Business

More investment to fuel NZ regional economy by Shanghai Pengxin and Landcorp

The Shanghai Pengxin Group (SPG) and Landcorp Farming Limited (Landcorp) joint venture has established a new training facility to contribute to the development of future dairy farm leaders in New Zealand. The brand new training facility will be known as the Central North Island Dairy Academy and training will be delivered by Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre. Terry Lee, President of Overseas Investment, Pengxin Group, recognises that while the current climate for New Zealand’s dairy producers is challenging, market demand for skilled people in mid-management level roles (eg. herd or production manager) in the dairy industry is not satisfied by the current supply, and this has been a bottleneck for dairy farming for years. “The Dairy Academy’s programme has been designed to meet current and future needs of the industry by providing mid-level leadership development for ambitious people who already have some level of technical skill or knowledge of dairying,” he said. Selected students may also gain employment as Herd Manager/ Dairy Production Managers on Landcorp or Shanghai Pengxin dairy farms after completion of the programme. A scholarship of $10,000 is also planned to be awarded annually by Shanghai Pengxin each year. Landcorp chief executive Steven Carden says the Dairy Academy will take 10 students a year, selected through an application process. “The programme is fully funded by the Shanghai Pengxin/Landcorp joint venture and will be at no cost to the student. Landcorp is committed to the development of young talent in New Zealand’s agriculture sector and the Dairy Academy will sit beside Landcorp’s other investments in training programmes across the country,” he said. The Academy will operate on the Ariki Dairy Unit, currently owned by Pengxin, in the Wairakei District, near Taupo. Students will live in housing on nearby Landcorp or Shanghai Pengxin farms and combine classroom study with practical […]

Record blossoms set New Zealand up for bumper apple crop

Hawke’s Bay’s apple orchards are experiencing some of the best blossoms on record setting New Zealand up for a bumper apple crop. Bostock New Zealand Orchard Manager, Fulton Gillies (pictured) says the hot, sunny weather this season has provided the perfect conditions for pollination. “We have been averaging over 20 degrees each day, so the bees have been out working hard, pollinating our orchards. It’s been perfect to set us up for both a high quality and high yielding crop.” A cold, dry winter has also been good for the apple orchards. “We had a lot of winter chilling which means we have a tighter bloom and strong bud breaks which is ideal for the fruit coming on.” The 2016 season was forecast to be an off season with less apples predicted, but the favourable winter and spring conditions have set the Hawke’s Bay orchards up for another boomer season. The New Zealand 2014 national apple crop was just over 17 million cartons (17,270, 729) and the 2015 season saw over 18 million cartons. “In the off season we are usually hoping for the fruit to stick and keep some consistency, but this year is looking very strong too,” says Mr Gillies. However weather forecasters are predicting one of the driest summers on record so Bostock New Zealand Orchard Managers are already starting to plan for the “big dry”. “We are ensuring we have all our irrigation systems in place and working well to manage water.” Mr Gillies says a hot, dry summer will also bring many benefits, reducing the risk of disease and improving the quality of the fruit. “When its hot and dry we expect good sugar, colour and storage. Bright red, sweet juicy apples that store well are exactly what our markets are looking for so the […]

Primary ITO launches new online study options

New Zealand’s largest industry training organisation will now offer business management qualifications online to help develop future leaders across all primary industries. The Primary Industry Training Organisation (Primary ITO) has announced five new NZQA qualifications which can be completed entirely online, including several national certificates and national diplomas in business plus a Bachelor of Applied Management. Primary ITO is partnering with the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) to provide the e-learning platform, giving greater study options to those who are working in New Zealand’s agriculture, horticulture, food processing, seafood, equine and sports turf industries. Primary ITO Product Manager, Sue Masson, says Primary ITO has been keen to provide online qualifications for quite some time, and more programmes will be available in the next 12 months. “Strategically we’re trying to expand the range of options that are available for our clients so we can better meet their different learning needs,” Sue says. “We are investigating more short courses, more online learning and are also looking to re-launch some of our core training programmes as we move towards the revised New Zealand Certificate Qualifications framework.” CPIT’s online delivery platform is innovative, easy to use, and has a proven track record, Sue says. “We’re excited to partner with them and leverage our joint educational IP to help Primary ITO clients embrace the flexibility that e-learning offers.” The five new business management qualifications will teach key skills that are transferrable across all primary industry sectors within New Zealand and OECD countries. “They’re ideal for someone who is a 2IC manager, supervisor, team leader, lead hand, PA, EA or already working in some type of leadership or office management position,” she explains. “It gives people who are aspiring to become a leader the opportunity to learn about issues such as performance management, conflict management, […]

Rural insurer announced as principal sponsor of Young Farmer of the Year contest

FMG and New Zealand Young Farmers is pleased to announce the country’s leading rural insurer as the new principal sponsor of the Young Farmer of the Year contest. The competition will now be known as FMG Young Farmer of the Year. The contest is the country’s preeminent rural challenge, pitting contestants in battles around agricultural knowledge, people and practical skills and mental fortitude. All qualities and attributes needed to be successful in farming today. “For us Young Farmers embraces so much of what’s great about farming in this country. It promotes taking calculated risks, innovation, competition, collaboration and idea-sharing, leadership and achievement” says FMG Chief Executive, Chris Black. “Young Farmers has a wonderful tradition, dating back to the mid-1930’s – and interestingly FMG has been there from the outset, supporting Young Farmers get established in various ways in the early days – so it’s fitting to be rekindling the relationship” says Mr Black. “FMG’s roots are firmly grounded across the rural sector and to have them on board is a perfect match for us” says Terry Copeland, Chief Executive New Zealand Young Farmers. “FMG is a well-respected rural organisation and is genuinely passionate about not only supporting us to enhance the competition but to also support young men and women to achieve great things in agriculture. “This passion is referenced by the fact they want to be a hands-on sponsor. They’ve already rolled up their sleeves and sat around the table with us to start building on the great work that has gone on previously. I think this attitude says it all about their spirit and commitment to fostering achievement and leadership within the sector.” says Mr Copeland. “Supporting Young Farmers fits with a wider programme FMG has on backing young people in the primary sector. We have an intake […]

Oceania Dairy Invites Applications for Annual Scholarship

Secondary school students within the Waimate and Waitaki Districts have been invited to apply for the Oceania Dairy Scholarship. The annual scholarship was launched last year and Dion Batchelor, a former Head Boy of Waimate High School, was selected as the inaugural recipient. The scholarship provides the successful applicant with an annual payment of $3,000 for up to three years, as well as the opportunity for paid work experience during study or training breaks. Oceania Dairy circulated application forms for the 2016 scholarship to the principals of all schools within the Districts this week. “The scholarship is an important part of our commitment to the communities in which we operate,” said Roger Usmar, General Manager of Oceania Dairy. “We are encouraging an organisational culture of investing in people and supporting local communities. “We can think of no better way of demonstrating that culture by supporting young people as they move from secondary school education to further education or training,” he said. The Oceania Scholarship is available to young people within the Waimate and Waitaki Districts who are completing their secondary schooling and about to move into further education or training next year. The scholarship targets education or training that can lead the recipient into a career in the dairy industry or that has the potential to enhance relations between New Zealand and China. Applications for the 2016 scholarship close on 30 November. The successful applicant will be announced before the end of the year. 2015 scholarship recipient Dion Batchelor is now preparing for his end-of-year exams towards a Bachelor of Commerce undergraduate degree at Otago University “The scholarship has relieved a huge financial burden as I fund my way through University,” he said. “It has also been great to begin to understand the operations of a successful global company as […]

Minerality mysteries remain

Ongoing wine research by Dr Wendy Parr of Lincoln University indicates that while minerality is not a figment of tasters’ sensorial imagination, the source of the perception remains a mystery, and the description should be used with caution in formal wine tasting and judging situations. ‘Minerality’ is used by wine professionals to describe the character of certain wines, with vague references made to wet stones, crushed rock and soil. Regarded variously as a taste, a smell, a trigeminal (mouth-feel) sensation, or all three, until now there’s been little agreement on what is actually meant by this common but enigmatic term, or whether it even exists. Intrigued by the lack of scientific knowledge and the plethora of anecdotal evidence around minerality, Dr Parr collaborated with scientists in France and at Plant and Food Research in New Zealand to investigate what the concept means in Sauvignon Blanc wines, and whether there are cultural differences in perceptions of minerality. Wine professionals from France and New Zealand experienced in the production and tasting of Sauvignon Blanc participated in two sensory studies carried out over two sessions, with wine samples served blind in opaque, standardised glasses in unique order for each participant. Participants evaluated the wines by palate (taste and mouth-feel) alone, smell alone and both palate and smell together. Minerality was perceived by both groups in all cases, and was consistently associated with several wine characteristics, for example citrus. There were more similarities in perception between the groups than differences, implying that wine professionals in France and New Zealand share a mental construct of the concept ‘mineral’, as experienced in Sauvignon Blanc wines. “The concept of minerality in wine is undoubtedly real,” Dr Parr says, “but the source of the perception is still unclear.” It has been variously attributed to acidity, sulphide reduction, and […]

New Zealand Merino’s market-making model pays dividends

The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) has significantly lifted full-year profit and the dividend it will pay to its shareholders in 2014/15. NZM booked a $2.3 million net profit for the year, a 21% increase on the previous year. Shareholders, including 536 wool growers, will receive a total dividend of $1.15 million, up 23% on 2013/14. NZM chief executive John Brakenridge said the strong performance showed the company’s approach of value creation, as opposed to volume play, was a winning one. “Two decades ago fine wool was being dumped on the commodity market and sold at a discount to Australia. The growers knew they had a product that was undervalued and unrecognised. “So NZM was set up to maximise profitability and sustainability right across value chains; from market to grower. Key to this has been confronting volatility head on and establishing multi-year forward contracts that guarantee more stable prices for brands and growers alike.” By removing the boom-and-bust of commodity price cycles, NZM had generated more than $30 million in additional income for growers, across wool and meat programmes, in the past three years compared to returns via traditional commodity systems, said Mr Brakenridge. “This past year we’ve continued to grow our business through establishing new contracts with luxury and active apparel brands such as Loro Piana and Reda in Italy, New Zealand brand Icebreaker and Colorado-based SmartWool. “We’ve also extended our offering into strong wool, where we see excellent potential across the board through innovation. There’s great complementary between strong wool and our fine wool business. “It’s no good sitting back and waiting for the market to come to you. We want to shape it and secure exclusive deals with the world’s leading brands.” In April, NZM secured a two-year contract with Danish footwear firm Glerups to exclusively supply […]

DWN seals the deal with valuable business advisory partner

New Zealand’s largest provider of practical accounting and business advisory services to the rural sector, Crowe Horwath, has offered its support to the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN), signing on as a partner. Dairy Women’s Network is a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing education and support to dairy farming women. It has more than 7500 members throughout New Zealand. “We are excited to enter into this partnership because we see first-hand the significant contribution women make to New Zealand’s rural sector,” said Crowe Horwarth’s New Zealand head of agribusiness Neil McAra. “It is organisations such as DWN that provide vital support and development opportunities for women in agribusiness to grow and prosper. Many Crowe Horwath employees are already actively involved within the Network and it was their glowing endorsement which helped encourage the business towards signing on with DWN.” DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers said it was heartening in difficult times in the dairy industry to see a collegiality between agribusinesses and non-profit organisations such as DWN. “We know that we offer our members an extremely valuable service, but it’s always nice to have that quality of service recognised by our partners. I think our members, and ultimately the wider industry will gain a lot of knowledge in making sound and smart business decisions from us working with Crowe Horwath in the future.” Crowe Horwath New Zealand is the largest provider of practical accounting, audit, tax and business advice to individuals and businesses. The company has a network of 24 offices throughout the country.

China still burns brightly for NZ agribusiness

“China is far from finished as a key driver of growth for the New Zealand agribusiness sector,” says Hayden Dillon, Head of Corporate Agribusiness for Crowe Horwath. Despite recent negative market commentary coming out of China, Dillon, who recently toured our largest trading partner with the BNZ’s Port to Plate tour, was optimistic for the future of New Zealand agribusiness, while acknowledging the challenges that go with doing business in China. “China is large, complex and changing faster than we can possibly understand. There is no simple headline or strategy to sum up this market, but there is also no doubt it is still the most valuable opportunity to New Zealand agribusiness,” said Dillon. In reference to reported drops in Chinese import numbers, Dillon points out it’s important to read between the lines and focus on the key numbers for New Zealand exporters. “While Chinese imports did drop year-on-year to August 2015 by 13.8%, food imports grew by up to 25%. This might be bad news for the likes of Prada, Audi and other luxury brands, but the story for New Zealand, who is exporting food and food technology, is very strong,” said Dillon. Dillon does not see this trend of rising food imports changing anytime soon. “It’s about feeding the dragon. China has a rapidly growing population with rising incomes and is far from reaching its satisfaction point in regards to food demand,” he said. The changing diets in China were explained to Dillon and his tour party of New Zealand agribusiness specialists by the Agricultural Development Bank of China. The Bank indicated growing demand for edible oil, meat and dairy will continue to increase, while rice consumption per capita will decrease. Dillon notes that China is also beginning to see demand increase for what it calls “green” products, […]

Food businesses asked to ‘have their say’ in new food safety rules

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is calling for input from food businesses and providers into new food safety rules. A consultation on Notices under the new Food Act 2014 has been released today. Notices give further detail about how the new Act will work on a practical level, says MPI’s Manager Food and Beverage Sally Johnston. “The new Food Act 2014 comes into force in March next year and we consulted on the regulations earlier this year. This consultation is another chance for food businesses and providers to have their say in how the law works in practice.” The proposed Notices apply to a wide range of food businesses that need to operate under a food control plan or national programme. This includes those serving food, such as restaurants and cafés, as well as those manufacturing, selling or importing food. The new Act recognises that different food activities involve different risks. Higher risk activities, such as preparing meals, will operate under a written food control plan, which identifies food safety risks and sets out steps to mitigate those risks. Lower risk activities, such as selling pre-packaged food, will operate under a national programme. They won’t need a written plan, but will need to follow requirements for producing safe and suitable food. While the Act itself forms the basis of the new law, what businesses must do to comply with the new Act are set out in Regulations and Notices. This consultation asks for feedback on practical areas of implementation, including templates for creating food control plans, requirements for ensuring food is safe and suitable, requirements for importers, and skills needed to evaluate and verify high risk processes, such as low acid canned food. “We encourage all those who will operate under the Food Act 2014, including food providers and […]

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