Early Bird I Friday October 11th 2024

Agriculture Minister pledges support following court ruling on farm consents, NZ Food Safety approves dozens of inhibitor research trials, and excellence honoured at 2024 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards. Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather! Agriculture Minister pledges support following court ruling on farm consents Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has assured Southland farmers that the government will address the fallout from a recent Court of Appeal decision. The ruling could require nearly all Southland farmers to apply for resource consents to continue farming legally. Environment Southland's chief executive, Wilma Falconer, raised alarm over the October 3rd decision, highlighting its potential to affect councils and farmers nationwide. The core issue revolves around the interpretation of Section 70 of the Resource Management Act, which governs discharge rules in regional plans. Minister McClay acknowledges the gravity of the situation, stating that recent court decisions on RMA sections 70 and 107 threaten to make current laws unworkable. He commits to tackling these challenges through upcoming RMA reforms, ensuring farmers and Environment Southland aren't left in an untenable position. The government had already announced plans in August to amend Section 107 of the RMA. Now, changes to Section 70 are under active consideration to maintain law workability. Falconer expresses concern that additional consents may not yield environmental benefits but could increase costs and bureaucracy for farmers. The council also faces the challenge of processing a significant increase in consent applications. Synlait boosts milk price forecast to align with Fonterra's midpoint Synlait Milk has raised its forecast base milk price for the 2024/2025 season, offering a more optimistic outlook for dairy farmers. The company has increased its prediction to $9 per kilogram of milk solids, up from the earlier estimate of $8.60. This adjustment brings Synlait's forecast in line with the midpoint of Fonterra's range, which currently stands at $8.25 to $9.75 per kilogram of milk solids. Synlait attributes this upward revision to the ongoing strengthening of global commodity prices, driven by contractions in worldwide dairy supply. The company reaffirms its commitment to delivering competitive milk prices and maintaining attractive on-farm offerings for its farmer suppliers. This positive news comes after a challenging period for Synlait. In late September, the company reported a substantial net loss of $182.1 million for the year ending July 31. To address financial concerns, Synlait's shareholders approved a capital raise of nearly $218 million to bolster the company's balance sheet. In a move to retain its South Island farmers, Synlait has announced a one-off payment of 20 cents per kilogram of milk solids. To qualify, farmers must not have a notice to cease supply by May 31, 2025, and commit to supplying the processor next season through August. North Island suppliers will receive a smaller one-off payment of 5 cents per kilogram of milk solids. Leadership shifts at Fonterra as co-op explores major business restructure Fonterra is intensifying its efforts to explore the divestment of its consumer business, signalling a major shift in the dairy giant's strategy.  Mike Cronin, who has been at the helm of co-operative affairs since 2014, will now dedicate his full attention to this crucial project. Fonterra's CEO, Miles Hurrell says this move has the potential to unlock considerable value for both farmer shareholders and unit holders. As Cronin shifts focus, Fonterra welcomes back Matt Bolger to fill the role of Managing Director of Co-operative Affairs from March next year. Bolger brings a wealth of experience, having spent over 18 years with Fonterra in various capacities. He currently chairs the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand and has been leading the University of Waikato Management School. The divestment exploration could involve full or partial sale of Fonterra's consumer channel, including well-known brands such as Anchor, Mainland, and Kāpiti. This strategic move aims to streamline Fonterra's operations, focusing on its ingredients and food service channels. NZ Food Safety approves dozens of inhibitor research trials New Zealand Food Safety has revealed that 51 applications for inhibitor research trials have been given approval to date. These trials focus on two types of inhibitors: methane inhibitors for ruminants like cattle and sheep, and urease or nitrification inhibitors for soil application. Both aim to reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere, with methane inhibitors targeting rumen-produced methane, and soil inhibitors addressing ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions. These studies aim to generate crucial data supporting future product registration in the country, ensuring the inhibitors are safe for animal and crop use, effective, and pose no risk to human health through food consumption. In a related development, six trade-name inhibitor products have entered the next stage of the regulatory process. These have been accepted into the Agricultural Compound or Veterinary Medicine system for technical assessment, a key step towards registration under the ACVM Act. Excellence honoured at 2024 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards The 2024 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards, held last night at Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton, honoured outstanding contributions to the country's red meat sector.  The Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award went to AgResearch plant scientist Dr. David Hume for his work on the AR37 endophyte, which has added billions to New Zealand's economy. FarmIQ's Freshwater Farm Plan Tool took top honors  in the technology award for its user-friendly approach to farm management and compliance. The Gallagher Innovative Farming Award went to Wairarapa's Fernglen Farm, owned by the Ravenwood family. They won for integrating sheep milking into their operation, enhancing family involvement and financial security. Headwaters claimed the Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award for their collaborative approach to adding value through genetics, feeding, and market-driven improvements. The AgResearch Emerging Achiever Award was won by Te Kuiti farmer Mitchel Hoare. He was recognized for his motivation, innovation, and active pursuit of farm ownership. The Rabobank People and Development Award was presented to Growing Future Farmers. They earned praise for their well-structured programme developing new talent in the industry. The FMG Rural Champion Award went to The New Zealand Farm Environment Trust for its long-running Ballance Farm Environment Awards, which highlight farmer environmental stewardship. Ian McIvor was honoured with the Alliance Significant Contribution Award for his extensive work on using poplar and willow trees for soil conservation in hill country farming. And the B+LNZ Regional Leadership Award went to Pukeatua farmer Graeme Gleeson for his advocacy work, particularly in environmental policy development. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.