Jon Rawlinson

Drawing on his surroundings, painter Peter (PJ) Atkins often features the King Country as his character.

“The landscape is a huge influence for me. I just love the land, I love hills. In Matiere, where I grew up, there are hills everywhere – they’re across the whole of the King Country.”

Commonly associated with realism, landscapes can also be produced in a more abstract style. Essentially, PJ portrays the soul of his subject more so than replicating surface appeal.

“I add a touch of fantasy sometimes and I’m tending to lean more towards abstract as I go along,” he said.

“Others call their work ‘abstract landscape’ too. It’s to stop people criticising because the river’s running backwards or something like that,” he said. “If you call it abstract, that covers all bases, or I should say it gives you more room for interpretation.”

In line with many landscape artists, PJ uses watercolours. However, while they add to the look of the finished work, watercolours offer other advantages too, he explained.

“I’ve always painted in watercolours, partly because they’re easy to clean up. I have dabbled in oils, and I would like to do some more, and I also use ink and coloured pencils and watercolour pencils and pens as well.”

Whichever tools he uses from his paint box, PJ is at least as interested in the journey as he is the destination.

“I just like to make a start and then see what happens. Sometimes it’s magic and sometimes it’s not, but I’m an experimenter – I just like mucking around with paint and paper.”

PJ’s mucking around began in high school under the tutelage of Second World War artist, Reverend Ted Lewis.

“I was the only one in the family who was artistically inclined. I never thought that I had much of a talent for art but other people did.

“It was at Whanganui Boys College (now Whanganui City College) in the fifth and sixth form that my interest in art was really encouraged, by the art teacher, Ted Lewis, who had a big influence on my life.”

Raised on a sheep and beef farm, PJ was destined to make a living on the land long before he became focused on landscapes.

“After I left school, I was more interested in being a hippie than having a profession. I was a shepherd for years and years. I started off here in the King Country then took shepherding jobs wherever I could.

“After I married, my wife (Christine Jorgensen) and I bought a small supermarket on the Kāpiti Coast. I also bought a rural delivery run and I did that for years.”

During this time, work and family commitments meant his art took a backseat.

“I did hardly any art at all for years, but when we moved to Hawkes Bay, I had my own studio, and that’s when I really started getting back into it.”

Five years ago, PJ and Christine moved back to the King Country settling in Maihiihi near Ōtorohanga. Now in his 70s, retirement has finally afforded him more time to pick up the brush.

Artist of the month at The Gallery Ngatea on the Hauraki Plains, PJ’s work was included in a group exhibition – his first – in Ōtorohanga and Te Awamutu late last year.

“It was great. It was really a good experience and it meant a lot to me to have my paintings up on the wall where people could see them.”

Rural roots spark abstract art

Chris Gardner

“I haven’t killed a lamb in a while,” says Te Waitere sheep and beef farmer Chris Irons as he ponders around 70 layoffs at Te Kūiti Meat Processors.

Irons and partner Debra Hastie supplies the company behind TK Natural Lamb which is cutting its workforce by about a third in response to declining lamb processing numbers.

The couple sent 2,500 lambs to the works earlier in the drought impacted season and have just 45 to go. Some will go to the works in June and more will follow in September.

Te Kūiti Meat Processors told workers in May that around a third of their 240 number would be laid off this month due to the declining numbers.

“It got dry earlier in the season and farmers sold their lambs out of the region store,” Irons said. “They won’t have come back into the region.”

“We were in drought, but we weren’t as bad as Aria and Wharepapa South,” he said.

Irons said the 2023-24 season was drier on their 770-hectare farm, and they had responded by dropping ewe numbers by 10 per cent.

“We realised that we were a bit overstocked so that was a lever we pulled,” he said.

“When it came to this year stock were in a better situation, and we got rid of a lot of lambs store so that when it did go dry in January we did not have as many, and it gave us options.”

Irons and Hastie have supplied Te Kūiti Meat Processors premium Whole Foods Market programme for years, fetching $184 per 20kg lamb in recent times.

“Every quarter we put forward our needs and they grant us that space,” Irons said.

“They are very good to work with as a company.”

Irons felt sad that meat workers were losing their jobs, but said the downsize would ensure the business could continue to operate and serve farmers.

“What else are they supposed to do?”

Supplying Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market which supplies groceries to A listers in the US has served the couple well. The store offers a wide range of products, including fresh produce, meats, dairy, and pantry staples, all free from artificial preservatives, colours, and hydrogenated fats.

“We would love it if someone sent us an email saying thank you very much,” he said.

The couple also supply the Angus Special Reserve grass fed and antibiotic free programme through Auckland based Wilson Hellaby meat processing company and Greenlea Premier Meats in Hamilton.

Irons is not one to complain, but he would love wool buyers to specify their needs with farmers.

“As farmers we are not getting messages back from the industry about what is the ideal length,” he said. “We could manage it a lot more if we got told what they wanted. Should we shear every six months, or should we go to eight months?”

Irons grew up in Te Kūiti and worked in parents’ Ray and Sue trucking company Irons Transport after school and in the holidays

“After high school I really wanted to go farming,” he said.

After school he completed a one-year Diploma in Agriculture at Massey University.

“I had 38 hours of lectures per week,” he said. “It was ideal, it meant I was studying and learning about what to do on farm.”

After a short stint in Australia truck driving, he landed a shepherding job which lasted six years before he was promoted to farm manager.

“A few people said I wouldn’t be able to handle it, but that was an incentive,” he said.

“It was a good challenge.”

After seven years, in 2011, Irons and Hastie accepted an offer to join his parents in a farm partnership at Te Waitere.

“It needed a lot of work,”

After five years the couple bought Iron’s parents out and expanded the farm.

Their son Ethan, 19, works for OPS Plumbing and Pipeline in Bell Block, while daughter Sophie, 17, is studying at nearby New Plymouth Girls’ High School.

Today they have help from a Growing Future Farmers agricultural training programme student.

“There’s lots of people wishing to get into farming,” he said.

“Sheep and beef farming is reasonably comfortable. A little bit more positive than it has been in the last couple of years. There’s been a 25 per cent increase in prices in the last year.”

The increase is not just driven by a drop in supply due to New Zealand droughts, but similar conditions in Australia, South America, and the United States.

Irons is a firm believer in building community, working as chair of the Waitomo branch of Federated Farmers and representing farmers with Operational Solutions for Primary Industries (OSPRI).

He’s a regular at Te Waitere Boating Club shin digs. “They’ve got a real community feel.”

He’s continued on the Kinohaka School board of trustees, despite having no children at the school, and is a member of New Plymouth Girls’ High School Scotland House Sub Committee.

The drought – and the impact downstream

Roy Pilott

On the day the news became public, Peter Nation delighted in being able to share it with his wider family – but in particular one person who had been an inspiration to him throughout his life.

That was his dad – 95 year old Arnold Nation.

Because the dedication Peter Nation has brought to agriculture industry and governance – a contribution rewarded when he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit – can be traced back to a sheep and beef farm, and sawmill, in the Turakina Valley north west of Hunterville which his parents ran. It was a fourth generation operation and involved seven families – a significant employer.

Arnold, self-taught, “he didn’t turn on power until he was 21” ran the operation while filling a host of roles in the community.

The family’s influence in the community was significant.

“When someone would ring and say we are building a new fire station or a new ambulance station – the family would cut the timber for nothing.

“Mum was heavily involved in politics so we would have meetings at home and big political celebrations ... she’d be baking for the pet day.

“That’s all relevant to me today – the boy from the valley,” Nation said.

But following his father’s lead did not equate to a career in farming or silviculture.

“Mum told me the heaviest thing I would lift would be a pen.”

So, the teenager fresh out of boarding at Wanganui Boys’ College – who had been charged with doing the staff wages at home - opted for a career in banking.

At 17, Nation – who was born on Anzac Day (April 25) 1961 – was involved in Jaycees, he worked with a group to build a squash club – and he was attending Chamber of Commerce meetings. All the while, his day job involved 40 minutes each way up the valley to get to work.

Mum, Prue, died when Nation was 18, so was not there to celebrate his rapid rise through the ANZ banking ranks. He was one of their youngest managers nine years later in Waverley. At 30 he was a career banker, he had met his wife to be Ali – now an advisory partner with PKF Hamilton - and moves to Hamilton and the Coromandel Peninsula followed. A return to Hamilton came with a new direction – rural banking.

New Zealand Fieldays was one of his customers and he oversaw the approval for credit to build the first pavilion at Mystery Creek and also looked after sponsorship for Fieldays, eventually joining their board.

The rural links continued when he left banking after 26 years - a redundancy victim of the ANZ-National banks merger - to work for Gallaghers, becoming national sales manager.

In the early 1990s he became involved – and highly supportive – of new environmental awards which were presented at Hamilton’s Distinction Hotel. He saw some practises his father had introduced many years ago being replicated. Talks followed and it was suggested the award go national.

In 1993-94 he was instrumental in securing significant sponsorship packages for the awards. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are an integral part of the rural sector today – and the visionaries who set it up celebrated a 30th anniversary reunion recently at Karāpiro.

He is also proud of the success of the Agribusiness in Schools programme which he was able to help through securing sponsorship from Gallaghers and Fieldays after the then St Paul’s Collegiate principal Grant Lander shared a vision with him.

“It’s one of those things that align with your values and your beliefs ... we’ve now got 100 schools teaching year 12 and 13 agribusiness and we’ve produced 3000 students. That’s another one of those pinch moments.”

Having worked in and around Fieldays for two decades, Nation was quick to express an interest when the chief executive’s job came up. He was selected from a pool of 67 applicants and after arriving in March 2016 oversaw a successful decade in the role as Fieldays negotiated the digital revolution and Covid.

His decided to retire to his Tamahere lifestyle block of 27 years last year – and spend more time with family.

He is Waikato Chamber of Commerce chair now and continues to fight the good fight for the rural community – most recently publicly taking on New Zealand Post over its rural delivery service changes.

His finger is still on the button of local issues, he is an avid follower of news – and reading newspapers – and is not short of an opinion on any issue. He will always be an influential ambassador for Fieldays.

“You don’t realise the shadow you cast,” he says of the chief executive role and the annual expo.

But a move into politics, locally or nationally, is certainly not on the cards.

He regards the abuse of local body politicians, particularly on social media as “sickening and disgusting”.

“There are different ways to get involved”.

And there is no shortage of work to do at home – a thriving hydroponic set up in the greenhouse, lush lawns to mow, cutting firewood, making use of the big workshop and upstairs offices for he and his wife.

Installing a lift is on the cards “when we get old”.

Of his award Nation says it’s for his family – wife Ali, and adult children Samantha and Thomas who have all worked voluntarily for Fieldays - and acknowledges being told “you give back”.

Just like his dad – who will be “so proud”.

Peter Nation - led by example

Richard Steele

Every media outfit known to man commented on the Budget. Some comments were moderately useful, most a waste of time.

No matter how you paint the picture, we as a country live beyond our means. You can get as fiscally technical as you like, but the country’s accounts are no different from those for your household, farm, or other business.

If you don’t make enough money to run your day to day affairs, you, have to either make more or spend less.

I’m not against borrowing to get us through fiscal shortfalls. That’s prudent business, only though, if it’s not too much, and your budget allows for it to be paid back – and the debt servicing is kept within parameters that fit the budget long term.

Borrowing now for intergenerational projects is good for the future if you can pay it back.

To make these long term ambitions of financial responsibility work, we have to cut costs, cut out entitlements and show that every job or department in local or central government is vital. Give every government agency this test. If that department disappeared tomorrow, would anybody notice?

In my opinion, every single employee, in every single government office, right through from local councils, regional councils, and every single government department, should have their jobs taken outside and shaken, and only put back inside if that job can be demonstrated as being useful.

I’m not anti-government, I just think it has got too big, that it has too much negative influence unnecessarily in ordinary people’s lives, and it costs too much.

Making more money from our country’s resources is more problematic, mainly because we want to make more money and save the planet at the same time.

Increased performance from all our primary sectors is the way we have always gone, and indeed thrived by. Following that path into the future doesn’t work so well if you need to retire at risk steep land, fence off every stream and wetland - and ban gas, oil, coal and iron extraction while importing coal to keep the home fires burning.

There are going to have to be some hard choices made by some brave career politicians to adjust and reshape some of our sacred traditions.

Superannuation should be means tested so only those who really need it get it. Some form of capital gains tax will be vital.

The education and health budgets need to be scrutinised. I have a feeling these sectors, are actually getting heaps of money but it’s not getting to the schoolroom and the hospital ward.

What’s the point of increasing production in any sector, if we don’t beat inefficiency first?

As I normally do, I ran this column past my lovely wife, and her first response was to this tune - we have to have better selection methods to get better people into power – and not vote them out because they have made an unpopular decision.

Making it add up

Mary Anne Gill

Fonterra predicts fuel savings of 60 percent from six electric milk tankers the co-operative has on the road in time for the new season.

Infrastructure to support the tankers is in place at the dairy factories, including Hautapu plant in Cambridge.

Details were revealed at Fonterra’s annual meeting with neighbours last week when Environmental manager Jude van Bommel revealed the fleet decarbonisation would provide many environmental benefits.

The tankers are part of a $150 million in electrification projects across the North Island over the next 18 months. The move will take the equivalent of 6500 cars off the road. Each tanker can drive 75km on a single charge.

The e-tanker was trialled over two years at Waitoa near Morrinsville.

Other investments into electric boilers at Whareroa, Edgecumbe and Waitoa sites mark further steps in renewable energy supporting Fonterra’s sustainability targets while future-proofing operations.

Fonterra’s chief operating officer Anna Palairet said in a release the investments are a significant step for the co-operative’s future operations.

Hautapu had the last coal boiler in the North Island and it was turned off last year. The boiler has been fully converted to biomass and is firing on wooden pellets.

“Choosing the right energy solutions is about striking a balance between affordability, security of energy supply and reducing our environmental footprint, and the new electric boilers are crucial to navigating this challenge,” said Palairet.

“These electrification projects are at the heart of ensuring efficient operations with a reliable energy supply for our manufacturing sites and to support the long-term sustainability of our business. It also represents a commitment to our farmer owners that we are building a resilient, future-ready co-operative.”

Commissioning of Hautapu’s new $85 million wastewater treatment plant began in February with biological startup in April. The plant treats processing wastewater and other wastewater streams through a tank, segregating it into several sections where microorganisms break down organic matter and reduce a range of contaminants including nitrogen and phosphorous.

The water either goes onto Hautapu’s management farms or, when weather conditions are too wet on the farms, through a final filtration for discharge into Waikato River.

Van Bommel produced samples of the treated water which attendees at the annual meeting were able to smell but not drink.

Fonterra is waiting on final resource consent to discharge at a new point in the river from its original consent. The co-operative wants to release the treated water at the same point of the river as Waipā District Council, adjacent to the Te Awa Cycle Ride and the new St Peter’s residential development.

Hautapu is expecting its first milk to the site on July 16. Biomass will be introduced into the wastewater treatment plant’s southern bioreactor in August, the biological treatment will be fine-tuned and there will be an iwi blessing in September.

The plant should be fully operational by July next year.

Tankers power in

Until recently Waikato Federated Farmers met at the organisation’s Hamilton office. As senior writer Chris Gardner finds, they need somewhere else now.

Waikato Federated Farmers new president Phil Sherwood is taking the executive on the road.

Sherwood, 40, says the first executive meeting of his presidency would be held in the Waipā district coupled with an event to attract members.

“It’s part of the engagement process, taking our executive and going back to the region,” he says.

The executive has met at the Waikato Farmers Trust building in Hamilton for decades, but the building’s recent sale has prompted a rethink.

“It was a good opportunity to reevaluate where we are at.”

Sherwood, who up until last season farmed two dairy herds of 500 cows supplying Open Country on two farms near Matamata, was just a few weeks into his new role when The News caught up with him at Farmers Trust building where he and fellow members were sorting through boxes of memorabilia.

This season Sherwood is overseeing a 50/50 herd owner and share milker on one of his farms, and a contract milker on the other.

Educated at Hinuera School and Matamata College, Sherwood was raised on the family farm and took up farming at 16 where, apart from a couple of short spells off farm, he has remained farming.

In Federated Farmers, he has served as dairy chair and vice president, before succeeding Keith Holmes as president.

Profitability is a key word frequently mentioned at executive meetings.

“We need to be profitable, from not just a farming perspective but from a Waikato perspective. We need those industry groups like Beef + Lamb, DairyNZ and the Foundation for Arable Research to be really championing that profit,” he says.

“Profit will drive innovation.”

And he is waiting expectantly for the outcome of the government’s Finance and Expenditure Committee’s inquiry into banking competition.

“Banks have got their foot on the throats of some farmers,” he says.

“We feed into that rural economy, and I would like to think that they would take their foot of the throat of a few farmers trying to do the right thing.”

When it comes to rural advocacy, the issue at the top of Sherwood’s list is the upcoming Waikato River catchment wide implementation of farm environment plans as part of Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One.

Details are still sketchy, as the sector awaits a court ruling on the final form of the rules.

He wants to see a more holistic approach between farmers, the Department of Conservation, Operational Solutions for Primary Industries, and Waikato Regional Council around pest control to eliminate a siloed approach.

“The problem is that they all work in isolation to a common goal, and are not working collaboratively,” says Sherwood, who believes in finding common ground with others, realising you cannot be everything to everybody.

He also serves on AgriZero’s farmer focus group as it creates tools to rapidly reduce emissions while maintaining profitability and productivity.

It was too early to share too much about the work of the partnership between the government and agribusiness, but Sherwood hopes it would result in breaking the disconnect between farmer and consumer.

Fed leader is on the move

A gorse-busting drone will soon benefit outgoing National Fieldays Society board chair Jenni Vernon’s 224-hectare Te Akatea farm.

Hill country farmers use drones to spray weeds in areas hard to reach with traditional equipment.

“We have got a contractor coming up to spray our gorse with a drone,” Vernon said. “That’s just fascinating, isn’t it? The fact that a drone can have enough water. It’s really targeted. We’re not going to have spray drift on our neighbour. It’s cost effective.”

She and husband Gordon lease a dry stock unit near Glen Massey to their son Simon and his wife Nicola. Vernon works for the Ministry of Primary Industries, and works on the farm when required.

“My son is hoping that one day we might have a drone that might open the gates of the back paddock for him and shift the stock, or check the water troughs, and that’s not beyond the realms of possibility really, is it?”

On-farm uses of drones have led to the Agricultural Drone Association supporting the inaugural Fieldays Drone Zone where industry experts will share knowledge on how drones are revolutionising farm management.

Drones equipped with multispectral cameras can help farmers analyse crop health, detect pest infestations, and optimise irrigation schedules. Farmers can use drones to track and locate animals and to apply pesticides and fertilisers with remarkable accuracy. Drones also help farmers document environmental compliance, monitor soil health, and assess water management.

“People like to see, and touch and investigate, and eyeball new products,” Vernon said. “That’s one of the attractions of Fieldays. You can see it, hear it, experience it, share ideas, and chew the fat with people.”

Vernon will also be busy running the Fieldays kitchen where she and her team feed volunteers, staff and emergency services.

Punters are given the option of adding a $5 donation to the Rural Support Trust which supports farmers when times are tough.

“We haven’t done that before, it will be interesting to see how it gets for a really good cause, and an opportunity for us to give back to the community directly. They do an amazing job. All of it’s voluntary.”

Ahead of Fieldays Fonterra is forecasting between $9.70 and $10.30 per kilogram of milksolids, a record, for the current dairy season.

“The drought, as you would expect, has been quite tough, but there is a quiet feeling of optimism,” Vernon said.

Vernon has served on the society board for 10 years and will relinquish the chair in December, but her involvement with the society is expected to continue after that.

Getting into the drone zone

Taylor Lincoln loves working on Reon and Wendy Verry’s King Country farm.

“It’s really good here,” said Lincoln, 19, of Maihihi, near Ōtorohanga.

“I’m learning different stuff about sheep and beef farming every day without heaps of pressure. No two days are the same.”

The former Te Awamutu College pupil joined the Verry farm, south of Te Kūiti, last year as a Growing Future Farmers student. She will complete her time with the Verrys later this year.

“We are trying to give back to the wider industry,” Reon said. “This is a pathway for people to get into farming.”

Lincoln is the fourth Growing Future Farmers student to benefit from living and working at Verry Farming Ltd alongside the Verrys and their staff, following in the footsteps of Teagan O’Shea, Tegan Sutton and Jodie Piggott.

The Verrys have been sheep and beef farming their own private 1900-hectare piece of paradise since 2007.

They employ farm managers Rameka Edwards and Tom Fuller and shepherds Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer of the Year finalist Grace Watson and Ethan Poppelwell.

The Verrys are King Country farmers through and through.

Reon was raised on a farm on Waipuna Road near Waitomo, while Wendy is from just over the hill.

“We started with a massive drought, the biggest since the 1970s, and have just leaned our business to not assuming it’s going to rain,” he said.

“Farms used to get advertised as ‘summer safe’.”

“I have not seen that on farm adverts for a long time,” Wendy said.

They farm about 5800 ewes, 1800 hoggets, 1000 bulls, 160 cows, 150 steers, and 550 dairy grazers.

The farm is in recovery mode following last summer’s drought.

“We had a feeling it was going to be dry and learned to make decisions early,” she said.

“We had to bring in 90 tonnes of palm kernel to feed our dairy heifers. We’ve not bought any for three years.”

They also planted 20 hectares in drought-resistant chicory to provide high quality feed for livestock.

“I feel like we have been on life support the whole year,” he said.

Before this month’s heavy falls, the farm has received a little over 200 mm of rain this year, around 100 mm of that in April, less than half the 430 mm of rain it usually receives by May.

Some parts of the farm have fared worse than others.

“If you have got steep north facing slopes, then you are buggered,” Reon said.

Many ponds and drains were still without water, but the feed situation had improved with Aprils rain.

“The pain has been eased by un-drought like meat prices, “he said,

Lack of rain meant lack of grass and the Verrys sending lambs to the saleyards much earlier in the season than usual.

“Half of the lambs have gone store,” he said.

“We’ve sold no store lambs for the last two years. As far as droughts go, this has been a good one, it improved prices. Our lambs have gone to Hawke’s Bay and mid-Canterbury. Store lamb prices were better than works lamb prices last year when there was a widespread drought in the rest of the country. There’s a bit of recovery in the wind. What did not come together for us last year came together this year.”

As immediate past chair of King Country River Care, Reon is passionate about improving water quality.

The organisation gained $1.4 million funding from the government one-billion trees campaign for riparian planting on multiple farms in the catchment.

It’s a project that has set those farms up well for achieving the goals of improving freshwater quality set out in the Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One.

“Farms need good water. Everyone needs good water,” he said

Since 2014, he has worked with other farmers – such as Graham Pinnell and Graeme Gleeson – to represent the sector’s concerns on the workability of the plan to the council.

He is awaiting the outcome of an Environment Court appeal with anticipation.

“The regional council needs to have a lot of tools to be able to make that easy for farmers,” he said.

These should include tools to calculate total and winter stock units, waterway identification at farm level, slope calculator at farm level to 10 or 15 degrees and a flow chart to help farmers identify their activity level.

“Also required will be a hefty dose of pragmatism from the council... we need to be involved with any farmer meetings to re-socialise Plan Change One, ´ he said in his annual report to Waikato Federated Farmers.

“The longer all this regulation takes to land the better off farmers are. It gives us more time to prepare, inject some commonsense to make rules practical and if you know nothing about it, enjoy farming in ignorant bliss.”

No two days are the same

The price received for weaner cattle on Tiroa Station has soared under the tenure of manager Wayne Fraser.

Fraser has managed the Mangaokewa Road property near Benneydale on behalf of the Tiroa E Trust and Te Hape B trust for 14 years.

He has seen weaner cattle prices continue to rise since he switched to exclusively using bulls from Rock-End Herefords in the nearby Paraheka Valley, in what he calls the “back blocks” of Aria, put over their traditional Angus herd.

“We were getting $500 to $700 per head. Now we are getting more than $1000 per head. A strong market helps, but if you haven’t done your homework looking for those areas that can improve your bottom line you miss out.”

The station winters 36,000 stock units on 3170 hectares. When Fraser started at the station on a farm cadet scheme in 1983 the farm wintered 70 percent sheep and 30 percent Angus cattle. He’s changed that balance to 35 per cent Hereford-Angus-cross cattle and he is looking to increase that ratio to a 60-40 per cent sheep to cattle ratio.

“That means fewer sheep, improving the condition of the available grass feed, and more cattle bred from Hereford bulls over the Angus herd.”

About a quarter of the cattle on the station now have Hereford genetics.

Wayne puts the massive leap in profitability mostly down to the genetics from Rock–End’s Hereford bulls over the traditional Angus herd.

“We get good muscle and bone structure in our weaners, and that has improved over time,” he said. “A big plus is good temperament.”

Words like “do-ability” and “constitution” spring to mind when describing the station’s moderate-framed, masculine-looking Hereford bulls. They arrive at Tiroa Station in prime condition, having been raised and grazed on the steep back blocks of the Aria hills.

“They come off quite hard country down there,” Fraser said. “It is very steep, compared with the station, which is a lot flatter than rolling country.”

He credited his six staff for their animal management skills on the mixture of flat to rolling land and hill country.

“We use the Hereford bulls to put across our older cows and tail off with the first-year calves.”

Bull ratio is one bull to 30 to the heifers and one bull to 40 to the older cows.

“Calving ease is an important thing for us. As soon as they hit the ground they are up and running. That is a big plus.”

While the Tiroa Station terrain is softer than the Rock-End Herefords farm at Aria, winters on the station are usually longer and harder.

“We are about a month to six weeks behind everyone else, and it does get cold up here,” Fraser said.

“The calves are all grass-fed, once weaned and they have settled down they head on to some decent quality pasture. Then in June and July they go behind a wire on winter crop swede and kale and become noticeably quiet with us shifting the wire daily.”

All male perogy are sold either to neighbouring finishing blocks under the Tiroa Te Hape umbrella or sold to the store market.

Female progeny is retained and grown out, as replacements heifers and the surplus are retained and finished

Wayne is thankful to PGG Wrightson stock agent Bill Harrison for introducing him to Pete and Kirsty McCormick and helping improve farm profitability.

“Billy does a lot behind the scenes, and helps to promote the Hereford breed,” Fraser said. “He introduced us to Pete about 10 years ago and it just started from there. They have done the job for us and kept our quality up.”

Fraser likened farming to a fairground rollercoaster ride with its peaks and troughs, and said it is important to stay on the horse to avoid disaster.

“Like most farms, you have just got to ride the wave and not make too many changes.”

“Not so long-ago farmers were ditching breeding cows for finishing stock like bulls and steers because they were uneconomical. What they failed to see is all the good work a cow can do when we have a season when the grass is growing crazy, and the old cow will turn it into gold for your young stock. They never give the old cow credit for her true value with a good calve to boot.”

Homework pay off

King Country River Care chair Reon Verry says farmers needs to be seen as stakeholders by Waikato Regional Council.

Verry, also Waikato Federated Farmers Meat and Wool chair who farms south of Te Kūiti, contributed to a debate at this month’s Waikato Federated Farmers executive meeting on how the relationship between the regional council and farmers could be better.

“We need to be seen as a stakeholder,” he said.

“It’s not just regional council, it’s all district councils,” North Waikato Federated branch chair Chris Woolerton said.

Woolerton started the debate by bringing a remit before the executive asking for the organisation to instigate a joint management agreement with the council to ensure that the agricultural sector’s voice was fully heard.

Woolerton said farmers wanted a better relationship with the council.

“They are not getting traction, they are getting bypassed, they are not talking to them,” he said.

Federated Farmers is expecting the outcome of its appeal against the council’s wide-sweeping set of rules for agricultural land use next month.

“May will see an interim Plan Change One decision which will find the Waikato Regional Council scrambling to get their house in order,” Verry said.

“It will take months for the decision to register with most farmers, if at all, and then there may be some angst.

“I’m not sure there will be anything finalised this year as far as actions from farmers are concerned.”

Plan Change One sought to improve freshwater quality in the Waikato and Waipā River catchments. It will apply to around 10,000 properties and a land area of 1.1 million hectares within the two catchments. The plan change is a requirement from a Parliamentary Act and River Iwi Treaty Settlement.

Federated Farmers appealed against which waterbodies stock need to be excluded from, setback distances, how critical source areas are identified and managed, and how often fertiliser spreaders need to be calibrated.



Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes said Woolerton’s draft was applicable to all regional councils.

Verry also wanted to know what Woolerton meant by a joint management agreement.

Vice president Phil Sherwood said Woolerton was really after a memorandum of understanding and asked for the remit to be redrafted and brought back to the provincial annual general meeting.

Sherwood also floated the idea of preparing a remit on pest boards.

“I am going to keep on about pest boards, as we have got so many of them,” he said.

“We need to put some thought into a remit for pest control, trying to get some efficiency. The regional council, Department of Conservation and Operational Solutions for Primary Industries (Ospri) all work up to their little boundary and then stop.”

Waikato Federated Farmers vice president and Ōhaupō dairy farmer Andrew Reymer’s remit requesting Federated Farmers be given a seat on the Ospri board recently failed.

Reymer asked Ospri to explain a $16.6 million write-off related to the failure of a major software project in January.

Ospri’s Informations Systems Strategic Programme was meant to add functionality to the MyOspri portal, integrating new National Animal Identification and Tracing (Nait) functionality.

They need us, say Feds

Stu Kneebone

Waikato Regional Council (WRC) recently approved a submission on the government’s proposed new wastewater environmental performance standards that are intended to be rolled out across New Zealand.

Taumata Arowai is the water services regulator for NZ and is managing this consultation process on behalf of the government. Taumata Arowai was established by the government following the Havelock North campylobacter outbreak in 2016.

District and city councils throughout NZ have consents to discharge treated wastewater and stormwater.

Regional councils are the authorities responsible for the consenting of wastewater and stormwater discharges. Regional councils and their communities have the authority to set limits for discharges to land and water via consent conditions that reflect the values of the local community and the values and attributes of the receiving environment.

However, this change proposes changes that affect how wastewater standards are made and implemented. The amendments direct councils to implement any requirements imposed as part of a wastewater standard in a new consent, and concerningly, they mean that regional councils cannot include any conditions in a consent which are more or less restrictive than the new standards dictate.

Regional councils will still be the regulator but will have very little say on behalf of their communities on what these new standards are. Of real concern is that many of the existing consented municipal wastewater discharges in the Waikato have contaminant discharge standards that are of higher quality than what these new proposed standards will require.

Meaning that implementation of these new standards would see an increase in contaminants being discharged into the environment, effectively undoing significant work and investment that has been made by councils and their communities upgrading their wastewater treatment plants across the region.

This also will have the effect of undoing the work that other sectors such as farming have been doing with riparian planting and other measures to improve water quality.

Meaning if we are to continue on our journey of improving water quality across the region, other sectors such as farming will have to take up the slack.

A good example of this is the Lake Taupō Protection Project that was initiated to maintain the water quality in Lake Taupō. It imposed very restrictive requirements on farmers in the Taupō catchment, requiring them to reduce their stocking rates and associated production in order that a 20 per cent reduction in nitrogen discharge from both farming and industry could be made. Those reductions are now locked in place for 999 years.

To assist those farmers in making that transition, every ratepayer in the Waikato region contributed approximately $10/ratepayer/annum for 15 years; $81 million of public money was invested. These standards will in effect undo all of that work and investment. WRC has submitted strongly that it does not support what is proposed and explained why.

And for those interested, the Ministry for the Environment recently released its three yearly state of the environment report.

While the report contains some positive stories, it also highlights some concerning issues with regards to our environment, and the risks that these issues present to the quality of life for future generations.

Water quality at risk

When Jeff Woolford broke a wrist after going over the handlebars of his farm bike last year, his partner Lara Sutton stepped into his gumboots.

“I would not have survived without her,” Woolford said. “It’s been pretty hard over the last eight months.

“Lara has really held the farm, her career, and everything together.”

Sutton, who was this month named one of three finalists in the 2025 Dairy Woman of the Year Award, ended up doing more on their State Highway One farm as Woolford healed.

“I was quite lucky to spend more time with the kids,” Woolford said.

Woolford had his hands full with Georgia, seven, and Logan, five, while Sutton focused on balancing milking 290ha Jersey cows on 100 hectares with her role as DairyNZ strategy and commercial partnership manager.

Working for the good of the dairy industry with the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, the Dairy Women’s Network and Federated Farmers is all in a day’s work.

“It was definitely busy from July until December,” Sutton said.

The pressure came off as the farm moved to once-a-day milking in mid-December, and Woolford’s injury healed about two months ago.

Sutton also managed to find time to complete the 10-month Escalator programme through the AgriWomen’s Development Trust. The programme includes modules on understanding self, governance, leadership, communication and future direction.

The farm produced about 96,000 kilograms of milksolids this season, down about four per cent on its average 100,000 production thanks to the drought.

This is the couple’s fourth as a predominantly Jersey herd-owning sharemilkers on the138-hectare dairy farm midway between Piarere and Tīrau.

“We have been all grass with hay,” Sutton said.

“This season we needed to buy in some palm kernel to fill the gap.”

“The farm owners have put in a shed feeder, which will change things a little bit.”

“We are also heading toward a cross bred herd to be able to cut down on bobby calves.”

Crossbreeding dairy cows with beef bulls can significantly reduce the number of bobby calves. By crossbreeding, these calves can be raised for beef production, which increases their market value and provides an alternative to early processing.

Woolford hails from Tuakau and began his working life as a farmhand on a farm near Pirongia.

Sutton comes from Te Kowhai and grew up in Hauturu near Kāwhia in the King Country and then Hamilton.

They both spent the 2009-10 season milking at Te Kawa in the King Country.

“Jeff and I are a real partnership, and we talk about every decision on farm,” she said. “I genuinely love working with Jeff.”

“It’s definitely a family business,” he said.

“I was very surprised and extremely humbled,” said Sutton of her placing as a finalist in the Dairy Woman of the Year competition

Sutton was nominated by a friend, and nearly didn’t complete the application form because she did not feel worthy.

Dairy Women’s Network trustee and award judge Jenna Smith said: “Lara left the judges with a clear sense of her ability to connect then lead. Her demonstrated ability to continue to challenge herself, has seen her seize opportunity and develop significant process and progress in the dairy industry.”

Lara to the rescue

Pirongia’s Jo Sheridan is one of three finalists in the national Dairy Woman of the Year Award and is passionate about education both on the farm, and in the classroom.

She is currently demonstration manager at Owl Farm at St Peter’s School in Cambridge where she has been educating people about the dairy industry.

“It’s been a really humbling process,” Sheridan said.

Sheridan, husband Carl and their two sons Sam and Jake have been involved at Pirongia School since 2013. She served on the board from 2019 until she joined the Te Awamutu College board three years ago.

Before she left the Pirongia board, she urged parents to get involved.

“To be accountable for student achievements means that as board members we are constantly growing and developing our skills and keeping up to date with information to make informed decisions,” she said.

Her nomination as one of three finalists in the dairy award is recognition for her part in future focus farming.

“It is a really rewarding thing to be recognised for, as it has been a great part of my life for 24 years.”

[caption id="attachment_21562" align="aligncenter" width="1800"]

Future Focus Farming is an initiative designed to help farming businesses plan. It emphasises collaboration between spouses, siblings, or business associates to co-design a shared vision for their farm's future. The programme includes setting goals, creating action plans, and identifying key financial and performance indicators.

Sheridan has welcomed around 2000 visitors on to the 140ha Owl Farm each year for the past six years; 40 per cent of who have never been on a dairy farm before.

Her focus is on sustainable practices, farmer education and youth engagement which aims to inspire the next generation of farmers.

Small moments of connection with visitors who suddenly feel connection with the land or farm animals is what gets Sheridan out of bed.

“Their eyes light up,” she said.

The farm held its annual open day earlier this month and Sheridan and her team saw 900 visitors over four hours.

“I love everything about this job.”

Born and raised in South Taranaki, Sheridan moved to Pirongia in 2001 when she became a DairyNZ consulting officer, later serving as DairyNZ regional leader for the Waikato.

Sheridan’s nomination for Dairy Woman of the Year recognises her passion for education, community engagement and sustainability.

Sheridan is one of two Waikato dairy farmers up for the award, the other being Lara Sutton who farms between Tīrau and Piarere off State Highway One.



 

Jo in line for award

Staff Reporter

A finalist for this year’s Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer Award, Te Kūiti’s Grace Watson (Whakatohea) has been working as a shepherd general for Verry Farming on King Country’s Puketitiri Station.

The award recognises rising stars in the pastoral and horticulture sectors. Judge, Sam Vivian-Greer of Te Tumu Paeroa says it is great to see another excellent cohort of aspiring Māori farming leaders emerge.

“Māori agribusiness is growing exponentially and it needs people with the skills, experience and leadership qualities to take it forward,” he said. “We are seeing young Māori who have been winners and finalists take on leadership roles in the primary sector.”

Originally from Rerewhakaaitu, near Mt Tarawera, Grace, 24, comes from solid farming stock. Since taking on her role at Puketitiri Station in July, she says she has enjoyed the challenges of a busy farm working with sheep and cattle.

Grace’s fellow finalists are Coby Warmington, Te Tai Tokerau, and Puhirere Tau from Puatai Station, Tolaga Bay.

The winners will be announced in June in Palmerston North.

Spotlight on Grace

Diane Sharpe is as keen as ever to pitch in and lend a hand at Fieldays - 35 years on.

While Fieldays is calling for more volunteers, organisers need not send an invitation to Diane – she will be there, yet again.

“It’s nice being part of Fieldays because everybody gets to know one another, when we come together once a year, and I’ve felt as though I’ve been doing some good.”

Diane, who lives in Cambridge, is no stranger to public service.

She served on the Waipā District Council for almost 30 years. However, her involvement with Fieldays dates back even further, since the event moved from Te Rapa in Hamilton to Rukuhia in 1970.

She began by helping to “feed the troops” at what would become New Zealand’s largest agricultural event.

“I was with Rural Women NZ – which was the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers – who organised the catering. We made all the pies and sandwiches to feed the volunteers,” she said.

“When the event grew too big, about 10 years ago, Rural Women stopped doing the catering. Since then, I’ve been selling programmes and helped as an on-site liaison, making sure all the exhibitors are happy with their sites.”

Prior to retiring and moving to Leamington’s Lauriston Park, Diane was a dairy farmer at a property on Sharpe Road, Rukuhia from 1962. As June is the off season for milking, it’s the perfect time of year to attract volunteers.

More than 150 ‘non-milkers’ are still needed for this year’s event at Mystery Creek Events Centre.

Volunteers remain vital, says Taryn Storey from the NZ National Fieldays Society.

“Fieldays was started by volunteers in 1969 and they are part of the fabric of the event,” she says.

“Volunteering provides a unique opportunity to not only contribute to a world-class event but also gain valuable experience and make lifelong connections.”

Volunteer Diane will be there

DairyNZ board chair Tracy Brown says the organisation got it wrong when it asked farmers to choose one of two levy rises.

Asking farmers whether they wished to maintain current science and research, at between 4.4 cents and 4.6 cents per kg of milk solids, or expand investment in science and research, at 4.7 cents to 5 cents, had created some confusion and angst, Brown said.

“In hindsight we should have had a third option to make that clearer,” Brown said.

Brown, who is also a Waikato dairy farmer, told The News the organisation had not raised its levy from 3.6 cents per kg of milk solids since 2009.

The options consulted on will increase the milksolids levy payment by at least $800 per 100,000 kilograms of milk solids and be as much as $1400 per 100,000 kilograms of milksolids.

“If they were to choose 3.6 cents, they are choosing to further downsize DairyNZ, and stop doing a lot more work,” Brown said.

DairyNZ budgeted for $67,790 of levy income in 2025, and a total revenue of $81,773. Expenditure is budgeted at $85,252.

Government funding had decreased from about $14 million to about $4 million in the last decade, Brown said.

Te Awamutu dairy farmer and DairyNZ board member Chris Lewis said dairy farmers were able to comment on the options as they voted.

“We have had 10 or 12 consultation meetings on this, and I have been to about half, and it was not a very good turnout,” he said.

He had reviewed around 1500 pieces of feedback.

Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes said DairyNZ had made “a bad assumption” that dairy farmers accepted that DairyNZ needs an increase in levy.

There was no “no increase option” nand suggested the decision makers were “dancing with the fairies”.

Ōhaupō dairy farmer and Waikato Federated Farmers vice president Andrew Reymer agreed.

“While they have lots of justification for putting the levy up, they have a declining milk pool, and it makes sense. But if the farmers are not feeling the love on the ground, then it’s a hard sell. People are saying Dairy who? I don’t think there’s a lot of support to put the levy up.”

'Wrong' call on levies

Dairy farming in drought conditions is a fine balance between making the most of a good milk price and setting up for next season, says Share farming Consultants founder Louise Gibson.

“Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t know what to do or if it feels a bit overwhelming,” Gibson said.

The secret is dispensing with emotions and making data-led decisions.

Gibson recommended starting by getting a herd body condition score done by an accredited scorer listed on the DairyNZ website.

“This will give you the information to determine milking regime, cow intake, and start your feed budget,” she said.

Then work out how much feed you have on hand and create a feed budget.

“Most farmers will need to put a hard line in the sand around not losing any further condition and start looking at how to preserve lactation,” Gibson said.

This may lead to a change in milking regime, introducing other products to the herd’s diet and sending away cull cows.

“There are a lot of areas who are looking for in milk cows so you may get a good price for them still,” Gibson said.

Farmers should then calculate the financial balance between extending lactation and banking some autumn milk production.

“If you do think you have a good case for making this work, do your budgets and cashflows and sit down with your bank as soon as possible to discuss this,” Gibson said.

Farmers should keep reviewing their plan.

“A plan made now may not be a suitable plan in a months’ time,” Gibson cautioned.

“We have no idea when it might start raining so be flexible and don’t be afraid to ask for expert help.

Fellow consultant Ashlea Kowalski said on-hand feed became a real concern as the drought tightened its grip and farmers, sharemilkers and contract milkers needed to be having conversations about feed.

“As we fast approach the new dairy season, is there going to be the feed on-hand you put in the agreements for current but also if you have new sharemilkers or contract milkers coming onboard for the new season?”

“The conversations need to happen now, and allow input from both parties, which needs to address how you are going to remedy the shortfall of feed, and outlining who is responsible for this,” Kowalski said.

“Is it financially beneficial for both parties to purchase extra feed in now, and lock in additional feed for the upcoming season?

“It all comes down to having those conversations.”

Farming through a drought

Natasha Cave is encouraging drought-stricken King Country sheep and beef farmers to take a mental health day and join the Beef and Lamb New Zealand Farmer Council at the Out of the Gate event in Rotorua.

Cave, a member of the council and co-manager of the 396ha Rotowai Farms at Mokauiti near Aria with her husband Alan, said the free March 26 event was a great opportunity to get off the farm and focus on people and productivity.

“Given the last 18 months we have been through financially, and we are now in a really dry period that’s not that great, it’s a good opportunity to get out and talk to some other farmers,” Cave said.

The scorching weather is bound to be a topic of conversation.

Cave’s farm has had a fraction of the rain it usually receives this year.

In January only 37.5 mm of rain fell, compared to 185 millimetres in 2024, followed by 23.5 millimetres in February, compared to 52 millimetres in 2024, and March doesn’t look like it will deliver the 131 millimetres It received last year.

“It’s the lowest we have seen it in a long time,” Cave said.

February’s thunderstorms skirted the farm.

“Water is probably tighter than feed, although if we don’t get rain soon, feed will become a big issue,” she said.

Cave said there was not any feed suitable left for finishing animals.

“We have just off loaded as much noncapital stock as possible. We are acutely aware it is getting late, and we are running out of days to get our pasture covers where they need to be for winter and want to protect next year’s production as much as possible.

“It becomes very hard to cart water in if you have got a lot of cattle. We need to be more aware of how our climate is changing.

“The King Country traditionally used to be summer safe with fairly reliable rainfall over the summer, not having that super dry period, so now we are having to make sure we have got good water systems in place. That’s going to come into play more.”

Cave, who received the inaugural 2025 Beef and Lamb New Zealand Leadership Advancement Scholarship in November as part of the organisation’s people and capability workstream, is planning to increase the farm’s head of cattle and add more water tanks to support that plan in increasingly dry summers.

Beef and Lamb New Zealand general manager of extension Justine Kidd said Out of the Gate would provide the information, tools, and fresh perspectives on navigating challenges and opportunities.

It will feature interactive workshops, diving into topics like on-farm productivity, leadership, team building, and diversification

Speakers include meat market expert Simon Quilty, economist Shamubeel Eaqub and motivator David Letele.

Time to get out the gate

When constructing anything, a little Leveridge seldom goes amiss. However, with little margin for error, both speed and skill are also required when making a play for competitive fencing’s highest honours.

“You need a bit of both,” Te Kūiti’s Martin Leveridge says.

“If you’re really quick, you can get away with doing a slightly rougher job, but the guys competing now are just so damn good that they can finish first and have the best work as well.”

He was hardly fenced in by his previous career path, but since taking on a new trade with fellow King Country countryman, Troy Brooky, Leveridge has made every post a winner, or near enough.

“I was in engineering for 10 years, doing a lot of structural stuff, cowsheds and whatnot, but I needed a bit of a break. It was supposed to be a bit of a holiday but once I started fencing, I never stopped.”

Taking up with Brooky, an old school friend, Leveridge served an apprenticeship before starting his own business. He has also competed in the Golden Pliers and, in partnership with Brooky, the pairs event, Silver Spades.

While there are other fencing competitions, including a speed fencing event at the annual Rural Games, Fieldays at Mystery Creek hosts the best in the business.

This year, both men will be going for gold, individually, and seeking silver as a duo. Both have appeared in finals for the Bill Schuler Award, intended for up-and-comers and competitors still relatively new to fencing.

Brooky, who has a few more years on the line under his belt, finished fifth in 2022, second in 2023 and fourth in the Bill Schuler competition last year. But Leveridge holds bragging rights in this respect.

“I made the Golden Pliers final once, finishing eighth in 2022, but before that I won the Bill Schuler two years in a row. As far as winning Golden Pliers this year, I wouldn’t say I have a good chance, but I do have a good chance of making the final.”

The pair were sixth last year in the Silver Spades event.

“We’ve definitely got a good shot of winning or at least being right up there in the doubles as we’ve had some good results in the past couple of years,” Leveridge says. “We have a good system together – I do my job, he does his and we both work instinctively.”

Competitive fencing has produced many legends. Martin Leveridge and Troy Brooky have a very long row to hoe if they’re ever to eclipse the record of King Country great, Wayne Newdick.

“Wayne, he’s a bloody good bugger,” Martin says. “He’s into judging now but he had an awesome record.”

In addition to a Golden Pliers win, the Taumarunui titan dominated the Silver Spades with 10 wins from 2001-2011, mostly in partnership with Hawke’s Bay’s Paul Van Beers. Newdick’s achievements were recognised with a Lifetime Legacy Award at last year’s Rural Sports Awards.

Even though some of the old guard has stepped aside, Leveridge and Brooky still have highly skilled father and son duo, Shane and Tony Bouskill (Hawke’s Bay), and Jeff Joines (Kāpiti) to compete with.

In addition, Gisborne’s Cory Twigley and Tim Garrick finished first and third in last year’s Golden Pliers while teaming up to secure the Silver Spades.

“I’d say Tim and Tony would be my top two picks for the Golden Pliers. Those guys will be tough so it’s going to be a hard push,” Leveridge says. “But we’ve had some bloody good results in the doubles in competitions over the last couple of years, so there’s no reason why we can’t reach the top spots.”

While a farmer won’t thank a fencer if his cows are in the corn, for example, Leveridge says the judges at Fieldays are much harsher critics when getting down to brass tacks. And yet, the judges’ pedantry has helped him develop his skills professionally.

“As long as a fence looks good and it’s doing its job, most farmers aren’t going to go start picking that you’re out by millimetres and that kind of thing,” he adds.

“Competing has been a huge help. We know what judges are looking for and then we put those skills into our everyday work.”

Martin's an ace of spades

Farmer confidence has flipped to its highest level in a decade, according to the latest Federated Farmer survey, having flopped from the worst it has ever been.

But the results of the latest national farm confidence survey had the feeling of a false summer, to Waikato Federated Farmers president Keith Holmes.

“While I agree with the general survey results, there is nothing internationally to suggest that we are in a period of prolonged economic and political stability,” he said.

“Nor are farmers making a profit. Many more will be able to pay their bills but in actual fact they are still mining their balance sheets, which is a very serious non sustainable predicament for New Zealand.”

Farmer confidence in economic conditions surged from -66 per cent in July 2024 to a net positive score of two per cent in January 2025. It was the largest one-off improvement since the question was introduced to the survey in 2016.

A net 23 per cent of farmers expect better economic conditions over the next year - the highest confidence level since January 2014.

There has also been a sharp lift in profitability, with 54 per cent of farmers now reporting making a profit – equating to double the number in the last survey six months ago.

Federated Farmers national president Wayne Langford, who only last year led the Restoring Farmer Confidence tour with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, said he had noticed a significant shift in the mood of rural New Zealand.

“The last few years have been bloody tough for a lot of our farming families, with falling incomes, rising interest rates and unpaid bills starting to pile up on the kitchen bench.

“At the same time, we’ve also been struggling with an incredibly challenging regulatory environment and farming rules that haven’t always been practical, affordable or fair.

“These survey results paint a clear picture of a sector finally able to breathe a sigh of relief as some of that weight is lifted.”

The survey results show regulation and compliance costs remains the greatest concern for farmers, followed by interest rates and banks, and input costs.

The survey shows farmers’ highest priorities for the government are the economy and business environment, fiscal policy, and reducing regulatory burdens.

“If the government are serious about their ambitious growth agenda and doubling exports over the next decade, this is where they need to be focusing their energy,” Langford said.

“For farmers to have the confidence to invest in our businesses, employ more staff, and grow our economy, we need to have confidence in our direction of travel as a nation too.

“As a country, we’re never going be able to regulate our way to prosperity, but with the right policy settings, we might just be able to farm our way there.”

A question of farmer confidence

Zac van Dorsten is the 2025 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year.

Van Dorsten, 27, manages Tony and Louise Collingwood’s 455-cow 165ha farm at Scown Road, Ōtorohanga.

Van Dorsten, who is from Te Awamutu and attended Hamilton Boys’ High School, won $10,523 in prizes at last week’s Dairy Industry Awards after coming third in last year’s competition.

The Collingwoods encouraged Van Dorsten to enter the awards and take courses to continue his professional development.

“There’s also an emphasis on innovation and technology which makes our day-to-day operations easier and minimises work hours,” he said.

He is thrilled to be moving to a contract milking position next season that aligns with his financial, personal and farming goals.

“The New Zealand dairy industry has unique progression opportunities and I’m excited to continue my journey to farm ownership,” says van Dorsten.

“The industry is evolving, and I want to be part of that as we expand and become more innovative to suit the overseas market.”

Ōtorohanga farm manager Oliver Vincent was runner-up in the dairy manager category, bringing home $6,299 in prizes.

Vincent, who attended Te Awamutu College, works on his parents Garry and Angela Vincent’s Haurua Road 260-cow 100ha farm, is passionate about the dairy industry.

“My life is farming. It’s all I really do, or think about,” said the 26-year-old.

They’ve had a tough season, thanks to the drought.

“It’s really not good out here,” he said.

Many had become complacent after two wet summers.

But supplements is the answer.

“With a $10 payout we can chuck a bit more feed in and make it work, but not for too long,” he said. “We are not going to be able to grow any grass for another five or six weeks.”

Vincent is expecting to dry off his herd about three weeks early, as he prepares to go sharemilking on his parents’ farm next season.

He’s looking to enter the share milker category in a few years.

Vincent is thankful the awards introduced him to a wide range of people who he would never have previously met.

“This is how I like to live, and the awards process allowed me to do this with other entrants, judges and sponsors. It also challenged my understanding of my role, the business I work in and our industry and is a great platform for me to learn more in these areas.”

Pirongia farm manager Benjamin Schilt placed third and won $4,554 in prizes. He works on Chris, Emma, John and Anne Poole’s 180ha, 401-cow farm at Pirongia.

It's top prize for Zac

Rotomate sheep and beef farmer Mat Sherriff says pond levels have dropped about one metre on his farm.

When you can see the mountains it’s going to rain, when you can’t see the mountains, it’s raining.

“It’s going to rain,” says Mat Sherriff hopefully.

From high on his wife’s family’s drought stricken Rotomate sheep and beef farm, a short drive from Piopio town, Sherriff can see across the Central Plateau to the mountains at Tongariro National Park and down the coast to Mount Taranaki.

It’s a crystal-clear day, without a cloud in the sky.

The sun is shining, the temperatures are in the mid-twenties, and Rotomate hasn’t had any rain to speak off since before Christmas.

“This is excessively dry,” Sherriff said. “My biggest problem is water.”

One of Sherriff’s principal water sources on the 350ha block he leases across the road is drying up.

All up, Sherriff and his dentist wife Kim Tatham, runs an 1150ha farm, 870ha of it effective with the test as retired bush.

“It’s not looking too good,” he said. “Last week I was panicking quite a bit about the water, but we have made a few plans since then,” he said.

“We have dug a new hole, created a new stock water pond, and got new pumps and pipe to fill another pond who’s level has dropped about one metre.”

It’s cost the farm about $15,000, but it has given Sherriff more certainty in less certain times.

“We feel like we are pretty lucky when we drive around the country.”

He’s a regular visitor to the Waipā district, where he has family and Hamilton city, where his children attend school. Max, 15, is at St Paull’s Collegiate, while Zoe, 13, is at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls. He has seen far drier conditions to the north.

“We are getting a share of grass, we are pretty good at managing that,” he said.

Sherriff, who has been farming Rotomate since 2012, having moved  from Taupō, is planning to introduce break-feeding with silage, allowing livestock a small area to graze each day.

Other farmers used to describe the King Country as summer safe, farming parlance for guaranteed enough rain in the summer to grow good crops and livestock, but this sentiment is a thing of the past.

“We have had more dry summers than we have had wet summers,” he said. “Last year was the second driest summer in 30 years.”

In 2024 the farm received 1733 millimetres of rain compared to 1650 millimetres in 2005 – it usually receives about two metres.

“Stock manager Darren McNabb came up from Cheviot so is used to the dry,” Sherriff said. “He spent all last year telling me how wet it was.”

Regardless of McNabb’s views, it’s all about pivoting to being better prepared for ongoing dry conditions in the summers.

“We feel like we are getting the hang of managing them. Our stock is in really good condition,” Sherriff said.

Instead of finishing cattle at 550kg, they are being finished about one month early at 500kg.

Sherriff and Tatham also run a corporate retreat on the farm, and up to 12 guests stay at a time in quarters once used to home Sir Peter Jackson’s cast and crew filming The Hobbit. Parts of the farm appear in a few seconds long sequence about three quarters of an hour into the first film: An Unexpected Journey.

High...and dry

It would be reasonable to assume that any chap named nicknamed ‘Digger’ would be more inclined to value silver spades rather than golden shears. However, this shearing veteran explains to Jon Rawlinson, in competition or in the shed it pays to dig deep.

In addition to his day job, grinding it out in many a shearing shed, Richard ‘Digger’ Balme from Ōtorohanga is gearing up for another crack at competitive shearing’s highest honour.

At 60, he has stocked his trophy cabinet with world championships, world records and more, but one accolade has been elusive.

It could be a case of 10th time’s the charm for Balme at the Golden Shears starting next week but, as he concedes, youth could trump experience.

“I’ve had numerous wins with some of my biggest overseas – I won the Bath and West Golden Shears and the Corwen Shears [Wales], but the New Zealand Golden Shears is the Wimbledon of shearing.

“I think I’m getting too old to be right at the top level, but I’ll give it my best shot.

“I’ve made nine finals with my best coming second to David Fagan. Just making the finals is always big.”

Considering Sir David Fagan has 16 Golden Shears Open titles (a record to rival the All Blacks’), second is pretty impressive.

Southland’s Leon Samuels is the defending champ, and an eight-time winner, Rowland Smith (Hawke’s Bay), will be back after missing the 2024 event through injury. Balme also rates another.

“David Buick (Pongaroa) would have to be right up there. I think Rowley’s not quite where he wants to be at the moment, but he’s more than capable of making the finals again too.”

Beyond the Golden Shears, the NZ Shearing Champs in Te Kūiti (March 27-29) beckons.

However, Balme is also one of 10 top shearers invited to compete at the Rural Games in Feilding (March 7-9) where speed shearing is the name of the game.

Like a cricket test match, the golden Shears is the true test shearing, you want to shear as clean and as fast as you can, Balme says.

“…Speed shearing is more like T20 cricket, it’s real entertainment for the spectators and it’s over in a short time – you might only get to shear one sheep in the heat and then, if you’re lucky enough to make the final, you might get another.

“I made [a Rural Games] final once. If I can make it into the top four again this time, it’d be pretty good.”

Balme says another King Country competitor to watch at the Rural Games is Jack Fagan – he recently nipped across the ditch to claim the Oberon Quickshear title in a blistering 19.78 seconds.

“Jack’s cutting his own path, more in the speed shear, and he’s doing well in competitions.”

Another go for Digger

Farmers have only weeks to wait to learn the extent of a Waikato Regional Council water quality plan change on their operations.

As they wait for the final version of Plan Change One to fall out of the Environment Court process, following appeals from key primary industry players, council chair Pamela Storey and Federated Farmers Waikato president Keith Holmes are recommending the industry be prepared for change.

The Environment Court is expected to release its decision on Plan Change One before the end of March after the regional council was challenged by key primary industry players.

Plan Change One proposes a wide-sweeping set of rules for agricultural land use to improve freshwater quality in the Waikato and Waipā River catchments.

It will apply to around 10,000 properties and a land area of 1.1 million hectares within the two catchments.

“Waikato Regional Council has heard from stakeholders that a roadmap is needed for how farmers and growers will be supported to implement Plan Change One,” said Storey.

“It’s impossible to predict what the Environment Court might decide, but farmers and growers in the Waikato and Waipā river catchments have been aware that new rules are coming.”

Storey is married to a fourth generation Waikato dairy farmer Ian. She is also a former member of the Dairy Women’s Network Trust Board.

“While it’s not easy to do when we don’t yet know what Plan Change One will look like, our stakeholders are fully engaged with our Primary Industry Engagement team,” she said.

“As part of this, staff are also looking at systems to support landowners to meet their Plan Change One obligation. Farmers, growers, and regional sector representatives are actively involved to help us ensure these systems meet their needs.

“They’ve been doing a great job already to actively implement good farming practices which are at the heart of farm environment plans.”

Farm environment plans help manage environmental risks and improve profitability and long-term viability.

“They look at the farm and farm system, identify work which have already been completed and plan any environmental work which needs to be undertaken in the future to protect land and water quality.

“They’re designed to be a living document – that means they can be updated as the business or other factors change.”

Holmes said while a lot was still uncertain farmers could start thinking about their record keeping assisting with preparing farm plans and demonstrating all the work, they’re already doing to lighten their environmental footprint.

“The rule making process began in 2012 and Federated Farmers has been involved at every stage, appealing to the Environment Court many proposed policies and rules on the basis they didn’t make sense on-farm,” said Holmes.

Examples of issues Federated Farmers appealed include which waterbodies stock need to be excluded from, setback distances, how critical source areas are identified and managed, and how often fertiliser spreaders need to be calibrated.

“Along with other parties, we’ve been on a long journey of council hearings, mediations and, more recently, Environment Court hearings,” he said.

“This has been an incredibly drawn-out, expensive and uncertain process for everyone involved, including Federated Farmers.”

The aim was to reduce the cost to farmers and bureaucracy.

“Time and money are better spent on environmental mitigations than expensive consenting processes,” he said.

“We’re crossing our fingers that the end might now be in sight and that the final wording of Plan Change One works for the environment and is also sensible, practical and affordable for our productive sector.”

The Environment Court is working through some technical issues that Holmes hoped would be resolved in the next month or so.

“Federated Farmers’ efforts to propose pragmatic solutions for unworkable parts of the plan have made a significant difference,” Holmes said. “A lot is still uncertain.”

Original proposals included that farmers might not be allowed to cultivate within five metres of a water body, and there were significant limitations on when and how much nitrogen fertiliser could be applied.

“There’s a lot at stake, not just for the viability of local farms and the Waikato economy. The outcome will matter for all farmers around New Zealand as what happens here could set a precedent that will impact other regions.

Other councils are watching on to see the outcome of this, so what happens here could have flow-on effects to other farmers around the country.”

The Environment Court ruling is not the final word on the subject.

The repeal of the Resource Management Act before the next election will have implications for these rules.

“It is still unclear exactly how a new Resource Management Act may affect the Plan Change One rules,” Holmes said.

“Federated Farmers is highly engaged in the process to replace the Resource Management Act, and we will continue to update farmers on implications for local rules as more information comes to light.”

DairyNZ was another organisation to appeal against the plan change.

General Manager of farm solutions and policy David Burger said DairyNZ had invested significant resource into the plan change for more than a decade.

The organisation wishes to achieve workable evidence-based solutions for farmers while delivering on the outcomes sought through the vision and strategy for the Waikato Waipa catchment (Te Ture Whaimana).

“DairyNZ has concerns with the decisions version which places unnecessary costs and compliance on dairy farmers through resource consents and reporting requirements,” Burger said.

“DairyNZ’s evidence provided aims to reduce the unnecessary cost on farmers whilst still delivering on the outcomes sought.

“DairyNZ recognises that there are around 2000 dairy farms impacted by Plan Change One and although the decision is not yet made, we are working with dairy companies and Waikato Regional Council to support farmers through the process.”

Once a decision is made, DairyNZ will communicate it to farmers, and support farmers with education, awareness, and technical science support for those impacted.

Farmers wait for plan change ruling

Five young New Zealanders have been selected for the Meat Industry Association scholarship programme for 2025.

The new scholars, undergraduate students from Dunedin, Blenheim, Milton, Cambridge and Opotiki, have joined the programme alongside 10 returning scholars.

They are Georgia Te Raki, from Dunedin, Riley King, Blenheim, Katie Hollands, Cambridge, Nicole Petersen, Ōpōtiki and Zoe McElrea from Milton.

The association provides scholarships of $5000 a year for undergraduates and $10,000 for post-graduate students. All are tertiary students, studying a subject relevant to the red meat processing industry and planning a career in the sector beyond the farm gate.

Participants in this year’s new scholar intake are pursuing subjects including commerce, environmental science, law, agribusiness and food marketing and international agribusiness.

Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said the will be of great value in future careers in the sector.

“In order to grow the sector, we need to continue to recruit ambitious and highly skilled people,” she said.

The scholars also benefit from the organisation’s mentoring programme and participation in a range of industry events and networking opportunities.

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King Country News, King Country Farmer and the King Country App are independently owned and published by Good Local Media Ltd – also publishers of the Te Awamutu News, Cambridge News and Waikato Business News.