Apple, pear crops break records
Apple and pear crop estimates just completed show the 2017 forecast of 584,000 tonnes will eclipse the previous record of 560,000 tonnes set in 2004, says Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard. The 2017 crop will be produced from 9500ha compared to the 2004 crop grown on 13,500ha. In 2004, 84 per cent of apples went to North America and the European Union and only 13 per cent to Asia and the Middle East. Today that ratio is approaching 50/50. In 2012 New Zealand Apples and Pears set a goal of becoming a billion-dollar export sector by 2022. The industry increased exports from $341 million in 2012 to about $720m last year and expects to achieve its billion-dollar target much earlier than forecast.
Nitrogen fix?
Kaitaia's Gabriel O'Callaghan, who is studying for a bachelor of engineering degree at Massey University, has received a $4000 one-year Ballance Agri-Nutrients scholarship to help her research into ways of reducing the amount of nitrogen in New Zealand waterways. "If a fertiliser product could be developed so nitrogen was attracted to soil particles or the product itself, then release nitrogen at the rate at which pasture can use it, there would be little to no waste of nitrogen through leaching. This would ultimately decrease the amount of nitrogen found in both the ground and river water," she says. Her scholarship is among six with a total value value of $54,000.
Public perceptions surveyed
In the latest Public Perceptions of New Zealand's Environment survey, released by researchers at Lincoln University last week, 59 per cent of respondents identified farming as a major cause of damage to the environment (up from 25 per cent when the survey began in 2000) and 65 per cent of respondents thought management of farming effluent and runoff was bad or very bad. Respondents felt that, of all our resources, rivers and lakes were in the worst state and there was also a growing perception the management of marine fisheries was worsening, with over 35 per cent of respondents saying fisheries were poorly managed. Access the survey here.
Climate change research
A 12-point Federated Farmers' policy on climate change approved in Wellington last week calls for greater investment in research efforts to reduce biological agricultural emissions. But it says that as New Zealand farmers are world-leading carbon efficient protein producers it makes no sense to include agricultural biological emissions in the Emissions Trading Scheme until there are effective mitigation tools, and the country's international competitors are likewise included. Federated Farmers' full policy on climate change is available at www.fedfarm.org.nz under Policy Work/National Policy.
Rural Women joins in
Rural Women NZ is a member of the newly formed Firearms Safety Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. The group's submission to the Law and Order Select Committee on illegal possession of firearms last August stated concerns about the shortage of police in rural areas and the effect of organised and firearm-related crime on community safety. Interim chairman of the Firearms Safety Council, retired police inspector Joe Green, says a key objective is to provide advice to government agencies and organisations such as the media on firearms safety related matters. Membership of the Firearms Safety Council includes the NZ Deerstalkers Association, Pistol NZ, NZ Shooting Federation, NZ Pig Hunters Association, Sporting Shooters Association of NZ, NZ Sporting Industry Association, Antique and Historical Arms Association, Federated Mountain Clubs, Target Shooting NZ, Firearms Safety Specialists NZ Ltd, NZ Black Powder Shooting Federation, NZ Service Rifle Association and Safari Club International (NZ).
Director keynote speaker
Fonterra director John Monaghan will be a keynote speaker at the BNZ Northland Dairy Development Trust conference in Whangarei next month, replacing Fonterra chairman John Wilson, who will be unable to attend because of commitments abroad. BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander will also be a keynote speaker at the conference, in the ASB Lounge, Kensington Stadium, Western Hills Drive, Whangarei, on March 7 with registration from 9.45am, and the conference starting at 10am and concluding with lunch at 1.35pm. The Northland Regional Council will give a presentation on the draft regional plan and Northland Inc will discuss the 350 Project. There will also be an update on the three farmlet trial - grass only, cropping and PKE - which is in its second season at the Northland Agricultural Research Farm at Dargaville and farmers will be told what's coming up on the national and global milk scenes.