Forest Lodge Orchard has launched a new retail brand and certification called New Zealand Zero - Page 16 Forest Lodge Orchard looks to the future Autumn 2023 www.waterfordpress.co.nz
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Rural South accepts no responsibility for loss of photos or manuscripts. #businessrural #yourstory www.waterfordpress.co.nz HWH Logging ����������������������������������������������03 Venture Forestry Ltd ������������������������������������04 Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation ���������������������������07 Central Plains Water �������������������������������������08 Opuha Water ������������������������������������������������10 Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd ����������������������������12 Clyde Orchards �������������������������������������������14 Forest Lodge Orchard ���������������������������������16 Foveran Deer Park ��������������������������������������18 Hugh Wigley ������������������������������������������������20 Maw KG Farming ����������������������������������������21 Ray McCrostie ��������������������������������������������22 Adam and Georgie McCall ����������������������������24 Belbrook Farming Ltd ����������������������������������25 Bruce Dinnington ����������������������������������������26 Eyrewell Dairy Pamu �����������������������������������27 Glenacardoch Belgian Blues �������������������������28 Guus ter Woost ��������������������������������������������29 JJJ Farms Ltd ���������������������������������������������30 Nick Templer and Anieka Venekamp �������������31 Sam and Karen Bennett ������������������������������32 Stacey and Mark Stewart �����������������������������33 Will Green ���������������������������������������������������34 Milk IQ Limited �������������������������������������������35 Karl Dean and Kelvin Coe ����������������������������36 Black Origin �������������������������������������������������37 Paul Raddenklau - Dunmore Farm ��������������39 Cairnlea Farm ����������������������������������������������40 Elliot King ����������������������������������������������������40 Ridgeway Kaiwara ���������������������������������������41 Ferniehurst Station Ltd ���������������������������������42 Geoffrey Young ���������������������������������������������43 Glendoroch Farm ����������������������������������������44 Glenbrook Station Shorthorns ����������������������46 Grant McKerchar �����������������������������������������47 Hereford Breeders Section ���������������������������48 Ian Anderson ������������������������������������������������49 Hill Valley Simmentals ����������������������������������50 Kakahu Angus ���������������������������������������������52 Julia Stewart Eden ���������������������������������������54 Koromiko Farm ��������������������������������������������54 James Ward ������������������������������������������������55 Lake Hawea Station �������������������������������������56 Leafland Simmentals �����������������������������������57 Luke and Nicole Kane ���������������������������������58 Marble Point Station - Sara Black. ����������������59 Martin Farming ��������������������������������������������60 Matthew & Shona Tayler ������������������������������62 Monymusk Herefords �����������������������������������64 Mt Pisa Station �������������������������������������������66 Newhaven Farms ����������������������������������������67 Nithdale Station ������������������������������������������68 Penvose Angus �������������������������������������������70 Picton Park Farms ����������������������������������������71 84 | Tamar Meats now has pasture-to-plate line 25 | Belbrook sale back after six-year hiatus Poll Dorset Windermere �������������������������������73 Roughridge Farm ����������������������������������������74 Russell Laughton ����������������������������������������76 Te Mania Stud ����������������������������������������������77 Simon Davies ���������������������������������������������78 Sam and Liz Barton �������������������������������������80 Te Waimate Station ��������������������������������������81 Waipori Station �������������������������������������������83 Tamar Meats ����������������������������������������������84 Vet 4 Farm ���������������������������������������������������86 Agriganics ��������������������������������������������������87 Amuri Transport ������������������������������������������88 Andrews Transport Ltd ���������������������������������89 Great Southern - Timaru ������������������������������92 Harmer Earthmoving �����������������������������������94 Methven Seed Cleaning �������������������������������95 Heliventures NZ ������������������������������������������96 Mainland Minerals ���������������������������������������98 Oliver Brothers / Tony Boyce Builders �����������99 Ranfurly Transport Ltd ��������������������������������100 Renner Fencing Contractors �����������������������102 Repost �������������������������������������������������������103 Ryal Bush Transport �����������������������������������104 Total Harvesting Ltd ����������������������������������106 Transport Services Ltd �������������������������������108 WE Perrin Ltd ��������������������������������������������109 70 | Penvose Angus highlights big gains 29 | Guus loves the problem solving aspect OUR PARTNERS: Christchurch Office 112 Wrights Road, Addington, Christchurch Phone 03-983 5500 PO Box 37 346 www.waterfordpress.co.nz Queenstown Office 70 Glenda Drive, Queenstown 9300 PO Box 2581, Wakatipu MANAGING DIRECTOR James Lynch james@waterfordpress.co.nz EDITORIAL Editor Randall Johnston randall@waterfordpress.co.nz Paul Mein paulmein@waterfordpress.co.nz Journalists Ange Davidson, Kelly Deeks, Hugh de Lacy, Tracey Edwardes, Russell Fredric, Rachel Graham, Richard Loader, Kim Newth, Karen Phelps, Sue Russell, Rosa Watson, Virginia Wright. 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| 3 FORESTRY » HWH Logging Doing the right thing Many of the sites HWH Logging work on around Otago and Southland have waterways or water races dotted around. Rachel Graham For HWH Logging making sure they take good care of the forests they are working in has long been important to them. That ongoing environmental focus was recognised in the Southern Wood Council 2022 Forestry Awards with HWH Logging given the Forest Environmental Management Excellence Award. The company also won the same award in 2017. Michael Wallace is the managing director of HWH Logging, which has been operating in Otago and Southland for around 15 years. HWH Logging works under contract for US company Rayonier, which owns over 70 forests in New Zealand. Rayonier is New Zealand’s third largest forestry company, with around 120, 000 planted hectares. HWH Logging work in Rayonier forests in the Catlins, Gore and Lawrence. HWH Logging’s harvesting crew process the pine and Douglas-fir logs, and grade them ready to be sold overseas or used in local markets. HWH Logging were nominated for the Forest Environmental Management Excellence Award by Rayonier. Michael Wallace says that environmental focus is very important to Rayonier, and to HWH Logging. “We take a lot of pride in it,” says Michael. “It is Rayonier’s forest and we take a lot of pride in looking after their forest. It’s actually quite a nice feeling, seeing that the forest is looked after.” He says one of the aspects of their work which would have helped them stand out is their attitude to rehabilitation of the forest. “We don’t leave big tracks everywhere. We rehabilitate our tracks. So, after you’ve seen us go through and take the trees out, and you look back, it doesn’t really look like we’ve been there apart from the trees gone.” He says leaving large open tracks would create gullies for water to run down, sending sediment into creeks and waterways. Michael Wallace says they carefully manage where they put their tracks in, and use of a new winch assist machine means they now need less tracks. He says the key is thinking about how you want to operate and planning out the whole set up in advance, rather than leaping in and realising too late things could have been done better. Many of the sites HWH Logging work on around Otago and Southland have waterways or water races dotted around. Michael says another key aim with their tracking is keeping unwanted material out of the waterways. “If we have to cross a waterway we make sure that we bridge it correctly pipe it correctly so that we don’t end up with stuff getting dragged into the creeks. And we look after our tracks so that if we do have a big downpour we don’t end up with a whole lot of runoff. We also have big sediment traps to catch any runoff and things like that. There is quite a lot of work in it.” Earthmoving and Farm Maintenance Done Right 30 years of local knowledge and experience makes us the right people to talk to when it comes to earthmoving and farm maintenance. We explore every angle of a project upfront to ensure it runs smoothly and efficiently. For us, being the best isn’t about getting a job done fastest, or cheapest, it’s about getting it Done Right. Find out how we will get your project Done Right at tarbotton.co.nz Michael says Rayonier have offered excellent support with the work, helping with the planning and suggestions on how to improve their environmental impact and safety. He says his team of seven workers are also very keen and motivated to do their bit to protect the environment they work in each day, and the Southern Wood Council award was great acknowledgement of that commitment. “There's more to the story than three generations of legal knowledge and experience, it's also about understanding the importance of connecting to people and community in the region.” - Albert Alloo, Partner albert@all-legal.co.nz 03 477 3940 www.all-legal.co.nz 67 Princes St, Dunedin, 9016
4 | FORESTRY » Venture Forestry Ltd Natural progression and hard work combined Mort based his company Venture Forestry Limited in the South Island with its current head office at Invermay. Virginia Wright Having grown up on a sheep and beef farm in South Otago Mort Shepherd always knew that was where he would like to return when the time came. On his return from overseas in 2008 he took a job with a forestry consulting company then decided to give it a go on his own a few years later once he hit his early 30’s. He’d been a graduate engineer with Carter Holt Harvey in Hawkes Bay, learning the forestry industry from the ground up, before working for several seasons in Canada rappelling out of helicopters as the first line of attack against forest fires. It was exciting work and while it didn’t stop him coming home to ‘get a real job’ as he says with a laugh, it no doubt fed into his decision to do something that involved the outdoors and kept him in the primary industries. It was an easy decision to base his new company Venture Forestry Limited in the South Island with its current Head Office at Invermay, just out of Mosgiel. Mort’s timing was good as the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) had not long been set up and there was work to be had measuring the forests in Otago and Northern Southland. He thinks the majority of the trees in question were planted in the last log boom in the early 90’s. Once the ETS began any forest owner with more than 100 hectares who chose to opt in, whether a farmer or a private forestry company, were required to measure the carbon stocks within their forest. “I set up a forest inventory business in 2011 really, going to predetermined locations and measuring stem (trunk) heights and diameters to calculate their carbon. • to page 5 Improved WDG formulation - more stable active ingredient and formulation - improved efficacy Easier storage and handling. Safer for operators Higher active ingredient content, 10 kg/ha – less product to handle Packed in 10 kg recyclable LDPE bags which makes for ease of rate calculations For selective weed control in forestry and non-selective weed control in industrial situations. Hexagard® is a registered trademark ofGrosafe Contact Grosafe on 0800 220 002 or email: info@grosafe.co.nz | www.grosafe.co.nz NEW RE L E AS E Exotic forestry can be a topic of conversation for almost everyone involved in agriculture. To meet New Zealand’s carbon sequestration goals, theoretically 380,000 ha will need to be planted. In other words, for a 600 ha sheep and beef operation, roughly 10 ha of planted forest could potentially o set around 10% of on-farm carbon emissions. Forests in the permanent category can use the stock change approach and attain carbon credits for as long as the forest is in the ground. David MacGibbon, Grosafe Group Chief Executive, says between carbon sequestration, record prices for sawn timber and forecasts projecting a quadrupling of global demand by 2050; the sector is poised to expand exponentially. Grosafe has worked with industry and forest establishment experts to understand the future needs for tree release solutions while recognising the practical issues facing some of the current products. Common themes of concern include supply chain disruption, mixing and handling of liquid products, application and storage problems. Responding to these issues, Grosafe has developed two innovative products. HexaGard® 750 and HexaGard 750 Extra are high strength granular formulations, combining two of the most preferred and proven herbicides used in the sector. Co-formulating ingredients into a Grosafe Group Launches New Forestry Release Option high-strength water dispersible granule has resulted in a stable formulation with improved e icacy. The higher active ingredient content means less handling and storage and easy calculation of the amount required for most sites. “The stability of the HexaGard formulations means perennial issues with mixing and applying liquid products are eliminated.” “Storage characteristics are vastly superior, so operators can now store any leftover product across seasons without fear of it settling out.” The safety aspect of being able to manage any spills of dry granules rather than cleaning up liquids has been welcomed by health and safety sta as well. Plenty of thought was put into packaging too. HexaGard 750 and HexaGard 750 Extra come in 10 kg recyclable bags, packed within a palletised cardboard bin, making it easier to quickly calculate the amount required, simplifying transport and recovering used packaging materials. “We are delighted with the feedback,” David MacGibbon says. “Being able to work closely with the sector, understand the issues and then respond by developing some innovative solutions has been very satisfying.” For details contact your Agrispray Agronomist or phone 0800 006 268 or contact Grosafe at info@grosafe.co.nz
| 5 FORESTRY » Venture Forestry Ltd Venture Forestry Limited now have five staff, plus two contract staff and a contract work force of 20 to 30 which goes up to more like 60 in the planting season. • to page 6 Log Cartage 03 215 9460 www.dtking.co.nz Invercargill & Dunedin David Gale 0274 989 205 Graeme Gale 03 489 7322 Email: heli@heliotago.co.nz Quality Guaranteed Why Wait, Call: Nationwide suppliers of the most commonly grown forestry species, Radiata pine, Douglas Fir and Eucalyptus trees, as well as a range of other minor species for shelter belts, hedging and riparian/re-vegetation plantings. www.arborgen.co.nz 41 Hilda Road, Edendale 9893 03 206 6665 sales@arborgen.co.nz Log Cartage Specialists Proud to be associated with Venture Forestry Ltd as a local Log Cartage Contractor Fleetwood Manager: Maurice Adam 021 355 713 maurice@fleetwoodlimited.co.nz 33 Limeworks Road, Milburn It’s grown from that into all aspects of forestry: planting, harvesting, silviculture; and because I’ve been involved in the ETS since its inception in 2008 we’ve gathered a lot of knowledge along the way which is relevant to a lot of small to medium forest owners,” says Mort. New Zealand is divided into 12 regions each of which have their own generic “look-up tables”, estimating the amount of carbon sequestered in that area by its various forests, measured by age-class and species. Much of the inventory work Venture Forestry Limited did (and does), replacing the generic with accurate measurements, showed that in fact the amount of carbon sequestered was greater than had been calculated in the generic tables. Venture Forestry Limited now have five staff, plus two contract staff and a contract work force of 20 to 30 which goes up to more like 60 in the planting season. Last season they planted some 2000 hectares of forest seedlings, 75 % of which is new forest. “For example we manage Port Blakely’s Estate which is 7000 hectares out of Dunedin. They were our first annual contract and they remain one of our biggest customers,” says Mort. “We don’t harvest their trees but we do for some of our other clients. Basically we do everything involved in forestry from preparation to harvesting, forest valuations through to ETS advice and management, selling and trading carbon credits for owners, and investment advice for new projects. We’ve got expertise in all those areas on staff.” Having seen first-hand the difference between the generic look-up tables and accurately measured carbon sequestration Mort believes taking forest “I set up a forest inventory business in 2011 really, going to predetermined locations and measuring stem (trunk) heights and diameters to calculate their carbon.
6 | FORESTRY » Venture Forestry Ltd “It’s nice to be involved in something that’s looking at a lot longer time frames, planting something my children are more likely to see the benefit from financially than I will.” • from page 5 Once the ETS began any forest owner with more than 100 hectares who chose to opt in, whether a farmer or a private forestry company, were required to measure the carbon stocks. specific ETS advice is well worth it: especially before planting or investing in forestry, before harvesting, and before selling your forestry assets. “Taking generic advice is dangerous. There has been some poor advice given mainly because of the lack of understanding of it. Everyone’s situation is different depending on their forest’s species, age-class and location. We tailor our advice for the client depending on their holding. We look at the expected carbon profiles either out of their planted forest or their planned planted forest. ETS has been around for about 15 years but realistically people (such as lawyers and real-estate agents) are only just coming up to speed with it, and there’s been quite a few non-compliant transactions that have occurred,” explains Mort. “The legislation and penalties around the ETS are actually tougher than the Inland Revenue rules.” Within the forests he’s personally involved with in Otago and the North Island, Mort is enjoying moving beyond the typical Pinus-radiata forests, which are still his bread and butter, and trialing various native species. Compared to the 100 or so years New Zealand has had to refine the economics of growing radiata, growing natives on a larger scale at an economic cost is a recent development but, thanks to the ETS with revenue to be made from the planting of natives not just the timber felled, there’s growing interest. Mort’s doing selective Research and Development on mixed species natives, for example totara and beech, with nursery crops such as flax, kanuka and manuka, planting from seed, and working out what’s needed to help them successfully grow above their competition, to become safely established. “It’s nice to be involved in something that’s looking at a lot longer time frames, planting something my children are more likely to see the benefit from financially than I will. For me it’s about growing up and moving out of that corporate space and changing the focus a bit to have a bottom line that’s not purely financial,” says Mort. He has no doubt that some of the bigger players will eventually follow suit, if they’re not already, establishing native plantings of their own. The Team at Agrispray are pleased to be able to work with Venture Forestry Ltd. Agrispray supplies a range of seed, specialist equipment and chemical including HexaGard 750 Proud to support Venture Forestry For a personal approach to all your business advisory and accounting requirements, contact CEG today. p 03 479 0400 e admin@cegnz.co.nz w www.cegnz.co.nz business advisors + chartered accountants Port Blakely Ltd are proud to support Venture Forestry PO Box 13-980, Christchurch | Ph: 03 338 6741 | Fax: 03 339 1689 info-NZF@portblakely.com | www.portblakely.com NZ Forest Owner FORESTRY www.gdruralskills.co.nz Contact us on: Phone: 027 443 9023 info@gdruralskills.co.nz Specialists in Forest Establishment Planting - Spraying - Pruning - Thinning We’ve got the ground work covered to maximise your forestry investment. FORESTRY
| 7 Irrigation » Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation “Agriculture has been at the bedrock of my career from the time I left school. I’ve been involved in farm advisory work and, on the regulation front, previously worked for Environment Canterbury.” Farmers up their game on water use Kim Newth Mid Canterbury farmers are ‘walking the talk’ on the environment and taking action to use water responsibly and sustainably, says Nick Daniels, CEO of Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation (BCI). He describes the environmental performance of farms within local irrigation schemes as “incredibly high”, with improved nutrient management bringing tangible rewards. “Some of the latest data we have for 2016-2020 shows there has been a 20 per cent drop in nutrient losses, so we can clearly demonstrate that actions of farmers are having a significant impact.” Mid Canterbury is a highly productive dairying and mixed crop farming district, with irrigation water being the lifeblood of this food production powerhouse. BCI is an important, farmer-owned irrigation scheme that delivers water to 23,000ha - equating to around 10% of the district’s total irrigated area – and also manages nutrient losses from farms within the scheme. Just over half of the land managed under the scheme is used for arable farming and horticulture. There are 140 BCI shareholdings on the scheme, which also supplies water to a further 50 farmers on the Acton Farmers Irrigation Co-operative (AFIC) scheme. Having taken up the role of CEO with BCI last year, Nick is excited about the opportunity it presents to make a valuable contribution to the rural sector. “Agriculture has been at the bedrock of my career from the time I left school. I’ve been involved in farm advisory work and, on the regulation front, previously worked for Environment Canterbury. To me, one of the real strengths of a scheme like this lies in its ability to leverage the benefit that comes from farmers working together.” Those benefits are many. Collaboration and support are key to achieving the goal of catchmentwide environmental outcomes, which relies on everyone playing their part. Additionally, with reliable production comes investment, in turn bringing growth in employment opportunities. At the same time, Nick recognises that climate change resilience is becoming an increasingly pressing challenge – “and we have an important part to play in adLIMITED Proudly supporting Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Over 50 years experience in Electrical and Irrigation Solutions Solar Installs BCI Scheme Rakaia River intake downstream from Highbank. dressing that challenge too, through the delivery of reliable irrigation water.” Working alongside BCI and other local irrigation co-operatives, the Enviro Collective has a key role in supporting environmental performance across the district’s irrigated farmland. “The Enviro Collective team advises BCI on the development of our environmental programme, creates resources, develops workshops and field days, arranges Farm Environment Plan (FEP) audits, and assists farmer shareholders with all the scheme’s environmental requirements.” Nitrate loss to groundwater from intensive farming has long been the primary environmental challenge in Mid Canterbury, but Nick is confident that fast-changing farm practices are indeed making a difference. Farmers supplied by BCI must have up to date FEPs and meet caps on nutrients. Tracking of BCI/AFIC independent audit grades over recent years shows a massive rise in farmer shareholders achieving A grade audits, from just over 10% in 2015/16 to well over 90% in 2021/22. “It shows the impact of a lot of hard work, and the collective and incremental gains that shareholders have made over time.” Step by step progression has been steadily won through various means including improved irrigation maintenance; greater use of data to make more precise decisions on irrigation, fertiliser and effluent applications; improving feed utilisation; and integrating catch crops to mop up nutrients after winter grazing. BCI and AFIC farmers have consistently demonstrated the ability to evolve their on-farm practices to improve environmental outcomes, and are confident of their ability to rise to future challenges and build improved performance and resilience into their farming businesses. Hectares of irrigated land managed with our technology Of kilometres of canal automated Countries benefitting from our solutions Products produced worldwide
8 | Irrigation » Central Plains Water Supplying a clear path to future growth Central Plains Water 2022 water monitoring. Glenn Rutter, Kim van den Beuken, Conan Moynihan, Fiona Crombie. Hugh de Lacy Giving a small select group of businesses the certainty and capacity to strategically plan for intergenerational operations is one of the key benefits delivered by Central Plains Water, according to chief executive Susan Goodfellow. “Many of us working in the rural sector fall into that category of business, with farms taking an intergenerational approach, and irrigation companies servicing the sector also able to take a longer-term management perspective during planning cycles,” Susan says. CPW is an irrigation company in the Selwyn District, south of Christchurch, servicing 63,000ha of farmland between the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers. “CPW is able to look forward a hundred years as part of our operational cycle. “This extended timeframe comes with challenges and crystal ball gazing, but one certainty is remaining true to our company vision: Sustainable Water Growing our World. “With our infrastructure currently valued at $422m, and given our long-term commitment to the community in which we operate, it makes sense for us to build a strong sustainability foundation into our planning processes,” Susan says. She sees sustainability as encompassing many strands of the company’s operations, including cultural, social and environmental well-being. The company had already made a strong stand in the environmental space, with those sensibilities Proudly supporting Central PlainsWater
| 9 Irrigation » Central Plains Water Near River Recharge Infrastructure. being at the core of its operations from the start. This was borne out by all CPW farms having a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) so shareholders could assess and appropriately manage their environmental risk. “In our 2022 audit, 99% of our farms received an A or B Grade in their FEP audit. “In the past six years CPW has contributed over $1.4m to a wide range of projects designed to enhance biodiversity in our catchment.” Susan says that these projects included wetland protection and research, native tree planting – more than 70,000 so far – and efforts to enhance Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere’s biodiversity. “As part of our resource consent, CPW was required to undertake water quality and quantity testing long before construction work started. “The beauty of this is that we now have some excellent benchmark statistics to enable effective tracking of our sustainability progress,” Susan says. The most recent reporting showed gains in several key areas, including a 50% - 43 million cubic metres – reduction in groundwater abstraction by shareholders, and a reduction of 22% in nitrogen lost to ground water. “These are all positive trends, and ones that we will continue to place focus on as we move through our planning process,” she says. “Sustainability is also about building community well-being in our areas of operation, and a recent BERL report we commissioned clearly shows the impact we continue to have in that space. “We supply 263 farms with water to irrigate 45,000ha from run-of-river water, and water from Lake Coleridge. “We know our operations have a profound effect on the wider Canterbury economy, with flow-on effects rippling throughout the region’s industries, businesses and employees. “Our operations contributed a total of $293m to Canterbury’s gross domestic product, and direct employment of 893 workers,” Susan Goodfellow said. Irrigation | Water storage | Hydro | Dams Auckland | Christchurch | riley.co.nz | Specialist engineering solutions Riley_Business Rural Magazine_ad_126.5x180mm.indd 1 9/03/23 7:16 PM
10 | Environment at the forefront Opuha Dam aerial shot. Photo by Opuha Water. Rosa Watson IRRIGATION » Opuha Water South Canterbury’s Opuha water scheme is not only providing vital irrigation to shareholders in the region, it also plays an important role in protecting the area’s environment. And it’s a role Opuha Water Ltd takes seriously, as a legacy for future generations. The company owns and operates the Opuha dam. It irrigates 16,000 hectares of farmland in the region, running from the Fairlie basin down to the Levels plains and includes the Levels Plains, Kakahu and Totara Valley sub-schemes. “It used to be a collection of co-ops … and now we’re one co-op covering all of these schemes,” chief executive officer Andrew Mockford explains. The lake can store 65.2 million cubic metres of water and includes a 7-mega watt power station. The power station can produce 27 gigawatt hours on average a year, which can power about 3800 homes. A fantastic green energy by-product of the Opuha Dam, Andrew says. While providing water to shareholders, the scheme also releases water to make sure the Opuha and Opihi rivers have an environmental flow of water to protect the ecosystem. The Opihi River has never run dry since the dam was commissioned in 1998, which has not only protected the ecosystem but also provided more consistent days that the river mouth is open, Andrew says. Another important role of the company is to manage the lake’s level to be able to capture and hold back large volumes of flood water flowing down from the catchment, preventing further damage downstream. • to page 12 South Canterbury-based Aerialtech is helping farmers and primary industry organisations to add value to their business through state-of-the-art monitoring technology. The company covers a large area that includes Timaru as well as Central Otago, South Canterbury and the North Canterbury high country. Clients can monitor variables within their business, driving performance and cost saving decisions, as well as taking care of compliance requirements. Aerialtech was formed after owner Ben Walden spent time working for a local hydrology and telemetry company. It is an independent company but maintains industry contracts with companies such as Halo Systems. Ben is the sole operator, which he says ensures personalised attention and control for all clients. “I do however have a number of independent suppliers who I engage for specialised work and support.” After gaining a Bachelor of Science degree from Otago University, Ben was employed by a hydrology company. “This company also developed a sound monitoring system in which I was employed to install and maintain.” Wanting to be self-employed, he went out on his own with Aerialtech, wanting to o er a greater range of options as the market expanded and technology advanced. “I have always had a love for the agricultural sector and enjoy working with farmers, creating ideas and solutions that can enhance their compliance and governance requirements and to enhance their production results through the adopting of relevant technological solutions.” Aerialtech bringing technological solutions to farming Success for Ben is providing relevant solutions to clients’ situations. “This involves listening to the client, searching for solutions and providing the answers to assist my clients. “The satisfaction comes from providing support and equipment that covers every client and their individual needs. The company o ered dedicated after-sales support, building a closer relationship with the client and monitoring the output to see results. Ben has worked with a number of water companies, farmers located in di ering geographical areas covering many farming needs, soil types and climactic variables. “There is growing need for farmers to be more compliant and aware of the options that are available to them. I can help ill this need.” He said there were many challenges facing farmers, “but many we can't solve, for example what has happened with the latest bout of weather or global uncertainties”. “The main challenge for me is to convince farmers that by adopting and adapting to new technology they can increase production and become more self-governing in their business. “The advances in technology is evident and the bene its measurable. It is just whether the farmer can see this as being a necessary part of their everyday work.” He is committed to o ering personalised monitoring solutions and support that recognises ongoing developments in the agricultural sector. He is con ident in the future for farming. “But that future will no doubt go through continued change. “I want to be a part of that and being able to o er solutions to my clients’ questions, problems and needs. I want to learn from the past but plan for the future.” Agricultural Monitoring Solutions. BenWalden ben@aerialtech.co.nz 021 195 9199 Proudly supporting Opuha Water.
Expert Guidance in the Face of NewDamRegulations With new dam legislation coming into effect next year, landowners with significant water bodies or structures on their property will need to be prepared. These regulations aim to prevent dam failures, which could have devastating consequences for communities downstream. New dam legislation requires landowners to take action – are you prepared? By May 13, 2024, all landowners with classifiable dams must outline the potential risks associated with their dam, prepare an appropriate dam safety assurance programme, and prove yearly compliance with the programme. Classifiable dams may consist of assets such as lakes, ponds, and functional irrigation ponds or canals. These will need to have regular monitoring and surveillance measures put in place to ensure their safety and prevent any potential risks. While larger infrastructure owners are likely aware of these requirements, some private landowners could be unaware or have not started the process. Enter Fox & Associates, a surveying company based in Christchurch with a proven track record in dam-related projects. Having recently collaborated with Opuha Water on a project Fox & Associates Creating legacies with land | Of ces in Christchurch and Ashburton info@foxsurvey.co.nz 0800 369 787 (FOXSURVEY) / 03 903 2770 www.foxsurvey.co.nz involving the Opuha Dam, Fox & Associates has acquired specialised expertise in this field. “Expertise will be required to prepare the necessary documentation,” managing director Carl Fox explains. “At Fox and Associates our expertise relates to the mapping and monitoring of the dam support structures and, if required, mapping of the water body beds up and down stream of the dam.” Innovative Technology is Helping Landowners Meet New Dam Safety Regulations The award-winning surveying firm has a wide range of advanced technology for mapping and monitoring not only structures but also the associated water bodies. This includes aerial technology such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to scan objects from the air, equipped with high end sensors like LiDAR, high-resolution cameras, and thermal cameras. They also employ ground-based instruments such as scanners, total stations, precise levels and GPS, and water-based technology using remote controlled survey catamarans to measure the beds of water bodies “if we are not able to measure from the sky”. The company monitors and displays changes through specialist analytic software presenting the data in a concise and easy-to-read way. For example, using an instrument to observe the condition of the concrete in a structure, or thermal cameras that detect leaks. Creating Legacies With Land Fox and Associates uses the strengths of all the different technologies to provide the best solutions for their clients, Carl says. “It was our wide range of services, our experience working on lakes, canals, irrigation ponds and our industry reputation that led Opuha Water to engage Fox and Associates.” “There are not many survey and measurement specialists in this space able to provide the full suite of services, so we have been fortunate to be involved with a range of very interesting projects up and down the Country from Wellington to Southland, and of small to large scale,” says Carl. In addition to their dam-related projects, Fox and Associates work across a broad range of land projects including rural, urban, hillside and commercial developments. The company has won several awards for thinking outside the box and using existing technology in new and innovative ways.
12 | Better irrigation Flood water releasing over downstream weir. Photo by Opuha Water. Kim Newth • from page 10 IRRIGATION » Opuha Water / Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL), one of the largest run-of-river irrigation schemes in the South Island, is reporting that farmer shareholders’ efforts to actively manage irrigation are paying off with smarter irrigation practices benefitting both farm performance and the environment. According to WIL’s Year in Review 2022 report, considerable progress has been made on achieving improved irrigation practices that go hand in hand with respon sible environmental stewardship. All up, 99% of the total 30,536 hectares on the scheme achieved A and B audits. WIL Chairman Hugh Martyn described that as “an incredible result” that reflected the commitment, energy and investment of shareholders over the past six years. Shareholder farmers on the scheme have been embracing technology in order to adapt to both market demand and changing environmental regulations. This played a big role in reducing the severity of the May 2021 floods that affected the region. “At the height of that rainfall we held back 450 cumecs per second. Had that 450 cumecs been in the lower reaches there would have been considerably more damage done in those areas. “So, it’s a good asset in that regard.” It is also a fantastic fishing resource and recreational lake that is enjoyed by the community year-round. “So, it’s awesome to see the community getting the benefit of that.” And there are ongoing economic benefits from the scheme, which irrigates 16,000 hectares of land growing pasture for livestock farms, and also crops such as potatoes, onions, blackcurrants, barley and wheat. And most of that produce ends up in Washdyke, Timaru to be processed, creating hundreds more jobs. “In terms of South Canterbury, I think Opuha has played a really massive part in terms of regional prosperity,” Andrew says. The company is continuing to develop its assets to protect them into the future. “The assets we’ve got we view as intergenerational assets. They need to be here for well over 100 years. “We’ve certainly got work planned over the next 10 years to enhance the dam, power station and irrigation schemes.” There is a big biodiversity project planned that will involve the protection of existing native biodiversity areas and further planting of natives. The company is mapping the area with a view to creating a rich biodiverse corridor from the lake catchment to the ocean, centered firstly on shareholder properties, but also working with community stakeholders and other local groups. “It’s working out where to start the spending over the next few years - considering where’s the best bang for buck.” Planting out the island in the lake was also in the long-term plans, Andrew says. The whole biodiversity enhancement is a long play - 20 to 30 years to complete these projects. “But if we don’t start now, it’ll always be 20 to 30 years away.” Overall, Opuha has added “massive value” to the area, both environmentally and economically and plans to keep adding value to the environment and community. They are using data from weather stations, flow meters and moisture monitors to support irrigation scheduling and are making good use of a mobile app that provides daily, weekly and monthly recommendations on whether to irrigate. “For the environment, this means less nutrient loss while at the same time farmers are saving money on irrigation during the shoulder seasons,” observes WIL’s chief executive Brent Walton. “We are continuing to work towards a future where individual farmers actively manage irrigation, applying precisely the right amount of water at the right time. Because of this our farmers will be able to increase their yields, reduce their fertiliser and energy usage, while at the same time achieving improved environmental outcomes.” Supporting innovation in farming is an ongoing commitment for WIL, which has partnered with the Waimakariri Landcare Trust and the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) to examine how the next generation of farmers is using innovation to improve farming practices. The project is supported Our Resource Management Team is proud to provide legal support to Opuha Water Limited. www.gressons.co.nz Timaru Motors 207 Hilton Highway | Timaru P 03 687 4133 | timarumotors.co.nz Proud to supply New Vehicles to Opuha Water Farmer shareholders’ efforts to actively manage irrigation are paying off with smarter irrigation practices Driveways • General Earthworks • Irrigation Machinery Hire • Shingle Supply • Tracks & Lime 021 991 865 garyolivercontract@gmail.com Proud to support Opuha Water
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