The Country

The Country

Jamie Mackay delivers your daily fix of everything going on in NZ's biggest industry, along with a generous side-serve of news, sports and politics. The Country from Newstalk ZB, Hokonui and Gold Sport.

Episodes

August 14, 2025 38 mins

Jamie Mackay talks to Cam Eyre, George Dodson, Hugh Jackson, Philippa Wright, Barry Soper, and Chris Brandolino.

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A Taranaki-based forestry consultant takes issue with some of the comments made earlier in the week by forestry oracle and carbon farmer, Dennis Neilson, as he goes in to bat for the production forestry industry.

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Today’s farmer panel comprises the two most recent winners of the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

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A queen of the Hawke’s Bay wool industry has sold her wool business in Waipukurau and is retiring after almost 50 years in the industry. Today, she looks back on 48 years working with wool and forward to a positive future for strong wool. 

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The Country’s political correspondent wraps up another busy week in the Beehive. 

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Earth Sciences New Zealand's principal scientist, with a weather forecast for the weekend and beyond.

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Jamie Mackay talks to Wayne Langford, Chris Hipkins, Jen Corkran, John Duffy, and Chris Russell.

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Federated Farmers says a report back to Parliament on the so-called "ban on carbon forestry" doesn’t go far enough to stop the march of pines across New Zealand’s productive farmland.

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After a mauling this morning from Mike Hosking Breakfast, Labour’s leader fronts up for the second time today on Newstalk ZB. On the agenda are the Covid Royal Commission public hearings and the prospect of a CGT or wealth tax. 

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We catch up with Rabobank’s Ag Analyst in Wagin where she’s participating in the bank’s Western Australia Sheep and Wool Tour. We also cast our eye over the August Agribusiness Monthly Report and the excellent prospects for beef and sheepmeats.

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We take our monthly look at the livestock markets. Today it’s the turn of PGG Wrightson’s Otago Region Manager, a man who’s been in the game for 45 years.

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Our Australian correspondent talks about animal activists and the Great Australian Cattle Drive. 

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Jamie Mackay talks to Christopher Luxon, Pete Turner, Kate Acland, and Tracy Brown.

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The PM ponders Winston's response to the proposed sale of 65% of the Alliance Group to Irish-based Dawn Meats. Plus, we discuss high-vis vests, urgent economic action to protect exports, capital gains tax, wealth tax, and being the most unpopular PM since Jim Bolger.

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We head to the coalface to yarn with a Southland sheep and beef farmer, who is also a large-scale Alliance Group shareholder, about the proposed sale of 65% of the co-op to Irish company Dawn Meats.

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Following on from “Forestry Oracle” Dennis Neilson on yesterday’s show, the Beef + Lamb NZ chairwoman says the government has not gone far enough on carbon farming reforms. We also get her thoughts on the state of the red meat industry, in light of the proposed recapitalisation of the Alliance Group.

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The chair of DairyNZ comments on calving, the payout, Board of Directors elections and the RMA/NPS-FM submission. 

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Jamie Mackay talks to Mark Wynne, Winston Peters, Dennis Neilson, and Phil Duncan.

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The chairman of the Alliance Group outlines the plan to recapitalise the beleaguered meat cooperative with the announcement of the proposed sale of 65% of the company to Irish meat company Dawn Meats for $250 million.

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The NZ First Leader and former Deputy PM comments on the Alliance Group deal, and why he’s no fan of foreign ownership. He also weighs in on political polls, high viz gear, throwing his leader under the bus about trains, and the prospect of Chlöe Swarbrick wanting to be the Minister of Finance.

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