Rural round-up

Expect NZ food and fibre to be a campaign battleground in 2023 – KPMG – Jamie Gray:

New Zealand can expect food and fibre to be a campaign battleground at next year’s general election, consultant KPMG says.

In its latest issue of Agri Agenda, timed for the start of New Zealand’s biggest agricultural event, Fieldays, KPMG’s global head of agribusiness Ian Proudfoot said 2023 was shaping up to be a difficult year.

“As we move into Election 2023, we can expect battlegrounds to appear around areas of political tension,” he wrote in the foreword of Agri Agenda.

“It is reasonable to expect our food and fibre sector will become a campaign battleground given existing tensions in the sector (particularly in relation to climate policy) which brings with it the risk of entrenching divisions amongst farmers and growers across the country and between urban and rural communities,” Proudfoot said. . . 

Sainsbury lamb leg price explained – Reece Brick :

A picture doing the rounds on social media recently showing the cost of a lamb leg in one UK supermarket has definitely hit a nerve with many New Zealanders.

The picture shows what would be considered a low price and at half the usual UK retail value. This created plenty of chatter and concerns over the pricing differential between the two countries. But digging deeper for the facts shows that for starters that price was a Christmas special at only one supermarket for £6.50/kg – in NZ dollars that’s $12.50/kg. You can pick up lamb legs from Countdown this week for less than that.

Secondly, the odds of all the lamb legs being solely from NZ are slim, because the online listing specifically states that the leg of lamb could be NZ or British.

Thirdly, that promotion being run is easily the cheapest offering through the UK supermarkets. A quick skim through the four major supermarket’s websites has almost all other lamb legs going for £9.50-£13.50/kg, which works out to be NZ$18.30-$26/kg based on the exchange rate at the time of writing. That puts PaknSave and New World at the lower-end of this range this week at $19-$21/kg online. . .

Grass fed Jersy milk, cream and butter starts here #westgold #westlandmilk pic.twitter.com/1S8bYq0fOp

— Katie Milne (@ktmilne6) November 28, 2022

Lipstick with New Zealand strong wool a world first :

New Zealand-based company Wool Source and leading lipstick brand Karen Murrell have teamed up to create an unexpected new avenue for strong wool – a lipstick coloured with wool keratin-based pigment.

This collaboration marks the first product to be created and commercially available using Wool Source’s drop-in ingredient and is believed to be a world-first in beauty.

Wool Source Chief Executive Tom Hooper says, “We’re excited that the first product using our ingredient is coming to market in New Zealand and will be something New Zealanders and growers can get behind.

“By collaborating with an experienced and respected brand like Karen Murrell, we’ve been able to test the performance of our pigment with a rigorous product development process and we’re delighted that it’s created a product that Karen and her team are excited by and keen to promote.” . . 

Red meat sector exports to Italy increase 244 per cent in October :

New Zealand’s red meat sector exports to Italy increased by 244 per cent in October, compared with 2021, with demand for sheepmeat and beef hides soaring, according to an analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

Overall, red meat exports for the month were worth $737 million, a six per cent increase on October last year. China was again the largest market, at $290m, followed by the US ($134m), Japan ($32m) and then Italy ($26m). Exports to Canada were also up 82 per cent on last October by value, to $22m.

MIA Chief Executive Sirma Karapeeva said that October had been a steady month for exports, with Italy the stand-out change from 2021.

“Italy is an important market for beef hides, which are used for the manufacturing of luxury goods. The value of these exports increased from $5.6m last October to $19.5m this October and this was the highest monthly value for more than four years. . . 

Zespri releases climate change adaption plan :

Zespri has today released its first ever Climate Change Adaptation Plan – Adapting to Thrive in a Changing Climate – outlining how the kiwifruit industry intends to adapt to a changing climate in New Zealand and in its offshore growing locations.

Developed in consultation with growers and the wider kiwifruit industry, the Climate Change Adaptation Plan (the Plan) establishes a framework for the industry’s long-term approach to adaptation and is a response to Zespri’s Climate Change Risks and Opportunities Report which was published in 2021.

Zespri Chief Grower, Industry and Sustainability Officer Carol Ward says the Plan reflects Zespri’s ongoing commitment towards transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient future.

“We know the climate is changing which brings challenges and opportunities for our industry and its important that we look at how we can ensure the kiwifruit industry remains climate-resilient. . . 

Good example of NZ pastoral producers adapting to market changes from free trade, demand, customer price etc.#FreeTrade #NoSubsidies #MarketDriven #PastoralFood

*From NZ Meat Board post of LinkedIn pic.twitter.com/eQE390RNiB

— Paul McGill ☘🐑🌳🐂🌾🏏🌽🌲♻️🏉🏇🏽🥐🥩🍻🧶🎾♥️🌏 (@PaulBMcGill) November 28, 2022

Ravensdown proud to partner with New Zealand Leadership Coalition to tackle agricultural emissions :

Ravensdown has today shown its commitment to the future of New Zealand farming by uniting with Government and leading New Zealand agribusinesses to address the challenge of climate change and sustainability.

The Joint Venture (JV) leadership coalition, launched by the Prime Minister at Fieldays today, sees Government partner with agribusiness leaders at scale to help New Zealand lower agricultural emissions.

The line-up of JV partners, ANZCO Foods, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms, and Synlait, represent the full spectrum of the food and fibre industry, giving Government insight and access to the entire farm-to-consumer-to-investor value chain.

Garry Diack, Ravensdown Chief Executive Officer, says the industry owes it to farmers to partner, invest and collaborate to help solve the most significant challenge of our time. . . 

Rural round-up

Farmers start new dairy season on an encouraging note as Fonterra signals another record milk price – Point of Order:

New  Zealand’s  dairy  industry, which is  proving  again it is  the  backbone of  the  country’s  export industries, has  been  given  fresh encouragement with the big  co-op Fonterra signalling  a  record  milk price for  the  season  that  has  just  opened.

It  comes  as the  payout  for  the  just-finished  season  stands  as  the  highest  since  the  co-op  was  formed in 2001.

So although farmers have  made  decisions for  this  season on  the  number  of  cows  they  are  milking,  they  have the  incentive  to go  hard on production  levels,  despite the  pressure  from  higher  costs  and worries  over climate changes measures, including  projected charges on emissions.

Fonterra’s buoyant  forecast contrasts with  a recent  report  by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank  which  said that despite global milk production looking set to decrease for the fourth consecutive quarter in Q2 2022, weakening global demand is expected to create a scenario that will see moderate price declines in dairy commodities during the second half of the year. . . 

How we are suckling the sheep milk industry government invests $7.97m in partnership which involves state-owned Landcorp – Point of Order:

Damien O’Connor scored twice – he issued one statement as Minister of Trade and another as Minister of Agriculture – while rookie Emergency Relief Minister Kieran McNulty broke his duck, announcing flood relief for the West Coast.

Covid-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall put more runs on the board, too, with a statement about Government work to combat new and more dangerous variants of COVID-19.

In his trade job, O’Connor declared he was pleased with the quick progress of the United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement Legislation Bill that was introduced to the House yesterday.

It would  enable New Zealand to implement its obligations under the FTA and was necessary to bring the FTA into force, he explained. . . 

 

Day 2 of strong frosts and the girls more keen to get out of bed when the sun is showing. pic.twitter.com/WuyTuAFyoE

— Sharon Paterson (@Dayzie72) June 21, 2022

Kiwifruit sector forecasts drop in profits :

The kiwifruit sector is predicting lower profits this year, as yields drop and shipping costs continue to climb.

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri has sent out an update to growers which shows a decent drop in profit is expected this year.

Last year Zespri made a record $361.5 million, but this year that is expected to drop to between $227m and $247m.

Company spokesperson Carol Ward said it had been a difficult season. . . 

Have your say on the Forests Legal harvest Assurance Amendment Bill :

The Chairperson of the Primary Production Committee is now calling for public submissions on the Forests (Legal Harvest Assurance) Amendment Bill.

The bill would amend the Forests Act 1949 to establish a legal harvest system. This system aims to provide assurance that timber supplied and traded has been harvested legally. The legal harvest system would:

· require that log traders, primary processors, importers, and exporters who operate above specified thresholds to be registered

· require harvest information to be supplied to others when trading, and for records of that information to be kept . . 

Groundspread NZ is the new public face for the New Zealand groundspread fetilisers association :

Groundspread NZ (NZGFA) was established in 1956 to promote and protect the interests of both individuals and companies involved in the groundspread fertiliser industry. The Association is made up of 110 voluntary members from throughout New Zealand, with each member committed to promoting best practice fertiliser placement. Precision placement of fertiliser requires skilled operators, sound spreading equipment and appropriate fertilisers.

Groundspreaders are typically the first step in ensuring on-farm productivity, by spreading nutrients accurately and evenly, using the latest technology, finely calibrated vehicles, and highly trained operators, groundspreaders help farmers and growers get the best out of their nutrient spend. The skill involved in groundspreading means that food production in New Zealand gets the best start possible.

The new name and website better share the story of how the Association’s members contribute to on-farm performance. The new name and website are initiatives driven by the Association’s new and ambitious strategic plan, committed to ensuring best practice in the groundspread industry. Farmers and growers can now visit www.groundspreadnz.com to find a spreader in their area, learn more about how the Association supports members to operate at the high level that they do, and learn more about the Spreadmark scheme.

Spreadmark, established by Groundspread NZ (NZGFA) in 1994, was born from a commitment by the Association’s members to improve spreader performance and outcomes for their clients and the environment. Proper placement of fertiliser is of considerable agronomic benefit to farmers and growers and helps protect the environment from the undesirable side effects of poor fertiliser spreading practices. . . 

Hopefully the rainbow keeps it promise and there is a pot of gold at the end of this year's dairy season. pic.twitter.com/xXR13SIHGa

— Farmers No Borders (@World_Farmers) June 18, 2022

Greenfern industries attains important industry certification :

Greenfern Industries Limited (GFI:NZX) is pleased to announce it has attained its globally-recognised GACP (Good Agriculture and Collection Practice) certification for its cultivation facility based in Normanby, Taranaki.

“This is a milestone that the team has been working towards for some time since commencing cultivation and research and development in our pilot stage one facility,” said Greenfern’s managing director Dan Casey.

GACP guidelines were developed to create a single supranational framework to ensure appropriate and consistent quality in the cultivation and production of medicinal plant and herbal substances. They were developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003 with the aim of improving the quality of medicinal plants being used in herbal medicines in the commercial market.

Greenfern’s certification was undertaken by Control Union Medicinal Cannabis Standards (CUMCS). Control Union Israel was one of the partners which formulated the Israeli Cannabis Standard, which is a global standard. Since then, they have been involved with the development of the Medical Cannabis Standard GAP. . . 

Rural round-up

Oceania Dairy Guarantees Minimum Payout:

Oceania Dairy has delivered good news to its supply farmers with a guaranteed minimum milk payout of $4.50 per kilogram of milk solids for the 2015/16 dairy season.

As the New Zealand dairy sector reels from continued turbulence in global dairy markets Oceania has sought to support its local supply farmers and their communities with the guarantee.

“With Fonterra reducing its forecast payout for the season to $3.85, we wanted to send an important signal of support and partnership to our supply farmers,” said Roger Usmar, General Manager, Oceania Dairy Limited.

“Backed by our owner, Yili, Oceania Dairy has looked at how we can practically support our suppliers at a difficult time for the sector. . . 

Dairy prices a ‘hot topic’ at world summit – Jemma Brackebush:

Farming leaders from around the globe are gathering in Europe this week for the World Dairy Summit.

The week-long summit gets under way today in the Baltic State of Lithuania.

Federated Farmers dairy chairperson Andrew Hoggard is attending and said the main focus would be on science, the environment, animal welfare and international trade.

A hot topic will be how farmers around the world react to low dairy prices, he said. . . 

Factory expands in ‘leap year’ – Allison Beckham:

The addition of three further milk processing plants to Fonterra’s Edendale factory – already the largest in the world by volume – means Fonterra can make a wider range of products and respond more quickly to demand, managing director of global operations Robert Spurway says.

The company has almost completed a $157 million expansion. A new 2900sq m building houses three processing plants – a milk protein concentrate (MPC) plant to separate protein from skim milk and turn it into protein powder, a reverse osmosis plant to increase the capacity of an existing drier by about 300,000 litres a day, and an anhydrous milk fat plant capable of processing 550,000 litres of cream daily. . . 

Synlait annual profit slumps 46% as lactoferrin sales struggle, forecast payout cut – Paul McBeth:

(BusinessDesk) – Synlait Milk, which counts China’s Bright Dairy & Food as its biggest shareholder, posted a 46 percent drop in annual profit as lactoferrin sales missed expectations and it kept milk payments high enough to ensure supply. Synlait cut its payout forecast for the current season.

Net profit dropped to $10.6 million, or 7.21 cents per share, in the 12 months ended July 31, from $19.6 million, or 13.4 cents a year earlier, the Rakaia-based milk processor said in a statement. That was just within the $10 million-to-$15 million forecast Synlait gave when reporting its first-half results in March. Revenue fell 25 percent to $448.1 million, and the bottom line was also weighed on by a $1.6 million unrealised loss on foreign exchange.

Synlait is “in a global operating environment where milk prices have fallen to unsustainably low levels and this is reflected in our FY15 revenue,” chairman Graeme Milne said. “Our suppliers are an important part of our business and we’ve prioritised paying them higher advances and final payments for their milk, relative to our earnings, in what has turned out to be the first of probably two very challenging years on farm.” . . .

 .s on for New Zealand’s next generation of agri-leaders:

• Applications for the 2016 Zanda McDonald Award now open

Agriculture’s young leaders in New Zealand are being urged to step forward and apply for the 2016 Zanda McDonald Award.

Open to agri-business professionals with natural leadership skills from across New Zealand and Australia, the award comes with a $30,000 prize package comprising; an overseas mentoring trip, a place on Rabobank’s Farm Manager’s Programme and $1,000 cash.

Applicants aged 35 or younger and currently in paid employment in agriculture have until Friday 30th October 2015 to submit their entries. . . 

B+LNZ CHIEF EXECUTIVE SIGNALS MARCH 2016 DEPARTURE:

Beef + Lamb New Zealand chairman, James Parsons has today announced the resignation of the organisation’s chief executive, Dr Scott Champion. Dr Champion will leave the industry body, and also his role as chief executive of the New Zealand Meat Board, at the end of March 2016, after 10 years with the organisations.

Dr Champion commenced with then Meat & Wool New Zealand, as General Manager Market Access and Market Development in March 2006. He then stepped up to the CEO roles in late September 2008.

Most recently, Dr Champion has successfully led Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) through the 2015 Sheepmeat and Beef Levy Referendum which secured over 84 per cent support for the organisation to continue working on behalf of farmers. . . 

First-Time Entrants Enjoy Farm Environment Competition:

It took West Otago farmers Richard and Kerry France about eight years to enter the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) but they finally gave it a go last year.

Richard says the experience was well worthwhile and his recommendation to other first-time entrants is to not leave it as long as they did.

“It’s a very well-run competition and it makes you take a ‘big picture’ look at the sustainability of your operation,” he says.

“We put up our hand this year because we felt our farm was ready, but my advice to other farmers would be to get in as soon as you can because that way you will get the benefits earlier.” . . .

Red Meat Profit Partnership and New Zealand Young Farmers partner for education programme:

The Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) has teamed up with New Zealand Young Farmers to promote the value of Education in Agriculture. This new programme offers teachers and students the chance to engage with the Primary Sector to highlight the opportunities within New Zealand’s largest export led industry. This journey is to be “triggered off” with a launch event in Christchurch on September 22.

This programme will offer teachers and students the chance to engage with the Primary Sector to show the vast learning and career opportunities within the industry. Much more than “on-farm” careers this programme encompasses the full value chain – the science, innovation, marketing as well as the global consumer. . . 

Fonterra Shares Further Results of Its Business Review:

Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited today provided a further update on its business review.

Fonterra Chief Executive Theo Spierings said the purpose of the review was to ensure that Fonterra remains well positioned to compete in a rapidly changing global dairy market.

One-off savings generated by changes the Co-operative is making during the business review, such as improving working capital, have already enabled the Co-operative to support our farmers during challenging market conditions. . . 

Zespri shares innovation in inaugural Symposium

Zespri invests over $15 million in kiwifruit innovation science each year and the inaugural Kiwifruit Innovation Symposium on 29 October in Mt Maunganui gives people a chance to see the latest developments for themselves.

Zespri General Manager Marketing and Innovation Carol Ward explains innovation is huge part of the industry with significant investment from Zespri, along with the NZ government and industry. Zespri wants to share this work with its community and hear their ideas about where innovation could go in the future.

“We want to show our growers and industry what’s coming up and the future challenges we’re tackling. The focus for the past few years has been on developing tools and techniques to grow profitably with Psa – now we’re turning our focus back to other areas again and we want to bring industry along with us. . . 

Keeping on top of worms – Mark Ross

Managing internal parasites (worms) is one of the biggest challenges that farmers face in producing healthy stock.

According to research, there is widespread resistance to several drench families in sheep, cattle, deer, and goats on New Zealand farms. This is estimated to cost farmers in excess of $20 million per annum.

Resistance can develop to any drench. So every farmer needs a plan to manage the risk of worm resistance on their farm. Animal welfare and productivity in the future will rely on farm plans that are developed today to control the emergence of drench resistance on farms. . . 

Rural round-up

Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries:

The primary industries are continuing to perform well in the face of significant challenges this year, according to the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the medium-term outlook is very positive.

The Ministry has released the annual Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report, which includes production, trade and pricing statistics for the current season and for three or four years out.

“It’s been a season of two halves for the land-based industries, with many areas impacted by drought in the second half,” says Jarred Mair, Sector Policy director.

“The impacts of the severe drought continue and could continue for several seasons, for example many sheep and beef farms need to build breeding stock numbers back up.” . . .

Vintage year for Zespri Kiwifruit:

The 2013 New Zealand kiwifruit season has already set records for the best-tasting Zespri Kiwifruit ever.

With harvest nearly completed, on-orchard sampling has confirmed what Zespri consumers have been saying – that this year is a vintage taste year for Zespri Kiwifruit.

Carol Ward, Zespri General Manager Marketing, says every block of every Zespri-supplying orchard is tested for levels of dry matter before harvest, with dry matter corresponding to sweetness in ripe fruit. . . .

Synlait Milk Attracts Leading Infant Nutrition Quality Executive:

Michael Stein, a former Director of Quality for one the world’s leading companies in paediatric nutrition will join Synlait Milk as General Manager Quality later this month.

Synlait Milk Chief Executive Officer John Penno says he is delighted that a person of Michael’s experience and reputation will join the Company further reinforcing its reputation as a trusted supplier of ingredient and infant nutritional products.

“The integrity of our products is of paramount importance to us and our customers. It is a task that is constantly evolving to meet customer and regulatory requirements. That has encouraged our decision to seek a high calibre General Manager Quality with a depth of experience in international markets.” . . .

Manuka Health seeks to strengthen links with Japan:

Manuka Health was one of a select group of New Zealand functional food companies to be invited by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to a workshop in Japan to introduce leading-edge research to Japanese food and beverage companies.

The “New Zealand Innovation to Industry Workshop”, was held at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology recently where Manuka Health was invited to speak on the topic of generating intellectual property for natural products and functional foods.

The workshop was the first of its kind organised by MBIE in Japan to help New Zealand’s research-based, innovation to form research and commercial partnerships with another country. . .

Yealands Estate recognised for leadership in sustainability at Green Ribbon Awards

Yealands Estate has won the ‘Large business leadership’ award at the Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Awards, at an awards ceremony at the Parliament Buildings, Wellington. The winery was one of 11 winners and the only wine producer to receive an award.

Environment Minister Amy Adams presented the award for the ‘Large business leadership’ category, which acknowledges businesses with over 100 employees who demonstrate an on-going commitment to environmental best practices. . .

Decanter Magazine selects Yealands Estate as best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc:

Prestigious UK publication Decanter Magazine has recognised Yealands Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2011 as “Outstanding” in a review of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Of the 91 wines tasted, Yealands Estate Reserve was the only wine to receive the top accolade, with an impressive score of 95 out of 100.

The article praises the overall quality of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with the Yealands Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc coming out on top. The wines were tasted and rated by three experts: Melanie Brown, Roger Jones and Peter McCombie MW. Peter McCombie MW commented ‘my highest scores were all Marlborough in origin, and half of those were from the cooler Awatere sub-zone. The Awatere style is more tomato stalk, rather than overtly tropical wines from the much more planted Wairau Valley, and the best have a degree of restraint that appeals to me.’ . . .

It’s not a fantasy: Seattle to build nation’s first food forest:

Forget meadows. The city’s new park will be filled with edible plants, and everything from pears to herbs will be free for the taking.

Seattle’s vision of an urban food oasis is going forward. A seven-acre plot of land in the city’s Beacon Hill neighborhood will be planted with hundreds of different kinds of edibles: walnut and chestnut trees; blueberry and raspberry bushes; fruit trees, including apples and pears; exotics like pineapple, yuzu citrus, guava, persimmons, honeyberries, and lingonberries; herbs; and more. All will be available for public plucking to anyone who wanders into the city’s first food forest. . .