods from 65% to 100%. It will acquire the shares currently held by ANZCO’s management (18.24%) and Japanese food company Nissui (16.76%) as a carefully planned transition which will see founder and chairman, Sir Graeme Harrison, retire at the company’s AGM in March.
Itoham Foods have held shares in ANZCO since 1995 when they combined with ANZCO management to complete a buyout of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, forerunner of Beef + Lamb NZ, in 1995, having formed a 50/50 JV with ANZCO in 1989 to establish Five Star Beef Limited with its large scale feedlot near Ashburton. Nissui, a joint owner of Sealord with Maori, have also been involved since the beginning, so this latest transaction means the end of a 28 year association. . .
National Party Spokesperson for Rural Communities Barbara Kuriger has backed the call for the Government to declare a medium scale adverse event to better support those affected by the rapidly emerging drought conditions in Taranaki.
“Taranaki Regional Council have today met with organisations such as DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Rural Advisory Group, Rural Support Trust, Taranaki Veterinary Association and Beef & Lamb NZ, with those organisations all calling on the Government to declare a medium scale adverse event for the whole Taranaki region,” Mrs Kuriger says. . .
National Party Spokesperson for Rural Communities Barbara Kuriger has thanked the Rural Support Trust for the care and support they extend to people who are facing challenges and encourages those in need to reach out.
“This year has seen a number of challenges for the rural community. The Rural Support Trust has worked tirelessly to help support those who are in challenging times.
“The current extreme weather conditions across the country present hard times for farmers for a number of reasons, especially due to the need to source feed for animals. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Allbirds, the merino wool shoe company co-founded by former New Zealand soccer star Tim Brown, has expanded into its third global market, launching in Australia last month, and it’s eyeing up more markets for next year.
San Francisco-based Allbirds started selling its minimalist woollen sneakers direct to consumers in March 2016 and has online operations in the US and New Zealand, shops in San Francisco and New York, and a steady stream of pop-up outlets. It began selling online in Australia on Nov. 21 in response to customer demand from the world’s biggest merino producing country. . .
(BusinessDesk) – New Zealand export log prices edged higher to a new record, buoyed by continued strong demand from China, a weaker currency and historically low shipping rates.
The price for A-Grade export logs reached $129 a tonne, up from $128 a tonne last month, and $127 a tonne the month earlier, marking the highest level since AgriHQ began collecting the data in 2008, according to the agricultural market specialist’s monthly survey of exporters, forest owners and saw millers. All of the main log grades tracked by AgriHQ either held steady or lifted as much as $2 a tonne on the previous month, AgriHQ said. . .
For 10 years, farmers from throughout the country have entered their best of best in the Golden Lamb Awards, better known as the Glammies.
This year, looking to reinvest farmer levies in more crucial areas, Beef + Lamb New Zealand has pulled its funding from the event. Nicole Sharp reports.
After 10 years of celebrating farmers’ best-raised lamb, the Glammies are no more.
Since the event’s inception, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd (BLNZ) has partnered with Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc to run the event, with BLNZ the predominant funder.
In the past six months, BLNZ has been consulting its farmers and reviewing its strategy and anticipated revenue stream through to 2022. . .
The worst appears to be over for wool prices but prices are still very low and the industry is ”still not out of the woods yet”, ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny says.
Prices for 39 micron wool, for example, had lifted 25% from the record low level set in July this year, he said. Despite the lift, 39 micron prices remained 28% below the 10-year average level, Mr Penny said in the latest ”Farmshed Economics” report.
Meanwhile, mid micron prices had been stable over recent months. Prices bottomed out earlier than coarse types towards the start of the year. . .
New Zealand King Salmon Investments shares rose to a record after the fish farmer raised its 2018 earnings guidance, saying it expects to lift volumes while maintaining prices and improving production.
The stock climbed 3.5 percent to $2.35 and has soared 78 percent this year. They were sold in the initial public offering in September 2016 at $1.12 apiece. . .
[The article below was intended to be published some weeks back at The Conversation. The Conversation is the online portal, funded by Universities in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, where academics are encouraged to communicate and converse with non-academics. However, this particular article was blocked at the last minute by the Senior Editor(s) at The Conversation, having previously been approved within their editorial system. The Senior Editor(s) felt that the interests of associated commercial parties, who might benefit from dissemination of the article, were too great. A fuller story of that publishing saga will be posted shortly. The content, formatting and supporting links are shown as originally agreed with The Conversation and reflect the prior input of one of their editors. This article can be freely republished, with or withut this foreword, but retaining the title as posted here, and with acknowledgements as to source [https://keithwoodford.wordpress.com].
Authors: Keith Woodford & Boyd Swinburn Disclosures: See end of article
Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its own insulin-producing cells, is on the rise globally. Early evidence of an association between type 1 diabetes and a protein in cow milk, known as A1 beta-casein, was published in 2003. However, the notion that the statistically strong association could be causal has remained controversial. As part of a seven-person team, we have reviewed the overall evidence that links A1 beta-casein to type 1 diabetes. Our research brings forward new ways of looking at that evidence. . .
Sheep farmer preparing boxes for grass fed lamb deliveries all over the country. What else would I use? Only the best insulation….Wool pic.twitter.com/CJpv38lRJ4
New Lincoln research points to sheep dairy better fulfilling the green credentials New Zealand uses to differentiate its produce in the global market than its cow counterparts.
Senior Lecturer in Agribusiness Management Dr Nic Lees co-authored the paper “Competitive advantage through responsible innovation in the New Zealand sheep dairy industry.”
It finds, rather than competing on cost the sheep dairy industry should promote sustainability and environmental benefits, and be innovative…
A new website has been launched by the New Zealand Groundspread Fertilisers Association (NZGFA). The site – www.nzgfa.co.nz –promotes best practice fertiliser spreading. It was recently unveiled alongside a new logo at the NZGFA 61st annual conference.
The new site provides industry news and advice for groundspreaders as well as information for farmers, growers and other fertiliser users on how to find a local groundspreader accredited to Spreadmark, the industry’s standard. There is also career advice for prospective groundspreaders, and a video that explains training as well as potential salary. . .
(BusinessDesk) – Allied Farmers’ first-quarter livestock earnings fell, although the rural services firm says it’s too early to say whether it will recover by the end of the current half or the financial year.
Earnings in the three months ended Sept. 30 were below the same period a year earlier “largely due to the impact of the wetter spring weather, which has generally had the impact of reducing livestock sales in this quarter,” the Hawera-based company said in a statement. Allied Farmers had previously predicted “careful growth” in the livestock business, tempered with a flat outlook for the meat processing business as overseas prices remain low. . .
Harry the Hereford-cross, a hungry four-month old bull calf weighing 214kg has beaten his rival hands down in a competition between two DairyNZ research and development farms to raise the heaviest IHC calf.
Harry looked good from the start, arriving early in the season and weighing 50kg at birth. He had the right bloodline to wear the crown. His Dad was a pure bred Hereford and his Mum was a Friesian so he was already set on a winning course, according to Scott Farm Manager Ben Fisher. . .
“When you cross a beef bull with a Friesian or dairy cow you get what’s known as hybrid vigour,” Ben says. “He’s got very good genes.”
Winegrowers in Central Otago have developed a new tool to prevent agri-chemicals drifting and damaging their crops.
The Central Otago Winegrowers Association has created a map designed to stop rogue spray incidents.
Its past president, James Dicey, said spray drifting cost winegrowers millions of dollars every year in lost production.
“Grape vines are remarkably difficult to kill but they are ridiculously sensitive to some of these chemicals, so they can take a bit of a hit for a couple of years and that can have a downstream effect on the volume of grapes and the volume of wines that’s produced off those grapes,” he said. . .
Westland Milk Products has reached a milestone in its efforts to offer shareholders a sustainable and industry competitive payout with confirmation of next season’s forecast payout.
Westland is forecasting a net payout range (after retentions) of $6.40 to $6.80 for 2017-18 season – a substantial improvement on the two previous seasons. The industry-competitive forecast comes after ten months of analysis and systems change under its new Chief Executive Toni Brendish and new Chair Pete Morrison, resulting in changes at both managerial and board level to better position the company for success in a changing and challenging global dairy market. . .
Federated Farmers is delighted that a joint application made to the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Earthquake Recovery Fund has been successful.
The Federation led the application towards a Farm Business and Land Recovery Programme, which will give direction to recovery research following the Hurunui-Kaikōura earthquake. . .
Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd (Crown Irrigation) has agreed development grant funding of $339,875 for the Orari-Temuka-Opihi-Pareora (OTOP) irrigation conceptual design and costing project, which Environment Canterbury (ECAN) is managing. The South Canterbury area and particularly the greater Opihi catchment has long suffered from water shortages and drought, and numerous water reticulation and supply options have been considered over the years. . .
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy has welcomed new grant funding of over $1.1 million for two irrigation projects in South Canterbury and Central Otago.
Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd has agreed development grant funding of $339,875 for the Orari-Temuka-Opihi-Pareora (OTOP) irrigation conceptual design and costing project, which Environment Canterbury (ECAN) is managing. . .
The New Zealand Agricultural Aviation Association is pleased to confirm the winners of two awards presented at the Aviation Leadership Gala Awards Dinner in Hamilton on Tuesday 25 July.
‘These awards recognise operational excellence and outstanding industry leadership in agricultural aviation,’ said Alan Beck, Chairman of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association (NZAAA). . .
Biosecurity heroes from across the country were recognised in Wellington tonight with the announcement of the 2017 New Zealand Biosecurity Award recipients.
Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy says the winners of these inaugural awards have shown a real commitment to protecting New Zealand.
“Biosecurity is my number one priority as Minister and crucial in protecting our economy and way of life. These awards recognise that it is a shared responsibility for all New Zealanders, and celebrate the efforts of people who are doing their bit for biosecurity every day. . .
Flood-hit farmers in the Bay of Plenty region will have a further opportunity to apply for a grant to help with clean up and recovery, say Social Development Minister Anne Tolley and Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy.
The $100,000 Primary Industries Flood Recovery Fund is part of a package of additional support totalling $295,000 for farms and orchards who suffered damage following the floods.
“The Government is committed to ensuring communities in the Bay of Plenty have the support they need to recover from the April floods,” says Mrs Tolley. . .
Zespri won the Supreme Award as well as Exporter of the Year at the AmCham-DHL Awards in Auckland last night, recognising the investment made to grow kiwifruit sales across the United States.
Zespri Chief Operating Officer Simon Limmer says the company is growing strongly across North America, with most of this growth coming from the new gold variety Zespri SunGold. . .
Ngāi Tahu Seafood Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors, Jen Crawford and Ben Bateman, bringing the total of Ngāi Tahu directors on the board to four out of six.
Ms Crawford has 20 years’ national and international legal experience in project consenting and planning, along with governance experience in the Canterbury region. She has previously worked in leading law firms in New Zealand and the UK, including a partnership at Anderson Lloyd. . .
New Zealand’s seafood stars have been recognised at the industry’s annual conference in Wellington today.
Chief Executive of Seafood New Zealand Tim Pankhurst said the conference, titled Oceans of Innovation, was a celebration of the exciting developments in the industry over the past few years, most of which were not well known.
“Some of the recipients of the Seafood Stars Awards played a significant part in the world-leading, cutting edge technology that is making a real difference to the way commercial fishing targets what it needs and is lessening its environmental footprint,” said Pankhurst. . .
A one-stop source for information on New Zealand seafood was launched at the New Zealand Seafood Industry conference in Wellington today.
OpenSeas is a third-party verified, broad-based transparency initiative designed to enable customers of New Zealand seafood, primarily international customers, a single, comprehensive source of information about the environmental, social and production credentials of the New Zealand seafood industry. . .
A report from economic researchers, BERL shows New Zealand’s commercial fishing industry is worth $4.18 billion.
Chief Executive of Fisheries Inshore New Zealand, Dr Jeremy Helson, says the report confirms the importance of commercial fishing to New Zealand.
“The Ministry for Primary Industries says exports alone are expected to reach $2.3 billion by 2025. Add the contribution to the domestic market through jobs, investment in infrastructure and the sectors supporting the industry and you have a significant contributor to the New Zealand economy,” said Helson. . .
The apple and pear industry has a new name, New Zealand Apples and Pears Incorporated, a change from Pipfruit New Zealand.
The unanimous decision was made at the industry’s annual general meeting held in Napier today.
New Zealand Apples and Pears chief executive, Alan Pollard, said the new name tells exactly what the industry is “apples and pears” and takes advantage of the strong global reputation of “brand New Zealand”. . .
Southland farmers are expressing significant interest in becoming Mataura Valley Milk shareholders and the company expects to fill its supplier requirements, general manager Bernard May says.
The company is striving to be the ‘World’s Best Nutritional Business’ manufacturing and producing premium infant milk formula mainly for export from its purpose-built nutrition plant at McNab, near Gore, Southland. . .
Synlait Milk Limited and The a2 Milk Company Limited are confident with the progress of their application to export a2 Platinum® infant formula to China from 1 January 2018.
The CFDA requires manufacturers of infant formula to register brands and recipes with them in order to import products from 1 January 2018. . .
Federated Farmers is seeking a ”targeted catchment approach” to addressing water quality, where sustainable economic growth could be achieved alongside environmental goals.
The rural lobby organisation has launched its manifesto before this year’s election, challenging political parties to take a sensible, practical and affordable approach to tackling issues of high importance to its members.
It supported a framework for catchment partnerships that co-ordinated community, council and scientific efforts. . .
Water quality issues should be addressed by targeting individual catchments, Federated Farmers says.
The policy was included in the federation’s Farmers’ Manifesto that advocated a “sensible, practical and affordable” approach to tackling issues of relevance to rural areas.
On water quality, the federation’s outgoing president Dr William Rolleston said that approach would allow sustainable economic growth alongside environmental goals.
“We support a framework for catchment partnerships that co-ordinates community, council and scientific efforts. . .
It takes very little prodding for new Federated Farmers president Katie Milne to identify that her number one priority is reconnecting urban and rural New Zealanders.
That split was the root of many accusations levelled at farmers over water quality and environmental issues as well as deterring people from pursuing careers in agriculture, she said.
“Because of all the flak we’ve been getting lately from Greenpeace etc, NZ needs to remember that farmers produce great food, which is important economically and to the sustainability of local communities.” . .
Waipori Station manager Dave Vaughan readily acknowledges the topic of health and safety wouldn’t have been brought up a few years ago, if it didn’t have to be.
But much had changed in recent years, he said, and it was now something regularly and freely discussed among the 14 team members.
At 12,000ha, Landcorp-owned Waipori Station is a vast property, surrounding Lake Mahinerangi, in the Otago hinterland.
Mr Vaughan and his wife Hayley have been there for five years. Before that, he managed another Landcorp property at Hindon. . .
(BusinessDesk) – New Zealand King Salmon Investments expects annual earning to beat its offer document forecast on strong demand for its products and affirmed its projected profit for the following year.
Pro-forma operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation is forecast to be between $20.5 million and $21 million in the year ending June 30, up from the $19.2 million predicted in its October offer documents and ahead of $16 million a year earlier, the Nelson-based company said in a statement. . .
LIC is increasing its investment in National Milk Records PLC (NMR), the leading supplier of farm management recording services in the United Kingdom.
The farmer-owned co-operative currently holds a 2.6% stake through its subsidiary business, Livestock Improvement Corporation (UK) Limited. The acquisition of another 17.2% will take LIC’s total shareholding of NMR to an equity stake of 19.8%. . .
As my three years being your dairy Industry chair comes to end, it is worth reflecting on what a rollercoaster ride the last three years have been for me. For the first two years it was mainly a huge focus around the downturn in prices with all the various attacks on dairy coming a close second, and this last year with prices thankfully recovering, the critics of dairy in particular and agriculture in general have really cranked things up. The pressure isn’t just happening here in New Zealand, but it is a worldwide thing in the developed world, at my recent International dairy federation meeting we spent a quite a bit of time on the anti-dairy movement. The nuances are different in each country, but by and large it revolves around the animal welfare aspects, and the environmental aspects. Often the two are linked with the vegans pushing the animal rights side, pointing to the co-benefit of in their mind of saving the planet by going vegan. Likewise, the environmentalists will point out that we don’t need animal based agriculture anyway, as you can get all the nutrition you need from lentils, mung beans, and tofu. It is also not just the traditional hippy type activist’s that want to tell us how to farm us well. . .
It’s time for “big sky forward thinking” on the cost, marketing and competition challenges facing the New Zealand meat and wool sectors, Rick Powdrell says.
In his final address as Federated Farmers Meat & Fibre Industry Chairman, Mr Powdrell told delegates to the Feds’ national conference in Wellington today that tinkering at the edges of change are not going to cut it.
Complex ownership and marketing structures make achieving agreed national strategies very difficult, but in the face of “profitability squeezed at all levels”, and in the case of meat the future threat of synthetic protein, boldness and open discussion were more important than ever. . .
A trial project to recharge the Makauri aquifer near Gisborne and deliver an economic boost to the region has been officially started by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today.
“This aquifer is crucial to the local economy but water availability is a major issue. Lack of water is holding back the further development of arable and horticultural industries which would mean more jobs and exports,” says Mr Guy. . .
Nominations are being sought for the 2017 Rabobank Leadership Awards, recognising outstanding leadership among both accomplished and up-and-coming leaders in New Zealand and Australia’s food, beverage and agribusiness industries.
The two peer-nominated annual awards – the Rabobank Leadership Award and the Rabobank Emerging Leader Award – are among the industry’s most highly-regarded accolades, acknowledging the critical contribution of good leadership to the success of the food and agribusiness sector. . .
Keith Woodford, honorary professor of agri-food systems at Lincoln University, said whole milk powder was mainly used by developing countries, and once they became more established, demand fell away.
Whole milk powder is one New Zealand’s biggest exports. In the year to March, whole milk exports were worth nearly $4.8 billion – more than a third of dairy export earnings.
More than 1.3 million tonnes of the product was sent overseas in the year to June 2016, AgriHQ figures show.
“I don’t think we’ve quite recognised in New Zealand the extent to which we’ve developed our industry focused toward a product which is used by countries while they’re developing rather than when they are fully developed,” Mr Woodford said. . .
In early June, I made a quick trip to Taranaki to talk to the Rural Business Network, which is a mix of farmers and rural professionals. For me, the trip brought back many memories.
As a South Islander for much of my life, it was wonderful to see the lush green grass growing nicely even in winter, and to be reminded of the benefits of free-draining volcanic soils. And then to look up to snowclad Mt Taranaki, which was the very first mountain of any significance that I climbed while still a schoolboy.
It was also in Taranaki, some 51 years ago, and as a city boy coming then from Wellington, that I first milked cows. My boss was Murray Scown who, with his wife, was sharemilking on the coast near Manaia. . .
Horticulture New Zealand national seasonal labour coordinator Jerf van Beek today told a breakfast function in Wellington, hosted by Corrections Minister Louise Upston and the Corrections Department, about the rewards of helping former offenders into permanent work.
In July last year, Horticulture New Zealand signed a memorandum of understanding with Corrections to enable Hawke’s Bay growers to employ people coming out of Hawke’s Bay Regional Prison.
“In addition to working for Horticulture New Zealand, I’m a Hawke’s Bay cherry grower who, with my wife and a group of mates, have volunteered to help at the local Hawke’s Bay prison for the past 13 years,” van Beek says. .
The team from MyApiary certainly had something to be buzzing about last week, receiving four awards at the Fieldays 2017 Innovation Awards. The accolade comes at an opportune time for the Hamilton based smart tech company that is just launching its software product for commercial beekeepers.
Co-Founders Darren Bainbridge and Carl Vink along with marketing intern Steph Fankhauser were presented with the awards during the Fieldays Innovation Awards presentation breakfast on Thursday last week. With over 80 entries and a total of 10 awards on offer, the MyApiary team managed a solid performance. . .
Front-footing biosecurity was the key focus of a recent workshop attended by more than 30 aquaculture operators, iwi and researchers from around the Bay of Plenty and New Zealand.
Facilitated by the Bay of Connections Regional Aquaculture Organisation (RAO), the workshop was held to formulate a more proactive approach to managing biosecurity risks and issues, including managing the risks fanworm and infestations on the region’s wharfs and waters. . .
Head just west from Riverton, Southland, turn inland from stony Colac Bay and the wilder waters of Foveaux Strait, and you reach the Mathieson family farm.
Sandwiched between the sea and the bush-covered slopes of Longwood Forest, it’s where Ewen Mathieson was born, and has remained ever since.
“It’s a pretty special place.”
For most of its history, the 650-hectare farm ran mainly sheep and beef, but in 2008 – the year the National-led government was elected – the family decided to convert to dairy.
Researchers studying how pāua have been impacted by the Kaikōura earthquake say it is not yet clear how long it will take the species to recover.
November’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake lifted parts of coastline up by several metres in places, dehydrating and killing thousands of exposed pāua.
Last year the government announced a $2 million research package to look at how marine life was coping after the disaster.
Pāua are one of the species thought to have fared worst in the Kaikōura earthquake. A ban on collecting them and all other shellfish and seaweed in the area, excluding crayfish, is in place until November this year – when it will be reviewed. . .
Federated Farmers is delighted to see farmers’ environmental work being showcased and celebrated at the annual Green Ribbon Awards in Wellington last night.
The Ministers for Environment and Conservation who hosted the event announced two farmer led initiatives as winners; The Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust was honoured in the community leadership category, while Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu was winner of the Kaitiaki Leadership category.
In all, there were five farmer led initiatives which were 2017 finalists, underlining kiwi farmers’ commitment to the environment and biodiversity. . .
It would be tempting to take these results and make a case for ending Canadian dairy supply management, but there are better reasons for ending Canadian supply management.
A new paper out in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows there’s an association between children drinking non-dairy milk, as opposed to cow’s milk, and lower heights.
The press release talks about associations but doesn’t say anything about causality. Nevertheless, the author goes on about the lack of regulation of protein content in non-dairy milk.
And hey, maybe that’s what’s going on. Reduced protein intake could be doing it. . .
Strong demand from key markets is driving up export growth in forestry products, Associate Primary Industries Minister Louise Upston says.
The latest Ministry for Primary Industries’ Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries (SOPI) shows strong growth in the forestry sector.
“Forestry exports are expected to grow 6.4 per cent to $5.5 billion in 2017, before increasing further to $6.3 billion by 2021 as increased volumes of wood become available for harvest,” Ms Upston says. . .
Seeing their product presented to the North American market was an emotional and triumphant experience for a group of New Zealand wool growers last month.
Just Shorn®, Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool)’s range of premium New Zealand wool carpets and rugs, was launched in New York City on May 18 at an event attended by New Zealand Trade Commissioner – Consul General, Beatrice Faumuina.
Craig Carr, managing director of Carrfields, said the farmers who attended the event were immensely proud to see the finished carpets and rugs, which are now available from US luxury flooring specialist Carlisle, presented at the event. . .
It’s ‘s growing day 10 already and I am just now telling the story of planting #My60Acres! Many of you will remember from last year that my farmer husband gave me full access to take over one, 60 acre field on our home farm. Last year #My60Acres was planted to corn (you can read that story here). I delayed planting a few days (because I didn’t want to take time off from my day job) and it cost me in yield at harvest time because I hit some wet, cold weather right after planting. . .
Hawke’s Bay producer, Sileni Estates, has been awarded Platinum at the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) for its 2014 Estate Selection Peak Syrah.
The Decanter World Wine Awards is one of the world’s largest and most influential international wine competitions judged by the top wine experts, Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers from around the world. . .
Xero announces new app developments, agri-specific reporting templates and benchmarking capability
As Fieldays is in full swing and businesses have been spending up large, Xero is urging agri businesses to proactively manage their finances.
Craig Hudson, New Zealand Country Manager at Xero, says the agri sector has some of the longest payment terms Xero sees across New Zealand.
“The concept of monthly invoicing is outdated for the agri sector. If you aren’t invoicing as you complete work, you are missing a trick. The sector will be losing out on millions due to the unnecessary cost of financing negative cashflow. . .
A new project set up in North Otago is aimed at helping farmers learn about how their activities can impact onwater quality.
Seven small ”pods” of farmers are being set up. Their members are setting achievable goals to achieve better water quality and then taking action to reach them.
The initiative is part of the ”local solutions built by local people” approach being taken by North Otago Sustainable Land Management Group (Noslam).
The project was a good way for the community to work together to find solutions for water quality in the Kakanui catchment, spokeswoman Jane Smith said.
The Otago Regional Council supported the approach being taken to help farmers meet their obligations under the water plan, which gave them room to be innovative in their farming practices, as long as they did not harm water quality, she said. . .
This last week I have been in Tillamook, in Western Oregon. Together with three colleagues from Calder Stewart, I have been exploring the dairy systems here, to see what learnings we can bring back to New Zealand.
Tillamook is a high rainfall zone on the Pacific Coast and has much of the same feel about it as the West Coast of New Zealand. It is one of the few places in the world where dairy cows can be grazed on perennial pastures, and using the same grass species as we use in New Zealand. The latitude is 45 degrees North, which is a latitudinal mirror image of Oamaru, Alexandra and South Westland. But climatically, it Westland that is the best comparison. . .
The Ministry for Primary Industries has launched a mobile app that helps farmers, transporters, stock agents and veterinarians determine whether an animal is fit for transport.
Developed with industry and vets, the app is an easy and efficient tool to help people make the right decision for the welfare of animals. It consolidates available information in to one place and doesn’t require internet access, which makes it suitable for on-farm use. . .
Associate Minister for Primary Industries Louise Upston has welcomed the opening of the next round of funding for erosion control in the Gisborne region.
The Ministry of Primary Industries’ Erosion Control Funding Programme (ECFP) helps eligible land owners in the region contain erosion and improve susceptible land.
Improvements were recently made to the programme, including providing upfront funding to reduce the financial burden for land owners and extending the land categories eligible for treatment. . .
Between July and October many dairy farmers will be run off their feet with calving. Up at the crack of dawn (or even earlier), checking cows and not finishing until well after the sun has gone down.
To help prepare their members for another busy season, Dairy Women’s Network are running their annual ‘Successful Calf Rearing’ workshops in the regions from late May through to early July. . .
(BusinessDesk) – New Zealand export log prices generally rose this month, as key fundamentals move in the country’s favour, AgriHQ said.
Prices lifted through all unpruned export log grades this month, while pruned logs experienced some minor weakness, according to AgriHQ’s monthly survey of exporters, forest owners and saw millers.
“The key fundamentals at the wharf gate have swung ever so slightly into NZ exporters’ favour,” AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick said in his report titled ‘Forestry sectors keeping humming’. . .
An expansive sheep and beef station has been placed on the market for sale. Waipaoa Station spreads across 1667 hectares some 58 kilometres north-west of Gisborne.
Waipaoa Station winters 16,500 stock units over 87 subdivided paddocks of easy-medium terrain, in conjunction with 358.5 hectares of adjoining leased pasture land subdivided into a further 12 paddocks. The property is being marketed for sale by Tender through Bayleys Gisborne – with tenders closing on June 16th 2017. . .
An open letter to anglers, hunters and farmers – it’s time for meaningful discussion:
This Saturday (6 May) thousands of farmers will open their properties up to hunters for the opening of the 2017 duck shooting season. Throughout the year farmers provide access to waterways across their properties – to enable anglers the opportunity of catching trout.
Farmers, often in partnership with their local fish and game folk, have spent significant time and money creating and restoring wetland habitats. Strong friendships have been established between hunters/anglers and landowners. In recognition of this partnership, resident landowners and their families do not need a Fish and Game licence to shoot or fish on their own properties.
In some regions the Fish and Game licence revenue has been used to make the life of landowners that much more difficult. As a result, some Fish and Game licence holders may not face the same friendly welcome by their farmer friends this year. . .
Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd. (Crown Irrigation) has agreed development grant funding of $388,000 for Kurow Duntroon Irrigation Company (KDIC), matching the company’s own financial contribution for this development phase. The funding is required to complete the remaining work to reach construction commencement and confirm the commercial viability of the proposed scheme.
The current community-based scheme was established in 1965 irrigating on the south bank of the Waitaki River below the dam, however it is now in need of major work.
KDIC is seeking to upgrade and expand the existing open canal scheme with a fully piped system capable of expanding irrigation capacity from its existing 1,986ha to potentially 6,000ha. The water supply comprises consented takes from the Waitaki dam and river together with additional supply from the existing McKenzie Irrigation Company. . .
A biosecurity response is underway after the detection of myrtle rust on mainland New Zealand for the first time, Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy and Conservation Minister Maggie Barry have announced today.
Myrtle rust is a fungal disease which can seriously damage various species of native and introduced plants in the myrtle family, including pohutukawa, rata, manuka, gum, bottlebrush and feijoa.
“The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) was notified on Tuesday evening by a nursery in Kerikeri that five pohutakawa seedlings had suspected myrtle rust, and laboratory testing has now confirmed this,” says Mr Guy.
“MPI has moved quickly and initiated a Restricted Place notice to restrict the movement of any plants and people at the site, and is treating nursery stock with fungicide spray as a precaution. Work is also underway to trace any stock that has left the nursery and all other nurseries in Kerikeri are being inspected today. . .
The overwhelming majority of New Zealand’s commercial fisheries are performing well, according to MPI’s latest stock assessments.
The Status of New Zealand’s Fisheries report for 2016 released this week shows a record percentage of the tonnage and value of landings of scientifically evaluated stocks have no sustainability issues.
The report shows ninety seven percent of scientifically evaluated landings were from stocks above or well above sustainable levels, Seafood New Zealand chief executive Tim Pankhurst said.
“The figures show that New Zealand continues to be a world leader in fisheries management,” he said. . .
Scientists have managed to successfully breed blue cod for the first time, a milestone that will support the development of a new aquaculture industry for New Zealand.
In association with Ngāi Tahu Seafood Ltd, the Seafood Technologies team at Plant & Food Research in Nelson are investigating how to breed different species of native fish in captivity, building knowledge of the conditions required for the fish to successfully reproduce.
For the first time, they have managed to breed and grow blue cod to fingerlings. New Zealand can now consider potential opportunities for this desirable table fish, such as intensive aquaculture grow out or supplementing local populations under pressure from fishing. . .
Ara Institute of Canterbury’s proposal to restructure Primary Industries programmes is designed to adjust provision to align with industry demands, Chief Executive Kay Giles said.
“We are disappointed that the Tertiary Education Union has chosen to portray this review as a ‘betrayal of Timaru’, which clearly does not accurately reflect the facts of the review consultation document.”
“It is our responsibility to the Timaru community and the Primary Industries sector to adjust the portfolio to offer the right programmes for the needs of employers. There has been very little demand for the particular programmes that are under review so we need to put our energy where there will be much more value for the primary sector.” . .
Southland is hosting the National Sustainability Showcase of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the first time at the end of this month.
Up to 400 people will be attending a gala dinner at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill on Wednesday May 31. Tickets are on sale on http://www.bfea.org.nz.
Eleven award ceremonies have already been held around the country and each regional supreme winner has been invited to the Showcase to be considered for the Gordon Stephenson Trophy – named in honour of Waikato farmer and noted conservationist, the late Gordon Stephenson. . .
We had just wrapped up a team presentation to our Board of Directors. The comment came across as a compliment, so I smiled and politely responded that I love my work here.
On the drive home, and numerous times since that day, I found myself thinking about his comment.
I’ve never worked anywhere else. Or at least a real “grown-up job” anywhere else. Since I sat down at my first Farm Credit desk as a 21 year old intern, I’ve never left. The offers have been there. But I could list on a single hand the hours I’ve actually contemplated leaving. . .
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