RURAL LIFE 30 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>November</strong> <strong>25</strong>, <strong>2021</strong> 2410273 Rams sale season opens Ram fairseason is in full swingin <strong>Canterbury</strong>. Whileram saleswere heldatMt Somers and Waimatelastweek, attentionturns to <strong>Canterbury</strong> Agricultural Parktomorrow (<strong>November</strong> 26) forthe annual <strong>Canterbury</strong> A&P AssociationElite Ram and Ewe Fair. Rams from all over the South Island are expected to go underthe hammer from12.30pm. Whilenumbers were down last year, arecord $17,000 was paid for a Southdown ram vendored by Marlborough farmer Christina Jordan. ONLINE MEAT SALES MEAT2U.NZ HOME KILL &WILD GAME MEAT PROCESSING 313 0022 FIREWOOD • On-site processing • Windblown trees • Firewood Delivery • WINZ accredited • Kaikoura to Christchurch, through to Culverden • Reliable, clean, tidy • Competitively priced Contracting Phone 022 135 3493 2433710 Once the auction finishes,attention will turn to the annualMint Lamb competition, with judgingat3.30pm, followed by the presentations. The inaugural Virtual BeefAwards will be announced in amarquee on the cattle lawn, with the judges and exhibitors arriving from 6pm ahead of thelivestream and presentationsfrom 6.30pm. Ram sales continue nextmonth with the annual TheGumsStevenson Genetics Sale at CheviotonDecember 2and the Red Oak Romney and Half Bred SaleatWekaPass the next day. The Glenaffric South Suffolkand Corriedale Salewill be held at Waipara on December 9and the Mt Cass Station WiltshireLamband Ram Sale at Waipara on January 19. The Stevenson familyhas been breeding andsellingfor morethan 100 years,with Mark and Joanne Stevenson striving to help their clients overcomethe challengeoffootrot. ‘‘This yearweare highlighting our rams’industryleading footrot EBV’s [estimated breeding values],’’ Mr Stevenson says. ‘‘We’ve worked hardbuilding a genetic base thatislesssusceptible to footrot, so our clients won’thave to work as hardwiththeir progeny.’’ Mr Stevenson saysfootrot is an issue which creates extra workfor farmers and cancripple abusiness. ‘‘Wesee footrot resistanceasa critical partofbuilding aresilient business,’’hesays. Morethan200 ramswill go underthe hammer, includingquarterbred, halfbred, PollMerinos,Dorset Down andSouthDorsetrams. ‘‘We run our ram hoggets under challenging conditions at timestosee how they perform,’’ Mr Stevensonsays. ‘‘It is critical thatweidentify those that cannot handlevaried conditions, asatthe end of the day thatiswhat their progeny needtohandlefrom time to time. ‘‘Sheep need to be easycare, productive,profitable and fun to farm.’’ Overseer concerns remain By DAVIDHILL Community leaders have expressed relief at the adoption of new nitrate limits and minimum flows for Waimakariri. Waimakariri Zone Committee chairperson Michael Blackwell says Environment <strong>Canterbury</strong>’s (ECan) adoption of Plan Change 7tothe <strong>Canterbury</strong> Land and Water Regional Plan has been along time coming. ‘‘I think everyone is pleased to get it over the line, it’s been ahuge effort to get there. ‘‘It will be acontinuation of responses, some people will be disappointed and some will be happy, but we now have something to work with.’’ The zone committee was first formed in 2012, with efforts to develop azone implementation plan addendum (ZIPA) stepping up in 2016 until it was adopted by ECan and the Waimakariri District Council in December 2018. Plan Change 7addresses 59 recommendations from the ZIPA. While people would like decisions to be made faster, Mr Blackwell says ‘‘you’ve got to talk with your community and bring them with you’’. ‘‘If you try to force change it doesn’t work.’’ The farm management software Overseer, which is ‘‘a corner stone’’ of Plan Change 7was the subject of review earlier this year. The review found that Overseer was ‘‘fundamentally flawed’’. Mr Blackwell hopes ‘‘some big brains’’ can come up with asolution as attention turns to writing new freshwater plans by 2024. Waimakariri Landcare Trust chairperson Sam SpencerBower says while the delays have been frustrating, the trust is pleased its concerns were listened to. ‘‘We are pleased the nitrate loss table has had the longer time frames removed, which removes the sub areas within the nitrate priority area.’’ But he acknowledges the new nitrate limits will be achallenge and concerns remain around groundwater consent renewal changes. Michael Blackwell ‘‘We are committed to doing what we can to support farmers to develop solutions and strategies to meet the new targets,’’ Mr SpencerBower says. The trust plans to continue working collaboratively to develop water quality measuring and monitoring to help inform future plan changes. But for now, Plan Change 7regulations were based on the use of Overseer, ‘‘so that is what we will work with’’, he says. Federated Farmers <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> president Caroline Amyes says there weren’t too many surprises in the adopted Plan Change 7, but concerns remain. She says Overseer was ‘‘never designed as aregulatory tool’’, so Federated Farmers will continue to voice its concerns. ‘‘We are hoping that for the 2024 plan it will be taken into account.’’ The 10year consent window remains a concern, as it impacts on farmers’ long term planning, she says. Ms Amyes says Federated Farmers’ policy analysts will continue poring over the document in the coming weeks to consider how the new winter grazing and nitrate leaching rules line up against the government’s National Policy Statement on freshwater. 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Joining the fray ... More farm machinery rolls on to Memorial Avenue, near the Christchurch International Airport on Sunday. Family protest ... Siblings, Hayley Earl, aged 14, right, with her twin sister and brother, Josie Earl, aged 12, centre, and Connor Earl, aged 12, far left during the Groundswell protest outside the Hurunui District Council Service Centre last Sunday afternoon. Tractor mates ... Kyle Jerebine, of Amberley, with his dog, Sophie, during the protest at Amberley. Protesting with grandad ... Arnaud ActonAdams, aretired farmer from Rangiora, with his dog Nick, and his granddaughter, Niamh Jennings, aged 10, at Amberley.
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