Farming for the future while acknowledging the past has seen an Eastern Taranaki family recognised for their top farming and environmental practices.
Robert and Jane Brown have been farming at Mangamingi for the past 34 years.
Operating as Rukumoana Farms, the operation supports 11 family members with Robert and Jane’s three sons, their wives and four grandchildren on the properties.
MARCH
Wanaka A&P Show
Bringing the town and country together in a spectacular lakeside setting.
18–20
MARCH Central Districts Field Days
Whether you're a farmer or a foodie, don't miss the latest trends and deals on show.
24–26
MARCH
South Island Agricultural Field Days
Make the most of your day off farm by catching up on the latest innovations and farm trends.
FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE
Shelly Worthington
Technical Field Officer, Taranaki
Q: How long have you been with Farmlands?
A: 12 years
Q: What’s your favourite thing about your region?
A: I am lucky to be the TFO for the eastern Taranaki sheep and beef shareholders. Every day I get to work with such an amazing bunch of farmers. They aren’t just customers, they have become friends and in many cases I am treated like part of the family. There’s nothing quite like being swamped and hugged by kids (and dogs) when you arrive on-farm.
Q: What’s your favourite holiday destination?
A: Tarata! This is home for me. I have a very large garden and love nothing better than to stay home with my dogs.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: Great customer service is the only thing that really sets you apart from the opposition — this was taught to me my first boss, Kerry at BP Eltham. Also, always find the good in people.
Q: What is your main focus coming into autumn?
A: Ensuring crops and young capital stock are in good condition for the winter ahead. Infrastructure projects will also be underway so I will be sourcing and moving lots of fencing gear!
Dip-in loaf Shelly's
Ingredients
Loaf
• Bread loaf — recommend a vienna, cob or tiger type.
• Handful cheese (grated).
• Small handful of spinach (chopped).
Filling
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 3 pickled onions
• Big handful of cheese (grated)
• 250g cream cheese
• Big handful spinach (chopped)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
Method
1. Slice off the top of the loaf to create a “lid” and pull out the bread inside leaving the crust as a shell. Put to one side.
2. Blend all filling ingredients in a food processor or with a stick blender until smooth and green in colour.
3. Break up the bread removed from the loaf into smaller pieces and stir into the mixture with a small handful of spinach.
4. Spread a handful of grated cheese onto the inner base of the crust shell and pour in the filling mixture.
5. Put the loaf “lid” back on, wrap well in tinfoil and bake at 180 degrees for approximately 1 hour. Once heated through, remove from oven.
6. Slice into the sides of loaf (so pieces can be torn off) and break up the lid to be used for dipping.
Welcome to the March issue of The Farmlander magazine. The autumn season is now upon us, which brings with it a significant flurry of tasks on-farm. Your co-operative is well placed to support you with all of your seasonal requirements, which you can learn about throughout this issue.
As you will read on page 17, 31st March will be my last day as Chief Executive of Farmlands. Our Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Cooney will step into the role of Acting CEO from 1st April, providing surety of leadership while the Board of Directors searches for the right candidate to take our co-operative into the future. I have great confidence in Kevin and the rest of the Farmlands Leadership Team who will carry on doing a great job while awaiting confirmation of a new leader for the co-operative.
One of the things I believe that makes Farmlands special is that we are owned by our customer. In the case of any commercial entity, the drive of success is customer satisfaction. In our case, we please our customer, we also please our shareholder. That makes us a very customer-centric organisation where we are driven to “grow shareholder success” which I believe is our real point of difference and a driver of competitor advantage. In my time with Farmlands I have many times seen our people go over and above in order to please the shareholder. I know you see and appreciate that too, as one constant we get from our customer feedback is your appreciation of the value and effort our team of Farmlanders put into you.
During my time here I have sought to supplement that passion for our customer/shareholder with the addition of knowledge and expertise. If we can not only know you better than anyone else but we can also give you advice, recommendations or help better than anyone else, we can both genuinely prosper together, which is our aim. Our investment in system, process, skills, capability and technical expertise will enable us to deliver on our ambition to be your true partner for providing the inputs on your land. This is a journey – to use a cliché – but it is one we have begun and one you will see significant benefit in, as we help you through the opportunities and challenges that we are going to continue to face.
Farmlands has been a great experience for me. I will miss the passion of the people, the interactions and advice from our shareholders, the support of your Board, working with a great team and the satisfaction of leading an organisation that truly works to get great outcomes for our shareholders. This in turn means great outcomes for the New Zealand primary sector which flows through to great outcomes for New Zealand.
One plea before I go. Farmlands want great outcomes for its shareholders. The best way we can get those great outcomes is through the collective power of those shareholders. If you do not support through utilising us, it is difficult for us to deliver what you want from us as we become no different from our competitors or other buying organisations. If you truly get behind your co-operative, it can truly get some amazing benefits for you – but it needs you to be truly behind it. In many cases I know you are but there is also plenty of opportunity to do more.
Thank you for you support of me in my time as CEO and your belief in and support of Farmlands. I believe I am leaving this co-operative in a better place than when I joined. Good foundations are now in place from which Farmlands can continue to grow and prosper. For me, it is now time to pass on the baton.
All the best for the future. I now join you on the other side of the counter – as a shareholder wanting the best for our co-operative.
Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative
Society Limited
5 minutes with Donald Nordeng
Chief Executive Officer
BioGro New Zealand
What is your background and how did your passion for organics originate?
When I was in Japan in 1992, I was fortunate to be working for a small specialty import company Taneyama ga Hara Co. Ltd as import manager with Norio Inaba. Norio’s vision was to specialise in importing organic food from around the world and introduce this concept to Japan. This is where I learned about and met many of the pioneers of the organic movement. Later my business partners and I founded the first organic certifier in Japan in 1996 which deepened my passion.
What do you think the biggest drawcard for organic farming and growing is?
In New Zealand organic has never gained much traction until recently. Comparatively in Europe and the United States between 10-15 percent of the food market is certified organic. The drawcard is really the pool of highly motivated consumers and the huge $150 billion market opportunity that continues to grow, despite the pandemic.
For farmers and growers wanting to turn their produce organic, where do they start?
It all begins with the land itself. Organic production is about removing unnecessary chemicals from production methods so the earlier this is achieved the better. It’s important to do your research and speak to those
within the sector who can help you with this transition. BioGro offer an Initial Contact Meeting service, where an experienced auditor will visit your farm to gain a good understanding of your operation. Whilst there, they will answer all your questions and assess how viable it is for your property or operation to become certified. There is an absolute wealth of knowledge in organics within New Zealand, so be sure to utilise this by speaking to the experts. If you are not sure where to start, BioGro will happily point you in the right direction.
What are some of the challenges facing the organic industry?
For the New Zealand organic industry specifically, funding would be one of the biggest challenges.
As we start to understand the impacts of climate change, organic regenerative production is also becoming recognised as a solution to a more sustainable future .”
There is an absolute wealth of knowledge in organics within New Zealand, so be sure to utilise this by speaking to the experts.”
This stretches across funding for both research, and schemes to help those who are looking to convert to organics.
Globally we are seeing more initiatives from Government level with hope that someday this will be a reality in New Zealand, especially with policies focussing more on the environment. Another challenge is the current lack of national regulation and standards. This means that there is freedom for any producer to use the term organic on their produce, even if this claim is not true. Not only are certified organic producers having to compete with noncertified and potentially non-organic producers, but this also increases the cost for export requirements due to accreditation obligations. How is the organic industry contributing to the message New Zealand is telling the world about our produce?
Clean, Green New Zealand — we have all heard the phrase, but many are not so convinced with the projection behind it. Organic regenerative production
methods are not only better for you by avoiding potentially harmful chemicals, but also better for the environment.
Globally, the term organic and its certification processes are recognised and understood — with consumers increasingly choosing products they can trust.
Where do organics fit into the new environmental initiatives and policies being put in place by the New Zealand Government?
As we start to understand the impacts of climate change, organic regenerative production is also becoming recognised as a solution to a more sustainable future. The sector is currently working
with Government to implement the first organic regulations and standards to be introduced here in New Zealand. Budgets are also being put forward for research into regenerative production, with hope to better define and understand the positive implications of this way of producing.
What is coming up for BioGro in the events and knowledge sharing space?
In November 2020 BioGro held its first seminar with a focus on combatting climate change. Following on from the success of this inaugural seminar and increasing interest in organic production, we aim to put together a series throughout 2021 — watch this space.
THE RIGHT BALANCE
Farming for the future, while acknowledging the past, has seen an eastern Taranaki family recognised for their top farming and environmental practices.
Robert and Jane Brown have been farming at Mangamingi for the past 34 years.
Operating as Rukumoana Farms, the operation supports 11 family members with Robert and Jane’s three sons, their wives and four grandchildren on the properties.
While they now own 1,263ha spanning three locations at Mangamingi, Rawhitiroa and Huinga, there have been a series of historical sales and purchases to get them where they are today.
The pioneer of Rukumoana
Robert’s legacy with his home property began back in the 1800s when his great-grandfather, also Robert but known as Bobby, left his family farm and blazed a trail through virgin bush to Mangamingi.
Bobby settled at Rukumoana, purchasing 776 acres in 1891 and another 864 acres in 1906.
In 1919 Bobby sold both blocks and moved to a small property near Wanganui — only to return 4 years later to buy the two properties back again.
The blocks were run by Bobby’s sons, Percy (Robert’s grandfather) and Gilbert, who farmed in partnership until 1925 when Percy purchased the Mangamingi farm. The farm was handed down to Percy’s son Peter (Robert’s father) and is now owned by Robert and Jane.
Robert was always going to be a farmer. From high school he returned home to the Mangamingi farm and spent the next 12 years shearing both locally and overseas — and working on the farm.
He and Jane married in 1984 and with three keen farming sons arriving, it was obvious they were going to need a bit more land.
Land sales and subdivisions over the decades had seen the original farm boundaries change but the couple managed to add to their original 350ha by purchasing a boundary block. They went on to buy a 96ha run-off and a 524ha farm about half an hour’s drive from their home property.
Robert said from a profitability perspective the original 350ha was fairly marginal in just sheep and beef.
| From left to right: Sam, William (holding Baxter), Jane, Robert, Samuel Matthews and Nick. Samuel is working with the Brown family over the summer to gain farm experience.
“We needed to get bigger to generate more income and with all the boys keen on farming we knew one farm was not going to be enough and we needed more land.
“We set out to grow our land holding and now have more than three times what we began with.”
A
special breed
Across the properties the Browns now fatten close to 600 cattle, bulls and steers, plus 150 dairy grazers which provides cash flow.
Last year they wintered around 5,000 ewes and mated 700 hoggets, producing 8,000 lambs on the ground — a ewe lambing percentage of 148 percent. Close to 6,500 lambs were fattened and 1,500 were kept as hogget replacements.
Robert says as breeds and farming practices have changed over the years the family has moved with the times.
A development in the flock has been around facial eczema tolerance. The Browns have traditionally used Wairere Rams from the Wairarapa and are finding success with the Wairere Challenger Cross.
“We haven’t lost the quality of the Romney breed and the Wairere Challenger genetics have added an improved facial eczema tolerance.
“The result is a very athletic breed that can jump a fence from a standing position — they don’t need a run up,” Robert says.
Big steps for a small footprint
The Browns describe their farming style as always having been environmentally focussed with a long-term commitment to environmental stewardship.
Robert says it is important to them to leave a positive legacy and they balance producing quality stock with improving the farm's environmental footprint.
| William (pictured) supports younger brother Sam with their direct drilling contracting business.
| Sam directs a mob through the yard.
To help offset greenhouse gas emissions, 72ha of trees have been planted under the Afforestation Grant Scheme (the scheme was replaced by the One Billion Trees Fund in December 2018).
The planting comprises 56ha of pine trees with the balance in mānuka and retired native bush.
“The pines offset the carbon and assist with erosion and we have beehives so the mānuka helps there, it’s just better land use and more sustainable.”
Three wetland areas have been fenced off and numerous native plants put in. Poplar poles are used for erosion control and shade and predators are actively managed.
Riparian planting and planting of the steeper areas to assist with erosion control has also taken place.
Robert says the land contour is a mixture of flat to rolling with some fairly steep hills.
“We keep cattle numbers limited on the hills to preserve the land and fertiliser is applied for maintenance only.”
At the Huinga farm they have completed around 2km of nine-wire fencing to fence off areas of wetlands and mānuka with totara plantings also planned.
The work has been funded by the Taranaki Regional Council who Robert says they have a good working relationship with.
The family is also involved in the Halo Project, which inspires and works with communities to enhance, protect and connect with the landscape and supports the Brown’s commitment to biodiversity.
The Brown’s forward-thinking environmental approach has also been teamed with an off-farm income stream.
Youngest son Sam, with support from his brother William, runs a direct drilling contract business used to plant fattening crops which they utilise on their own properties and other local farms.
| Improved facial eczema tolerance for the Romney flock has come from the change to Wairere Challenger rams over the last 10 years.
“The no-tillage approach helps conserve the soil and because there is no cultivation the structure of the land is preserved.
“The drilling gets the boys off the farm and provides extra income.”
Innovation and infrastructure
Innovation has always been a cornerstone for the Browns.
Robert says he has always been keen to try something new and this is reflected in the gravity fed and solar water systems they have established.
The home farm has a gravity feed to most of the troughs.
A tank situated at the top of a hill is high enough to gravity feed the house, with a pump only used to add extra pressure. The water feed also supports troughs up to 2km in the other direction.
The Browns are working to duplicate the system at their Huinga block, using a solar system which pumps the water from a creek and then 60m uphill to a tank. This then gravity feeds troughs on the flats.
“We use solar panels to run a solar pump, which is ideal as it pumps more water when there is more sunlight, which is when the stock demand is the highest. It is so much cheaper than electricity and more reliable and in the case of the Huinga property we couldn’t get electricity there anyway.
“The boys give us the incentive to keep up with innovation, we bounce ideas off each other. New ideas keep everyone keen, it’s a change and not just the same old thing.”
A priority on efficiency has also driven infrastructure, with a lane set-up across the Mangamingi property making stock movement as easy as possible.
Robert says the home farm lends itself to the laneway which has grown to about 3km, making it easy to put stock on the lane which feeds out to paddocks.
“We are starting to replicate this system at Huinga as it makes it so quick and simple to bring stock in and out.”
Recognition and rewards
Last year, the Brown family were the supreme winners of the Taranaki Ballance Farm Environment Award, with the cohesive family unit recognised for their innovation, environmental management and infrastructure.
Entering the Ballance Farm Environment Awards gave the family a chance to acknowledge the hard work that has gone into the farm by past and present generations.
Robert says the family didn’t change the way they operated to enter the awards. “The judges just must like the way we do things.”
| (Above) Robert observes his fattening crops. Direct drilling the crop has meant that the soil has been conserved. (Below) Cattle numbers are limited on the hills to preserve the land.
| The carefully planned infrastructure on Rukumoana allows for a smooth flow of animals across the property.
Run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust, the awards champion sustainable farming and growing through a programme that selects one regional supreme winner from each of the 11 regions involved.
As well as receiving the 2020 Supreme Regional Award, Rukumoana Farms was also awarded the Bayleys People in Primary Sector Award, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award, Norwood Agri-Business Management Award, Synlait Climate Stewardship Award, WaterForce Wise with Water Award and the Taranaki Regional Council Sustainability Award.
Judges were impressed with the Browns’ willingness to try new things in innovative ways and the solid infrastructure base that made the properties easy to manage.
The Ballance Awards judges noted the family operation plays to the strengths of all family members and there is also an excellent ability to spread risk while managing cashflow.
The Browns’ formal succession plan as well as their involvement with the community were also highlighted, with judges describing the family as demonstrating a genuine passion for their farm and industry.
The next steps
Planning for a smooth future succession is important to Robert and Jane.
Son Nick, 32, is married to Sophie and they have two children, Sebastian and Lachlan. Plans are already afoot for Nick to take over the Huinga farm while William, 30, who is married to Kate and has two children, Henry and Ella, will farm the home block.
Both boys will lease the farms and buy the stock.
Next in line is youngest son Sam, 26 who will remain working in the family business while they consolidate and build equity to eventually buy an additional property.
“Ultimately the goal is for each boy to have his own farm and run that independently. It is better to keep them separate so
they are not reliant on each other but can still work together and help each other out.
“It can get really messy if you don’t plan for succession now. The idea is to put a plan in place so we can be looked after off farm but still be involved.
“We are pretty proud. Our grandchildren are the sixth generation on this land. It has not always been easy to achieve what we have from a financial point of view and we need to look after ourselves too, but we are doing our damnedest,” Robert says.
| Jane and Robert Brown are very proud of what they've achieved on-farm, although it hasn't been easy.
| Better land use through retiring native bush and planting pines have earned Browns the sustainability tick.
AUTUMN CHANGES? NO WORRIES.
Whatever Autumn throws at you, we’re with you all the way.
Our team of highly-knowledgeable experts stands behind your local TFO to lend an ear and help you make the right decisions, whatever the conditions. Call your local TFO or head in store today.
Huntly takes out Branch of the Year
While the 2020 Farmlands Awards were unable to go ahead due to COVID-19, the 2021 Awards more than made up for the missed celebration.
As part of the 2021 Farmlands Conference, Farmlands staff from around the country descended on Lincoln University in Canterbury to reflect on the year that was, plan for the seasons ahead and share knowledge and experience.
The icing on the cake was the Farmlands Awards on 27th January. Due to the awards not running in 2020, the criteria for each award expanded over both the 2019 and 2020 financial years.
The big winner this year was Huntly, who took out Branch of the Year under the leadership of Business Manager Tessa Dooley. Branch of the Year is decided by a scoring system based on a series of criteria, including sales, gross margin and Health and Safety compliance.
Tessa, who transferred to Huntly in December 2019 from the Pukekohe store (who won Branch of the Year in 2016), was quick to transform the store shortly after her arrival.
“My team has worked really hard over the past year and in February 2020 we
Farmlands Awards Winners 2019/2020
Branch of the Year
1st Huntly, 2nd Ngatea, 3rd Te Kuiti
Province of the Year
1st Waikato, 2nd Bay of Plenty, Tasman (equal)
Farmlander of the Year
Vince Curle
Farmlands CEO Leader of the Year
Grant E. Smith
undertook a big layout change within the store,” Tessa says.
“We did a clean-up, listened to our shareholders and we are now getting good feedback from our customers as we can provide what they really need. I’m very grateful to my staff for backing me and my crazy ideas!”
It was a culmination of work from stores across the eastern North Island that earned Waikato the new award of Province of the Year.
Accepting the award on behalf of the region, Regional General Manager Waynne Dodunski was thrilled with the effort put in by the stores.
“To me this is recognition for the work done over many years. We have people
Keith Stockman Memorial Award - Retail Salesperson of the Year:
1st Stevie White, 2nd Ben Buschl, 3rd Vince Curle
Shareholder Champion of the Year
1st Malcolm Wyllie, 2nd Jamie Hancock
who truly support each other and would drop everything to help,” Waynne says.
“We adapt and change but never lose that friendship.”
Hastings Salesperson Vince Curle took out the Farmlander of the Year title, while New Plymouth Assistant Business Manager, Stevie White was awarded the Keith Stockman Memorial Award - Retail Salesperson of the Year.
All of the winners on the night were quick to thank their teams for their support, reflecting on what has been the backbone of Farmlands over the years — people helping people.
To view the full list of award winners visit www.farmlands.co.nz/ awards2020
Farmlands Specialist of the Year
1st Guy Mason, 2nd Andy Davis, 3rd Sam Lucas
Farmlands Support Person of the Year
Alasdair Mitchell
Health, Safety and Wellbeing Excellence Award
Rachel Naylor
Technical Field Officer of the Year
1st Michael Magennity, 2nd Jordan Wood, 3rd Richard Doherty
Technical Advisor of the Year
1st Richard Lyons, 2nd Daniel Macdonald, 3rd Graeme Lee
Emerging TFO/TA of the Year
1st Hamish Hogg, 2nd Hannah McCoard, 3rd Emma Chrystall
| Back row: Leigh Taylor, Angus Petersen, Ariane Hill, Tessa Dooley, Phillip Black. Front row: Katie Mackenzie and Rosa Millar. Absent: Tim Orlando-Reep.
BRING IT ON.
A NEW SEASON BRINGS NEW QUESTIONS.
How effective is your farm plan?
How palatable is your pasture?
Want to spend less time in the yards?
Are your cows set for optimum milk production?
Run-off worries keeping you awake at night?
Do you have a crop protection plan in place?
Want to increase dry matter recovery?
Whatever’s on your mind, call your local TFO or head in-store for expert advice.
To The Core Leadership and Governance Development Programme
Farmlands Co-operative and Silver Fern Farms Co-operative are pleased to welcome applications for our award-winning rural governance and leadership programme – To The Core.
This unique programme has been designed for Farmlands and Silver Fern Farms shareholders and gives participants an opportunity to learn more about governance in our co-operatives, as well as develop the skills needed to operate at board level.
Where: Farmlands Co-operative Support Office, 535 Wairakei Road, Burnside, Christchurch 8053 and Peppers Clearwater
When: Wednesday 2nd − Friday 4th June 2021 Programme fee: $695 plus GST — Includes accommodation and all meals during the course.
The programme features an outstanding line up of top speakers, as well as opportunities to discuss issues impacting boards.
• A perspective on agribusiness co-operative boards: strategy and structure
• How to navigate boards through risk and market disruption
• The future of farming and impacts for boards
• CEO and Chair Panel
Shareholders of both co-operatives are invited to apply for positions –numbers are limited.
If you have any questions about To The Core, please contact Clark Taylor (Shareholder Relations Manager, Silver Fern Farms) on clark.taylor@silverfernfarms.com or 029 914 5060.
Applications close 20th March 2021
Kevin Cooney to become Acting CEO from April
Farmlands Chief Executive Officer, Peter Reidie will finish up with the co-operative on 31st March.
The announcement was made to staff at the end of January, during the Farmlands National Conference, Grow 2021. Farmlands Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Cooney will take on the role of Acting Chief Executive from 1st April, until a permanent appointment is made.
Farmlands Chairman Rob Hewett says a recruitment process is underway. In the meantime, Kevin will be supported by the wider Farmlands Leadership Team and Board in his dual role.
“Given the recruitment process can take a reasonable length of time, particularly in these COVID-19 affected times, it is important to provide both shareholders and staff with certainty of leadership,” Rob says. “Kevin is a proven leader in business leadership, strategy and transformation, with a track record of delivering outcomes in complex business environments – and of course, he is very familiar with the business already.”
Peter Reidie joined Farmlands in 2015, having spent the previous 7 years with Goodman Fielder in a variety of roles, including Managing Director Australia/New Zealand. Rob says Peter leaves a lasting legacy with Farmlands Co-operative.
“Peter was given the task of taking our co-operative and future proofing it for the modern challenges our business –and our shareholders – face,” he says. “This has been achieved while retaining what makes Farmlands so special – the relationships in the provinces, towns
and communities that have been built over generations.”
Rob says the biggest achievement during Peter’s tenure was Braveheart – a 3-year business transformation programme that shifted all of Farmlands’ out-of-date systems onto one platform.
“Braveheart needed to happen –and Peter got us there,” Rob says. “Farmlands used to be a series of businesses, with different processes and systems. Through the hard work of Farmlanders across the country, steered by Peter’s leadership, we can now provide shareholders with better innovation and solutions. Our ambition is to build on this even further to bring more benefits to our members.”
Peter has previously announced he is leaving Farmlands Co-operative to take over as Chief Executive of Sanford, New Zealand’s largest fishing company.
Peter was given the task of taking our co-operative and future proofing it for the modern challenges our business – and our shareholders – face.”
| (Above) Kevin Cooney will become Acting CEO from 1st April. (Below) Peter addresses staff at the Farmlands National Conference, Grow 2021.
A ticket to the game
Thought
leadership by Farmlands’
Head of Sustainability and Land Use,
Katie Vickers
The evidence is clear that we are facing major climate change. The recent release of the Climate Change Commission draft budget report on how New Zealand is to achieve a low carbon economy is indicative of this. Achieving a low carbon economy is something that we need to care about so that New Zealand farmers and growers can maintain the global recognition we have for our farming practices — we responsibly produce some of best food and fibre in the world and want to keep it that way.
As we know more, we must do more. With increased science and consumer knowledge around biogenic methane, carbon sequestration and fossil fuel use, we must continue to use our learnings to develop new systems that best support our future generations and help us meet the consumers’ requirements. Farmlands has a duty of care to support our shareholders with these developments and assist in helping farmers and growers understand what it all means.
As part of global efforts to combat climate change, New Zealand has committed, as part of the Paris Agreement, to join other countries in reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The agriculture sector has specific farm emission reduction targets within this.
The Government has mandated some clear primary sector climate change commitments that our farmers and growers need to meet:
• By December 2021, a quarter of all New Zealand farms must know their annual greenhouse gas number.
• This will rise to 100 percent of farms required by December 2022.
• By January 2025, all farms must also have an integrated Farm Environment Plan that incorporates emissions reductions, emissions offsets and climate adaptation and be using an agreed accounting system for reporting their emissions. Is there support available to help meet these commitments?
Yes, absolutely. He Waka Eke Noa is a partnership between industry bodies, Māori and Government and has been developed to help equip farmers and growers with knowledge, tools and support to report, manage and reduce emissions on farm.
Farmlands is actively seeking out support systems that will work best for our farmers and growers.
By proposing a partnership approach instead of regulating agricultural emissions under the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), He Waka Eke Noa ensures the best interests of the farmers are considered first and foremost. Under the He Waka Eke Noa programme, the primary sector, Māori and the Government are collaborating on ways to reduce emissions through farm planning and developing a pricing mechanism suited to agribusiness.
Farmer reference groups are also actively working within the programme. This is a ticket to the game for New Zealand. As a country that relies heavily on our export market, He Waka Eke Noa will help to strengthen our trade access in the future — it is important we support and understand our part to play in this programme.
Farmlands is committed to joining the combined effort to help our shareholders shape this future. We are here to support you as you continue to grow great things.
For He Waka Eke Noa's greenhouse gas farm planning advice visit www.hewakaekenoa.nz
For details on New Zealand’s climate commitments, see www.mfat.govt.nz/en/environment/ climate-change/meeting-our-targets
| Katie Vickers, Head of Sustainability and Land Use.
Starting the conversation
After seeing the effects of stigma surrounding mental health touch the lives of those in the agricultural sector, Taranaki artist Paul Rangiwahia has been inspired to look past the surface and create a special piece of artwork for the Rural Support Trust.
Growing up in Hawera, south taranaki, Paul is no stranger to farming. Motivated by the strain he was witnessing on his friends and family
and buoyed by his success in his own mental health battle in 2014, Paul began his journey into the mental health support space. The development of his Mental Warrant of Fitness artwork (currently on display outside New Plymouth’s Puke Ariki museum) was his first foray into how art could support positive conversations about wellbeing.
“I’ve been involved in the mental health side of things for over 6 years and have developed my own niche through using artwork to help start conversations. The conversations are about things that we’re all going through, as none of us are immune to environmental, social or pyschological pressure,” Paul says.
Following the success of the Mental WoF in schools and with businesses, Paul turned to the agricultural sector. Aware of the pressure that farmers were facing from the media and environmental regulations on top of usual on-farm stress, Paul became frustrated that conversations around the mental health of farmers were not happening. In a bid to lend his hand to the fight against the stigma, Paul approached Mike Green, a trustee of the Rural Support Trust in early 2020 and together they developed The Top Six Inches fundraising initiative. Inspired by the
concept that the top six inches of the brain houses resilience and that the majority of a plant’s roots sit under the top six inches of soil, the artwork acts as a reminder to farmers to look after their wellbeing.
Founded on people helping people during difficult times, Mike and the Rural Support Trust jumped at the chance to be involved.
“The messaging within the work is really important, it’s about keeping things in perspective and focussing on only controlling the things that you can control,” Mike says.
“We picked it up as a great opportunity to help farmers.”
The Top-Six Inches print is now available for sale from the Rural Support Trust — all profits from each print will go towards the Trust. The initiative, which launched in mid-November 2020, is gaining traction with the original artwork being sold for $9,000.
“The things that I talk about in my art are just common sense, it’s not in your face and I hope that people can connect with it. What I’ve realised is that the biggest barrier for getting better is talking about what we’re feeling,” Paul says.
“Art breaks the stigma and even though no one has all the answers and there’s no one size that fits all — for farmers it starts the conversation with themselves or with family and friends.”
The Top-Six Inches prints are available from the Rural Support Trust website on www.rural-support.org.nz or by calling 0800 787 254.
| The Top Six Inches is available through the Rural Support Trust.
WE SUPPORT PROVINCIAL BUSINESSES TOO.
FMG has been a big part of rural and provincial New Zealand for over 115 years. But we haven’t just been insuring farmers and growers, we also help the businesses that support these communities. We have a team of commercial specialists right across the country to provide advice and go through your insurance needs. If you’d like to talk give us a call on 0800 366 466 or visit fmg.co.nz
FMG client pictured:
Agrisea Hauraki plains, Paeroa
We’re here for the good of the country.
Dare to dream big
From a concept, to a $10 million business employing 20 staff in 2 years — Reefton Distilling Co. Founder and Chief Executive Patsy Bass gets things done. We spoke to Patsy about her path and what has inspired her.
Who has encouraged you the most professionally?
The leaders who I have respected and learned the most from are Sir Angus Tait and Warren Rickard (Tait Communications) and Sir David Levene (Patron, Outward Bound). They treated everyone like they are the most important person on the planet.
I ran the Tait induction programme every fortnight and Angus and Warren came to each one to meet their new staff and share the company history. Angus knew everyone in the business by name and would recount tales of their time with him at their farewells.
Sir David Levene has been a huge support for me and was instrumental in helping me to establish Reefton Distilling Co.
How important is it for young people to find a mentor or someone who leads by example in helping you find and make a difference in your chosen field?
I didn’t have a mentor in my early career, so simply sought out people I wanted to be like and approached them to find out how they achieved their success.
What are some of the attributes that have helped you professionally?
Tenacity, positivity, hard work and a clear vision.
What challenges have you faced in business that have been overcome and what did you learn from them that help you now?
Negativity of others. It’s surprising how
people tend to focus on all the things that might go wrong. It just made me more determined to succeed.
Do you feel that any barriers have come down in the last 5 years regarding women in business?
I don’t focus on gender and have never felt like I’ve not been able to secure a role I’ve wanted or been qualified for. What was the turning point for you, when did you decide to take the leap into starting your own business?
I’d been doing some work on the side without charging a fee and when a magazine asked to run a story on me, I thought it would be a good opportunity to promote that work as a business. As opportunities increased, I stepped away from being an employee.
In terms of Reefton Distilling Co. I’ve always had a strong connection to my hometown and been fiercely proud of it. When my husband Shane and I visited a few years ago and noticed buildings in the main street being restored, I caught up with the person who was leading that.
Shane and I decided that if a person with no connection to the town could see the magic and was prepared to do that, that we should roll our sleeves up and do our bit.
I invited my best of breed professional network to Reefton and we held community forums to brainstorm. One of a handful of ideas was a distillery, but as a non-drinker, I thought I’m not interested in that! I started exploring the other ideas, but things kept leading back to a distillery.
Having lived on the site of the original Westland Brewery and having always wanted to ‘make the rain sexy’, Reefton Distilling Co. was born.
What was the most interesting thing you learnt last year and how did this change your perspective?
How to go from being Managing Director to Chief Executive. It was a strange few months adjusting to being accountable to a board after I stepped down as a director. I appreciate the value this strong board brings to their role and it frees me up to lead the team and grow the business.
What is inspiring you professionally or personally at the moment and why?
Watching the growth in the New Zealand distilling industry and how collaborative we are. Early on we realised that if we work together and share skills and experience it will be good for all of us on the world stage. Tell us about your latest project for this year, and what are you hoping to achieve?
We bought a new 1ha site in town just as we went into lockdown and we are fitting that out at the moment. Our new, larger distillery will be open this year providing the capacity for growth into new markets, to create more jobs and provide an enhanced tour and cellar door experience.
| Patsy Bass picking blackcurrants in the distillery garden.
JOIN US AT CENTRAL DISTRICTS FIELD DAYS
Make the most of your day off farm by dropping into the Farmlands site for better ways to work, live and earn.
WHEN: 18th – 20 th March 2021
WHERE: Manfeild, 59 South Street, Feilding
SITE: K36 – K38
YOU’LL HEAR ALL ABOUT
• Donaghys game changing NEW drench exclusive to Farmlands
• Top tech solutions for the farm thanks to Noel Leeming
• Real Estate insights and sales with Property Brokers
• Better autumn outcomes from our Technical and Growth and Innovation teams
• And loads more!
PLUS on site hospitality with FREE BLT’s.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The cherry on top
Land diversification within two Central Otago sheep and beef farms is giving owners two bites of the cherry.
Husband-and-wife team Ross and Sharon Kirk’s ambitious vision of developing cherry orchards on traditional farmland is now aiming to meet the demands of New Zealand’s emerging and booming cherry industry through Deep Creek Fruits NZ. Drawing on decades of experience in managing cherry and horticultural developments, Ross and Sharon launched their horticultural consultancy company, Hortinvest, in 2016. They use a unique vertically integrated business model which involves sourcing land, establishing and managing orchards and packhouses and marketing and exporting premium
fruit using the latest in high-tech horticulture and packhouse technology. Chartered Accountant George Collier could see the benefits of their concept and brokered an introduction between the owners of Lindis Peaks and Mt Pisa stations with Ross and Sharon.
Despite the two Otago properties being about half an hour’s drive from each other, both Murray and Jacqui MacMillan of Mt Pisa Station and Simon Maling and Lucy Annan of Lindis Peak Station embraced the Kirk’s entrepreneurial vision as a way of exploring sustainable land use alternatives while retaining their farms and future proofing the properties for generations to come.
The next step in the Kirk’s cherry journey was the formation of the investor group Deep Creek Fruits NZ, comprising 37 investors, including the landowners.
The first 22ha of cherry trees were planted in 2019 before being followed by the main planting over September and October 2020 with a total 58,000 trees planted across both properties — 83ha on Mt Pisa Station and 35ha on Lindis Station.
While COVID-19 has affected the availability of horticultural workers Sharon Kirk says they still had enough people available to assist with planting.
“The bulk of our helpers were international and had become stranded in New Zealand or chosen to stay.”
Peak production is expected to hit in 2025 with an expected cherry crop of 2,800 tonnes — creating work for 800 seasonal workers.
“A sustainable labour supply will be an ongoing challenge. We have registered with the Supplementary Seasonal Employer (SSE) scheme which will allow us to employ people who have changed their visitor visa to a SSE visa,” Sharon says.
“Our next stage is to develop a state-ofthe-art pack house which will involve the latest technology and be ready for our first harvest at the end of this year.”
Deep Creek Fruits NZ have developed a strong partnership with Farmlands and Card Partner Meridian Energy as part of supporting their growing business.
Meridian’s commitment to sustainability and making the best out of natural resources resonated with Deep Creek Fruits NZ and the 100 percent renewable energy company has been a cornerstone of the cherry operation.
Meridian Agri and Business Account Manager Greg Robertson says that the connection between Farmlands, Deep Creek Fruits NZ and Meridian is more than just a supplier/customer relationship. “We see this as more of a partnership to help achieve all of our sustainability goals.”
Sharon describes the world as having an insatiable appetite for highquality fruit that delivers on flavour, appearance and gift-giving potential, especially for the ever-growing Chinese New Year market.
“Cherries are big, red, luxurious and delicious and leverage off New Zealand’s quality reputation. We know we are managing an ambitious project, but we have done our due diligence and it is a very exciting time ahead.”
| Sharon and Ross Kirk of Deep Creek Fruits NZ
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Lisa Kendall — Young Farmer
“I’m a girl from Auckland who didn’t grow up on a farm,” Lisa Kendall, 2020 FMG Young Farmer of the Year winner for the Northern region, says. “So, when I went into farming, I felt a lot of pressure to fit in and be tough – and I avoided thinking about the health and safety side because I didn’t want to be ‘that Auckland girl’.”
Three things have changed Franklinbased Lisa’s perspective – maturity, becoming an employer herself, and a back injury resulting from “years of abuse” lifting too-heavy weights in the workplace.
Her business, Nurture Farming, provides contracting services for lifestyle blocks and she is focused strongly on ongoing risk management assessments for every job.
Lisa has a Diploma in Agriculture and a Diploma in Farm Management, both from Lincoln and a Certificate in Advanced Personal Training and Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology from Massey.
She began her farming career working on sheep and beef and dairy farms, punctuated by two OEs. Some of her employers provided the opportunity to do training courses in using equipment, but the overall approach to health and safety was fairly ‘hands off.’
“Because I was trying to fit in, I avoided thinking about the health and safety side,” she says.
“But as I’ve got older and wiser, I’ve started to recognise how terrible I would feel if I saw someone doing something unsafe and didn’t say anything and they injured themselves in a massive way.
I’ve realised I would rather be laughed at than see someone in hospital.”
Lisa launched Nurture Farming 4 years ago. However, due to her back injury, she is now working full time for Farmlands as an Assistant Business Manager.
“I launched Nurture Farming to provide contracting services for lifestyle blocks – everything from shearing to fencing, spraying and installing water lines,” she says.
“I had a small number of employees and, as an employer, obviously I had my legal obligations and had a formal structure around health and safety. We used the Zero Harm Farm system, which was all on the computer and very accessible.
“My focus is on active teaching, not just giving someone a manual or instructions. We’d go through the health and safety material as part of the induction.
I never let a staff member use a piece of machinery until they had been fully trained and I was confident they were using it safely. I have done quite a lot of training myself – including first aid, machinery and chainsaw safety, chemical handling and quad bike safety. You learn quite formally in those scenarios but you still need to think about how you will approach every task safely, underpinned by safety conversations.
“I always made clear to the people I employed that their safety and that of those around them comes first and if they think there is risk in doing something, then they won’t get told off if a job doesn’t get done because of that or takes longer than expected.”
In Lisa’s experience, lifestyle block owners may not always be as attuned to the risks on their properties as farmers.
“They aren’t negligent or trying not to be helpful, but they may not be used to having machinery around,” she says.
“Contractors on lifestyle blocks should always feel happy to ask owners the same questions you would ask a farmer.
“We’d have a conversation with them to ask what we needed to know about risks on their property but we would also do our own risk assessment too.
“My workers were very good. We’d walk around and they’d point out things like a boggy corner of a gully. If they were providing a particular chemical for us to use, we’d ask about its hazard classification.
“Equally, we’d talk to owners about managing the risks around our work. One of the big focuses was the work zone. On a farm, you’re in a much bigger space, but on a lifestyle block, you are likely to be closer to living areas. It’s about making sure everyone on the property knows not to come into the work zone and being very clear about what that zone is. We’d ask the client to phone or shout or wave from a distance if they needed to talk to us.
“Kids are also a big issue on lifestyle blocks. They may well wander out to watch and you could be spraying or using a tractor. It’s hard for kids to resist when they see interesting stuff going on outside. So I always asked clients to keep children inside and keep an eye on them.”
Article supplied by WorkSafe
| Lisa Kendall competes in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Northern region competition.
VX-TRACTOR
Bridgestone
Articles in the Plan365 section allow Farmlands suppliers to share best practice and the latest advances in rural technology, to help shareholders with their farming needs all year round.
Better Feeding – Better Equine Digestion
The equine gastro-intestinal tract is a high-functioning structure that, when healthy, is extremely effective at digestion, energy conversion and nutrient absorption. However, certain design aspects of the equine gut can increase the risk of digestive conditions, presenting with problematic symptoms. The most common digestive problems seen in equines are gastric ulcers which mainly occur in the stomach and hindgut acidosis, which can affect the large intestine, caecum and colon.
Both gastric ulcers and hindgut acidosis are common in all horses, however they are particularly high in performance horses. While there are many contributing factors to the conditions and horses can be at risk of them when feeding practices are correct, both conditions generally occur due to stress and incorrect feeding practices. Diagnosis can be tricky as both conditions can display similar symptoms and to make diagnosis even more difficult, the conditions can also be asymptomatic, meaning no outward signs are displayed.
However common signs include inappetance, grumpy behaviour, loose manure, mild colic and underperformance. Gastric ulcers mainly occur in the upper squamous region of the stomach. While they can occur in the lower glandular region, they are more common in the upper portion as this area doesn’t have a mucous layer or secrete bicarbonate for protection. Horses produce gastric acid at a constant rate and stomach pH can decrease quickly if the horse does not eat frequently. Meal feeding and prolonged periods without access to forage is the number one cause of ulcers, as consumption of forage stimulates saliva production which contains bicarbonate to buffer gastric acid and protect the non-glandular section of the stomach. At least 1.5 percent of the horse’s body weight in forage fed at a consistent rate is required for ulcer prevention. Diets higher in grain also contribute to the risk of ulcers as grain and concentrate feeds have less of a buffering effect on the stomach and increase gastrin production – the hormone that stimulates gastric acid production.
Hindgut acidosis has two major causes; over-consumption of high starch concentrates or pastures rich in sugars known as fructans. The delicate array of microbes that reside in the hindgut are dedicated to fibre digestion and fermentation and microbial disturbance. A drop in pH occurs when undigested starch and sugars escape digestion in the small intestine and overflow into the hindgut. The limited capacity of the stomach and small intestine means that this can happen easily and keeping grain meals small is highly important in preventing this condition occurring. Recommendations are to feed no more than 2.5kg of grain or concentrate feed per meal to an average 500kg horse. If hindgut acidosis is occurring due to pasture exposure the best mode of action is to restrict grazing and offer low sugar forage alternatives such as hay to ensure adequate forage is being consumed daily.
For further assistance and advice on preventing and managing digestive conditions in horses, consult a reputable equine nutritionist.
Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutritionist
Lifestyle block diversification
Some of the 175,000 or so lifestyle blocks in New Zealand could form part of a stratified, integrated system of red meat production if more lifestylers opted to raise young stock.
Commercial dairy farmers with infant cattle, sheep and goats would really like to find more productive homes for their male offspring and surplus females. Dry stock can thrive with lower levels of management compared to breeding stock so they represent a good first step for new pastoral farmers. Appropriately stocked lifestyle blocks have the potential to buy-in feed to fill a temporary feed pinch without the financial angst experienced by large farms and could help utilise a valuable opportunity from the commercial sector.
Some dairy cattle farmers have already been receptive to using semen from more exotic beef breeds like Speckle Park and Belgian Blue in addition to more traditional Hereford, Belted Galloways and Angus to give rearers and finishers more options. The growing sheep and goat milking sectors are focusing on increasing numbers and genetic quality but at some point are likely to look more
favourably on terminal sire selection to improve the value of surplus stock outside of the milking industry. Crossbred animals with hybrid vigour represent an enormous opportunity for lifestyle blocks to enjoy multiple animal types without trying to find the space for breeding stock. Modern, productive lifestyle blocks have the potential to express biodiversity and improve environmental and economic resilience. Trees can be planted and protected without designating a separate area to forestry. Complex seed mixes can be sown to encourage dry matter intake rather than just dry matter production. Certified mobile microabattoirs in some regions now even offer the potential to sell excess meat whilst avoiding sending prime stock to the sales yard or meat works. Heavy cattle breeds may not suit all soil and climatic types. But for those small farmers with interest in multiple species, rearing or growingon youngstock from multiple species combined with older stock offers some health benefits too.
Cattle and horses grazed with sheep and goats help to break gut parasite life cycles because the sheep and goat parasites cannot survive in those other species. Warm, damp autumns however can increase gut parasite numbers and increase the need for drenching. Mature animals are often referred to as ‘net worm vacuum cleaners’ but underfed lightweight animals will not withstand a worm burden challenge, unlike a well-fed animal. If there is a higher ratio of sheep to cattle, this will result in more ‘worm problems’ within that system. NRM is committed to helping small farmers understand the needs of different classes of stock and how to best use supplements. Readers who want to add value to their pasture are encouraged to consider how raising calves, kids and/or lambs might be a rewarding option.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Head of Nutrition and Animal Health
| An extra bag or two of calf feed will keep calves like this Belgian Blue cross growing even if pasture quality is not ideal.
| Friesian X Speckle Park cattle – placid, medieval-looking cattle for 21st century lifestyle blocks.
2021 SHAREHOLDERS FULLY ESCORTED FARMING TOURS
MYSTERY CREEK FIELDAYS
Join us to experience the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event with over 130,000 visitors and 1000 exhibitors. This 9-day tour includes 4 nights in nearby Cambridge with a 3 day pass to the Fieldays, two nights in Tauranga, two nights in Whitianga, and a wide range of sightseeing and farm visits along the way. Limited to 25 people.
DEPARTS 15 JUNE 2021 | 9 DAY TOUR
OUTBACK QUEENSLAND & GULF SAVANNAH
ESCORTED BY PAUL ALLISON
This same tour sold out very quickly last year. Sightseeing highlights include the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, a cruise in the stunning Cobbold Gorge, an excursion on the Gulflander vintage railway, and much more. And along the way we experience a fantastic range of varied farm and huge station visits including sheep, cattle, crops, cotton, a coffee plantation, and more. Limited to 25 people.
DEPARTS 07 JULY 2021 | 13 DAY TOUR
MELBOURNE CUP
ESCORTED BY THE HOST OF ‘THE COUNTRY’ JAMIE MACKAY
Join Jamie on this tour that combines the very best of the sightseeing, farming, and the big race day. Includes return flights from Christchurch to Melbourne, 7 nights at a centrally located Melbourne hotel, a fantastic Melbourne Cup Day Hospitality Package, a Yarra Valley Wine Excursion, a selection of farm visits, and plenty of time to experience the wonderful Melbourne shopping. Limited to 25 people.
DEPARTS 31 OCTOBER 2021 | 8 DAY TOUR
If any of our tours are cancelled directly relating to Covid19, we have negotiated special terms with our suppliers which would override ‘normal cancellation’ terms. Do ask us at the time of your enquiry.
OTHER NON-FARMING TOURS
• NORTH ISLAND FOOD & WINE
• NELSON/BLENHEIM & THE MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS
• GREAT SOUTH ISLAND TRAIN JOURNEYS
• WAIHEKE & GREAT BARRIER ISLANDS
• NORTH ISLAND EAST CAPE/HAWKES BAY & WAIRARAPA
• NORTHLAND/BAY OF ISLANDS & THE COROMANDEL
• THE MARLBOROUGH GARDEN FESTIVAL
• SOUTH AUSTRALIA
• TASMANIA
• WORLD OF WEARABLE ARTS
Giving calves a boost
Accelerated growth programs for calves are increasing in popularity, with more farmers seeing the benefits of feeding higher rates of milk powder to replacement heifers to support higher growth rates. The economics of rearing beef calves however has tended to encourage lower milk replacer feeding rates. In the spring of 2020, Farmlands facilitated a trial on a calf rearing unit in Canterbury. The trial compared feeding rates using NRM Power Whey to explore the benefits of using an accelerated growth program for calf rearers aiming at the 100kg beef market.
Matt and Bronwyn Dering's beef unit on their Greendale property was selected for the trial.
Two groups of 16 Freisan bull calves were randomly assigned to either a control or trial pen. The calves were brought from a dairy farm aged 5 days, as per the farm's usual protocol. For the first 12 days the calves were fed the same amount of NRM Power Whey per day, with the acceleration period for the trial group kicking in on 30th August and continuing for 52 days. During the 52 days of acceleration, each trial calf got 11.7kg of extra milk powder. Throughout the trial, calves were regularly weighed, with animal health and behaviour recorded. The calves were kept in the sheds for the whole trial period.
Farmlands Nutritionist, Stacey Cosnett and Technical Specialist Karen Fraser, helped set-up the trial and upskilled the Derings along the way. Throughout the
trial both the control and trial groups of calves did well, however the accelerated group had consistently better weight gain.
The calves in the control group put on an average of 670 grams a day from 11th September through to 23rd October, whereas the trial group put on an average of 780 grams a day during the same period. If we take the average extra weight gain of 110 grams per calf per day for the 52 day acceleration period, the accelerated calves put on an extra 5.7kg which meant they could be weaned earlier.
Bronwyn also noticed that the calves on the higher rate of milk powder had better health and behaviour with less incidences of navel sucking, shinier coats, more settled behaviour and less incidences of health interventions required. Both the control and trial group in general had good health and performance throughout the duration of the trial, however the accelerated group were always ahead.
Farmlands Nutritionist, Stacey Cosnett and Technical Specialist Karen Fraser, helped set-up the trial and upskilled the Derings along the way with some simple tips making all the difference.
• Never underestimate the power of electrolytes. Not just for use in scouring, electrolytes can be a tool for preventing minor health issues from becoming big health issues. Be proactive and electrolyte as soon as a slow feeder or a sad calf is identified. Just remember to wait 4 hours after a milk feed.
• Don’t overcomplicate things. Keep it simple with good quality milk powder, good quality hard feed and good hygiene practices as the cornerstone of your system.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Farmlands Nutritionist
| Karen (Technical Specialist) and Emily (Technical Field Officer) lending a hand with the trial calves making sure everyone gets their fair share of Power Whey.
A new era in parasite control for sheep
As a company, Donaghys pride themselves on bringing innovative solutions to the market to make life easier for farmers, while maintaining farmers’ production. Examples of this are N-boost and Grunt (Glyphosate 600), where challenges faced by farmers in the field, such as the pressure on nitrogen and glyphosate use, saw Donaghys bring these new products to the market. Donaghys have also looked to bring similar levels of innovation to complement its broad range of anthelmintics. The next step in this process is the launch of Scorpius Elite Spot-On for sheep.
The story began in 2010 when Donaghys Managing Director, Jeremy Silva, was discussing drenching lambs
with a farming friend one Saturday morning at a netball game. Jeremy’s friend described that drenching lambs was a significant investment in time and labour on his farm. He had worked out that drenching lambs orally for him was the equivalent of one extra labour unit over summer and made the comment that there had to be a better way to protect his lambs from parasites. After discussions with Donaghys’ formulation scientists on what was achievable and other farmers facing similar issues, the development project for Scorpius Elite began. The brief was simple. Farmers wanted an easy and effective way to treat their lambs for internal parasites, while reducing the chances of developing drench resistance. This meant that,
unlike attempts in the past with topical formulations for sheep, Scorpius Elite needed to be a combination product. For application, a skin-level spot-on method was chosen, as thick layers of wool could form a barrier preventing absorption of the active ingredients. Between the shoulder blades was the ideal place for application as it was easily accessible in standing sheep and picking one spot ensured consistency of application. Scorpius Elite uses a normal oral drench gun nozzle to penetrate the wool so no new equipment is needed for use. Using their experience from combination cattle pour-ons, Donaghys selected the actives eprinomectin and levamisole. Eprinomectin is a potent macrocyclic lactone from the same
family as ivermectin and abamectin. It has been extensively researched and has been described in published papers as “the most potent macrocyclic lactone identified to date” (Shoop 1996). Eprinomectin can be found in a number of pour-ons, injections and oral drenches for cattle, with much of the early published trial work using sheep to demonstrate its efficacy. Despite this early work, eprinomectin has not been used before with sheep in New Zealand. Levamisole is a member of the imidazothiazole class of anthelmintics and has been used widely in sheep and cattle in New Zealand in oral, injectable, and pour-on formulations for over 40 years.
Obviously the wool covered skin of sheep provided unique challenges to Donaghys scientists compared to cattle skin. With this in mind, several different formulations containing eprinomectin and levamisole were tested, using a wide variety of different excipients. The mix of excipients was designed to facilitate both actives penetrating the skin of the sheep, while not harming the skin or wool and keeping the active ingredients stable to maintain an acceptable shelf life.
After this extensive testing in the lab, the final formulation was selected and patented, then tested in the field. Initially, what Donaghys were looking for was a spot-on formulation that was just as effective as an oral formulation. Scorpius Elite however, performed even better than expected.
In a study conducted in the Hawke’s Bay, on a farm with a variety of parasite species with severe levamisole resistance, Scorpius Elite had 100 percent efficacy. This efficacy wasn’t just due to the addition of eprinomectin to the formulation but due to the fact that levamisole was being applied as a spot-on rather than an oral.
This was demonstrated by also testing a Scorpius Elite formulation with just the levamisole active in it which was far superior to the oral equivalent.
In another study, Scorpius Elite was tested against Teladorsagia spp. which were resistant to both Switch HiMin®, an abamectin and levamisole combination oral and Matrix®, a triple combination oral. While the other two drenches struggled at 70 percent and 87 percent efficacy respectively, Scorpius Elite was 99.5 percent effective. This really was a phenomenal result and shows that Scorpius Elite is easy to use and has unrivalled efficacy for a combination product containing a macrocyclic lactone and levamisole.
Scorpius Elite was also tested in a variety of wool lengths in crossbred sheep, demonstrating excellent efficacy and can be used from 2 weeks after shearing. This trial work resulted in Scorpius Elite having a broad claim structure against all the major production limiting gastrointestinal parasites in sheep in New Zealand. In all these studies the product was shown to be safe and did not damage the fleece or skin of the sheep.
Scorpius Elite has a short 16-day meat withhold, giving farmers flexibility and making it an ideal product for use in young, rapidly growing lambs, being regularly drafted for slaughter.
Scorpius Elite is used at a dose rate of 1ml/2.5kg body weight. This equates to 10ml per 25kg lamb and these dose volumes were well tolerated in the registration trials. Scorpius Elite comes in a 10 litre container and can be used with any oral or pour-on drench gun. Donaghys are very excited to bring Scorpius Elite to the market but their search for further innovation has not stopped. Donaghys are testing further variations of the Scorpius Elite
formulation and are looking at utilising this formulation in other anthelmintics in sheep and cattle and in formulations for mineral supplementation. Scorpius Elite really marks a coming of age for Donaghys as a company in the animal health space, just as it has heralded a new era in the control of gastrointestinal parasites.
Matrix Hi-Mineral® Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. A009390
Switch Hi-Mineral® Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. A009970
Scorpius Elite Spot-on® Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No A011728
Shoop, L et al. (1996). Efficacy in Sheep and Pharmacokinetics in Cattle that Led to the Selection of Eprinomectin as a Topical Endectocide for Cattle". Internal Journal for Parasitology 26.11, pp. 1227-1235.
| Sean Daly Donaghys Business Development Manager - Animal Health using Scorpius Elite.
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Visit www.farmlands.co.nz to learn more.
Maximising The Beef Weaning Period
With warm weather and late summer rains, autumn provides great opportunities for growth in your newly weaned calves. These favourable conditions can also cause animal health challenges, including growth suppression and the death of your valuable young stock. With good management however, these losses can be prevented.
Converge® is an ideal choice for beef weaners as it contains both levamisole and abamectin. For extra protection from resistance we have Alliance® A triple combination that contains oxfendazole on top of levamisole and abamectin. If resistance is a concern, the use of a triple combination drench is an excellent choice. Both drenches can also be used in your sheep keeping things simple and reducing wastage.
include malignant oedema, tetanus, pulpy kidney, black disease and blood poisoning. Often the first you will see of these diseases is the sudden death of the biggest calves, with risk factors including unvaccinated/improperly vaccinated animals, wounds and injury, liver damage and fast-growing animals on good quality feed.
Good pasture growth in autumn offers ideal conditions for the survival of gastrointestinal parasites on pasture, creating a considerable build-up of infective larvae challenging your beef weaners and depressing growth. These losses are often underrated and by the time you see the clinical signs - such as scouring - a parasite burden may have already caused considerable reductions in growth rates. There are two main parasite species we are concerned about in young cattle in New Zealand. Cooperia sp. particularly in young stock, with significant burdens on pasture building up in the autumn depressing appetite and growth. Cooperia sp. resistant to the ML or “mectin” family of drenches are widespread with levamisole the only active that has retained good efficacy against this species.1 Don’t forget about Ostertagia sp. which are the most harmful worms in cattle of all ages.
A good preventative drenching program, using effective, combination oral drenches every 4 weeks through the autumn, prevents the build-up of infective larvae on your pasture, reducing parasite challenge and the associated losses in beef cattle. Used in conjunction with refugia, good quality pasture, cross-grazing and drench checks, maintaining an effective parasite management plan on-farm farm can be implemented. Talk to your animal health advisor about putting a good preventative program for parasite control in place at the start of autumn. Protection against clostridial disease is also an important consideration for your beef weaners this autumn. Clostridial spores are found almost everywhere. Some exist as spores in soil for decades; others survive for a whole lifetime in otherwise healthy stock, cropping up in an animals muscles, gut or liver. Clostridial diseases in cattle
Prevention by vaccination is your only option. Multine® 5-in-1, developed, manufactured, tested and proven in New Zealand is an excellent choice. Full protection with Multine® requires an initial sensitizer and then a booster 4-6 weeks later, with full immunity developing after the booster dose.
To maximise the success of your beef weaning period, make sure you have a good animal health plan in place, to help ensure that weaning goes as smoothly as possible, therefore ensuring that the stock are well set up for good growth and optimal health.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
1. TS Waghorn et al (2006). Prevalence of anthelmintic resistance o 62 beef cattle farms in the North Island of New Zealaund. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 54(6), 278-282
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Although incredibly lightweight, the boots forsake nothing when it comes to safety and durability. Certified to the highest standards and specifications, they come with a Quatro Comfort Form steel toecap, a penetration-resistant midsole and added protection across the forefoot.
AVAILABLE AT SELECTED FARMLANDS STORES
What is the purpose of an autumn drench?
Many farmers drench their cattle in autumn. But not all. What are the reasons for this variation?
Parasites have significant impacts on the health of your herd, reducing milk production, body condition and fertility. Removing parasites by drenching, or keeping cattle off wormy pastures will result in incremental improvements in production, whether you can see it or not. Although you’ll probably see the results in their dry rear ends!
Internal parasites such as Ostertagia ostertagi – the main production limiting worm in cattle – cause damage in several ways. The immature larvae wage an ongoing battle with cattle, who have to rid themselves of these pests on a daily basis. This costs protein and energy, which could be better spent on growth, milk production, fertility and body condition. Larvae burrow into the gut lining, damaging it so acids aren’t produced properly. Adult worms feed off the gut lining, resulting in damage which needs to be repaired - more losses! So why do many farmers choose autumn to treat? Parasites like warm moist weather for optimal survival to the infective stage. In ideal conditions, this can be as short as 7-10 days, although it usually takes a few weeks. Young calves have no immunity to parasites and are major contributors of eggs onto pasture. Usually this allows for a peak of infective larvae in late autumn/early winter. As dairy cows wind down to the end of the season, the aim is to keep them milking while minimising losses in body condition.
This is all happening over a period when they are ingesting more parasites than at any other time of the year.
A treatment of Cydectin® Pour-On in the month before dry off can be beneficial. Unlike most pour-on’s, it protects from parasites for longer, killing incoming Ostertagia larvae for 35 days. With Cydectin on board, your cows can eat infected pasture but still optimise their production. The same is true for beef cows and young stock, who are all exposed to more larvae at this time. For adult cattle that are in poor condition, stressed, have had previous illnesses or if feed is tight, they’ll be more susceptible to parasite infection, so treatment for these individuals is a good option.
Studies conducted in New Zealand found dairy cows treated with Cydectin Pour-On produced on average,
4.2kg more milk solids than those left untreated, regardless of the time of year, whether at late lactation, dry off or calving1. To make things more convenient, Cydectin Pour-On is nil withholding, so treated cows can still go to slaughter, be milked and their bobby calves are okay too, making it a great option to have in the shed.
If you think some of your cows will benefit from a Cydectin treatment this year, talk with your local Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Zoetis
Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz. Cydectin is a registered trade mark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6203.
1. Murphy, A. The effect of treatment with moxidectin, a long acting endectocide, on milk production in lactating dairy cows Buiatrics World Congress, 1998
| Autumn drenching in the month before dry off can be beneficial to the dairy herd.
Spray the right way
Spray additives known as adjuvants are combined with insecticides, fungicides and herbicides to enhance safe, efficient application and performance of these crop protection products.
Adjuvants come in different categories, according to their function, and include crop oils, markers, penetrants, surfactants, de-foaming agents and drift retardants.
Spray adjuvants themselves generally do not control or kill pests, diseases or weeds. Rather, they modify some property of the spray solution, such as spreading, sticking, penetration, droplet size, handling characteristics or visual appearance. These modifications in turn improve the ability of the crop protection active ingredient(s) to land on target; cover the target area more effectively and-or be absorbed by plant tissue more quickly, as well as being easier to identify after application, or mixing better in the spray tank.
A key benefit for certain adjuvants in autumn, when weather conditions can be very changeable, is their ability to enhance drying time and ‘rainfastness’, giving farmers and growers more flexibility to adapt their plans if necessary. So how do you know which adjuvant is best for your requirements?
This season, there’s a new range of adjuvants available exclusively from Farmlands to make it easier to pick the right additive for every application.
The Spraywise range is made up of several different adjuvants from one source, with plenty of supporting information available
regarding correct product selection, use rates and compatibility.
Included in the range is a new driftreduction agent called Amigo, along with known brands such as Pulse® Penetrant, Bonza® adjuvant oil and Contact® Xcel spreader.
Also available are Spraywise Tank and Equipment Cleaner, Foam Wrecker anti-foam agent, Foam Marker and Flume® super spreader.
The range is from Nufarm and complements its existing crop protection offering.
Pulse Penetrant, for example, is specifically formulated to mix with CRUCIAL® glyphosate. It reduces the surface-tension of the glyphosate spray
droplet, so it spreads over a greater surface area, penetrating the waxy cuticle and ensuring rapid rainfastness. It’s this action, in combination with the CRUCIAL formulation, that enables Nufarm to provide a 15 minute rainfastness guarantee for the Pulse and CRUCIAL mix.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
®CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited
®Bonza and Contact are registered trademarks of Nufarm Limited
®Pulse is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd
Article supplied by Nufarm
Limited nitrogen? Unlimited grass! ProGibb® .
Proven to stimulate growth by 30-60% within 3-4 weeks, ProGibb® SG also enables significantly reduced nitrogen use. Great news for farmers - and New Zealand!
The right way to grow
Keeping average pasture covers in sync with your autumn-winter feed budget and livestock body condition score targets can be easier said than done at this time of the year. But when you get it right, you’ll count the gains next spring.
If pasture covers are not trending the way they should be at the moment, there’s no better time than now to re-set the system.
The most cost-effective way to do this is with home grown feed. It’s cheaper than imported supplement and it’s more efficient too.
One input that has proven itself in this context is ProGibb® SG from Nufarm. That’s because New Zealand’s first and most widely-tested plant growth regulator lifts pasture production by 30-50 percent more dry matter in just three weeks.
Provided existing soil nutrient levels are sufficient to support plant growth, ProGibb SG generates this extra pasture yield with no requirement for extra nitrogen fertiliser.
This potentially opens an opportunity for more efficient use of existing soil nitrogen (N) in pasture, without sacrificing pasture yield.
Nufarm Technical Specialist Cynthia Christie says the principle here is akin to that for catch crops, as studied by the Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching (FRNL) project, i.e. the faster and more actively a plant grows, the more soil N it absorbs to support that growth. Catch crops are fast-growing species sown to utilise what otherwise might be surplus soil N remaining after a previous crop has been grazed, reducing the amount of soil N available for leaching.
“Our trials have repeatedly shown that the level of nutrients in ProGibb SG treated herbage is very similar to, or the same as, that of non-treated herbage,” she says. “So we know that the extra pasture growth stimulated by ProGibb utilises available soil nutrients the same way ‘normal’ pasture growth does.
“If you’re growing 30-50 percent more dry matter per ha and the nutrient levels present in that extra dry matter have not been diluted by the increased daily growth rate, the logical assumption is that you are utilising existing soil nutrients more efficiently.”
The proviso is that soils in ProGibb SG-treated pastures are not nutrient deficient in the first place, particularly for N, but this can easily be determined through soil or herbage testing.
The key to a good result with ProGibb SG in autumn is correct application timing, to achieve the recommended 21 day interval between application and grazing and that in turn depends on planning ahead.
Autumn ProGibb SG applications differ from those in spring because grass growth patterns are reversed. In spring, daily dry matter growth is speeding up, but in autumn it is slowing down and that needs to be factored into the planning process. Pastures must be grazed no more than five days before application, however the best responses occur when applied within zero to three days of grazing.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
® ProGibb is a registered trademark of Valent BioSciences Corporation, IL, USA.
Article supplied by Nufarm
• Pump: 17gpm, 2-stage
• Hydraulic capacity: 16.3L
• Wedge: 200mm hardened
• Auto-return
•
•
• Cylinder: 48mm closed casting.
• Chain: Havik 3/8in 0.063in.
• Fuel/oil mix: 25:1.
The power of the wedge
A feed wedge can improve pasture management.
Making decisions on pasture management can be challenging, especially without relevant information but relying on gut feeling alone can result in worse decisions.
Graphing a snapshot of pasture cover information – known as a feed wedge – provides a visual tool that supports improved, easier decision making.
A feed wedge is created by graphing all paddock covers, from longest to shortest for a particular day. A straight line between target pre- and postgrazing covers is drawn, resulting in a ‘wedge’ shape, making it easy to identify paddocks with a surplus or deficit of pasture (Figure 1).
A feed wedge with a target line can help with:
• Quantifying average pasture cover.
• Selecting paddocks and grazing order for the next week.
• Identifying paddocks to take out of rotation.
• Planning to conserve pasture from paddocks in surplus, or slowing the rotation by using supplementary feed to top up the diet.
• Deciding if and where to boost pasture growth by applying nitrogen (N).
A feed wedge’s usefulness in supporting decision making depends on the quality of the data. Ideally, you would estimate pasture covers and rebuild feed wedges weekly throughout
the year. DairyNZ’s website (www.dairynz.co.nz) offers good advice to make this part of the process easy and effective, along with other useful feed management resources.
Calculating the pre-grazing cover target depends on stock class, intake and rotation length. Using a rotation planner in conjunction with a feed wedge can be useful in spring when rotation length may need to be varied to achieve optimum post-grazing residuals.
DairyNZ’s website also has an easy-to-use spring rotation planner.
A good post-grazing target for dairy farms is 1,500-1,600 kg DM/ha.
Feed wedges alone are suitable when rotation length is fairly consistent (from when feed supply matches demand through to autumn). At other times when rotation length is changing, a feed wedge should be used in combination with other pasture management tools such as feed budgets.
If a feed wedge shows more paddocks in a deficit situation than desirable, or to make the most of spring growth to conserve feed, tactical N fertiliser use can boost grass growth. Consider growth conditions to estimate pasture response and use a feed wedge to identify paddocks most likely to respond at the right time.
To be even better prepared in advance of a feed deficit, consider using My Pasture Planner - a Ballance N management tool that works well with a feed wedge. My Pasture Planner can help identify when a feed shortage could occur and then where and at what rate to apply N to get the best response and reduce the risk of a pasture deficit occurring.
For more information, contact your Ballance Nutrient Specialist, a Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients
JOIN US AT SOUTH ISLAND AGRICULTURAL FIELD DAYS
Pop into the Farmlands this month for insights, savings and exclusives to help you deliver better autumn outcomes.
WHEN: 24th – 26th March 2021
WHERE: 1191 Courtenay Road, Kirwee
SITE: 571 – 627
YOU’LL HEAR ALL ABOUT
• Donaghys game changing NEW drench exclusive to Farmlands
• Top tech solutions for the farm thanks to Noel Leeming
• Real Estate insights and sales with Property Brokers
• Better autumn outcomes from our Technical and Growth and Innovation teams
• And loads more!
PLUS don’t forget your Farmlands Card — there’s a great lunch available.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The battle against rodents
The Antipodes Islands are 2045ha in size and one of the most remote parts of New Zealand both geographically and ecologically. They hold New Zealand’s highest protected land status and entry is by permit only. Thousands of seabirds nest on the island and marine mammals fill the shores and surrounding waters. Many of the birds and plants on the Antipodes Islands cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Rodents were accidentally introduced in the middle of the 19th century possibly by shipwreck and recent monitoring of rodent numbers has discovered a need to take action to preserve its natural beauty. At its worst it is estimated there were more than 200,000 rodents on the islands, which is a large number for a land mass of this size.
The remote location of the islands and extremes in weather conditions have created many challenges for establishing a rodent eradication programme. After six years of planning however, Pestoff is on its way to helping restore the island’s ecology and diversity. The process included, one big ship, three helicopters, thirteen people and a massive amount of bait!
During winter 2016, 65 tonnes of Pestoff Rodent Bait was applied by
three helicopters in two successive bait drops. At the beginning of 2018, the island was officially declared rodent free, after extensive monitoring. This has resulted in a huge boost for the fragile ecosystem with its rare birds and other fauna.
“The bait was produced and delivered on time and carefully tested to ensure all production standards were met. The condition of the bait after the 2000km journey to its destination and the outcome of the eradication was testament to the quality of the bait supplied” says Stephen Horn, NZ Department of Conservation.
Bait selection and use is important for achieving rodent eradication on any scale, whether that’s a large island or on-farm.
For successful rodent control it is best practice to use either the Pestoff Dead Rat Café, Pestoff Departure Lounge or Pestoff Dirty Rat Motel to secure bait, protect non-target species and keep bait dry and fresh. The Pestoff Dead Rat Café can be used either indoors or outside; pegged, nailed or screwed down, with the wire hoops provided preventing rodents from removing any of the Pestoff Rodent Blocks. The Pestoff Departure Lounge or Dirty Rat Motel is designed to be located along a wall or building to take advantage of
the typical hunting characteristics of rodents. Larger in size and lockable, they allow the rodent to feed inside without the fear of being discovered.
Tips for successful control
• Do not handle bait with bare hands as rodents are suspicious of human scent and may avoid baits that have been touched.
• Ensure rodents do not have access to alternative foods such as stock feed, garbage or human food scraps.
• Maintain fresh baits by checking and replacing them every two to three days initially and later, every week or two.
• Be particularly vigilant during autumn when the first cold and wet weather arrives as this usually drives rodents indoors to find shelter and food.
• To protect non-target animals from secondary poisoning, collect any dead rodent bodies and burn or bury them. Spoiled or unwanted bait should be disposed of in a similar manner.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by BellBooth
A saving grace for rural communities
When it comes to supporting their communities, farmers are some of the most dedicated people, and one of the most common and widely valued services that is supported by farmers is the rescue helicopter service. You only need to ask around and there’s an overwhelming response from farmers that they do, or have, donated money to a rescue helicopter service. It will come as no surprise that the majority of helicopter rescue missions are to rural areas.
In the months of September and October 2020 alone, 57 missions were undertaken by the Palmerston North rescue helicopter to rural regions where patients, finding themselves in sudden and distressing situations where their health and lives were compromised, benefitted from a swift response timecritical flight from their remote location to hospital.
That is why Allflex New Zealand have followed farmers lead and come on board as an associate sponsor of the Palmerton North rescue helicopter service. Philips Search & Rescue Trust (PSRT) is the charity responsible for fundraising and promotion of the North Island’s largest pool of community rescue helicopters. With four rescue helicopters servicing the North Island and a fixed-wing air ambulance plane which services both North and South Island, it’s no surprise that Allflex have decided to support a charity which provides such life-saving medical equipment and expertise to a large rural area.
General Manager of Allflex New Zealand, Jared Briggs says farmers work long hours in often remote areas of New Zealand and access to emergency health services is difficult.
“The Philips Search & Rescue Trust’s rescue helicopters bridge that gap,
helping our farmers in their hour of need by providing a truly lifesaving service,” he says. The Allflex team is proud to be supporting this service, it’s a small thing that Allflex can do to help keep this helicopter and PSRT’s other rescue helicopters in the air,” Jared says.
The commitment made by Allflex, means the Manawatu and Whanganui regions served by the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter can have confidence in the ongoing sustainability of an essential life-saving emergency air rescue service.
Due to rising costs and safety measures, further increased by a nationwide health emergency, challenges continue in meeting increased expenses to operate rescue helicopters in Philips Search and Rescue Trust’s four Central North Island regions.
“Allflex’ supporting sponsorship of Philips Search & Rescue Trust’s rescue helicopters is invaluable in ensuring that we can continue to provide this service,” Philips Search and Rescue Trust Groups Manager, Vanessa Richmond says. “The continuation of time-critical, lifesaving flights undertaken to rural and remote areas is what sponsorship helps to achieve. We welcome Allflex Livestock Intelligence on board and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship serving our local communities.”
The Westpac Air Ambulance, the fixedwing plane owned and operated by Philips Search and Rescue Trust is a visible and vital nationwide emergency service.
| Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter based out of Palmerston North hospital covers the Manawatu-Whanganui and surrounding areas and is proudly sponsored by Allflex NZ.
Operating for over 25 years, the Westpac Air Ambulance has flown over 3,000 hospital patients and new-born babies needing specialist care to all main centre medical facilities in the country, from its operational base at Hamilton Airport.
The team undertake numerous and diverse tasks, ranging from intensive care transfers, nurse-led transfers, delivery suite transfers, new-born intensive care transfers, and bariatric patient transfers. Patients come from regional and rural regions for regular and important treatments and are transported from city hospitals to regional hospitals. Patients with acute medical conditions requiring surgery, critically ill patients requiring specialist care and cardiac and intensive care patients have all benefitted from the professional and dedicated service offered by the Westpac Air Ambulance. “The experience, considering the condition I was in, was amazing.
I had a very caring team. From the pilots to the nurse, the care couldn’t have been more wonderful.” – Gordon, who was flown from Invercargill Hospital to Waikato Hospital says.
Allflex and Farmlands are focused on providing true tangible value to its farmers which is why the three-month eartag promotion supports the PSRT
partnership. 1 percent of all Allflex sales during January to March will be donated to PSRT.
Visit your local Farmlands store to place your Allflex eartag order. Help us, help you and your fellow farmers.
Article supplied by AllFlex
| The Westpac Air Ambulance fixed-wing plane, owned and operated by Philips Search and Rescue Trust, is a national service providing time-critical, lifesaving flights.
| Allflex team celebrating its three-year sponsorship of the Palmerston North Rescue Helicopter, one of four rescue helicopters which is owned and operated by Philips Search and Rescue Trust.
Solar solution for Cape Campbell
Rob and Sally Peter run upwards of 6,000 stock units on their Cape Campbell farm. This 1,300 hectare dry hill country station clings to the peninsular at the south-eastern tip of Cook Strait. It’s beautiful, rugged country and not for the faint-hearted. The salty wind and low rainfall make it one of the most corrosive places in New Zealand.
Eighteen months ago, Rob installed a powerful 18J Pel Unigizer Solar System to feed their expanding fence line. The purchase is testament to the reliability of the smaller 12J Pel Unigizer Solar System Rob put in immediately after the Kaikoura earthquake. This bigger 18J unit has the capacity to power 110ha and up to 180km of wire.
Farmlands Blenheim salesperson Todd Neal and Datamars territory manager James Sutherland joined forces to set up the 18J Unigizer. The solar panel mounting assembly was fixed directly to a wooden fence post, it’s panels adjusted and tilted to maximise solar gain. Rob remembers the day. “Installation of the system was easy. Todd and James went to quite a bit of trouble putting in a decent earth system. They dug a stainless-steel wire underground for about 100m until we came to a damp gully and that acts as part of the earth. Then we have earthing rods in the wet hollow. Yes, it was a challenge for us to get a good earth – it’s worked well. No trouble at all.”
Rob was already considering solar prior to the Kaikoura earthquake. Then, immediately following the quake, securing the stock with emergency fencing became a high priority. “One big problem was stock going over the
cliff, disappearing up to 10km in one direction and five or six kilometres in the other. Down to the beach and they were gone. Losing stock is expensive.”
As with many large and isolated properties, mains was not an option. “There is no direct line to run mains wire out from the woolshed. Mains wouldn’t be easy to do and we were worried about running a long length of wire as they tend to short out all the time with us. It’s just that salty air.
“We have ended up re-fencing about 7.5km in the last three years, both post and wire. Some electric because if the ground was still moving we thought it would be easier to build and repair. With the solar units it’s been good. It’s worked better than a conventional fence and lowered the cost. We’ve done about 4.5km in electrics between the two units.”
The units are stationed at opposing ends of the property with the smaller Pel unit currently maintaining 1.6 - 2km of fence with plenty of distance to expand the farmed area. The bigger 18J is doing a good 3.5km for four wire fences, three electrified. The long-life aluminium-framed solar panels and durable heavyduty batteries in the Pel 18J Unigizer Solar System make it easy to fit and forget. With a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty on the solar panel output, it also is an excellent return on investment. Even so, the Pel systems have exceeded Rob’s expectations. “The electrics have stayed good and we haven’t had to do any maintenance on them. They just tick away and charge up. We haven’t replaced the batteries.
We haven’t done anything. There’s no stock going through them at all, not cattle, sheep, hoggets, nothing at all. The big 18 Joule unit is doing about 7000-8000V. So, the stock are only touching it once – and remembering!”
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Datamars
| Cape Campbell.
| The Kaikoura earthquake caused major damage.
Learning curves in the fencing Industry
Twelve months ago, no-one could have foreseen what the world would be facing in the year ahead. It could be argued however that rural NZ has fared reasonably well during the lockdowns and other challenges COVID-19 has brought. Rightly so too, as we are a food producing nation and people need to eat.
The service sector however was affected. Fencing is part of that and even though many fencing businesses were able to keep working at some level, many were not. Fortunately, with all the new government “shovel ready” projects, the new waterway accord and the usual farm fencing that happens, rural NZ fencing contractors have
bounced back and are busier than they have ever been. With that growth however comes the issue of being seriously short staffed.
Fencing Contractors New Zealand (FCNZ) has worked hard to put a full learning pathway in place. Anyone, from young school leavers to career changers, can become a fully qualified fencer in a relatively short period of time and with high demand for quality staff there are plenty of employment opportunities for those that want it. A modern Level 3 NZQA qualification has successfully been running for a number of years, with a revised Level 4 to be rolled out later this year. With a NZ Diploma in Primary Industries Business Management (Level 5) also on offer from mid-2021, there are boundless opportunities for new and existing fencers to up their game. Also, to help fencing contractors improve and update their skill level, FCNZ runs “Best Practise” days around the regions each year. Best Practise days are a great opportunity to learn new techniques, share your skills with others, pick up tips for running a business, polish up on health and safety, catch up with industry leaders and trade professionals as well as having a yarn with other fencers you may not have seen for a while or those
you may never have met. These days are a great opportunity for farmers to come along, see what’s new in the industry and what aspects of fence line construction you should be requiring from your fencing contractor.
FCNZ’s Best Practise Days coming up:
Central Southland: 12th April, Benmore North Otago: 14th April, Palmerston
Best Practise Days are a must attend event. Remember to add them to your calendar and watch out for further details as they become available. Updates will be available on the FCNZ website www.fcanz.co.nz, the FCNZ Facebook page and through in-store promotion at your local Farmlands store. The FCNZ Board is working hard to bring new ideas to the industry and has a great line-up of events this year. Including the conference in Paihia, which promises to be something special. So, make sure you watch out for details as they come to hand. We can’t wait to see you all at these events during the year. Article
| Best Practise days are run each year around the country for those wanting to improve their skills.
Power to the people
When you live an hour’s drive from your property, keeping your stock where they should be is something you don’t want to worry about.
Farmer Stefan Robinson has a powerful ally on that front - Gallagher’s new MBS400 Energizer, which runs off a variety of power sources – mains, battery or solar.
The unit has been running electric fences on his 40-hectare lease block at Mt Bruce, one hour from his home farm in Featherston. Stefan says the unit is keeping his stock where they’re supposed to be.
“I hadn’t used a solar unit before. The previous ones we’ve used have just been plug-in mains units. This unit runs on solar, electrical power and battery.
It’s simple. You just switch between them.
“It’s really easy to set up and you can just leave it to do its thing. We’re getting good power out of the unit and the stock are staying where they should be.”
The smaller electrical unit he had been using wasn’t getting enough power onto the hills at the back of the lease property, so he bought the MBS400 Energizer.
“It’s easy to pick it up and put it anywhere on the property. You don’t need to worry about having mains power at the back of your property because you can just set the Energizer unit up as a solar unit,” says Stefan.
He is using the unit to power about half of the property. It proved its worth during a recent power failure, which took out power to most of the property’s fences.
“Because the MBS400 Energizer is a solar unit, I could just change it over to solar which meant there was still power over most of the property.”
The unit is designed to cover up to 16ha or 30km of fencing and it is reliable, no matter what power source you choose to use.
LED bar graphs on the unit indicate fence performance and battery life. It is also portable, water resistant and has built-in lightning protection. A smart battery management algorithm also protects the battery from being over-discharged and permanently damaged.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Gallagher
| The multi-purpose MBS400 Energizer runs off a range of power sources.
The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards aim to capture and preserve the history of our country’s farming families. Each month we will share stories from Farmlands shareholders who have worked their land for 100 years or more.
Irish Eyes on The Prize
A big family and even bigger dreams for the man from Annascaul
Nestled beside the Kaupokonui River in Manaia lies 52 hectares of land, farmed by four generations of one family for 108 years.
Around 1880, Michael Landers travelled by boat from his birthplace of Annascaul, County Kerry in Ireland to New Zealand. He married Mary O’Sullivan in 1889 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Wellington. After their marriage, they travelled to Williamstown in Victoria, Australia where they worked and raised their first three children – Bridget, Mary and John Joseph. They returned to New Zealand around 1894 and settled in Manaia and had another three children – Laurence, Francis and Eileen.
In 1911, Michael Landers purchased two blocks side-by-side between the Kaupokonui River, Lower Glenn Road and Main South Road in Manaia.
The farm transferred to their eldest son, John Joseph in 1946. John Joseph farmed this land with his wife, Fanny and raised their seven children – Mary, Eileen, Kathleen, Josephine, Michael, John (Jack) and James (Jimmy).
The farm was transferred to their son, John Patrick (Jack) Landers in 1965.
Jack farmed this land in partnership with his wife, Margaret Leonie and raised their eight children – Owen, Dennis, Trish, Theresa, Tony, Roger, Colleen and
Trevor. Jack milked 180 Jersey cows and walked every day to get the cows in.
From the late 1980s their son, Anthony Gerard (Tony) came home and farmed with his father. Tony eventually went 50/50 sharemilking and after Jack’s death in 2008, then leased the farm. After Margaret’s death in 2016, they continued to lease until today. Succession of all or part of the farm is currently being looked at.
| From left: Josephine Bridget (Josie), Mary Margaret, Kathleen Agnes (Kath), Eileen Frances, Frances Josephine (Fanny), John Joseph, Michael John, John Patrick (Jack), James Brian (Jimmy).
| Back: Laurence Albert Patrick, John Joseph (Jack/JJ), Francis Michael. Middle: Bridget Johanna, Michael, Mary, Mary Eileen Maude Ellen. Front: Eileen Margaret.
| Back: Patricia Margaret (Trish), Theresa Anne, Anthony Gerard (Tony), Dennis Patrick, Owen John. Front: Colleen Mary, John Patrick (Jack), Trevor Michael, Margaret Leonie, Roger Peter.
Rural market update
Rural momentum set to continue into 2021 as demand exceeds supply.
General confidence to invest in the rural real estate market heading into 2021 is very positive, in stark contrast to the last 3 years’ market headwinds.
While the challenges that have been present for some time remain, particularly the uncertainty with environmental planning and bank credit, the market is responding, driven off the back of proven returns. This is reflected in the significant role our primary sector now plays in NZ’s economic recovery, as other export sectors recalibrate post the impact of Covid-19. In addition, very low bank deposits continues to drive investment from the city in favour of the country, notably horticulture.
PROPERTY BROKERS
4. Irrespective of any changes to OIA policy our view is long-term leasing of NZ farms, particularly large-scale dairy farms, will feature more this year than any prior period. The separation of the land-owning entity from the operations makes the land-owning entity attractive to new city investment, including an outright sale, similar to the commercial sector.
Our top five picks that will underpin the demand for land this year include:
1. Demand for quality horticultural land will continue to outstrip supply – particularly for Kiwifruit Gold where momentum buying for quality orchards has yet to find a ceiling. Origin Capital Partners went to the market seeking $50m for kiwifruit investment and now expects to have $80-$90m. MyFarm had an unprecedented year in 2020 with $185m invested, most of which was in horticulture.
2. The auction price of carbon will underpin the land market for traditional sheep and beef hill country farms as the carbon price tracks to $50 a unit over 2021. Currently at $38 a unit, up to $10 on a year and demand for permanent forest land continues to exceed supply.
3. The Overseas Investment Amendment Bill (No3) 2020 we anticipate will find support, where NZX listed companies will be allowed to go from 25% to 49% foreign ownership and rural lease terms extended from a maximum of three to ten years. Both measures would encourage new investment, retain NZ ownership/control and accelerate repayment of NZ Agri borrowing.
5. Both economically and politically, the tide is changing in favour of our primary sector. Labour has captured a significant share of the rural vote and has the prerogative now to reset the pace of change, with a more measured environmental approach, particularly the timeline to achieve freshwater standards and associated farm practices. This will underpin confidence more generally.
There are always forces at play with commodity cycles, currently its the exchange rates and the unintended quota consequences with Brexit. The biggest and most obvious however is the ongoing impact of Covid-19 on our international markets. To date, our NZ primary products have held-up well.
So, as our land owners look to their own objectives and priorities for 2021, if a land sale or purchase is on the radar, rather than relying on the crystal ball and New Year predictions, give us a call. We have invested more into our rural team the last 12 months, than at any time in our 35-year history, and its showing in our results and the confidence vendors have placed in us. Our qualified rural consultants independently assess every property, with the appropriate marketing campaign options recommended, backed by our national True Team coverage and our strategic Farmlands Co-operative Partnership.
Conrad Wilkshire, GM Rural for Property Brokers Ltd
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