Southland Ballance Farm Environment Award Winners

Media Release

(Embargoed until 10.00pm, 11 April 2007)

Southland Ballance Farm Environment Award Winners Announced

Isla Bank dairy farmers David and Kay Dodunski are the Supreme winners of the 2007 Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

They received their award at a special ceremony on April 11. Along with the Supreme award they also took out the LIC Dairy Farm Award, the Ballance Nutrient Management Award and the Southland BFEA Water Quality Award.

The Dodunski’s holistic approach to dairy farming and their concern for both the dairy industry and the people who work in it were key contributors to their award success.

Their operation, Kapua Farms, milks 900 cows on a 320ha milking platform and produces around 385,000kg of milksolids a year. David and Kay also rear 850-950 calves annually and graze 150 rising two-year heifers on the farm for two to five months. In 2005/06 the farm achieved an operating surplus of $2600/ha.

Among the first North Island dairy farmers to move south and convert to dairying, the Dodunskis have adopted a “triple bottom line” farming philosophy that encompasses social, environmental and profitability goals. They operate a total quality management programme and have put in place management plans focused on achieving total sustainability. These plans are continually reviewed.

Ballance Farm Environment Award judges noted the low labour requirement of the operation and were impressed by the Dodunski’s strong family focus and “team approach” to staff management.

Other factors noted by the judges include:

- High production results, with the focus on kgMS/live weight/ha
- Achieving 6.18percent return on capital
- Investment in new and more efficient/effective effluent disposal system
- Installation of an ozone water purification system
- Installation of an earth return electrical current system to reduce electrical current in the dairy and stop cows kicking cups off
- Well planned duck ponds planted in a range of amenity species and shelter species that will create carbon credits
- Aeration of soils to prevent soil compaction
- Collection of silage leachate which is pumped back over pastures
- Strategic use of low rates of fertiliser
- Excellent, well planned financial management plan
- Efficient use of water management.
- Employment policy

The Dodunskis draw on the expertise of a wide range of specialists and are quick to take up advice they believe will benefit their operation.

They are also heavily committed to the dairy industry. David was among the province’s leading dairy farmers to push for a Southland Dairy Demonstration Farm. This recently became a reality - and a trust, of which David is a trustee, has been set up to oversee the programme on a property at Wallacetown. The aim of the demonstration farm is to trial new ways of achieving best dairy practices.

As members of the Dairy Green project, the Dodunskis were pioneers in trialling the use of the low application rate, K-line system for effluent disposal. This system is designed to hold nutrients within the plant’s root zone and is a more environmentally acceptable method of effluent dispersal to land because it reduces nutrient loss and improves the quality of water leaving the property via drains or waterways. The property is believed to be the largest dairy farm in New Zealand to successfully install and operate a K-line effluent system.

Effluent is held in a large storage pond and only spread via the K-line when soil conditions are adequate to prevent leaching into groundwater or runoff into open drains.

Open drains are not sprayed. Weeds and grasses are allowed to grow and this combined with other plantings helps to filter runoff and mitigate any adverse effects on the quality of water leaving the property.

Each year 2-3c/kgMS is spent on tree plantings and last winter 2000 trees were planted on the property.

Dairy farms have a high water usage and to reduce the risk of waste, all water on Kapua Farms is metered. This enables leaks or breakdowns to be quickly identified and repaired. Recycled water is also used to wash down the yards, reducing water usage and costs.

David delegates responsibility to his staff members who have clearly defined roles. The farm is split into two blocks and herds, each under the control of one staff member, while a third has responsibility for the farm dairy operation. This gives staff a “buy-in” to what happens on the farm.

The goal is to provide staff with motivation, opportunity and direction to grow their personal abilities and performance. Each winter David travels to different regions of the country to glean new ideas from other innovative farmers and businesses.

“Knowledge is one of the most important things in life,” he says.

To counter the employment problem on New Zealand dairy farms, David and Kay are exploring the potential to set up a specialist employment company to recruit skilled labour from overseas.

Award judges were also impressed by the Dodunski’s pasture and nutrient management.
Pastures on Kapua Farms have high clover content, and the quality and growth of these pastures is maintained by grazing to a residual level rather than a specific time. The Overseer model is used for nutrient budgeting and fine-tuning nutrient requirements. To prevent the loss of phosphates into groundwater, low rates of RPR and potassium are used three to five times during the year. This has helped reduce the amount of fertiliser used and lowered fertiliser costs to about 30c/kgMS.

David and Kay have set up several trusts and companies to manage their off-farm investments, something they are encouraging and assisting their five children to also adopt. They see investing off-farm as a more efficient way to generate future financial sustainability than paying off debt.

Family time is important to the couple and they take six to eight weeks off farm each year.

David says they are constantly reviewing their strengths and weaknesses and always looking to the future. “We love the land and looking after it.”

Other 2007 Southland Ballance Farm Environment Award Winners are:

PPCS Livestock Farm Award, John and Liz Chittock - Jeff Farm

Gallagher Innovation Award, Andrew Speight - Branxholme Cow Company Ltd

PGG Wrightson Habitat Improvement Award, Mark and Leanne Buckingham - Rowellen

Hill Laboratories Harvest Award, Allan and Jennifer Taylor - Oakridge Farm

Now run in eight regions throughout New Zealand, the Ballance Farm Environment Awards are sponsored by Ballance Agri-Nutrients, along with LIC, PPCS, PGG Wrightson, Gallagher and Hill Laboratories.

A field day will be held on David and Kay Dodunski’s Supreme award-winning farm on May 10, starting 11am.

ENDS

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