Farm Environment Plan

Farm Details

Contacts

Farm Owner

Finkum Holdings Ltd
P S Alexander & Associates Ltd
L4 7 Winston Ave,
Papanui 8053

Tjarko and Olga Edzes
027 431 0140
edzesoffice@gmail.com

Physical address and legal description:
Dairy Shed: 137 Island Stream Rd

Part Section 22-23 Block VI Otepopo Survey District and Lot 2 Deposited Plan 387816
Lot 1 Deposited Plan 491510 and Lot 2 Deposited Plan 486216 and Lot 1 Deposited Plan 387816 and Section 29-30 Block VI Otepopo Survey District and Part Section 16, 20-22, 31 Block VI Otepopo Survey District
Part Section 282R and Part Section 338R Block VI Otepopo Survey District and Lot 1 Deposited Plan 7894
Section 2 of 9, Section 24, Section 26-28, Section 36-37, Section 40, Part Section 1 of 9, Part Section 25, Part Section 34-35, Part Section 38-39 and Part Section 42-45 Block VI Otepopo Survey District
Allotment 12 Deposited Plan 63
Part Section 282R Block VI Otepopo

Description:

Dairy Supply Number 36113

Total property area: 530.1ha

Effective Area: 500.1ha

Irrigation Area:

Total :415.7ha

Pivot: 339.3ha

Fixed Grid: 76.4ha

Effluent: discharge consented across 370ha from up to 1,600 cows.

Consents:

Effluent Storage: permitted activity.
Drop Test
DESC
Visual Inspection
Effluent discharge permit: RM24.613.01 expires 7/2/2035.
Effluent Management Plan
Winter Grazing Consent: RM23.284.01.V1 and RM23.284.02.V1 expires 18/4/2030.
Winter Grazing Plan

Irrigation Management

Irrigation Design

The fixed grid is being self-installed in stages to replace K-line. New pivots are under development on the Punchbowl block.

Irrigation Scheduling

A calibrated handheld Campbell Scientific HS2 probe is used to measure soil moisture before irrigation is started, or restarted after rain to ensure soil moisture deficit can accommodate the irrigation application from each irrigation type as determined by bucket testing.

Most of Punchbowl is Claremont soils with readily available water of 28mm and the dairy farm is primarily Timaru soils with readily available water of 29mm. 3

Irrigation applications are managed only by trained staff and are recorded online with records going back seven years.

Irrigation Water Optimisation

Online training through Irrigation NZ. On farm training is recorded for each staff member on a template. A library of training resources is available.

K-Lines are being phased out to reduce application depth and environmental risk while maximising efficiency of water use. The majority of irrigators are now low rate but there are still some K-lines which are shifted twice a day on a seven day return. These are shifted across the slope and lines or individual pods with their own taps are proactively turned off where there is risk of run off or ponding.
K-line shifting slideshow is used for reference.
Operations manual for K-Line as well as the installation video are used for training.
Operations manual for Pivots are in the control box doors.
Fixed grid manual is available online. The fixed grid schedule is optimised to apply more in drier areas and less in wet areas.

Operating Procedures

Check forecast.
Measure soil moisture for irrigation trigger. Trigger at 30% indicated on the HS2. Soil moisture should go no lower than 25% and no higher than 33%. Saturation is 46%.
Check soil temperature when considering irrigation in August and in May.
If above conditions allow then start irrigator.
Record irrigation.
Check for leaks or other failures.

Incident Report Procedure

Irrigation is monitored between 5am and 5pm daily. CSA's are monitored for run off in passing.
When a leak, run off or ponding is discovered shut water off to leaking line.
Notify management and source resources needed such as parts, digger etc.
Repair, pressure test and continue to monitor before backfilling.
Record in maintenance or photograph as a record in the maintenance folder.

Maintenance

Preseason checks are guided by a checklist.
Light maintenance is carried out by staff and recorded. A historic maintenance summary is available, and maintenance is now recorded online or as a photographic record.
Heavier maintenance is undertaken by engineer Johnny Grumball (027 488 2099) or mechanic Aidan Maw (021 132 8655), and electrical work by Calect Electrical (03 436 0063).
Bucket Tests are carried out to assess performance of each pivot and Fixed Grid.

Irrigator Settings and actual application depth:

Fixed Grid is monitored for correct performance. Software is used to control, schedule and monitor the system. Spare parts are kept to swap out non-communicative or failed units.
End of season checks include draining lines, detaching K-Lines from hydrants and moving to fence lines, and parking pivots in wind safe spots. Fixed grid units are inhibited to conserve battery life.

Water Use (Non-Irrigation Water)

Water use efficiency is assessed in Effluent management as part of the Dairy Effluent Storage Calculator.

All stock water is reticulated, and troughs are maintained.

Flow meters and pressure guages are monitored to indicate leakage in the stock water system.

All NOIC water is metered (including stock water).

Secondary cooler water is recirculated through a closed loop chilled water system.

Water is recycled as much as possible. Primary cooling water becomes wash water and then becomes green wash which washes the yard, and then is irrigated on pasture.

Soils and Nutrients

The farm is managed to minimise the amount of nutrient that escapes the property and becomes a pollutant, and to maximise the nutrient that stays within the root zone of the plants as a resource. Infiltration rate is optimised to minimise runoff.

Critical Source Areas are managed by only grazing when dry, using a 5m buffer if wet, and monitoring for run off.
The aim is to maintain good soil structure by using the relevant cultivation practices for the given situation, and minimise the period of soil exposure to wind and rain erosion.
Minimum tillage cultivation is used where soil conditions allow, and if full cultivation is necessary slopes are worked across. Steep areas are avoided where possible and weather forecasts are considered when deciding on cultivation timing. Care is taken not to work soil into fine aggregate sizes and a 5m buffer is maintained to waterways. There is minimal delay between cultivation and sowing to minimise the time that soil is exposed.
Run-out grass is cropped then renewed, except steeper paddocks which are renewed directly without cropping.
Feeding out in trailers to achieve minimal wastage.
Stock holding areas are positioned on ridges away from CSA's and waterways.
P applications don't exceed 100kg P/ha and not spread in Jun or July. Waterways are avoided and run off points are monitored.
Waterways are protected by fencing, vegetative strips and stock crossings.
Pugging prevention is achieved by giving larger breaks in wet conditions and cows are allowed to leave longer residuals. Young grass is grazed only briefly and in dry conditions only to minimise damage to the softer soil.

An understanding of nutrient loss is gained from Overseer which has informed the prioritisation of fixed grid installation to replace K-line.

Soil Types
S-Map
Ngapara Silt Loam
Brockmans

Nutrient decisions are informed by agronomist recommendations and soil tests.

Nitrate

Annual 190 N limit complied with using heat maps.
All fertiliser including urea is spread by contractors Mainland Groundspread with Spreadmark certification and Proof of Placement.
Applications are typically 60-120kg per hectare of product.
Fertiliser is not spread on hot or windy days, or when rain is forecast. No fertiliser is spread during June or July except chicken manure, nor on compacted or saturated soils.
Fertiliser is delivered by the spreading contractor on the day. Storage on farm is not used but is available in a silo if necessary.
All new irrigation is low rate with higher rate systems being progressively replaced.
Stocking rate is 3.02 cows per hectare in total.
Crop rotations: run-out grass is cropped and put into a catch crop like oats as soon as practicable, then back into new grass without double cropping to reduce N loss and maintain cover.

Phosphate

Minimum tillage methods are used where possible but compacted soils are renovated. Cultivation is across slopes where it is safe to do so. Steep paddocks are not worked up at all if it can be avoided - regrassing is by direct drilling and only if necessary.
P loss is further managed by the Winter Grazing Plan, and in particular the CSA Management Plan.
Olsen P is managed at optimum levels through soil testing.
Cows are kept off steeper paddocks in wet conditions to prevent pugging soils that are difficult to renovate, and where P loss is higher risk.
Weather forecasts are checked before cultivating.
DAP generally applied at 100kg per hectare which is 20kg per hectare of P.

Effluent

Effluent discharge subject to RM24.613.01.

Storage is a permitted activity.

See effluent management plan.

Winter Grazing

Consent RM23.284.01.V1 and RM23.284.02.V1

See winter grazing plan.

Waterway and CSA Management

CSA Management

Refer to CSA management plan.

Waterbody Management

The Waimotu and Island Stream flank the property and an unnamed tributary of Island Stream flows through it.

Waterways are fully fenced with rank grass buffering.
- Gorse is controlled to eliminate legume nitrate leaching.
- Stock crossings have culverts.
Winter grazing is not undertaken within 5m of the waterways in accordance with the Winter Grazing Plan.

Point Source Management

Silage stacks are not currently used but any future pits or stacks are to be located on high and dry locations where any leachate cannot enter a waterway. Stock are excluded from accessing the cover but can graze the face behind a hot wire in a controlled manner.
Baleage is used with wrap recycled in the Plasback scheme with Agrecover scheme to be adopted.
Offal pits are not used. Use of petfood operators is maximised, and composting is used to dispose of carcasses on farm on a high and dry location where there is minimum risk of contaminants entering water. Dead stock are to be composted in a timely way and are not left in sight of the road. In accordance with regional council requirements, dead stock are buried:

a minimum of 100m from any wells that supply water for domestic drinking or livestock
a minimum of 50m from any waterway, including lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and groundwater
a minimum of 50m from the closest property boundary
in an area free from ponding, flooding, or erosion
away from any areas used for offal pits within the past five years
away from any areas of cultural, historical, or conservation significance

Farm rubbish pits are constructed well above the water table and where there is no risk of contaminants entering water.
- Household rubbish is not allowed in the farm pit.
- Carcasses are not disposed of in the rubbish pit.
- Only steel unsuitable for collection, concrete, other clean fill and stone is disposed of in the pit if it can't be repurposed as fill for developments on farm.
Tanalised timber, chemical containers and other plastic is not burned.
Oil is captured and disposed of at a transfer station.
Non-burnable rubbish is collected by a wheelie bin service.
Sharps are disposed of via sharps bin at the shed which is taken to the vets.
Chemical containers are collected by AgRecovery. Chemical purchases are kept to a minimum and contractors bring their own chemical where possible so they can take left overs to their next job which avoids the need to store them on farm.

Mahinga Kai, Biodiversity and Biosecurity Management

The Kakanui is the nearest culturally significant waterway.
Some of the terrestrial biodiversity known to inhabit the farm:
- Fan Tails
- Wax Eyes
- Herons
- Bell Bird
- Little Owl
- Pied Stilt
- Pied Oyster Catcher
- Plovers
Native plantings of flax, toi toi, tussocks, pittosporums and other species is ongoing.
Exotic pines and other plants have been removed to remove excessive shade, water extraction, and possum habitat.
Stock are excluded from young plantings and weed control is undertaken to maximise survival rates.
Pests are managed:
- Pests are managed by shooting rabbits, hares, possums, wild cats, pigeons and ducks.
- Possums are trapped.
- Rats and mice are poisoned.
- Insecticide use is avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Besides crop preparation there is minimal herbicide use:
- Sheep and dry stock are used to graze laneways.
- Thistles and stinging nettles are controlled by spraying or grubbing, and the tanker track is also sprayed.
- Docks are sprayed only if necessary to keep under control.
No area of the farm is undeveloped.

Biosecurity

A closed herd is operated as much as possible to minimise the chances of disease incursion.
More young stock is to be grazed on farm to minimise movements between farms.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management

Overseer calculates 8,217kg eCO2/ha in 2022 and shows a gradual downward trend.
Further planting occurs as an ongoing project.
Carbon loss is mitigated from bare soil by planting cover crops.
Soil carbon is increased by targeting areas of low organic matter with effluent applications.
N fertiliser is capped at 190kgN annually.
Watering is timed for as soon as possible after N applications to minimise volatisation.
Fuel efficient vehicles are used in preference to less efficient vehicles, and conversion from K-Line to fixed grid reduces fuel use as there is less quad bike running.
GPS guidance is used on tractors to minimise overlap and therefore increase fuel efficiency per hectare.
Unnecessary transport between farm, suppliers and town is minimised by good communication when supplies are needed.
Back loads are utilised on transport companies where possible.
Freight sharing with other farms is used where possible.
Local transport companies are used preferentially to minimise empty legs.

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