Ashburton Courier: December 07, 2023

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42 Ashburton RURAL Courier, December 7, 2023 www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz Rising star showing the way Sarah How grew up on amixed cropping farm at Mayfield and has spent morethan 15 years working in the food and fibre sector, domestically and abroad. She is working towards aMaster of Business AdministrationatUniversity of Canterbury and has been touted as aname to watch in the foodand fibre industry. She was recognised as astandout young professional focused on nurturing future leaders and received the Rising Star Award at the recent inaugural Te Whare Wānanga oWaitaha |University of Canterbury (UC) Young Alumni Awards. It recognises acurrent UC student who has demonstrated exceptional potential in leadership and community impact. How was acknowledged for her unwavering commitmenttofostering positive change and leading byexample withinher community. She said it had been humbling to be recognised for an award for leadership potential. “I really hope for that potential to be realised going into the future. “I know there are other people who have been lined up for the awards, and they are already out there doingit. It’s been a privilege to be recognised alongside them. ‘‘Now, Ifeel motivated to get out there and action the things I’m passionate about so Ican make adifferencetoo.” Despite starting her career in a technical role, How knew she had a passionfor what people contribute to MID CANTERBURYVINTAGE MACHINERY CLUB TRACTOR TREKKING: Members of Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club enjoying their annual Christmas tractor trek on Saturday. PHOTOS STRUAN CHRISTIE Members of Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club took part in their annual Christmas tractor trek on Saturday taking in the rural back roads of the district and visiting two large farm operations. An impressive 26 tractors took part, as well as supporters in vehicles. Club members were first hosted by Fairfield Farms which included morning tea and lunch, then visited Lovett Family Farms. businesses. She felt fortunate to be able to weave her passion with her day job, in an industry closetoher heart. “What Iwant to contribute to our future is leadership of ideas and people,” she said. “So, I've found myself apart of some arable sector leadership groups, as well as in the deer industry with their Passion2Profit work.” With an immense period of change ahead, she said new skills and new ways of thinking would guide the future of work within the food and fibre sector. How feels privilegedtoconnect with Club spokesperson John Hall said Fairfield Farms, owned by the Talley’s group and members, was the first stop where memberswere treated to adisplay of all their ‘‘big gear’’ lined up on show in the main yard at Fairton. At Lovett Family Farms they got to see some of their operation from the seats of tractors ‘‘where the views are better’’ and had abarbecue at the club headquarters in RISING STAR: Sarah How has demonstratedexceptional potential in leadership and community impact. PHOTO SUPPLIED. others in various industries within the sector. “For alittle while now it has been really important to me to give back to younger people coming up in our industry and in our community,” How said. “So, what really motivates me is the prospect of adding real value to the industry and helpingother people who are coming up behind me.” How’s purpose for studying was due to the food and fibre sector facing sustainability challenges. She hoped to meet people from different industriestolearn from various perspectives to help find solutions. Alongside How’swork in research and development she passionate about business model innovation and leveraging commerce to achieve community goals. She has been part of the AgriWomen’s Development Trust’s Generation Change programme and has developed relationships with other young women within the sector. “It's been really satisfying to connect with them and hopefully help them on their journey as well. At the end of the day, it’s the connection to people that means more than any accolade on apiece of paper,” she said. the grounds of the Ashburton showgrounds. Hall said club members were now ramping up plans for the next Wheat and Wheels Rally early next year. The two day event, on April 6and 7, will feature 100 years of IH Farmall production, as well as ahost of other static and working displays, parades, and food and craft stalls. It will be held at Anthony Hampton’s Farm, 377 Lauriston Barrhill Road. IN BRIEF ALLIANCE BOARD Rakaia Gorge high country farmer Ross Bowmar and Southbridge director Pat McEvedy, standing again, are Canterbury candidates in the running for aseat on the board of Alliance Group. They are among five farmers nominated for two director vacancies for the co-operative with voting by shareholders closing on December 13. The others are Richard Greer, of Otautau, Jeremy McPhail of Gore and Masterton’s George Tatham. Ranfurly farmer Dawn Sangster is standing down after 12 years on the board. Mr Bowmar was an Alliance associate director for ayear and is the Mid Canterbury Meat &Wool chairman for Federated Farmers. He and wife, Jess, run 8500 stock units on the 1935-hectare property. Mr McEvedy is adirector retiring by rotation and standing again. ~CRL LUXTON ROLE Rangitata List MP Jo Luxton has been named opposition spokesperson for agriculture, biosecurity and rural communities. The former Rangitata MP takes over the opposition portfolio from Damien O’Connor who is spokesperson for trade, associate foreign affairs and associate transport. Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he was ‘‘incredibly proud and humbled to have this team alongside me as we take up the important job of opposition. “The election didn’t go Labour’s way and we have work to do to make sure Kiwis know and feel that Labour backs them. Ihave absolute confidence our team will work with communities right across the country to build this support back. B+LNZ ELECTION Mt Somers farmer Kate Acland is standing for re-election as nominations open for two Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) director roles in the Northern South Island and Northern North Island. Under the requirements of B+LNZ’s Constitution, current directors Acland (Northern South Island) and Martin Coup (Northern North Island) must retire by rotation at the 2024 Annual Meeting being held in Nelson in March but may stand for re-election. Coup will be retiring and not stand for re-election. Director elections are an important part of ensuring the B+LNZ Board represents the interests of farmers. Farmers who are keen to apply their knowledge and experience are encouraged to put themselves forward. Is farm subdivision onyourhorizon? Call us now for greatsubdivision advice. Call 03 3077021 forachat hello@survusrural.co.nz www.survusrural.co.nz
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz RURAL Ashburton Courier, December 7, 2023 43 Turley family taking abite of the apple BY TIM CRONSHAW The Turley family are breaking new ground in an apple orchard joint venture with Rockit Global at Rangitata. Turley Farms coowners Murray and Margaret Turley have turned dryland crop and stock properties into highvalue vegetable and arable operations in the past and built up agribusiness shareholdings in the region. Now they’re investing in applegrowing and, after running atrial with various varieties, have settled on the bitesized fruit managed and marketed by Rockit. The Turley Rockit partnership has planted a 20hectare orchard with plans to bring in other investors to grow their Rangitata site to 100ha. ‘‘We are always looking for the next land use change and pipfruit seemed to have afit for South Canterbury,’’ Mr Turley said. ‘‘We did the research, planted the trial orchard and our agronomist did agreat job of taking that through to show what can happen. We’ve studied the growing degree days and climate as far as inversion layers and that sort of thing so with agood supply of water we seem to think it’s worth having agoatanew challenge.’’ He said apple trees were relatively light on water under trickle irrigation, without the Murray Turley peaks of some grass and cereal crops, and showed potential in extracting value from water. The Turleys sent their agronomist Dominic Cosgrove to Hawke’s Bay to see if apples were right for them. Atrial orchard planted in eight varieties in 2021 was followed by another six varieties last year. ‘‘It’s given us agood insight into what can be done and probably some finer points to the growing structure that we probably learned to take forward to the large [Turley Rockit] orchard.’’ Turley said they liked to do their homework before investing in large ventures, investigating soil types for potato growing before moving to Mid Canterbury’s Chertsey area in 1993. He said apple growing had advanced since then with changes in growing structures to make it arepeatable process for staff, higher planting densities BIRD’S EYE VIEW: Turley Rockit orchard in South Canterbury’s Rangitata. PHOTO: ROCKIT GLOBAL and lending itself to perhaps robotics in the future. The 2D growing system used by Rockit appealed as it produced more fruit from asmaller area. Projected returns for Rockit apple growing were attractive. ‘‘We are awhile off getting full maturity so alot could happen with the price of fruit and we would be back on yield compared with Hawke’s Bay so there’s afew unknowns there, but we think the profitability stacks up and hence why we are doing it.’’ Developing the Turley Rockit orchard, completed in September, was abig job, he said. Favouring the investment was the orchard’s scale on alarge greenfield site and efficiencies from putting in long rows of densely planted trees. Eventually, local staff and likely Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers will be recruited for the orchard as they have for an onion packhouse. Turley said the partnership with Rockit was agood fit. ‘‘Their marketing philosophy and snacktype convenience food [won us over] as it’s atrend at the moment pretty much to the fore. And Ithink it’s just the uniqueness of it and alot of it comes down to marketing and trying to capture as much return as you can and we think Rockit can achieve that for us.’’ The partnership follows on from the family collaborating with other investors in agribusiness. A20% shareholding was bought in 2012 in Dairy Holdings, which runs 63 dairy farms and 20 support blocks. Another venture is a40% shareholding in Farmers Mill, which produces flour for Griffins NZ, along with other bakery customers, and allows local growers to mill their own wheat. The couple are among founding shareholders of the Onion processing plant, Southern Packers and have a25% stake in the business. The Turleys also run a1900ha operation based at Temuka, producing cereals, potatoes, onions, hybrid vegetable seeds of carrots, canola, radish and red beet and ryegrass and white clover for seed. Turley said they were always up for anew challenge and could yet take on further opportunities suiting their climate and soils. He said they had continued building business interests as they liked working and collaborating with other farmers and business people. He said he was agrower at heart who enjoyed the challenges of business and working with likeminded people. Guidance sought BY DAVID HILL Local democracy reporter Feedback is being sought from Māori leaders on how to ensure a mana whenua voice, Environment Canterbury (Ecan) chair Peter Scott says. Scott says the council will seek guidance from the region’s 10 Papatipu Rūnanga chairs of how to proceed should the Government go ahead with its proposal to scrap NgāiTahu representation. He said there had been alot of reaction to the Government’s announcement it will repeal the Canterbury Regional Council (NgāiTahu Representation) Act, which allows Te Rūnanga oNgāi Tahu to appoint two councillors to represent the Papatipu Rūnanga. The NgāiTahu representation legislation was initiated by the council and was presented to Parliament twice, before finally passing into law last year in time for the local government elections. NgāiTahu elected Tutehounuku Korako and Iaean Cranwell as its councillors during last year’s local government elections. Scott said having NgāiTahu councillors saved ratepayers money and sped up the process. The NgāiTahu Settlement Act (1998) required the council to consult with all 10 Papatipu Rūnanga. Ecan has had Ngāi Tahu representation around the council table for more than a decade. NgāiTahu representatives served as Governmentappointed commissioners after the elected councillors were sacked by the previous Nationalled Government from 2011 to 2016. The Government also appointed NgāiTahu councillors in 2016, while Tumu Taiao (cultural) advisors served at the council table from 2020 to 2022. The Tumu Taiao advisors had aseat at the council table, but had no voting rights. ‘‘We saw the benefit and thought we should do something about it,’’ Scott said. ‘‘The statutory requirement is to consult with mana whenua and we felt the most judicious way to do it was to have these councillors in the room to navigate the discussion from a cultural perspective. The alternative is going out and consulting with each of the Papatipu Rūnanga and that takes time and money. We can do it in the room and make a decision.’’ Just last week Environment Canterbury voted against establishing a Māori ward for the 2025 and 2028 local government elections, following advice from Te Rūnanga oNgāiTahu and seven of the 10 Papatipu Rūnanga. The Papatipu Rūnanga chairs had yet to meet to discuss the matter. Public interest journalism funded by NZ On Air Let our agronomists do the groundwork. Grow withus. Contact 0800 900 308 | cates.co.nz CELEBRATING 50 YEARS 1973 - 2023 We know farmers face ever-changing challenges –whether it be rising costs, weather uncertainties, or shifting regulations. With Cates you have a local partner on the ground who will work with you to help your farm to be more profitable and sustainable. We understand farmers, so call us today to discuss your land, your plans and your options. Let’s grow together.
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Ashburton Courier: December 07, 2023

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