Will summer 2011, be a re-run of 1989 for farmers?

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5 December 2010

Will summer 2011, be a re-run of 1989 for farmers?

With drought-like conditions appearing early in the current summer, the MetService’s weather ambassador, Bob McDavitt, is advising farmers in Federated Farmers latest National Farming Review, to check their farm performance data for 1989.

“With the NFR is currently hitting mail boxes, the advice Bob McDavitt gives is incredibly timely,” says Federated Farmers President, Don Nicolson.

“Bob McDavitt’s column in the NFR puts this summer’s La Nina on a par with that experienced in 1988/1989 as well as back in 1975/1976. It seems with the weather, history can indeed repeat, so he advises farmers to check their farm data for 1989.

What we are currently experiencing is a pattern similar to that seen 21 and 34 years ago respectively. I don’t wish to annoy camping ground owners, but several weeks of rain would dramatically improve the current picture

“And as Bob McDavitt points out, January 1989 was a pretty wet month for Auckland. I know a lot of farmers in north eastern parts will have their fingers crossed that weather history does indeed repeat.

“But I also know farmers in areas affected by this dry weather are getting excellent advice and are preparing their farms and stock accordingly.

“With our annualised rainfall, drought shouldn’t be a word in our vocabulary, yet it is. This is why Federated Farmers advocates strongly that water storage should be national infrastructure.

“Given these dry conditions, it’s topical that our latest National Farming Review looks back to ‘Black September’ and the effect of September’s earthquake and storms on farmers.

“It was a pretty stressful time for many farmers but these storms and the current dry weather emphasises why nature is part and parcel of the biological system we farm in.

“In the magazine, I’ve taken the opportunity to ask why New Zealand doesn’t have a physical commodities exchange and posed some big questions about the state of competition in the New Zealand grains sector.

“We also have a feature on why maintaining authority over property, is critical to not just farmers, but to all New Zealanders. We seem to all love property, but to grow as a mature society, we must move beyond loving the property of other people even more.

“In another article, Federated Farmers asks if there is a third way to fining and prosecuting farmers for breaches of the Resource Management Act. We actually discover there is, in the story of Willy Leferink, Federated Farmers Dairy Vice-Chairperson.

“Carrying on this theme of solutions, we look at how a 85-gram rollover warning system made in the United States, could improve ATV safety on New Zealand’s farms.

“Our ‘FedsPeople’ feature is about Jason Uden. He’s doing the Taupo Ironman to inspire his son and to help raise funds for AutismNZ and build awareness of those living with Autism. It’s a very touching and warm story of a very dedicated father,” Mr Nicolson concluded.

Federated Farmer’s National Farming Review has articles on :

Canterbury’s early morning wake-up call – September’s 7.1 earthquake

The $1 billion storm – September’s seven days of farming in hell

Why fines don’t work – Finding a middle way to improve the environment

Your farm, your castle? – Upping the ante on protecting property rights

Editorial – Making Wellington Chicago (a New Zealand commodities exchange)

Give (Kiwi) grains a chance – Competition in the New Zealand grains sector

Chief Executive’s column – There is no free lunch

Weather outlook – A La Nina Summer

Economic outlook – The recovery may have slowed, but agricultural exports remains bright

Feds People – Forget life as you know it for Jason and Wendy Uden

Farm Tech ¬¬¬¬– ATV technology that could save lives

Fert Talk – Control of winter pests in winter crops

Planning (guest article) – Transpower compensation agreement reached

Employment – When accidents happen (Health and Safety in Employment Act)

Risk Management – Rural insurance heads in a new direction

ends

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