Organics - a work in progress

Malcolm and Shirley Campbell receive a premium for the organic milk their 240 cows produce, but it wasn't the money which prompted them to change management practices.
"Farmers who go into organics for the money alone are doing it for the wrong reasons because, over time, the premium will reduce. You have to be profitable, based on conventional returns," said Malcolm, who farms 100ha near Edgecumbe.
He made the change to organics in 2000 after nearly 20 years of conventional farming.
"The cows have never been healthier or happier. Before converting, we were chasing our tails, with every animal health problem you solved causing another. We seemed to be working harder and spending more money for no improvement in returns."
Animal health was costing between $50 and $60 a head.
Today, it averages $5 and he puts that down to several factors, including improved soil health and organic drenches.
"You have to get the soil biology working properly and it takes time." He does that through regular soil tests, applying a range of organic fertilisers and compost teas, and by improving the pasture species.
"We'd started changing our pasture anyway before going organic as I was disillusioned with ryegrass, which didn't hold up well in summer."
Today, the pasture on the fertile flat land that was Malcolm's parents' property, and a run-off not far away, grows a mix of species including chicory, plantain, fescue, cocksfoot, phlaris, red clover and two white clovers, designed to handle dry summers and give the cows variety in their diet.
"They love the variety" as cows, like humans get bored with a monotonous diet.
The Campbells also grow maize organically for supplementary feed with few if any disease problems in the crop.
About the only drench the animals regularly receive is a cider vinegar and garlic one. However, like all organic farms, the Edgecumbe property has an isolation paddock where any animals in need of conventional veterinary treatment are kept separate from the general herd.
"Animal health and welfare is paramount and if we failed to treat an animal that was suffering with conventional drugs if that was what was needed, we would lose our organic certification," said Malcolm.
The cows are artificially inseminated, followed by Hereford bulls which must remain in the isolation paddock for 48 hours to clear their systems of any conventional feeds. They must be outside the withholding period for conventional drugs before they can join the cows.
While overall animal health has improved dramatically, Malcolm says his herd still suffers from somatic cell counts higher than he'd like, but this is falling. He believes mastitis can be triggered by stress and how low animals graze the pasture. His herd never stays long enough on one paddock to eat the grass to ground level.
Dairy shed effluent is irrigated over 28ha of the farm, much larger than the 10ha required under the resource consent.
Weed control is mainly by grubbing but Malcolm's view on weeds would be at odds to that of many farmers. "Every plant has a purpose and weeds can tell you a lot about your soil. Some plants will only grow in certain conditions and you can alter those to encourage the plants you want and not the ones you don't." Malcolm even has weed leaves tested to find out what conditions suit them best, so he can adjust his fertiliser programme to discourage them.
However, there are some "weeds" Malcolm doesn't mind finding in small numbers, including dock which the cows will eat. "It's high in mineral levels and its deep tap root helps break up the soil."
Information about how to farm organically has improved in the 10 years since the Campbells began their conversion. "It wasn't easy at first to find out what worked and what didn't. A lot of it was trial and error and listening to other organic farmers. The certification bodies tell you what you can and can't do but have limited advisory ability on how to go about it."
Today, there is an umbrella organisation, Organics Aotearoa New Zealand, farmers share information and there are more companies specialising in organic animal health and fertiliser products. However, it's neither easy nor cheap to stay certified organic.
The annual cost of certification alone for Malcolm is $1700 and restrictions placed by international markets are changing, adding to the costs of compliance.
The United States has, since July this year, banned the use of copper chromium arsenate (CCA) treated timber in post or other structures on farms. While existing structures are permitted, any replacements must be either untreated timber or of another material that doesn't contain CCA or a prohibited substance.
"We lost the roof on the hay barn last August and will have to replace the framing in that with hardwood," said Malcolm.
He says there's still some scepticism in the dairy industry towards organic farming and even farm workers take some re-educating about management practices but most quickly adapt, enjoying working in conditions more in tune with the environment.