Federated Farmers: Big dry good news for arable farmers

The hot, dry summer was ideal for arable farmers, but a prohibited fire season was declared as farmers were warned to control crop residue burning.

By the time you read this, we will have had the period of drought-breaking rain we all seek.

Perhaps turning those brown pastures into a hopeful shade of green, and that winter feed you planted in the hope it would rain, is starting to shoot through.

Now we have the wishful thinking out of the way, it is time to reflect on the past summer. For most arable farmers, those hot, dry days through December and January produced near-perfect growing and harvesting conditions for crops.

As we've heard, some farmers in the driest areas of New Zealand were able to produce record yields for canola, wheat and barley.

It has not been all good news for arable farmers, as dry land crops suffered in the heat and yields were back significantly on previous years.

The ongoing dry saw a Prohibited Fire Season introduced in many parts of the South Island, delaying crop residue burning. The sprinkling of light rain in February saw a Restricted Fire Season implemented in parts of mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury and, latterly, Selwyn.

This saw a flurry of activity as farmers rushed to burn crops off, but the behaviour of some arable farmers in the tinder dry conditions raised the ire of urban residents and others.

Federated Farmers has lobbied for the continued provision of crop residue burning, in the face of stiff resistance.

South Canterbury Grain and Seed chairman Colin Hurst says farmers need to realise it is a privilege to be allowed to use burning as a land management tool.

"We need to be responsible and sensible when burning stubble. Farmers need to plan well and adhere to best practice guidelines and remember if a fire breaks out of containment, you will foot the bill."

While arable farmers were smiling after a successful harvest, the frown on the faces of livestock farmers grew as dry conditions continued and feed supplies decreased. Arable farmers were able to lend a hand, by purchasing surplus livestock and growing forage crops.

In light of the tighter conditions, livestock farmers re-evaluated their budgets and in some circumstances grain was the first to go.

Word then emerged of a preference for importing palm kernel, viewed by some livestock farmers as the saviour to all feed shortages.

The preference of imported feed over domestically-grown feed is a continual source of frustration for arable farmers, who feel they have a natural part of play in drought assistance as suppliers of much-needed and high-quality livestock feed.

Federated Farmers has set up its own feedline/feed list (www.fedfarm.org.nz/drought-list.asp), where farmers can look to find feed available or list theirs to sell. Support the New Zealand arable industry and purchase locally.