rural news 4 september 2012

RuRalNEWS

stating the caseCrown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk gives his view on succession planning. page 10

niche marketsInspirational marketing ideas from Hort NZ’s recent confererence. page 36 no favours

Feds’ at pains to point out that Transpower’s

sponsorship will not affect its

views.page 27

to all farmers, for all farmers

sepTemBer 4, 2012: Issue 522 www.ruralnews.co.nz

RUC off Minister!

getting on

Fight or flight?

south Canterbury rural Helicopters prepare to spin 125kg/ha of ammonium sulphate onto wheat at Nick Ward’s, Temuka. “We’ve done a wee bit like this in the past but never as much as this year,” Ward told Rural News. Nearly 300mm of rain in two weeks, early last month, left paddocks impassable and crops hungry for nutrients. Now weed control is the challenge. see page 42

A CANTERBURY agricultural contrac-tor, Robert McCarthy, is angry at Trans-port Minister Garry Brownlee’s claim (Rural News Aug 21) that every tractor has GPS and can attach a hubometer, enabling the owner to calculate road

user charges (RUCs) if the machine’s speed exceeds 40km/h on public roads.MoT has reviewed the RUC system and abolished time licences. The new law took effect on August 1.

McCarthy, with 14 tractors and 25 staff, does not object to paying RUCs to use the roads but is annoyed at the

minister’s assumption he can easily cal-culate the RUCs using his GPS. McCar-thy says the Transport Agency and MPI have told him they agree it’s dumb.

“Mr Brownlee needs to get outside and get some country fresh air and realise that tractors have GPS units for guidance in the paddock; it has noth-ing to do with mapping of roads. There are only two GPS distance recorders approved by the NZTA and neither is fit for agricultural use.”

McCarthy says a sensible solution would be to provide for RUCs in the registration of tractors – not hard to do as the new legislation has increased by $24.50 the registration fee for tractors travelling slower than 40km/h to cover the cost of road usage.

Contractors will happily pay for the time they spend on the roads; such a system would be simpler and reduce compliance costs, he says. “National promised to take away the red tape, then they put this in place, forcing us

to pay an exorbitant amount to a com-mercial company with no interest in the maintenance of the roading system.” (McCarthy refers here to a company that operates the RUCs system.)

He says it would cost him $1500 to fit a device to each of his 14 tractors plus $89/month to collect the data, let alone pay any RUCs. “It will cost our business $60,000 in the first year plus ongoing astronomical costs.”

McCarthy refers to an electronic hubometer that measures road-distance plus details of off-road travel.

“Problem is it doesn’t start until the tractor moves 50m from the road cen-tre-line.

“It’s not foolproof and causes prob-lems by charging for every minute you are on the road even though the law states you don’t have to pay RUCs on a tractor traveling slower than 40km/h. Effectively you’re paying tax… and the time involved in claiming this back is another cost to our business.”

about the 40km/h rulerOBerT mCCArTHY disagrees with the new rule that a tractor no longer needs a warrant of fitness if it travels slower than 40km/h on open roads.

He will continue to get WOFs and certificates of fitness regardless of the new regulations because he’s concerned about safety, he says. “It gives us the backing that we’ve had someone independent – at a cost of just $65 twice year – check our vehicles. “I’d sooner have that money spent than find one of our vehicles run into by the school bus with our kids in it because the lights are not working. We owe it to the public to be as safe as possible.”

Also, the new regulations fail to reflect the value of newer, much safer tractors, he says. New Zealand should be endorsing the new technology fitted to modern tractors, including better ABs brakes, tyres, sprung axles, steering systems and other safety devices.

peteR bURke

OUTGOING FONTERRA chair-man Henry van der Heyden will this month decide whether to stay on as a director.

Van der Heyden’s three-year term finishes at the end of next year. However, he’s stepping down from the chairman’s role at the annual general meeting.

He told Rural News he will be making a decision “within a month”.

“I am still discussing it with my family.”

Van der Heyden has been Fon-terra chairman since 2002. He will be replaced by John Wilson – pro-vided he is re-elected to the board by farmer shareholders.

Nominations for Fonterra board elections open next week. If van der Heyden steps down from the board this year, there will be two vacancies for farmer-elected directors.

– Sudesh Kissun

Early lactation dairy cows have very high, very speci� c nutrient needs due to recovery from calving, increased metabolic demands and rumen adaptions. But on its own, your high protein/low starch spring pasture won’t meet these needs.

TopCow Maxum is a pelletised dairy feed containing both rumen degradable and rumen escape starches to assist optimal blood glucose production. This bene� ts total Dry Matter Intake (DMI) and improves Feed Conversion E� ciency (FCE) to reach peak milk yields earlier. Call us to � nd out more or to arrange an on farm visit 0800 650 505 – inghamfeeds.co.nz

TRAC

TA39

579-

A

DON’T WAIT AROUND FOR PEAK

MILK YIELDS AFTER CALVING

QUALITY THAT DELIVERS BIG

Helping grow the countrywww.pggwrightson.co.nz/rewards | Freephone 0800 62 62 62

Earn the rewards you deserve!

The new PGG Wrightson Rewards programme is perfect for your farm, business, family and lifestyle – giving you Rewards points, convenience and instant discounts.

Earn points on Livestock sales, Rural Supplies and Fruitfed Supplies purchases and for all purchases on the new Rewards business card.

With instant discounts and so many ways to earn points, you’ll soon be redeeming great rewards!

From 01 September 2012 earn 50 Rewards points for every tonne of Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser purchased through PGG Wrightson. Terms and conditions apply. See website for details.

To apply phone 0800 62 62 62 or visit www.pggwrightson.co.nz/rewards


Fruitfed Supplies purchases and for all purchases on the

With instant discounts and so many ways to earn points,

From 01 September 2012 earn 50 Rewards points for every tonne of Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser purchased

Terms and conditions apply. See website for details.


RuRal News // september 4, 2012

news 3

Head office Top Floor, 29 Northcroft street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622

Phone: 09-307 0399 fax: 09-307 0122

Postal addresspO Box 3855, shortland street, Auckland 1140

Published by: rural News Group

Printed by: pmp print

contacts

editorial: [email protected]

advertising material: [email protected]

rural news online: www.ruralnews.co.nz

subscriptions: [email protected]

ABC audited circulation 80,767 as at 30.06.2012

News�� 1-18

world�� 20-21

agribusiNess�� 22

Markets�� 24-25

HouNd, edNa�� 26

CoNtaCts�� 27

opiNioN�� 26-29

MaNageMeNt�� 31-42

aNiMal HealtH��44-49

MaCHiNery aNd produCts�� 50-57

rural trader�� 58-59

issue 522www.ruralnews.co.nz

Helping grow the countrywww.pggwrightson.co.nz/rewards | Freephone 0800 62 62 62

Earn the rewards you deserve!


Earn points on Livestock sales, Rural Supplies and Fruitfed Supplies purchases and for all purchases on the new Rewards business card.

With instant discounts and so many ways to earn points, you’ll soon be redeeming great rewards!

From 01 September 2012 earn 50 Rewards points for every tonne of Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser purchased through PGG Wrightson. Terms and conditions apply. See website for details.



Fruitfed Supplies purchases and for all purchases on the

With instant discounts and so many ways to earn points,

From 01 September 2012 earn 50 Rewards points for every tonne of Ballance Agri-Nutrients fertiliser purchased

Terms and conditions apply. See website for details.


High dollar curbs dairy payout

NaIT to review calf registration

THE NAIT requirement that dairy farmers register rearer calves before moving them to saleyards is to be reviewed.

The origin of such calves is auto-matically recorded by saleyards scan-ning the calves’ tags, so traceability is maintained regardless of whether the dairy farmer has registered the move-ment or not, NAIT told Rural News.

However, as the rules stand, if the calf and its movement were not reg-istered with NAIT within 48 hours of transport, the vendor has committed a breach.

NAIT chief executive Russell Bur-nard says in the first instance breaches will be followed up with a reminder, but acknowledged there appears to be an opportunity to simplify the process

in this example.“Once we are through calving we

will do a bit of a check on what has worked and what hasn’t, and what are the areas we could improve on.”

Currently, when rearers log on to the NAIT website to confirm purchase

of calves, if they’ve not been registered by the vendor a warning notice pops up saying these calves do not have full traceability.

Burnard says the wording of that warning will be reviewed too.

“The traceability is there so the lan-

guage of that is one of the things we will be looking at.”

Rearers can enter a birthdate for the animal, even though it wasn’t born on their property.

Of an estimated 68,000 “herds” which will need to be NAIT registered, including lifestyle owners, by early last week 46,000 had done so.

“Obviously we would like more but if you are in the sector, and you don’t register, you’re increasingly going to find it’s a problem to sell your animals, so it will be self-correcting.”

As for complaints about saleyards and/or stock agents charging an addi-tional fee to cover the cost of imple-menting NAIT, that is a matter for farmers to take up with the agents and yards, says Burnard.

“We know there is competition in that market.”

FONTERRA EXPECTS the current squeeze in global milk supply to lift dairy prices in coming months.

However, farmer returns will remain at the mercy of the high New Zealand dollar.

Fonterra, last week, revised its 2012-13 payout forecast range by 30c to $5.65 - $5.75/kgMS blaming the rising Kiwi dollar.

Co-op chairman Henry van der Heyden says the revised payout fac-tors the currency remaining at its cur-rent level and prices firming in coming months.

He says the crippling drought across much of the US has pushed up corn prices. As input costs rise, US farmers will be forced to cull cows, leading to drop in milk production. This will put pressure on global milk supply.

Van der Heyden says a wet summer in parts of Europe and lack of monsoon rain in India, the world’s largest milk producer, could also impact supply.

“So we expect dairy prices to increase as the global milk supply comes under pressure,” he told Rural News.

“While we’re disappointed to revise the payout forecast range, it’s driven solely by the currency and there’s nothing we can do about that.”

The revised Fonterra forecast comprises a lower farmgate milk price of $5.25/kgMS, down from $5.50/kgMS and a lower forecast net profit after tax range of 40-50 cents, down from 45-55 cents per share.

But Fonterra’s payout range is higher than rivals Westland Milk ($5 - $5.40/kgMS) and Open Coun-try ($5.30-$5.50/kgMS).

Van der Heyden says Fonterra is optimistic prices will rise and has fac-tored that in the revised payout.

Overall, the GDT trade weighted index was up 4.1% over the past four events, underpinned by a 7.8% rise on August 15. However, prices are low com-

pared to a year ago.“We’ve actually seen improving

prices in recent GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) trading events, but the strength of the Kiwi dollar is eroding any gains,” says van der Heyden.

He urges farmers to budget cau-tiously. Fonterra is maintaining current advance rate payments to farmers. This

would mean no change to farm-ers’ cash flows, he says.

The high currency is also affecting Fonterra’s consumer businesses. A difficult retail environment affecting the Aus-tralia-New Zealand business isn’t helping either.

Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings says this has led to the lowering of net profit after tax range to 40-50 cents a share.

Spierings agrees that there appears to be some early signs of strengthening dairy prices, par-tially driven by global weather events.

However, any gains would continue to be impacted by the

strong New Zealand dollar, he says.“Our forecasting anticipates some

recovery in global dairy prices but we don’t know how strong this recovery will be or when it will kick in.

For this reason, our farmer share-holders should continue to plan cau-tiously.”

andRew swallow

still traceable: calves bought or sold through saleyards are still traceable, even if the vendor hasn’t registered them, says nait.

Henry van der Heyden

The milking machine performs one task perfectly. It dramatically increased the efficiency of dairy farms and changed the industry. We strive to do the same. We’re an agribusiness bank. That means we provide rural loans and a global network of food and agribusiness knowledge for farmers like you. This exclusive focus enables us to help your business meet your ambitions and secure your long-term future. That’s why we have the most satisfied clients in the industry.

Rabobank. One focus.

Call 0800 722 622 or visit rabobank.co.nz

RAB0579/10

RAB0579_100x265_10_Milking.indd 1 3/16/12 2:07 PM

sUdesH kIssUn


4 newsCarter hails boot campTHE MINISTER for Pri-mary Industry is hail-ing the recent agri ‘boot camp’ at Stanford Uni-versity in California as ‘an outstanding success’.

David Carter was a participant for four of the five days and told Rural News that holding the boot camp at Stanford, which is one of the top business schools in the world, helped set the tone for the discussions.

“As soon as you drove on to the Stanford campus you knew you were in a very special and high-powered institution that feeds off its proxim-ity to Silicon Valley. The discussions that took place wouldn’t have hap-pened if it had been held in a luxury hotel setting.”

Carter believes to have that many NZ chief exec-utives away from every-day business cocooned at Stanford University was a tremendous achievement.

“Immediately there was a real binding of everyone with a common objective around ‘what can we do to grow prof-

itability in the primary sector’,” he says.

A key point to arise

was the extreme value of the New Zealand brand and what can be done to

enhance and protect it. “There was also agree-

ment that as a nation and as individual compa-nies we’ve got to strive to maximise what we can get out of the value chain to return back to New Zea-land. That led to a dis-cussion on how can we collectively get more out of the value chain and not leave any more than we have on the table for the transporters, the market-ers, the agents and the retailers,” he adds.

Carter says another key point was the need to drive productivity gains. The boot camp has been described as a ‘coalition of the willing’ and there was an absolute willing-ness by all the partici-pants to come back to New Zealand and look at serious collaboration.

Carter believes it marks a huge shift in the way that NZ Inc. might operate in the future.

“There’s recogni-tion by the industry that there are opportunities out there to strive to do better.”

AFTer HIs four days at the stanford boot camp, David Carter spent another week in the united states meeting with farming leaders and politicians in largely rural states about the Trans pacific part-nership.

He says his key message to all of them was that New Zealand was not a threat to them.

But Carter believes the us dairy industry is under pressure because of the drought and the farming system they run.

“It’s very much a cut the crop, cart it to barns and feed it to the cows 365 days a year. many milk three times a day in the drive for more production, but are still losing money.”

He says the us dairy sector is concerned about the impact that New Zealand might have on them if the Tpp went ahead.

“I tried to explain to them that there was no way that if the Tpp was to take place that we would pose a threat to them. The us is 15% of world dairy produc-tion and New Zealand is only 2%. The reality is that they have other issues to resolve.”

Carter adds even if a Tpp is signed he can’t see New Zealand selling massive amounts of dairy prod-ucts to the us.

Carter says the American election in November will delay the Tpp and it will be next year, at the earliest, before any deal could be signed.

minister talks tPP with Us farmers

Growers wary of Biodiesel sale

GROWERS FEAR Solid Energy’s decision to sell its Biodiesel New Zealand could leave them out of pocket.

The State Owned Enterprise told growers of its intentions at a meeting last month, and confirmed it publically last week as part of a wider announcement of strategic and structural changes.

“Biodiesel New Zealand is a business we no longer believe we should be in and we are looking to be out of that at the ear-liest opportunity, in whatever form,” Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder told the media briefing.

Solid Energy says since Government’s renewable fuels grants scheme ended June 30, Biodiesel “has been unable to meet Solid Energy’s performance expectations.”

What those performance expectations are isn’t clear, but Solid Energy’s accounts have repeatedly shown losses running into $millions for its renewables business, which included the also-for-sale Nature’s Flame pellet business.

Nick Murney, Agribusiness Manager for Biodiesel New Zealand, told Rural News Biodiesel New Zealand hasn’t yet recorded a profit but “there’s value in the business and the business is on track.”

He’s reassured growers Solid Energy and Biodiesel New Zealand will be standing by growers’ contracts, however he couldn’t say whether honouring all existing con-tracts with Biodiesel New Zealand is part of the conditions of sale which Deloitte will

be negotiating on behalf of Solid Energy.Chair of a growers’ group, Jeremy

Talbot, told Rural News they’d heard Solid Energy was looking for a partner in the Bio-diesel business, but until the meeting last month were unaware it was to be sold out-right.

He’s concerned that if the business folds, or Solid Energy sells only Biodiesel’s assets, rather than the business as a going concern, contracts for this season’s crop could be compromised.

“We’ve been told our contracts will be looked after but I want that in writing. The contracts only mention Biodiesel New Zea-land. If it folds or isn’t sold as a going con-cern we could be left high and dry.”

Murney says 40 growers contracted autumn sown crops to Biodiesel New Zea-land and it is signing spring contracts at present, though he declined to reveal at what price as there is a differential between North and South Island deals.

Talbot believes the disposal is part of Government’s plan to sell a stake in Solid Energy. Finance Minister Bill English, last month, admitted the mining and renew-able operator needed to be in consider-ably better shape to be sold.

Controversy has dogged Biodiesel New Zealand’s operations since it was bought by the SOE in 2007. Large areas of crop which were sown on leased land in the Mackenzie Basin and other non-traditional cropping areas failed due to the geography and what many believe were fundamental agronomy mistakes.

andRew swallow

AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL FARM OR IRRIGATION STOCKIST PHONE 06 357 8562

WILSONwww.wilsonplastics.co.nz

WT10

Height 240mm

Width 325mm

Length 350mm

WT18

Height 240mm

Width 325mm

Length 510mm

WT10 & WT18 Protection

We have a range of fence hung troughs that are ideal for calves, sheep, pigs, horses and dogs. The WT10 (10 litre) and WT18 (18 litres) in particular have a patented design that has the inlet and ballfl oat on the other side of the fence rail for greater protection. The WT50 (50 litres) is also fence hung. All troughs come with a drain cap. We recommend 32mm decking rails.

WT50

Height 260mm

Width 460mm

Length 675mm

FENCE HUNG TROUGHS

©

ALPINE CLEARSPAN SHEDS™

Phone now for your FREE Brochure pack

✓ Bird proof✓ Free delivery nationwide✓ Best value✓ Best service✓ Galvanized box

section rafters

0800 428 453

BUY ALPINE, BUY PEACE OF MIND

www.alpinebuildings.co.nz


news 5

Case made for company vs trustTHOUGH MANY farms are in trusts, Palmerston North Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk believes this creates problems in succession planning. He says essentially a trust is ‘just a bundle of rights and obligations’ which doesn’t ‘own anything’. The obligation of the trustees is to look after the interests of the ‘beneficiaries’, in most cases sib-lings.

“A trust has no corporate struc-ture so it doesn’t grow or prosper or

manage anything. Trusts are very dif-ficult to unscramble. The key problem is that the trustees are the owner of the whole asset – it is difficult to administer in a way that children can get funds out or have their entitlement distributed to them. And it’s rare that children will challenge the trustees, who are usually the parents alongside the family solici-tor and accountant.”

Vanderkolk says from what he’s seen, trusts have a place in protecting assets but are poor vehicles for farming oper-ations and capital holding. And struc-

turally they are difficult to operate. A question worth asking, when considering set-ting up a trust, is, can you guar-antee that you can control it after your death?

“With a company you can have just enough capital needed to run the business, and the rest of the capital generated as dividends, profits and retained earnings is available for investment off the farm or to buy shareholders out. There are advantages in a company structure because equity

is reflected by the value of the shares, directors are charged with increasing shareholder value and capital can be man-aged to successfully fund the operation.”

With a company structure, the children could be encour-

aged to participate in its governance as opposed to merely being employees on farm. Parents or owners should find out what their children want to do and make sure the entity has sufficient capital for them to pursue off-farm careers if that’s

what they want.“Fundamentally a company direc-

tor has to protect the value of the com-pany shareholding whereas a trustee has a duty to protect and promote the benefit and maintenance of the benefi-ciaries, not necessarily grow the wealth of the business. Farmers should be able to concentrate on farming and gover-nance of the farming enterprise rather than worry about the discharge of their fiduciary duty as trustees.”• For a profile of Ben Vanderkolk turn to pages 10-11

Fonterra director nominations open

peteR bURke

Ben Vanderkolk

NOMINATIONS OPEN next week for Fonterra board elections, with at least one vacancy for a farmer-elected direc-tor.

Last month’s shock resignation of Colin Armer means a new director will be elected at the co-op’s annual meet-ing later this year. Armer was one of three board mem-bers retiring by rotation. The other two – chairman-elect John Wilson and agribusiness academic Nicola Shadbolt – are seeking re-election.

Returning Officer Warwick Lampp, Electionz, has confirmed nominations open on September 10 and close on Sep-tember 28.

Voter packs don’t go out to share-holders until November. Voting will close prior to the annual meeting, the date for which is to be finalised by the board.

Former Fonterra Shareholders Coun-cil chairman Blue Read has thrown his hat in the ring.

The Taranaki farmer says he has been approached by Fonterra farmers to con-test the election.

Read says there’s a vacancy on the board and there are “a lot of capable people” who could do the job. “I’ve been approached by some farmers to contest and for me it’s all about how can I add

value to the co-op,” he told Rural News.Read chaired the council when

farmers in July 2010 approved TAF in principle. He supports TAF but wants safeguards including tighter limits on the size of the Fonterra shareholders fund. A motion to curb the fund size failed just short of the 75% majority required at the co-op’s special meeting

in June.Read says he will

take part in the can-didate assessment panel (CAP) pro-cess that assesses the capabilities, experience and qual-ifications of director

candidates and provides sharehold-ers with more information on which to make informed votes. While the CAP process is open to all director candi-dates, it is not compulsory.

Fonterra farmer groups which opposed TAF (trading among farm-ers) are also considering putting up candidates. Waikato-based Our Co-op member and former Federated Farm-ers Dairy chairman Lachlan Mackenzie says he hasn’t considered standing but has been approached.

Last year Fonterra board elections attracted nine candidates.

Northland farmer Ken Hames, who last year stood unsuccessfully, says he hasn’t made up his mind whether to stand again. Another unsuccessful can-didate Maurice Hardie, Southland, has confirmed he’s not standing.

sUdesH kIssUn

We are pleased to announce the winners of those who participated in the survey

Belinda Karl – Sharemilker – KaeoKerry Hall – Farm Owner - NelsonJames Lundy – Farm Owner – Rangiora

Nielsen and Rural News Group would like to thank you for supporting our survey.This helps us to understand your views on media.

PRECISION SHEEP MANAGEMENT

www.tepari.com

TEP

1025To find out more about Racewell and the full range of quality farm equipment from Te Pari,

call us or go online. Phone 0800 837 274 or email [email protected]

30POINT SERVICE

CHECK

ARE YOUREADY?

Ensure your Racewell equipment is in peak condition for the summer with our 30 point check for only $150*, including travel and the first hour of labour. This offer is limited until 30th September, so book now.

*Excludes GST. Additional parts and time will be charged at normal rates. This offer is limited to 100km of travel from base or last job.

TEP 1025 Racewell Press Ad 200x148_ƒ.indd 1 8/16/12 11:01 AM


6 newsInternational opportunities for nZ farming

CHINA AND South Amer-ica are being singled out as places for the New Zealand sheep and dairy industries to develop new initiatives.

A report by Price Water-house Cooper (PWC),

commissioned by New Zea-land Trade and Enterprise (NZTE), gives a strategic analysis of the opportuni-ties there for New Zealand companies.

The report recom-mends setting up:

A $430 million global investment fund to buy

peteR bURke and develop large New Zealand-run dairy farms;

A joint-venture sheep-meat processing opera-tion in South America using New Zealand tech-nology and skills;

A lamb marketing company in China to co-ordinate supply and to encourage investment by local distributors;

A large-scale sheep farming operation in China with Landcorp as a lead player; A food safety entity in China drawing on New Zealand expertise.

Each recommenda-tion is backed by detailed analysis of the oppor-tunity. For example, in respect of the China sheep farm, the report points to Landcorp’s agreement in principle with Shang-hai Pengxin (buyer of the Crafar dairy farms). Land-corp would bring consid-erable expertise to such a venture and would, because it’s a quasi-gov-ernment agency, also bring “political credibil-ity”.

NZTE global agribusi-ness leader Haylon Smith told Rural News many countries including China are looking to secure food supplies and are inter-ested in protein produc-tion systems.

Smith says New Zea-land has a niche role to play because of its exper-tise in protein production from pasture. “The ques-

tion is how do we take the systems we’ve refined and deploy these in other countries, then look at

new business models for achieving significant wealth generation for ‘NZ Inc’?”

The report indicates global dairy and food safety ventures could col-lectively be worth nearly $1 billion to New Zealand. And it points to signifi-cant downstream benefits

that would flow from the five ventures to compa-nies and scientific organi-zations.

Smith says New Zea-land’s pasture-based type systems can operate in parts of southern China; and other expertise, e.g. genetics, would apply in any farming system.

“In any area we operate in there’s going to have to be a great deal of adaptation – not only in

China, but also in Brazil and Uruguay. It might be changing grass species or looking at tropical grasses

or genetics. We can see that adaptation by the New Zealand companies already operating in these areas.”

New Zealand compa-nies already operate in China and South America, Smith observes, but the challenge is to turn them into – or create – large

multi-national farming companies which we don’t now have.

Regarding concern about the potential to lose New Zealand intellectual property (IP) in such ven-tures, Smith says anyone from overseas can get it anyway; there’s no way to stop IP leaking from New Zealand. “What we’re asking is, ‘what models would allow us to capture more value from our IP?’ ”

NZTE has run sem-inars on the report in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Though any initiatives have to be company- or industry-led, NZTE will facilitate in any initiatives by companies.

new Zealand companies already operate in china and south america, but the challenge is to turn them into – or create – large multi-national farming companies which we don’t now have.

– Haylon Smith

Global farming ventures could be worth nearly $1billion to new Zealand.

MS1368

Are you suffering from:• Surface ponding of pastures?

• Hay & silage being tramped into pasture and wasted?

MOLEPLOUGH

PRE-RIPPERS

Maitland RD5, Gore • Ph/Fax: 03-207 1837 or 027-628 5695m • www.james-engineering.co.nz

~ SOIL AERATION SPECIALISTS ~

Drainage and soil aeration pay big dividends.

DON’T PUT GOOD FERTILISER ON COMPACTED SOIL WHICH CAN’T ABSORB IT

If your soil can’t support 15cm root growth and good worm population check for compaction. You could need aeration.In dollar terms, what would 20% production increase mean to your yearly turnover?

Pugged paddocks can reduce pasture growth up to 60%

CONTACT US FOR YOUR LOCAL DEALER

AERATORS

PRODUCTION ORIENTATED FARMERS...

Your greatest asset is the soil you farmDON’T DESTROY IT

• Independent trial results available •

HEAVY DUTY AUTO RESET

Save tractor hours & reduce fuel consumption.

NOW AVAILABLE... 5 OR 6 LEG MODELS


EARLY INVESTI-GATIONS could not determine how the devas-tating kiwifruit vine dis-ease Psa-V entered the Waikato.

Airborne spread was unlikely given the isolated location of the two Te Awamutu orchards found to have the disease, Kiwi-fruit Vine Health chief executive officer Barry O’Neill told Rural News.

“We have looked at whether there’s any obvi-ous risk movement … we haven’t been able to iden-tify anything,” he says.

“The growers whose orchards tested positive had good hygiene prac-tices to try and stop it coming in. Often with these things it is hard to pinpoint. That hap-pened with Franklin – we were not able to conclu-sively show how it came to Franklin (in 2011).”

The infected Waikato orchards were growing the Gold cultivar Hort 16, a previously lucrative Zespri Gold crop which has proved highly suscepti-ble to Psa-V and has virtu-ally been wiped out in the country’s biggest kiwifruit growing region of Te Puke, near Tauranga.

Pockets of Hort 16 are still being grown disease-

free in other areas of the country including North-land and Nelson.

Investigation is con-tinuing on how it reached the Waikato, however O’Neill believes the spread of Psa-V to the area may have been averted if legal powers under a proposed National Psa-V Pest Man-agement Strategy, which growers were voting on over the last two weeks, had been available.

If the strategy gets the grower nod, O’Neill hopes to get a quick turnaround on ministerial approval and to have legal powers in place by early next year.

No further Waikato orchards had tested posi-tive to Psa-V last week. A ‘controlled area’ has been established within a 12km radius of infected orchards that incorporates 26 others growers.

“There’s movement controls in place that those growers are moni-toring and we are advis-ing them to maintain strict orchard hygiene and crop protection practices,” he says.

The Waikato outbreak comes on top of reports the Green Hayward variety is showing more suscep-tibility. Hayward has been considered more resistant than the Gold Hort 16.

“Green is showing

more signs, we’ve seen that overseas as well and it’s a reminder that no variety is resistant and we need to look after all our varieties against Psa.”

The new Psa-V resis-tant Gold crop G3, which Zespri released for graft-ing this winter has also shown signs of suscepti-bility.

“But in G3 we are not seeing anything more sig-nificant than we saw prior to winter,” O’Neill says.

“As the plants get older they become more able to withstand bacterial infec-tions, so the more juvenile ones are more susceptible and they need to be more protected.

“There’s no such thing as a resistant variety to Psa but some of these new varieties are more toler-ant, such as G3 or G14.”

O’Neill believes if the pest management strategy goes ahead it “will provide the maximum benefit to those regions that are still free as well as those areas that have got it”.

“Hopefully we will have legal powers in place by early next year, but rest of the strategy - the approach -would be imple-mented as soon as we could, probably in Octo-ber.”

Despite the challenges O’Neill believes the indus-try can recover.

paM tIpa

news 7

no clues on latest psa outbreak

KVH’s Barry o’neil says it has still not been determined yet just how Psa spread into the Waikato.

in briefgreen light on milka rUlinG endorsing fonterra’s farmgate milk pricing should allay doubts among potential investors.

competition watchdog the commerce commission has ruled fonterra’s setting of the farmgate milk price is consistent with the milk price regime set out in the amended dairy industry restructuring act (dira).

federated farmers dairy chairman Willy leferink says the commission’s view of the way fonterra sets its milk price has

been a nagging doubt for its farmer shareholders.

“fonterra said it and external experts said it: the way the milk price is set is fair and accurate and now we have the commerce commission agreeing.

the commission’s assessment provides a solid basis for confidence that shareholders, the new Zealand public and wider stakeholders can have in the integrity of the farmgate milk price, says fonterra chief finan-cial officer Jonathan mason.

*Open to existing PGG Wrightson Rewards members only. Qualifying products to be purchased between 1 September and 31 December 2012, with bonus points awarded the month following purchase. **Open to PGG Wrightson accounts that enrol in the PGG Wrightson Rewards programme between 1 September and 31 December 2012, subject to PGG Wrightson approval. Sign up bonus points awarded the month following

purchase of qualifying products. For qualifying products and full terms and conditions see www.pggwrightson.co.nz. Find out more about PGG Wrightson Rewards at www.pggwrightson.co.nz/rewards or call 0800 62 62 62.

Sign up when you buy selected agri-chemicals, seed or fertiliser and receive 5,000 points to get you started!**

Earn 2 Rewards points for every $1 you spend on selected agri-chemicals and seed*.

Roundup TRANSORB® XWorld’s best glyphosate. Roundup TRanSORb X is a breakthrough in glyphosate formulation technology containing a new patented surfactant technology that delivers rapid knock down and brown out, as well as 20 minute rainfastness when applied with a penetrant.

Li-1000™Improve grass and broadleaf kill this spring. Li-1000 is a unique penetrant to get glyphosate into plants more effectively. Li-1000 also dramatically reduces drift to get more of the spray on target.

34P88 Silage CRM 109an excellent hybrid, with great agronomic traits, provides high yields for northland, Coastal bay of Plenty and northern Waikato regions. a good option where an early planting is possible. Watch for harvest date if following with pasture.

Rural News 15x3 Dairy News

Notice of ElectionsFonterra Co-operative Group Limited

Board of Directors, Shareholders’ Council, Directors’ Remuneration Committee

Notice is hereby given that the following three elections will be held concurrently in 2012 for Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited.

Board of Directors: Election of Three (3) Directors

Shareholders’ Council (14 Wards): Election of One (1) Councillor in each ward

Directors’ Remuneration Committee: Election of Two (2) Members

Invitation for Candidate Nominations

Nominations are called for candidates to stand for these three elections. Fonterra shareholders are eligible to stand for all three elections. Nomination forms and candidate handbooks can be obtained from the Returning Officer.

Nominations must be received by the Returning Officer by 12 noon on Friday, 28 September 2012.

Elections for Shareholders’ Councillors

Elections will be held in the following 14 wards for the Shareholders’ Council:

Ward 2 Whangarei Ward 4 Southern Northland

Ward 5 South Auckland Ward 8 Hamilton

Ward 9 Morrinsville Ward 11 Western Bay of Plenty

Ward 14 Te Awamutu Ward 17 Eastern Bay of Plenty

Ward 20 Northern Taranaki Ward 23 Egmont Plains

Ward 26 Hawke’s Bay Ward 29 Tasman-Marlborough

Ward 32 Southern Canterbury Ward 35 Western Southland

Warwick Lampp, electionz.com has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the 2012 Fonterra Elections.

For further details, call the Election Hotline on free phone 0508 666 446 or contact the Returning Officer at [email protected].

Warwick Lampp

Returning Officer – 2012 Fonterra Elections

Email: [email protected]

Election Hotline: Free phone 0508 666 446

FG48

b

North Island : 09 275 5555 South Island : 03 437 [email protected] // farmgard.co.nz

SLURRY TANKERS

MULCHERS

PLOUGHS

DISC / RIPPER UNITS

MUCK SPREADERS

RIPPERS

PRE RIPPERS

ROTARY HOES

DIET FEEDERS

POWER HARROWS

DISCS

AIR SEEDERS

MULTI DISCS

SPIKES ROTORS

POND STIRRERS

MULTI SPREADERS

MOWERS VINEYARD MULCHERS

GRADER BLADES

PRECISION PLANTERS


news 9

Flat outlook – reportNEW ZEALAND’s primary industries are conservative in their financial out-look, 41% expecting revenues to stay the same after struggling through the last 12 months, according to a new survey.

The latest MYOB Business Monitor reports 24% of small-to-medium enter-prises in agriculture, forestry and fish-eries expect revenues to grow in the 12 months from June 2012 and 27% expect decline. In the 12 months from June 2011 28% grew in revenue, 35% stayed the same and 35% declined (2% didn’t know).

In the regular survey of at least 1000 businesses (about 150 primary sector) MYOB found a net 7% in agriculture and fisheries reporting losses over the last 12 months – amongst the biggest losses of any sector of the economy.

MYOB general manager Julian Smith says these occurred when many factors were actually working in the sector’s favour. “Over the last 12 months, we’ve seen global commodity prices rising and historically high levels of produc-tion from New Zealand’s primary sector. However, due to a high dollar and the increasingly volatile international econ-omy these advantages are not being translated into stronger growth.”

Looking to the year ahead, agricul-

ture and fisheries businesses were less optimistic than other sectors about their performance, a net 3% (those expecting gains vs those expecting losses) of busi-nesses expecting to lose revenue over the next 12 months. This made the agri-culture and fisheries sector the only sector expecting a net revenue decline. However, Smith says a more conserva-tive outlook is not uncommon in pri-mary industries.

Farmers tend to a ‘keep-our-heads-down-and-get-on-with-it’ attitude. But they also know that international condi-tions, especially in Europe, will remain volatile. New Zealand’s high dollar was a major source of concern, 40% of all busi-nesses citing it as a key pressure and 11% reporting it placing “extreme” pressure on profitability.

Price margins and profitability was the second most widely cited pressure, 38% of businesses in the sector report-ing difficulty. “With the exchange rate so high and exporters receiving less for their products, maintaining profitabil-ity is a real struggle,” says Smith. “These results show that for the primary sector, our high dollar is still a significant road-block for many businesses.”

– Pam Tipa

nZ economy playing like the polish rugby team

WELL-KNOWN agri-busi-nessman Colin Harvey laments the poor perfor-mance of New Zealand’s economy, telling Rural News that, in rugby terms, the country is performing economically at about the same level Poland would have had it been contest-ing the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Had New Zealand per-formed at such a level a huge public outcry would have been heard, but there seems to be quiet accep-tance of our poor eco-nomic performance, Harvey says.

“In my view, our gen-eration has made a great stuff-up of it. The prob-lem is we’ve placed too much emphasis on trad-ing and not enough on

trying to make businesses. There are lots of infra-structure problems within that, including not having a capital gains tax and not having savings schemes.

“On top of that, gov-ernments don’t seem pre-pared to actually make change. Ever since ‘Think Big’ we’ve run away from governments actually trying to do something.”

Harvey points out New Zealand has come through a period in which food was a commodity and is now entering an era in which food will be scarce.

“The question is ‘what are we going to do about it?’ The way we’re going is not much different from the past. A lot of other countries have shown the pathway. Look at Denmark which, with a fraction of our acreage, produces five

times the amount of food we do.”

The country is hot at writing strategies and reports, but cool when it comes to taking action. “When I see something like the Riddet Report – a wonderful strategy and the guys have done a great job – I ask ‘what happens now?’ I spent two years in Trade and Industry devel-oping a primary indus-

try strategy. I had a great team of guys and we put together a lot of good thinking, but trying to get some actual traction was bloody hard work.”

Harvey hopes some good comes out of the chief executives’ boot camp. He says he’s a fan of the organiser, John Brack-enridge, and points out that, in the end, it’s people who do things.

peteR bURke

colin Harvey

POLARIS VARIABLETRANSMISSION ON-DEMAND TRUE

ALL-WHEEL DRIVEINDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION

DISC BRAKESFRONT AND REAR

KG122/555

TOP PAYLOAD / CARRYINGSEALED FRONT STORAGE

SMOOTH RIDING, BEST VALUE 4X4.

$8,995PLUS GST

TO

0800 440 290 www.polarisindustries.co.nz


10 news

prosecutor states the case for succession planningThe Scott Guy murder trial propelled Palmerston North Crown prosecutor Ben Vanderkolk into national prominence. The case shook and shocked the rural community in exemplifying a farming relationship gone terribly wrong with tragic consequences. Another side to Vanderkolk is here discovered by Rural News reporter Peter Burke, in this exclusive interview.

BEN VANDERKOLK’S upstairs office in the old ANZ bank building looks out over The Square in Palmerston North. The floors are polished timber and somewhere there’s still the old bank safe. Newspaper billboards tell of court cases he’s been involved in during 25 years as a Crown solicitor.

To many people, the Scott Guy case was quite a bit about succession plan-ning; the case has done much to raise awareness of this topic. Vanderkolk regularly advises on suc-cession planning and he

plans to do more. He has a strong farming back-ground, having grown up on a Waikato dairy farm.

As an indepen-dent Crown solicitor Vanderkolk is free to do private and commercial legal work including rela-tionship and property law and advising on succes-sion planning. “My inter-est in succession planning came long before the Scott Guy case. It had no influ-ence on me; it was just a high profile trial that had a succession element in it.”

As a lawyer, Vanderkolk has seen failures in suc-

cession planning play out in court. “I’ve seen people tear themselves apart and never recover from it. Forced to go to court, they ask the court to solve the problem. Someone will make a decision and inev-itably someone will not like it. There is nothing therapeutic about going to court.”

Vanderkolk has also helped set and adminis-ter professional standards for the legal profession. For him the word ‘inde-pendence’ resonates more than any other.

“You cannot under-

value the need for inde-pendent advice. I increasingly saw that family transactions tended to be dominated by per-sons who had held the family trust and some of this control had been built up over many genera-tions. I wondered whether truly independent advice was ever a feature of these transactions. Lip ser-vice tended to be paid to independent advice and there was also a fear that the participants – namely the children – didn’t feel they had a place to ask for independent advice.

Let’s face it, there’s noth-ing evil about independent advice.”

Ben Vanderkolk says a good succession plan usu-ally starts when a consul-tant talks to all involved and gets an idea from them of their individual needs and expectations. This will form the basis of the strategy, necessary before any transactions

occur, or legal agreements or structure are created. A communications plan is here critical to the over-all strategy. “If you are not good communica-tors by nature, you need to commit to a plan that compels and forces you to communicate on a formal basis, not just when the need arises.”

Vanderkolk says com-

munication is much better now than in past genera-tions when farmers’ wives were strong and domi-nant. “I’ve seen situations where a daughter-in-law wanted to ask legitimate questions but felt con-strained. Generally daugh-ters in-law have to live up to high expectations.”

Ideally a succession plan should probably

“failures in succession planning play out in court and there’s nothing therapeutic about going to court.”

We Work

YoU!HArDjust likeGood things come from hard work! POTTINGER have been working hard for over

140 years to bring you hard working machines!

NATIONWIDE SALES AND SERVICE NETWORKKAITAIA: (09) 408 0670 DARGAVILLE: (09) 439 6544 WHANGAREI: (09) 438 1319 PAEROA: (07) 862 9064 MORRINSVILLE: (07) 889 7055 ROTORUA: (07) 345 8560 GISBORNE: (06) 863 2612 NEW PLYMOUTH: (06) 758 2274 STRATFORD: (06) 765 8643 HAWERA: (06) 278 5119 WAIPUKURAU: (06) 858 6041 FOXTON: (06) 363 7193 MASTERTON: (06) 377 3009 NELSON: (03) 543 8041 BLENHEIM: (03) 579 1111 KAIKOURA: (03) 319 7119 GREYMOUTH: (03) 768 5116 AMBERLEY: (03) 314 9055 LEESTON: (03) 324 3791 ASHBURTON: (03) 307 8027 TIMARU: (03) 687 4005 OAMARU: (03) 437 1111 MOSGIEL: (03) 489 8199 GORE: (03) 208 9370 INVERCARGILL: (03) 211 0013 ALL OTHER AREAS: ORIGIN AGROUP LTD: 07 823 7582

• DISC MOWERS • MOWER CONDITIONERS • TEDDERS • RAKES • LOADER WAGONS • SEED DRILLS • PLOUGHS • POWER HARROWS • DISC CULTIVATORS

ORIGINPottWorkHardRNHalfPgAd.indd 1 27/08/12 12:05 PM


news 11

the farmer’s sonBeN VANDerKOLK is the son of a Dutch immigrant who arrived, with many others, in New Zealand in the early 1950s. His father was trained as an orchardist, but took up dairy farming near Waitoa. He started on wages, then worked through 29%, 39% and later 50/50 sharemilking near matamata.

Ben says his father never bought a dairy farm; he reasoned it was more profitable for him to be a share-milker. “The return on a dairy farm at the time was about 3-4%. When my father retired at 65 he was returning 12-13% on capital invested in his herd.”

Today Ben Vanderkolk lives the good life with his wife and young daughter on a 7ha lifestyle block on the outskirts of palmerston North. since he bought the property five years ago he’s re-fenced for the drystock he runs and has done much landscaping. It’s a peaceful retreat from the tension and drama of the courtroom.

prosecutor states the case for succession planningstart before a farm is even bought, he says, because the structure under which the farm operates from day one hugely influ-ences what happens years later. Most cases require a choice: a trust, a com-pany or both. Vanderkolk strongly favours a com-pany structure, making it easier to pass on the farm to future generations. (More below on the pros and cons of trusts and companies.)

Though structure is important, he says, farm-ers should first develop a strategy. “My sense is that too often farmers get swept away with the structure. It is often prob-lematic to create a struc-ture when a solution to a problem has been found.” Vanderkolk points out that unwinding transactions later can be costly and painful, hence the need to spend time in the planning phase.

The first hurdle to developing a succession plan is the initial discus-sion; parents should initi-ate it – sooner rather than later. “I know an exam-ple of a husband and wife who gave their children – before they reached age 13 or 14 – equal shares in the farming company. It’s worked really well because each of them could take out their shareholding in time. As it’s turned out, they each want to be farm-ers and they were able to purchase their own farms with the assistance of the head farm. It might sound extreme, but it would make sense that every time a child was born they were automatically given a

share in the farm.”In the development

of a succession plan Vanderkolk sees a role for someone such as himself who is ‘independent’ of the other advisors. He sees a trend nowadays, by people wanting a succession plan, to employing a consultant who gathers a lot of information about what everybody wants.

“That’s valuable, but the next step is to ask, ‘what are we going to do and how are we going to get there? – the long term strategy; it’s that part I’d like contribute to. With my legal back-ground and skill in put-ting together and running large trials with multi-ple components, I can give independent advice and keep testing strat-egy until people are satis-fied.” This is the “stress testing” phase where every possible variable is tested against the overall plan or strategy.

Vanderkolk believes farmers are egalitarian, like to be fair and may avoid making hard deci-sions in a family context. “But often if you make a series of fair decisions then you are not actually taking a leadership role by saying ‘this is how it’s going to be’. If you look at major family corpo-rates in New Zealand, at some point in their history a leader in the family has taken it by the throat and said ‘this how we are going forward’.”

Another feature of sig-nificant privately held family companies in New Zealand, is their solid

foundations in retained earnings, good dividend policies and low debt, inspiring confidence in shareholders and averting grievances.

Vanderkolk says even if children don’t want to be involved in day-to-day running of a farm, they can add tremendous value

with skills gained in off-farm careers, hence the value in making them directors.

He says farmers should not be afraid of building a farming dynasty and gen-erating wealth and using capital to invest off-farm. “I’ve seen farmers who’ve structured their farms in

such ways that they’ve invested off-farm and their children aged in their 20s and 30s have been able to run the off-farm business because they are not inter-ested in farming. That seems to me ideal because that young man or woman on OE might otherwise be lost to New Zealand.”

Ben Vanderkolk


12 news

pGG wrightson turns around performance

managing director George Gould says the board is happy

with the company’s

performance.

STRONG PERFOR-MANCES in retail, live-stock and real estate contributed to rural ser-

vices company PGG Wrightsonå’s turnaround this year, says chief finan-cial officer Rob Woodgate.

Revenue was $1.3 bil-lion, up from $1.2b last

year, and the company returned a profit of $24.5 million in the financial year to June 30, 2012. This was a $55.2m turn-around from its 2011 loss

of $30.7m.A substantial turn-

around in net operating cash flow to $58.6m (2011: $4.9m) reflected a strong focus on working capi-

tal and particularly debtor management, the com-pany says.

Woodgate says the wool business was consol-idated, additional agents

paM tIpa joined in livestock and agritech improved with the full impact of previous acquisitions.

Interest costs have roughly halved to $13.8 m from $28.1m, reflecting debt reduced from $176m to $124m, Woodgate says.

Managing director George Gould says the management and board were pleased with the group performance. “We also remain of the view that the agritech busi-ness holds the potential to create growth.”

He says the most cer-tain and immediate agri-tech growth lies in the restoring the contribution from Australia. “We have endured quite exceptional climatic conditions over there: [at least] a decade of dry weather, then last year was the wettest on record and the year before wasn’t much drier. If we go back to a vaguely average cli-matic situation we would expect a quick turnaround in Australia.

“The bigger picture is South American and China. We’re well placed in China with a relation-ship with a major share-holder there, and the steps we’re taking to grow the business in China gener-ally.”

He says potential earn-ings via the Chinese agri-tech relationship are about potential rather than actual earnings but is a pri-ority.

The company reported having exited most loans held under PGW Rural Capital, a special-purpose entity formed to house loans transferred from PGG Wrightson Finance Limited as part of the finance company trans-action.

With the exception of the Crafar farms assets, residual loans valued at about $4m now remain, some of these loan assets already subject to sale contracts. No loan sizes

are disclosed, but the Crafar loan is the largest; settlement is expected in October. Gould says PGG Wrightson expected to collect the residual beyond Crafar before the end of the year.

The wool prognosis is good. “We’ve simplified the wool business. We’ve left Wools of New Zealand in the hands of growers and they are promot-ing that in their own way. And we have narrowed our business to that of a broker focusing on bales

and volume and service, with fixed contract on the side – popular in the vola-tile market we have had.”

Live shipments to Viet-nam and new business in the lower North Island helped boost PGG Wright-son’s dairy livestock business by 38% in the past year. The company exported 12 shipments of rising two-year Fresian heifers to Vietnam plus two shipments of Taurin-dicus heifers to the Philip-pines and Malaysia, Nigel Thorpe, general manager livestock, told Rural News.

“We have further scheduled shipments to Vietnam this financial year as well as shipments of Taurindicus to the Philip-pines. Further opportu-nities exist in China now being explored.”

Thorpe says during the early part of last season PGG Wrightson also acquired the services of 12 additional ex-Allied Farmers dairy agents in Taranaki, Wairarapa and Manawatu.

“This has strengthened our overall dairy representation in the lower North Island. Together with an outstanding result from our Waikato dairy livestock team, this helped cement what was a major boost to our overall dairy livestock volumes handled and revenue during the season.”

“We also remain of the view that the agritech business holds the potential to create growth.”

– George Gould

For when the going gets tougher

5045E STARTING AT

$31,577*

For producers or property owners who need just a little more tractor, the 5E Series from John Deere offers the features you need to handle a wide range of property maintenance, material handling and around-the-farm chores, all at a price that will surprise you. Take a look at the 5045E with its powerful 33.6kW (45-hp†) three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, 9F/3R SyncShuttle™ transmission and Mechanical Front Wheel Drive (MFWD) all as standard. Around the back, the fully independent 540- RPM PTO gives you power for all your rotary and PTO-driven implements.

So if you’re thinking about a new tractor, we have an easy answer. Find out more about the 5E Series from your John Deere dealer or visit us online.

0800 303 100 | JohnDeere.co.nz/5E

* Price is the Recommended Retail Price (RRP) including GST, valid until 31 December 2012 at participating dealers only. Some dealers may offer different pricing. Price excludes dealer pre-delivery, set-up, installation and freight charges. Price is for the base tractor unit only. Loaders, implements and attachments shown above are sold separately. † The engine horsepower information is provided by the engine manufacturer to be used for comparison purposes only. Actual operating horsepower may be less.


news 13premium wine sparkles despite market woes

NEW ZEALAND premium wines have withstood dif-ficult global trading condi-tions to boost exports. For the year ending June 2012, the value of wine exports grew 8% to $1.18 billion and international sales are 79% higher than in 2008.

New Zealand Wine-growers chairman Stuart Smith says the vibrant and distinctive qualities of New Zealand wines con-tinue to resonate with consumers in key markets.

Total New Zealand wine sales (export and domestic) rose 10% to a record 242 million L for the year ended June 2012, but production from

the 2012 vintage did not exceed 200 million L. Smith says strong sales and a smaller 2012 vintage means a changed supply/demand dynamic for the sector in the year ahead.

The New Zealand wine industry has been a spar-kling export success, growing from about

$200 million 10 years ago into a top-ten export industry. But two turbu-lent years (2009 and 2010) have dulled some of the sparkle. Grape oversupply and the largest economic downturn in 20 years have affected the whole indus-try.

But Smith points out supply conditions are now tighter than at any time

since 2007 – a major turn-around “providing oppor-tunity for the industry to focus on higher-priced segments in the year ahead.”

But significant chal-lenges persist for growers and wineries. “Profit-ability is a key concern. Lower yields this year have restricted grower incomes, while for wineries the

challenge will be to main-tain shelf space and grow key development markets in a time of tight supply. Returns have also been impacted by the high New Zealand dollar and domes-tic tax increases.”

Smith says it’s impor-tant for New Zealand to focus on its competitive advantage in premium wine. “That competitive

advantage has survived oversupply intact, and rich opportunities still exist for premium New Zealand wine in established and developing markets. But the industry must guard against strategic threats and operating weaknesses.

“The future of New Zealand wine depends on its reputation for premium products. But after several

years of… being pushed and pulled in different directions, it is invaluable to have that [reputation] objectively and rigorously re-affirmed.”

Despite accounting for less than 1% of global wine production, New Zea-land is now the world’s 10th-largest exporter by value and 11th exporter by volume.

sUdesH kIssUn

achievement or lifestyle

A DRAFT report on how the wool industry might some-how unite itself is due shortly, says the chairman of the ‘Wool Unity Group’, Colin Harvey.

He told Rural News KPMG has been commissioned to write the report and has been interviewing key stakehold-ers in the process of developing a strategy.

“You’ll appreciate that it’s a difficult industry,” Harvey says. “The aim is to put together a strategy for a national group and we’ll devise some sort of structure and move on from there.”

While many people looking back on the days of the Wool Board claim there was unity, Colin Harvey thinks not.

“We had a national body that collected wool levies and did a lot of stuff – some good and some bad. The problem was it wasn’t unity. The sort of new direction New Zea-land Merino wanted to go broke that apart. It was unfor-tunate that it was broken apart rather than fixed. We do need something, but we don’t need something which drags people backwards.”

Harvey says it’s very difficult to get unity in the wool industry. “There’s a lot of history there, you’ve got to real-ize, and a lot of hard feelings about how much money the Wool Board wasted. Given that background it’s quite dif-ficult to get people to see a common direction.”

Harvey says he has no vested interests in the indus-try, which is why he’s taken on the role of heading up the ‘unity group’. Another factor is the ‘individualistic’ nature of people in the farming sector – “an element that seeks lifestyle rather than achievement, and I could tarred with that brush. All of us, who reach a certain point, are more interested in making ourselves comfortable than actually achieving something in this world.”

peteR bURke

BuLK WINe exports are pushing down industry returns. The average value of all exports last year was $6.58/L, a decline of 7% over the previous year.

New Zealand Winegrowers chairman stuart smith says the small 2012 vintage will cut bulk wine-export volumes but a problem remains – “the desire of powerful retailers to capture more value in the supply chain.”

New Zealand bulk wine exports have grown at an even faster rate in line with global trends. unpack-aged wine accounts for 35% of all New Zealand wine shipped abroad – up from 31% last year.

Bulk wine impacts returns


14 news

lamb burger supplier is ‘lovin it’HAWKE’S BAY farmer Philip Holt says it is too early to tell how supply-ing stock to Silver Fern Farms for McDonald’s newly launched ‘serious lamb burger’ will affect his bottom line – but it’s sure to be positive.

“Any extra market out there is good: a prime example is the AngusPure Burgers that came out a few years ago. Any extra market which gives more publicity to New Zealand farms is always beneficial to the farmer. It’s getting New Zealand product out there and making people aware of what is going on.”

McDonald’s told Rural News that while it can’t disclose exact sales fig-ures, the launch has been successful with lamb selling at higher levels than Angus did when it

launched. Also the com-pany maintained sales after one week, which indicates customers enjoy the lamb products and are coming back for repeat purchase, a company spokesman says.

Holt only found out recently his farm would be supplying the lamb for the new burger and another product – ‘lamb snack wrap’ – launched in mid August in 160 New Zealand McDonalds res-taurants. Another lamb product will soon be added to the menu and Beef + Lamb New Zealand is endorsing the product range.

Holt says the first effect on his farm management system will be to get a lot stricter on recording and weighing to find how to get lambs on to trucks as fast as possible.

“It won’t happen over-

night; all those things take a while to happen and to get nto the farm system.”

With his father, Holt lambs about 4000 ewes on their 1200ha sheep and beef holding, keeping about a third of the female flock for replacements, but everything else goes to Silver Fern Farms.

“An objective of Silver Fern farms for the lamb burgers will be to get an even market 365 days of the year; they are aiming for a constant supply of lambs to go into these burgers,” Holt says. “With different farms in differ-ent climates that is quite achievable.”

Holt says he will aim to provide lambs about nine months of the year. “We will take our first pick in November and we still have a handful from last year. We take a couple of thousand of lambs into

winter anyway to winter through on grass and lucerne.

“We’ll do as much as possible but when they start cutting their teeth they are not considered lambs anymore, so that market goes to someone else who lambs later.”

He says while he only knew recently about the burger initiative, Silver Fern farms has been doing development work for a couple of years.

“The farmers I talk to on a regional basis are pleased about the pros-pect,” he says. “Everyone is supportive of and proud to be part of the Silver Fern product in supermar-kets now; that will follow on to the new lamb burg-ers. With McDonalds being such a huge inter-national business, there’s a huge opportunity there: anything can happen.”

paM tIpa

Hawkes bay farmer Philip Holt, a mcdonald’s lamb Burger supplier, is hoping for a positive impact on his bot-tom line from the venture.

Bee week garners little buzzFEDERATED FARMERS’ Bee chairman says he was a little disappointed at the lack of interest in the recent national bee week. John Hartnell saw little coverage in mainstream media, a pity because the industry needs to raise the public’s awareness of how critical the honey bee is to everyday life.

“As an industry we face a new chal-lenge, or something else comes along to test our ability to maintain our hives every year. It can be an incursion from overseas or a loss of our primary pollen sources which can be so important to honey bees. It’s important we bring the public with us when we look at how we rectify some of these challenges.”

Hartnell says biosecurity remains a huge issue for the industry and says the damage caused by the varroa mite is a good example of what the industry doesn’t want.

“Today it’s matter of everybody play-ing their part on behalf of the bee indus-try and being acutely aware of what’s happening out there. It could be some-thing happening in a beehive or a pot of honey from another country that’s got into the country, or even used bee-keep-ing equipment coming in from overseas.

“It’s important we lift the game and the awareness so everybody’s doing their part on a day-to-day basis.”

– Peter Burke

LOW PRESSURE GUN

New Zealand’s Leading Boom Irrigator BRIGGS ROTO RAINER & LINEAR – Eight Models

Importer and distributor of Zimmatic Pivots & Laterals. Full variety of options offered.

10 Robinson Street, AshburtonPh 03 307 9049 - Fax 03 307 9047

Email: [email protected]: www.rainer.co.nz

Superior product design feature and strength. Computer Irrigation Design. Full Installation complete with Back-up Service & Parts.

Model PW100

NEED MORE SUMMER

FEED? CHOOSE ONE OF OUR HIGH

PERFORMERS.This rape x kale interspecies cross cultivar

produces exceptional yields for summer, autumn and winter feed. Goliath® forage rape is suitable for multiple grazings and has high animal preference.

PW

S 1

033

Need more feed? Contact your local seed retailer, go to www.pggwrightsonseeds.com or Freephone 0800 805 505.

PWS 1033 GOLIATH AD 390X265MM_ƒ.indd 1 8/28/12 11:00 AM

FG52

North Island : 09 275 5555 South Island : 03 437 9000 [email protected] // farmgard.co.nz

TRAILED CULTIVATION - DISCS

‘YOUR CULTIVATION SPECIALISTS’

CALL FARMGARD NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION OR A DEMO ON YOUR OWN FARM

MIN TILL CULTIVATION - MULTI DICS

FINISHING - POWER HARROWS

COMBO UNITS - SEEDERS AND AIR SEEDERS

ONE PASS CULTIVATION - SPIKES ROTORS

DISC / RIPPER CULTIVATION

RIPPERS / SUBSOILERS

PRE RIPPERS


news 17

TaF scrap benefits competitors

A SOUTH Island company appears to be succeeding where others have stumbled – in sheep milk products.

A dairy sheep plant set up years ago at Balclutha had only limited success. The then owners had milked East Friesian sheep for their base product and their supply was adequate, but the cheese they were marketing in Australia was inconsistent in supply and quality.

The enterprise was about to collapse when Southland farmer/entrepreneur Keith Neylon bought it in 2004 and shifted it to Invercargill.

Neylon knew the So-Fresh ice cream business had closed, but that its export-approved plant was there, inopera-tive but ready to go. He bought the plant and set about re-jigging the entire sheep milk operation, including world-wide research into sheep milking and its technology

The operation was integrated vertically with Blue River Dairy

Products Ltd (100% Neylon-owned) as the manufacturing and distribution arm. Another Neylon-owned enterprise supplied dairy sheep milk as required.

Early on Neylon bought and converted a Brydone dairy farm to a dairy sheep milking facility. East Friesians were the base breed, but other breeds including Poll Dorsets have been introduced to the milk-

ing flocks. Since 2004, when the Brydone

farm was converted, the produc-tion base has expanded with farms and milking facilities at Winton and

recently at Hedgehope. Business connections with

Asian markets convinced Neylon of the market potential in Asia and he set about marketing sheep milk products into China. Now the

business has a strong Chinese and Thai market. Indonesia is also in his sights.

Needing more capital he sold a substantial deer business and

thoroughbred horse racing interests, including a train-ing set-up at Burnham, near Christchurch.

Neylon also identified the rapidly expanding Indonesian population of over 243 million people as a potential market.

In 2011, he sold a 50% share in the Blue River Group to the Tachril Family of Jakarta, which has strong links with New Zealand. Cash from this sale paid for R&D into new milking sheep tech-nologies and built a milking facility at Hedgehope, near Winton.

Neylon recently travelled with the Prime Minister to Indo-

nesia as part of 26-person trade delegation and is selling products in Vietnam. Neylon was in 2011 inducted as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his ser-vices to New Zealand agriculture.

peteR owens

sheep man milks marketNEW ZEALND’S second-largest milk processor says some Fonterra farmers disgruntled about the recent TAF (trading among farmers) vote have approached it to switch their milk supply.

Open Country Dairy Ltd chairman Laurie Mar-grain believes the divisiveness in the dairy indus-try caused by TAF has seen his company receive an “unprecedented” number of inquiries from farmers wishing to change to them.

But Open Country faces a limited capability to take the extra supply, Margrain says.

“We don’t have a lot of spare capacity. Already’ve we got as many suppliers as could take in the Waikato this year… [plus] a high level of inquiry which would be for next year.

“Our ability to accommodate that would depend on our ability to tweak our capacity. “While TAF has no direct impact on us, it has changed the dynamics of the industry because some people are not as com-mitted to the cooperative concept under TAF as they were beforehand.”

Margrain says its payout scheme, whereby farm-ers don’t have to be ‘shared up’ to produce extra milk, was also a factor.

Open Country’s payout forecast for this season is between $5.30/kgMS and $5.50/kgMS, much lower than last season. Margrain forsees considerable downward pressure because of market pricing and the high exchange rate. – Peter Burke

Blue river dairy boasts a genetically-selected milking flock of 14,000 sheep.

QUALITYECONOMIC

FeedTo find out how Crackerjack can maximise production on your farm,

contact 0800 183 358, visit www.agricom.co.nz or visit your local seed merchant.

Another great product from:

Crackerjack is the latest triticale designed for sowing in early-spring.

Produces high yields of silage, rich in carbohydrates and fibre.

Excellent tolerance to leaf disease.

Plant and Food


SKELLERUP IS looking to relocate its earthquake dam-aged dairy manufacturing plant at Woolston in Christ-church. It recently announced an 11.1% jump in profit for its agri division and a record overall company result for 2012.

The agri division’s earnings before interest and tax were $19m. The company overall had a record net profit after tax of $24.7m, up 22.1% on the previous record posted a year ago.

The result from the agri division, which makes dairy

products for the global industry, reflects ongoing demand for its products, the company says.

“After a solid start for the year the second six months has seen stronger competition in some segments of the international marketplace as the dairy industry became more cautious with milk prices internationally moving lower.

“However, the agri division continues to benefit from a majority of its products being essential consumables for the dairy industry and increasing interest in its prod-uct range from developing markets in China and South America.”

Skellerup says the dairy manufacturing plant in Woolston is a key part of the agri division.

“Due to earthquake related damage and liquefaction risk, we are negotiating to relocate this business to a new site within the Christchurch region.

“To facilitate the move, a new rubber mixing plant has been purchased (post 2012 financial year end) and capi-tal has been allocated for the manufacture of additional moulding machines to ensure the operation can relocate without interrupting the supply of finished products. The new rubber mixing plant will facilitate the move and pro-duce a high quality product more efficiently.”

Skellerup’s record net profit after tax (NPAT) brings the compound annual growth rate of NPAT over the last three years to about 40%.

Chief executive David Mair says “Skellerup has high quality assets across both its divisions that have consid-erable potential [and] organic growth opportunities… by focusing on customers, our supply chain and our produc-tion capability.

“Our ability to develop new products has won us new customers across all business units and has been a major factor in helping shelter us from the lingering economic downturn.

“We will continue… investing in developing new sales channels and opportunities – in existing markets and emerging new markets such as China and South Amer-ica.”

18 news

ag gives a boast to Skellerup return

paM tIpa

skellerup says the dairy manufacturing plant in Woolston is a key part of the agri division.

China looks beyond nZ to meet dairy demand

CHINA IS starting to source more dairy prod-ucts from Europe and the US, says Susan Kilsby, a dairy analyst at Agrifax.

With the Chinese dairy industry not yet fully recovered from the mela-mime scandal, New Zea-land has supplied the

lions’ share of dairy prod-ucts China has imported in recent years, she says in ‘Growing with China’, a monthly report by BNZ’s chief economist Tony Alexander.

“But China is now beginning to source more dairy products from other countries,” she says.

The type of prod-uct mix demanded and

the sources are chang-ing. “New Zealand con-tinues to totally dominate the supply of whole milk powder … but the total volume of whole milk powder demanded by China actually fell by 2% in the year to June 2012.

“Instead China is importing much larger quantities of skim milk powder and whey pow-

ders. The whey prod-uct is sought for use in infant milk powders. In the 12 months to June 2012 imports of whey based products increased by 38%. This product is mainly supplied by Euro-pean countries and the US. “

Kilsby says China has long been a producer of milk. “Milk production in

China increased rapidly from 2000 to 2007. But in 2008 milk production stumbled as the melamine scandal was revealed.”

Kilsby says China has invested heavily in its milk supply and supply chain. But it is likely to take years for this investment to be fully realised. “We have seen huge investments made in large scale dairy

farms and dairy stock. But it takes years to get such large farms operat-ing at the optimum level as the steep learning curve associated with managing these farms needs to be ascended.”

On a positive note she says China is expected to remain the world’s largest importer of dairy products and New Zealand’s largest

market for at least the next few years.

New Zealand export-ers enjoy the benefit of the Free Trade Agreement and strong relationships with Chinese importers.

“But New Zealand exporters can expect to face increased competi-tion, as other countries try to increase their share of this massive market.”

paM tIpa

Only with SlugOut do you get more baits per square meter, increasing your chances of getting the slugs and snails before they get your crop. It’s easy to spread and holds together in the wet weather. SlugOut causes irreversible damage to the mucous cells of slugs and snails so you know it’ll do the job.

For more information phone 0800 683 276 or visit www.nufarm.co.nz

Better Solutions. Better Farming.

Unlike cellphone calls you get excellent coverage on the farm with SlugOut®

®SlugOut is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd.

John Deere RemanJohn Deere remanufactured components provide like new performance at a fraction of the cost. John Deere Reman parts aren’t rebuilt or repaired. They’re remanufactured which means every component is completely disassembled, inspected, machined to factory specifi cationsand backed by the John Deere warranty.

For information on the complete John Deere Reman range of parts and components, contact your local dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/Reman

Description Part No. Fits Models Price

A/C compressor, Reman SE502624 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7020, 7030, 8010 & 9020 Series $1,058.45

Alternator, Reman SE501827 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7020, 7030 Premium Series $812.60

Hydraulic pump, Reman PG200865 6000, 6010 & 6020 Series $2,590.75

Nozzle, Reman SE501103 6020 & 7020 Series $129.40

Injector, electronic unit, Reman SE501959 9030 Series $1,750.00

Water pump, Reman SE501596 7020, 8020, 8100, 9100 & 9020 Series $691.25

Water pump, Reman SE501609 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7010, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series $381.90

A/C compressor, Reman SE501457 8030 Series $823.10

A/C compressor, Reman SE501456 6030, 7020 & 8030 Series $825.05

Injection Nozzle, Reman SE501101 6030 & 7020 Series $129.40

Alternator, Reman SE501380 7010, 7600, 7700, 7800, 8010, 9020, 9300 & 9400 Series $827.40

Injection Nozzle, Reman SE501957 9100-9400 & 9020 Series $1,750.00

Turbocharger, Reman SE501679 9300, 9400, & 9020 Series $2,854.15

Starter motor, Reman SE501854 6020 Series $801.40

Filters


Cab: Air fi lter – heavy-duty AL177185 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium & 7030 Premium Series

$98.20

Engine: Fuel Pre-fi lter (older 8R Series)

RE525523 8030, 8R IT3 & 9030 Series $230.95

Engine: Oil fi lter RE504836 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series

$21.45

Engine: Oil fi lter RE509672 8020, 8030, 8R IT3 & IT4, 9020 & 9230 Series

$39.35

Transmission: Oil fi lter AL156625 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium & 7030 Premium Series

$70.25

Transmission: Oil fi lter RE174130 8020, 8030, 9020 & 9030 Series $161.60

Attachments


Instructional seats RE192707 Fits most tractors $1,095.25

Tool boxes RE275591 Fits most tractors $108.80

Cab-mounted sunshade – front RE197943 Fits most tractors $216.40

Cab-mounted sunshade – rear RE197944 Fits most tractors $216.40

Service PartsDescription Part No. Fits Models Price

Breakaway coupler, SCV RE256693 7200-7400, 7600-7800, 7010, 7030, 8020, 8030, 8R-IT3 & IT4, 9020 & 9030 Series

$200.00

Hydraulic quick coupler socket AL202351 6100-6600, 6010, 6020, 6030 & 7020 Series

$210.10

Hydraulic Pump, 41ccm AL161043 6010, 6020, 6100 - 6900, 7200 – 7800 & 7010 Series

$3,483.75

Thermostat /173 to 186 degrees AR48675 Tractors w/4.5L, 6.8L, 8.1L & 9.0L engines

$17.20

Radiator, 50 fi ns, 6-cyl AL176362 6020 & 7020 Series $1,995.15

Radiator, 50 fi ns, 4-cyl AL176361 6020 Series $1,945.60

Poly-V-belt/8pk L=2475mm L111601 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7010 & 7030 Premium Series

$132.20

Poly-V-belt/8PK L=2460mm L111600 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7010, 7030 Premium Series

$132.20

Idler, automatic tensioner/service-kit

AL157593 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7020, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series

$72.20

Idler, roller/service-kit AL157596 6010, 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7020, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series

$72.20

Belt tensioner RE518097 Tractors w/4.5L & 6.8L engines $215.70

Belt tensioner RE68715 Tractors w/8.1L & 9.0L engines $393.90

Seal, slipper seals RE186600 7200-7400, 7010, 7020, 7030, 8020, 8030, 8R IT3 & 8R IT4, 9020 & 9030 Series

$51.25

Tie rod end AL168711 6010 & 6020 Series $283.25

Gasket, exhaust manifold R521439 6030 & 6030 Premium Series $3.60

Water pump, assembly RE505980 6010, 6030, 7020, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series

$488.30

Water pump kit RE521502 7020, 8100-8400, 8020 & 9100 – 9400 Series

$904.05

Alternator 14V/120A AL166646 6020, 6030, 6030 Premium, 7020, 7030 & 7030 Premium Series

$1,096.00

Alternator, 200 AMP 12V RE210793 8030, 8R IT3, 8R IT4 & 9030 Premium Series

$1,809.35

0800 303 100 | JohnDeere.co.nz

Genuine tractor parts. Great prices.Because your tractor deserves the best.

Talk to your local dealer today for genuine parts at great prices!

All prices are Recommended Retail Price (RRP) quoted in New Zealand Dollars, including GST. RRP does not include freight, assembly or dealer charges. Product specifi cations and availability are subject to change without notice. Some of these products, options or accessories may not be available from all dealers. Check your application with your John Deere dealer for suitability. Prices valid until 30th September 2012.

Toolbox Cab-mounted sunshade

your local dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/Reman

rUral neWs // sepTemBer 4, 2012

20 world

according to research, one in eight people in the UK believe bananas and pineapple are grown commercially in that country.

Uk website identifies locally grown produceMOST UK shoppers (75%) don’t know when the bulk of British fruit and vegetables are in season, a new survey has shown. But a majority would seek home-grown produce if they knew more.

This finding has prompted the National Farmers Union to launch a mobile website to allow consumers to find out what to look for on store shelves.

One in eight people also mistak-enly believe bananas and pineapples are grown commercially in the UK, and four in ten expect to buy British peaches.

Only 50% know that peppers, but-ternut squash and aubergines can be grown in the UK.

NFU chief horticulture adviser Hayley Campbell-Gibbons says it doesn’t expect shoppers to know exactly the British fruit and veg-etables seasons. But we can allow them access to ‘seasonality’ data for informed decisions while they shop, she says.

“So, as part of the Farming Deliv-ers for Britain campaign, we have launched the What’s in Season mobile website, to access on any smartphone. It’s an easy to use, month-by-month guide to in-season British fruit and vegetables.

The British growing season has been massively extended by new vari-eties, modern growing techniques and poly-tunnels.”

Campbell-Gibbons says if con-sumers can’t find a product they can now ask their supermarket why.

Other findings of the NFU survey include 91% of people not know-ing the British tomato season runs from February to October; 70% not knowing the broccoli season is June-November; and 65% not knowing British strawberries are available April-November.

But 44% knew to buy British aspar-agus April-June. People aged 55+ are more likely to know when British fruit and vegetables are available, com-pared to 17% of 18- to 24-year-olds. Women are more likely than men to know, 28% versus 22%.www.farmingdelivers.co.uk

uS govt buys livestock

THE US Government is buying US$170 million of pork, lamb, chicken and catfish to relieve pres-sure on American live-stock producers during the drought and bring the meat supply in line with demand.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 1628 counties in 33 states as disaster areas – 1496 due to drought – making quali-fied farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency loans.

Now the USDA will buy US$100 million of pork, US$10 million of catfish, US$50 million of chicken and US$10 mil-lion of lamb for federal food nutrition assistance

schemes including food banks.

“The purchases will help mitigate further downward prices, stabilise markets and provide high quality, nutritious food to recipients of USDA’s nutrition programmes,” agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack says.

The pork, lamb and catfish purchases are based on analyses of cur-rent market conditions. A major factor affect-ing livestock producers is feed value, running high

because of the drought. The USDA had earlier

opened the conservation reserve scheme to emer-gency haying and graz-ing, cut the interest rate for emergency loans and worked with crop insur-ance companies to provide more flexibility to farmers.

It authorised US$16 million to target states experiencing exceptional and extreme drought, another US$14 million for emergency conservation (CPR) to help farmers and ranchers rehabilitate farm-

land damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water con-servation.

It also authorised haying and grazing of wet-lands reserves in drought-affected areas and reduced the 25% penalty cut to 10% on the annual payment to producers on CRP areas used for emergency haying or grazing.

The USDA is also temporarily easing the pasture requirement for organic livestock produc-ers. National standards now require at least 30% of an organic animal’s dry matter intake to be from certified organic pasture. This is being cut to 15% for the rest of this year in counties declared natural disaster areas, but the rest of their diet must also be certified organic, includ-ing hay and grain.

alan HaRMan “the purchases will help mitigate further downward prices, stabilise markets and provide high quality, nutritious food to recipients of Usda’s nutrition programmes.”

www.rxplastics.co.nz

K-LineTM

Effluent For efficient effluent disposal

K-Line™ Max80 Senninger 8025

K-Line™ Max70 Senninger 7025

K-Line™ MidSenninger 5023

K-Line™ Std Naan 5022


world 21

better telecom services sought for the bushAUSTRALIAN FARMERS want the Government to improve telecom services in the rural sector.

While welcom-ing the Federal Govern-ment’s push for a national broadband network, the National Farmers Federa-tion says broadband is just one element in a range of services that must be improved.

NFF president Jock Laurie says ensur-ing adequate mobile phone coverage is one such critical issue.

“Mobile black spots are frustrating for farmers and all in regional communities, in respect of utilising the phone and access-ing the data network.

“Farming is a tech-nologically savvy industry, yet there’s no point in farmers having all these appli-cations for farm manage-ment – weed control apps, chemical label readers and GPS devices – if we can’t get reliable access to the telecommunications net-work.”

The Federal Govern-ment last month released its response to the 2011-12 regional telecommunica-tions review.

The review, released in May, showed up a huge need for better telecom

services in regional Aus-tralia.

Laurie says while their response is a step towards better telecoms, it leaves critical areas unaddressed.NFF the Government’s recent commitment to work with the agricultural sector to develop digital

strategies for more tele-coms innovation, likely to raise productivity benefits.

However, these gains will not be fully realised until rural services are improved, Laurie says. “We are also pleased to see that the Govern-ment’s response pro-vides some common sense in using the infrastruc-ture provided by the NBN fixed-wireless rollout to improve mobile coverage

nff president Jock laurie says ensuring adequate mobile service in rural areas is critical.

by co-location of services.”But these do not

entirely fix the telecoms problem. “We are disap-pointed, for instance, that the Government did not commit to continuing the

satellite phone subsidy scheme – as unless the necessary mobile infra-structure is improved, more people in regional areas will rely on satellite phones.

“Farming families, rural businesses and country communities must have equal access, reliability, quality and affordability in telecoms services as those in urban areas.”

federal communications minister stephen conroy says the government wants to improve tele-com services to the rural sector.

0800 SUZUKI | WWW.SUZUKI.CO.NZ

prom

otus

453

9

⅓(in 12 months)

⅓(now)

⅓(in 24 months)

Take home a new Suzuki KingQuad 400 today for 1/3 deposit (or use your old

bike as a trade in), pay a third in 12 months, and the fi nal third in 24 months

with 0% interest. LT-F400 and LT-A400 $10,000rrp, LT-A400F $12,649rrp.

Talk to your Suzuki dealer today!

LT-F400L2 $3,442 deposit LT-A400L2 $3,442 depositLT-A400FL2 $4,325 deposit

Off er valid until 30 September 2012. Normal lending criteria apply, for full details and cost please ask your local Suzuki dealer. Off er not available

in conjunction with any other promotion. Documentation fee $322, 1/3 deposit. 1/3 in 12 months and the fi nal 1/3 payment in 24 m onths.

0% INTEREST


in conjunction with any other promotion. Documentation fee $322, 1/3 deposit. 1/3 in 12 months and the fi nal 1/3 payment in 24 m onths.


prom

otus

453

9

⅓(in 12 months)

⅓(now)

⅓(in 24 months)

Take home a new Suzuki KingQuad 400 today for 1/3 deposit (or use your old bike as a trade in), pay a third in 12 months, and the fi nal third in 24 months with 0% interest. LT-F400 and LT-A400 $10,000rrp, LT-A400F $12,649rrp. Talk to your Suzuki dealer today!


Off er valid until 30 September 2012. Normal lending criteria apply, for full details and cost please ask your local Suzuki dealer. Off er not available in conjunction with any other promotion. Documentation fee $322, 1/3 deposit. 1/3 in 12 months and the fi nal 1/3 payment in 24 months.

0% INTERESTTake home a new Suzuki KingQuad 400 today for 1/3 deposit (or use your old bike as a trade in), pay a third in 12 months, and the fi nal third in 24 months with 0% interest. LT-F400 and LT-A400 $10,000rrp, LT-A400F $12,649rrp.

Off er valid until 30 September 2012. Normal lending criteria apply, for full details and cost please ask your local Suzuki dealer. Off er not available in conjunction with any other promotion. Documentation fee $322, 1/3 deposit. 1/3 in 12 months and the fi nal 1/3 payment in 24 months.

0% INTEREST0% INTEREST


prom

otus

453

9

⅓(in 12 months)

⅓(now)

⅓(in 24 months)

Take home a new Suzuki KingQuad 400 today for 1/3 deposit (or use your old

bike as a trade in), pay a third in 12 months, and the fi nal third in 24 months

with 0% interest. LT-F400 and LT-A400 $10,000rrp, LT-A400F $12,649rrp.

Talk to your Suzuki dealer today!



in conjunction with any other promotion. Documentation fee $322, 1/3 deposit. 1/3 in 12 months and the fi nal 1/3 payment in 24 months.

0% INTEREST

PH 03 343 3033info@theshow.co.nzwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.theshow.theshow.theshow.theshow.theshow.co.nz.co.nz.co.nz.co.nz.co.nz

www.facebook.com/CanterburyA.PShow

Wednesday 14to Friday 16,November 2012

Schedule of ClassesOut Now

Compete for showing success against the best ofthe best at New Zealand’s largest A&P Show. Over$100,000 Show prize money up for grabs andconcessions for travelling exhibitors. Plus, this yearwe are celebrating the 150th Canterbury A&P Show,it’s a year not to be missed!

Celebrating150 Years

Media Partner


22 agribusiness

Alliance’s Amazonian lamb exportsWITH ALLIANCE Group’s first branded premium lamb shipment arriving in Brazil on September 15, marketing manager Murray Brown says it is just the start of ongoing trade.

Brown told Rural News it is a prime example of new markets for lamb being successfully explored, as the economies for traditional markets come under economic stress.

The Southland lamb shipment is worth NZ$250,000, but Brown says that’s just the start.

“It’s going to be an ongoing deal; it’s high value and top end,” he says.

“Some of these Brazilians have been looking for a high quality product for some time. A lot of the product they are getting is illegal imports from Uruguay and they don’t have enough of their own product.”

He says they have plenty of beef but not lamb.

“They see lamb as very much a special, top end-occasion meal and there is potential they can double their current consump-tion of lamb.

“They see New Zealand as a good fit because of its quality and all the other attributes of our lovely country.”

The Pure South lamb will arrive at the Port of Santos to go into 120 stores, restaurants

and hotels in Sao Paulo. Alliance Group is one of the first New Zea-land companies approved to export to Brazil.

Brown says Alliance has been working on the market for a couple of years.

“Then there have been gov-ernment free-trade agreements to open up the market and there have been things you have to do to get approval outside of a free trade agreement to get into there. We have been working away quietly with a consultant.”

Alliance’s in-market partner is Wessel, the owner of which, Istvan Wessel, is the author of nine books on food; he attracts millions of lis-teners to his daily radio show. About two thirds of Wessel prod-ucts go to the food service sector

and the remainder to retail. The lamb, sourced from South-

land farms and processed at the company’s Lorneville plant near Invercargill, includes boneless loins, French racks, bone-in leg, tenderloins and semi-boned shoulder.

Alliance Group chief exec-utive Grant Cuff says with a growing population and emerging middle class, Brazil shows great potential for New Zealand lamb.

“Brazil has the ability to provide Alliance Group with sig-nificant returns, given its natural affinity for red meat,” Cuff says.

Recent reports suggest Bra-zil’s middle class comprises at least half the country’s popula-tion, he says.

“Sao Paulo is also the southern hemisphere’s largest metropolis with more than 11 million people, so this deal represents great news for Alliance Group, its sharehold-ers and the wider New Zealand economy.”

ALLIANCE’S BRAZIL deal is an example of a New Zealand company seeking out new opportunities as the economies in traditional markets come under duress, says marketing manager Murray Brown.

The traditional lamb markets of Europe, UK and North America all have strug-gling economies. They have never been ignored – in the past taking a lot of volume from New Zealand – and they pay well.

“But progressively over

the last 18 months their econ-omies have really struggled in consumption of high-end product, which lamb is. New Zealand has had to look at other good market opportunities.”

China and the South East Asian markets have developed and Brazil is an opportunity.

“There has been more focus on diversified markets outside the traditional markets and there has been the odd free trade agreement negotiated by the Government; Russia has

just opened up a little bit more as well.”

Brown also says meat companies are making more effort to tell farmers about opportunities out there.

“Yes the exchange rate is not going right for us but we as an industry or as individual compa-nies are exploring opportunities and we’re making inroads. They may be small steps initially but we think some of the markets we have got into provide poten-tial.”

Emerging markets

pAm tipA

Alliance chief executive Grant Cuff says with a growing population and emerging middle class, Brazil shows great potential as a market for NZ lamb

Scottish dairy producers aim to milk it

THE SCOTTISH dairy indus-try has been told that, though it will require money, there’s a clear opportunity to tap into valuable dairy export markets.

An interim report prepared by Scottish Development Interna-tional – Scottish Enterprise’s inter-national arm – and Scotland Food & Drink, says there is a growing world

market for dairy products of the type Scotland can produce.

The aim would be to create a strong Scottish-branded milk and dairy product line to make inroads into the European and global dairy market.

“Branding, market research and investment are required but opportunities for Scottish dairy

produce exist in niche, value-added and premium markets,” the report says, citing the export suc-cess of the Irish Dairy Board co-op that exports to 80 countries. The model merits further examination, the report says.

Investing in the development of value-added products and mar-kets will play an important part

in revenue generation; build-ing value into the Scottish dairy supply chain, increasing milk pro-ducers’ confidence in the indus-try and reducing milk processors’ current reliance on domestic giant retailers.

NFU Scotland vice-president Allan Bowie says a huge potential exists in world markets for dairy.

VISIT WWW.RURALNEWS.CO.NZ TO ENTER

WIN A LEDLENSER P7 ONLINE

LED Lenser’s most popular torch is guaranteed to impress

you with its outstanding brightness and range.

Congratulations to Geoff Hayes for winning last week

®

PW

S 1

031

ENSURE YOUR SUMMER FEED.

Barkant® is New Zealand’s leading dairy turnip. This high yielding brassica delivers excellent summer feed and the high ME content provides lactating dairy cows with the energy required to boost milk production.

Need more feed? Contact your local seed retailer,go to www.pggwrightsonseeds.com or Freephone 0800 805 505.

PWS 1031 Barkant Ad 280x72mm_ƒ.indd 1 8/28/12 10:10 AM

Another great year for Ballance has returned$47 million to our shareholders for the 2011/2012 year through a combined rebate and dividend of $44.29.

And best of all, if you are fully paid up, that’s cash in hand when you need it most.

Ballance 2011/2012 performance at a glance:

• Group sales volumes at 1.44 million tonnes

• Trading result of $77.3 million

• Total revenue of $915 million

• Cashflow from operating activities of $38.7 million

• Equity ratio of 64.2%

• Investment of $62 million of capital into the business

Another great yeaarr ffoorr BBaallance has returned$

reasons why farmers are better off with Ballance.

This includes a rebate averaging $40 per tonne,

and a dividend of 10 cents per share, equivalent

to $4.29 per tonne (including imputation credits)

for a fully paid up shareholder.

2012 REBATE & DIVIDEND

$44.29PER TONNE

TEN YEARS OF OUTSTANDING RETURNS

$10

$20

$30

$40

$50

0

$60

20042003 20052002 2006 20082007 2009 2010 2011 2012

Delivering maximum shareholder returns is really

important to Ballance and is reflected in the last

ten years of rebates and dividends.

If you would like to enjoy the benefits of belonging to theBallance Agri-Nutrients co-operative and would like more information about becoming a shareholder phone 0800 222 090 for a copy of the investment statement or visit www.ballance.co.nz

WAV

1993

2 FP

NZF

W

BAL19932 Rebate Campaign 2012 Press FRMRSWEEKLY v4a FA3.indd 1 15/08/12 10:51 AM

RuRAl NEws // SEpTEMBER 4, 2012

Lamb Market Trends Beef Market Trends

Last YearThis Year

60%

70%

80%

90%

TRAC

TA39

810-RN

‘THE RESULTS WERE IMMEDIATE AFTER THE FIRST APPLICATION.’ David Lochore – Sheep and Beef Farmer, Porangahau, Central Hawke’s Bay

Beef

Cattle numbers not there Meat processors are finding it hard to procure at the moment. The numbers are just not out there, plus the strong store cattle market has been keeping killable cattle out of reach. There are also farmers who are sitting on cattle, waiting for schedules to gather some momentum. Export prices are struggling to compete with local trade prices, which continue to edge higher. Local trade prices in the North Island were $4.40/kg on average last week while prime steer was behind on $4.27/kg. 300kg cwt bull was $4.30/kg although there are very limited numbers coming forward. In the South Island, 300kg cwt steers were still averaging $4.20/kg with similar weighted bulls going for $4.00/kg. There is talk that some processors may be prepared to push the boat out a bit more in the coming weeks in order to source supplies.

US imported beef in demand The combination of lean 95CL beef and fat 50CL beef is currently in strong demand to make burger patties in the US. US imported 95CL beef continues to edge higher, following a similar trend to last year but at a premium, suggesting imported beef prices are on track to break new records. The recent rise in US domestic prices is also helping the imported market. Despite the likelihood of an increase in US cow kill later on, US imported beef prices will likely soldier on. The same time last year there was a flush of US cows coming to market but this did little to throw US imported beef prices off track.

Lamb

Contract lambs taking up kill Export lamb prices in the North Island were $5.46/kg (net) on average last week and there continues to be a weak undertone. With the kill being at seasonal lows, there are fewer lambs to choose from to meet chilled obligations so criteria has been strict. Contract lambs are taking up a fair chunk of the slaughter and there are indications that farmers who have signed up are struggling to meet the specifications. Many have overshot weights and are having to buy in lighter lambs from the store market to fulfil their commitments. In the South Island, meat processors continue to nibble into export lamb prices with a 16kg cwt lamb (net) averaging $5.52/kg last week. Processors are simply not prepared to chase any lambs that aren’t on contract as their freezers are full and overseas demand is lacking.

Heavy lamb markets in disarray Meat processors have warned throughout the year that heavy lambs will be discounted this season. Farmgate lamb prices got out of hand in Nov last year, and processors were slow to adjust schedules in a sliding market. This left plenty of expensive product in storage as processors tried to ride out the downturn in prices. However frozen heavy cuts continue to be particularly hard to shift. The uptake has been slow due these heavy markets being in disarray and the oversupply. To add to the pile, Australia and NZ have had an excellent growing season and with prices edging lower, farmers have tried to make margins out of weight gain. The lower kill is helping clear stock but there is plenty left to be sold.

Dairy

US drought underpinning dairy prices The drought in the US will not only have a positive impact on beef prices, but on international dairy prices. The US cow herd is expected to be lower next year along with milk production as the milk yield per cow deteriorates, according to the USDA. US dairy cow herd liquidation gathered momentum when the drought first hit as feed prices soared, but a recovery in dairy prices has since slowed this. Dairy prices in the US are expected to be higher across the board for the rest of 2012 and into 2013 than previously forecast, but will still be lower than in 2011.

Euro

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov

UK Pound

US Dollar

RuRAl NEws // SEpTEMBER 4, 2012

There’s only one dicalcic to use in the market.Only Hatuma has spent 50 years refining and perfecting the art of dicalcic phosphate

manufacture. Every order of Hatuma Dicalcic Phosphate® despatched, big or small,

has been made to the highest quality standards to ensure you’re getting the very

best results for your bottom line.

So if you want to deal with someone as committed to the quality of their

product leaving the gate as you are, call 0800 80 65 65. Alternatively contact

your local Ballance Technical Sales Representative or Altum Field Consultant.

A PARTNERSHIP FOR FUTURE GROWTH


26 opinion

the houndWant to share your opinion or

gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to:

[email protected]

edna

ENCOURAGING DIRECTIONS are obvious in New Zealand’s agri sector: serious, innovative thinking embodied in future-focused reports and meetings on how New Zealand might sig-nificantly increase the value of its primary exports.

For example, the Riddet Institute a few weeks ago issued a ‘call to arms’ to the agri food sector to lift its game and boost food exports to $60 billion by 2025 – up from the 2011 figure of about $23b. That coincided with our top agri chief executives attending a high-powered boot camp at Stanford University, US, trying to dis-cern ways to individually and collectively ‘up the ante’ in the world global marketplace. NZ Trade & Enterprise proposes New Zealand markets its expertise and invests in sheep and dairy farms in China and South America. And the Red Meat Sector Strategy appears to be hit-ting second gear – or is it third?

A common theme in these reports and dis-cussions is that old habits and business prac-tices must die – and quickly, and that the search is on for creative business models to transform the agri sector. Collaboration is a concept gain-ing traction, though as one consultant noted: ‘It’s easier to compete than collaborate’. We are seeing more collaboration by our research institutions and, let’s face it, without their behind-the-scenes contributions little could happen. Science underpins our food sector.

Another heartening sign is the leadership being shown by companies. They led the boot camp initiative, by all accounts doing it very well. Industry-good organisations and gov-ernment agencies have an important role, but the companies are the doers – the ultimate risk takers whose dollars are on the line.

What will it take for this latest outburst of creative thinking to materialise into action that realises the ambitious targets set by the Riddet Institute and others?

– Peter Burke

innovative thinking, action required

THE HOUND notes that both sides of the dairy debate – Fonterra and Fish & Game NZ – have signed up All Black captains to promote their cause. In Fonterra’s case, it teamed up earlier in the year with current captain Richie McCaw. Meanwhile, Fish & Game – which constantly bags dairy farming and coined the phrase ‘dirty dairying’ – recently took on former All Black captain and UK-based academic Anton Oliver as the spokesman for its latest clean rivers campaign. But your old mate reckons this is a real case of winners are grinners. Fonterra has picked the hero who led

the ABs to Word Cup glory over France in 2011 and is one of the most admired people in New Zealand. In contrast, Fish & Game’s man is famous for being unable to throw the ball straight into the lineout, pontificating from his Oxford University ivory tower about how New Zealand should be run, and was a key member of the team that embarrass-ingly capitulated to France in the semi-final of the World Cup in 1999. Chalk the victory in this debate to Fonterra!

DAIRY FARMERS, or those with an interest in New Zealand’s rural sector and wider economic well-being, should be rightly concerned about how the Greens are putting global party solidarity ahead of this country’s interests> note this recent report in the NZ Herald: “The Green parties of New Zealand, Australia and Canada are joining forces to campaign against the Trans-pacific partnership. They issued a joint statement yesterday after Metiria Turei, co-leader of the NZ Greens, held a press conference in Canada with her counterpart. Among the Greens’ concerns is the prospect of the heavily protected Canadian dairy

industry being de-regu-lated, removing safe-guards which they say aim to preserve farmers’ livelihoods.” So much for the Green party’s much-vaunted claim of “creating a smart economy that will deliver real prosperity” when it’s against New Zealand dairy farmers being able to have fair access into Canada and is more concerned about protecting ineffi-cient, subsidised Canadian farmers and not helping New Zealand farmers export more milk. As a mate of yours truly opined: It just goes to prove why the Greens are called the watermelons – green on the outside, but red in the middle.

Fed(s) up

editorial

Winners and losers! When green means red

Fuel up on super deals around the country with a simple swipe of your RD1 SuperCard, anywhere, anytime!

For more information see your local RD1 store, visit WWW.RD1.COM/rd1supercard or call 0800 731 266.

4c/litre* up toSave

on fuel!Customer Support Centre 0800 731 266 Email [email protected] WWW.RD1.COM

*Terms and conditions apply, see WWW.RD1.COM/rd1supercard for more details.

IT AppEARS your old mate’s comments about Transpower’s sponsor-ship of Feds’ nipped a rather raw nerve with the lobby group’s top brass (see letters, p29). perhaps it’s because Feds’ members have hosted national grid infra-structure, rent free, for decades and in recent years, as some have sought to rectify that situ-ation, they’ve wondered why their representa-tive body has been so reluctant to engage on the issue at a national level. Your old mate, of all people, knows how hard it is to bite a hand that feeds but suggests there is more to the sponsorship than meets the eye.

“A Bill!? – for being happily hitched!? – what will they make us pay for next??”


opinion 27

HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 3855, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140

PUBLISHER:Brian Hight .............................................. Ph 09 307 0399

GENERAL MANAGER:Adam Fricker ........................................... Ph 09 913 9632

CONSULTING EDITOR:David Anderson .......................................Ph 09 307 [email protected]

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER:Ted Darley .......... Ph 07 854 6292/021 832 [email protected]

AUCKLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE:Tracy Fairey ...........Ph 09 913 9637/021 963 [email protected]

TAURANGA SALES REPRESENTATIVE:Tony Hopkinson .. Ph 07 579 1010/021 949 [email protected]

WELLINGTON SALES REPRESENTATIVE:Mark Macfarlane .Ph 04 234 6239/021 453 [email protected]

SOUTH ISLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE:Kaye Sutherland Ph 03 337 3828/021 221 [email protected]

RURALNEWS

ABC audited circulation 80,767 as at 30.06.2012

Rural News is published by Rural News Group Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Ltd.

TECHNICAL EDITOR:Andrew Swallow ................... Ph 03 688 2080

PRODUCTION:Dave Ferguson ........................Ph 09 913 9633Becky Williams ........................Ph 09 913 9634

REPORTERS:Sudesh Kissun ....................... Ph 09 913 9627Pamela Tipa ............................ Ph 09 913 9630Peter Burke .............................Ph 06 362 6319Vivienne Haldane .................... Ph 06 858 5161

SUB-EDITOR:Neil Keating ............................Ph 09 913 9628

WEBSITE PRODUCER:James Anderson .................... Ph 09 913 9621

Feds straight down the line on transpowerUNLESS YOU had been overseas, living under a rock or cut off from civili-sation, it must have been pretty hard not to have heard of the stunning suc-cess over Transpower that was the Western Bay of Plenty district decision.

Yes, Transpower is a sponsor of Federated Farmers. When push comes to shove we never allow this relationship to influence what we say or do. We are effective as a membership based organ-

isation because everything we do as elected officials or by our staff, is done in our members interests. It is not too dissimilar I guess to why companies advertise in Rural News; it is about communica-tion and dialogue, noth-ing more.

Readers may recall how robust Federated Farmers was on the Rural Broad-band Initiative despite Telecom being a spon-sor. We also put acid on the banks when interest rates seemed a little too high – again despite West-pac being another spon-

sor of Federated Farmers. The way we split commer-cial and policy is not too dissimilar from the rela-tionship in Rural News between editorial and advertising.

This is highlighted best of all by that stunning Western Bay of Plenty district decision that brought national attention to Federated Farmers v Transpower. At stake was a blank cheque Transpower believed the national policy statement gave it, to appropriate the property rights of farmers.

Meeting recently with

WiLLY LEFERiNK the Forestry Owners Asso-ciation, they made it very clear Federated Farmers was leading the charge on this. What Transpower wants is a planning veto within a 64m buffer zone – 32m either side of its transmission lines.

If you wish to know what that looks like, take an 11-storey building and lay it on its side. Alterna-tively imagine Eden Park’s rugby playing surface with lines down the middle. This is not small-beer stuff and Western Bay of Plenty district was first batter up in a national issue.

Here, Transpower and its posse of high powered corporate lawyers and safety experts came head-to-head against passion-ate, rational and intelligent farmers. Transpower had a cunning plan – a plan so cunning you could pin it on the district plan and avoid individual easement agreements and compen-sation.

Federated Farmers is clear on this: buffer zones are unneces-sary for safety because it is already covered in the Code of Practice for Electrical Safety Dis-tances (NZECP43:2001, (COP)). In other words Transpower has sufficient existing legal rights to carry out any maintenance on lines.

Even before we were heard, Transpower’s argu-ment started shifting.

Yet what we success-fully argued and the com-missioner agreed with us on, is that the proposed rules within the buffer zones should be deleted and replaced with a ref-erence to the Electrical Code of Practice. Inci-

Transpower wants a planning veto within a 64m buffer zone – 32m either side – of its trans-mission lines, which farmers and the federation are fighting.

dentally, the code already includes safe distances for buildings, earthworks or machinery working near lines.

We also argued that landowners should be able to negotiate directly with Transpower rather than see their councils become agents of the SOE. Coun-cil rates are a major issue everywhere; this means it is wrong for Transpower to believe ratepayers should bear the cost and time of enforcing its rules.

An appeal has now been lodged against the deci-sion by Transpower, which

now obliges Western Bay of Plenty to call in its law-yers against Transpower’s lawyers. It prompts the questions, why we are here in the first place and why does Transpower want to enrich lawyers instead of acting with commer-cially pragmatism? This, after all, is public money

fighting public money. If Transpower heeded our advice about compensa-tion, many of these prob-lems would go away. If it doesn’t it will learn farm-ers have only just begun to fight.• Willy Leferink is Federated Farmers spokesman on electricity.

Federated Farmers electricity spokesman willy leferink.

www.powerfarming.co.nz

• 500 litre seed and fertiliser hopper standard• Durable spring tine with tungsten point provides

excellent penetration characteristics• Stainless agitator shaft for optimum corrosion

protection• Optional heavy duty disc openers available• Heavy duty galvanised frame• Calibration is made simple with the variable speed

gearbox and seed collection tray

••

•

••

Unique 100mm or Standard 150mm Row Spacing

Direct Seed Drill

Contact your local Power Farming Dealer or visit our website www.powerfarming.co.nz

Made In New Zealand

B&

PO

W00

59/R

UNBEATABLE POWER FARMING FINANCE1.95%/12 months • 2.95%/24 months • 3.95%/36 months • 4.95%/48 months**

Seasonal or yearly payment options available.**

**Based on 40% deposit. Normal lending criteria and conditions apply.


28 opinionthe market at work? Supply vs demandTHE PRICE hikes at the petrol pumps make the point: when the basic necessities of life are in short supply – or might be – prices go up. Market forces are at work, and these days they operate globally.

The increase last month in the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) auction was the third-biggest gain in approximately two years. It is another example of global demand for a basic necessity and an important indicator for the future.

Harvest failure in the US means cheap grain is not available for sup-porting increased production in the dairy herd.

Wheat, corn and soy have been severely affected and corn stocks are at a six-year low. Global charity Oxfam believes the drought in the US will pre-cipitate another food price hike. In 2008 and 2011 the reaction to huge price swings in staple crops were riots in at least 24 countries.

Fears about food security (avail-able, affordable food of good quality) are increasing globally.

Market forces are also operating for those who know about pro-ducing food. UK gradu-ates in agriculture and horticulture rank fifth in employability, and bio-sciences sixth (medicine and veterinary science top the list). In America

a McKinsey report indicates salaries in the primary resource sector have increased almost 30% more than the average since 1996.

A recent NZ Listener article on grad-uate unemployment reported under-graduates from 2009 were earning an average of $29,900 in 2010. But that year the applied-science graduates working in the banking and fertiliser industries had salary packages of approximately $55,000.

This year the starting salaries in graduate programmes in the industry are about $55,000, with a car in 6-10 months. The fertiliser industry is talk-ing packages of at least $70,000.

This is market forces at work for people, just as the forces work for goods in short supply. Given the over-all projection of increased population,

increased demand for animal pro-tein and increased focus on healthy ageing, plus on-going concerns about food security, food will be increasingly valued during the next few decades. It is therefore logical to expect that people who know about food production will continue to be in demand, and that commodities will again be driving the economy.

Already the fastest-growing mid-market businesses (annual revenues $2 million to $50 million) are in agri-culture, forestry and fishing. GE Cap-ital managing director Aaron Baxter has suggested that if New Zealand is to

evolve as an economy, resources and expertise must be put into assisting the mid-market to overcome its barri-ers to growth – both in helping under-stand the sector better and in providing greater access to capital.

This means graduates with knowl-edge and understanding of agriculture and business will be increasingly in demand. These are the people who will be producing real goods (commodities) and linking them with the markets.

For New Zealand the late Sir Paul Callaghan calculated revenue per employee to be $350,000 at Fonterra; in food manufacturing it is $120,000.

Fisher and Paykel Healthcare achieves $290,000 and the wine and tourism industries bring in less than $100,000 per employee.

Sir Paul’s calculations were done before the latest concerns on shortage of commodities, and make the point about the importance of food, food pro-ducers and value chain integration.

This message needs broadcasting in all schools as the young make up their minds about what to do next.

Globally the value is in understand-ing how to produce and manage food.• Jacqueline Rowarth is professor of agribusiness, The University of Waikato

The development of new dairy processors in New Zealand, like the synlait Factory in Canterbury, is a positive sign of a growing international demand for safe, reliable food produced in this country.

NATIONWIDE SALES AND SERVICE NETWORKKAITAIA: (09) 408 0670 DARGAVILLE: (09) 439 6544 WHANGAREI: (09) 438 1319 PAEROA: (07) 862 9064 MORRINSVILLE: (07) 889 7055 ROTORUA: (07) 345 8560 GISBORNE: (06) 863 2612 NEW PLYMOUTH: (06) 758 2274 STRATFORD: (06) 765 8643 HAWERA: (06) 278 5119 WAIPUKURAU: (06) 858 6041 FOXTON: (06) 363 7193 MASTERTON: (06) 377 3009 NELSON: (03) 543 8041 BLENHEIM: (03) 579 1111 KAIKOURA: (03) 319 7119 GREYMOUTH: (03) 768 5116 AMBERLEY: (03) 314 9055 LEESTON: (03) 324 3791 ASHBURTON: (03) 307 8027 TIMARU: (03) 687 4005 OAMARU: (03) 437 1111 MOSGIEL: (03) 489 8199 GORE: (03) 208 9370 INVERCARGILL: (03) 211 0013 ALL OTHER AREAS: ORIGIN AGROUP LTD: 07 823 7582

ALPEGO machines are built tough to meet demanding New Zealand conditions.

Proudly Imported and Distributed by

Built Tough!Swedish Steelfrom high tensile

• Power Harrows • Rotopick Spike Harrows • Subsoilers • Mulchers • Rotary Hoes

ORIGINAlpegoBuiltToughNewRNHalfPgAd.indd 1 27/08/12 1:01 PM


opinion 29

I NORMALLY refrain from reacting to The Hound but its comments in Rural News (21 August) about Federated Farmers and Transpower are egre-gious.

It does the credibility of Rural News no good when Federated Farmers victory over Transpower in Western Bay of plenty District has been well covered in local, regional, national and other rural media.

Yes Transpower is a sponsor of Federated Farmers. We do not hide that fact since it is on our website

and in the conference programmes Rural News staff would pick up at our national events. We make it clear to any sponsor or potential sponsor that their partnership with Federated Farmers does not buy our silence or acquiescence.

On the Rural Broadband Initia-tive we robustly stood up for farmers despite Telecom being a sponsor, and our campaign several years ago to lower farm mortgage interest rates was done in spite of Westpac being a sponsor. This is why I reject the notion

that we will take 30 pieces of silver, because we would have no members if our position was up to the highest bidder. Yet if we apply The Hound’s logic, does it now mean Rural News will reject all paid advertising because this will influence editorial content?

Somehow, I think your editorial staff would find that suggestion an affront to their integrity as journalists, just as our elected officials and staff find The Hound’s comments complete effron-tery now. In ‘having a crack at Feds’, The Hound lessens only his credibility

because among farmers and the wider industry Federated Farmers is seen as the lead body in dealing with Transpower’s buffer zones and in seeking compensation for transmis-sion infrastructure. Remind me again, what did happen in Western Bay of plenty District?Bruce willsNational President, Federated Farmers of New Zealand

Get in behind, you monGrel hound

Bruce wills

hound’s criticism not fairTHE HOUND needs to straighten up his facts before naively describing Federated Farmers’ response to Transpower’s attempted land grab beneath their trans-mission lines as “muted and weak” (August 21). For months this issue has been the subject of sustained media interest fronted by affected landowners, who also happen to be members of the federation.

They have not only successfully fought a prolonged publicity campaign; they have brought every district plan in the country to a standstill as councils await the outcome of the submissions to the commissioner consid-ering the inclusion of these zones in the Western Bay of plenty District Council’s district plan. The commissioner agreed with these submitters. Where did the expertise for their submissions come from? From Federated Farmers’ policy advisors who have been working alongside the landowners every step of the way.

It is unfortunate Transpower is choosing to appeal the commissioner’s recommendations – using public money needless to say. How appropriate that the pragmatic members of Federated Farmers’ cash-strapped organ-isation will now use Transpower’s sponsorship money to fight on in the Environment Court.wendy ClarkPresidentAuckland Federated Farmers

ag twitsRural News’ irreverent and hypothetical look at

what’s happening in the farming world

Top Bleats view all

fedfarmers: Let’s be clear Transpower’s sponsorship of the federation’s website in no way compromises our stance on buffer zones. We just give them jolly good telling-offs behind closed doors in a soundproof room. #toothlesstiger

transpowerakl: Dear @fedfarmers please find attached your monthly fee of 30 pieces of silver for continued sponsorship of your website. We look forward to our next meeting. #easilyboughtoff

damienoconnormp: I fear @fonterra’s decision to push ahead with TAF is all to blame for the 30 cent drop in forecast payout – as well as the devastating drought in the US, civil war in Syria and Black Caps inability to bat properly. #tenuouslink

henryfonterra: How come the GDT auction goes up two months in a row and we then cut the forecast payout for next season. Can anyone explain that to me? I’m looking forward to my retirement. #dazedandconfused

fonterrapr: It’s called keeping them guessing @henryfonterra and it gives us opportunity to up the payout at the end of the season and make us all look better. #earlyseasonpainforlongtermgain


management 31

Cloud system has farm cloutTHE DATA might be stored up in the clouds, but the information is down-to-earth, immediately available, and an instant hit with farmers it seems.

We’re talking about AgRecord, a web-based tool designed to improve communications on farm, and with key business advisors, which dis-penses with the need for endless notes on boards and in books.

It was developed by Ginny Neal, whose husband manages Castle-point Station, south Wairarapa. She’s a former school principal, teacher and very IT savvy. She’d developed a sim-ilar system while teaching, but it was the pile of paper and notes with tallies, weights and all sorts of other written records on-farm that prompted her to go a stage further and develop what is effectively an agricultural intranet or information hub.

The pilot was tested at Castlepoint and a year later she launched it com-mercially, including a display at the

recent science day at Massey Univer-sity (Rural News, July 17 & Aug 1).

The system is customised to the needs of individual farms, with the software and data held remotely on ‘Cloud’, as was her system for the school.

“It’s a central storage place for all the information that your staff, or whoever you give access to, may need. It’s built from scratch so it only con-tains information you want it to con-tain. It looks and works like you want it to work.”

Neal says it can contain things such as leave forms; machinery parts; animal health information; flyers on field days; stock rotations.

“It can show what fences need repairing and any other maintenance work that may need doing around the place and any bulldozing jobs; we can upload videos to it, particularly ones on best practice.”

There can be a ‘live calendar’ ele-ment if desired, so staff can do things such as book annual leave.

“You can look at when the WOF for the car is due, and when the cer-tificate of fitness is due for your truck. You can see when a discussion group is coming up and when someone is coming to visit the farm.”

Access to the system is deter-mined by the farm owner. Neal says most confine it just to staff but some include key advisors such as accoun-tants, bankers, farm consultants and shareholders. A person has to be ‘invited’ to join with a link that allows them to set up a password and gain access.

Neal says updating data on the system is easy.

“It’s as simple as hitting a button, entering the information and hitting save. We are calling that feature ‘shep-herd proof ’ – in other words, it can’t go wrong, but if it does, the system has sitting behind it the last thirty days of changes so you can reinstate that page.”

While the package is web-based,

CASTLEpOINT STATION owner, Anders Crofoot, says AgRecord has made a huge difference on the station. It’s a long narrow property and if a daily staff meeting were held it could take up to two hours. The system’s saved valuable time and vastly improved communica-tions.

“It’s been quite interesting,” Crofoot told Rural News. “Several years ago if we’d tried to do it I would have had to supply a

computer and everything else. But nowadays when a shepherd comes to us we are probably strug-gling about whether he’s actu-ally got a knife or not. He certainly doesn’t have a notebook to keep with him but he’s got a really flashy laptop. So I can just supply the internet access and they’ve got the computer and they’re away.”

With ‘to do’ lists on the system staff can check their work programme for the next day. Jobs

can be added without having to gather staff together for a briefing.

“It’s been really good. For example, our general hand has just taken off with it and has listed the tyre sizes for all the different cars and he’s putting all the different types of oils in. In the past these were things that only maybe myself or someone else had access to but now we are able to put it out in a public space where anyone can look at it.”

Owner’s perspective

No bells or whistles: former teacher Ginny Neal’s system is built with rural broadband in mind.

to pAgE 33

pEtER buRKE

SPRING RAINWEAR SALE! 40% OFF!

Please add $10 Freight per order

$66

Sold Out of sizes 8, 10, 11, 12

Sold Out of size 7, 8

Sold Out of size 9, 10, 11, 12

$100

$100$100

$100$42

$48

WHILE STOCKS LAST!!! WATERPROOF, HIGHLY BREATHABLE & LIGHTWEIGHT

valued at$220 valued at

$140

valued at $160

(Prices include GST)

Size11-14

only

TRAVEL FOR FARMERSPlan ahead for 2013!

FARM TO FARMNEW ZEALAND TOURS

For more information email or phone us

0800 38 38 747

CHINA – May: Intriguing China including vibrant Beijing & Shanghai, a range of farms and enterprises, the Great Wall, Buried Warriors and the Silk Road plus a 3 day Yangtze River cruise and a unique stay in Inner Mongolia. SOUTH AMERICA – May: Chile, Argentina and Brazil diverse farming, cultural and scenic experiences. Buenos Aires, Santiago & Rio de Janeiro, Andes Mountains, Bariloche and Iguazu Falls.AFRICA – May: The best of Southern Africa... A wonderful array of farms, safaris, sights plus scenic garden route to Cape Town and Nampo field days. Stunning Victoria Falls/Botswana extension - amazing wildlife!TURKEY – May/June: Discover the delights of Istanbul, Gallipoli, Cappadocia and a short cruise on the beautiful Mediterranean.EUROPE – May/June: A grand farming, food and wine tour! Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France.CANADA & ALASKA – June: Join our popular tour taking in Victoria, Vancouver, the Rockies, Calgary, Niagara Falls and Quebec - magnificent scenery, wonderful farms plus an optional 8 day Alaskan CruiseQUEENSLAND – June: “Winter in the Sun” Brisbane to Cairns, outback stations, farm stay, Darling Downs, Barrier Reef and more.UK & IRELAND – June/July: Enjoy the best of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland – Highland Show, farms, gardens, villages, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and more. USA – June/July: Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Mid West heartland and more – farms, sights and rural hospitality second to none. SCANDINAVIA – July: Farms, fiords, and sights in Sweden, Denmark and Norway plus beautiful Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo. Fantastic extension to Finland and St Petersburg, Russia.

Travel with like-minded people enjoying a superb

mix of farming, scenic and cultural highlights

Farm To Farm ToursBox 239, 77-83 High Street, RangioraPH 03 313 5855 FAX 03 313 5596 EMAIL [email protected]

www.farmtofarm.co.nz

The revolutionary Cleancrop™ Brassica System

eradicates problem weeds in brassica crops.

PW

S 1

002

Need more feed? Contact your local seed retailer, go to www.pggwrightsonseeds.com or Freephone 0800 805 505.

DON’T LET WEEDSCHOKE YOURPROFITS.

PWS 1002 CLEANCROP BRASSICA Press Ad 390x265mm_ƒ.indd 1 8/27/12 2:12 PM


management 33

very little bandwidth is needed to run it, mainly because it is not a ‘bells and whistles’ system, she adds.

“With just one bar on the cellphone I can still run it through a cellphone and a computer.”

So far most farm workers using it are keeping their notebooks which they update during the day, but at night they download the information on to the AgRecord system.

Since the official launch about four months ago Neal says she’s been blown away by the interest. She’s employ-ing four staff and has already built several systems.

“I’m building one for a farmer in the UK. He’s a dairy farmer moving to Tasmania to manage a dairy herd there so we are building that all via Skype!”

Meanwhile the business here has taken her to many parts of New Zealand and even to Australia.

FRom pAgE 31

System has clout

Eco-efficiency good news story

DESPITE HUGE produc-tion increases over the past 20 years New Zea-land’s sheep and beef farms haven’t, by and large, increased their envi-ronmental footprint, a study by AgResearch sci-entists and a PGW consul-tant reveals.

Their findings, due to be published in a paper at this year’s New Zea-land Grassland Associa-tion conference in Gore (see panel), are based on some serious retrospec-tive number crunching using the Overseer nutri-ent budget model.

“The paper highlights a fantastic good-news story the sheep and beef indus-try should be celebrating,” lead author, Alec Mackay, told Rural News.

It’s timely too, given the concerns about the footprint of livestock sys-tems and the current debate on farming within limits, he notes.

“While we’re all aware the sheep and beef industry has made enormous productivity gains over the last 20 or more years, and enormous production gains despite occupying less total land area and less high quality land, what people are not aware of is that the environmental footprint of the sector has changed

little over that period.”Mackay says this is not

by design, but rather a for-tuitous result of the drive for productivity, spurred by the removal of subsi-dies in the 1980s. “The industries’ focus on repro-ductive performance and higher growth rates in lambs and cattle has seen more and more of the pasture grown eaten and converted into a saleable product that is not win-tered.”

But perhaps the best news is the sector still has substantial room to improve. “There are still major eco-efficiency gains to be made by the sector, with little or no further increase in the environ-mental footprint. Look at current lambing percent-ages and think what the potential is there.”

Similarly the age at which cattle are finished is slowly decreasing, reduc-ing the proportion of feed used for maintenance compared to growth. “The difference in efficiency between cattle which only have to be carried through one winter, and those that go through two, is enor-mous.”

Using Overseer and MAF’s sheep and beef farm monitoring models, Mackay et al calculate that

How environmentally efficient are our sheep and beef farms? In the second of Rural News’ articles leading up to November’s Grassland Association annual conference in Gore, Andrew swallow previews a paper addressing that question.

sheep and beef farmers have a largely untold good news story, says AgResearch’s Alec Mackay.

to pAgE 35

That’s what works out here.

We are yet to find two identical businesses.

Every business is diff erent. That’s why we won’t give you

pre-packaged insurance. We can come to your business, off er you

personalised risk advice, then create a cover to best suit your needs.

Ask around about us, or for some advice call 0800 366 466.

FMG0267 Identical Businesses187x280mm Ad.indd 1 28/08/12 10:18 AM


management 35

nitrate losses were within a narrow range of 7-9kg N/ha in 1989-90, 1999-2000 and 2009-10 for both Cen-tral North Island hard hill country, and Manawatu easy hill finishing land. “Surprisingly there was little difference in N leach-ing losses between the extensive and more inten-sive sheep and beef sys-tems,” note the authors, a point they attribute to the intensive system being on drier country.

They also note their nitrate loss calculations fall “at the lower end of the range for sheep and beef systems” as outlined by Lincoln University professors Di and Cameron, the scientists behind nitrification inhibitor eco-n (see table). It’s a similar story with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with

little change over time or between systems.

Mackay suggests a similar study of the dairy sector might tell a different story. “They’re making production gains, but not necessarily the same level of productivity gains, whereas in the sheep and beef sector, people are generally making productivity gains with very little increase in inputs.

“In absolute terms emissions may not be decreasing from the sheep and beef sector, but they’re not increasing either. It’s a great story for the sector that’s not really been put on the table. The other point to make with sheep and beef is this has been achieved despite pressure from other land use slowly chasing the industry into more challenging environ-ments.”

Productivity gains despite pressures

FRom pAgE 33

ConferenCe in goreThe New Zealand Grassland Association’s annual conference this year is in Gore, November 6-8, with the theme ‘Opportunities in land use change’. Sessions of papers on winter management, forage crops, soils, nutrient management, and other ‘hot topics’ are planned. See www.grassland.org.nz for more.

NitRAtE LoSS RANgESLand use loss in kgN/ha/year

Forestry 1-5

Sheep & beef 6-60

Dairy 15-115

Arable 10-140

Vegetables 100-300

Source: Di HJ, Cameron Kc, 2002; Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

use N to meet greater feed needWITH MORE lambs expected this spring fertiliser nitrogen will be the best option to raise feed supply to match demand, says Ballance Agrinutrients.

High scanning results mean having the best feed available will be a priority to achieve opti-mum liveweight gains, espe-cially in light of subdued market prices, suggests the cooperative’s research and development man-

ager, Warwick Catto.“Feed quality has a major

influence on the level of pro-duction achieved by ewes and lambs… After lambing, the feed needs for the flock increase by about half in just the first week and that’s with an aver-age number of lambs. If lambing rates are higher, more feed will be needed.”

Catto says nitrogen applied

before lambing will provide the best response, providing ground temperatures are high enough.

“It doesn’t really matter what form of nitrogen is used, it just needs to be applied early enough to give that boost the pasture needs prior to lambing. A lighter application over a large area is best.”

Spelling post application, pre-grazing, for a couple of weeks will

give the best response to the nutrient, he adds.

“A nitrogen boost at the right time will mean pasture will grow about 30% faster. This extra growth could be the difference between pasture covers drop-ping to levels where stock is not fully fed and maintaining pas-ture covers that allow for good production levels.”

Nationally lamb numbers are

forecast 4% up on last year which means an extra 1 million mouths to feed this spring.

With schedule prices aver-aging less than $100/lamb, cap-italising on extra numbers by ensuring strong pasture growth is “all important and… the best way to strengthen the balance sheet this season,” says Catto.

warwick Catto

CONTACT US TO FIND YOUR NEAREST RETAILERCALL: 0800 524 9252 / EMAIL: [email protected] / www.kaiwakaclothing.co.nz

ALWAYS ASK FOR IT BY NAME

FAST FACTS• NEARLY 50% LIGHTER THAN

STANDARD WORK TROUSERS

• ABRASIVE RESISTANT

• COMFORTABLE – BREATHABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT

• QUICK DRY – 3 TIMES AS FAST FROM SOAKING POSITION

• ANTIBACTERIAL AND SALT RESISTANT

• RESISTANT TO CHEMICALS

• 12 MONTH GUARANTEE

OUR LATEST DEVELOPMENT AT KAIWAKA CLOTHING IS OUR UNIQUE DRYLITE TROUSERS, WHICH ARE CONSTRUCTED FROM A EUROPEAN FABRIC GIVING YOU OUTSTANDING QUALITY, LONGEVITY AND BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY!

DRYLITE

GUARANTEED TO BE WARM, DRY & COMFORTABLE.

New Zealand’s leading manufacturer of rugged wet weather, protective outdoor performance clothing.

‘BUILT TO LAST’

YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH OUR NEW DRYLITE TROUSERS!


36 management

Niche marketsHot product: heirloom varieties of tomato.

GIVE YOUR niche prod-uct a story and think of new ways to sell it because food is a “hot product” right now, Iowa heirloom tomato grower Jennie Smith says.

The dynamic daugh-ter of traditional corn and soyabean croppers draws on insurance marketing experience to sell heir-loom toma-toes she grows on her grandpar-ents’ farm back in Iowa.

She is driven by the hungry demands of a student loan, the terms of which should have New Zealand graduates counting their lucky stars. She pays $783 a month on her $60,000 student loan with an 8.4% interest rate.

Smith has taken a year off tomato growing to take up a Rotary scholarship to complete a post-grad rural studies diploma at Massey University in Palmerston North.

Initially a successful insurance agent, Smith moved back home when

her father was diag-nosed with brain cancer. She grew heirloom tomatoes for interest, then began sell-ing to restau-rants under her exclu-sive name Butcher Crick Farmers.

She soon started using

her network base of 3000 contacts to grow her busi-ness.

Aside from working in insurance and moon-lighting in restaurants,

A breakout session at Hort NZ’s recent conference in Auckland held some inspirational marketing ideas from Iowa, which could just work in some situations here. Pam Tipa reports

Smith is in New Zealand because the business expanded so fast she needed time out to reas-sess

“New Zealand’s been a magical place to do it in.”

This country has a great growing climate, she says, but is “still focusing on intensively cropping stuff that everyone else is doing.

“You can tell from my personality I like to be unique and I would be going in the absolute oppo-site direction – I would be growing something that no one else is doing.

“A hot house tomato system? That’s a lot of money to invest – and look at Australia’s oper-ations. At the end of the day, how crappy a hot house tomato tastes.

“I look at these speciality product groups and I think that is the way you need to be going.”

Smith is studying food systems which connect producer and consumer in short value chains as part of her graduate diploma at Massey.

“I have already studied the export markets and now I want to look at the short-term markets. I am trying to differentiate the economical and nutritional benefits about using that short-term cycle.

“I am certainly not trying to suggest we move back to the good old days. I am suggesting we move up to the future using technology as a support system [to put] more economically in the producer’s pocket.”

Smith said she could pick any country in the world to go to for her Rotary exchange but picked New Zealand because it was the “best in horticul-ture and everything else” agriculturally.

As it’s turned out, she picked a good year to put tomatoes on hold.

There was no rain on her parents’ farm from late May to early August, and temperatures topped 40 deg C.

Time out to reassess

“As growers, people don’t see us as we are in the field. But at the market people see me, they know my story and I get to tell them about my product.”


management 37

Smith was on a number of boards in the state, includ-ing those trying to address the dearth of management experience left by retiring baby boomers.

Building up to 2500 plants she considered aiming for certified organ-ics, but was limited by aspects of her grandpar-ents’ conventional farm. Despite that, Smith says people always assume small growers take more care, which is to her advantage.

“Large monocropping farms are assumed ‘natu-rally bad’. These are just stereotypes society has right now. Why? Because people don’t know about food; they are not edu-cated about where it comes from and how it gets to us.”

She initially started selling just to restaurants – an exclusive market but it didn’t pay enough. She progressed to a farmers market with 500 vendors and up to 20,000 people on a Saturday morning where she can make $3000 a day.

“Farmers markets are a great tool. You get these people with real cool, kitchy baskets, sunhats and recyclable bags and they go to the markets because they value food and spending money on food which means they go to restaurants as well.”

Presentation is impor-tant. “Elevation, even if it’s an empty box, and colourful tomatoes in a wooden bowl…it screams sexy – you can’t not buy them. And tastings – a lot of people haven’t tried them.

“If I don’t know them, I always say ‘what do you want to cook this week-end?’, give them ideas and pick out the tomatoes.”

Smith says she can’t just sell to farmers mar-kets so has developed a number of strategies to “get little pieces of my name out here and there.

“So I built a story – the story is that I sell heirloom produce. They are indige-nous or endemic to some area; they can be traced.”

Food is the hot prod-uct right now, she says. “It’s popular. Exotic food is also popular. I never had a tamarillo before I came down here, and now I’ve

had them every which way from Sunday.

“As growers, people don’t see us as we are in the field. But at the market people see me, they know my story and I get to tell them about my product.

“I sell really flash din-ners: $4000 and you can come and eat in my field. We do chef pot lucks. Three hundred people come out … I invite all the chefs and their families and people from the newspaper, people who write food blogs, food scientists, people who brew their own beer, food crit-ics.

“I specifically target these people and put them together in a space out in the farm because most of them are city dwellers. You get them out eating together and talking together.

“It’s agri-tourism, it’s getting people to my place. I make all these deliveries, but this is showing where the food comes from and people from the city really like that.”

She hires a bus to avoid drink-drive issues and tells people to wear casual clothing. “But if you spend $4000 on a dinner you show up in couture clothing…. by the end of the night they’ve got ants crawling on them, the ladies are drunk, there’s a stain on the white dress. It’s something to connect with, something real, like the food… adding value.

“We have picking par-ties, it is all back to my insurance days of market-ing, affinity marketing, getting the right people together at the right time.

“Kids have to come. Farms aren’t safe places for kids but we clear out all the crazy stuff and give them a bucket and tell them to pick cherry toma-toes.

“I tape a good and a bad tomato to their legs to show them what to pick. It never even goes in the bucket … they start throw-ing them, but it doesn’t matter. The experience that parents are getting

as they overlook that is worth is every cherry tomato I could possibly sell.”

Smith says her gener-ation is supposed to like social media, but she hates the internet.

“But it is important, so when I run my restau-

rant deliveries I send mes-sages out on Facebook and Twitter.”

She makes special offers to restaurants in the vicinity of where she is already delivering and can get 75 responses in 15 min-utes, with lucrative cash and carry jobs.

ripe for picking

Iowa tomato grower and marketeer, Jennie smith.

On farm dinners are part

of smith’s marketing

strategy.

Spring OSR ContractsSpring OSR Contracts

OILSEED RAPE CONTRACTS AVAILABLE FOR SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER DRILLING Call us today to discuss your options

AVAILABLE NOW!

Attractive contract priceLow cash inputsReliable and prompt payment upon harvest deliveryTop break crop attributes with seamless entry into cereals and grassFive month growing seasonGrower support through discussion groups and on-farm advice

www.biodiesel-nz.co.nz

For more information contact:Ash Pace: P: 027 225 6461E: [email protected] New Zealand Ltd, Ph: 03 335 3818

Win a STiHL MS 251 CHainSaW

We have a STIHL MS 251 Chainsaw, valued at $995, to give away in celebration of the 150th Canterbury A&P Show, to be held Wednesday

14 to Friday 16 November 2012. Simply answer the question below, and we’ll put you in the draw!

What anniversary is the Canterbury A&P Show celebrating in 2012?

EntEr at www.ruralnEws.co.nz/stihl-compEtition

n Pre-separation air filtration system n Anti-vibration system n Single lever master control n Tool free filler caps n Compensator n STIHL Ematic-System n Side chain tensioner

c o m p E t i t i o n

FEaturEs 124 Lincoln Road, MastertonEmail: [email protected]

www.daytech.co.nz

Leaders in farm machinery design

PH STUART 0274 387 528 OR WORKSHOP 06 370 1329

TUBULATOR• Hydraulic flow control for

belt speed• 300mm diameter plastic

tube can move a whole range of products

• Heavy duty braked winch for height adjustment

• Detachable draw bar• Simple belt adjustment

• Two heavy duty jockey wheels

• Quality hydraulic components

• No tube corrosion• Power options: petrol,

electric motor, external hydraulics


38 management

EiD benefits clear to seeANYBODY WITH doubts about the benefits of electronic identifica-tion would likely have had them dispelled recently at a field day in Mid Canter-bury.

And while the event was part of the deer indus-try focus farm scheme, the

ANDREW SWALLoW potential to boost cattle performance by way of EID was also clear.

“We’ve been using cattle EID for four years,” host farmer Mike Salvesen said. “We’re starting to do a lot of selection based on previous performance, selecting cows on the performance of their calf. If the calves aren’t performing, we cull the cow. If a heifer doesn’t wean a good calf, she’ll never wean a good calf as a cow.”

To allow for that selec-tion a few more heifers than the minimum nec-essary for replacements are reared and those with the worst 15% of calves, allowing for birth date, are culled as R3s.

The 1460ha property, Wakere, rises from 450m to 850m altitude in the foothills at the top of the Canterbury plain, near Mayfield. Salvesen and his wife Nicky bought it in 2008, continuing an extensive development programme started by the previous owners.

They now have 84 pad-docks on flats and lower country, up from 53 three years ago, and deer fenced area has grown from 660ha to 920ha.

A strategic decision was made last year to sell the flock of 1400 ewes, with the capital released helping finance deer fencing.

The woolshed was due for renewal and the alti-tude and associated late spring typically meant selling late store lambs at low prices. Deer and cattle were deemed a better fit.

The aim is to take deer numbers from 398 mixed age hinds now (up from 350 last year) to 1100 mixed age hinds by next year or the year after, with 200 R2 hinds and 840 R1s, including stags. “Long-term we intend to take the deer to 1600 hinds.”

In the meantime mixed age cows were up from 446 in 2010 to 567 last winter, and 650 now. Having tried finishing cattle, now everything left at 18-month goes in an on-farm sale in March as they weren’t finishing stock early enough to catch

premium spring prices.This year 350 dairy

calves have come in with a view to taking them through to May. Salvesen says 68 are already sold for export at a good margin, with negotiations for the remainder ongoing.

An already good lane system is being extended by 2km, and creeks fenced and planted. “We’re plant-ing about 1200 trees this year. That’s enough for one year.”

Analysing the impact those stock changes will make, consultant Nicky Hyslop of Macfarlane Rural Business recom-mends thinking product/hectare, not stock units/hectare. “I think that’s a much better measure of how we are perform-ing rather than relying on stock units…. It makes us focus on productivity rather than dollars/stock unit, which we’ve tended to in the past.”

While at Wakare the switch from sheep to more deer will reduce outright production/ha, the higher value of that product (ven-ison compared to lamb) more than compensates.

Hyslop says on such hill country raising pro-ductivity of ewes, which were lambing at 120-130%, would be a strug-gle, but with deer there’s potential. Raising fawn-ing 5% to the DINZ target of 90% would provide 3510kg more product, and $28,000 extra income, while a 5% increase in venison carcase weights would add $25,600, she calculates.

“The next question is what’s it going to cost us to achieve that? A lot of it is about timing of management, and making sure you have good information to make decisions on. This is where EID fits in.”

The 5% lift in carcase weight could be achieved by boosting winter growth rates 50g/day over a 120-day winter, she notes.

Fellow field day pre-senter Jeremy Johnston, who farms deer on the inland Kaikoura road in North Canterbury, showed how monitoring

Performance on crop is just one of many monitoring opportunities.

to pAgE 41

CLAAS Harvest Centrewww.claasharvestcentre.co.nz

LPNZ12187

Constant pressureYou’re under constant pressure during spraying.

So is your AMAZONE UX trailed sprayer. Its unique

constant pressure recirculation system means your

spray lines are always full, under pressure and ready

to spray over the entire working width. And because

the mixed spray solution is constantly in circulation,

even with the optional section control engaged,

there’s less opportunity for unwanted deposits,

blockages or segregation in the lines. Contact your

local CLAAS Harvest Centre or dealer and ask how

AMAZONE spraying technology can optimise your

crop protection program.

18467_LPNZ12187_Amazone Sprayer_260x187mm.indd 1 14/08/12 3:32 PM

Trusted

35 Years Time TestedIt was 1976 and Northlander Bert Hansen was pottering away in his garden shed. He was trying to come up with an easy way to join alkathene poly pipe together without heating it up with the tractor exhaust...1977......Bert Cracked the problem and the Hansen Easy Cold Fit range of fittings was born. Today, Hansen Fittings are still made in Northland, to the same design as Bert’s original. Of course with new technology there has been some subtle changes to materials and cosmetics. Sadly Bert passed away in 2005 but Dawn and Carl (Bert’s Wife and Son) and 70 other passionate kiwis are still “pottering” away in the Hansen Business today.With such strong history in the New Zealand pipe fitting market, it’s not difficult to see why Kiwi Farmers have chosen to trust Hansen Easy Fit Pipe Fittings for over 35 years.

50mm Joiner

find your local stockist at www.hansenproducts.co.nz/stockists.htm

Don’t just ask for a pipe fitting,ask for a Hansen fitting!

Send weeds into hiding for a FREE

FREEiPod Touch with 20L TordonTM PastureBossTM

Visit www.dowpromo.co.nz

8GB iPod

Touch

Confi dence in a drum

Buy the best ragwort and thistle herbicide ever for your FREE iPod Touch. Nothing makes weeds disappear faster, and now when you purchase Tordon™ PastureBoss™ you receive an 8GB iPod Touch free. Find out all about the revolutionary ragwort and thistle control, and how to claim yours by visiting www.dowpromo.co.nz


management 41

EVEN WITH a “heavy handed” approach to costing an EID set-up, the performance gains for the investment to breakeven are modest, Macfarlane Rural Business consultant Nicky Hyslop showed.

Based on a $5/animal tagging cost, and $5000 to cover a reader and indicator written off over five years, EID for a 500 breeding hind operation selling weaners would cost $3.60/SU wintered, or 21c/kgLW produced.

For the same sized breeding operation but finishing 350 weaners the cost/stock unit wintered tumbles to $2.50, while cost per kg of carcase weight produced comes in at 21 cents.

Meanwhile a 500 weaner finishing unit’s costs would be just $1.63/SU (NB no tag cost) or 10c/kg carcase weight.

Based on a 120-day winter the extra liveweight gain required to pay for that would be just 2.5g/day for the finisher-only, 15g/day for the breeder-finisher, and 25g/day for the breeder-only opera-tion.

“It looks really attractive in terms of the ability we will have to lift our liveweight gains and it shouldn’t be looked at as just another compliance cost,” Hyslop stressed.

While the reader and indicator are not compul-sory requirements, those are the parts which will allow data to be captured and management tweaked.

“We know EID is providing us with more tools to assess stock performance and modify policies or management accordingly to lift productivity.”

That lift could come from identifying better performing genetics, feeds, and/or animal health strategies, she suggests.

Salvesen echoes that. “We’ve been using EID for a while now and it’s the quiet things that enable you to make better decisions along the way. You’re able to do a lot more than just record the numbers.”

performance of weaners on winter crop with EID could provide the information to do that. “We can weigh more than 200 deer per hour through our set-up.”

He’s found growth rates on fodder beet far exceed those on forage

rape and swedes, though switching mobs onto fodder beet for the second half of winter saw the poorer performers catch up to some extent (see table). “The ones on fodder beet were 10kg better [liveweight] than the next best group.”

Across 2000 wean-

ers at $8/kg, that extra 5kg carcase weight’s worth $80,000, he points out. The EID set-up cost $14,000.

It’s also allowed him to compare mobs offered minerals against those not, a notoriously diffi-cult input to assess. R1 hinds with minerals put

on 9.94kg over autumn, whereas those without did 7.24kg. Conception rate was up 3.3% in the min-eral mob too, giving a total gain worth $20.65/hind, or $18.85/hind net of min-eral cost.

EID’s also allowing him to select replace-ment hinds more objec-

tively. “The payback is pretty quick…. Every time you have a mob in the yards you want to know how they’re doing and the screen tells you that immediately.”

With NAIT making EID tagging of animals com-pulsory – from July 1 for cattle and by March 2013

payback on EiD ‘pretty quick’for deer – everyone is halfway to using EID as a management tool already, notes Johnston. “Half the battle is over. We’re going to have to put the tags in anyway, so let’s find ways of using it.”

FRom pAgE 38

Mike salvesen

low breakeven

1st June to Mid July Mid July to 26 Aug

Feed Growth /day

Feed Growth /day

Fodder beet 171g Fodder

beet 38g

Rape 73g Fodder beet 107g

Rape & Baleage 20g Fodder

beet 101g

Swedes -7g Fodder beet 90g

Rape -33g Fodder beet 175g

Source: Jeremy Johnston’s Stong Jug Farm, N. Canterbury, Winter 2011.

Weaner deer growth on crop assessed

Nicky Hyslop

You never stop striving for better results

And neither do we.

We know how critical seeding is and how much you rely on your equipment to achieve the best results. That’s why we provide the most advanced seeding and guidance technology to meet your needs.

Our bars have ground-engaging tools that provide precise depth control and seed placement. Our air carts come in 11 configurations, including liquid fertiliser options, with accurate metering and seed distribution to match the capacity of our bars.

Seed monitoring and cart control are all managed through our GreenStar™ 3 display for completely integrated, variable-rate seeding and guidance. It’s a never-ending pursuit we share that delivers results for you and your bottom line.

Visit your local John Deere dealer today.

0800 303 100 | JohnDeere.co.nz


42 management

Dry autumn creates weed control issues

Talking tillage and weeds: grower Nick Ward and FAR’s Nick Poole.

CROPPING FARMERS are debating how to deal with higher infestations

of grass weeds in cere-als this spring after dry soils in autumn saw herbi-

cide applications struggle or fail.

A late harvest also meant there was little or no time to reduce weed pressure on stale seed-beds.

“I would have liked another three or four weeks before we planted to get a strike of grass,” South Canterbury grower Nick Ward commented recently to a group gath-ered on his farm for a Foundation of Arable Research field walk.

That was echoed by Hugh Wigley, who farms a bit further south in the region, near Waimate.

“Broadleaved weed-wise it’s as clean as ever but the problem is in last season’s grass paddocks. We lost so much seed and the Firebird and Gar-doprim pre-emergence hasn’t worked.”

The tricky conditions caused “one of our most interesting trial results,” notes FAR research coor-dinator, Nick Poole. “Our pre-ems have worked very much more effectively where the crop was direct drilled compared with top-worked.”

By July 18, just over 120 Italian Ryegrass vol-unteers per square metre had emerged in the May 8-sown wheat plots on Ward’s farm where a pre-emergence spray of 0.3L/ha of Firebird was used on top-worked ground. In contrast, where the crop was direct-drilled, the same application saw the Italian infestation more than halved.

Development product FAR H11-01 left a similar number of volunteers in the top-worked crop, but slashed the population to under 20 plants per square metre (ppm) in the direct drill.

While both direct drill results were signif-icantly better than the top-worked, the ploughed ground was cleaner still: both herbicide treated plots had fewer than 10 ryegrass ppm, and even untreated had less than 15 ppm.

Further north, near Ashburton, a similar trial has also demonstrated the benefit of the plough in controlling another grass-weed, ripgut brome, in an autumn sown barley (Rural News, Aug 21).

However, as Ward pointed out at the South Canterbury field walk, there are very good rea-sons he’s long since sold his plough. His current tillage tool, a Simba 400SL (discs, followed by deep-ripping tines, more discs, then packer wheels) pro-duces a seedbed in one pass behind cereals, though two are usually needed after grass.

Working time has been slashed, as has fuel use. Cereals sown with a 4m Vaderstad drill are estab-lished in 30-35 minutes/ha with 12-14L of diesel/ha for the cultivation, and 6-7L/ha for the drill. “When we were ploughing it would have been well over an hour [to establish a cereal crop per hectare] and as the farm has got bigger, we haven’t used any more fuel.”

The system also works really well following a “harvest from hell” and late start to autumn work, as was the case this year. “With one cultivation, and one pass with the drill, you can really turn it around.”

Ward’s advice for anyone thinking of adopt-ing a min-till or top-work approach, is to “start with the [choice of ] drill and work back.”

As for how to deal with the weed legacy, the dis-cussion centred on herbi-cides Othello or Twinnax. “The Hussar window has gone, so really you have to work back from Twinnax,” noted local agronomist Duncan McLeod.

Poole says FAR’s work with Twinnax shows a fall-off in efficacy at rates much below 0.3L/ha, and most of that work had been at earlier timings.

“Othello applied late has worked quite well,” added FAR colleague Rob Craigie.

– Andrew Swallow

MS1231

For uncompromised quality and results, use the NZAgbiz range of Calf Milk Replacers.

GIVE YOURCALVES THE BEST POSSIBLESTART!

Bringing the Fonterra Assurance of Quality & Support

www.nzagbiz.com

Available from all leading rural retail outlets

For further information please call our Customer Service representatives on 0800 809 011

Designed for Dairy Farmers

Imported from Europe

Call now for your

FREE copy!

NZAgbizGeneric2012Ad(RN).indd 1 26/06/12 10:58 AM


44 animal health

Blast from the past: Some of Anna’s Huntaways from yesteryear.

Bullet no answer to quiet dogTHIS ARTICLE is about Huntaways and how many people have, in my opin-ion, a misguided view of the breed. Too many people expect non-stop noise and if a dog doesn’t have it, it is bullet mate-rial. Sadly, these people have never experienced a clever natural Handy Huntaway working, or had the joy of owning one.

It frustrates me when I see people advertis-ing Handy Huntaways – Huntaway Heading X – and asking a hefty price. Either, it is an unplanned pregnancy or the person has little knowledge of working dogs. Occasion-ally the odd one turns out to be a cracker, but for the number born the percent-age is low.

When I was a girl, and for many years prior, Huntaways were a very different dog than the

average we see today. They were small to medium sized, came in many dif-ferent colours, and had various coat lengths – soft and silky, or grizzly was very common - and having white markings on the feet and chest wasn’t a crime.

I love looking at old photos of our working dogs, particularly Hunt-aways as it brings back fond memories of hard working, clever little dogs that didn’t require hours and hours of training before joining ‘the team’. They were a handy type of dog; they headed as good as they hunted, they

fossicked in the scrub, worked in the yards and handled big mobs as well as a couple of sheep with ease.

They knew when they were supposed to head, and ran quietly, barking only when in position and in control of the sheep. They didn’t waste noise and used it wisely, and they naturally gave stock time and space.

Nimble and quick, these dogs were the back bone of New Zealand and some of the best were seen competing in trials throughout the country. No one turned their nose up when a fluffy coated dog with white on its paws stood on the mark to hunt sheep up the hill.

Oh, how things have changed. Fashionable

Huntaways now come in black and tan with a short coat, and white markings are shunned. Big became best, but at last we are realizing that size isn’t everything - with it con-formation and agility are lost, and premature aging and physical weakness are gained. Food bills are high.

In the old days the

Huntaway didn’t have non stop huge noise and our ancestors still managed to get the work done, but dog trials have had a strong influence in the breed and judges were impressed by big dogs with big noise that demanded the sheep went up the hill in style – hence the dog we know today developed.

I find it interesting, when our Huntaways were small hairy colourful dogs most farmers could intro-duce them into their team with very little training, if any, and in no time at all they were as good as his right arm. Today, how-ever, Huntaways seem to require a lot more training and a lot more controlling

– a lot of farmers are strug-gling. Have they deterio-rated rather than the dog?

If I was a lot younger than I am, and there wasn’t the neglect of many farm dogs, and the value of a good pup and dog was where it should be, and I had the heart for heavy culling, I would try to breed back the Hunt-away of yesteryear. They were worth their weight in gold as many of us are lucky enough to know. We all had at least one in our team.

Remembered with love - Ned, Deny, Pete, Bruce, Jean and Brooke - my Handy Huntaways. • Anna Holland is teaching people dog training. www.annaholland.co.nz or Ph 06) 388 1318 or [email protected]

TracMap provides a complete agricultural GPS guidance solution for New Zealand Farmers.

Designed and manufactured in New Zealand, our award winning units are proven to make operating vehicles and managing staff on the farm easier and more profitable.

GPS MADE EASY

Fertiliser Spreading

Screen View

TracMap Provides:• 15-20%Savingsonfertiliser andspray• Increasedefficiencyofpod irrigation• Reducederrorsonfarm• Countrywideback-upand support• Moreeffectivestaff management• DevelopedforNZconditions• Easytouse

Phone: +64 3 489 2952www.tracmap.co.nz

TracMap - Accurate spreading and spraying Made Easy.

30cm Accuracy Now Available

HYS boom pictured

High-end linkage sprayer with slimline tank and quick hitch, ideal for cropping and horticultural spraying. Outstanding boom ride maximises application efficiency and productivity…never has spraying been so clean, effortless and trouble-free!

MASTER your capacity & performance!

The Sprayer

Hydraulic

lift & fo

ld

standard

MASTER tank range: 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 1800L. All booms with individual hyd fold, nozzle protection. Strength like no other! Boom availablity: 12 to 24m. Other options: TurboFiller, Rinse Tank, Rate Controller and more. See your local dealer for all available options. Ross Dickson 0276 727 727 - South Island Martin Gray 0212 791 015 - North Island


animal health 45

Pasture only won’t do for today’s cowsIT MAY be considered near-sacrilege to say it in New Zealand, but pastures alone can’t cut it for the modern dairy cow, says a consulting nutritionist working on both sides of the Tasman.

The quality and quan-tity of nutrients in pasture simply isn’t high enough to match today’s dairy cow genetics, according to Tas-mania-based Pip Gale.

“There’s a limit to the amount of sugar a cow, and more particularly its rumen bugs, can use before you start running into problems… Even the high sugar grasses lack bal-ance,” he says.

Some spring grasses are up to 15% sugar, but on pasture alone such levels can lead to acidosis as rumen pH levels drop too low and the rumen wall papillae become much less effective at absorbing nutrients, he argues.

Gale, who works as a consultant to Ingham Feeds & Nutrition among others, says the key to upping milk production is understanding, and opti-mally feeding, rumen bugs. That requires balance between sugar, degradable protein, fibre and starch intake to maximise pro-duction of propionic acid, a pre-cursor to blood glu-cose and then milk lactose.

Propionic acid produc-tion is driven through fer-

mentable carbohydrates , particularly starch or “non fibre carbohydrates” – NFC. Typically there is enough protein in pasture for a cow’s requirements, but if this isn’t able to be used because of insuffi-cient NFC in the diet, sur-plus nitrogen is excreted. Gale says this is particu-larly important in catch-ments such as the Taupo basin where eutrophica-tion is being partly blamed on nitrate leaching from dairy cows.

“Generally speaking, you need 25% starch in the total ration to get the right balance between NFC and rumen degradable protein (RDP) when you have a lot of green spring grass in the cow’s diet,” he says.

Cereal grains to com-plement pasture in cows’ diet is the best way to increase NFC’s, includ-ing starch, he believes, and there’s a golden 10-week window around calving to do it: from four weeks prior to six weeks after. That’s the best time to get the rumen bugs up to maximum production and in turn reach peak milk production much more quickly than the tradi-tional 12 weeks to peak.

Even conservative esti-mates of the gains from a complementary cereal grain ration of 3kg/day in early lactation put produc-tion potential up 50kg MS/

cow, through better NFC to RDP balance, he says.

High quality cereal grain feeds also help bal-ance macro nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and sodium.

“Once farmers get over the idea that pastures alone can deliver large production increases, then they find themselves look-ing to drive rumen fer-mentation better, and a

whole virtuous cycle kicks off. But first you’ve got to understand that with today’s high performance cows, you won’t achieve these outcomes purely on pastures.”

second opinion?Turn to page 47.

Consulting nutritionist Pip Gale.

Simba offers you the very best examples of minimum tillage equipment available today.Simba X-press Range• Available in a mounted 3m confi guration or a series of trailed units

• Incorporate stubble in a reduced cultivation system

• Work down ploughing in a more conventional system

• Pro-active suspension provides individual leg protection

• Gang angle adjustment enables both primary and fi nishing roles

Trailed X-press4.6m, 5.5m and 6.6m

$48,750

+G

ST $56,400RRP

+G

ST

SPECIAL ST BAR COMBO

3m Mounted X-press with ST Bar The mounted X-press (1750kg) can be used in conjunction with an ST Bar to working depths up to 250mm

NEW STOCK ARRIVING NOW!

NEW STOCK AAARRIVING NOW!


WHANGAREI Power Farming Northland 09 438 9163PUKEKOHE The Tractor Centre 09 238 7179MORRINSVILLE Maber Motors 07 889 5059TE AWAMUTU Power Farming Te Awamutu 07 870 2411PUTARURU Maber Motors 07 882 1310TAURANGA Capital Tractors 07 543 0021WHAKATANE Jacks Machinery 07 308 7299ROTORUA AREA Maber Motors 07 882 1310GISBORNE Power Farming Gisborne 06 868 8908HASTINGS Power Farming Hawke’s Bay 06 879 9998HAWERA Power Farming Taranaki 06 278 0240FEILDING Power Farming Manawatu 06 353 8182

MASTERTON Wairarapa Machinery 06 377 3009NELSON Brian Miller Truck & Tractor 03 544 5723 BLENHEIM Tractor Repairs & Spares 03 572 5173WEST COAST Power Farming West Coast 029 200 1202 CHRISTCHURCH Power Farming Canterbury 03 349 5975ASHBURTON Power Farming Ashburton 03 307 7153 TIMARU Power Farming Timaru 03 687 4127 ALEXANDRA Peter Watt Machinery 03 448 8490DUNEDIN Power Farming Otago 03 489 3489 GORE Power Farming Gore 03 208 9395 INVERCARGILL Power Farming Invercargill 03 215 9039

B&PO

W0053/R

1.95%/12 months • 2.95%/24 months 3.95%/36 months • 4.95%/48 months.**

Seasonal or yearly payment options available.**

**Based on 40% deposit. Normal lending criteria and conditions apply.

UNBEATABLE POWER FARMING FINANCE

CAMBRIDGE FARM ROLLERS

Vee Ring Roller Seeder Drill with Vee bottom seed box, hydraulic clutch, ext. drawbar, ...................... $18,500 Special rollers made to order, Spare parts, Rings and Bearings. 26"dia rings ................... $85.0024"dia rings ................... $80.00 Ph: 0800-838 963

• All prices ex-Factory, Excl GST •Competitive freight rates to the North Island

NEW 10ft Roller with Extension Drawbar & Screw Jack $6700

AUSTINS FOUNDRY LTD 131 King Street, Timaru www.austinsfoundry.co.nz

CONTROL THEM WITH

Contains the naturally occurring plant extract Rotenone derived from the roots of the Lonchocarpus plant found in South America.

Manufactured by Greyhorse Vet (NZ) Ltd Ph: 03 339 0345 Fax: 03 338 7645

FOWLS•HORSES•CALVES•GOATS•DOGS•CATS•SHEDS

lice, fleas, mites?lice, fleas, mites?

PESTENEINSECT POWDER

AVAILABLE FROM VETS,STOCK AGENTS & SADDLERS

AVAILABLE IN THE ORIGINAL 500GM PACK AND NOW. . . . . .

THE NEW CONVENIENT 250MG PACK.


46 animal health

Last month the Ministry for Primary Industry released a national Animal Welfare Strategy and proposed changes to the Animal Welfare Act. This was followed by meetings with interested parties around the country. Sue Edmonds reflects on the proposals as presented in Hamilton last week.

Reflections of welfare reforms

WHILE MOST farmers take animal welfare seri-ously, there is little in the current Act to urge the laggards across the line, judging by a recent Min-istry for Primary Indus-try workshop on proposed changes to it.

There are now fifteen Codes of Practice, com-plete with minimum stan-dards for almost every aspect farm animal hus-bandry. But the Codes are somewhat toothless when it comes to penalis-ing those who don’t meet those standards.

For the last eighteen months MPI staff (for-

merly MAF) have been working with stakeholder representatives and an advisory group on poten-tial options for turning most of those minimum standards into regulations and guidelines, with the creation of an Animal Wel-fare Strategy.

The strategy was released last month and now they’re presenting to interested parties at six meetings around the country, seeking feedback and submissions.

They hope to get par-liamentary approval to make changes to the Act by the end of this year,

spend next year getting the words right, and bring it into effect during 2014.

It’s a bold timetable, and from the robust feed-back at the Hamilton meeting, they’ve still got a lot to think about and a lot of people to get working together.

So what will all this mean for farmers? What’s in current welfare codes has been well worked over by experts working with NAWAC. The aim is not to change or relitigate mini-mum standards, but get experts at MPI to turn as many into enforceable reg-ulations as possible.

Regs will serve a purpose – Feds

have put in place their own advisors after MAF’s workforce was drastically reduced. Farming meth-ods have advanced, and those assessing welfare

cases need to be indus-try specialists, rather than farming generalists.

It’s clear there will be a huge need for collab-oration between indus-

try, Government, and clear definitions of who does what in education and training, and com-munication specifics for

Healthy herd: most farms are doing a good job on welfare, says MPI.

Federated Farmers had two repre-sentatives at the mPI meeting in Hamilton.

“the creation of regulations will serve to kick the few bad farmers into line,” Waikato president James Houghton, admitted.

Houghton says he agrees with the proposals in general, but at the meeting stressed the strategy should look forward, not back.

While some attendees had talked about overseas expectations of animal welfare here, Houghton’s view is that rather than using words like ‘better care of animals’ as an outcome, the industry

should be striving to lead the world.“Our approach to animal welfare

must continue to be based on science and regulation, and not merely pander to public opinion.”

James mills, chair of Feds’ meat & Fibre in Waikato, also agrees with the overall concept but is “somewhat concerned” a change of government could see groups such as the Greens take a leading role in animal welfare issues. such a development could see the balance of changes swing too far to punitive compliance, without recog-nising that most farmers are doing very well by world standards, he says.

For those already fol-lowing code recom-mendations, there will be no worries and no changes. The aim is to get those who aren’t meet-ing recommendations to improve, with spot fines of up to $1000 for non com-pliance being considered.

The ministry notes that since the current version of the Act was brought into being in 1999, com-munications advances mean instances of real or perceived poor animal welfare can be broadcast to the public and inter-national markets in a number of new ways, such as through phone cameras and social and media net-works. In a country which relies on selling food to the world, we need to watch our image continu-ously.

But there have been other changes too. Some industry organisations

to Page 47

POWER HARROW & MOWER RENTALS WITH WEBBLINE

Waikato Nelson SouthlandFreephone 0800 932 254

www.webbline.co.nz

DOWNING13700

Why buy when you can have the flexibility of our 2 – 5 year rental package: How does it work? Go to www.webbline.co.nz

*Lease details go to www.webbline.co.nz All Prices Exclude GST. Normal Lending Criteria Applies

Feraboli “Low Power” Harrows “More Rotors = Less Power Required”

Have a SIP - Lease a SIP - Get ahead with a SIP!Mowers, Rakes, Tedders. 2 Season Warranty

Lease From as little as $320 per month* HOW? go to www.webbline to find out.

Lease from as little as $360 per month* HOW? go to www.webbline to find out.

For more information contact your veterinarian, phone Ovis Management on 0800 222 011 or go to www.sheepmeasles.co.nz

Have you reviewed your sheep measles programme lately???

29 May 2012 528 lambs processed 98 infected 18.6%7 May 2012 418 lambs processed 131 infected 31.3%


animal health 47

different farming groups. As one participant at the Ham-ilton meeting pointed out: “It’s no good saying ‘It’s on our website’, because the audiences will be so different in both their focus and age groups for dairy, sheep and beef, pigs, goats etc.”

Currently many of the 16,000 welfare complaints made each year are dealt with by SPCA inspectors. Cur-rent wording of their roles gives them limited powers. With little financial support, many cases they see are not worth the present cumbersome system of taking a pros-ecution, which is the only significant penalty at present.

The skills and authority levels of the compliance workforce that eventually arises, will have to be carefully measured. And many of the measurement systems, to be able to tell whether things are actually improving, will begin from a standing start.

It’s an ambitious project. Let’s hope they get it right.

fRom Page 46

Welfare reforms

Pasture limitation argument pannedARGUMENTS THAT pas-ture alone can’t meet a modern dairy cow’s needs have been panned by a leading New Zealand-based researcher of rumen func-tion.

Rural News ran Tas-manian-based consultant Pip Gale’s arguments (see p45) past Lincoln Univer-sity specialist Jim Gibbs.

Gibbs says the case put by Gale, and many others, for balancing pasture diets is a myth. “It’s wrong and it’s misleading, particu-larly coming into spring. This is doing a disservice to the New Zealand indus-try.”

Contrary to the sugges-tion genetics have moved on from what pasture alone can provide, Gibbs says New Zealand cows

have been aggressively selected from perfor-mance on solely pasture diets for 30 years.

The rumen papillae damage warning is a con-tradiction of current lit-erature on both rumen pH and rumen epithelial dynamics, he adds. “The rumen’s removal of vola-tile fatty acids that drive pH is limited by the high N content, so increasing the starch content in addi-tion to the existing sugar content just adds more vfa production. It will not and cannot help the rumen pH in any way.”

There’s also no evi-dence increased starch in a pasture diet reduces uri-nary N excretion. “Sugars are equally fermentable, and can be equally well

used for ‘matching’ fer-mentable ME and free rumen N – adding starch does not change N excre-tion.”

As for the comment that 25% starch in the diet

is a general requirement, Gibbs fires it back at Gale.

“Says who? A large number of profitable, high production farms feeding solely grass in New Zea-land would disagree. 25%

starch is an enormous sup-plement input and is never called for from a rumen energy transfer perspec-tive.”

The mineral supple-mentation case for grains

doesn’t wash with Gibbs either. “There is plenty of calcium [in pasture] and magnesium and sodium

are cheap and easily added to grass systems…. Grain alone does not help in this matter.”

Jim Gibbs, Lincoln University.

Don’t let BVD undermine yourprofitability this season

Ask your vet to use Gribbles Veterinary Pathology, New Zealand’s leadingprovider of BVD testing and advice.


48 animal health

aussies assess fmD readinessA MEETING in Sydney last week of Government officials, livestock leaders, scientists and other indus-try stakeholders marked the first truly national

approach to addressing Foot and Mouth Disease risk, says Australia’s chief veterinary officer, Mark Schipp.

The Australian Bureau

of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) esti-mates even a small, three-month outbreak would cost Australia $A7.1 billion

while the toll for a year-long epidemic would hit $A16 billion.

“Only a decade ago an outbreak of FMD in the United Kingdom cost

their economy the equiv-alent of $A19 billion, and it was only last year that South Korea experienced multi-billion dollar losses from this disease,” notes Schipp.

The forum discussed potential use of vaccina-tion, strengthening emer-gency response capacities, and the use of scanning and strategic intelligence to provide early warning.

Schipp says a number of FMD preparedness issue require compre-hensive national coordi-nation as they relate to on-shore (post-border) activity where the respon-sibilities of the Australian Government, states, and territories require a team approach to be effective.

“That’s why many ses-sions of the forum were devoted to issues of shared responsibility… to ensure optimal national FMD pre-paredness.”

The forum was also attended by a representa-tive from Coles Supermar-kets, who reiterated the need to consider potential consumer behaviour, and develop education strate-gies that ensure consum-ers understood that there was no public health risk posed by the consumption of meat from infected or vaccinated animals in the unlikely event of an FMD outbreak.

“The last thing the country needs in an FMD outbreak is for people to

stop eating meat and other animal products because of misperceptions about their safety,” says Schipp.

Attendees also agreed on the value of develop-ing industry business con-tinuity plans for FMD, and the importance of having contemporary traceabil-ity arrangements across all sectors that meet the national need to quickly and accurately trace live-stock movements in an emergency situation.

Duncan Rowland, the Executive Manager of Biosecurity Services at Animal Health Australia, presented to the forum on the importance of live-stock traceability.

“Inadequate traceability arrangements in one sector greatly increase the risk to other sectors, given that the effectiveness of control measures will rely upon how quickly susceptible animals can be traced,” says Rowland.

Participants indicated support for a national live-stock standstill simulation exercise, to test current arrangements and ensure they will be effective should an FMD outbreak ever be discovered.

“The agreement by all stakeholders, especially around swiftly imple-menting a vaccination campaign if needed, will ensure Australia is better prepared for the threat of FMD,” says Schipp.

Inadequate traceability in one sector greatly increases the risk to other sectors, warns Duncan Rowland of Animal Health Australia.

Loss of skin and sores between the hoof claws in cattle, caused by FMD.

1,2, FREE®

PROUDLY AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL VET.

Merial is Sanofi company. Merial new zealand, level 3, Merial Building, Osterley way, Manukau, auCkland City, new zealand | www.MerialanCare CO.nz | registered pursuant tO the aCvM aCt 1997 nOs a7353 | see www.FOOdsaFety.gOvt.nz/aCvM/ FOr registratiOn COnditiOns | ©COpyright Merial ltd | nz-12-gpO-114.

PURCHASE 2 x 5L GENESIS POUR-ON AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A tHIRD ONE FREE. tHIS OFFER CAN’t LASt SO SEE A PARtICIPAtING VEt tODAY.

OFFER ENDS 31 OCtObER 2012 AND IS NOt AVAILAbLE WItH ANY OtHER PROmOtION.

PROUDLY AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL VETERInARIAn.

Genesis 1 2 Free 280x187mm.indd 1 27/08/12 10:28 AM

Apple Cider Vinegar

Dairy-Mate Direct

0508 324 796

LK00

4230

3©

- High Quality -Proven livestock

supplement blendsBuy Direct

200L from $340 + GST delivered

RURAL NEWS // sePtember 4, 2012

animal health 49

Bee colony collapse causes identified

CROPPING, PASTORAL and horti-cultural farmers’ actions “can really help or hinder the bees we all depend upon,” says Federated Farmers Bees chairman John Hartnell.

As part of Bee Week Feds issued four bee-friendly tips:

• Take care when using agricultural

sprays, particularly when plants are in flower. As a rule, if bees are flying, don’t spray until dusk.

• Before using agricultural chem-icals, read all directions for use, in particular any impacts on livestock, including bees. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer, or supplier.

• Remember bees can’t swim and bees chilled by irrigation water die. Only irrigate flowering crops/pas-tures between dusk and dawn.

• Considering planting trees and shrubs as outlined in Feds’ ten regional Trees for Bees guides. See www.fedfarm.org.nz

Top tips for bees

US AGRICULTURAL Research Ser-vice (ARS) scientists have found bees affected by colony collapse disorder (CCD) carry a colony-specific spectrum of three or four pathogens.

More than 100 hives from nine states—California, Florida, Penn-sylvania, Maryland, Nebraska, New York, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Washington—were sampled between 2004 and 2008.

Researchers’ found, according to their report in the journal PLoSOne, the most distinct difference in the makeup of the pathogen clusters was between CCD-struck colonies in the eastern and western states.

ARS entomologist Jay Evans says the geographic differences indi-cate it is unlikely any single recog-nised agent is responsible for CCD, making the search for unifying pre-dictors more complicated.

Samples from eastern apiar-ies found groupings tended to be all viruses but in the west a mix of viruses and the gut parasite species Nosema was found.

Nosema apis and acute bee paral-ysis virus (ABPV) were linked with CCD colonies from western states,

while these species were extremely rare in eastern honey bee colonies regardless of the presence of CCD.

Collapsing colonies also differed overall from each other in the pre-dominant pathogens, suggesting these pathogens were lucky hitchhik-ers on the path to colony ruin, without any single factor being a consistent cause of collapse.

The largest single class of patho-gens found in hives with CCD was

RNA viruses, which are very small viruses associated with the mitochon-dria of host cells.

Each pathogen was present in some healthy colonies, but not at the levels found in CCD-struck colonies.

The study confirms earlier find-ings from a small number of samples that honey bee colonies showing CCD symptoms have significantly higher pathogen levels than colonies from apiaries that reported no CCD.

alan haRman NZ perspectiveFederated Farmers bees chairman, John Hartnell, says Colony Collapse disorder hasn’t been seen here, but it is a risk if many more pests or diseases of bees get into the country.

“the Us has hundreds of hectares in the same crops and their beekeeping industry is almost totally focused on pollination with very little honey production,” he told Rural News.

“Hives move all around the country and the bees are exposed to lots of different chemicals and diseases, so it’s a very different industry to here. but if we do get diseases like european Foulbrood and the acute bee Paralysis virus on top of varroa, it’s that sort of cocktail of bacteria and pests that could cause it [CCd].”

Hartnell says bee industry representatives are working with the ministry of Primary Industry to try to make sure no other serious pathogens or pests, such as varroa, get in.

“If we do get another major pest or disease it will seriously affect our ability to run as an industry.”

more sentinel hives around ports is one option being looked at.

No CCD here: hives on a New Zealand farm.

Rumensin Capsules are your best defence against bloat.

Suitable for beef and dairy cattle over 250kg liveweight, one capsule

provides 100 days of proven bloat control.

Control bloat and benefit from improved growth rates in beef cattle and

improved milk production and cow condition1 in dairy cattle.

You can trust Rumensin. With over 2300 scientific papers to its credit,

it is one of the most researched products in the world. Talk to your

veterinarian or animal health stockist about bloat defence today.

Available in drenchable Liquid, 100 day capsule, in-feed Premix and Water Trough Treatment from leading animal health stockists. Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NZ) Limited, 123 Ormiston Road, Botany South, Auckland. Helpline: 0800 ELANCO (352 626).Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No’s. A3553, A9676, A7450, A8278. R Weapon RN07/11

Elanco Helpline 0800 ELANCO (352626) 1,2. Elanco Data on File. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. A9676. www.elanco.co.nz RCap Weapon 39x3 05/12

BLOAT • MILK PRODUCTION • KETOSIS COW CONDITION 1 • FEED EFFICIENCY 2

INL INE DRENCH INFEED CAPSULE MOLASSES


50 machinery & productsnew mowers proven in tough conditionsNEW AND robust, high-performance Taarup mower conditioners proven recently in tough Australian conditions will soon be launched in New Zealand, reports distribu-tor Power Farming.

The company will launch two models in the Taarup 4300 range: the 4332 LT with left-hand drawbar and the 4332 CT with centre-pivot drawbar. Both models have “out-standing Taarup technol-ogy” including rounded discs, and the maker’s SemiSwing conditioners, SuperFloat suspension and FlipOver wide-spread-ing vanes.

The mowers were released in Australia early

this year, their features appealing to Australian farmers – “and they will be well received in New Zea-land,” says Power Farming Group’s grass machinery sales manager for Austra-lia, Tim Lawrence.

“Strong build, sophis-ticated features and 3.2m working width mean the 4332 CT and LT will appeal to dairy and sheep and beef farmers. They can easily be operated with a 100hp tractor.

“The new models maintain some of the robust properties that have made Taarup mower conditioners so popular in Australia, including a fully welded cutterbar with round discs. The round

discs are particularly attractive because they suffer less damage from stones getting trapped between discs.”

The unique circular design of the discs means a constant distance is kept between their outer edges. Stones are expelled imme-diately before they can cause a blockage, mini-mising shock loads on the transmission. This in turn improves durability and cuts down on mainte-nance.

Lawrence says for the new 4332 models Taarup has improved the engi-neering of the cutterbar and added quick-fit blades.

“One change to the cut-terbar is that each spin-

dle is now supported by two bearings, rather than one. This will increase reli-

ability.“The new Taarup

ProFit quick-change

system makes it much easier to change knives. The ProFit package comes with a special lever for changing blades. You just place the lever around the bolt, push down the spring by turning the lever, and the knife is ready to be replaced by a new one.”

Taarup has also rede-signed the drive line of the 4332 mower condition-ers, the most significant changes in the centre pull 4332 CT model.

“The new PTO drive-line is stronger and more durable than previous models,” Lawrence says. “The biggest change is the location of the gearbox on the centre-pull model. It is now located underneath the mainframe rather than on the mower itself. This means it moves less when it is working so it is more efficient.”

Taarup’s SuperFloat suspension system car-ries the cutterbar and con-ditioner independently of the main chassis with two

adjustable springs. Super-Float allows close follow-ing of ground contours. It reduces shock loads on the rest of the machine by absorbing much of the weight of the cutterbar.

The Taarup 4332 models Power Farming has specified for New Zea-land and Australia come standard with SemiSwing steel tine conditioning and the FlipOver wide spread-ing unit.

The SemiSwing flail tines condition as aggres-sively as fixed tines give a high degree of protec-tion should the mower hit a foreign object. The con-ditioner plate is adjustable to three different posi-tions for less aggressive action while harvesting lucerne.

The spreading vanes distribute the crop evenly across the full working width, allowing speed-ier drying and eliminating tedding.tel. 07 902 2200 www.powerfarming.co.nz

Taarup 4332 mowers are robustly built and have high performance features appealing to Kiwi farmers, says distributor Power Farming.

SAM, the name behind New Zealand farmers for over 50 years

PH 0508 726 726www.sammachinery.co.nz

KingSt11009_RN_B

MS1261


machinery & products 51

Ploughmen seek Croatian tractor for contestNEW ZEALAND ploughmen arrived in Croatia on August 22, ready to contest the 59th World Ploughing Contest on September 14 and 15 at Biograd na Moru.

In the team are Murray Redmond, Methven, conventional class; Malcolm Taylor, Hamilton, reversible class; Paul Murphy,

Christchurch, manager / judge; Bruce Redmond, Methven, conventional coach; and Alan Wallace, Te Awamutu, reversible coach.

Their gear was waiting for them on arrival, reports Paul Murphy.

“We went to the contest marshalling yard today and found Malcolm’s tractor

and reversible plough competitor were there as well as the NZPA plough box containing plough parts. Murray’s conventional plough sent from New Zealand was also on site….

“We’re still trying to track down a tractor for Murray” an ongoing problem caused partly by having to deal with a government department “whose way of thinking is ‘any

tractor will pull a plough’. We’ll meet the person involved with the tractors tomorrow or the next day so there is some good news.”

Daytime temperatures are 32-39oC and forecast to continue.

Watch Facebook (NZ Ploughing Association) and www.nzplough.co.nz

A SOUTH Canterbury farm machinery business is cele-brating success, growth and development despite taking a hit during the global economic crisis.

Gordon Handy Machinery Ltd (GHM), a John Deere franchisee, is through the lows of 2008 when sales dropped $17 million.

Now the business has been named CRT Card Part-ner of the Year – public recognition for its positive turn-around. The award notes business growth, transactions and sales. A wide variety of businesses, from multination-als to smaller operators, compete. With about 4000 CRT supplier businesses eligible, it is no small feat to win the supreme award.

Chief executive Gordon Handy says the award and rec-ognition means a lot to the business. “We are pleased and honoured to have won.” It is especially pleasing to win the top award in 2012 after coming so close last year when GHM was runner up to Meridian Energy.

Handy cites a strong working relationship with CRT as benefiting both organisations. “[CRT] is progressive so it is pleasing to see we are tracking with them.”

GHM, family owned, was set up in 1979. It has its head office at Washdyke, Timaru, and branches at Oamaru (a new building is planned here), Blenheim, Nelson, Kaikoura and Greymouth. Staff number almost 90.

Handy says having branches around the South Island has allowed the business to diversify and spread any risk. “Generally you do not see all sectors of farming down at the same time. Last year… all sectors were performing well and it was good to see farmers enjoy the good times together.”

New Zealand ploughmen arrive in Croatia ready to contest the 59th World Ploughing Contest.

Gordon Handy sites a close working relationship with CRT as benefiting both organisations.

tough year, just rewards

FACTORYWARRANTYFACTORY

WARRANTY

For more details contact:Ken Bill 021 925 034

TENDERPower Farming has changed brands, so we need to move these big units on. • ALL SERVICED • READY TO GO •

AND BACKED BY OUR POWER FARMING WARRANTY

• Maxpower215Hp• 6.7Litre• 32speed,8stagePowershift• Cab&frontsuspension• 64Hours.HiFlowpumps

TTX210DEMO ModelAS NEW!

MAKE AN OFFER!

• 228maxHp• 6.7Litre• 32speed,8stagePowershift• Factoryfrontlinks&PTO• 213Hours.HiFlowpumps

TTX230DEMO ModelAS NEW!

MAKE AN OFFER!

• 250HPCummins8.3Litreengine• 18SpeedFullPowershift• SuperSteerFrontAxle• HighFlowPump

Versatile2501050 Hours

• 60Hoursonly• Cummins8.3Litre280Hpengine• 18speedfullPowershift• StandardAxle.HighFlowPump

samplephoto

samplephoto

ASNEW

Versatile280

TENDER: The above units are offered for Tender •All Trades considered • Tender Terms apply: The highest or any tenderwill not be necessarily accepted. Tenders Close 3 September 2012 and are to be exclusive of GST.

ArAble on the riseArable farming is on the rise again, on the back of good prices and consistently good profitability.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has released an analysis of arable production and profitability as part of its annual Farm Monitoring Report series.

MPI’s report shows arable farm profit before tax increased 136 % on the previous poor season, to $448,700 for the year ended June 2012.

To view the full report, go to the Publications section of the MPI website, http://www.mpi.govt.nz

in brief


52 machinery & products

‘Pocket prompt’ app for farmersA NEW smartphone ‘pocket prompt’ applica-tion (app) quickly alerts a user to a farm task that needs doing ‘now’, says the developer, Baletwine Ltd.

Its purpose is to deliver instant, practi-cal, time and money-sav-ing information for daily farming situations when and where needed most

– such as way out in the back paddock, said Rich-ard Brown, Baletwine Ltd owner and Farm-help product developer, launching the product recently.

“The beauty is users don’t need cellphone reception once the app is downloaded. Remote locations are no bar-rier. With… rugged hand-

sets available suited for on-farm use, they are the ideal vehicle for this app.”

Brown says it’s about “saving time and money by getting things right

first time, with practical information at the finger-tips. It’s a Kiwi DIY solu-tion, backed by smart technology.

“There are 232,000 farm workers and life-style block owners in New Zealand. Many need only a simple prompt to help them identify and/or fix a problem, but they need it fast. It might be anything

from fixing a fence or more advanced feed cal-culations.”

The Farmhelp app cur-rently has nine different farming packs that collec-tively cover 67 common farming tasks. People can try before they buy by downloading free Farm-help tasks from Google Play. www.farmhelp.co.nz

“It’s a Kiwi DIY solution, backed by smart technology.”

Northern Southland contractor Mike Harris is impressed at the amount of chemical he saves when using the Rotowiper compared with spraying thistles.

Weed wiper halves chemical

A 6M linkage weed wiper will allow a northern Southland contracting firm to slash chemical costs and take on work it has never done before, says the owner.

Uni Agricultural Spraying Ltd owner-operator Mark Harris recently added the FU600 Rotowiper 6m link-age weed wiper to his Te Anau fleet after seeing it at the National Fieldays.

Already he is impressed by the cost savings he’s achiev-ing. “When you’re spraying thistles with conventional boom sprayers the chemical cost is $100/ha compared to $20/ha with the Rotowiper. I can work an eight-hour day and use only half a 120L tank.”

The machine’s ability to target weeds that grow 33% higher than the pasture canopy is the main factor behind chemical savings, Harris says. And this brings further advantages. “You can spray for weeds such as thistles with the chemicals they are most susceptible to, without dam-aging other pasture.”

The Rotowiper is great for thistles, rushes, ragwort, wild turnip and fat hen, amongst other weeds, says Harris, who has jobs booked up for the machine all through spring and summer. He plans to work pastures and brassica crops. “I’ve got quite a lot of work lined up for it.”

While Harris has known of weed wipers for some time, the FU600 was the first model he bought, espe-cially because it doesn’t leave lines of spray as other weed wipers do.

“Because the Rotowiper dispenser rotates, the carpet gets wet enough to be effective without dripping spray and leaving lines of dead pasture. Previously I saw [such machines] as not being worth pursuing.”

Though Harris uses a 90hp tractor to operate the machine, he believes it would be just as effective on a 60-70hp tractor. “You’re only towing around 120L; it’s not like a boom sprayer which can carry as much as a ton.”tel. 03 308 4497www.rotowiper.co.nz

gaReth gIllat

effluent support WAIKATO FARMERS on high risk soils should seek early support in light of the Waikato Regional Council’s new effluent compliance monitoring process, advises Dairy NZ.

Development Project Manager for Effluent, Dr Theresa Wilson, says farmers will now consider how the changes may impact them so they can prepare for the season.

“We hope farmers contact DairyNZ for resources and accredited design companies for technical support if they have any questions around how they will perform.”

Wilson says if farmers are unsure of their farm’s soil risk, DairyNZ has a new soils guide to help them assess risk.

in brief

MS1356


machinery & products 53Cubicle sheds provide clean, dry beddingHERDHOMES SYSTEMS says no-maintenance shel-ters continue to revolu-tionise animal housing.

Whereas bedding in traditional cubicle sheds needs regular mainte-nance to keep it clean and dry, under a HerdHomes-designed roof no main-tenance is needed, the company says.

Proof of this is one of its sheds – in Waikato, owned by John Pouls – which has functioned for five years without need-ing cleaning of the floor or

bedded area. The patented design of the HerdHomes cubicle shed ensures a clean, dry bedding sur-face for animals using the cubicles.

The key to this, the company says, is the posi-tioning of the cubicles down the center of the shed, keeping it much drier and warmer due to natural light and patented airflow design.

Also, specially designed slatted floors on the walk-ways remain clean as manure passes through

the slats into under-floor bunkers, preventing efflu-ent being transferred into the cubicles from animals’ feet.

The small amount of compressed manure pres-ent on the hoof is said to quickly dry and crumble off the matting when cows step in and out.

The slats themselves are unusual. Unlike most European-designed slats, said to block when straw or other material is spread, the HerdHomes slats do not, even when covered with slatted rubber such as in place at Pouls’ farm.

HerdHomes and Pouls have developed an effective effluent containment system using the bunker storage under his sheds.

All dairy waste water now runs into the bunkers and mixes with effluent already present.

FUrtHer deVeLOP-meNt of HerdHomes roof designs now allow the use of commercial-grade, cold-rolled steel trusses spanning up to 16m. such roofs may be clad either with tradi-tional cladding and/or with transparent plastic.

the company says this has led to discus-sions with robotic milker companies inter-ested in HerdHomes cubicle shed designs’ potential for improving animal health and reducing operating costs. Overseas the benefits of clear roofing are becoming apparent, the company says, with potential to help combat vitamin d defi-ciency in fully housed animals that lack expo-sure to sunlight – not an issue under a Herd-Homes clear-roof shelter.

Clear roofing

This is stirred and then pumped out to his irrigation system, ensuring the nutrients are applied to the paddocks as and when required.

Alternatively it can be taken out via a slurry tanker and spread on areas of the farm not irrigated.tel. 07 857 0528

Waikato farmer John Pouls (left) says there is no need to clean the floor.

Cows inside the shelter in July.

PO Box 6 Hinds, Mid Canterbury • Phone 03 303 7228 • www.robfarm.co.nzFor your catalogue of all our products please contact

Don 027 433 2212 or Danny 027 443 4777

FEEDOUT MACHINES TRAILED SPREADERS

• 3 PT linkage• 1.4 tonne• 500mm wide ground driven floor chain• Stainless steel bin

514lk Transpread

• 2 floors give greater accuracy on bends and corners

• Option of spreading half bout width• More floor torque for the toughest jobs

SIMPLY SUPERIOR

• Spread causmag with ease

• Holds 50kg causmag

• Fits any silage wagon

• Powder coat finish

Comby Spread

Twin Floor Transpread


Designed with a combination of tines, discs and rollers the CLC serves as a stubble incorporator and primary cultivator.

Designed ith a combination of tines discs and rollers the CLC ser es

• 10 tine 3.0 metre and 12 tine 3.5 metre units available• 280mm spacing• 3 gangs of tines• Kverneland’s patented auto reset system• Rear cage and offset disc attachments available

Contact your local Power Farming Dealer or visit our website www.powerfarming.co.nzB

&P

OW

0031



INDUSTRY BENCH-MARKS set repeatedly by Polaris quads in ride qual-ity show these machines to be “getting better and better,” says maker Polaris Industries.

Since the launch of the Sportsman nameplate in 1996, each new model has raised the bar, such as with the new Sportsman XP, the company says.

With a 4-stroke, elec-tronic fuel injected engine, and choice of a 550cc or 850cc, the Sportsman XP has been engineered for extreme off-road perfor-

mance. “We took the engi-neering know-how of an entire category and turned it upside down,” says Polaris.

“Well, technically, sideways, by rotating the engine 90 degrees. This gives the rider superior ergonomics with 33% wider floorboards and a narrower space at the knees and ankles. Besides delivering a sporty, nimble feel, the positioning reduces leg fatigue and increases rider comfort.”

Polaris says it offers the best electronic power

steering (EPS) on the market. It has 30% more power assist than the leading competitor, plus variable assist for easier steering effort at lower speeds and more respon-siveness at higher speeds, it adds.

“EPS delivers a safer and more enjoyable ride, as it minimises the dis-traction of bumps, letting you focus more on the ter-rain. Plus our 2011 styl-ing means you get a 16% larger fuel tank capacity on XP EPS models. EPS is optional on XP550.”

Sportsman XP has the biggest rack capacity at 55kg in the front and 110kg in the rear.

And there’s enough power to haul trailers and sprayers with a 680.4 kg pulling and towing capac-ity.

The Sportsman was the world’s first ATV with IRS. Now it leads again with Rolled IRS with 26 cm of travel, which is angled rearward for that legend-ary Polaris smooth ride and less rear-end squat during acceleration.

A common problem for ATV riders is fatigue, says Polaris. “Longer dual A-arm front suspen-sion with 22.9 cm of travel and preload adjustabil-ity decreases kickback, reducing rider fatigue. Sportsman XP models have the highest ground clearance at 30.5 cm.”www.polarisindustries.co.nz0800 440 290.

Polaris quad has good story to tell

Polaris says the Sportsman XP offers the best electronic power steering.

Polaris Sportsman XP.

design featuresOn-demand true aWd.30.5 cm ground clearance.automatic Polaris variable transmission.active descent control and engine braking.Lock-and-ride front and rear racks.Five-layer metallic automotive-style finish.roller-driven clutch for faster clutch response.

“Buy your last plough first”

Invest soundly in a Rata 803 plough.

Targeting Contractors and Large Scale Farmers the 803 plough is designed to suit New Zealand conditions.

The short length, 850mm from point to point, combined with the balanced weight gives this plough an unmatched ability to stay “put” in the ground, and follow the field’s contours.

Bolt on greaseable and replaceable furrow pivots give it a vast life, as well as distributing the pressure along the main beam.

Further features include:

n Hydraulic vary width

n Auto reset beams

n Narrow transport width

n Good under beam clearance

n Dealers NZ Wide

PPPP

Contact us now for your nearest dealer and to discuss your ploughing needs

0800 802 478E: [email protected] W: www.rataindustries.co.nz

PSimple Click and

Clean SystemCalibrated Floating

Level IndicatorPowerful Honda

Petrol MotorMix/despense 320 Litres Per Minute

With Easy Use Despensor Gun

A Mobile Mixer/Tanker built on a strong galvanized steel frame can carry and mix colostrum, milk powder or any other calf supplements that you want to feed out.

NEW FOR 2012!MT800 TaNkER/MIxER

avaILabLE aT


machinery & products 55

Plough could be his lastOTAUTAU CONTRAC-TOR John Wild knew the saying ‘buy your last plough first’.

He put steel to it when he bought a Rata 803 semi-mounted variable-width plough.

Rave reviews from con-tractors are not unknown to the plough’s maker, Rata Industries Group Ltd, Washdyke, Timaru. And the company says it gets unsolicited testimonials from independent farmers

working a wide range of soils and topography.

Rata has since 1981 manufactured “innovative and versatile” front load-ers and materials handling attachments, and sub-sequently began making ploughs and cultivation equipment.

The aim was to match the most exacting standards then set in New Zealand, says group sales manager Glenn Walton. He attributes Rata’s success to “knowing how to make things that make a huge difference to daily chores around a farm”.

John Wild’s operation is large by most measures, Walton says. He ploughs 800-900ha a year and direct drills up to 1500ha. Rolling and steeper coun-try adds challenges, none more so than the abrasive, silty soil he works to a fine tilth.

This demands a plough with special qualities and Wild is said to have tried many ploughs over the years.

Most of the imported ones he has tried, and New Zealand-made ploughs

with limited adjustability, have not cut it, Wild says.

The Rata 803 plough range has been designed to suit New Zealand condi-tions, giving good under-beam clearance and narrow transport width during on-land or in-the-furrow ploughing.

Hydraulic steer-ing and variable width are standard. Options include furrow skim-mers, front furrow wheel, spring-loaded rock-

jumper coulters, plas-tic mouldboards and hydraulic draught bar.

The implement never needs to be changed for another when terrain, soil con-sistency and access to tight paddocks throw up challenges every few hours, Wild says. The Rata 803 offers diversity, with mount-ing and operating solu-tions such as no other plough he has tried.

“First, it’s hydrau-lically mounted to the tractor at the back with a double-acting

hydraulically-operated trailing wheel. That’s the good bit about this design.

“By using the depth-adjusting ram to lift the wheel out, you get the whole unit’s weight punching the shares even deeper into the soil.”

Matched mould-boards were a feature found usually on compe-tition ploughs, and a clear advantage on hilly country was the Rata 803’s 850mm spacing between points rather than the usual 1000mm, although both are available.

“This means a more even depth across the full width of the unit in ground with plenty of humps and hollows. The follow-on boys with their power har-rows are always comment-ing on the flat, even top they now have to work with.”

Wild says the semi-trailing design of the Rata 803 allows it to swing longitudinally behind the tractor, easing travel through narrow gateways and along narrow lanes.

And he finds he can tow a ute behind the rig.tel. 03 688 2478

A six-furrow Rata 803 plough shows

evenness and exceptional over-turn in dry stony

conditions.

“That’s the good bit about this design. By using the depth-adjusting ram to lift the wheel out, you get the whole unit’s weight punching the shares even deeper into the soil.”

HS2000 WRAPPER

Features:• High output bale wrapping

• Capability to operate behind a baler

• Load sensing hydraulics

• Twin satellite dispensers

• Reliable cut & holds

• Film break sensors

WWW.MCHALE.NET

LESS TIME. LESS WASTE.MORE OUTPUT

B&

PO

W00

65/R

WHANGAREI Power Farming Northland 09 438 9163PUKEKOHE The Tractor Centre 09 238 7179MORRINSVILLE Maber Motors 07 889 5059TE AWAMUTU Power Farming Te Awamutu 07 870 2411PUTARURU Maber Motors 07 882 1310TAURANGA Capital Tractors 07 543 0021WHAKATANE Jacks Machinery 07 308 7299ROTORUA AREA Maber Motors 07 882 1310GISBORNE Power Farming Gisborne 06 868 8908HASTINGS Power Farming Hawke's Bay 06 879 9998HAWERA Power Farming Taranaki 06 278 0240FEILDING Power Farming Manawatu 06 323 8182

MASTERTON Wairarapa Machinery 06 377 3009NELSON Brian Miller Truck & Tractor 03 544 5723 BLENHEIM Tractor Repairs & Spares 03 572 5173WEST COAST Power Farming West Coast 029 200 1202CHRISTCHURCH Power Farming Canterbury 03 349 5975ASHBURTON Power Farming Ashburton 03 307 7153 TIMARU Power Farming Timaru 03 687 4127ALEXANDRA Peter Watt Machinery 03 448 8490MOSGIEL Power Farming Otago 03 489 3489 GORE Power Farming Gore 03 208 9395 INVERCARGILL Power Farming Invercargill 03 215 9039

Features: • Patented damper system: eliminates

stress to the chassis by gently lowering bales to the ground

• Twin film dispensers

• Transport width of 2.45m & 1900kg weight – a compact unit with minimal power requirements

• Full road lighting kit

Features:• The V660 is capable of producing a

bale between 0.7—1.68m in diameter with a soft or hard core depending on individual requirements

• With a drop floor, heavy duty drive line, 2m wide galvanised pickup and 15 knife chopping unit as standard the V660 is built to handle the toughest of conditions and the heaviest of crops

• The operator has full control of the bale size, bale density, core density, revolutions of net being applied, knife function and drop floor operation

V660 BELT BALER

991T WRAPPER


UNBEATABLE POWER FARMING FINANCE1.95%/12 months • 2.95%/24 months • 3.95%/36 months • 4.95%/48 months**

Seasonal or yearly payment options available.** **Based on 40% deposit. Normal lending criteria and conditions apply.



Easy data transfer of NAIT info

Kiwis invade aussie show

A NORTHLAND livestock company is using new Gallagher software to make the transfer of NAIT information easier for clients.

Sloane Livestock Ltd, serving farmers “from the mid North to the Far North”, is an accredited information provider for NAIT.

“Since the NAIT scheme started, we’ve found quite a high proportion of our clients prefer us to do the NAIT transfer work

for them,” says senior agent Leo Sloane. “It’s become an impor-tant part of the service.”

Sloane Livestock collects EID data on a Gallagher HR3 hand-held tag reader and uses Gallagher NAIT Exchange software to transfer information to NAIT. “It’s a very simple process,” says Sloane.

After a day of visiting clients he downloads the information col-lected on the HR3 tag reader into

his computer. “You just plug the HR3 into your laptop and all the information is there. Then you select the animal tag details from the session file you want and add in the NAIT number of the seller and purchaser. Then you hit go and it’s gone. It couldn’t be easier”.

“The first few times I did it I couldn’t believe the information had gone through, so I checked up through the NAIT system and it was all there.”

Sloane says Gallagher NAIT Exchange software is an advantage of using Gallagher EID equipment.

He recently bought four hand-held tag readers.

Sloane says the HR3’s ease of use and Gallagher’s support were the deciding factors. After-sales service by Gallagher terri-tory manager Russell Wilson and technical support manager Geoff Pooch “has been nothing short of brilliant”.

POWER FARMING is consolidating its brand offerings as it prepares to host at least 80 New Zealanders at Australia’s largest working field days.

Power Farming machinery division general manager Graeme Leigh says the company has signed a new long-term contract with the Kverneland Group.

“We have been distributing Kverneland products in New Zealand since 1989 and in Australia since 2007, and we look forward to continuing what has been a very successful relationship,” Leigh says.

“Kverneland Group’s new owners have announced they intend to double its turnover to 1 billion euros by 2017. This is exciting news for the Power Farming Group. We and our customers will benefit from the investment Kverneland are making in their product portfolio.

“Kverneland has been at the forefront of technological developments in disc and drum mowers, rakes and tedders, electronic metering and calibration of fertiliser spreaders, and ISOBUS technology. We expect them to continue their major investments in research and development.”

Kverneland, Vicon and Taarup machines will be among those Power Farming’s sister company PFG Australia will show at the ‘PFG in Action’ demonstration days, on August 29-30 at Shepparton, Victoria.

Other brands include McHale, Great Plains, Simba, and Maschio with all machines powered by PFG tractors – Deutz-Fahr, SAME, Yanmar and Kioti.

PFG Australia grass machinery sales manager Tim Lawrence says the demonstrations will take place on a 20ha site which includes paddocks sown in grass.

“Those who attend will see some great machines in action and great results. We will also be offering some attractive deals over the two-day period.”

A group of at least 80 New Zealand Power Farming dealers and farmers will attend the event, which includes farm visits and entertainment.

Power Farming has signed a long-term contract to continue distributing Kverneland and Vicon machinery in New Zealand and Australia.

Check out the latest market data atwww.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/markets

Market Data Every Week

IMPROVED... Knotter Performance• Widerneedlerollersto

guidetwinebetterthroughtheknotter

• Lowertwinetensiongivingmorereliableknottying

• Doubleknottersforoutstandingreliabilityandstrength

INCREASED... Stuffer Speed• Improvedfeedinginthe

pre-compressionchamberimproving‘TopFill’

• Betterbaleshapeinthetoughestconditions

NEW... 2 Metre Pick-up OptionGreaterdurabilityandperformanceonundulatinggroundalongwitheasieraccessthroughnarrowgateways

Contact your New Holland dealer for full details.

BB9000 Series Square Balers BR7000 Series Belt Baler

IMPROVEYOURBALINGPERFORMANCENOW!Catch the last of the pre-season deals

NEW... Larger Diameter Rotor455mmdiameterrotorcutterandfeedergivesbetween15%-30%increaseinbalingcapacity(overtheold422mmrotor)

SAVE From $20,000* (BB9060 PC) SAVE From $9,500* (BR7060 RF)

*Offervaliduntil31stOctober2012

MS1358


motoring 57

Nice rack!A BIKE rack for SUVs and utes allows easy access to the vehicle’s interior without having to remove the bikes or rack, says designer and maker Best Bars Ltd.

Designed for vehicles with a square hitch receiver towbar, the EziGrip Outrig-ger swings the rack and bikes away from the vehicle for access to the rear door or tailgate when the rack is in use.

“It works better than any other bike rack system for these types of vehicles,” says Stephen de Kriek, chief executive of Best Bars Lim-ited. “[It gives] full access to the rear of their vehicle while bikes remain securely fixed to the rack.”

The Outrigger can carry four bikes.

Other new products from the company include the Ezi-Grip Advantage 2-bike and 4-bike racks.

The new EXiGrip Outrigger bike rack swings away to allow easy access to the rear of an SUV or ute.

leave the anorak at homeDIESEL CARS were long ago the pre-serve of anorak wearers obsessed with fuel economy statistics that they neatly recorded in log books.

These blokes – they were always blokes – would focus on mileage and gloss over the reality of the driving experience these early diesel cars offered; fast and refined they were not. Times have changed though, as the Hyundai i40 ably demonstrates.

The 1.7L UII diesel in this slick Korean wagon is a superb unit, punching out useful power of 100kW@4000rpm and torque of 320Nm@2000-2500rpm. And the power delivery is quiet and refined. The driver of a 1979 Mercedes Benz 300D should have been so lucky.

The 6-speed automatic gear-box has enough ratios, and is clever enough to select the right one, to

keep the engine on the boil. Prog-ress is effortless, unlike the alter-native power plant, a 2L 4-cylinder petrol engine, which just can’t match the pulling power of this diesel. Hard to make a case for the petrol engine in this instance, especially when fuel economy is considered: 7.5l/100km for petrol vs. 5.6l/100km for diesel (put that in your log).

The on-road behaviour is also very good; this is not a sports car despite what the aggressive appearance might suggest, but it is capable and comfort-able, eating up the miles on a long haul or regular short commute. The sus-pension has been tuned for New Zea-land conditions.

It also looks great. Hyundai has made huge leaps with the appearance of its vehicles in recent years and no longer produces shapeless, bland cars. The i40 pulls off the sharp sports-wagon look with aplomb.

Safety features include ESC (elec-tronic stability control), ABS braking, traction control, nine airbags and ESS or emergency stop signal, which acti-vates all rear lights under emergency braking to warn following drivers.

We drove the 1.7 CRDi Elite LTD that comes with a list of kit as long as your arm: leather seats that are powered, heated and ventilated; pre-mium trim and sound; climate con-trol; reversing camera; rain sensing wipers; daytime LED running lights; keyless start; USB connection; Blue-tooth… you get the point.

This high-spec model costs $59,990 but you can get into a diesel i40 for $48,990.

A solid effort all round, the i40, and worth a look as an alternative to the Mondeo, Mazda 6 and Avensis wagons.

Be sure to drive the diesel version though. Anorak not included.

aDam fRICKeR

The diesel-powered Hyundai i40 is a capable and comfortable drive.

Harvest Results.www.lely.com innovators in agriculture

For more information call 0800 LELY NZ (0800 535 969)Talk to your Lely Dealer regarding tailor-made Lely Finance to suit your cash flow – Conditions apply.

finance

COST EFFECTIVELELY HibisCus Cam RakEsThe Lely Hibiscus rakes are available in both single and double rotor models and are well known for their rugged construction, stability, reliability as well as an unrivalled raking output. available in 3.2m to 10.15m raking width.

The Benchmark

1371

3-LN

Z_H

ibis

cus

13713-LNZ_Hibiscus.indd 1 23/07/12 1:26 PM

Tunnelhouses

• Ideal addition to your block• Grow vegetables all year round and reduce your grocery bill• Very affordable and easy to install• Totally NZ made by family business making tunnelhouses for 30 years• Range of models from 2m to 8m long

T/F 03 214 4262E [email protected]

www.morrifield.com


58 rural trader

© 2010 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. † Visco-Lok is a trademark of GKN Viscodrive GmbH. ‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Specifications for EC homologated units may differ slightly from specifications mentioned herein. BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment or equipment which is not available in your country. Picture taken outward on a private land. Photographed using highly skilled operator under controlled conditions. Do not attempt these manoeuvres if they are beyond your skill level. *International versions only. EC homologated models respect EC homologation restrictions. As per manufacturer’s official MY10 declaration to the California Air Resources Board.

COMMANDER 1000XCOMMANDER 1000XT

Can-Am SSV Lineup

COMMANDER 800R

brp.com

Blue Red GReeN Can-Am, Commander

The new option!from $19,274 ex GST

QuiCk-ATTACh SideNeTSSpeed limited DESS Keys3 point seat beltsVOTe

YellOW!

2” diAMeTeR ROPS-APPROVed CAGe

CAN-AM COMMANdeR 1000 XT 85.0

CAN-AM COMMANdeR 800 71

kAWASAki TeRYX 750 43

YAMAhA RhiNO 700 40.2

hONdA BiG Red 675 36.7

hORSePOWeR

iNduSTRY eXCluSiVe

duAl-leVel™ CARGO BOX

13.1 FT.3 / 372 L oF voLuME,

600 pounDS oF SToragE CapaCITY

BRP/Can-am SSV dealer teamPoland Motors Ltd 343 Rodney Street, Wellsford (09) 423 [email protected]

South Auckland Motors231 Manukau Rd, Pukekohe09 237 [email protected]

McIndoe Group Motorcycles44 Waitete Rd, Te Kuiti(07) [email protected]

Hewitts Motorcycles27 High Street, Dannervirke (06) 374 [email protected]

Taranaki Motorcycles337 Broadway, Stratford (06) 765 [email protected]

Dwains Service Centre7 Northumberland Street, Tapanui (03) 204 [email protected]

Marlborough Trials Centre53 Grove Road, Mayfield, Blenheim(03) 579 [email protected]

Hubbards Machinery247 Alford Forest Rd, Ashburton(03) [email protected]

© 2010 Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP). All rights reserved. ®, ™ and the BRP logo are trademarks of BRP or its affiliates. † Visco-Lok is a trademark of GKN Viscodrive GmbH. ‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Specifications for EC homologated units may differ slightly from specifications mentioned herein. BRP reserves the right at any time to discontinue or change specifications, prices, designs, features, models or equipment without incurring obligation. Some models depicted may include optional equipment or equipment which is not available in your country. Picture taken outward on a private land. Photographed using highly skilled operator under controlled conditions. Do not attempt these manoeuvres if they are beyond your skill level. *International versions only. EC homologated models respect EC homologation restrictions. As per manufacturer’s official MY10 declaration to the California Air Resources Board.

COMMANDER 1000XCOMMANDER 1000XT

Can-Am SSV Lineup

COMMANDER 800R

brp.com

Blue Red GReeN Can-Am, Commander

The new option!from $19,274 ex GST

QuiCk-ATTACh SideNeTSSpeed limited DESS Keys3 point seat beltsVOTe

YellOW!

2” diAMeTeR ROPS-APPROVed CAGe

CAN-AM COMMANdeR 1000 XT 85.0

CAN-AM COMMANdeR 800 71

kAWASAki TeRYX 750 43

YAMAhA RhiNO 700 40.2

hONdA BiG Red 675 36.7

hORSePOWeR

iNduSTRY eXCluSiVe

duAl-leVel™ CARGO BOX

13.1 FT.3 / 372 L oF voLuME,

600 pounDS oF SToragE CapaCITY

BRP/Can-am SSV dealer teamPoland Motors Ltd 343 Rodney Street, Wellsford (09) 423 [email protected]


McIndoe Group Motorcycles44 Waitete Rd, Te Kuiti(07) [email protected]

Hewitts Motorcycles27 High Street, Dannervirke (06) 374 [email protected]

Taranaki Motorcycles337 Broadway, Stratford (06) 765 [email protected]

Dwains Service Centre7 Northumberland Street, Tapanui (03) 204 [email protected]

Marlborough Trials Centre53 Grove Road, Mayfield, Blenheim(03) 579 [email protected]

Hubbards Machinery247 Alford Forest Rd, Ashburton(03) [email protected]

Poland Motors Ltd343 Rodney Street, Wellsford09 423 [email protected]


McIndoe Group Motorcycles44 Waitete Rd, Te Kuiti07 878 [email protected]

Bay Motorcycles6 Carnegie Road, Napier06 842 [email protected]

Taranaki Motorcycles337 Broadway, Stratford06 765 [email protected]

Moto Shop4 Chapel Street, Masterton06 377 [email protected]

Hubbards Machinery247 Alford Forest Rd, Ashburton03 308 [email protected]

Dwains Service Centre7 Northumberland Street, Tapanui03 204 [email protected]

Stewart Farming and Recreational Ltd225-229 Hilton Highway, Timaru03 688 [email protected]

MotoSouth173 Clyde Street, Invercargill03 214 [email protected]

FROM $19,274 ex GST

The new option!

YELLOW IS THE NEW RED

New Can Am CommanderBRP/Can-am SSV dealer team

Yardmate Soft Toe. This is designed forheavy duty uses and is perfect for fencers, high country farmers

and hunters walking through tough, rugged, country. With an upper constructed from thick full grain leather, a leather insole

and mid-sole, which is stitched and screwed to a cleated rubber repairable sole. A tough heel counter for better

ankle support and a full bellows tongue for greater water tightness, this boot will handle the tough

environment. Yardmate also available in Steel toe. Sizes 4-15 including half sizes.

FOR 3 GENERATIONSFARM BOOTS KIWI MADE

Tussock Soft Toe Triple/Single Hob Nail, Reverse Kip. This boot is designed for heavy duty use on high country farms and over alpine

terrain. This boot will handle tough environments. With an upper constructed from reverse kip leather, a tough heel counter for

better ankle support and a full bellows tongue for greater water tightness. A leather insole and triple bend leather

runners, with a stitched and screwed construction and heel and toe plates. Triple or single Hob

nails. Tricounis available with tungsten tipped teeth. Tussock made to order only. Sizes 4-15 including half sizes.

FOOTWEARMANUFACTURERS

48 John St, Whangarei0800 4 BOOTS (26687)or 09 438 8907Visit www.lastrite.co.nz or www.bootznz.com for more quality products

FLYSTRIKE& LICE• Fantastic Penetration •

• Make a big job quick andeasy

• Retire the shower andplunge dip

• Quicker and much moreeffective then a hand wand!

• Deep penetration, totalbody coverage, 2.5litres/sheep

• No re-cycling - always freshclean dip prolongingresidual effect of yourdipping product

NO ONE BEATS OUR PRICE

1UJT

0460

GS

Manufacturing Jetterssince 1980.1000’s sold in NZ &overseas.

PPP Super Jetter

Ph 0800 901 902Fax 09-236 9321

www.pppindustries.co.nz Email: [email protected]

Manufacturing since 1962

[email protected]

See us at the Northland Field Days

RURAL PAVILLION TENT 601 SITE 1

AS SEEN AT THE NATIONAL

FIELDAYS!

• The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989• Quality construction and options• Get the contractors choice• Direct from the manufacturer• Efficient application and unequalled cost savings

FLY AND LICE PROBLEM?

Phone 07 573 8512 • www.electrodip.com

NEW MODEL

ALL PRODUCTS HAVE 3YR WARRANTY

Docking Chute

0800 DOCKER(362 537)

www.vetmarker.co.nz

VETMARKER

Advantage Plastics Rangiora

call: 0800 668 534 or (03) 313 5750

Poultry EquiPmEnt

Free catalogue 0800 901 902 or email: [email protected]

Feeding and watering equipment. Plus many other products. Backyard to commercial operations.

PERFORMANCE STOCKFEED

Morrinsville Ph: 0800 287 325

Ashburton Ph: 0800 007 766

PERFORMANCE STOCKFEED

SW_RuralNews_30x34_0212.indd 1 2/02/12 5:23 PM

DOLOMITENZ’s fi nest BioGro certifi ed

Mg fertiliserFor a delivered price call...

0800 436 566

60 Litre & 100 Litre Teat Sprayer S/Steel

pressure tanks

Contact us for more information

Phone 06 272 [email protected]

• $45.00 delivery cost in New Zealand

• Also high pressure s/steel water cylinders

GLOBAL STAINLESS

Quality

For all single, separated,divorced and widowed people.

Over half our membersfind ‘someone special’ or

their lifelong partner.

Join our successful & confidential service

Ph: 03-387 0794or see our website

www.countrycontacts.co.nz

For Information Pack, contact...Country & City Contacts

0800 287 437 or

❤C O U N T R Y & C I T Y

contacts(N.Z. LIMITED)

• ATV Carrier Mats • Exit/Entry Areas• Calf Trailers • Horse Floats & Trucks

• Weigh Platforms • Bale Mats • Comfort Mats for Wet & Dry Areas

• Utility Deck Matting

Phone: 0800 80 8570www.burgessmatting.co.nz

Rubber Safety Matting


rural trader 59

ONE STOP WATER SHOP

Culvert Pipes Phone 0800 625 826

for your nearest stockistNew Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes!

FREE joiners supplied on request.

• Lightweight, easy to install

• Made from polyethylene

McKee Plastics, Mahinui Street, Feilding Phone 06 323 4181 Fax 06 323 4183

McKee Plastics, 231 Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton. Ph 07 847 [email protected] www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

300mm x 6 metre ................................ $410

400mm x 6 metre ................................ $515

500mm x 6 metre ................................ $690

600mm x 6 metre ................................ $925

800mm x 6 metre .............................. $1399

1000mm x 6 metre ............................ $2175

1200mm x 6 metre ............................ $3475

Joinerssupplied FREE with culvert

pipes

ALL PRICES INCLUDE G.S.T.

$595+GST delivered

BE SAFE... FIT A QUADBAR

For a Quadbar, call me, Stuart Davidson, owner of Quadbar NZ, on 021-182 8115.

Email [email protected] or for more info

go to

www.quadbar.co.nz

The award winning Australian Quadbar is now on over 250 farms

in NZ and is saving lives and preventing injury daily. It is now

made here and is a well proven crush protection device for quad bikes.

•PestFreeputs50Hzpulsealongpowercables•Ratsandmicestress,dehydrate,exit•Noharmtohumans,pets,computers,etc.•Modelstosuitbuildings/plant200sq.mto1000sq.m•NSW-made,patented,scienceproven•Usedintencountries•Two-yearwarranty

•100%60-DAYMONEY-BACKGUARANTEE

STOP RATSNESTING IN HOMES, BUILDINGS, MACHINERY

TWO WAYS TO ORDER/PAY: 1) POST: cheque to N. Keating telling us the product(s) you want,

plus your name, address and telephone number. 2) INTERNET: direct credit ASB 12 3039 0893559 00

(your surname as reference) PLUS telephone or email us, saying which product(s) you want.

Pest Free Domesticforhomes,garages,etcto200sq,m–$159.90 incl. GST + post.

Pest Free PROforlargehomes,smalloffices&factories,etcto400sq.m–$399.90 incl. GST and post.Pest Free Commercialfordairysheds,grainmills,factories,etc–$1800 incl. GST + post.

STOP RATS with Pest FreeBuywithconfidencefromauthorisedruralsalesagentN+JKeating,70RimuStreet,NewLynn,Auckland0600.Tel. 09 833 1931(cell 021 230 1863);[email protected]

• Faster, easier wash up!• Non toxic, Hygenically approved• Long lasting finish• Withstands pressure hosing• Resists deterioration from daily use• Can be applied to walls and floors

DAIRYCOAT

Made in NZ – 10 year guaranteed

FREE DELIVERYwww.enviropaints.co.nz

The ultimate in paint protection

0800 50 ENVIRO (0800 50 368476)14 Riverbank Rd, Otaki

SPECIALACRYLIC

FENCE RAIL BLACK

Amazing cover

$59 PER 10 LITRE

Phone: 04 384 7683 • Fax: 04 384 7689Email: [email protected]

5 Swan Lane (off Cuba Street)PO Box 9254, Wellington 6141

www.metshop.co.nz

WE’RE ONLINE

The Met Shop

Weatherstations, unusual gifts and science support for over 40 years...

CRAIGCO SENSOR JET

P 06 835 6863 - www.craigcojetters.com

DEAL TO FLY AND LICE

• Cost Effective

• Complete Package

• Unbeatable pricing

• Performance Guaranteed

Happy BirthdayTo mark a birthday, retirement or any

milestone, give that special someone, something special - a personal cartoon portrait by

Edna cartoonist Malcolm Evans - $200 plus GSTSend no money - just email a few up-to-date photos of subject, with a note of details you’d like included, to; [email protected]

Or post your inquiries to; M. Evans, 39J Cape Horn Road, Hillsborough, Auckland 1041 . .

and don’t forget to include your return address.

0800 38 44 50

FARM 4X4

• 22HP 42” / 27HP 48”• USA MADE / LOW NZ PRICE• FULL RANGE AVAILABLE

NEWFROM

$6,590PLUS GST

Zero Turn Mowers

MORE RANGE NEW AC MOTOR• Range up to 70km• Top speed 45kmh• Hi/low ratio• Quiet motion• Plug-in recharge• Low Maintenance Cost

Demo from authorised dealers

Multi-Terrain Vehicle

0612

13C1

825

FUEL EFFICIENT, EASY TO OPERATE – MAKES ANY JOB EASY. Machine of the Year 2012 Winner, Agritechnica, Germany

Golden Tractor for Design award MF 7624 Dyna VT transmission

4 award-winning models from 185hp – 235hp

Generation II SCR engine technology for more power efficiency and great fuel economy

The best transmission choice for precision work in the most demanding applications – Select from:

• Dyna-VT CVT • Dyna-6 Powershift

Contact your local Massey Ferguson dealer for more information.

www.masseyferguson.co.nz | Freecall 0800 826 872

*3.99% Finance to approved AGCO Finance customers only. 30% minimum deposit, 36 monthly payments in arrears with GST paid in the fourth month. Machine to be installed by October 31, 2012. Offer ends September 30, 2012, while stocks last. Eligibility is subject to satisfying specific requirements which may vary. Conditions apply.

is a worldwide brand of AGCO.

ALL NEW MF7600 SERIESAWARD WINNING TECHNOLOGY THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

FINANCE FROM AND AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY*3.99%

rural news 4 september 2012

Documents

rucs system

kmh rulerobert mccarthy

road user charges rucs

registration of tractors

cost of road usage

rural news

ruc system

public roads