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Keeping predators out to protect the endangered Brown Kiwi

In New Zealand and around the world, Gallagher fencing is mostly used to keep big animals in. But in a small scenic reserve situated in the Central North Island, a team of conservation volunteers is using Gallagher’s technology to protect a wild population of endangered North Island Brown Kiwi chicks. In 2002, it was estimated that a remnant population of 200 Eastern Brown Kiwi remained in the Kaweka Ranges. Chick mortality due to predation by stoats, ferrets and dogs was so high, only one out...

Getting the right feed to farmers at the right time – new ops manager finds his niche

Keith Arnold is national operations manager at GrainCorp Feeds. It’s his job to coordinate the importing and distribution of a range of supplementary feed to New Zealand dairy farmers. Even in an ideal world, that’s a lot of orchestration. There are multiple shipping lines bringing in GrainCorp Feeds’ products from around the globe. Upon arrival, these products must then be transported to liquid and dry storage facilities dotted around New Zealand, strategically located to service each dai...

Herd testing can help boost dairy farmers’ production by up to 160kgMS

Some dairy farmers could be missing out on up to 160kgMS of production because they are not herd testing. While the number of cows being herd tested jumped by 1.2 per cent last season¹, many farmers may still not realise its value. CRV Herd Testing Manager Mark Redgate wants to change that. For some dairy farmers, herd testing can be another job to add to the list. They may not see the upsides. More specifically, they may not see how the expense of herd testing could make them enough money to j...

Real estate agent’s message to home buyers - don’t wait for the market to change

A Hamilton real estate agent says property owners are being realistic and listing their homes with asking prices close to market value, rather than holding out for huge gains as the New Zealand housing market continues to cool. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director, Jeremy O’Rourke, says this winter has been one of the quietest on record with less interest from buyers and less listings, but those who were choosing to sell were setting their prices very close to their property’s market value, l...

Cannasouth signs three-year supplier agreement with German-based WEECO Pharma

Cannasouth has today signed a supplier agreement with WEECO Pharma GMBH based in Germany for the supply of cannabis flower from New Zealand into Europe. The total value of the agreement could be worth between NZ$12 million and NZ$15 million over years two and three. WEECO is one of the leading importers of medicinal cannabis in Germany. Under individual cultivar supply agreements to be negotiated, cannabis flower will be supplied to WEECO from Cannasouth’s world-class cannabis cultivation and ...

Buoyant Hamilton rental market bucks nationwide oversupply trend

Hamilton’s rental property market continues to be strong, despite evidence of the rental oversupply reported in other major New Zealand cities, says the general manager of Hamilton’s largest property management company. Jason Waugh says Lodge City Rentals had just 48 empty homes on its books available for rent in June. “With demand growing for rental housing in the city, it’s still challenging for potential tenants to secure a two or three bedroom property. “While our June statistics ...

Three Waters reform just part of re-shaping service delivery to communities in NZ

Linda O’Reilly, Special Counsel, Tompkins Wake (Auckland) Regional New Zealand has whipped itself into a frenzy over the Government’s Three Waters reform, but massive changes are afoot that will reshape how nearly every other key service is delivered to New Zealand communities. As billboards went up across the New Zealand countryside, the Government pushed on with introducing the new Water Services Entity Bill in June. The Bill is the first in a suite of legislation that will enact three wat...

Business benchmarking the key to tackling climatic and market extremes

As farmers ride out extreme climatic and market conditions, benchmarking their businesses against others in their sector has become crucial for setting goals and understanding how they’re performing. That was the message from Perrin Ag senior consultant John Stantiall at the recent New Zealand Veterinary Association Conference. John is encouraging farmers to benchmark their businesses against similar operations to identify where they can improve and how they can continue to perform in increas...

Why you should upgrade to the new version of Google Analytics ASAP

After 10 years in service, Google’s Universal Analytics (UA) is being replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA 4), starting July 1 2023. Don’t be fooled by thinking that this is your standard simple upgrade from version 3 to version 4; GA 4 is an entirely new system that will require setting up from scratch and the  creation of new reports to replace what you’re currently using in Universal Analytics. The main difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics lies in their measurement models....

Tompkins Wake gifts $250,000 to the Waikato Regional Theatre as the firm celebrates 100 years

Tompkins Wake is gifting $250,000 to support the development of the Waikato Regional Theatre to help boost the region’s economy and create a space where culture and communities can thrive. The announcement comes as the law firm celebrates its 100th birthday this month and recognises the importance of its Waikato heritage.    Chief Executive Jon Calder says the Waikato Regional Theatre will be a world-class facility and a valuable community asset. “The Theatre is one of several proj...

Selling a home requires a new approach in the current ‘cool’ market

The city of Hamilton currently has around five months of housing stock listed for sale on the market.  This compares to around five weeks of stock just one year ago. Lodge Real Estate Managing Director Jeremy O’Rourke says the slow market means vendors must change their sales approach.  He says there are three things vendors must get right to minimise the number of days to sell. “There are three considerations vendors need to understand about what it takes to sell a property in a m...

Increasing numbers of property developers turn to Alpha First to access non-bank finance

Mortgage investment firm, Alpha First, says demand from borrowers for funds has grown 20% in the past six months on the back of a growing need for property developers to access non-bank financing. With $150M of investor funds and 60 loans in its portfolio, Director Scott Massey says the firm is on track to double its loan book within the next 24 months. “Alpha First works with our other company Omega Capital, which primarily is a brokerage, financing property developers operating across New Z...

Genetics can help dairy farmers take steps this season to reduce their emissions

Genetics can help dairy farmers take steps this season to reduce their emissions while they wait for further new tools and technologies to be developed, says CRV managing director James Smallwood. “Dairy farmers in New Zealand want to breed cows that are more productive, last longer in the herd and convert feed more efficiently into milk solids. “And as they achieve these results, herds will naturally have a lower environment impact. Breeding for lifetime production also means farmers requi...

Matt Chisholm partners with Rural Support Trust on a nationwide mental resilience tour

TV presenter turned sheep and beef farmer, Matt Chisholm, has signed on as the inaugural Ambassador for Rural Support Trust.  He kicks off his ambassadorship role with a nationwide tour talking to rural communities on the topic of mental wellness and resilience. Chisholm has shared openly about his mental health struggles.  Through the tour, he will talk about his personal experiences and how he found a way through. Chisholm will visit rural halls on the Rural Support Trust’s Time Ou...

Barfoot & Thompson takes equity stake in Hamilton-based Lodge Real Estate

Lodge Real Estate announced today that Barfoot & Thompson has taken a 50% shareholding in the company, effective from 30 June 2022.  The Auckland-based real estate agency bought the full shareholding off David Couch.  Managing director Jeremy O’Rourke remains a 50% shareholder. “After 52 years with Lodge, David Couch has decided it is time to retire fully and sell down his fifty percent holding in the company. While we are sad to see David step down, it is also an exciting time for...

Ag career gives new territory manager sense of purpose

Kaitlin Bates’ love of the land goes back to childhood. Graincorp Feeds’new Territory Manager for Northwest Waikato grew up on a farm in Tokoroa and surprised no one when she majored in biological science at Massey University. In spite of what seems a predictable path to a career in agriculture, Kaitlin recalls a time when she thought about becoming a teacher. “What I wanted in a job was a sense of purpose, something that got me out bed in the morning to go make a difference. For a short s...

New Zealand surrogacy law needs a total revamp says legal expert

One of New Zealand’s leading surrogacy law experts says New Zealand’s surrogacy law needs a total revamp. The Law Commission is set to publish a review on New Zealand’s surrogacy law shortly and Tompkins Wake Partner, Zandra Wackenier, who sat on a working group submitting to the review, says it’s time for New Zealand to move on from the inadequate legislation currently being used. “Most other countries in the world have a totally separate piece of legislation but New Zealand has laws ...

Transitioning feeding crucial as recent rain heightens milk fever risk for dairy farmers

With many dairy farmers now experiencing a pasture flush following recent rain, a well-planned Transition feeding regime is even more crucial to minimise the increased risk of milk fever. As dairy farmers countdown to calving, Transition feeding can help minimise the costs of milk fever on animal health and farmers’ bottom lines. This was a key message of Nutritech’s Ruminant and Forage Technical Services Manager Nadine Olsen on a recent GrainCorp Feeds webinar. The webinar is part ofGrain...

Lowest cost feed not necessarily the best option for drought-stricken dairy farmers

As Waikato and South Auckland dairy farmers battle drought conditions, GrainCorp Feeds is urging them to plan well and weigh up the expected return from supplementary feed rather than just choosing the lowest cost option. “The price of feed will always play a part in farmers’ feed purchasing decisions. But with some areas experiencing drought conditions and a lack of locally grown supplement, combined with global supply uncertainty around imported feeds, the number of feed opt...

Lodge Real Estate issues first-home buyer FOMO caution

As property sales plummet by 32.5 percent and first home buyers move from a fear of missing out (FOMO) to a fear of paying too much, real estate agents are warning that a lull in the market is the best time to buy. Lodge Real Estate Director, Jeremy O’Rourke, says Hamilton experienced one of its slowest months in April with only 192 properties changing hands and very few of them to first home buyers. The latest figures from REINZ also show sales have plummeted 32.5 percent annually and monthly...

Debunking four media myths

by Heather ClaycombThis month I thought I would share a few myths or misperceptions I hear a lot from organisations that are not used to working with media.  If you are thinking about doing more proactive media publicity in your business, these four myths will help you prepare for the road ahead. Why doesn’t the media ever ask us for a story? Newsflash: journalists are not sitting around wracking their brains about who they can do a ‘good news’ story about.  They will not simply ...

“If you go up the driveway of farmers and you don’t believe you can make their lives better, you may as well not be there.”

That’s the philosophy of CRV’s new Regional Sales Manager for the Upper North Island, Michelle Bratty. She likes farmers. Likes to see them do well and loves being part of a company that shares her zeal for helping people succeed. “I’m passionate about farmers because I’ve been one. Only for a short time, but I know how hard it is to keep that bottom line from sinking. It’s a constant battle to get the best out of your herd, so I’m thrilled to be in a company that helps farmers do ...

He Waka Eke Noa consultation - farmers rightly remain nervous, confused, and angry

As consultation by He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) has rounded up there are still a vast number of farmers who are nervous, confused, and angry about what the future for managing agricultural emissions in New Zealand might look like, and for good reason. The fast pace of law-making in New Zealand in recent years is unsettling. Not only for the rural community trying to get their heads around what it all means for them, but for a range of sectors, including participants in New Zealand’s Emissions Tradin...

Key appointment strengthens Perrin Ag’s presence in the Lower North Island

Experienced dairy industry professional Rob Brazendale has joined Perrin Ag as the firm looks to strengthen its support of farmers and growers in the Lower North Island. With over 30 years in the agricultural sector, Rob knows how to navigate farmers through the regulatory maze. As Perrin Ag’s newest senior consultant based in Palmerston North, he is in a unique position to help farmers more than ever. “I’ve been in agriculture a long time and my work has been varied: farm advisory work,...

Micro market segment performance shows strength remains in Hamilton housing market

Many segments of the residential property market are still performing strongly in Hamilton.  Despite overall sales volumes for March being approximately 25% less than March 2021, one Hamilton real estate agent is reminding people that residential property is not a commodity market. Lodge Real Estate Director, Jeremy O’Rourke, says people need to remember the housing market is comprised of diverse segments and many are still performing very well. “When you listen to commentators talking ...