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. . .
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
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 (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
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. . .
The “very tricky patch” for sheep and beef farmers is set to continue in the short term, with Covid-19 at its heart, Westpac senior agri-economist Nathan Penny says.
In his monthly meat report, Mr Penny said the Omicron outbreak had been felt most acutely in meat processing plants, where it had caused very low operating capacity and delays in processing.
Some plants were operating at as low as 40% capacity and, as a result, some processing delays had blown out to about eight weeks.
Some bookings were being cancelled at the last minute as plants did not know how many workers would be available day to day. . .
DairyNZ will host a webinar on attracting and retaining farm staff in a difficult labour market on 20 April.
Bay of Plenty contract milker and former DairyNZ consultant Jordyn Crouch is one of four guest speakers who will discuss how New Zealand can design dairy workplaces to attract great employees.
Kellogg Rural Leadership project interviews with leading farmers led Crouch to identify four ways dairy workplaces could become more attractive including flexible rosters and pay scales; fostering leaders not managers; developing safe workplace cultures that allow autonomy and innovation; and sharing a common purpose on-farm.
“Involving your farm team is the starting point to improve your workplace,” she says. . .
New Zealand’s first commercial volume harvest of red kiwifruit is heading overseas, and with returns to pioneer growers looking juicy, there will be keen interest in the results of this year’s Zespri growing licence round.
Marketer Zespri released a further 350ha of RubyRed brand licence this year in a closed tender bid, the results of which will be announced from May 2.
The New Zealand grower-owned company said it was expecting a total red crop of around 140,000 trays this year. That’s double last year’s harvest, which was used for market trials sales.
Around 100ha was expected to produce the red fruit this year from a total of 415ha already licensed. . .
The phenomenal work ethic of a volunteer army has the gorse scourge at a West Coast beauty spot in retreat
For the second year running, volunteers from all over New Zealand have descended on picturesque Ōkārito Lagoon in South Westland to attack the gorse menace that threatens the Unesco World Heritage site.
“Gorsebusters”, the phenomenon sparked almost by accident last year by Ōkārito businessman Barry Hughes, is back bigger and better than ever as the West Coast basks in a record-breaking Indian summer.
The tiny community is hosting more than 80 people who arrived this week from as far away as Auckland, paying their own way to help out, armed to the teeth with loppers, pruning saws and other weapons of gorse destruction. . .
“New Zealand organically grown and manufactured medicinal cannabis products will be in huge demand internationally, taking the country’s newest industry to a whole new level in the future,” says Carmen Doran, chief executive of Helius Therapeutics.
Her comments follow the Government announcing a $32.2 million joint project with New Zealand’s largest and only organic certified medicinal cannabis grower, Puro, to accelerate the growth of the industry.
A key workstream will see New Zealand’s largest medicinal cannabis processor and manufacturer, Helius, working alongside Puro on research and development and the creation of an organic manufacturing road map.
“Our ambition is to take Puro’s organically produced high value biomass and manufacture it here in New Zealand to organic certification. Achieving both organically grown and organically manufactured will create a significant premium differentiation for Helius and other local medicinal cannabis companies as well,” says Ms Doran. . .
Kiwis love hidden gems, so we’re on a mission to find them. Undiscovered Aotearoa is a video-led series by Brook Sabin and Radha Engling to show you the best of New Zealand.
The call from Mum brought a tear to my eye. Since the pandemic started, I’ve been lucky enough to travel to every region in the country. I’ve seen New Zealand at its best, without the usual hordes of international tourists. And she wanted to know one thing: where is the one place I should see before tourists return.
My answer was emphatic: you need to drive New Zealand’s most beautiful road, weaving through the mountains to Milford Sound. But I added a note of caution: many people don’t do it quite right. They don’t realise there are many stops that make the journey almost as beautiful as the destination. So I volunteered to act as a tour guide.
In the past few weeks, I’ve made the trip twice. Once to gather photos for this story; we were given rare permission to get drone shots along the road, under strict conditions. The second was with my gorgeous mum. . .
Meat companies are warning farmers to be prepared to hold on to livestock for longer as the Omicron outbreak begins to cause processing delays.
Covid-19 case numbers have skyrocketed in the past week putting pressure on supply chains as more and more staff have to self-isolate.
Alliance Group – which operates four plants in the lower South Island – confirmed that none of its staff had been on site while infectious, but chief executive David Surveyor said it was inevitable that the communities where it operated would be affected by Covid.
Across its network, Alliance had rising levels of absenteeism as community levels of Covid saw “a number of” its staff staying home to isolate or look after children because schools were closed. . .
Another record-breaking kiwifruit harvest is expected this season but a crippling labour shortage combined with Omicron concerns have put growers, major packhouses and contractors on edge.
About 24,000 seasonal workers would be required to pickand pack the crop nationally and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc has forecast there could be a shortfall of 6,500 people. The Bay of Plenty needed 20,000 of those workers as it was the largest kiwifruit producing region.
Major packhouse leaders spoken to by NZME are in recruitment mode for Kiwis and were reliant on getting their full contingent of Recognised Seasonal Employer staff into the country as soon as possible.
Most were paying the living wage of $22.75 per hour or more as the start rate, with another $2 an hour for night shifts and eight per cent holiday pay. . .
Anna Boyd is on a mission to help New Zealand’s beef industry maximise profitability — in a sustainable way — through the uptake of good genetics. She talks to rural editor Sally Rae about her passion for cattle. Anna Boyd reckons she could work with cattle all day, every day.
It is a passion that stemmed from her exposure to livestock growing up on remote Haldon Station, on the northern shores of Lake Benmore, in the Mackenzie Country.
The 22,000ha property, which has been managed by her father Paddy for many years, is both diverse and innovative and she has had the opportunity to work with sheep, deer and cattle.
“I think I was allowed to kind of find my feet and find out what interested me the most and where my passions lay,” Ms Boyd said. . .
Happy to be back home after a couple of days off the farm fishing in Coromandel. Mother Nature treating us to a stunner of a sunset tonight as well . pic.twitter.com/PLUjTx6Z5q
After a blockbuster end to 2021 where Kaitaia born Shearer, Jovian Garcia-Cummins, 26, raised $337,426, from 220 investors, for his start-up Woolies Jeans, the company is set to launch and subsequently expand on ‘ideas from a woolshed’ at Fieldays 2022.
‘Right now, we’re getting our ducks aligned so that we are prepared to handle the orders we are anticipating. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of Kiwis wanting to give me a helping hand,’ says Garcia-Cummins, who is still juggling time between shearing and launching his new invention.
Woolies Jeans has been working with some big names in NZ fashion to bring the ideas to light. This includes collaborating with Award-Winning Designer Wynn Hamlyn, Sustainable Textile Agencies Ltd and NZ’s largest clothing producer Albion to take Garcia-Cummins and his ‘Mum’s ideas to a level of professional scalability.
The jeans themselves are unique to the market because they have a unique 100% merino lining interior and a high-quality sustainable denim exterior. This means that customers will be able to have 100% merino against their legs and hips but the denim exterior is used to protect the merino and look good. Woolies Jeans will also be NZ Made. . .
Strong demand for deer velvet has pushed up returns for farmers 20 percent higher than last season.
As well as farming for venison, many deer farmers harvest velvet and export it to Asian markets, where it’s believed to have healing properties.
Deer Industry New Zealand markets manager Rhys Griffiths said the pandemic has increased demand for health food products including velvet.
“It’s another season were we’ve seen some pretty good growth, in tonnage terms we are now just under a thousand tonnes so it’s doubled in the last 10 years. . .
18 hectares that has grown almost nothing in summer for as long as I can remember growing what’s shaping up as a cracker crop of swedes. pic.twitter.com/8NbucqqL2T
Farmers in Northern Ireland are ‘at end of their tether’ over inaction in tacking bovine TB in the region, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has warned.
It comes as farmers eagerly await an announcement by the Department of Agriculture (DAERA) on the intended route for bTB eradication following a consultation.
Possible new measures include new steps to tackle TB in wildlife, the testing of non-bovines for bTB, and the increased use of the interferon gamma blood test in cattle.
Farmers could also see changes to the level and rates on which compensation is paid out to those who lose cows to the disease. . .
Labour needs to explain why it is severely restricting the number of dairy farm workers allowed into the country for no apparent reason, National’s Immigration spokesperson Erica Stanford and Agriculture spokesperson Barbara Kuriger say.
“Last year the dairy sector requested border exceptions for 1500 international dairy workers that were urgently needed for this year’s calving season,” Ms Stanford says.
“But the Government only granted 300, meaning this crucial sector will be short staffed and overworked for yet another season.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our economy, but farmers have had enough of the constant roadblocks from this Labour Government – this time in the refusal to grant border exceptions for urgently-needed workers.” . .
The signing of a free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Kingdom represents a “significant boost” for New Zealand farmers and exporters, the Meat Industry Association says.
Lamb and beef would eventually be allowed quota- and tariff-free access for the first time in decades, it said.
Under the FTA, New Zealand’s beef and sheepmeat exports to the UK would be fully liberalised over time, with no duties from the 16th year after the deal came into force following ratification by both countries.
During this time, beef and sheepmeat would be subject to duty-free transitional quotas, the quota for New Zealand beef rising in annual instalments from a starting point of 12,000 tonnes until it reaches 60,000 metric tonnes in year 15, after which it would be duty- and tariff-free. . .
The district council’s attempt to treat kiwifruit licences as rateable land improvements will have wide-reaching affects on other businesses.
Kiwifruit grower Tim Tietjen didn’t know the Gisborne District Council would be doubling the rates bill for his property until he read about it in the local paper.
In a radical shift from previous rating policy, the council had decided licences for the SunGold or G3 variety of gold kiwifruit – licences Tietjen and his fellow growers buy from kiwifruit marketer Zespri – would now be counted as land improvements and billed accordingly.
Instead of his property having a rated value of $2.8 million, it was now calculated at $4.1 million. . .
Dairy Women’s Network are helping current and future farm owners and teams to future-proof their businesses with a webinar series on How to Build a Bloody Good Business, funded by DairyNZ.
Run between the 7th and the 10th of March, the online webinar series will look at the qualities of a resilient business and strategies that can be implemented to protect your current or future business from the unknown; how to increase the resilience of your team when considering the current talent shortage; and the role that different systems and technology can play in building a healthy and successful business.
Speakers from ASB, Xero, Figured and McIntyre Dick and Partners (part of NZ CA Group Limited) will discuss and answer questions on how great financial business systems will help your business thrive, led by people and strategy specialist Lee Astridge from No8HR. . .
New Zealand Winegrowers is pleased with today’s announcement that New Zealand has signed a historic free trade deal with the United Kingdom.
“The agreement is very positive for the New Zealand wine industry. This will help remove technical barriers to trade, and minimise burdens from certification and labelling requirements. It will also support future growth in the market, and encourage exporters to focus on the UK,” says Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers. . .
This is too good not to re-share on pancake day!! How are you having yours, sweet or savoury?
A substantial highly developed sheep and beef breeding and finishing farm which has been continuously owned by members of the founder’s family for the past 100-years has been placed on the market for sale.
The 1,038-hectare property known as Te Maire at Flemington just south of Waipukurau in Southern Hawke’s Bay was established in 1920 by S.A. Robinson Senior who purchased 203-hectares following the splitting up of Tourere Station.
Over the ensuing decades, Robinson’s sons, and their sons, added to the property – buying neighbouring blocks with their associated infrastructure, and expanding Te Maire to its current size which is subdivided into some 222 paddocks.
Generations of the Robinson family have taken an environmental approach to Te Maire’s expansion – always conscious of balancing ecological aspects with improving productivity. . .
In discussions on He Waka Eke Noa proposals with farmers I’m often asked “how does this all square with the Paris Agreement, and the multiple mentions the text of the Agreement makes on needing to make emissions reductions but not at the cost of food production?”.
It’s a valid question. The Paris Agreement is crystal clear on this point, with the preamble “Recognizing the fundamental priority of safeguarding food security and ending hunger…” and article 2 committing signatories to climate adaptation and emissions mitigation “… In a manner that does not threaten food production”.
As we know, New Zealand agriculture has world-leading greenhouse gas footprints. If we reduce our production to meet emissions targets, supply in the world market will initially decrease but demand will not. The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has estimated the world’s farmers will need to increase food production by 70% by 2050 if we are to adequately feed growing populations. Global consumers are not going to stop wanting what New Zealand farmers are producing.
The price will therefore likely rise in response to a decrease in New Zealand output, encouraging other countries to supply more as it will now be profitable for them to do so. If they have a higher emissions footprint per kilo of product, then world emissions will go up not down. This is a poor outcome for all, global consumers, the New Zealand economy and the atmosphere. . .
There is considerable evidence that the Government plans to change the carbon-farming rules and to do so in the coming months. The big risk is that unintended consequences will dominate over intended consequences.
Forestry Minister Stuart Nash has made it clear that he does not like the idea of permanent exotic forests. In an opinion piece published in the Herald on 1 February of this year, he stated there are 1.2 million hectares of marginal pastoral lands that should be planted only in native species. He says that there is another 1.2 million hectares that is also unsuitable for pastoral farming but that is suitable for production forestry.
Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor states his opinion somewhat differently. On January 26 he was reported in the Herald as saying that he too disagrees with permanent exotic forests, but that it is up to famers not to sell their farms to people planning to plant forests. Instead, they should sell to those who will farm the land. Well, my experience is that this is not how markets work. . .
A small number of New Zealand food businesses have had to suspend exports destined for China – after positive Covid-19 cases were detected amongst staff.
Despite the risk of catching the coronavirus from food being considered highly unlikely, as part of China’s Covid-19 zero policy food producers who experience positive cases at their sites are expected to halt shipments to the country.
In a 2021 briefing providing guidance to exporters, the Ministry for Primary Industries said China was applying these measures to all imported cold chain food products, including fruit, vegetables and meat.
MPI market access director Steve Ainsworth said so far during the Omicron outbreak a small number of workers in the supply chain had tested positive for the virus, with infection acquired in the community and outside worksites. . .
Just heading up to check the ewes. Time to give the dogs a spot of site seeing. pic.twitter.com/IAvUJRi9uf
In order to control the wild deer issue plaguing Northland’s Russell Forest, professional hunters are culling feral goats who have been getting in the way.
A small herd of about 40 sika deer in the forest has been designated as top priority for eradication by Northland Regional Council because they can spread tuberculosis and kauri dieback.
But chairperson of the council’s Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party Jack Craw said wild goats were getting in the way of the eradication programme.
“A sika DNA survey was undertaken in May last year across sika habitat to enable costs for an eradication to be assessed and techniques to be reviewed in anticipation of a looming eradication project this year. . .
The top of the south’s upcoming kiwifruit harvest looks set to be a bumper one, with expectations it will exceed the $71 million generated last year.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Colin Bond said this year’s harvest in the Nelson region looked positive, with good volumes and good quality fruit.
Nationally, the kiwifruit harvest kicked off last week with a new red variety, RubyRed, being picked in the Bay of Plenty. However, to Bond’s knowledge, RubyRed was not being grown in the Nelson region, where gold and green kiwifruit would start being harvested from March, he said.
There are about 125 kiwifruit growers in the Nelson region. . .
Has eating meat become unfairly demonized as bad for your health? That’s the question a global, multidisciplinary team of researchers has been studying and the results are in—eating meat still offers important benefits for overall human health and life expectancy.
Study author, University of Adelaide researcher in biomedicine Dr. Wenpeng You, says humans have evolved and thrived over millions of years because of their significant consumption of meat.
“We wanted to look more closely at research that has thrown a negative spotlight on meat consumption in the human diet,” Dr. You says.
“Looking only at correlations of meat consumption with people’s health or life expectancy within a particular group, and or, a particular region or country, can lead to complex and misleading conclusions. . .
The cost to run the alternative greenhouse gas (GHG) system for the primary sector now under discussion could cost the sector as much as $90 million a year.
The He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) split-gas emissions proposal roadshow is now well under way across New Zealand, with farmers having a chance to get under the hood of the two schemes presented, both likely to hit farm profits by between 4-6%.
DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle said the estimate of up to a $90m a year cost was “quite possible”, but was also one that had been fully imputed into estimates of what the respective farm based or industry-based schemes are likely to have on farm profits.
“There is no doubt, when you scale up the costs at a farm level to an industry level it does come to quite a big number,” Mackle said. . .
Short-term land-use decisions risk the long-term future of New Zealand’s rural landscapes and communities, according to a green paper by former Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, however, some industry players are questioning parts of the paper’s content.
Managing Forestry Land-Use Under the Influence of Carbon calls for a more strategic approach to planting trees and outlines policy areas for urgent investigation to address the issue.
It was released ahead of a workshop early next month involving stakeholders, including Forestry Minister Stuart Nash, councils, forestry interests, Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) and Local Government NZ.
Yule said the paper outlines the risk that short-term decisions will make to the detriment of long-term land-use flexibility, rural communities and export returns. . .
New Zealand’s 2022 kiwifruit harvest has kicked off with the first crop being picked this morning in Te Puke and more kiwifruit to be picked around New Zealand over the coming months.
The 2022 season has the potential to be another record-breaking year with more kiwifruit produced than ever before. A forecast of at least 190 million trays will need to be harvested, overtaking last year’s record of over 177 million trays. On average, each tray has around 30 pieces of kiwifruit.
Zespri’s new RubyRed variety is picked first which is then followed by the Gold and Green varieties. The harvest traditionally peaks in mid-April and runs through until June.
The sweet, berry-tinged tasting Red kiwifruit will also be picked for supermarket shelves in New Zealand and some overseas markets this year. 2022 marks the first year that RubyRed will be sold as a commercial variety. . .
Kiwifruit grower and post harvest operator Seeka has reported a record revenue for the year driven by a rebound in kiwifruit volumes and a lift in production.
Key numbers (for the 12 months ended 31 December 2021 vs year ago)
Net profit $14.9m vs $15.2m
Revenue $309.6m vs $251.5m
Operating earnings $56.8m $42.9m
Dividend 13 cents per share vs 12cps
The company’s net profit is down 2 percent as 2020’s result included a $5.6 million deferred tax benefit. . .
A Bay of Plenty business dedicated to “the art of growing for a healthier world” is the supreme winner of the New Zealand International Business Awards 2021, announced tonight [17 February] at the Awards’ first-ever broadcast ceremony.
The Supreme Award winner, Bluelab, provides high-precision measurement technology for controlled environment agriculture, including greenhouses, vertical farms and hydroponic production. Operating for more than 30 years, Bluelab is internationally recognised as an industry leader, and provides tools and systems to measure critical factors like pH, temperature and moisture levels when growing plants in controlled environments.
Bluelab’s products are designed, manufactured and exported globally from its base of operations in Tauranga. Bluelab previously won the Excellence in Innovation category at the New Zealand International Business Awards 2019. . .
Producer input and output prices increased in the December 2021 quarter, led by rising prices in dairy and construction industries, Stats NZ said today.
In the December 2021 quarter compared with the September 2021 quarter, prices received by producers of goods and services (outputs) increased 1.4 percent. Prices paid by producers of goods and services (inputs) increased 1.1 percent over the same period.
“Producer prices are increasing, but slower than in the middle of 2021,” business prices delivery manager James Mitchell said.
“Most industries had increases in input and output prices, with dairy and construction industries having the largest contribution to increases in overall producer prices.” . .
Remembering the good things of life is a great resolution for 2022, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth writes.
In October this year, New Zealand was ranked eighth of 167 countries in the Legatum Prosperity Index.
Denmark topped the list, followed by Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg and then New Zealand. The UK is thirteenth and Australia sixteenth. The USA is twentieth.
Canterbury Federated Farmers’ presidents are alarmed to hear urban based regional councillors wildly claiming entire towns should be shifted to avoid flood protection costs.
Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury president David Clark warns councillors to remember to focus on flood recovery and river management for all ratepayers, not just a few.
“Proactive management of our flood protection works is essential for the wellbeing of our communities,” David says.
During 2021 most of Canterbury has been challenged by flooding, with Christchurch and Banks Peninsula the most recent areas receiving more heavy rain. . .
Rohan/clover on the left, add cocksfoot in the right up the Hakataramea Valley. Bit windy though💨 pic.twitter.com/A93bQttBdr
Farmers are feeling slightly more satisfied with relationships with their banks but interest rates are starting to rise and some are reporting a tougher attitude from lenders.
Results from the November Federated Farmers Banking Survey show 67 percent of the more than 900 respondents are satisfied with their bank relationship, up 5.5 points on the May survey and a break in what had been a steady erosion in satisfaction since 2017 (when it was over 80%).
“It’s also pleasing to see that the 13.5 percent of respondents feeling ‘undue pressure’ from banks is down 4.4 points compared to six months ago,” Federated Farmers President and commerce spokesperson Andrew Hoggard said.
“However, there are hints of more bumpy times ahead, with a quarter of farmers saying their lending conditions had changed since the May survey, and of those with changed conditions most said they were tougher rather than easier.” . .
Gold kiwifruit continues to dominate fruit exports in an otherwise challenging market, Stats NZ said today.
In the year ended November 2021, gold kiwifruit made up 47 percent ($1.9 billion) of total fruit export value, while green kiwifruit made up 23 percent ($923 million).
Both increases were quantity driven, with prices falling compared with a year ago. Gold kiwifruit have a traditionally higher unit price than green. Since the kiwifruit season in 2016, which is typically from March to November, gold has overtaken green in terms of value. In the 2020 season, gold kiwifruit also overtook green in terms of volume. . .
My wife stopped on her way back to town with her school bus yesterday afternoon to catch this shot. pic.twitter.com/1iQ4AnXUTJ
Paradise Dam on the mighty Burnett River has now released more water than it can store at its reduced capacity of 170,000 megalitres.
Bundaberg farmers who started the water year on just 22 per cent of their allocations have been provided with a stay of execution, with widespread rainfall across the Bundaberg region and the Burnett River catchment.
Many farmers were facing significant crop losses across the region prior to the much-needed rain.
Despite assurances from the Queensland Labor Government that a decision about the future of Paradise Dam would be made before Christmas, it looks like Santa Clause will have come and gone before we see any leadership on water security in this state. . .
After a rough ride since Covid-19 struck, the New Zealand economy is in better shape than might have been predicted at the onset of the pandemic. Yet labour shortages, an energy crisis in Europe and China, and massive inflationary pressures suggest that the passage ahead will be anything but smooth.
With the government abandoning the elimination strategy and moving towards living with endemic Covid, the country is adjusting to the prospect of a new normal. But without any sign of the number of cases of the Delta variant diminishing, restrictions may persist for longer than might have been imagined just weeks ago.
It’s a blow to industries looking to inflows of workers to ease labour shortages, particularly in the rural regions, which last season sustained the economy with the production of commodities that were in relatively tight supply in world markets, fetching excellent returns. . .
Anchor Food Professionals – Fonterra’s foodservice business – has defied Covid challenges to become a $3 billion annual revenue business.
Fonterra says the milestone was pleasing, despite restaurants around the world being affected by Covid-19.
Chief executive Miles Hurrell said the success was down to the the co-op’s strong connection to customers.
“Our people have worked hard to find new ways of working with customers and new product applications to suit the pandemic environment, and we can see this has been a success. . .
Kiwifruit growers are taking Gisborne District Council to the High Court for including the licence to grow the gold variety in rating land valuations.
The national body representing growers, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI), has brought a judicial review proceeding of the decision to the High Court, and is supporting a grower on Bushmere Road, who has lodged an objection to their property valuation before the Land Valuation Tribunal.
Gisborne was the first region to adjust land valuation methods to include the value of the gold kiwifruit growing licence, known as the G3 licence, on the rateable value of the property.
The move has resulted in a rates hike Gisborne growers called “absurd” and inequitable, with reports of rates tripling for some. . .
Regenerative farming: only one person knows what it means (and it’s not you), writes Vincent Heeringa, but it is vital that it becomes known and understood
A new report by Beef and Lamb NZ sheds fresh light on the role that regenerative farming could play in growing our primary sector exports. The news is encouraging. Conducted by US food researcher Alpha Food Labs, the report shows that ‘conscious consumers’ in Germany, the UK and the US have a strong appetite for sustainable foods – and are even hungrier for foods labelled regenerative.
“After learning about the benefits of regenerative agriculture, the proportion of consumers willing to pay 20 percent or more increased in the United Kingdom and Germany, as well as the proportion willing to pay substantially more (i.e. 30 percent more) at least for the United States and Germany.” . . .
As World Iron Awareness Week comes to a close, New Zealand Pork is reminding Kiwis of the many benefits of enjoying New Zealand pork as part of a healthy balanced diet.
“There are several misconceptions about pork, so this campaign has been designed to bust a few myths and give consumers simple easy facts around some benefits of enjoying delicious New Zealand pork in their diet,” says New Zealand Pork’s nutrition advisor Julie North of Foodcom.
“Some people believe all pork is a fatty meat, thinking of a pork roast with a thick layer of crackling or a juicy pork belly. However, most cuts of pork are quite lean when the external fat (which is easy to remove) is cut off. By trimming off the outer layer of fat, New Zealand pork is quite a lean meat.” . .
New Zealand is back in lockdown and hopes of an early border reopening have been dashed, but the cows still have to be milked. And injecting a cheerful note into an otherwise downcast country this week, prices at the latest Fonterra global auction broke a losing run of eight consecutive falls, banishing fears that the opening price for the season might have to be trimmed.
The co-operative has set the opener for the 2021/22 season at between $7.25kg/MS to $8.75 with a mid-point of $8. Its previous highest-ever opening price was $7kg/MS.
At this auction, the price index lifted 0.3% from the previous auction a fortnight ago, with the average price at US$3,827. Prices for skim milk powder, butter and anhydrous milk fat rose, while whole milk powder declined. The average price is sitting 21% higher than at the same time last year. . .
Wool growing as a business has been tough going in recent times but that is about to change as two major wool entities shore up a merger.
Wools of New Zealand (WNZ) and Primary Wool Co-operative are on the road promoting the benefits of their proposed merger ahead of the groundbreaking vote in November.
Primary Wool chair Richard Young told farmers at a meeting in Darfield the merger will mark the start of an exciting chapter for the wool sector.
“This is structural change that will act as a launch pad for NZ to truly realise the full potential of wool,” Young said. . .
Ask Amber and Patrick Tyrrell why they love what they do, and they are quick to tell you – it is the people, the people, the people.
The Otiake couple are the brains and determination behind Valley Views Glamping, which has been quietly overachieving in the accommodation sector for just over four years.
Valley Views offers completely off-grid, eco-friendly, luxury accommodation in six geodesic domes, and it delivers what it says on the packet, with expansive and impressive views over the Waitaki Valley.
Mr Tyrrell is South African-born, and Mrs Tyrrell (nee Slee) grew up not far from where they are based now. . .
Produce company Seeka has posted a 12 percent increase in profits for the first half of the year, driven by more volume coming through its kiwifruit business.
The company, which is the country’s largest kiwifruit grower, said net profit after tax was $20.6 million in its interim, unaudited results, up from 18.4million in the first half of last year.
Shareholders will also receive a dividend of 13 cents per share.
Seeka chief executive Michael Franks said he was pleased with the result. . .
Strong demand from the rural and industrial sectors has helped the rubber goods manufacturer Skellerup deliver a record profit.
The company makes hoses, nozzles and gumboots for the rural sector, and parts for boats, cars and kitchen appliances. It is perhaps best known for its red band gumboots.
As entries open for the Ballance Farm Environment Awards, Bayleys is proud to continue as sponsor of the Bayleys People in Primary Sector award, one of several offered in the prestigious farming competition.
Bayleys’ People in Primary Sector award recognises the effort made by entrants to attract, keep, and develop quality talent within their farming operations, while also incorporating the intrinsic values of environmental protection and outstanding farm management.
Bayleys is proud to support such an important initiative within the rural sector. Utilising our national rural network, it is an opportunity to showcase those individuals leading the way on farm and in their community. . .
Jim Jerram quips he has been out of his comfort zone for the past two decades.
Dr Jerram ditched a successful medical career to establish pioneering wine company Ostler Wines in the Waitaki Valley with his wife Anne.
He was convinced they could do something “quite special” with a style of wine that was different from Central Otago, given the geology and geography of the district.
That had proven to be the case and, while it had been a “wonderful journey”, the couple announced this week they had sold Ostler Wines to ACG Wines Ltd. . .
Wilson Mitchell is a young man on a mission. The University of Otago medical student is passionate about rural communities and the health and wellbeing of those who live there. He spoke to Neal Wallace.
Wilson Mitchell attributes the hours spent crutching and drenching sheep over weekends and school holidays for helping fuel his desire to work in rural health.
The satisfaction of an honest day’s physical toil is one reason for his infatuation but more so mixing with rural people and observing the dynamics of their communities.
He may just be 23 years old and five years through his studies, but Wilson’s commitment to rural health has already extended beyond good intentions. . .
Whanganui looks set to become the next developing kiwifruit region.
A kiwifruit post-harvest operator and grower Apata is on the hunt for land to plant green and red kiwifruit.
Its chief executive Stuart Weston said the company had recently bought 60 hectares for new plantings, adding to the 70 hectares that they have had growing there for decades.
He said they are now pushing to get about 200 more hectares over the next season or two. . .
“Our New Zealand Olympic team will be protected by New Zealand made facemasks that use the same technology chosen to protect Nasa astronauts,” says Lanaco managing director Nick Davenport.
“Our elite athletes and wider team will use our unique New Zealand-made masks that use our specially designed Helix technology filters.
“We’ve provided more than 70,000 disposable facemasks, to the team, which can be re-used. They’ve received a mix of certified top-line respirators for high-risk use and resistance masks for non-competitive times. The masks are made in the national team colour of black.
“We worked with the New Zealand Olympic Committee and medical staff in the development process to produce an ideal mask for these elite athletes. . .
Looking for farm help from mid August through late September, combine operator, cart driver, truck driver, bin help, late model JD equipment. Terrible crop this year but great views! DM for details. pic.twitter.com/pK5ta80pMW
Unlike the toilet paper hoarders that emerged during COVID-19 lockdowns, Australian croppers have had valid reasons to swap their buying patterns from “just in time” to “just in case” when it comes to farm inputs, such as fertiliser and agri-chemicals.
This is to ensure product availability when it is needed most, and to mitigate against the risks of the exponential growth in prices that was experienced for a range of farm inputs in 2021.
Buyers of fertiliser and agri-chemicals, in particular, have felt the effects.
Year-to-date urea imports to the end of April were up by 59 per cent from the previous year. . .
Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard says he’s not surprised frustration and anger about the deluge of new regulations and costs from central government is spilling over into protest meetings.
On Friday farmers in a number of districts around New Zealand are rounding up dog teams and firing up utes and tractors to head into their nearest town for peaceful protest rallies.
In his speech to the Federated Farmers National Council in Christchurch last week, Andrew referred to a “winter of discontent” in rural communities, with the so-called ute tax a straw that broke the camel’s back for many farming families.
The new “fee” on the farm vehicle work-horse to fund electric vehicle grants, when suitable EVs are not yet a realistic option for farmers, “has just highlighted in farmers’ minds that the Wellington Beltway thinkers just don’t get regional New Zealand“. . .
Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson says unless the kiwifruit industry gets more people to work in the sector, it may have to look at slowing down its speed of growth.
Matthieson told Hort News the biggest challenge for the industry is getting a good and consistent supply of people coming through the sector. Those who can help pick the fruit – as well as prepare the orchards for the next season’s crop. He adds the sector also want people to work through the post-harvest facilities to ensure that fruit is being managed well, to get it to market in the best condition.
Mathieson says New Zealanders currently make up about 55% of the kiwifruit sector’s workforce, while backpackers make up about 25% and RSE workers around 15%.
“We have a good mix, but we are certainly looking for more to supplement the migrant workers and the backpackers,” he told Hort News. . .
It is Cow Appreciation Day today – Tuesday 13 July 2021
A farmer in the Canterbury high country still cleaning up after last month’s flood is worried the bridge which connects them to the rest of the world could be washed away.
The heavy rain caused significant damage to Double Hill run road up the Rakaia Gorge leaving farmers isolated.
A four-wheel-drive track has since been cut on the road but a bridge near Redcliffs station is still surrounded by shingle.
Station farmer Ross Bowmar said he was still using a generator for power and had five kilometres of fencing to repair, but the bridge was his main concern. . . .
Former Ravensdown Board member Scott Gower is calling for farmers to step up and stay active in participating on boards of their co-operatives despite more demands being placed on farmers’ time.
Scott is a third-generation hill country sheep and beef farmer from Ohura near Taumarunui and retired from the Ravensdown Board last September after reaching the maximum term.
As an ownership structure, co-operatives contribute 18% of New Zealand’s GDP and one of the most important characteristics according to Scott is how they can take ‘the long view’ rather than seeking short-term commercial gain.
“The agsector is served by more co-operatives than most. Participation by working farmers is vitally important especially in the Board’s composition and determining its priorities. They can nominate candidates, they can run themselves and of course elect the directors that best represent how they think things should be governed,” Scott says. . .
The largest rise for vegetable prices in over four years pushed food prices up 1.4 percent during the June 2021 month, Stats NZ said today.
Vegetable prices rose 15 percent in June, mainly influenced by rising prices for tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, capsicum, and broccoli.After adjusting for seasonal effects, vegetable prices were up 8.5 percent.
“We typically see price rises for many vegetables in winter due to seasonal effects,” consumer prices manager Matthew Stansfield said.
“However, we are seeing larger rises than usual for this time of the year and for a greater number of vegetables.” . .
The agritech industry is growing steadily, despite challenges posed by the pandemic.
The Technology Investment Network (TIN) report for 2020 indicates there was growth across all parts of the sector, including the number of start-ups, export revenue, spending on research and development, and investment across all business types.
The top 22 agritech companies generated $1.4 billion in revenue.
Most of the new early stage companies offered information and communication technology, with a growing number offering biotech products. . . .
Farms in Hawke’s Bay are at risk of staff fatigue as they struggle with a shortage of specialist skilled workers, says Hawke’s Bay Federated Farmers president.
This follows the decision of the Productivity Commission tohold an inquiry into our current immigration settings.
The inquiry will sit alongside existing changes planned by Immigration, including the implementation of reforms to temporary work visas and a review of the Skilled Migrant Category visa.
Federated Farmers Hawke’s Bay president Jim Galloway said the closure of the border because of Covid-19 has seen roles typically filled by specialist skilled workers, relegated to inexperienced staff. . .
Kiwifruit is just too valuable not to be picked and despite the challenges of labour and weather, it will be picked.
That’s the message from the Kiwifruit Growers organisation (NZKGI) chief executive Nikki Johnson, who says wet weather and the late maturity of the fruit has slowed down picking. She told Hort News that some employers are faring better than others, which is consistent with other years, and there are still vacancies across packhouse and orchard roles – particularly for nightshift and weekend work.
“While there is a shortage of seasonal labour, we are focused on ensuring that all kiwifruit will be picked and packed this season. A shortage of labour may mean that managers need to be more selective about when particular fruit gets picked and packed,” Johnson says.
“People may also need to work longer shifts. However, the industry is extremely focused on ensuring that all kiwifruit is harvested. It is a high value crop, contributing around $2 billion to New Zealand’s kiwifruit regions in 2020.” . .
New Zealand Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular has overseen the industry almost treble in value during the past 10 years. Scoular recently completed her 10th year as head of industry-good organisation NZ Avocado.
She and her team have helped guide the industry’s value growth from $68 million in 2011 to a forecast $200m in 2021.
She told Hort News that another achievement for her and the team was gaining crown funding for the first horticulture Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) to enable a step change in the industry. Scoular adds that NZ winning the rights to host the 2023 World Avocado Congress is another feather in her team’s cap.
She says the industry has also worked collaboratively to gain market access and to start exporting to China and India, two of the world’s largest economies. . .
When you’re a sunflower in a multi species cover crop in New Zealand in May,the first month of winter…never say never! pic.twitter.com/N28RGXsCT9
Pat Suddaby says he might be retired but he’ll never stop working.
Since selling their 570ha sheep and beef farm in Hindon, near Outram, in 2010, Mr Suddaby and his wife Mary have ensured they have kept busy and active.
Mr Suddaby can be found these days working as a greenkeeper at the Middlemarch Golf Club and he is also an active member of the Strath Taieri Lions Club.
When the farm was sold, there was an adjustment period, Mr Suddaby said. . .
Being a Kiwi, I don’t want to argue with any Aussies reading this, but pavlova is, in fact, a Kiwi invention.
However, if it’s made from grass, like this one, you can have it. Will this trend towards plant-based food alternatives end? Probably not.
In the EU 3.2 per cent of people are vegans, and 30.9 per cent are either vegetarians, pescatarians and flexitarians.
In New Zealand, the number of people eating “meat-free” has doubled from 7 per cent tp 15 per cent in four years. Australia, which ranks in the top five meat eating nations, now ranks second in the world for vegans. . .
To ensure continuity in the supply chain, the road freight industry needs to know when truck drivers will receive the Covid-19 vaccine, says Road Transport Forum (RTF) chief executive Nick Leggett.
Leggett says he wrote to Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins in January to enquire about vaccine prioritisation used by the Government to determine workers in essential industries.
“The trucking industry is keen to understand when its frontline workers, mainly drivers, might be in line for a vaccination and whether they will be given priority over the general population, given their importance in keeping the supply chain running,” says Leggett.
He says there is increasing urgency in getting truck drivers vaccinated because of the current Auckland lockdown. . .
Repost from Mel at Lake Ohau Quarters – Sunset last night was a really awesome colour display!! pic.twitter.com/f1zdtfO8jH
Central Otago’s wine harvest is under way as sparkling varieties are being picked and pressed.
Winemaker Rudi Bauer, of Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate, said lessons learned from last year’s harvest, conducted during lockdown, had proved useful as the harvest began.
At the 30ha vineyard in Bendigo, pinot noir grapes were being harvested yesterday, with chardonnay soon to follow.
The challenges of getting this year’s crop off the vines were still there in terms of labour, but Central Otago had learned a lot from 2020’s lockdown harvest, Mr Bauer said. . .
Cam Henderson is excited about some new projects “closer to home”.
The Oxford farmer has already announced his intention to step down as Federated Farmers North Canterbury president at May’s annual meeting and has already filled the void.
Mr Henderson was recently appointed as one of two new associate directors on DairyNZ’s board of directors and has recently been made a trustee of the newly renamed Waimak Landcare Group.
He also planned to step down from his role as Waimakariri Zone Committee deputy chairman, Mr Henderson said. . .
2021 expected to overtake last year’s record of 157 million trays
Kiwis encouraged to get involved in kiwifruit harvest
New Zealand’s 2021 kiwifruit harvest has kicked off with the first commercial crop being picked this morning in Gisborne and more kiwifruit to be picked across New Zealand over the coming days.
The 2021 season is forecast to be another record-breaking year with more kiwifruit produced than ever before, overtaking last year’s record of 157 million trays of export Green and Gold. On average, each tray has around 30 pieces of kiwifruit.
The Gold variety is usually picked first, followed by Green kiwifruit in late March. Harvest peaks in mid-April and runs through until June. . .
The gap between Australia and New Zealand’s export sheepmeat industry has narrowed, with industry experts anticipating Australia will continue to dominate world sheepmeat export supply for the remainder of the decade.
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO), in 2019 Australia and New Zealand sheep meat exports was 71 per cent of the total sheep meat export volumes.
And recently Australia has eclipsed NZ to become the worlds largest exporter of sheep meat product with 36pc of global trade in 2020, compared to 30pc for NZ. . .
The 61st Golden Shears, which were scheduled to be held in Masterton this week, have been cancelled.
The decision was made at an emergency executive meeting this morning, following the overnight announcement of a return to Covid-19 alert level 2 across most of the country and the escalation to level 3 in Auckland.
Confirming the decision, Golden Shears said entry fees and tickets would be refunded.
Tickets purchased online through Eventfinda will be refunded, competitor entries done online will be refunded online through PayPal, and those having entered non-website are being asked to email competitor name and bank account details to office@goldenshears.co.nz. . .
“Phenomenal” is how South Otago farmer Amy Blaikie describes watching the processing of Bales4Blair wool at a Timaru scour — and seeing the piles of donations from around the country.
Bales4Blair was launched in memory of Winton man Blair Vining, whose petition to create a national cancer agency was signed by more than 140,000 New Zealanders.
The wool was given by farmers to be made into insulation for the new Southland Charity Hospital.
The initiative was started by Mrs Blaikie, who pitched the idea to a couple of friends, Eastern Southland farmers Brooke Cameron and Sarah Dooley. . .
A Nelson apple company is hoping its new product will bring a ray of light out of the gloom brought on by the Boxing Day Hailstorm.
Over the weekend Golden Bay Fruit launched its new “Stormy Fruit” brand, comprised of apples which suffered cosmetic damage in the hailstorm but were otherwise unaffected.
Golden Bay Fruit chief executive Heath Wilkins said while the company had been mulling over the concept for several years – the hailstorm had significantly increased the amount of fruit that would fall into the new product line.
He said a significant portion of the fruit was severely damaged by the hail and had to be immediately picked and discarded, but there was another portion of fruit that just received small indentations on the surface. . .
Kiwifruit packhouses are offering workers more money and flexible shifts in a desperate effort to avoid a labour crisis as another record-breaking harvest looms.
The harvest is expected to kick off within the weekwith 23,000 seasonal workers needed nationally – including about 20,000 in the Bay of Plenty.
Packhouses spoken to by NZME are offering major incentives – including flexibility across shifts alongside roles that could lead to fulltime employment.
Starting rates will be $22.10 an hour compared with last year’s average hourly packhouse rates of $19 to $20. . .
A tiny coastal Taranaki community known for dairy farms and a natural gas production station could one day become known for its avocados.
Oaonui, 8 kilometres north of Opunake, was identified in last year’s Taranaki Land and Climate Assessment as an area suitable for growing the fruit.
The report was part of the two-year Branching Out collaboration between economic development agency Venture Taranaki and the food and fibre sector to investigate new commercial opportunities for the region.
Next month, representatives from the avocado industry will be in New Plymouth for a seminar on growing the fruit commercially. . .
WITH many of Australian beef’s largest destinations still well in the grip of COVID, and tightening supply of cattle at home putting a hefty price tag on product, the demand outlook could not be described as anything other than volatile.
However, there are some solid fundamentals in place that suggest the outlook is not all doom and gloom.
Global beef consumption is still forecast to grow, Australia enjoys a reputation for safe, high quality, consistent beef and a key lesson from last year was that stable, well-established markets shine through in times of turbulence. . . .
Maniototo farming families have headed for the hills each summer, moving their sheep into the mountains for summer grazing, in what is believed to now be a unique pilgrimage in New Zealand. This weekend, the Soldiers Syndicate is celebrating its centennial, as business and rural editor Sally Rae reports.
In the first year Phil Smith mustered on the Soldiers Syndicate, the mustering team got snowed in at Blue Duck hut in the remote Otago back country.
It was so cold the men’s hobnail boots froze to the floor and icicles hung around the old tin hut.
“I just thought to myself, what the hell are we doing?” the then 21-year-old recalled. . .
Tim Crutchley has a humorous explanation for why he keeps turning up for the Soldiers Syndicate musters.
“It’s a bit like working … on the wharf. If you don’t turn up, they all start talking about you. I’m a bit worried they’ll start running me down,” Mr Crutchley (63), who lives in Waikouaiti, quipped.
He would have notched up 40 musters last year — if Covid-19 had not interfered — and he reckoned he would probably keep returning as long as he was physically able to.
Despite being somewhat of a gypsy himself, and moving around, it was one place he kept going back to, and he was looking forward to the centennial celebrations and catching up with people he had not seen for a long time. . .
The government has agreed to pay $40 million to kiwifruit sector plaintiffs over the arrival of the vine killing disease PSA.
The disease arrived in New Zealand in 2010 and brought losses to the kiwifruit industry of an estimated $900 million.
Strathboss Kiwifruit Limited, representing a group of growers, and Seeka Limited, a post-harvest operator, and others, have agreed to accept a Crown offer of $40m, which includes a $15m contribution from the Crown’s insurers. The plaintiffs had brought a claim for $450m plus interest.
Legal challenges have been running since 2014, when the claimants filed against the Crown for what they alleged was actionable negligence in allowing PSA into the country. . .
Into the last 10ha of Catherine spring milling wheat for #harvest21 after 14mm of rain yesterday grain is at 12.5% so hopefully done tonight. But still not at the half way mark yet, spring barley, linseed, peas, clover and sunflower still to harvest. #nzarablepic.twitter.com/xxOmjT0e0q
A Canterbury hemp grower is swinging open his farm gates to showcase the crop.
Mainland Hemp’s Jamie Engelbrecht says people are learning of the plant’s potential but still have lots of questions so they are welcome to attend two upcoming field-day events.
Jamie was born and bred on a sheep and beef property in Waimate then studied farm management at Lincoln University.
The former rural bank manager has recently left his job at ASB to focus on the hemp growing and processing business he started with some Lincoln mates a couple years ago. . .
A significant amount of work is under way this year to update animal welfare codes and provide updated advice to farmers for issues such as heat stress, says the Ministry for Primary Industries.
MPI veterinarian and director for animal health and welfare Dr Chris Rodwell said early next month MPI, in collaboration with industry partners through the Farm to Processor Animal Welfare Forum, will review its work programme after recently completed shade and shelter research.
Dr Rodwell says that while mitigating heat stress in livestock is complex, MPI is confident that this pan-sector discussion will ensure a joined-up approach is taken.
“The industry has already been proactive on this issue and we are looking forward to keeping that momentum going in order to deliver the best welfare outcomes for outdoor livestock.” . .
New Zealand growers and farmers have kicked off the year with plenty of upbeat news, with strong commodity prices, relatively robust supply lines and continuing strong consumer demand for quality food putting farmers in a positive frame of mind as the new year starts.
The latest Federated Farmers farm confidence survey highlights just how positive farmers are, with a 34 point leap in confidence from last July, when farmers’ confidence was at its lowest in the survey’s 12 year history.
Bayleys national director rural Nick Hawken says the strong prices being received across the primary sector for red meat, milk, horticultural produce and wine is good not only for farmers’ returns, budgets, and frame of mind, but is also positive for the underlying productive value of their rural land investment. . .
Collagen, often the main component of gelatin, has surged in profile over recent years. It is also the main structural protein in mammals’ bodies, and is now hailed as a nutritional supplement to help muscle mass, aid arthritis and improve skin quality. Richard Rennie spoke to Luci Firth whose idea for a collagen water has become a world-first reality.
Working as a graphic designer for a Japanese client, Luci Firth soon became aware of the significance Asian consumers place on collagen as a daily part of their diet, and how far behind New Zealanders were in awareness about its claimed health benefits.
“In places like Japan you will find it regularly used as something you sprinkle on your rice, or buy it from a corner store to add to your cooking. We have been a bit slower to pick up on it,” Firth said. . .
Jo Poland started the Rural Youth and Adult Literacy Trust (RYALT), formerly the Adult Literacy Trust, from her kitchen table in 2011.
Poland, who has taught and been involved in teaching adult literacy since 1994, was approached by a local Port Waikato mother who was looking for help for her daughter who struggled with reading and writing.
Thus, Poland was inspired to found RYALT with two other trustee members.
Since then, RYALT has helped close to 1000 people – youths and adults.
Farm sales ended 2020 on a healthy note with a 15 percent increase compared to the same time the previous year.
Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) data shows 32 percent more finishing farms and 26 percent more dairy farms were sold in the three months ended December 2020 compared to the same time in 2019. Sales of grazing farms were down 9 percent and 23 percent fewer arable farms were sold.
The median price per hectare was up $4000 to just over $27,000. . .
How lucky are we in rural NZ we can swim in our lakes & rivers on hot days? The Potts was still pretty brisk! pic.twitter.com/LdekxS6Ovz
LIC announces its half-year financial results for the six months to 30 November 2020, which show continued strength in the cooperative’s financial performance with increased revenue and underlying earnings.
Performance Highlights H1 2020-21:
$169.7 million total revenue, up 3.8% from $163.4 million in the same period last year.
$33.4 million net profit after tax (NPAT), up 10.4% from $30.3 million. . .
Kiwifruit exporter Zespri’s hope to partner with Chinese growers illegally growing gold kiwifruit are on hold.
Last year unauthorised plantings of the high value fruit almost doubled to at least 4000 hectares.
Growers in New Zealand pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a hectare to grow it, so in a bid to control plantings in China, Zespri had hoped to work with Chinese growers and authorities in what it called a “win- win” commercial agreement.
But Kiwifruit New Zealand, which independently regulates Zespri, has thrown out the proposal for now. . .
It’s a lonely job being a chaser Bin driver. Only the Truckie is lonelier than me pic.twitter.com/xfjUnG1h5Q
Beatriz Martinez has continued working in the fields of the Coachella and San Joaquin valleys throughout the coronavirus pandemic. She has followed a series of protocols — maintaining a 6-foot distance from other workers, avoiding eating in close proximity to others during her lunch breaks and washing her hands frequently — and she has not contracted COVID-19.
On Thursday morning, the 54-year-old Coachella resident took a break from pruning grapevines at Tudor Ranch in Mecca, where she has worked for 35 years, to get vaccinated. She was among approximately 330 agricultural employees who got the shot at the ranch, in what county officials believe was the state’s first large vaccination event specifically for farmworkers.
Martinez — who wore a surgical mask and a colorful bandana over her mouth, and clutched a wide-brimmed hat in her hand — said in Spanish she was “really happy” to get vaccinated. She was grateful to get inoculated during work hours, she added, calling it a “reward” for all the years she had worked for the company. . .
A petition has been launched this week seeking a rewrite of the controversial new freshwater rules.
It has been organised by Groundswell NZ, a new group which stemmed from a tractor trek in Gore in October expressing farmers’ feelings about the regulations.
It comprised a mix of dairy and sheep and beef farmers and some involved in farm servicing and contracting. All were passionate about the rules being “unworkable”, Greenvale sheep and beef farmer Laurie Paterson, in whose name the petition is listed, said yesterday.
The petition requested the House of Representatives to urge the Government to review and amend the national policy statement for freshwater management to ensure it was based on science and best practice for each catchment and farm, and did not require farmers to sow on specific dates. Mandatory sowing dates would compromise health and safety and stress mental health, Mr Paterson said. . .
Biosecurity is even more important to New Zealand as the country starts to recover from Covid-19.
That’s the message from Penny Nelson, head of biosecurity at the Ministry for Primary Industries. She told Rural News, at the recent biosecurity awards at Parliament, that biosecurity underpins our primary sector exports – as well as many of the special taonga we have.
She says we just can’t afford to have big incursions at the moment. “I was interested to hear that in the KPMG’s agribusiness survey, biosecurity has been the top issue for the past 11 years. I think New Zealanders realise we have a special way of life and we want to keep it.” . .
Kiwifruit giant Zespri wants to establish a Kiwifruit Breeding Centre in partnership with Crown research institute Plant & Food Research.
In an update sent to growers today, Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson said the proposed centre would be dedicated to breeding new kiwifruit cultivars, creating healthier, better tasting and more sustainability-focused varieties to fulfil the growing demand from consumers.
Mathieson said the 50/50 joint venture would strengthen the work already taking place in the breeding programme which it runs in partnership with Plant and Food.
“This is an exciting step forward for our industry and a natural evolution of the hugely successful 30-year relationship between Zespri and PFR which has delivered such strong returns. . .
Authorities in Gisborne have decided a $400,000 per hectare licence to grow gold kiwifruit adds value to the land, and will mean a sizeable rates increase.
Gisborne is the first region to adjust land valuation methods for gold kiwifruit properties to now include the value of the growing licence on the rateable value of the property.
This follows a meeting between the Valuer-General and valuers in August, in which they decided the licence should be included in the Value of Improvements, which requires the “assessment of the value of all work done on or for the benefit of the land”.
All councils with gold kiwifruit would have to reassess their methods. . .
When Melissa Johnson first suggested the idea of selling raw milk in bottles from a vending machine, her husband thought it was a “stupid idea for hippies”.
Just over three years and two vending machines later, the Southland partners in life and business are delivering hundreds of bottles to thousands of customers across the South every week.
Following a decision to downsize and do their own thing, the former large-scale contract milkers started their milk business, Farm Fresh South, in Woodlands, with 35 calves in 2017.
Mrs Johnson spotted a raw milk vending machine when holidaying near Nelson and liked the business concept. . .
The team at Woodhaven Gardens presenting their amazing business and why they won the @HorizonsRC@BallanceNZ Farm Environment Awards. Regular nitrate testing, investing in application technology pic.twitter.com/y3SuoPUP8N
A fantastic lifestyle opportunity in the heart of the East Coast wine-producing region is set to attract interest from across the country, says Bayleys Gisborne salesperson Jenny Murray.
“The character property at 16 Riverpoint Road, Matawhero typifies the relaxed atmosphere Gisborne is famous for while providing an exceptional home, lifestyle and business opportunity,” she adds.
Spanning nearly 8,000sqm (more or less) across the Waipaoa Bridge on the site of the Old Bridge Hotel, the property is offered for sale by auction at 1pm on 11 December. . .
For the last 25 years, the Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s health and nutrition portfolio has been underpinned by a strong scientific evidence base which continues to evolve through the release of a new report, titled The Role of Red Meat in Healthy and Sustainable New Zealand Diets.
The report pulls together the breadth of information of a complex topic, which we hope will help inform the many discussions around feeding a growing population well. The report includes the human evolution of eating meat, red meat’s nutritional contribution to the diet of New Zealanders, it’s role in health and disease and where New Zealand beef and lamb production, and consumption fits within our food system and ecosystem. The farming practices of our beef and sheep sector is profiled capturing all facets that reflects our pasture-raised systems here in New Zealand.
Compiling the report required a range of expertise from across New Zealand, which has cumulated in a piece of work that navigates through the scientific evidence of the ever-evolving areas of nutrition and environmental sustainability, and the interfaces which brings them together – sustainable nutrition and food systems. . .
Long-serving Beef + Lamb New Zealand economist Rob Davison won the Outstanding Contribution to New Zealand’s Primary Industries Award at this year’s Primary Industries Summit.
This prestigious award recognises a New Zealand-based individual, within the primary sector, who has been considered a leader in their field of work for 20 years or more.
In selecting the recipient for this prestigious award, the judges were looking for long-standing commitment to the New Zealand primary sector, passion for the sector and its future and actions or initiatives that go beyond their day job and benefit the industry, the community and country.
In his forty-plus years with Beef + Lamb New Zealand (and the organisation’s previous incarnations), Rob has done all of this and more. He is highly respected by farmers, the wider industry and his work colleagues within B+LNZ. This was recognised by him being awarded an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2016 New Year’s Honours List. . .
They claim thousands of workers are still needed and New Zealand employees are hard to come by.
The employers will have to pay isolation and hourly work rates while the seasonal workers are locked down for two weeks in hotels.
Bostock New Zealand’s John Bostock, from Hawke’s Bay, said this was not about cost saving, but Kiwis willing to do the work were difficult to recruit. . .
Couple of hogget lambs from tailing last week and a few pictures of the MA stud ewes heading back to the hill until weaning. pic.twitter.com/8KVhqS6ct5
Robots will pack kiwifruit at Eastpack this season as part of a 12-month, $35 million investment plan across its business.
The company has commissioned an automation conversion on its largest 14 lane kiwifruit grader withthree massive robots and a number of automated packing machines.
But expense could stand in the way of new technologies replacing thousands of seasonal workers despite an ongoing labour shortage. However other packhouse evolutions had become game changers as the industry continues to boom.
Chief executive Hamish Simson said in the last five years the company had pumped more than $155m into increased storage capacity at its sites and innovation including automation technology. . .
From 10,000 acres at Castle Hill Station in the Canterbury high country to 25 acres on the clay soils at Hakaru in Northland has proven a big reach.
Hakaru is an old settlement on the east coast, midway between Mangawhai and Kaiwaka, an hour and a half north of Auckland. The property lies beautifully to the north and looks down into a green valley where the Hakaru River flows in the shade of old tōtara trees.
To the north, I have what I love in a view – the near and the far: paddocks, pine shelterbelts, the odd house lit up at night and, in the distance, the bush-covered Brynderwyns – a range extending from Bream Bay in the east to the upper branches of the Kaipara Harbour to the west. . .
It has been a hard year: COVID-19, lockdowns, urban riots, a contentious US national election, and even murder hornets.
So as we approach Thanksgiving, I am focused on making extra time to think about the good things in our lives.
One of them is resilience.
This idea occurred to me the other day when I was standing in line at the grocery store, here in New Mexico. The guy ahead of me at the checkout was about my age. He made a comment that I’m starting to hear more and more. . .
A leading veterinarian says in his opinion farmers are doing a better job now than ever in regards to animal welfare.
Richard Hilson is the managing director of Vet Services Hawke’s Bay, which has a staff of 120 people including about three dozen vets. Hilson says he gets frustrated when he sees a lot of publicity given to people who treat animals badly. He says the reality is that these few individuals unfairly give farming a bad name.
In recent months there have been several high profile cases of animals being mistreated and people being prosecuted for failing to adequately feed cows to killing a lamb.
Hilson says there is a greater awareness about animal welfare and often people who harm animals find that others who know them report them to the authorities. Hilson says these days, people realise that it’s not okay to mistreat animals. . .
They hold so much promise. A twist of the halves can reveal uniform, creamy, olive-green flesh.
But sometimes they’re destined straight for the compost bin.
They can be stringy, have brown spots or be disappointingly watery.
However Gisborne growers, David and Judi Grey, who have been growing and testing avocados for 50 years, have developed new varieties they say are perfect, every time. . .
A new research project that may help future-proof the kiwifruit industry has received a Fast Start Marsden grant.
The project, led by Dr Jay Jayaraman at Plant & Food Research and titled: How do new pathogen incursions evolve during host infection, will investigate the plant pathogen Psa (Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae), to understand how it evolves during infection of the kiwifruit plant.
Psa caused severe damage in New Zealand’s kiwifruit crops after its discovery in 2010. While the industry recovered, thanks to a new cultivar with improved disease tolerance, exploring alternative ways to manage the disease in future is still essential, particularly given the possibility that Psa could adapt to the new cultivar. . .
A new hi-tech baggage scanner at Auckland Airport will provide another crucial layer of protection against invasive pests and diseases, says Biosecurity New Zealand.
The computer tomography (CT) scanner made its first detection earlier this month – two bananas in a small carry-on bag arriving with a New Zealand family from Dubai.
Biosecurity New Zealand has been trialling the technology with selected flights since late October. Arriving passengers have their hand baggage scanned before they collect checked-in items from the airport carousels.
“We’re deliberately targeting baggage that travellers carry off the plane. It’s where we’re most likely to find food that could host fruit fly and other pests,” says Brett Hickman, Border Technology Manager, Biosecurity New Zealand. . .
Congratulations to Ben Tombs from Central Otago for becoming the 2020 Tonnellerie de Mercurey NZ Young Winemaker of the Year. Ben is Assistant Winemaker at Peregrine Wines in the Gibbston Valley and the first Young Winemaker from Central Otago to win the competition.
The other national finalists were Ben McNab from Matahiwi in Wairarapa and Peter Russell from Matua in Marlborough, who both took out sections of the competition, showing the very high calibre of contestants taking part. The judges were hugely impressed with their knowledge, passion and professionalism throughout the day.
The competition is tough and really stretches the finalists. Firstly, they had to prepare a presentation in advance about what the future wine consumer looks like and how New Zealand can maintain its competitive edge around the world. . .
Two Waitaki families farming in partnership for more than 50 years have developed a bird-loving business out of a crop sown on a wing and a prayer.
Riotous rows of yellow sunflowers beaming from fields south of Ōamaru are a shot of happiness in the Waitaki landscape. Sandwiched between crops of golden wheat and barley, the big friendly giants turn up the colour dial to a saturated yellow.
The exact location of the flowers, grown by the Mitchell and Webster families for more than 50 years, is usually kept on the low down.
Sometimes they are planted on Thousand Acre Road between Ōamaru and Kakanui, sometimes further inland towards Enfield. Crop rotation is the official reason; sunflowers need a five-year interval before being replanted in the same field since they are prone to fungal disease. However, transplanting the lots has the bonus of tricking the birds and keeping humans on their toes until the flowers hit their full two-metre height and yellowy glory at the end of January. . .
Horticulture and viticulture growers are trying to be innovative and flexible in order to attract the employees they need to get through a worker shortage for the coming summer season.
There is an urgent needfor local seasonal labour, with limited availability of overseas workers due to Covid-19 and 10,000 workers required to thin, pick, package and process the year’s crop between November and April.
The industry has joined up with the Ministry for Primary Industries, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and the region’s local government leaders to deliver a plan to the Government next month to resolve the situation.
Part of that plan includes a growers’ employment expo and information session on Tuesday, November 10, through which they plan to showcase the summer work and career opportunities in the sector. . .
New Zealand’s farmers are among the most efficient and productive in the world — and they need to be.
Our world is demanding high-quality, environmentally-friendly food. At the same time, regulatory costs continue to build; our weather is increasingly challenging to bank on and farm profitability and balance sheets are under pressure.
As a result, farmers are increasingly looking more closely at the economic contribution of each part of their farms. Not all land is the same; some parts of farms — if farmers are really honest about it — cost them money to farm.
It’s the steep, rough hill country out the back that farmers are taking a second look at. Not only is this land unprofitable, but it’s often difficult and dangerous to farm. This land is typically erosion-prone and topsoil run-off is undermining farmers’ broader environmental efforts. . .
Office view today quietly doing deskwork, then from corner of my eye a mob of R2 Heifers wander into view. Acceptable disturbance. Fine summer day in the mighty Kaipara. 😎 pic.twitter.com/QYozRWBXMe
Whether about horses or lambs, alpacas or goats — Henrietta Purvis derives satisfaction from positive feedback from happy animal owners.
She and her husband Graeme Purvis operate Purvis Feeds from their Waianakarua property, south of Oamaru, selling lucerne chaff throughout New Zealand.
Very much a hands-on business owner who spends time both in the cutting shed and on the books, Mrs Purvis has been named the innovation category winner in this year’s NZI Rural Women New Zealand Business Awards . .
Upping the proportion of female flowers in a kiwifruit orchard may boost production, according to new research.
Plant and Food Research scientists and collaborators from the USA have compiled more than 30 years of field-based data from kiwifruit research to create “digital twins” of pollination processes in kiwifruit orchards, and have used these to predict how growers can optimise their fruit set.
Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical systems – in this case mathematical models of the biology of the plants and the behaviour of pollinating bees.
These digital twins gave researchers the ability to examine complex scenarios which examine multiple, intertwined factors at once. . . .
Demand for larger lines of quality cattle has seen North Queensland become the go-to market for New South Wales graziers as they rebuild their herds.
The strong demand from southern restockers has not only provided competition at northern store sales, but also seen paddock deals culminate in thousands of cattle being trucked across the border in recent months.
Since March of this year, private agency firm Kennedy Rural has successfully sold and overseen the transport of in excess of 10,000 head of cattle into areas of NSW. . .
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