Fertco Limited

Good spring

2011-12-14T16:48:00.001-08:00

Press Release – Ministry Of Agriculture And Forestry

Favourable spring weather will help New Zealand livestock farmers capitalise on continuing strong in-market prices.14 December 2012

Favourable spring kicks off new pastoral season
Favourable spring weather will help New Zealand livestock farmers
capitalise on continuing strong in-market prices.

MAF has released a half-year update to the annual /Situation and
Outlook for New Zealand Agriculture and Forestry/ (SONZAF) report,
which was published in June.

The update shows the 2011/12 pastoral production season started with
generally favourable spring weather which has meant plenty of feed
for milking cows, ewes with new lambs and growing beef animals.

MAF expects overall pastoral production for the 2011/12 season to be
above average.

Prices for pastoral agriculture have generally remained at
historically high levels during the past half-year, despite the
deteriorating global economy and high exchange rates.

Emerging markets for food and other primary products continue to
grow, but the outlook is for weaker growth in many advanced economies
such as the European Union.

This will take some of the shine off, says Alan Hook, MAF Manager of
Sector Innovation, but prices are still generally well above average.

The dairy sector faces a squeeze between increased supply from other
major exporting countries and slowing demand from major importers
such as China. This saw the milk price for the current season revised
to $6.40 per kg milksolids, down $1.20 on the previous season.

However, the sector’s expected total earnings, at $13.6 billion for
the year to end of June 2012, will still be the highest to date.

The lamb schedule price for the year to September 2011 was the
highest in inflation-adjusted terms since 1977, due to reduced supply
on global markets.

New Zealand’s spring 2011 lamb crop is estimated to be 7 percent up
on last year.

MAF is forecasting weakening export lamb prices as global supply
increases over the next two years.

Wool export prices continue to rise, underpinned by strong Chinese
demand for raw product and demand for finished wool products in the
European Union and the United States.

However, MAF is forecasting that a weaker global economy will slow
wool demand and moderate pricing in the next two years.

In-market pricing for export beef has reduced from the record peak of
April 2011 but still remains relatively high.

This is fuelled by robust demand from Asian markets.

Over the next two years, a weakening global economy and slight
increases in exports from competing countries are expected to drive
New Zealand beef schedule prices downward.

But this will still be moderated by demand for animal protein in Asia
and other developing countries.

New Zealand beef production in the year ending 30 June 2012 is
expected to increase 2.4 percent due to a lift in carcass weight as a
result of favourable growing weather.

/For more information, go to the full half-year report in the
Publications section of the MAF website./

Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz

Country 99 TV - Fertco GM

2011-10-31T14:27:00.001-07:00

Good on Macca’s

2011-09-28T14:56:00.001-07:00

Managing cows in adverse weather conditions

2011-08-16T20:00:00.001-07:00

Need to prioritise feeding cows not milking them
At present the major problem will largely be a feed one with most farms in the middle of
calving and pasture covers dropping quickly. Generally we went into the winter with high
covers and have come out with very low cover due to some very low pasture growth rates
over the last 6-8 weeks. High rain fall from March to July led to high leaching. A PGR lull
after excellent PGR in the Autumn combined with wet then very cold soil conditions has led
to record low PGR over late July and August. A Big problem is an energy out increase but an
energy in decrease!
· First priority is with any sick or lighter conditioned cows. Cover
and treat as a SAD (Sick And Depressed) cow.
o Ketol 300mls TAD or calving drenches 1 litre daily
o B12 injections 10mls every 2-3 days
o Milk only as required no more than once a day and only if
cow is eating well
o Cover and shelter
o Check for and treat any other disease e.g. Mastitis
· Colostrum cows
o Milk once a day as a routine now and for the rest of
calving
o Extra lime flour 200-300g/cow/day
o Take feed to them in the paddock to free up pad space
for milkers.
o PKE or ration in a trailer with extra Lime flour
o Watch for SAD cows. Treat as above
.
· Milkers
o Once a day milking during stress periods reduces energy
demand, frees up staff time to feed cows and deal with
problems. It also reduces walking and gateway damage.
o Last September the farmers who responded quickly and
went to OAD, even with herds producing 2.3 kg MS/day,
lost less condition and returned to 2.4 kg MS/day once
back onto TAD milking. Mating and total season’s
performance was not compromised.
o Lime four 100-300g
They need more over stress periods, especially if
cold and wet.
o Magnesium Oxide
20-40g in feed
50-100g on pasture
50g MagC or MagS in-line but in wet conditions
water intakes will vary.
o Time to eat a ration on the pad will need to be increased
if more pad ration is fed.
L:\Flood & Storm\Storm Notes for Cows Aug 2011.docx
o Keep them full
Extra energy – By-pass fats 200-500g
Use forage feeds if available
Watch for acidosis if meal or cereals are increased
too quickly.
Molasses type feeds help with energy intakes
· Calving Cows
o Pick up calves immediately/quickly and feed 2 litres of
warmed first milk colostrum. Place in a dry drafted free
environment. Use covers if available.
o Get cows to the shed and milk out quickly
Calving drench or calcium drench ASAP
Onto feed as soon as you can, the colostrum
ration.
Check for mastitis and metritis. Treat aggressively
· Immune systems will be compromised.
· Calves
o Make sure they get adequate milk (10% of LWT)
Minimum of 4 litres preferably more 5-6 litres in
split feeds, in first 12 hours.
o Warmed milk is important especially in the first ten days
and the weather is cold. Calves can die of hypothermia
while warming up cold milk if conditions are severe.
o Feed twice a day while conditions are severe even if they
were on once a day.
o Shelter is a priority for young calves
· Dry/Springer cows
o Use forages hay straw to keep full and settled, and
generate heat.
o Consider shed feeding if available to provide energy
feeds.
o Magnesium is a priority here, see above
o Consider molasses type feeds as an energy source.
· Metabolic Problems
o Likely to increase over weather bombs
Downer cows
· Calcium I/V or S/C
· Dextrose I/V slowly to all downer cows
o They will be low in glucose
· Follow up with calcium/calving drenches
once swallowing
· Cover and treat as a SAD cow; See above.
Ketosis
· Acute more likely in better conditioned
higher producing cows and can be sudden

Calcium in the Dairy Cow

2011-08-01T13:35:00.001-07:00

The most serious problem involving calcium in the dairy cow is LOW levels of calcium. Milk fever, parturient paresis and hypocalcaemia are all terms that relate to low levels of calcium.
Hypocalcaemia simply means low calcium concentrations in the blood ('Hypo' = Low and 'calcaemia' means calcium in the blood).
Hypocalcaemia and Milk Fever: Very low levels of blood calcium cause obvious signs of milk fever in dairy cows...
Hypocalcaemia without signs of Milk Fever: Not all cases of hypocalcaemia result in milk fever. The term sub-clinical hypocalcaemia means that blood levels of calcium are low, but not low enough to cause obvious signs of milk fever.
Sub-clinical hypocalcaemia may cause problems including:
    * Poor appetite and low feed intakes
    * Sub-optimal milksolids production
    * Reproductive problems including metritis (a 'dirty' uterus) and poor conception rates
The outcome of hypocalcaemia (milk fever, or sub-clinical milk fever) depends on the age and physiological state of the animal. For an older cow that is about to calve or is lactating, clinical milk fever is a likely outcome. In young calves that haven't yet been bred and aren't lactating, calcium deficiency may contribute to rickets. Rickets from low levels of calcium is rare and more commonly result from a deficiency of phosphorus and / or vitamin D. Rickets is rarely seen in New Zealand cattle.
Milk Fever is the common name for the veterinary term parturient paresis. Milk fever is seen most commonly in cows that have just calved or are about to calve. Sometimes milk fever is seen in cows that have been milking for 8 to 10 weeks or more. Milk fever signs include weakness, the cow 'goes down' and is unable to get up again. Clinical signs of milk fever... If not treated, the animal goes into shock and will die.

There are three stages of clinical milk fever:

Stage 1:
    * Poor appetite / off feed and may be off her milk
    * Still on feet
    * Fine muscle tremor including slight head shake
    * Grinding teeth
    * Stiff legs, falls over easily
    * Dung output is reduced
Stage 2:
    * The cow has gone down, and is still sitting up on her sternum
    * The cow may appear drowsy, often with an 'S' bend or kink in her neck OR the head is turned back against her flank
    * The cow may extend her neck and drool with her tongue out
    * Her nose will be dry and her ears, tail and feet feel cool
    * Her eyes may appear dry and 'staring', looking vague
    * She may be constipated with few or no rumen contractions visible through the flank
    * Sometimes the cow is bloated
    * The heart rate is faster than normal and difficult to hear through a stethoscope or to palpate through the rib cage
    * Occasionally, the uterus may prolapse (turn inside out and hang out of the cow) if the cow has just calved
Stage 3:
    * The cow is down, but is lying stretched out on her side, she can't sit up on her sternum on her own. Rumen contents may be regurgitated out of her nose
    * Her limbs and head / neck are flaccid, and wobble when moved around
    * The cow is almost comatosed
    * The cow will die of shock within hours if not treated

Staggers (Magnesium Deficiency)

2011-07-18T19:36:00.001-07:00

Staggers (Magnesium Deficiency)

Cattle need a continuous supply of magnesium primarily to facilitate numerous energy-generating reactions in their tissues and for the orderly transmission of nerve pulses. The kidneys maintain magnesium homeostasis, and a renal threshold exists below which magnesium excretion is sharply reduced. Cattle rely on absorption of magnesium from the rumen to meet most of their needs. The animal cannot modify magnesium absorption and absorbs only a small proportion (<30%) of the magnesium consumed.

There are two types of hypomagnesaemia, hypomagnesaemic tetany in calves, which appears to be due to a straightforward deficiency of magnesium in the diet, and lactation tetany, in which there may be a partial dietary deficiency but in which nutritional and metabolic factors reduce the availability, or increase the body loss, of magnesium.

Slower grass growth and lack of artificial fertilisation on organically managed pastures may be protective against lactation/grass tetany in cows.

Lactation Tetany

The occurrence of lactation or grass tetany is related to three sets of circumstances. Most common is the occurrence in lactating dairy cows after turnout in the spring onto lush, grass-dominant pasture following winter housing. Most cases occur during the first 2 weeks after the animals leave the housing. Wheat pasture poisoning may occur in cattle of any age grazed on all types (including barley and oats) of green cereal crops in early stages of growth. The third occurrence is in beef or dry dairy cattle running at pasture in the winter time, usually when nutrition is insufficient and where no shelter is provided in changeable weather, rather than in severe, prolonged cold weather (Blood and Radostits, 1989).

Seventy per cent of the magnesium is relatively tightly bound in the skeleton and can only be released during general bone absorption. However, bone turnover decreases in adult animals. The body does not have efficient homeostatic mechanisms such as those which maintain calcium levels. Magnesium levels are therefore also more likely to be seasonably low in large numbers of animals than calcium levels. If this seasonably low level is suddenly exacerbated by a short period (24-48 hours) of starvation, such as during transport, hypomagnesaemia may occur. Hypocalcaemia is often present concurrently and there is evidence that the actual onset of clinical tetany may be associated with a rapid fall in serum calcium levels.

There are several factors affecting magnesium absorption in the rumen. Both potassium and rapidly degradable protein have a negative effect on magnesium absorption, as has a high rumen pH. The coincidence, therefore, of high dietary intake of potassium and degradable protein in rapidly growing spring herbage means that conditions for magnesium absorption are critical at this stage. Pasture which has been heavily top-dressed with fertilizers rich in nitrogen and potash is potentially most dangerous.

Reduced levels of serum magnesium have been observed in adult cattle exposed to cold, wet windy weather with little sunshine and with no access to shelter or to supplementary feed. It is possible that failure to eat during bad weather may be the basic cause of hypomagnesaemia. There is also a suggestion that cold weather stress may increase urinary excretion of magnesium (Shiga et al., 1979). It most often occurs in dry dairy cows and beef cattle kept outside during the winter months in moderately cold climates.

The clinical signs of lactation tetany are muscular spasms and convulsions, and death due to respiratory failure. Although effective treatment is available, the mortality rate is high because of the short course. Since animals die before they can be observed to be ill, the mortality rate is difficult to estimate. It is probably in the order of 20%.

Hypomagnesaemic tetany of calves

Hypomagnesaemic tetany in calves is common and is often accompanied by hypocalcaemia. It is caused by a dietary magnesium deficiency exacerbated by a high intake of calcium, which causes depletion of magnesium stores and lower serum and bone levels of magnesium. Milk is an adequate source of magnesium in very young calves. However, the efficiency of magnesium absorption decreases up to about three months of age, when maximum susceptibility to the disease occurs.

Other factors may predispose hypomagnesaemic tetany. Scouring reduces magnesium absorption. Chewing fibrous material, such as floor bedding, increases salivation and thus causes greater losses of endogenous magnesium. Hypomagnesaemic tetany in calves often coexists with other diseases, especially enzootic muscular dystrophy.

The disease is most common in housed, inadequately fed animals. Calves aged 2-4 months or over are most at risk when fed solely on a diet of whole milk, as with veal calves. However, the disease also occurs in calves running at pasture with their dams. Calves receiving the greatest quantity of milk and growing most rapidly are more likely to be affected, as they have a greater need for magnesium.

Tetany does not occur until serum magnesium levels fall below 0.8 mg/dl (0.33 mmol/l), and is most severe at levels below 0.6 mg/dl (0.25 mmol/l), although calves may have levels even lower than this and show few clinical signs. It is probable that hypocalcaemia precipitates tetany, in animals rendered tetany-prone by low serum magnesium levels.

Further information

Further information on staggers (magnesium deficiency) in cattle can be found by following the links below. This information references cattle health and welfare in organic cattle production systems and is part of a compendium on animal health and welfare in organic livestock production provided by the University of Reading.

Control & Prevention

Fonterra keep top spot

2011-06-28T20:05:00.001-07:00

Fonterra lifts share to keep milk top spot [23 June/ NZ Herald] Fonterra has retained its position as the biggest milk processor
in the world, according to a report by the International Farm Comparison Network. New Zealand’s dairy giant was ranked the top
milk processor for 2011 with an intake of 20.5 million tonnes, equivalent to a 3 per cent market share of world milk production;
up from 2.7 per cent in 2009. Fonterra led Dairy Farmers of America and Nestle, which had market shares of 2.5 per cent and
2.2 per cent respectively. Strong milk prices could lead to global growth of up to 20 million tonnes a year in 2011 and 2012, the
research network said. Meanwhile, agricultural market analyst Agrifax reported that New Zealand milk output in April was 31 per
cent ahead of last year on a milksolids basis, reflecting excellent conditions for pasture growth during the autumn.

MineralBoost at the Fieldays

2011-06-27T14:25:00.001-07:00

Arthur Payze and a good fish

2011-06-13T20:59:00.001-07:00

Do dairy cows need calcium in late lactation?

2011-04-14T19:48:00.001-07:00

Do dairy cows need calcium in late lactation?

Article supplied by S M Macky BVSc (dist), Director, Dairy Production Systems Limited

In theory, low producing cows in late lactation should be getting enough calcium from pasture to meet all their daily calcium needs. In reality, we see down cows with milk fever and cows with subclinical hypocalcaemia in late lactation, over the drying off period and even into the early dry period.

Obviously something is not going to plan. The main considerations will be:

There's not enough calcium in the cow's daily diet
She's getting enough calcium in her diet but isn't absorbing it
The cow's calcium requirements are higher than assumed
A combination of all of the above

Not enough calcium in the diet. The first problem, unfortunately common in New Zealand, is that the cow is simply not getting enough to eat to meet the needs of milk production, foetal growth, body condition gains, activity, growth, weather problems, etc. Most of our pastures contain enough calcium for late lactation needs in a normal, healthy, well grown, well-conditioned cow, so if pasture dry matter intake (DMI) is adequate ( 3 - 3.5% of mature bodyweight) and pasture calcium content is above 0.5%, theoretically she will be getting enough calcium. Note that calcium content may be diluted in fast growing grasses.

Problems arise when the calcium content of the diet is too low and/or total intake is too low. If the cow's intake is not solely pasture but includes grains, cereal silage, maize silage or any other low or marginal calcium-containing feed, such as palm kernel expeller meal, then her total daily calcium intake will fall. Calcium will need to be supplemented.

In certain circumstances calcium may not be well absorbed from the gut, or if absorbed may be rapidly excreted or otherwise made unavailable to the cow. Depressed rumen pH, i.e. subclinical or clinical rumen acidosis, even transiently each day, can result in depressed uptake as calcium may 'pool' in the gut. Calcium excretion by the kidneys may be increased.

Lush, fast growing grass after the autumn flush, especially nitrogen boosted young grasses and annuals are common culprits, especially if not accompanied by adequate physically effective fibre. These problems are exacerbated where low calcium, rapidly fermented feeds are improperly introduced, rates of feeding are increased too rapidly or slug feeding occurs

Excess zinc and/or magnesium can also cause hypocalcaemia. Diets high in unprotected fats and oils can reduce calcium availability to the cow, as calcium may form 'soaps' with the fat or oil which may not be able to be dissociated and absorbed in the lower gut.

Increased calcium needs can be numerous and interrelated, eg:

Need to replenish bone calcium reserves, foetal growth
Need for continued growth (most New Zealand cows are not skeletally fully-grown even as 4 year olds)
Meeting activity needs, e.g. walking, trucking, fighting
Adverse weather events
Jersey cows have an increased susceptibility to hypocalcaemia
High risk milk fever farm, e.g. high potassium feed at calving
Calcium reserves must be replenished before dry off
Stresses, such as dry off, new feeds, new mobs

Most often when we look at health and productivity in late lactation, especially when looking forward to avoiding problems in the next season, most New Zealand cows would benefit from an improved calcium intake in late lactation. Too often, it is assumed that because it is the end of the season, calcium supplementation is not required. The clinical problems we see are only the tip of the iceberg. Rates of supplementation may not be as high as needed in early lactation but getting it wrong can be just as costly. Many of those potential problems may not be seen until the next season!

Equestrian Cow

2011-04-10T17:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.barnmice.com/video/udderly-amazing-girl-teaches

Cows and Co2

2011-04-07T16:06:00.001-07:00

NZCPR Guest Forum
Opinion piece by Robin Grieve
4 April 2011
The folly of the ETS

The Emission Trading Scheme was put in place to help New Zealand meet its obligations to the Kyoto Protocol. The ultimate purpose of that Protocol and the ETS is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that some say may be causing global warming. While I find it extraordinary that our Government is prepared to impose costs on its people based on nothing more than a theory, the focus of my concern is the way in which the ETS treats livestock emissions of methane. While the debate over global warming may never be finished, the way livestock emissions of methane are treated clearly demonstrates the folly that is the ETS.

The problem lies in the way the ETS is focused on what they call carbon emissions. The carbon they talk about in the ETS, is not the atom Carbon, or the molecule Carbon dioxide, it is a unit called a ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’. It is a theoretical or virtual unit and not representative of anything real. This is because while the values assigned to something real are always set by nature and inarguable, the values assigned to virtual units like these carbon dioxide equivalents are set by politicians, and can differ hugely depending on what is included in the calculation and what is not.

As an aside, I believe using the term ‘carbon’ when referring to these carbon dioxide equivalents is sloppy. It is a good marketing ploy though for the global warming industry because it conjures up images of something black and sooty and bad, which of course it is not. For purpose of clarification when referring to these virtual units I will use the proper term of carbon dioxide equivalent. When I refer to carbon I will be referring to real atomic carbon.

In the New Zealand Inventory of greenhouse gases agricultural emissions make up 48% of New Zealand’s total emissions of these carbon dioxide equivalents but this does not reflect the reality of what is happening in our atmosphere in terms of real greenhouse gas.

The main greenhouse gas that livestock produce is methane. Methane is produced in the rumen of a ruminant as a by product of the digestion process. It is called enteric methane and is released into the atmosphere when the animal belches (they do not fart).

Enteric methane makes up nearly one third of New Zealand’s emissions of carbon dioxide equivalents, but most if not all of this methane has no effect on the atmospheric concentration of methane or any other greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. It does not cause an increase in the concentration of methane, therefore it does not cause an increase in the global greenhouse affect and therefore it can not physically be responsible for any global warming that may be happening.

The reason for this is that methane (CH4) oxidises to CO2 over a relatively short period of 8-12 years. Because it is continually breaking down to CO2 it needs a constant source to replenish it and maintain the atmospheric concentration. A steady state of production only maintains current levels in the atmosphere, it does not increase it. Most if not all enteric methane produced in New Zealand is from a steady state of production and is not an anthropogenic activity as defined by the UN.

Climate change as defined by the UN and The Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change is “A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere”.

According to the UN definition, for an activity to be causing global warming it has to alter the composition of the atmosphere. For an atmosphere to be considered altered it stands to reason it has to be different after the emission than it was before the emission. In the case of enteric methane the atmosphere is not different, it has no more CO2, CH4 or C in it than it had before and it is therefore not altered and methane emissions from a steady state source are not an anthropogenic activity.

For this reason almost one third of the emissions New Zealand reports in the Inventory of Greenhouse Gases should not be in there. Including them in the ETS was a mistake making the ETS, which is a major economic policy of this Government, fundamentally flawed.

To understand how this mistake came about we need to understand how carbon dioxide equivalents are calculated. Carbon dioxide equivalents were invented to try and quantify the greenhouse effect of a number of different greenhouse gases. The greenhouse effect of all greenhouse gases is equated to the greenhouse effect of CO2. Methane is better at trapping heat than CO2 with onemolecule of methane having the equivalent greenhouse effect of 21 molecules of CO2 when this effect is averaged over a period of 100 years. For this reason methane has what they call a global warming potential of 21 and so an emission of 1 tonne of methane is quantified as 21 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents. To quantify the different gases in this way does makes sense and on the face of it is a good idea but in reality it does not work. There are a number of reasons for this, not the least being it fails to take into account the cyclical nature of livestock emissions.

When an animal eats grass and produces product it is part of the carbon cycle. During this process carbon in the form of carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere to grow grass. After the animal eats the grass most of the carbon is returned to the atmosphere and reforms immediately as CO2. It returns to the atmosphere through animal respiration, waste, and product eaten by humans who return it through their own respiration and waste processes.

Exactly the same amount of carbon has been returned to the atmosphere as was removed, making the animal truly carbon neutral. What complicates this though is that this carbon was all in the form of CO2 when it was removed from the atmosphere and while most of it returns as CO2 a small portion returns as CH4 (methane). This is where these imaginary carbon dioxide equivalents are created. When an animal converts a molecule of carbon dioxide to a molecule of methane the global warming industry say that one carbon dioxide equivalent was removed from the atmosphere as the CO2 molecule and twenty one carbon dioxide equivalents were returned as the CH4 molecule. Twenty additional carbon dioxide equivalents have been produced and released into an imaginary atmosphere. In reality though there is no more carbon, carbon dioxide or methane in the real atmosphere. There can be no global warming from them.

In short these carbon dioxide equivalents are a joke, they do not work. The UN acknowledges there are problems with them and set up an expert group to devise an alternative way to calculate them. They have not as yet found a metric that satisfactorily quantifies the greenhouse effect of a mix of greenhouse gases without causing anomalies as the current system does with enteric methane. Designing an ETS around a system and methodology that is so flawed was not a prudent move by the New Zealand Government. What would be prudent would be a scientific review into the true effect enteric methane emissions are having on the atmosphere. John Key and Nick Smith have refused to do this preferring to spend tens of millions of dollars in a forlorn search for ways to mitigate the emission of a gas that is only harmful in an imaginary atmosphere not a real one. Their ETS is equally forlorn as a policy because it is based on methodology which is not scientifically credible

MineralBoost – Now available from RD1 nutrition.

2011-03-10T12:10:00.001-08:00

RD1 nutrition are now offering MineralBoost to be blended with PKE and other animal feeds. When customers of RD1 are ordering PKE they simply need now ask to have MineralBoost added. Turning good feed into great feed. Easy.

National Sales Manager - FERTCO - Ag-Recruit Limited

2010-11-09T17:45:00.001-08:00

National Sales Manager - FERTCO

Waikato or Bay of Plenty based

Fertco is a privately owned fertiliser and animal nutrition provider established in 1999. They have been supplying North Island farmers with innovative fertiliser products for over ten years. Head office is in Mt Maunganui with outlying manufacturing based in Morrinsville.

Head office is in Mt Maunganui with outlying manufacturing based in Morrinsville. Additional dispatch facilities are in the King Country and Manawatu. Our 1500 customers farm a mix of Dairy, Sheep and Beef, Cropping, and Horticulture. Fertiliser customers are primarily based in the upper North Island.

Due to growth in market share, and the successful introduction of Mineral Boost to the market, Fertco now has an immediate need to recruit a National Sales Manager. This newly formed position can be based in either Waikato or the Bay of Plenty.

As National Sales Manager, you will report to the General Manager and be supported by Fertco’s in-house technical team. You will lead and mentor a team of six sales representatives. You will also implement systems to ensure that your agricultural customers are provided with the best service and technical advice possible.

You will spend 50% of your time developing new markets for Fertco and running your physical territory. You will drive and organise public relations and events. You will be ultimately responsible for the care of Fertco’s channel partners around New Zealand and will conduct regular sales and service reviews with them.

Competencies required for this role include:

Proven leadership and sales management skills, with experience in a leadership role
Experience developing and implementing reporting systems and budgets
A strong personal background in business development
An affinity with New Zealand pastoral farming practices
Ability to learn and make use of new technology
Appropriate tertiary qualification - preferred

To discuss this role in confidence, please phone either Deb Francis on 021 2245000 or Alwyn Coll on 027 2291444. Otherwise, send your CV with covering letter to apply@ag-recruit.co.nz by Monday 29 November. (Quote ref FRT18)

Nutrient leaders listen to farmers

2010-11-01T23:22:00.001-07:00

Nutrient leaders listen to farmers

by Elaine Fisher | 2nd November 2010 BOP times

Warwick Voyce says limited resources necessitates efficient fertiliser use, a practice his company Fertco is well known for. Elaine Fisher BOP Times

A looming world shortage of raw materials and rising costs are driving changes in the New Zealand fertiliser industry that's good for the environment, says Warwick Voyce, general manager of Fertco.
"While nutrients were cheap, New Zealand's fertiliser industry operated on applying bulk nutrients to the land and while this worked well for farmers it was probably not so good for the environment," said Mr Voyce.
With costs increasing and shortage predicted, a re-think of fertiliser use was vital to ensure agriculture and horticulture in New Zealand continued to flourish while remaining environmentally sustainable, he said.
"So far, in reaction to rising cost and lack of alternatives, many farmers have simply applied fewer, cheaper nutrients which are understandable but not sustainable.
"There are still soil deficiencies and nutrients being removed from the soil and failure to address this will ultimately lead to falling production," he said.
Fertco was founded 10 years ago with a strong emphasis on eco-friendly products, and although that's still important, Warwick said the company's focus on matching fertilisers to specific soil and production needs often resulted in less product being applied, saving money.
"We remain eco-friendly but in this new era, we are also innovators in nutrient efficiency," he said.
The needs of the farmer are as important as the needs of the land and livestock, he said.

"It's as important for us to know what it is the farmer wants to achieve, be it costs savings, higher production, fewer visits from the vet or more time at the beach, as it is to assess the soil data to find out what the land needs," he said.
For that reason, Fertco consultants not only sample the soil and discuss nutrient budgets but also ask farmers a range of questions to gauge the outcomes they are aiming for. "The kinds of questions we ask are those which have been overlooked in the past. There is no point in recommending a fertiliser programme which will result in increased production if the farmer really wants a slower pace of life and more recreation time," said Mr Voyce.
Taking note of land owners' needs is one of the reasons Fertco came into being.
"A group of Waikato farmers wanted a company which approached fertiliser supply from a fresh angle. Their interest was primarily in dicalcic phosphate which, they believed from their own experiences, was a superior product to super phosphate as it gave them improved animal health and pasture growth and was environmentally friendly," he said.
Dicalcic phosphate, known as "reverted super", is manufactured by blending lime with super, before wetting the mix and leaving it to revert.
What follows is a chemical reaction in which the phosphate in the super is converted from monocalcium to dicalcium phosphate, resulting in a release rate in soil that more closely matches plant uptake.
Initially a co-operative, Fertco set up a sales consultancy force with a mandate to focus on customer service and to tailor fertiliser blends to clients' exact requirements.
A year after its formation, Fertco re-structured into a limited liability company.
"The company's head office and main manufacturing and dispatch facility has always been at Mt Maunganui because it is close to the port where virtually all our raw material enters the country," said Mr Voyce.
The company also has a granulation and drying plant in Morrinsville and additional storage and dispatch facilities in Te Kuiti and Dannevirke.
It employs 22 staff, many of whom are also shareholders.
Although fertiliser remains its core function, Fertco has recently successfully branched into the field of animal nutrition with the launch of it soon-to-be patented "Mineral Boost" dietary supplement for livestock.
"We are a relatively small company in a market dominated by fertiliser giants and while we can offer the same services they do in terms of deferred payments, and a full range of fertiliser blends, we can also offer value where other products cannot.
"For example, we have the highest dicalcic phosphate range on the market and most recently have focused heavily on offering our customers products which result in production gains and/or cost savings over more traditional fertiliser programmes."
While Fertco's core products for horticulture and agriculture are eco-friendly, it also has a range of BioGro certified organic products.
"Many of our organic products are used by conventional farmers and orchardists and that's partly because the products are affordable. We don't charge a premium because they are organic."
Fertco also supplies small block holders through arrangements with rural service stores such as RD1 and Farmlands.
"It's just as important for lifestyle farmers to fertilise their land to ensure livestock have good feed as it is for larger farmers and it doesn't have to be expensive."

P blend brings ‘rampant’ growth

2010-10-03T16:21:00.001-07:00

P blend brings ‘rampant’ growth
Hauraki Plains dairy farmer Graham
Needham’s milk production has shot up
since he began using dicalcic phosphates 10
years ago. He milks 220 Shorthorn/Ayrshire
cows on 78ha of predominantly peat soil
in Ngatea, running an all-grass system with
a small amount of green feed maize grown
on farm to get his herd through the region’s
typical late summer dry.
Needham said he used to apply the
standard 30 percent potassic super to his
property, with “fair to middling” results.
For the past decade, he has been working
with Bay of Plenty-based Fertco, whose
products he said have really made his farm
produce.
“The ability to mix Fertco’s granulated
lime with dicalcic phosphate in customblended
mixes has seen our pH levels rise
to 6.3-6.5, which is unprecedented for peat
soils,” he said.
“This has seen the paddocks stand out
in our neighbourhood due to their
intense dark green colour and
rampant clover growth.
“Consequently, our milk
production has skyrocketed and
now sits at 87,000kg milksolids
(MS). Animal health issues are
virtually non-existent and we’ve got
an abundance of earthworms. My
sharemilker is happy and production
is still climbing.”
Sharemilker James Clothier said
local farmers reckoned this year’s
crop of maize was the best any had
seen on the Hauraki Plains. “And we
only used the Fertco standard farm fertiliser
– no special maize mixes and no extra
nitrogen [N].”
Fertco general manager Warwick
Voyce said the company has developed a
unique method of manufacturing dicalcic
phosphate that results in an eco-friendly
product with a high nutrient content.
“As well as saving money on both cartage
and spreading, our Dical range has benefits
for soil biology, animal health and the
environment,” he said.
“It also helps maintain soil phosphate
[P] levels and production, using a quarter
to a third less P, which again saves farmers
money.”
Fertco services the greater North Island
region. For more information visit www.
fertco.co.nz.

Fonterra Video

2010-07-12T14:47:00.001-07:00

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayb9Cw7ZhcM

Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

2010-05-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

26 May 2010

Solid Energy’s high-quality humates from its New Vale Mine in Southland has achieved a major milestone - gaining organic certification with BioGro New Zealand, the country’s leading organic certification agency.

Scientific testing recently confirmed that select lignite seams at Solid Energy’s New Vale Mine in Southland are a source of high-quality humates, which could play a key role in greening New Zealand both literally and figuratively.

“Humates are rich in humic and fulvic acids and these acids help retain nutrients for plants,” says Solid Energy Environmental Business Manager, Dr Paul Weber. Early results show that the humate product from New Vale could have more than 30% humic acid. “Our last load, which we shipped recently, had a humic acid content of 43%, which was fantastic.”

“Exploratory laboratory trials have indicated humates can slow the leaching of nitrogen fertilisers,” he says. “This may allow plants to use more of the nutrient before it leaches away. By helping soils retain nitrogen, humates could offer financial benefits to farmers and also reduce the negative effects of leaching on aquifers and rivers.”

Dr Weber says New Zealand farmers and gardeners apply about 2,000 tonnes of humates a year but the market is predicted to jump to 10,000 tonnes in the coming years due to its increasing reputation. “Most of the humates used in New Zealand are currently imported from Australia, involving considerable transport costs, so we hope that our New Vale discovery can provide a comparable high-quality local source,” he says.

Solid Energy has an agreement with New Zealand Humates Limited (NZH) to supply humates for the New Zealand market. Dave Whitteker, Managing Director of NZH and an eight-year advocate of humates, says the supply deal represents an opportunity to harness New Zealand’s own natural resources in a very green way and reduce the country’s reliance on international imports.

“Now that we’ve gained organic certification of the New Vale Mine humates with BioGro New Zealand – the local product is even more palatable for customers,” Mr Whitteker says. A number of his clients now use 4% to 10% humate mixed with fertiliser and agricultural limestone applications to maximise pasture and crop response.

“Further research is required on this product, under New Zealand conditions, to maximise the benefits, and trials are currently under way with Lincoln University,” Mr Whitteker says.

Dr Weber, who also manages environmental research and development for Solid Energy, concludes that the humate market is young but has strong potential. “We are already investigating options for liquid humates that could be used for blended fertilisers, water treatment and clean-up of contaminated sites. Watch this space,” he says.

Current Trend

2010-04-03T04:20:00.001-07:00

Why is PhosMate so good?

2010-03-17T19:18:00.001-07:00

Humate is getting a fair amount of scientific interest at the moment and this interest is justified. This recent Aussie insight gives us an idea as to why the Lime, phosphate and Humate in Phosmate works so well.

Titre du document / Document title

The use of Ca-modified, brown-coal-derived humates and fulvates for treatment of soil acidity

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

PEIRIS Damayanthi⁽¹⁾ ; PATTI Antonio F.^{(1 2)} ; JACKSON W. Roy⁽¹⁾ ; MARSHALL Marc⁽¹⁾ ; SMITH Christopher J.⁽³⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾Centre for Green Chemistry and School of Chemistry, PO Box 23, Monash University, Vic. 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽²⁾School of Applied Sciences, Monash University, Vic 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽³⁾CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1666, Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIE

Résumé / Abstract

Previous workers have demonstrated the amelioration of soil acidity with Ca-saturated, at least slightly soluble, organic materials. This study investigated the effectiveness of a new source of such materials, the humate- or fulvate-rich products of oxidation (hydrogen peroxide) of Loy Yang brown coal. The products were characterised by physical and spectroscopic measurements and by elemental analysis. Two products, one approximately half fulvate (fulvate-rich), the other predominantly humate (humate-rich) were mixed with CaCl₂ and then used to treat columns of an acid red podzol soil from Book Book, NSW. Leachate fractions were collected and analysed for pH, ionic strength, and concentration of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, and Al. After leaching (3 pore volumes), each soil column was sectioned and exchangeable Ca and Al contents were determined. The results were compared with those obtained from lime-treated and untreated columns. The Ca-fulvate-rich product was the most effective in lowering the exchangeable Al content of the soil whilst increasing exchangeable Ca and soil pH. About 90% of the reduction in exchangeable Al was due to loss of Al in the leachate rather than immobilisation. The pH increased over the top 15 cm of the column from 3.8 ± 0.1 to 4.5-5.4. The Ca-humate-rich oxidised product was less effective in ameliorating soil acidity, as expected from its chemical properties, but it increased soil pH (to 4.0-4.7) and exchangeable Ca in the top 6 cm of the column and decreased exchangeable Al in the top 12 cm. More of the reduction in exchangeable Al than for the treatment with Ca-fulvate-rich material was due to conversion to an immobile form. This material was superior to lime, which only gave significant improvement near the soil surface. The leachates from treated columns contained the same amounts of Mg, Mn, and K as a control, but more Fe was leached from treated columns, particularly that treated with the Ca-fulvate-rich product.

Revue / Journal Title

Australian journal of soil research ISSN 0004-9573 CODEN ASORAB

New Product pHosMate designed to improve phosphate efficiency even further.

2010-02-28T15:16:00.001-08:00

Any old amount is not good enough…..

2010-02-15T19:16:00.001-08:00

Fertco advocates heavy use of customising fertiliser requirements to exactly what farmers need – not willy nilly spread as much as you can philosophies….. this is important for both the farm and environment…. here’s why.

China using 'mind blowing' amount of fertiliser

Ecologist

14th February, 2009

Overuse of nitrogen fertilisers in China is leading to rapid soil acidification and is causing lasting damage to ecosystems, according to soil study

Nitrogen fertilisers used to increase crop yields in China are having ‘extreme’ environmental consequences, according to a study from leading soil scientists.
Scientists from China, the UK and the United States measured the pH of soil samples taken from agricultural land across China in the 1980s and 2000s and found widespread acidification caused by nitrogen fertilisers.
On average, the pH of soil across the country had decreased by 0.5 in 20 years. In parts of Hunan province, in south China, the pH of the soil had dropped to between 3 and 4.
Most crops are suited to a neutral range between pH 6 and pH 8.

Intensification drive
Dr Goulding, head of soil science at Rothamsted Agricultural Research Centre, said Chinese farmers had been encouraged to use more fertilisers to drive up yields, but had not been warned about the risks.

‘The message from the Chinese government was very simple: put nitrogen fertiliser on your crops and get more yield. The result in many parts of the country is extreme acidification,’ said Goulding.
Professor Peter Vitousek of Stanford University, who worked on the study, said the amount of fertiliser being used in China was ‘mind-blowing.’
‘Whereas on a grain farm in Illinois, an average of 200 kg of nitrogen fertiliser are being used per hectare, on a maize farm in China that could be as much as 800 kg per hectare.
‘More than half of that is not going into the crop: instead it's having grave environmental consequences downwind and downstream,’ he said.

Cutting fertiliser usage
Professor Vitousek said the research had shown that farmers could cut the amount of nitrogen fertilisers used almost in half without affecting yields.
'This would be an absolute benefit to the environment and farmer costs,’ he said.

Emerging Markets view…. fertiliser

2010-02-14T19:52:00.001-08:00

VALE Is Expanding Into Fertilizers With $1bn Stake in Fosfertil (Equities Analysts view)

This is great news. Our favorite mining company in addition to a dominant position in the iron ore markets they have deftly expanded into other minerals and now fertilizers. Vale’s Finance Director, Fabio Barbosa, stated, “Our perception is that the rapid per capita income growth in emerging markets will have a big impact on demand for protein, so there will be a structural shift in the demand for [fertiliser] which has only limited supply.” Per capita income growth in big emerging economies is the theme song for all of our investments! As investors, we can buy better value at a better price and lower risk than developed markets.

It will also be very interesting to see if Vale begins purchasing their own ships in order to deliver ore to spot markets instead of relying on customers to collect.

Fonterra Invests In China

2010-02-03T12:40:00.001-08:00

Fonterra has announced that it intends to invest in two more dairy farms in China to continue growing a high quality and secure supply milk on the ground.

Philip Turner, Managing Director for Fonterra China, said that the Chinese dairy industry is continuing to develop quickly but that the current supply of high quality fresh milk cannot keep up with demand.

“We are looking to help grow a safe, secure and sustainable milk supply in China in order to meet this demand and expand our customer base.”

The China dairy market is set to become the world’s largest dairy market in the next few decades and is forecast to experience double digit annual growth over the next 10 years. The Chinese Government has acknowledged that the development of the dairy farming industry is not only crucial for meeting the growth in demand, but also for developing rural communities and their livelihoods.

Mr Turner said Tangshan Fonterra Farm, Fonterra’s pilot farm in Hangu established in 2007, had succeeded in demonstrating that Fonterra can successfully produce New Zealand standard milk in China. It has reached target production levels ahead of timetable and is producing record levels of milk for China.

“We are confident that with further investment in good technology, people and high quality genetics, we can replicate this model on further farms. This will complement our New Zealand milk supply and help us better meet the needs of our key customers, who are increasingly looking for local sourcing capability.”

Fonterra has identified several possible sites for the new farms in Hebei Province and will consider partnering on the investment. However, Mr Turner said Fonterra would want to have full management of the farms.

“It is important that we keep the next two farms in close proximity to Tangshan Fonterra Farm in order to achieve efficiencies in transport, milk supply and Fonterra management.”

Mr Turner said due diligence was already underway and the aim was to complete the final long-term lease agreement by mid-2010.

Tangshan Fonterra Farm is already producing its second generation of China born heifers, following two successful rounds of calving since the farm was first established. The total herd has grown to nearly 5800 cows, around half of which have been raised from the original imported herd of Friesians.

Each of the new farms is planned to be of similar size to Hangu, with around 35 hectares of land and around 3300 milking cows, creating employment and training opportunities for 350 people in Hebei Province.

Tangshan Fonterra Farm manager and experienced veterinarian Todd Meyer said the second round of calving was proof that Fonterra had successfully adapted the New Zealand-quality herd to the farming environment in China.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better result. We have introduced new China-born blood into our herd and are meeting our production targets for high quality local milk.”

TheCattleSite News Desk

Dominance of N

2009-12-25T15:00:00.001-08:00

Sharp fall in use of P and K

2009-12-15T19:22:00.001-08:00

15 December 2009

THE latest figures from fertiliser trade organisation the International Fertilizer Industry Association indicates farmers in several countries have been postponing applications of phosphorus and potassium in response to the current volatility in grain and input prices.

According to the IFA, total consumption in 2008/09 was down 6.7 per cent, to 156.4 million tonnes of nutrients for the three main nutrients NP and K.

Consumption is estimated to have contracted much more sharply for P and K fertilisers, down 10.5 and 19.8 per cent, respectively, than for N, which was only down 1.5 per cent.

Demand increased in South Asia and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, remained fairly stable in Africa and declined in all other regions. Some of the largest changes in volumes occurred in Western and Central Europe – down 4.3mt and North America – down 3.4 mt.

The IFA is forecasting a recovery in N use in 2010, a small increase in P consumption and a continuing decline in K consumption.

Fertiliser industry aims to reduce CO2 emissions

2009-12-12T19:26:00.001-08:00

| Sourced From Commodityonline.com |

PARIS (Commodity Online): The International Fertilizer Industry Association (IFA) has mooted a life-cycle approach encompassing fertiliser production, transport and use to reduce the impact of the industry on climate change.

A white paper, “Fertilizers, Climate Change and Enhancing Productivity Sustainably” provides a review of the impact of fertiliser industry, both negative and positive, on climate change.

The fertilizer life-cycle accounts for 2 to 3% of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Yet, nitrogen fertilizers are estimated to contribute to feeding as much as half of the world’s population. As agricultural production rises to meet food, feed, fibre and bioenergy demand worldwide, fertilizer use will also increase. Climate change creates an imperative for the fertilizer industry to contribute to mitigation and adaptation in order to achieve a more sustainable path to global food security. Increasing agricultural productivity, through efficient fertilizer use, is critical to prevent further deforestation, protect biodiversity, and thus reduce the emissions level per unit of agricultural output.

The fertilizer industry recognizes that it contributes directly and indirectly to GHG emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) and it has set as a priority to reduce them. The technology and knowledge is available to achieve significant reductions. Some of the current solutions include: Improving the management of operations using Best Production Techniques, in order to reduce energy consumption and direct GHG emissions in natural gas-based ammonia production, which carries the largest share of the industry’s emissions. IFA estimates that the potential energy savings could reach 15% globally.
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Utilizing state-of-the art technology, such as secondary N2O abatement catalysts in nitric acid production. Energy savings could reach more than 25% (and possibly 40% if Best Available Techniques become the norm).

The improved performance in all manufacturing processes has an emissions reduction potential of up to about 120 Tg CO2-equivalent per year. Future Carbon Capture and Storage technology may add some 100 Tg CO2-equivalent in coal-based ammonia production facilities (principally in China).

The fertilizer industry has an economic rationale and direct control over the performance of its production facilities. However, the production of fertilizers accounts for less than 1% of total GHG emissions and fertilizer use for 1.5%. The industry is helping farmers to reduce emissions by sharing knowledge, products and technologies to improve the efficiency of fertilizer use in the field. IFA has developed a global framework for Fertilizer Best Management Practices, in partnership with policymakers, scientists, extension agents and farmers, to ensure that an ever-growing number of farmers uses the 4R approach: Right Product @ Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place. Good agricultural practices are essential in order to minimize unwanted impacts of intensified agriculture. In addition, judicious fertilizer use helps increase cultivated soil carbon reserves by increasing the photosynthetic conversion of CO2 to biomass that is subsequently converted to soil organic matter. The paper notes the potential gain of soil carbon sequestration on degraded soils, such as in much of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Fertilizer production and agriculture are both truly global businesses. Policy decisions related to climate change need to take into account local conditions and the possibility of trade substitution (which could lead to “carbon leakage”). Otherwise, competitiveness could be distorted and emissions reduction targets could be undermined. Appropriate and timely policy decisions are critical to ensure desired emissions reductions. They should recognize early adopters and providers of improved technologies in order to encourage appropriate investments in the near term. Financing mechanisms need to address barriers to technology adoption. They also need to take into account the specific needs of agriculture.

Efforts by the fertilizer industry to take responsibility for its greenhouse gas emissions can only be fully effective if policymakers and other stakeholders, such as farmers, also play their part. The critical goals of protecting food security, reducing poverty and fighting climate change must coexist. The fertilizer industry, along with other members of civil society, calls on governments to include agriculture in the post-Kyoto negotiations that will take place in December in Copenhagen. (Courtesy:PRWeb)

Mineral Boost - Adding to PKE

2009-11-30T18:35:00.000-08:00

Mineral Boost is Fertco's new and innovative solution for farmers wanting to add macro-minerals to their PKE. Containing Calcium, Magnesium and Salt in granular form Mineral Boost over-comes not only the mineral deficiencies of PKE but also reduces dust, fuss and wastage. When farmers are ordering PKE they can simply ask their supplier to add Mineral Boost at 10%.

Mineral Boost is made up of 75% Calicum 15% Salt and 10% Magnesium

Mineral Boost was developed by Fertco with consultation with Dr Sue Macky.

Available with your bulk PKE from JSwap Stockfoods 0800 45792 and SourceNZ 0508 SourceNZ and available from your local RD1 store in 25kg bags

Dairy footprint smaller now than in the 1940s

2009-11-22T14:40:00.001-08:00

With all the talk of carbon footprints these days it is interesting to note recent research from Cornell University has found that today's dairy farmers actually have a smaller "footprint" than their predecessors.

In the June 2009 edition of the university's Journal of Animal Science it states that the dairy genetics, nutrition, herd management and improved animal welfare over the past 60 years have resulted in a modern milk production system that has a smaller carbon footprint than mid-20th century farming practices.

"As U.S. and global populations continue to increase, it is critical to adopt management practices and technologies to produce sufficient high-quality food from a finite resource supply, while minimizing effects upon the environment," says Jude Capper, lead author and a recent Cornell post-doctoral researcher working with Dale E. Bauman, Cornell Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor of Animal Science.

The study, "The Environmental Impact of Dairy Production: 1944 compared with 2007," shows that the carbon footprint for a gallon of milk produced in 2007 was only 37 percent of that produced in 1944. Improved efficiency has enabled the U.S. dairy industry to produce 186 billion pounds of milk from 9.2 million cows in 2007, compared to only 117 billion pounds of milk from 25.6 million cows in 1944. This has resulted in a 41 percent decrease in the total carbon footprint for U.S. milk production.

Efficiency also resulted in reductions in resource use and waste output. Modern dairy systems only use 10 percent of the land, 23 percent of the feedstuffs and 35 percent of the water required to produce the same amount of milk in 1944. Similarly, 2007 dairy farming produced only 24 percent of the manure and 43 percent of the methane output per gallon of milk compared to farming in 1944.

Source: www.farmnews.co.nz

Palm kernel has become an important supplement – and is NOT an environmental monster

2009-11-19T14:56:00.001-08:00

Fertco produces Mineral Boost – a product forming an important part of the Palm Kernel feed supplement programmes used by numerous farmers as a cost effective substitute when other feed lags.

Palm Kernel – a by product of Palm Oil production has come in for criticism…. much of it suspected to be unfounded and now demonstrably so.

Here is the summary. Email Brent Wheeler for the full article

Palm Oil – Let’s Inject Some Common Sense.

By Katherine Rich

20 November 2009

Reading headlines such as “Deadly Palm Oil In Your Trolley”, one could easily get the false impression that any New Zealand firm using palm oil is personally responsible for the demise of the orangutan and world’s rainforests.
The use of palm oil has been treated like an industry “dirty secret” - somewhere on the environmental nasties continuum between baby seal clubbing and ocelot farming.
The reality is quite different. Most palm oil is being farmed sustainably on tracts of land that have been dedicated to production for many decades, and rather than being a recent ingredient, palm oil has been used by humans for thousands of years.

Reacting to valid conservation concerns, many food producers are already joining initiatives such as the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil and purchasing sustainably-produced palm oil.

It’s time to inject some reason to this discussion because as the Auckland Zoo says, “not all palm oil is bad – if it is made from a non-destructive source, it's fine”.

AGM Reminder

2009-11-19T13:27:00.001-08:00

Shareholders are reminded that the AGM pertaining to the 2008/09 year will be held on 18th December commencing at 11:00am. Your shareholder AGM pack will arrive by mail in the next few days.

Easier for Australian farmers than NZ... but still not good enough

2009-11-18T19:29:00.001-08:00

Australian farmers expect to pay more for fertiliser unless they are excluded from the ETS indefinitely.

Right now even a partial exclusion would be a gain in N.Z.

Initial Fertco Blog Posting

2009-11-16T01:45:00.001-08:00

This is the official blog of the niche New Zealand fertiliser company Fertco Limited.