Doug Laing: Canterbury farmers simply the best

A farmers vote to bring back the wool levy will be held in October. Photo / Glenn Taylor

A North Canterbury farm operation has been named Supplier of the Year at the third New Zealand Sheep Industry Awards, held last night in Napier.

The winners of the Blackdale Sheep award were family operation Zino Holdings, of Hawarden,

The judges' citation said Mark and Rachel Zino and Sam and Keri Zino, who supply ANZCO, "met and exceeded" the strict criteria, including at least 93 per cent of their lambs meeting processor specifications, having been bred and finished on the property.

"They demonstrated a good understanding of market requirements and communicated well with their processor," the judges said.

The Focus Genetics science award went to Dr Neville Jopson, of AbacusBio, Dunedin, the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre south of Masterton was named Primary ITO Trainer of the Year, the Allflex Innovation Award was won by Andy Ramsden, of Wanaka, while the Farmlands Award for an individual business or making a significant contribution to the sheep industry had two recipients -- Steve Wyn-Harris, of Takapau, and Roger Marshall, of Marton.

Wool levy

Farmers always have a big stake at election time, but they have another big issue to decide just three weeks after the country goes to the polls.

It's the October 10 referendum on whether to bring back the wool levy, which was used to fund an industry body and was voted out in 2009.

The levy would be between 2c and 5c a kilogram of greasy or slipe wool, and about 17,000 farmers are eligible to vote.

Who's the bossie?

South Africans claims that their Karoo lamb is the tastiest red meat in the world are being overshadowed now in a debate over when it is Karoo lamb, and when it is not.

It's not as clear-cut as in New Zealand -- is it Hawke's Bay lamb or is it Canterbury lamb? So, probably not before time, government inspectors in South Africa are going to start visiting farms so that everyone knows where they stand, and where they are.

Some insight is provided by Wikipedia which says there's no "exact definition" of what constitutes the Karoo, a semi-desert area of the northern Cape, but it's variously defined by topography, geology, and low rainfall, arid air, cloudless skies, extremes of heat and cold, an underground water supply, and "bossies".

The Johannesburg Times reports: "If a farm had plenty of the bossies (plants) characteristics of the Karoo, then the farmer would be allowed to market his produce as Karoo lamb. But if a farm lacked Karoo bossies, it would be prohibited from making the claim."

One objector says many Karoo lambs are fed lucerne, possibly debunking the belief the taste is linked to the indigenous bossies.

Beef ambassador

Beef + Lamb New Zealand is giving one young beef producer the chance to attend the Five Nations Beef Alliance conference and young leaders programme in the US in October.

The scholarship is open to those aged 22-32 and working in the beef industry, with a passion for its future direction, and covers all conference-associated expenses, including airfares and accommodation.

The selected ambassador will follow in the footsteps of 2011 scholar Richard Morrison, of Marton, the following year's choice, Peter Fitz-Herbert, of Hunterville, and last year's representative, Lauren McWilliam, of Masterton.

The Five Nations Beef Alliance is made up of national producer organisations in Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and the United States.

It meets annually to develop strategies to encourage growth in global beef trading and address any mutual concerns.

This year's conference and young leaders programme take place in Corpus Christi and Austin, Texas.

Farmer council

Nominations are being sought for Beef+Lamb NZ's Eastern North Island Farmer Council. The council's annual meeting and election will be held in Gisborne on August 29.