Early Bird Tuesday I April 8th 2025

Rain delivers short-term reprieve for drought-hit Northland, timber exports dodge US tariffs for now, and four decades of TB control pays off for Molesworth Station.

Welcome to Proud Country's Early Bird - The top things you need to know that impact rural New Zealand delivered to you by 5am, because who doesn’t need better chat beyond the weather!

 

Rain delivers short-term reprieve for drought-hit Northland

Heavy rainfall across Northland has been welcomed by farmers despite causing chaos for commuters, with nearly 250 millimetres falling on inland parts of the region in just over 30 hours last week. The substantial downpour brings much-needed moisture to drought-declared farmland but falls short of solving longer-term water shortage issues.

Federated Farmers Northland president Colin Hannah says that a gentle start to the rainfall meant a significant amount of moisture would have been absorbed into the dry ground. This timing proved crucial for farmers who were beginning to face difficult decisions about feed supplies, with some starting to cut into their winter feed reserves.

The downpour comes after drought was officially declared last month across Northland, as well as the Waikato, Horizons, Marlborough-Tasman, and Taranaki regions. While the rain has provided immediate relief, it represents only the beginning of recovery for the region's severely depleted groundwater supplies.

MetService forecasts that another weather system will bring rain and a moderate risk of thunderstorms to northern and western parts of the North Island on Sunday.

 

Timber exports dodge US tariffs for now

The New Zealand timber export industry has breathed a sigh of relief after being exempted from the United States' new tariff regime for now. The US market is considered a growth market for our forestry sector, with exports of radiata pine products worth $358 million last year, an increase of $128 million since 2019.

While more than half of New Zealand's timber and lumber exports are sent to China, the US has become our third largest market, accounting for 6% of all exported forestry behind China at 57% and Australia at 9%. Between 15 and 18 New Zealand mills export timber and lumber products to the US at any given time, focusing on lumber, clear pine boards, and primed products.

Wood Processors & Manufacturers Association chief executive Mark Ross says that while the exemption might only be temporary, it provides some relief to New Zealand's industry. 

Two American industry groups have been lobbying Washington against tariffs, arguing they would further weaken the supply chain as US builders grapple with the cost and availability of materials, with prices already up over 30% in recent months. Ross says it is an unusual situation where you have a local association lobbying their Government to bring in imports, which is working well for New Zealand exporters.

 

AgResearch study shows climate change altering phosphorus availability

Rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are altering phosphorus availability for plant growth, potentially leading to costly and unnecessary fertiliser application by Kiwi farmers. New research published in the Global Change Biology journal has found that the Olsen Phosphorus test used across New Zealand may be underestimating the true accessibility of this crucial element for pasture growth.

The research drew on data from a long-running AgResearch experiment where carbon dioxide is artificially elevated on an area of grazed pasture. Lead author Zac Beechey-Gradwell says for decades, New Zealand farmers have relied on the Olsen Phosphorus test to determine phosphorus available in soils and guide decisions about fertiliser use. The data shows a substantial and sustained reduction in available