Newspaper Article – Taking stock after 52 years

Taking stock after 52 years

Bob Chalmers has seen many industry changes, writes Patrick O’Sullivan

FOR more than 52 years Bob “The Rock” Chalmers has supplied stock to Hawke’s Bay meat works.

In that time he has seen dramatic changes.

“Especially when some of the works closed up overnight. There were traumatic changes, thousands of jobs lost” he said.

“We went through a time with big sheep numbers when we had the SMP subsidy on them. There was big development; sheep numbers were galloping ahead.

“We killed thousands and thousands of lambs in the 1970s. Tomoana and Whakatu in Hastings used to kill 100,000 lambs a week each. There were big works all over the country.

“I used to travel around every day drafting lambs. In those days they killed them very light. They averaged 12.5-13kg. Today it is about 17-18kg. It was all frozen in those days, they just killed as much as they could and consigned it overseas. A lot of the lighter ones went to the Middle East. A lot of it was just the frozen carcase.

“It was quantity over quality, anything that would bleed.

“When they took the SMP off, the light lamb wasn’t subsidised so they had to go back to making a heavier carcass so they could get a better return.”

Chalmers said the procurement system of the Hawke’s Bay Farmers Meat Company was the best one for farmers. Farmers retained ownership of stock and the company charged for processing.

“It was second to none. The farmer supplied the stock, they processed it and exported the frozen carcass with the farmer getting the proceeds. Originally it would have got about 90 percent advanced. It was a very lucrative operation and probably the fairest system you could envisage. A lot of the farmers who used it ended very successful. The changes since then have improved the product but farmers don’t get paid the same.”

Chalmers said today quality ruled.

“We went through a time with big sheep numbers when we had the SMP subsidy on them. There was big development; sheep numbers were galloping ahead.”

“What they do with it now enhances how it is accepted overseas. Chilling it. The beef changed from prime cattle to bulls and dairy cows have taken over a big part of the kill. They hot bone the bulls and it all goes to the lucrative American market.

“When I started out a two tooth wether was worth more than a fat lamb because of the wool. Wool was king. For a lot of farmers wool made up most of their income.

Transport was another area of change.

“We used to rail stuff from long distance. There were rail heads everywhere, probably in excess of 20 rail yards and trucking stations between Hastings and Dannevirke.”

He said there were now fewer players in the industry.

“The number of livestock exporters and processors has diminished over the years. In the 1970s there were in excess of 20 farm livestock drafters for the freezing industry in Hastings/Napier. Now there would only be 4 or 5.

Chalmers started as a junior livestock agent at 18. He started doing salesyard work, drafting stock in the salesyards, then becoming an auctioneer.

“After 1965 I applied for a job at Whakatu, the old Farmers meat company. I started off north of Napier and did Taupo as well, drafting livestock for all the big works at Whakatu.

He has aged remarkably well, with the biggest change purely functional.

“The sun was always burning my lip so I grew a moustache and fixed it completely.”

His greatest concession to time is his decision to semi-retire. Silver Fern Farms held a function for him recently where he was presented with an award for Services to Farming from Primary Industries Minister David Carter.

He said he probably knows all farmers in his area north of Eskdale base. He has changed firms three times over the years and each time all his clients have followed him.

He said he would retain a few long-standing clients.

“I’ve been dealing with some families for so long I’m now dealing with the third generation,” he said.

“The people I have dealt with have been marvellous. The farming families have been very good to me, very supportive.”

Photo caption – ACCOLADE: Silver Fern Farms stock agent Bob Chalmers has been awarded for his 52 years in the industry. He has semi-retired with his wife Marj to simpler 8-hour working days.
PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR HBT121936-01