Rural round-up

Feds call for urgent action on land use report :

Federated Farmers Forestry Spokesperson Toby Williams is urging the Government to act quickly on the recommendations made in the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use report.

“The Government needs to take the recommendations in this report very seriously and move quickly to make changes that will protect our community,” Mr Williams says.

“If they don’t, we are just going to see a repeat of the total devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle repeated every few years. That’s just not an outcome this community will be willing to accept.”

The recommendations made for Tairawhiti are clear, compelling, and provide a bespoke solution for our region, Mr Williams says. “We have a very short window to make changes, so now isn’t the time to sit on our hands. . . 

Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti horticulture industries urgently need more government direction and support :

The Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti horticulture industries urgently need more Government direction and support if they are to recover to pre-cyclone levels of growth within the next decade.

‘We applaud the wider investment that the Government is making nationally in the recovery and the future of New Zealand. However, Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti fruit and vegetable growers urgently need more Government direction and support and if the industry is to fully recover,’ says HortNZ President, Barry O’Neil.

‘While we are encouraged by statements that the Government wants to work with communities and industries like ours, this needs to happen as soon as possible – by June as the Government has promised – and not be a bureaucratic nightmare. If the recovery doesn’t speed up, we will lose more businesses from our industry – businesses that pump upwards of a billion dollars a year into the Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti economies.’

Barry says it is not as if the Government is alone in spending heavily on the recovery. . .

REMINDER: Last year Federated Farmers scientifically polled 1,000 Kiwis & confirmed NZ does not support a levy on agricultural GHG.

Kiwis don't want to see 20% of sheep & beef production disappear. pic.twitter.com/RTHdajin4W

— Federated Farmers (@FedFarmers) May 16, 2023

Unrest in the forest and the trouble with trees – Eric Crampton :

Federated Farmers and Beef & Lamb New Zealand have stepped-up their campaigns against carbon forestry.

Federated Farmers objected to a Dutch company’s purchase of two sheep and beef farms for tree-planting, arguing it would mean fewer jobs and people in rural towns.

Beef & Lamb New Zealand commissioned work pointing out that New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme is friendlier than others to forestry, while suggesting that the difference is not to New Zealand’s benefit.

How the government responds will provide a signal about whether the country is serious about getting to Net Zero. Kicking trees out of the ETS would set a very poor precedent.

The problem with the ETS isn’t that it encourages carbon sequestration in trees. The ETS is, and should be, focused sharply on reducing the country’s net emissions. That’s what it was built to do, and that’s what the Zero Carbon Act’s Net Zero target requires. Our being out of step with other countries is not always a fault. We do get some things right occasionally. . .

Arable yield up but storage allowance has become a sore point :

The yield was up 7 percent on average across the six milling/malting and feed cereal crops last season but there were very trying conditions for some North Island growers.

The May AIMI (Arable Industry Marketing Initiative) report describes excellent harvest conditions in most South Island regions, though rain in March in parts of Canterbury and northern Southland doused crops and made harvest/paddock access difficult.

It was much more difficult in the North Island, Federated Farmers Arable Vice-President Grains, Andrew Darling said. After continual rain some spring crops had a harvest window but then February’s cyclone blew in, flooding paddocks, delaying harvest and in some cases large portions of crops were lost.

Some 103,200 tonnes of milling wheat were harvested, up 49 percent compared to last year when contracting issues saw growers pursue other options. . .

Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award winners lead change through innovation :

Cameron Henderson from Oxford in Canterbury/North Otago was named the 2023 Fonterra Responsible Dairying Award winner during the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Gala dinner on Saturday night and received the John Wilson Memorial Trophy.

The prestigious award was introduced by the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and Fonterra to recognise dairy farmers who demonstrate leadership in their approach to sustainability and who are respected by their fellow farmers and their community for their attitude and role in sustainable dairying.

“All finalists were constantly looking to improve and were never done, but Cameron wasn’t afraid to pull back if something didn’t work,’ says head judge Melissa Slattery.

“He was always looking to incrementally make gains in reducing his environmental footprint, including N leaching measurement, dung beetles, compost and planting shelter for his animals.” . . .

NZ is currently the only country in the world to allow full offsetting with forestry in a capped ETS.

Kiwis view this as wrong.

Time to fix the ETS. pic.twitter.com/TWa7DYcXID

— Federated Farmers (@FedFarmers) May 16, 2023

Fieldays Innovation Award finalists to showcase modern solutions for modern problems :

The finalists for the 2023 Fieldays Innovation Awards have been announced across three categories, with 49 entrants standing to win a total prize package of cash, services, and products worth more than $60,000 to help launch their new product.

Showcased at the Fieldays Innovation Hub, the Fieldays Innovation Awards are the ultimate launch platform for Primary Innovation and are a globally renowned awards programme judged by a panel of 15 sector experts who represent a wide range of experience from around the NZ innovation eco-system. This year’s awards promise to showcase some of the most innovative ideas and technologies in the agricultural industry.

“We are thrilled to announce the finalists for this year’s Fieldays Innovation Awards,” says Fieldays Programme Manager Steve Chappell. “It’s fantastic to see entries of such a high calibre again in the award’s 55th year. I’m sure visitors will be wowed by the innovation on display in the Fieldays Innovation Hub and on the Fieldays Innovation Trail. The awards have been the launchpad for plenty of unique, global-quality, innovative solutions over the years, and this year will be no different.”

“Fieldays has been an integral part of the Riverwatch journey, supporting us through our development, awarding us the Prototype Award in 2017, and the Growth & Scale Award last year. Our company would not be in the position that it is now without this support from the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event,” said Abi Croutear-Foy, Chief Growth Officer at RiverWatch. . . 

Rural round-up

Dairy price lift will give fillip to regional economies and fortify Fonterra’s confidence in pressing on with capital restructuring – Point of Order:

Our  dairy provinces  are  reverberating to  the  news that prices  soared  at the  latest Fonterra GDT auction. The prosperity  this  brings  to the regions  will  provide a  significant counterbalance  to the loss  of earning power  in the tourism sector because of the pandemic.

The average price at the auction climbed 15% to $US4,231 a tonne but,  more  importantly, the price for wholemilk  powder, which is  the  key to the payout  to farmers,rose an astonishing 21% to $US4,364 a tonne. Butter  was  up  sharply to $US5,826 a tonne, or 13.7%.

Overall, the increase compares with a 3% rise at the previous auction two weeks ago. . . 

Reducing cow numbers no silver bullet for emissions – Sudesh Kissun:

Reducing cow numbers isn’t the ‘silver bullet’ to lowering greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand, says Northland farmer and entrepreneur Tom Pow.

With the Government facing calls to slash cow numbers as part of its climate change action plan, Pow, the founder of HerdHomes, says a knee-jerk reaction to reduce cow numbers would be naïve.

He suggests looking at other options including reducing the number of hours cows spend in paddocks. “Balanced feed can lead to less greenhouse gasses (GHG) or effectively a smaller herd mis-managed could produce even more GHG,” he told Dairy News. . . 

Good start to the day. Chardonnay is on its way. Will hand pick two tonne for ourselves on the weekend. pic.twitter.com/AiSLZvzsf1

— 🇳🇿Lesley 🍎🍇🍷☕️ (@Lesleyattalk) March 2, 2021

Exciting board role for up and coming farmer – Peter Burke:

A 50/50 sharemilker at an award-winning Maori farming enterprise has been selected as one of two associate directors at DairyNZ for the coming year.

Carlos Delos Santo works for the Onuku Maori Lands Trust which runs a number of dairy farms near Rotorua as well as a sheep milking operation and other businesses. The other new associate director is Cameron Henderson who farms in Canterbury with his partner Sarah.

Delos Santo says he’s really excited to be selected for this role, as it allows him the chance to gain knowledge on what occurs at DairyNZ board meetings and contribute to important sector discussions. . .

Following his calling, not many downsides to farming – Toni Williams:

Mike Carr has had a calling to be a farmer since he was 8 years old; old enough to drive a tractor and help out on farm.

By the age of 25 he’d travelled overseas and had a mechanic’s qualification under his belt before returning to the family farm to work alongside his parents, Ian and Sue.

Then he took over.

He loves farming — and being outdoors.

“You’re your own boss. It’s great — you don’t answer to anyone else,” he said. . .

Shed consent application process could be improved – Shawn McAvinue:

A frustrated West Taieri farmer is calling for the Otago Regional Council to do better so he can achieve his dream of building a shed to keep his cattle warm and dry.

The council says it will seek ways to improve its service.

Fred Doherty, of Outram, said he had expected the process to get the consents required to build a wintering shed in the middle of his 90ha sheep and beef farm to be “simple and basic” but it had been “frustrating” and made considerably more expensive by red tape.

“It’s been a dream of mine to be able to put my stock inside for winter and to know that whatever nature throws at them, they are safe, warm and dry and your farm is getting looked after.” . . 

So pretty 🌻 pic.twitter.com/b0Hg7bGYPU

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) March 2, 2021

Could the next Emirates Team New Zealand boat be made entirely of hemp?:

With The America’s Cup due to start in a few days’ time, innovators from a very different sphere have been wondering how long it could be before New Zealand could be competing in a boat entirely built from hemp, with the crew eating high-energy, nutritious hemp-infused foods and wearing high-performance hemp kit?

Industrial hemp (iHemp) is from the same family as cannabis, but from different cultivars and without the psychoactive effects. Having historically fallen out of favour, it’s rapidly finding its place in the world again, due primarily to its environmental and health benefits.

Hemp has a wide range of uses driven by its unique characteristics. Hemp textiles are naturally anti-fungerial, antic static, antibacterial and antimicrobial and can stop 95% of the UV light. Used in construction materials, it is fire resistant, breathable and strong; one sixth of the weight of concrete and continues to sequester carbon throughout its life. .  .

Rural round-up

After the lockdown, the economy’s recovery will be dependent on dairy farms and their milk – Point of Order:

The planet is  in a state of   flux,   economies are tumbling into  recession, no-one (not even Donald Trump) can predict  when the agony will  end.

Suddenly, the streets  are  empty:  life  as  we have  known  it is  now  very  different. The  nation  is  in   lockdown.

As  the  London  “Economist” put it:

“The struggle  to  save  lives  and the  economy  is  likely to present  agonising choices…As  that  sends economies  reeling, desperate  governments are trying to tide over  companies and  by handing out millions of  dollars in  aid and loan guarantees. Nobody can be sure how these rescues  will work”. . . 

Don’t stress weakening economy – Neal Wallace:

Economist Cameron Bagrie is joining a chorus of calls for the Government to delay introducing policy imposing new environmental rules and costs on a rapidly weakening economy.

Bagrie says Government borrowing as a percentage of gross domestic product has doubled from 20% to 40% in the last few weeks as it tries to protect jobs and businesses from the impact of measures to control the covid-19 virus pandemic.

He expects Government borrowing will increase further and warns now is not the time to introduce more costs on businesses in freshwater regulations and the new minimum wage, which applies from April 1.

“Farming has been unloved and beaten up by the Government for the last two or three years but the Government is going to need farmers for the next few years.” . . 

Virus adds to woes of North Canterbury farmers – David Hill:

The uncertainty around the Covid-19 pandemic is adding yet another headache for North Canterbury farmers.

Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Cameron Henderson and North Canterbury Rural Support Trust chairman Andy Munro say dry conditions, the ongoing effects of Mycoplasma bovis and coronavirus, and this week’s 5.1-magnitude earthquake near Culverden are creating uncertainty.

‘‘The effects of the virus seem to be changing day to day as we have seen with share markets and travel bans,’’ Mr Henderson said. . . 

Farm walk done for the week. Main difference we have noticed so far is our normally busy road is dead quite – until tonight when all the tankers go past. pic.twitter.com/JvtRlCvnzc

— Anieka Templer (@AniekaNick) March 25, 2020

Meat matters to sector stalwart – Colin Williscroft:

Tim Ritchie retires as Meat Industry Association chief executive on April 7 after a career in primary sector roles that began in the 1970s. Colin Williscroft reports.

THE meat industry has come a long way since Tim Ritchie got involved and a decision made on the far side of the world about then that has provided the biggest advantage to the sector here in the years since.

Though it might not have seemed like it at the time, in retrospect Britain joining the then European Economic Community in 1973 was the best thing that could have happened for New Zealand farmers. . . 

Leader learnt a lot in dairy industry – Yvonne O’Hara:

‘‘It was like being dropped into the mothership of emergency management.’’

That is how Katrina Thomas describes her involvement with the recent flood recovery effort in the South.

The Wreys Bush dairy farmer was Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) southern regional hub leader for Otago and Southland since 2016, and regional leader for Southland since 2012.

However, this year she decided she wanted to try other challenges. . . 

Isolation is not so bad here at Dalzell.
Getting the ewes down for crutching and there vaccinations before putting the ram out in about 5 weeks. pic.twitter.com/14KXe1Agt9

— Aaron McCall (@AaronMc37880088) March 26, 2020

Wine industry faces worker accommodation woes during lockdown:

The wine industry is facing criticism for continuing harvest during the Covid-19 lockdown, and is facing problems with worker accommodation

The government says the grape and wine industry can continue to operate as an essential business, but strict conditions apply as the country moves to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Some Marlborough people have noticed the hundreds of workers travelling to work in vineyards all over the district, and have questioned whether this was safe in the current climate. . . 

Rural round-up

Attacking the noblest profession – Hamish Marr:

In this, the second in a series written by the latest crop of Nuffield Scholars farmer Hamish Marr says farmers are down because they are constantly being attacked while at the same time being denied access to the tools that can help them feed the world while addressing critics’ concerns.

After almost half of this year travelling the world there are a lot of thoughts in my head regarding agriculture and farming.

The biggest take-home for me is the universal problem of people wanting what they haven’t got simply through believing the grass is always greener over the fence and genuinely not understanding agriculture and what is involved in food production. . .

Country Calendar: busy life for Young Farmer Of The Year contestant – Melenie Parkes:

Lisa Kendall is a farmer with a full plate. As well as running her own business, she also works at a rural supply store and volunteers with Riding For The Disabled. 

She also won the Northern Regional final of Young Farmer Of The Year competition and is in the running for the Grand Final in July. As if that’s not enough, she is also pregnant with her first baby.

“The baby will be a farming baby,” says Kendall emphatically. “It will have to be,” she laughs. . . 

Energy the next ag evolution? – Cameron Henderson:

This is the first in a series of articles written by the latest crop of Nuffield Scholars. This week Canterbury farmer Cam Henderson looks at the possibility of farmers generating energy while combatting climate change and being easier on the environment.

Prices are good and interest rates are low but farmers’ moods are down because the regulatory pressure gives them little hope for the future. 

Researchers are furiously searching for more sustainable ways of farming food and fibre but what if there was a whole new sector that could provide a light at the end of the tunnel? . . 

Bit of dust coming up off some flooded paddocks tonight 🤙🤙 pic.twitter.com/8epSvwbhCT

— Jeremy Hughes – DTC 🚜🚜🚜 (@travelingfixer) February 27, 2020

Fonterra reaffirms forecast farmgate milk price and earnings guidance, and revises milk collections:

Fonterra Co-operative has reaffirmed its forecast Farmgate Milk Price range at $7.00-7.60 per kgMS and its forecast full-year underlying earnings guidance of 15-25 cents per share. It has also revised its forecast milk collections for the 2020 season down from 1,530 million kgMS to 1,515 million kgMS.

Fonterra CEO Miles Hurrell says the Co-operative remains confident in its forecast Farmgate Milk Price range and it is also maintaining its underlying earnings guidance of 15-25 cents per share despite current market conditions as a result of coronavirus. . . 

A2 Milk profit rises as infant formula sales increase:

A2 Milk has delivered a strong financial result, with increased sales in its infant nutrition business and with better than expected profit margins.

The specialty milk company’s net profit rose 21 percent in the six months to December to $184.9m, with an underlying sales margin of 32.6 percent.

Sales rose 32 percent to $806.7m, with a 33 percent gain in the infant nutrition business. . . 

West Coast DHB recruiting ‘rural generalists’ to solve doctor shortage – Lois WIlliams:

The West Coast District Health Board is planning to tackle a shortage of hospital doctors with a new breed of medics: rural generalists.

The Association for Salaried Medical Staff (ASMS) released a staffing survey this month, revealing what it called “a whopping 43 percent shortfall of senior doctors” at the DHB.

Five out of eight heads of department at the West Coast DHB said they did not have enough specialists for their services and estimated they were eight doctors short. . .

This Pioneer maize cob grown at Greenhill is 20 kernels around – never seen such a thing ! 😳🌽👍. @craigmaxwell16 pic.twitter.com/IwXrI27xLH

— Jake Smith (@GreenhillStud) February 27, 2020

NFU tells government to honour UK farm standards pledge :

The government has been urged by the NFU to honour its manifesto commitment in the Agriculture Bill to safeguard UK food and farming standards.

The government has published its future farming policy updates, as the Agriculture Bill goes through the Committee Stage in the House of Commons.

And at the same time, new details on the future post-Brexit Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELM) has been unveiled.

This will see farmers paid for work that enhances the environment, such as tree or hedge planting, river management to mitigate flooding, or creating or restoring habitats for wildlife . . 

 

 

Reluctant farmer sees light

NZ Farmers Weekly profiles Cameron Henderson:

Cameron Henderson grew up on a dairy farm in Waikato but early in his career he decided dairy farming wasn’t for him. Eight years ago he saw a new light in the industry and joined the gold rush of dairying in a new pocket of Canterbury. His journey to farm ownership has been somewhat of a roller-coaster ride but he has no regrets. Annette Scott joined him on-farm to hear his story.

Cameron Henderson started his journey in the dairy industry working for Fonterra as a business analyst.

Growing up on the family dairy farm in Waikato he’d made the call early that he wasn’t keen on being a dairy farmer.

“As a kid I thought there’s got to be more to an agricultural career than wet, cold and mud. . .

 

Rural round-up

Queen’s Birthday Honours: Doug Avery:

Doug Avery
MNZM
For services to agriculture and mental health

Douglas Avery is a farmer in the Awatere region and has contributed to developing farm and land practices, as well as being a spokesperson for mental health issues within the farming community.

Mr Avery has successfully adopted land use techniques to drought-proof his farm and has spoken to audiences around New Zealand, Australia and Argentina about his new farming systems that have provided a basis for sustainable environmental and financial growth. . . 

Progress made: farming leader – Dene Mackenzie:

Federated Farmers president William Rolleston is calling for better recognition of the efforts farmers are making in ensuring the improvement in water quality.

Speaking at the Local Government NZ conference, Dr Rolleston said his message to the non-governmental organisations was for them to understand the dynamic and sheer hard work so many farmers put in every day.

The NGOs needed to realise science was providing the tools which would make a difference and was already showing, in most catchments, simply slashing numbers was not the only or the best solution. . .

Pledge to make rural waterways swimmable – Peter Burke:

The Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord is a rock solid commitment by dairy farmers that they are taking action to make rural waterways swimmable.

So said DairyNZ’s chief executive, Dr Tim Mackle, speaking at the release of the three year review of the accord recently.

Mackle says many waterways running through dairy farms are already swimmable but no one is in any doubt that more has to be done. . .

‘Get out and tell your stories’ – Nigel Malthus;

Canterbury dairy farmers are being urged to get involved in telling positive stories about their industry.

Cameron Henderson, of Oxford, told attendees at a recent DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum held at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene farm that farmers are “a bit p***ed off with how the media is portraying us”.

“Yes, we have some changes to make, but the media is blaming us for a whole lot more than that, and I think it’s something we farmers want to do something about.” . .

Massive dairy plant rising – Nicole Sharp:

Block by block, Mataura Valley Milk’s $240million milk powder manufacturing plant is coming together.

The company has reached the next stage of the project, announcing on Monday it would start laying utilities infrastructure this month which would connect the McNab plant to Gore.

About 5km of utilities would be laid, the route following MacGibbon Rd, then passing under the Mataura River to River St, before heading south to the Gore District Council’s oxidation ponds. . .

Big input cuts, production barely wobbles:

Reducing nitrogen on pasture need not be a detriment to great results when it comes to dairy farming, research by the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) shows.

The SIDDC (South Island Dairying Development Centre) runs the Lincoln University Dairy Farm on behalf of the university.

In 2010-11, the centre determined the farm should focus on productivity and efficiency to lift profitability, and operate within its historical environmental footprint. . .