As the march of pine trees across productive farmland continues to snuff out jobs and undermine rural communities, David Hayes is also increasingly concerned about the risk of fire. 

The Federated Farmers Wairarapa president and keen pilot says when he flies his aeroplane north or east from Masterton, it’s pines up the ranges and coast as far as he can see. 

“I’m talking contiguous, joined-up forestry. It really makes me wonder how far a wildfire could spread in a dry summer.” 

Hayes recently spent a few weeks in rural British Columbia, Canada, where the local economy is based primarily on agriculture, forestry and tourism. 

“It’s also a province that’s been suffering from the devastating impacts of large-scale forest fires,” he says.  

“Our forestry types and management may be different, but I couldn’t help but see a stark warning for us here on the east coast and other dryer parts of New Zealand where we’re seeing a lot of radiata planted.”  

His particular concern is carbon forests, which may not have the fire breaks, thinning and firefighting resources of foresters growing radiata pine for timber. 

“Farmers have every right to make their own decisions on how to use their land. 

“For sheep and beef farmers right now, the attraction of diversifying into growing trees on harder land is very understandable. 

“The issue Federated Farmers has is with those large-scale corporate farms owned by international investment entities,” Hayes says. 

“They have no real links with the local community. On too many blocks they’re planting the trees, closing the gates, and sitting back to reap the carbon revenue.” 

Beef + Lamb NZ’s latest stock number survey records a 10% decline in sheep and beef numbers in the last three years. 

A major driver has been conversion of sheep and beef farms into forestry to reap Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) benefits.  

In the three years between 2019 and 2022, about 180,000 hectares of whole sheep and beef farms were sold into forestry. 

Earlier this month Hayes attended a regional land management forum that drew Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) and forestry representatives from the lower North Island. 

“Everybody there thought carbon forests are a problem, including the production forestry guys.” 

Hayes says FENZ is stepping up communication with rural landowners and foresters, setting up Local Advisory Committees in each region. 

“The ones they struggle to connect with are the landowners and the forest owners on those carbon farms. 

“There is concern about the lack of fire-fighting capability on those farms, the lack of water ponds, buffers and so on.” 

As with farming, forestry profits are down and labour is tight.   

“So, they’re having to do different things, such as using chemical killing for thinning out the forest,” Hayes says.  

“You end up with these dead trees, still standing for three or four years, rather than lying on the forest floor where it’s wetter. That’s got to lift the fire risk.” 

A phrase used at the forum struck Hayes as something farmers need to keep in mind: ‘Your neighbours’ risk, is your risk’. 

“A fire in a forest adjoining farmland has obvious risks for farm fences, livestock, buildings – and our people.” 

The reverse is also true, of course.   

FENZ says, over the past 10 years, 65% of New Zealand wildfires were caused by escapes from agricultural burns, cooking and camping fires. 

“Warnings about controlled burn-offs, machinery exhausts in long grass, sparks from plough blades and so on may be doubly important if your farm neighbours forestry,” Hayes says. 

There’s now strong evidence that while replanting of previously forested areas continues, planting on new areas of farmland has slowed. 

An MPI survey has found the area of planned new forestry planting in 2025 could be 41% less than in 2022. 

Government tinkering with ETS settings and talk there will be no further forests on land use classes (LUC) 1-5, and a potential 15,000ha forestry quota for LUC 6, appears to have spooked investors. 

Hayes says while the Government ponders forestry and ETS policy moves, it also needs to consider obligations on carbon forest owners to manage fire risk. 

“Surely it’s reasonable to insist investors cashing in on carbon income take measures similar to production foresters, such as fire breaks and access to water ponds, to limit the fire risk to themselves and neighbours?” 

Federated Farmers, New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation, has established a news and insights partnership with AgriHQ, the country’s leading rural publisher, to give the farmers of New Zealand a more informed, united and stronger voice. Federated Farmers news and commentary appears each week in its own section of the Farmers Weekly print edition and online.

In Focus Podcast |  Government asked to rein in councils

Federated Farmers is calling on the government to tell councils to pause work on freshwater reforms. Otago Feds member Luke Kane says with signals pointing to changes in water regulations, it makes sense for regional councils to hit the brakes.

Kiwi farmers continue to put their best foot forward when it comes to best farming practices.

Total sales of veterinary and horticultural antibiotics in New Zealand are down for a sixth year running.

“Antibiotics are essential for the treatment of bacterial infections in humans, animals, and plants. But they need to be used responsibly to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR),” New Zealand Food Safety acting deputy-director general Jenny Bishop said.

“The World Health Organization has identified AMR as one of the top 10 global health threats facing humanity. So, it’s vital we ensure our current antibiotics can continue to be used.

“These results, released today [18 September] in our latest Antibiotic Agricultural Compound Sales Analysis, are a clear sign that antibiotics are being more carefully used, which is great news for human and animal health.

Bishop said the results are a direct result of the concerted effort by veterinarians, farmers, industry and New Zealand Food Safety to ensure these life-saving medicines are used appropriately so they stay effective.

The latest report evaluates 15 classes of antibiotics sold during 2023 for use for farm animals, pets and horticulture. We use this sales data as a proxy for measuring use. 

Antibiotics sold for animal use were distributed among 24 million sheep, 10 million cattle, 124 million poultry, 600,000 pigs, 148,000 horses, 2 million household pets, and many other species.

“Since a 2017 peak of 71,361kg, total antibiotic sales have dropped to 39,549kg in 2023. That’s an impressive 45% decrease.”

“Apart from tracking sales for the valuable insights they provide, New Zealand Food Safety is doing other important work to help decrease AMR.

She said New Zealand Food Safety is currently reviewing regulatory oversight of antibiotics used in plants and animals. This could lead to a further reduction in antibiotic use, as controls for some antibiotics might be tightened.

“This extensive piece of work, which involves reassessing hundreds of antibiotic products, has been divided into 4 tranches.

Tranche one has been completed and tranche two is underway.”

By Chris Balemi, founder and managing director of Agvance Nutrition.

Farmers are in a critical window now to ensure optimal fertility and high in-calf rates in their dairy herds. Once lactation begins, we are aiming to get our cows to peak milk as quickly as possible and it is important this is well supported with good nutrition so that cycling and fertility do not suffer. Finding the balance between peak milk and fertility can be done, and it involves more than just feeding and breeding management. 

Many farmers ease off mineral supplementation as mating approaches and become very complacent mid-season once cows have been mated and are well into lactation. Mineral deficiencies can directly impact the health of the cow, particularly fertility and reproduction, at any time of the season. 

Conception is just the beginning – maintaining the pregnancy needs to be the goal. Mineral composition and liver health play key roles throughout the season, making sure your cows are ready for mating and that a healthy pregnancy is maintained through to the next calving.

Minerals such as selenium, copper, cobalt, iodine, manganese and magnesium all play an important role in a cow’s reproductive health and correct forms and ratios are critical in supporting fertility. 

Selenium, for example, is critical for good immune function and overall health, which impacts fertility. Copper influences enzyme systems related to fertility and energy metabolism. Selenium and iodine support thyroid function, and cobalt supports good digestive health. 

These all come together to support metabolism and reproductive cycles. Cows need to receive a balanced mineral supplement alongside quality nutrition. Regular blood tests will help monitor mineral levels and signal any necessary supplement adjustments.

A cow’s powerhouse is her liver – without healthy liver function, she’ll struggle at every step, with potentially fatal results. Central to many bodily functions, the liver supports detoxification, metabolism, and nutrient storage. 

Proper liver function drives the cow’s ability to metabolise energy efficiently. During early lactation, the liver works overtime to manage energy demands. High-energy diets, including high-quality pasture and feeds, are essential. 

Incorporating specific types of bypass fat in the diet can boost energy density without overloading the liver. Practical steps farmers can take to support a healthy liver include ensuring that the cow is eating well and maintaining healthy body condition, while monitoring liver health through regular vet checks and blood tests to catch any potential issues early on.

Body condition scoring (BCS) is a practical method for assessing whether cows are at an ideal weight and health status. A BCS of 5.0-5.5 is generally recommended for cows at the start of mating. 

Cows in this range have enough body fat reserves to support the demands of lactation and pregnancy. Energy density in their diet is crucial – ensure cows have access to high-quality pasture and supplementary feeds. 

Peak milk production places significant energy demands on cows, making it all the more important to provide balanced nutrition to maintain their body condition. 

Planned feeding that will put condition on cows during periods when the cow is still lactating, yet past the peak of lactation, works well. This ensures the fat is stored below the skin (adipose fat) and not around the organs (visceral fat). 

Adipose fat acts as a natural energy reserve and can be readily mobilised, whereas visceral fat, when mobilised, tends to clog the system and is particularly detrimental to liver function (fatty liver disease). Proper BCS management is critical and leads to better reproductive performance and overall herd health.

Correct mineral levels, healthy liver, and good body condition work together to put cows in a strong position for successful mating. Adequate mineral levels ensure all physiological processes related to reproduction are functioning correctly. Healthy liver function supports efficient energy metabolism, which is essential for maintaining body condition and supporting reproductive cycles. 

By focusing on high-quality pasture and feed and including bypass fats, you can provide the necessary energy to support peak milk production and pregnancy. When these elements are managed effectively, cows are more likely to have good fertility, be actively cycling, and be ready for mating.

For the first time since late 2021, farmer confidence in the broader agri economy is back at net positive levels, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found. 

Following a small dip in the June quarter, the latest survey found farmer confidence in the broader agri economy had increased to +3% from -25% previously. 

Completed in early September, the survey found the number of farmers expecting the performance of the broader agri economy to improve in the year ahead had doubled since last quarter to 30%, while the number expecting conditions to worsen had fallen to 27% from 40%. The remaining 41% of farmers expected conditions to stay the same. 

Rabobank CEO Todd Charteris said the arrival of spring had brought with it a lift in primary producer sentiment, with farmers across all sector groupings now more upbeat about the year ahead. 

“Across the previous 10 surveys, pessimism has been the dominant sentiment, so it is really encouraging to see net confidence on the up and back in net positive territory – even if only just, with more farmers positive than negative about the 12 months ahead.” 

Higher commodity pricing and falling interest rates were cited by farmers as the two major reasons for expecting conditions to improve.

Since the last survey in June, global dairy prices have continued to trend upwards with this culminating in Fonterra lifting its milk price forecast by 50 cents to a mid-point of $8.50kg/MS in late August, he said.

“We’ve also seen prices for beef continue to soar, while sheepmeat prices have inched upwards as the new season approaches. 

“In addition, farmers have been buoyed by the RBNZ’s decision to lower the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points in August. And with further rate cuts expected over the months ahead, we’ve seen bank interest rates fall significantly across recent months.” 

Among farmers holding a pessimistic view of the 12 months ahead, the survey found that for 48%, rising input prices continue to be the major source of concern. 

The survey found farmers’ expectations for their own farm business operations were up across the board.

As with the broader agri economy, farmers are now much more upbeat about the prospects for their own businesses, with the net reading on this measure lifting to +18% from -1% previously, Charteris said.

 “Each of the major sector groupings – dairy, sheep and beef, and horticulture – recorded net positive readings, and we have to go all the way back to Quarter 3 in 2021 for the last time this happened.” 

Dairy farmers and sheep and beef farmers are now much more optimistic about their own businesses than they were in June.

“Dairy farmers are now the most optimistic of all the sector groupings with 42% now expecting the performance of their own business to improve in the next 12 months and less than one in 10 expecting it to worsen,” he said. 

There was also a strong lift from sheep and beef farmers on this measure, up to a net reading of +6% from -17%, while growers recorded a more modest 2% lift to +29%.

The percentage of farmers self-assessing their own operations as “unviable” was largely unchanged from last quarter but, Charteris said, there had been an upward movement at the other end of the scale.

 “We’d hoped to see the percentage of farmers assessing themselves as ‘unviable’ drop a bit lower. And the fact we’re still seeing this number at a stubbornly high 8% does reflect the really challenging environment primary producers have faced over the last couple of years.

“That aside, it was good to see an uptick in the percentage of farmers viewing their own businesses as ‘viable’ or ‘easily viable’, with this rising to 55% from 48% previously.”

Farm investment intentions also crept up from 14%-19% of farmers expecting investment to increase in the next 12 months, and 17% expected it to reduce.

Farmers are being encouraged to join the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Sheep Poo study, a crucial part of the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts programme ahead of the new season.

About 200 farmers have already signed up for the study, but more are needed. Farmers do not need to have had facial eczema (FE) on their farms to take part.

Dr Suzi Keeling, BLNZ sector science strategy manager, said the work will build greater knowledge of the extent of FE throughout New Zealand and the potential impact of a changing climate on the disease.

“We need 350 farmers, 22 each from 16 regions around New Zealand to join the programme,” said Keeling.

“It’s very straightforward and just involves collecting some sheep poo samples fortnightly from October-May. BLNZ covers the cost of the sampling kits and the return packaging.

“Greater knowledge about the prevalence of FE spores throughout New Zealand is important for developing tools to help farmers mitigate the impacts of the disease.”

Researchers will analyse the sheep poo samples to see if they contain the fungal spores associated with FE, which indicates the risk of FE on the farm. Farmers will receive free FE spore counts over the season, access to an online map showing results and opportunities to network with other farmers.

 Paul Crick, chair of BLNZ’s Farmer Research Advisory Group, is taking part in the study on his Wairarapa farm.

 “Facial eczema is a growing challenge for many farmers. Being part of the Sheep Poo study is a practical way to contribute to critical research that aims to eliminate the impact of FE in New Zealand.”

 The disease, associated with a toxin-producing fungus, affects pasture-grazing livestock and there is no cure. The toxin can cause permanent liver damage resulting in reduced fertility, weight loss, slowed growth, photosensitivity and sunburn. If the animal survives, its production will be limited for life. BLNZ estimates FE costs the New Zealand economy around $332 million every year.

Farmers can register their interest in participating in the Sheep Poo study by October 4.

Safer Farms has put out a safety alert following several incidents of quad bike rollovers due to farmers towing trailers for calf feeding. 

The safety alerts are real-life documented incidents and key lessons to help raise awareness around risks. They are condensed into one-page handouts that managers can use in safety discussions with their teams.

The latest alert is the result of members of the farming community sharing incidents of rollovers while towing calf feeding trailers into paddocks. 

This is part of a pattern of such incidents spiking in spring when calves are being put out in paddocks.  While many have been near-misses, some drivers have sustained injuries and every rollover has the potential to be fatal or cause serious injury. 

The risk of a rollover increases when the bike being used is not rated to tow the loaded weight of the calf feeder trailer, or is being driven on steep grades and uneven or slippery ground. 

A sudden change in direction by the driver, driver inattention or distraction and driver inexperience are also key factors. 

To reduce the risk of a rollover, it is recommended to feed calves where they can be accessed safely and to reconsider access if necessary so you can drive in and out safely. 

Consider towing the milk feeding trailer with a larger vehicle, such as a farm ute, and using baffles in tanks, as this reduces sloshing, which can cause instability. 

If there is no other option, and a quad has to be used, it is important to know the loaded weight for the feeder trailer. It is critical to never exceed the quad bike manufacturer’s towing capacity. For instance, 1000 litres of milk is 1000kg plus the weight of the trailer. Towing two trailers is not advised with a quad.

Reduce the load if conditions change or the trip is on uneven, slippery or steep terrain, and ensure drivers are adequately trained for the task and know when to stop if conditions are unsafe.

Ensure drivers have a reliable way to call for help and consider a crush-protection device or rollover protection for your quad bike.

To view the safety alerts, see www.farmwithoutharm.org.nz/safety-alerts. Alerts can be printed out for use in training and discussions and there is an option to be emailed when new safety alerts are added. 

Ben and Samantha Tippins milk 950 cows once a day on 300 hectares just north of Tokoroa. 

With three young kids in tow, they’re in their sixth season on the farm and their third season variable order sharemilking. In their first season, the switch from twice-a-day milking to once-a-day led to a spike in mastitis cases and higher somatic cell counts.

“We thought we could keep doing what we’ve always done, but some of the cows didn’t handle it well,” Samantha said. 

“You’re only seeing the cows once a day, so you have to be more onto it.” 

Long milking times, increased labour costs and ongoing treatment expenses prompted Ben and Samantha to seek outside help. 

Early in the 22/23 season, they reached out to their local FIL area manager, Tania Earnshaw, who observed their milking routine and suggested several changes for the rest of calving.

“Tania has been a massive help. The first time she came into the shed, she rolled up her sleeves and was milking cows. FIL is more than just a chemical company; they offer technical support and staff training. We didn’t realise until we went with FIL that the support you get as part of the package is priceless,” says Ben. 

The first step was teat spraying the springers before calving. Earnshaw recommended wearing milking gloves to prevent bacteria spread, pre-spraying with an iodine-based teat spray, and trimming tails while waiting for the iodine to work. This was followed by fore-stripping, teat wiping, milking, and post-spraying. They also did a rapid mastitis test (RMT) to check cows before they entered the supply vat.

 “Tania showed us the importance of spending time with our cows during the first milking and the procedures involved around cleanliness,” says Ben. 

With two permanent full-time staff and two casuals over calving, they organised staff training with Earnshaw to make sure everyone understood the new procedures and their benefits.

 “The staff really responded to hearing things from an outside perspective.” 

With a plan in place and training complete, the Tippins started the new milking procedures. 

“We saw results pretty quickly,” Ben said. But during peak calving, with around 60 new mums coming in each day, they skipped some steps to save time and noticed somatic cell count (SCC) levels started to rise again. 

Determined to turn things around, they committed to the full 10-step process from the start of the 23/24 season. Another team refresher with Earnshaw before calving helped set the stage. This time, they stuck to the plan throughout the season. 

The results were impressive. They had 100 fewer mastitis cases, their average SCC dropped by 100,000 and they have cut treatment costs. 

“There’s been less red drugs purchased and needed on farm. There wasn’t as many repeat cases of mastitis as well,” said Samantha. 

They have also saved time in the cowshed, reducing milking times by an hour and a half. 

Ben said they’ve still got a long ride ahead but if they keep implementing the procedures, they’re on the right track.

 “We’ve saved a lot of time and labour by preventing mastitis and spending a little extra time with the mums after they calve. The team’s motivated by the results. It’s more positive to be preventing mastitis rather than treating it.” 

Success with udder health has also boosted morale for Ben, Samantha, and their staff. 

“Spending less time in the shed means more time at home with family, and we want that for our staff too,” Samantha said. 

Going into the 24/25 season, Ben and Samantha continue to follow the calving milking procedures, aiming for an average SCC of under 150,000 and less than 8% mastitis cases. With their first pickup of the season at 62,000, they are well on track to achieve their goal. 

The dairy shed is a peaceful escape from the bustle of an urgent care clinic for Megan Moore, who regularly changes between overalls and scrubs. She has a hybrid career of caring for cows and caring for people as a nurse for 24 years and a fourth-generation farmer.

“Sometimes I feel like I care more about the cows than human patients,” Moore laughed.

“But I guess I am more emotionally invested in the animals, and the worst they will do is poop on me.”

The farm is on the outskirts of Pironga, between Te Awamutu and Hamilton, and has been in the Lorimer family for a century. This season Moore and husband Gary have gone into partnership with her brother, Scott Lorimer, making it a real family affair.

“Scott used to work at Yashilli at the dairy factory in Pōkeno, but they had some changes last year and he decided to come give farming a crack,” Moore said.

“We are schooling him up to grow into a herd manager role so between him and our other manager, Blake Craw, the day-to-day will be covered and I can step back into more of an overseer role.”

They run two herds as the farm splits nicely from the dairy shed. One herd has the heifers and older cows and the mixed age cows are on the other side with slightly longer walking distances and a few more hills. But the farm is generally flat to rolling.

Typically, the year is split into six-month blocks for Moore. She is dedicated to the farm during the busy period and spends less time nursing; when it quietens down on the farm, she picks up more shifts nursing.

Nurses are in high demand, which allows Moore that flexibility to be involved across both. She has been involved with setting up a new GP clinic in Horotiu, near Hamilton, for a good chunk of the past year, and is also working casually at Angelsea Clinic in Hamilton.

“There is a shortage of nurses so anything is better than nothing when it comes to sharing my time across both.

“Sometimes I’ll even milk in the morning then head into the clinic for a shift.”

Growing up, she loved being on the farm and would come back every summer during her nursing studies in Auckland. Not long after she graduated she went to England where she did a bit of nursing and dabbled in farming.

She also met her Englishman husband Gary who was a builder. After seven years in England she managed to convince him to come back to New Zealand with her in 2009 and get involved in the family farm.

There was a sharemilker on the farm until 2011 and other contract milkers until June 2021, when Megan and Gary took up contract milking the farm themselves.

“Mum and Dad had their herd 30 years before they sold it to the sharemilker, so we had to start again by buying a herd when the sharemilker’s contract finished.”

They are milking 430 cows that are a mix of Jersey and Jersey cross and Moore puts a big emphasis on breeding for quality. She is heading towards more Jersey content but aims for slightly bigger stature and capacity.

“I spend a lot of time picking bulls for AI.

“We even have a couple of contract matings now, we are starting to get the rewards we are aiming for.”

She concentrates on health, getting rid of anything with any issues. They maintain a low bulk tank somatic cell count, between 77 and 115,000, and have a low rate of mastitis. 

The farm had issues with lameness in the past, but she has been focused on reducing problems and her parents invested in significant race maintenance last year to help.

They are also becoming A2A2 and DNA test the calves every year to understand their status.

They operate a System 2 to 3, depending on the season. They have a feed pad but it is only used for certain times of the season. 

Moore’s parents bought a support block part way up Mount Pirongia in Te Pahu about four years ago that her dad manages.

“We run quite a closed herd after the Mycoplasma bovis scare and we had concerns around youngstock management.”

Silage comes back from the support block and they grow maize on the home farm.

Between the farm and nursing, Moore is relatively busy, but she still has time for their children, 11-year-old Nathan and five-year-old Chelsea, who also enjoy the farming lifestyle.

Moore plays a bit of tennis in her spare time, and she, Gary and Nathan are into table tennis. She is involved with the local sports complex in Pirongia, making sure her schedule is never quiet.

Into the future, they will continue to evolve their business dynamic, giving Lorimer a good chance to submerge himself into farming. And Moore looks forward to continuing to improve the herd’s, and her patients’, health and wellbeing.

In Focus Podcast | A new strategy for advocacy

AGMARDT and KPMG have released a report that offers a new way of organising our advocacy networks. Common Ground assesses the positives and negatives of the advocacy groups we have now and sets out a strategy that could improve the collaboration and messaging emanating from the farming world. AGMARDT general manager Lee-Ann Marsh joins Bryan to discuss the report.

The Department of Conservation has netted more than 70 critically threatened endemic freshwater fish on a South Canterbury dairy farm.

Found only in Canterbury, the Kōwaro or Canterbury Mudfish was discovered at Craigmore Sustainables’ Somerset dairy farm south of Timaru.

The population of mudfish was found living in the farm’s irrigation spring, an ideal habitat, the DoC said, for mudfish because of the clean, clear water and the dense aquatic plant growth. 

Following visits by DoC staff in April and May, the team netted 72 mudfish ranging in length from 77mm to 149mm. 

Somerset business manager Alex Pattullo said the discovery follows the completion of a comprehensive waterway restoration project over the past two years. 

“We have replaced the old diesel irrigation pump with a new electric pump to reduce risk of any chemical leaching or contamination and fenced the site to stock-proof it.

“In addition, more than 2760 native plants consisting of dry woodland shrubs and trees, as well as flax and reed plants have been planted at the water edge. 

“This will ensure a regenerating native bush block around the site, providing shade, shelter and food for many native and endangered species,” Pattullo said.

A report by the DoC says the riparian planting is “extensive and has a variety of species”.

The report concludes that the composition of macrophytes (acquatic plants) in the water is diverse and representative of good water quality and stable hydrology, both good indications of habitat quality. 

The water itself has excellent clarity, probably because it is spring-fed and largely free of stock, the report says,

Craigmore’s general manager of farming, Stuart Taylor, said the company regards it as a privilege and a serious responsibility to be entrusted to manage land, soils, water and other natural resources in New Zealand.

“Craigmore has a number of sustainability programmes in place to ensure we strike a balance between respecting the environment and running a sustainable and profitable rural operation.

“We strive to grow healthy and safe products while at the same time protect and enhance soil and water quality,” Taylor said.

“We’re committed to leaving the world in a better place and allow the generations that follow to continue to earn a living from the land.”

Few things are more deeply linked to history, land and tradition than whisky, and Nigg farmer Peter Mackenzie shares a link with the amber dew that is stronger than most.

His family have been growing grain for whisky in the Tain district for over 100 years, including their highest-grade barley for Glenmorangie’s nearby distillery. Wheat is also grown, for other assorted whisky labels, while other crops include oil seed rape, potatoes and oats.

The 175 hectares of land that surrounds the Glenmorangie House estate was once bought from the family by the Glenmorangie company, only to be sold back to the Mackenzies 40 years ago. It is part of the Mackenzie family’s 800ha total holding, covering a range of soils and contours in the idyllic landscape around the Cromarty Firth, in Scotland’s Tain district. 

Perhaps surprisingly, the district is one of the driest in Scotland, receiving less than 700mm of rainfall a year on account of being protected from the rain-bearing westerlies that sweep the loch country to the west. 

Despite the challenges of the past year, this usually makes it good early-harvesting country.

The Mackenzies supply about 600 tonnes of their best barley a year for Glenmorangie’s Cadboll limited edition whisky. 

It’s a whisky renowned for the touches of honey, hazelnuts, mandarin oranges and toffee in its aroma. Its tasting notes refer to  “a gently spicy mouthfeel with a burst of sweet and spicy flavours, including heather honey and gingerbread”.

Despite floods last year that swamped paddocks through winter, and a particularly damp harvest this year, Mackenzie said this year’s barley crop is one of the best he’s seen.

Meantime in early September his harvester has been irritatingly idle, as heavy fog and light rain dampen the tail end of the harvest. Moisture levels in the grain are reading 28%, well ahead of the 14-15% he needs to start harvesting again.

“It’s surprising, despite the weather, really. We would normally have been all harvested by the end of August, and yet here we are now well into September with crop to still get in. 

“But the nitrogen levels in the crop are low, which is good, the grain size is good, as is the yield.”

This year’s barley crop has averaged 3t per acre, up on the district average of 2.8t, and will be worth around £190 ($404) a tonne.

“But we have experienced the same cost increases that you will have seen in New Zealand, in terms of fertilisers and fuel, with urea now about £350 a tonne. The margins are very tight, even for quality grain.”

The Mackenzie family have displayed plenty of entrepreneurial spirit over the course of their 100-plus years on the land. 

Peter’s brother Robert owns and operates award-winning Cuillesse Highland Rapeseed Oil, purchasing the farm’s rapeseed crop and cold pressing it into high-quality premium oils for home cooking.  

Over on the farm’s flat land a giant 500kWh wind turbine slowly churns away. The £1 million unit was built on Peter’s initiative several years ago to capitalise on a favourable energy contract offered at the time. 

Receiving a payment of 22p/kWh adjusted for inflation, it represents a valuable earner throughout the year.

“In some respects, it’s a better earner than farming but it would be hard to get as good a contract today. The payoff on it was four years.”

That link to wind farming grew stronger when the family’s recent purchase of land near the Cromarty Firth was progressed by a Japanese industrial company’s offer to purchase part of it for a steel cable fabrication operation. 

This is linked to the large offshore wind farm projects underway off the United Kingdom’s east coast that are receiving millions of pounds of both the government and corporate investment. 

The district’s deep harbour facility and infrastructure that remains from North Sea oil projects make it an ideal land base for the huge turbines to be assembled and shipped to their offshore anchor points.

The Mackenzie family enjoy strong links with New Zealand, with Peter’s uncle Gregor and his wife Liz emigrating to the South Island over 20 years ago, taking on a grazing and cropping farm in the Culverden district.

Peter has taken up the Scottish government’s incentives around nature conservation, which includes being paid to plant wildflowers including lupins. The subsidy is £500 a hectare, along with seed and drilling costs, to plant and leave for a year.

“After that we top them and plough them in and we have found they significantly improve the quality of the soil, and the crop that we get that year. It opens the ground up and lifts the organic matter. The difference is like night and day.”

Payments are also available to farmers to increase wetland areas and retire land areas for birdlife sanctuaries.

Like many farmers in smaller countries, Peter appreciates the imposing scale of food giants like Brazil, the United States and Canada. 

Responding with some creative approaches and maintaining strong relationships with the likes of Glenmorangie does much to keep the business thriving and rewarding.

“We know we can never compete on that scale, so really you just have to think about what your options are, and make the most of them.”