Part 4 Farming changes in Dorie since 1990 – problems with water, new dairy farms Judith Armstrong – 13/10/03
In the fifteen years since Ron and I farmed our land at Dorie a whole raft of developments have progressed together to form a completely new and different farming picture in mid-Canterbury. In the most recent dry years underground water supplies have severely diminished. As irrigation increases apace everywhere “water consents” are of deep concern to all farmers. Intensive sheep farming has declined but cattle and deer farming have continued. The big change in Dorie is the increased development of dairy farms. High payouts for butter fat, favourable lending rates and banks’ willingness to lend have all encouraged the development of these farms. Farmers are offered a wide range of new machinery and there is increased use of computers.
Armadale still traditionally farmed The farming picture is not changed on Armadale, the land that we owned, as this is still traditionally farmed, running sheep and cattle and growing crops. The landscape at Armadale remains the same, as fencing, trees, buildings and irrigators are still in place.
Diminished water supplies In the last dry years underground water supplies have severely diminished. On Armadale one of the well dried up and had to be abandoned. This would have cancelled any irrigation on 250 acres – a third of the land. It would have meant reorganising the management of stock and crops on that area and on the whole farm.
As irrigation increases apace everywhere “water consents” are of deep concern to all farmers. Consents are supposed to be monitored and water levels recorded, but the proliferation of consents is affecting all wells as water levels diminish and often disappear in dry years. There needs to be a halt to consents until all effects are properly studied. It takes several wet years for underground water to be replenished.
Decline in sheep numbers Intensive sheep farming has declined sharply. It was the most labour intensive form of production and returns were very poor. Sheep numbers have declined throughout New Zealand – from seventy million in the 1980s to forty million by the year 2000. Cattle and deer farming have market ‘ups and downs’ but are less labour intensive.
Dairy farms Dairying too has developed on the plains. In Dorie dairying is the biggest change in recent years. Land sales and prices have escalated with a demand for free draining friable land to establish big herds. Many North Island farmers left their small units to establish “big herd” farms in the South. Land was selling at an all time premium with many forty to sixty year old farmers selling their farms for two to five million dollars. Now the new dairy farmers have built milking sheds for a cost in excess of $100,000.
Impact on land and water resources The new farmers have bulldozed aside good fences and shelter belts that took a generation to establish in order to install huge ‘central pivot’ irrigation systems. This further depletes underground water streams and exposes the local farms once again to the howling north west winds and more erosion of the finer soils.
Increase in population Many new houses for dairy workers have been built and the small Dorie school has increased pupils requiring an extra teacher.
Costs for dairy farmers The dairy farms were stocked with cows at a cost of $1,300 a head with a further $1,000 a head levy for membership of a dairy factory. Financial needs are staggering, but with lending rates lower then fifty years ago, and with banks over eager to lend up to ninety per cent of capital financing has been possible. With $5 payout per kilo for butter fat debts could be met.
This year a $3.80 payout per kilo must have a few heavy borrowers worried. The cycle keeps repeating itself. Nothing is learned, even from recent history, by farmers or bankers.
Farm machinery Recently Ron and I visited the annual South Island machinery display at Lincoln. We inspected new inventions and watched demonstrations. In 1990 a new 120 horsepower tractor cost $40,000. Today the same tractor costs $120,000. On display were many bigger tractors up to 200 h.p. These were retailing at $200,000. A cropping farmer needs several tractors of varying sizes for different uses. Although the huge models could only be justified by contractors the ordinary farmer must struggle to furnish basic machinery needs.
The role of computers The general use of computers for farm records, crop yields and stock performance is now widespread. The lamb drafter no longer drafts by eye and feel – all lambs are weighed to assess the required form. Similarly wool fleeces are weighed at shearing time to help cull poor wool producers. Farmers are required to produce more records than ever for government statisticians and to sell stock.
Government policies on farming Politically times have changed. Governments no longer subsidise any farm production. The free market prevails although many of our trade competitors are still heavily subsidised. Scientifically man can develop his environment and conditions, but finally the old challenges of weather, government policies and world events prevail.
Looking back The comfort of a less challenging city life would be hard to put aside in our mid seventies to take up a vigorous farming activity again.
Visit the previous articles in this series: Part 1: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong – Farm training, farm purchase, and marriage Part 2: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong – Problems developing a neglected property – too little money and too much work Part 3: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong – Improvements well established, but problems insuperable – expensive electricity and labour costs and sudden government policy changes