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Agricultural debt static - Statistics released by the Reserve Bank show the  agricultural sectors debt was $47,251 million in June, up $127 million on May but down $174 million on June 2010.  Overall, agricultural debt has stayed more or less the same over the past 12 months.  

High dollar erodes commodity prices - The strengthening in the NZ Dollar eroded commodity prices in July, according to the ANZ Commodity Price Index. Although world commodity prices were essentially unchanged, slipping by 0.1 percent in July, a three percent strengthening of the NZ Dollar against the Trade Weighted Index, saw the NZD Commodity Price Index fall by 3.7 percent in July.  In world price terms, wool prices increased 6 percent and beef prices were up 5 percent, while skins prices, up 2 percent and sheep meat prices, up around 1 percent, enjoyed more modest increases. On the down side, prices for dairy products eased between 1 and 4 percent, with the overall dairy component decreasing 2 percent.  Despite the strong increases in the NZ Dollar, the NZD Commodity Price Index remains at historically high levels, with it being 4.7 percent higher than this time last year and 29 percent higher than in July 2009.  

Dairy prices down again - Average prices of dairy products fell for the fourth sale in a row in Fonterra's latest online auction, tracking a broader decline in global commodity prices.  The GDT-TWI Price Index fell 1.3 per cent to US$3,716 a metric tonne, according to the globalDairyTrade website. The GDT-TWI is at its lowest level since the December sale, but is 20 percent higher than this time last year. 

Labour market steady - Labour market indicators released this week by Statistics NZ show a stable employment situation. The Labour Cost Index showed modest wage inflation, with wages and salaries up 1.9 percent for the year to June 2011, while the more volatile Quarterly Employment Survey reported a 3.1 percent increase in average hourly wages. Hours worked were relatively strong in the June quarter, up 1.6 percent according to the QES.  The Household Labour Force Survey recorded a slight increase in employment in the June quarter and an unchanged unemployment rate of 6.5 percent. The Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector has seen good jobs growth over the past two years, with employment up from 135,800 in June 2009 to 154,400 in June 2011.  This increase of 18,600 over two years comprises almost half of New Zealand's total employment growth of 42,000 in that period.

Rabobank Agribusiness review - Prepared by Rabobank's specialist Food and Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) division, the New Zealand and Australia Agribusiness Review provides monthly commentary on the region's economic and agricultural conditions. As a snapshot of the food and agribusiness sectors, the review includes recent price and market trend data and analysis and covers a range of topics.  Click here to read the latest copy.

Otago - The Clutha District Mayor has formed an Employment Focus Team with the goal of reducing the unemployment rate for young people in the Clutha District. The taskforce has identified a group of people who are interested in dairy farming as a career and are seeking assistance from the district's dairy farmers to consider this group when hiring staff this coming season. The team intends to provide one on one mentoring for each person who gets a job and has teamed up with Work and Income who are able to offer financial assistance to employers willing to offer work opportunities. For more information please contact James Creighton, work broker, from Work and Income at the Balclutha Service Centre on 03 904 0877 or james.creighton007@msd.govt.nz. James says he is able to screen potential candidates and arrange interviews at either the Work and Income office or on farm to suit employers.

Waikato - The Waikato District Councils 2011 Livestock Movement Bylaw review will be deliberated on in a council meeting open to the public at 1pm on Monday 8 August in the Ngaruawahia council chambers. Federated Farmers is opposed to the requirement of the bylaw to have a permit to cross stock over roads and the assessment methods for determining when a stock underpass needs to be installed. Federated Farmers urges farmers in the Waikato to attend the meeting particularly those who have had to install an underpass against their will.

Rotorua/Taupo - Federated Farmers Rotorua/Taupo Province is encouraging Massey University Resource and Environmental Planning Students to work on farms in the area over their summer holidays, with the aim of increasing awareness and knowledge of modern agricultural practices, management and challenges amongst future Ministry for the Environment and local government policy staff.   Hopefully, students will gain an appreciation of the realities of farming and will remember this when developing and implementing environmental planning rules in the future. We want the students to get hands-on experience with issues such as effluent management, weed control, pest control, irrigation and water use, nutrient budgeting, waste disposal, riparian fencing/maintenance and chemical storage/use.  This is the core focus of this initiative. In the next few weeks, Federated Farmers will begin putting students interested in summer holiday work in contact with farmers seeking labour. More detailed information will be released in coming weeks, but if you are interested in having students work on your farm get in touch with Kyle Brennan, phone 07 3338664, or email kyleandmadelein@xtra.co.nz.

Review of raw milk regulations - Many dairy farmers will be aware that the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has put out a discussion paper asking for views on the Raw Milk Regulations.  For those of you who wish to put in a submission under their own name, this discussion paper can be found by clicking here.  Federated Farmers will of course be submitting to MAF on this issue.

Steam passenger train running on 6 August - Members are advised that a steam locomotive-hauled passenger train will be running Saturday, 6 August and if you farm along the route, you may wish to move your stock. The train will depart from Paekakariki at 6:35am, travel to Wellington then onto Fielding and arriving back at Paekakariki at 8.30pm.

Time to get those service bulls TB tested - The Animal Health Board (AHB) is reminding dairy farmers to ensure service bulls are tested for bovine tuberculosis (TB) before they arrive on the farm this year. The AHB provides a TB test at no cost to the farmer for all bulls aged over 12 months that are entering the dairy industry. It is vital that the test is undertaken as the risk of service bulls introducing TB into a herd has grown as the dairy industry has expanded.

Unwanted or expired Agrichemical collection in Otago/Southland - The Agrecovery Rural Recycling programme will shortly be holding collections for unwanted or expired agrichemicals in the Otago and Southland regions. Booking your chemicals for disposal is easy, simply click here to book disposal online or call Agrecovery for a booking form on 0800 247 326.  Bookings are required by 2 September.  For more details click here or phone 0800 247 326.

Building knowledge and understanding of Audited Self Management - This a new approach to achieve better resource management. The concept is an audit system designed to verify adherence to good management practice which can transfer the day to day resource management responsibilities to users under agreed terms with regulatory authorities.  The Primary Sector Water Partnership Forum are holding a workshop on this subject from 11-12 August 2011 at the Addington Event Centre  in Christchurch. The cost is $150 +GST which includes lunch and dinner.  Please RSVP to Marilyn Watson at Irrigation NZ by Monday 8th August 2011 by emailing admin@irrigationnz.co.nz  or phone  03 341 2225.

Employment contracts - A complete range of the latest employment contracts are available from Federated Farmers. These include Fixed Term, Casual and Permanent contracts and are available for both members and non members to purchase.  Members pay just $50 + GST and non members $150 + GST for a set of two.  To order call our Customer Services team on 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646).

Application for employment - These forms have recently been updated and are a great tool to assist employers in the rural sector to employ new staff, Federated Farmers members can purchase 10 copies of these forms for just $50 + GST, non members may also purchase for $150 + GST.  Call 0800 327 646 to order. 

Looking to replace your tractor, vehicle or farm machinery? - Westpac can make it simple with an Equipment Finance Loan.  We'll fund up to 100 percent of the cost of your operational purchase and repayment terms can be structured to match the asset's useful life, with the item serving as loan security.  We'll also offer a competitive interest rate to make that buying decision easier.  Whether it's a vehicle or farm equipment you're buying our local Westpac Agri-Business Manager can help you.  Call 0800 177 155

Great savings available to all Federated Farmers members - Federated Farmers is proudly sponsored by many key businesses that offer members special offers and great purchasing discounts off products such as mobile communications, paint, water tanks, health insurance, clothing, stationary, Bunnings products, accommodation, tyres and much more.  To see what is available from these sponsors when you show your Federated Farmers membership card, click here.

Devan water tanks - Devan are doing deals for Federated Farmer members. 30,000L tanks just $3397, 25,000L tanks are $2947 and 15,000L tanks are $2397. Call 0800 5000 26 or visit www.devan.co.nz. Don't forget to quote your Federated Farmers number when ordering.

Winesonline -  For award winning wines, most at below half price make sure you buy from winesonline. You will receive great wines at great prices, with no rural delivery fees. For this weeks deals go to www.winesonline.co.nz

"...groups like the Automobile Association and Federated Farmers are entirely correct when they argue that it's not physical age, but time behind the wheel, that matters most for learner driver safety".  - Editorial from the Southland Times on 1 August 2011, about new laws for driving licensing taking effect