North Canterbury News: April 30, 2020

Virtual saleyards to
fore under lockdown
By DAVID HILL
Virtual saleyards are becoming auseful
tool for farmers sellingstock.
As stock agents explore new waystohold
salesduring the Covid­19pandemic,
Bidr.co.nz is experiencing rapid growth.
The website was launched by PGG
Wrightson at the National Field Daysin
June last year.Ithas been madeavailable
to all stock firms during lockdown.
PeterWalsh &Associateshas also set up
avirtual saleyards optionthroughLiveBid.
It sold 760 calves at an online sale last
Thursday through the site,which is
available on its website.
PGG Wrightson Canterbury livestock
general manager Peter Mooreencourages
farmers to talk to their agent about selling
theirbulls through virtual online sales.
They could also consider smallon­farm
salesand private treaty sales,hesays.
The virtual salewebsite has always been
an open forum,but Mr Moore says it has
been deliberately openedupmore under
the Covid­19lockdown.
Bidr.co.nz general manager Tania Smith
says since the lockdown they had signed
up more than threetimes its usual
numbers.
She saysthe platform, which operates
like asaleyard, “has been crazy, but in a
good way”, since the lockdown. “It gives
farmers an option for trading livestock.
Our tagline, which resonates with farmers,
is ‘we are New Zealand'svirtual saleyard’.”
Farmers need to register asale through
theirstock agent,ortheir stock can be
listed in planned auctions, includingthe
weekly North Island (Wednesday) and
SouthIsland (Thursday) sales.
Each lot is bid uponlive in a45­second
slot “just like at the saleyards”, Ms Smith
says.“It means farmers can sit at home and
watchthe sale or have their agent bid on
theirbehalfand theycan participate in a
sale anywhere in thecountry.”
Farmers can upload videos, photos,
material and data about their livestockand
answer animalhealthquestions, just like a
sale catalogue.
Engaging with farmers ... Bidr.co.nz
South Island territory manager Thomas
Mallon connects with farmers. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
As of lastweek 34 bull sales had been
registered with bidr.co.nz and Ms Smith
expects thatnumber to grow.
Mr Moore says stock agents are
continuing to operateunder the lockdown
as an essential service.
“Saleyards are off the table, but pretty
much everythingelse we can do.”
Protocolsare being developedfor a
possible return to saleyardsasthe alert
level is lowered, but givensome of the
largersales can havemore than100 people
in close contact, it is proving to be “quite
challenging”, Mr Moore says.
“Our number one priority is the healthof
our people and our clients. As acountry we
seem to have done aprettygood job of
keep alid on [Covid­19] and we would hate
to think as aresult of opening the
saleyards that it ledtoundoing that work.”
The biggestissue for farmersatpresent
is alack of killing space at works, which
has led to asix­week delay.
Marcus lifts
club numbers
Engaging withlocal highschool pupils has
provedrewarding forone young North
Canterbury farmer.
Hurunui Young Farmers Club chairman
MarcusWhite received aservice award
from the New Zealand Young Farmers
Tasmanregionlast month aftergrowing his
club'smembership fromtwo to 24 in less
than ayear.
The 22­year­old was first electedclub
chairmanin
2017, before
heading to
England on a
rugby contract.
When he
returned the
next year he
found there
was just one
member.
“I didn'twant
to let the club
die so Ibegan Serving young farmers...
ringing round a Marcus White received a
few matesand I serviceaward from New
visited my old Zealand Young Farmers
school, Tasman region chairwoman
Hurunui Vanessa Robinson recently.
College”.
Over the last few monthsMarcus has
arranged for the Hurunui YFC to help at
the Hawardentouchtournamentand with
the barbecue at the Hawarden Ewe Fair.
“It’s good for them to gettoknow someof
their community and the older farmers are
keen to support themasmany of them have
been involved in YoungFarmers.”
Raisedinthe Hawarden/Waikari area,
Marcushas his ownDorset Downsheep
stud, Glenkinnick Downs, with 40 ewesand
10 replacements, grazedonblocks he
leasesatWaikari. He plans to build up his
stud and to buy hisown farmone day.
He is currentlyworkingwith his partner
Ally Rutten at Landcorp's Hanmer Springs
Farm.
RURAL LIFE
North Canterbury News, April 30, 2020
13
Mixed bag for
dairy farmers
In uncertain times, North Canterbury's
dairy farmers are in afortunate position,
says Karl Dean.
The Federated
Farmers North
Canterbury dairy
chairman says there are
“silverlinings” and
some problems for dairy
farmers amid the Covid­
19 crisis.
One headache for
farmers, as they begin Karl Dean
drying off cows, is asixweek
delay finding spaceatthe freezing
works, while alooming shortage of migrant
workers willrequire arethink.
Mr Dean says the likely migrant worker
shortage could be offset by New Zealanders
made redundant in the Covid­19 crisis
lookingfor new careers.
“Farmers will need to be flexible in
staffingarrangements. If someone has a
mortgage in town, they can't just move to
the farm, so we may need to change our
shifts around to suit.”
“Farmers often thinkifyou've got to drive
half an hour to go to workeach day, ‘why
would you?’ But for someone in town that's
nothing.”
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