July 10, 2026 • 41 mins
Hamish McKay talks to David Seymour, Tom Slee, Ben Picton, Dr Robyn Dynes, and Harry Newey.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Best of the Country with Rubbobank.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Choose the bank with one hundred and twenty years global
agri business experience.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Grow with rubbobak.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Ah, Good morning but a Harlow Sailor to kick off
your Saturday and welcome to the Best of the Country
board to you buy a Rabobank, the show where we
bring you the best interviews from across the week. I'm
Hamish McKay. Jamie McKay will return next week after he's
had a deserved break, hasn't he What a great one
it was by the All Blacks last week in a
crushing Now I say great not because of the score,
(00:36):
necessarily of the performance, because there is no French b
team will see team any longer. They have depth and
we need to recognize that. So good stuff from Dave
any of the team getting away there and of course
itillly in Wellington to night. So hopefully we'll be talking
about winners now talking about winners coming up on the show.
We caught up with the twenty twenty six Young Farmer
of the Year who has now become part of a
(00:57):
rich family legacy. Leave me it's all here on the
Best of the Country brought to you by rubber Bank.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The best of the country with rubber Bank. Choose the
bank with a huge network of progressive farming clients, rubber Bank.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
David Seymour Act Leader. Look do you like it? Bit
of the country, but of Luke colmb's a bit of
the old back in the saddle is that you.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
I went.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
I was at school.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
I had a best friend who was into Brooks and
I could never quite understand it. But I I you know,
I represent a party that believes in freedom and choice.
So you do you?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, exactly? Mind you your friend, your mate was obviously
pretty cutting edge to be into get Brooks. That's good, right,
trade deals a veritable feast of opportunity. If we listen
to minister maclay, what's your take on this sort of
the spreading of the tentacles.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
Yeah, he's right, and he's politically smart because he's announcing
something that's kind of already underway. Sometimes politicians do stuff
and forget to take the credit. Other Times they take
the credit for stuff that I'm not doing. I guess
this time Todd mcclay's somewhere in the middle taking credit
for stuff that's actually going to happen. Because labor national
(02:33):
and definitely the ACT Party have been very much in
favor of free trade for a long time. And if
you think about it, it's actually natural for a country
of New Zealand size. If you draw a circle around
any group of five million people, say Colorado in the
middle of the United States. Of course they trade with
people all around them. But we only have five million people.
(02:57):
We're not part of the EU, were not part of
the US where we're just musical and so it's essential
that we filmed as many agreements as possible so that
we too can access a large market, more people to
sell to, more consistent prices. It's all really smart stuff,
and you know, good on Todd putting as a plag
up saying it it's all his ideas.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, well, why not take the opportunity. I'd say ten
out of ten to them. In terms of some of
these countries that we're looking at, the Bangladesh's and the
Nigeria's of this world, there's a bit of a sort
of a geography lesson in economics lesson and sort of
their global performance and their growth. A lot to be taken.
You know, I guess some people might be a bit
surprised by some of the countries.
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Well there's an old story that demography is destiny, and
some of those countries you mentioned, they have an awful
lot of young people. So the challenge for them is
if they get their institutions and their rules right, then
it could be their century because a kind of a
big young workforce. If they get the right technology, then
(04:01):
they're going to be in a really good place. And
I think it's smart for New Zealand to be looking ahead.
I mean, you go back twenty years ago New Zealand
diplomats started scoping out the CPTPP. Now you know that
is a real triumph that New Zealand was really the
lynchpin of that. For considering ours small size, but again,
(04:23):
small nation has to trade. We're a trading nation. We
did it, and the act Party for One hopes that continues.
I think one little flag is that we've got to
make sure that trade agreements really are trade agreements. They
don't have fishooks. So if you look at this India
Free Trade Agreement, you know it has the United Nations
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People in it. Well,
(04:45):
the Indians don't care about and it wasn't their idea.
It wasn't my idea, so where did it come from?
And I think it's important that whoever is the next
Trade Minister looks very carefully at the details, because we
asked Odd if there was any treaty stuff and as
he said, there wasn't there was. So it's critical that
you know, we keep pushing for trade, but we actually
(05:07):
sign agreements that are trade agreements, not left wing political vehicles.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I would have thought that it would be a reasonable
short priced investment at the tab that the minister will
remain the Minister of Trade, though, David, would you say.
Speaker 6 (05:21):
Well, you know what, it's illegal to gamble in politics
in New Zealand, so you just have to find out
after the election.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
We will, we will indeed, okay, would act work with
the Opportunities Party And if that ended up being an
option of a coalition government.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Well hypothetical. I mean, you know, a hell of a
long way to go before that is a hypothetical, But
you'd have.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
To say it's unlikely.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Their policies are basically to the left of the Greens.
Would we work with the Greens? No, they're nuts and
this party, as far as I can tell, that their
basic plan is to put everybody on a wealthare benefit
and then tax your farm, tax your land, tax your
house to pay for it. But you know, after having
(06:08):
a pretty blessed run with spawning media for the first
month or two, people are starting to ask questions like, apparently,
when they did their calculations, they assume they're only three
point six adult million adults in New Zealand, there's actually
four point one, so they missed half a million people.
They seem to be assuming that the value of land
(06:31):
and New Zealand is much higher than it actually is,
so they might not raise as much tax Even if
you think taxing land is a good idea, it's probably
not going to raise the cash. And at the end
of the day that the numbers just don't add up.
And that's not a surprise because you think about the
prospect of basically putting every single adult on the unemployment benefit.
(06:54):
The cost of that is just enormous, and if it's
enough money to live on, then people to stay home
on it, And if you then have to raise taxes
massively to pay for that, then of course, you know,
the whole incentive to work is less because the government
takes more and gives it to someone else. Who stays home.
So it's actually a recipe for a real flat economy.
(07:15):
And I would say as time goes on, people are
going to realize that they're not just nice, friendly people
who could work with anyone. They're hard left crazy that
have some pretty slick pr And I'll give you another prediction,
there's a real smugness that comes out of them. And
I suspect over the next four months that's going to
(07:36):
start to great with a lot more people.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Okay, to the left of the Greens, that's probably the
end of that. Then still lunches is this is sort
of the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Oh yeah, well, look, I got to tell you. I
campaign to end the program. I think parents should provide
lunches for children. Overwhelmingly they do, about three quarters do
because only a quarter of kids in this school lunch scheme. Nonetheless,
and one of those sort of funny twists of political face,
(08:06):
I ended up carving up the education portfolio, and I
ended up doing a whole lot of stuff, and Erica
Stanford does a whole lot of stuff, and I think
we do well at it all. But I got the
school lunches and I thought, well, that's kind of funny.
What can we do? So we've saved three hundred and
sixty million bucks. That's the first thing. We've almost half
the price of the thing, and that makes a real
(08:27):
difference to government debt. But the second thing is we've
actually had pretty similar performance to the last guys. But
we've upset a lot of people because, you know, the
people that used to be selling the lunches for twice
the price, they don't really like me. The people at
the Ministry of Education we used to have a much
bigger bureaucracy managing it. They don't really like me, and
(08:47):
they've all gone off to the Order to General that's
basically given them a pretty long counseling session and released
it as a report. End of the day, three hundred
and sixty million bucks. Money talks, and you know what
walks right next thing.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
The ex party your plan for getting rid of some
of the fat government changes here you're looking at what
are we looking at. We're looking at forty three departments
to be consolidated into nineteen departments, the seventy eight overlapping
portfolios with twenty eight ministers, get it back to eighteen ministers.
Pretty bold sort of plan.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Well, I thought it was bold, but we based it
off Ireland and Norway. In Singapore, they all have about sixteen, seventeen,
eighteen ministers and departments depending on the country, so we're
actually aligning with other countries of five million. But here's
why it's not as bold as I thought. I was
giving a speech about this last week and a good
(09:49):
friend of mine, mister Osawa, who was the Japanese ambassador,
was there sitting in the front row, and he came
up to me afterwards. He said, you know, in Japan
we have fifteen ministers and fifteen departments. I said, you
got to be kidding. You've got one hundred and twenty
million people, you've only got fifteen ministers. He said, absolutely.
So actually, I don't think my plan is that bold.
The Japanese are bold. My plan is just the bare minimum.
(10:10):
If we want to make this country affordable, to make
the government responsive, to restore people's faith and democracy, but
your votes for people and they actually can do it,
then we've got to get rid of this just absolute
spaghetti of too many ministers, too many departments, and too
many relationships. You know, it's not just that you've got
lots of ministers and lots of departments. You've got twenty
(10:33):
three ministers that have a relationship with Endy, You've got
a lot of ministers who have up to seven different portfolios,
and so everybody and nobody's in charge of everything and nothing.
And I think that that's what the big thing I've
learned after three years in cabinet, which I hadn't done
previously in my career, is that we've got to simplify
(10:55):
at the top if we want the government to function
the way people want it to. And hey, look if
the Japs can do it with Fasteen and the country
is a lot bigger than ours in every respect, then
I reckon we can do it with eighteen ministers.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Great stuff. David Seymour, leader of that party, Thank you
very much for joining us here on the country.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
The best of the country with Rubber Bank, the bank,
with local ACRI banking experts, passionate about the future of
rural communities, Rubber Bank.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Well.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
The excitement levels were building, bubbling away towards the end
of our last week where we chatted the previous winners
and of course to RADA down there in the Taranaki.
It was the FMG Young Farmer of the Year and
this year's winner, Tom Slee, twenty nine year old dairy
farmer from the Deep South. Good afternoon, Tom.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Hey Jan, thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Great to have you and well done. So how have
you sort of let it sink in and celebrate so
to speak?
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Thank you nice. He's been a surreal feeling.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
Really, I don't he's still kind of work working it
all out to be fair, but yeah, it's a good
catch up with a few people this morning.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, So you were heading into the agri Knowledge quiz,
you were sitting in third place behind Cam Clayton and
Jack Taggert, but you sort of came into your own there. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
No, we had a bit of a bit of a
yarn during the afternoon with Uncle Simon and Dad and
sort of kind of a bit of a strategy just
to hit the buzzer if ire on an in front.
So yeah, ripped into that and got more than half them, right,
So yeah, paid off, I think.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Yeah. So Dad is Richard Slee, who of course won
the Young Farmer of the Year back in nineteen ninety nine,
and uncle Simon uncle Simon Hopcroft, who won the two
thousand and four Young Farmer of the Year. I mean
not a bad coaching team, young fella to have.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
No, Yeah, I'm pretty lucky to have them there up
there all weekend. So yeah, anyveryone outstairs supporting. So I
had a pretty good, pretty good crew that made it
up to Taranaki for weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So how did you feel though, you know, did you
feel you've given your best prior to going into the
Agri Knowledge Quiz into the final round so to speak?
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Yeah, No, it was a pretty good couple of days
we had. We were definitely tested by the organizing committee
up there and they've found a pretty good show.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
It was a challenging time, but yeah, it was good too.
Good to see that I was sort of still in
the top three going to that quiz.
Speaker 8 (13:32):
So yeah, okay, so I want to I'm going to
ask you where you're really delivered, but aside from the
Aggrige Knowledge Quiz, but where do you think you might
have done better?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Was there any was there any sort of chink in
the armor along the way?
Speaker 6 (13:46):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (13:46):
I had.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, we had a pretty good day on the on
the technical day. Yeah, so sort of the exam was
based around financial like dairy financials and we to present
our innovation project and your interviews and that kind of
thing that day. So yeah, it all went pretty well
I think, And then practical day it was just busy, busy, busy.
(14:11):
So yeah, ap proably didn't do quite as well as
the other boys there, but yeah, I couldn't. You couldn't
get little behind too far there either, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, well, what is your strength as a farmer?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
What do you what do you?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
What do you get the most? I mean, clearly to
be a good cocky, you've got to be a good
all round it, don't you. But what what where's your
where do your strengths lie?
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I struggled with this Christian Amish but now I've got
a pretty big team down here on the farm. So yeah,
we're just managing people, contractors and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Got to try and be a bit of an intermediate
tree there, but that's probably hard for them to test
on us up there as well.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
So yeah, yeah, you've gotta been all around good bugger,
don't you most of the time? And that sort of
what sort of size operation do you actually have to
talk us through that? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, so contract melting a thousand calves from my parents
gerry found down here until you so yeah, so good farm.
It's pretty busy at times, so yeah, it keeps me
out of trouble.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, so what does the next year look like? Is
the as the Ragning FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
I guess there's a fear bitter responsibility comes with that.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Yeah, and yeah, just a bit of an ambassador I
suppose for the industry. And yeah, take up a few
phone calls for lots of you guys, and I married
that I'll get to meet her a few special people
along the way, so.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Yeah, yeah, and when that moment came, do you do
you have a sort of a clear recollection of when
the moment where you followed in the footsteps of your
father and your uncle. I mean, that must have been
so good.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, and now it was nice and it was nice
to have copparents and and uncles and everyone. Everyone was
a lot there and young farmers and people other people
from the region. So yeah, pretty you should have shared.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It with you good to have it down the deep
South too, you know, bragging rights you can crow away,
you know, because the further south it's been was what
twenty eighteen I think Logan Wallace, South Otago ship farmer.
So that's a few years between drinks. But good for Southland,
I think so.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I see that Southland's won that they don't file
environment awards too, so yeah, good Todd another one with
the closet their for the year.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Yeah too, right, too right. And as a competition, the
sort of collegiality and convivial you know, you make good
you'd make good mates out of it, wudn't you right
across the country people you'll stay in contact for for
a long time, I'd imagine.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, definitely. All the guys that were there compete with that.
We're competing their top quality blokes. Are nice to meet
them all and hang up with him for the last
few months. Really, we sort of called up the christ Church.
It might opened a couple of months ago, and then
you've spent a week with them this week and I
being committee and Eve run up there. There are all
really good people, so good context to make yep.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
The dairy game, the dairy industry, the future. I mean,
we've got all these sort of trade talks going down
and going on at the moment as we sort of
spread our tentacles around the globe. Do you feel confident
and sort of in a good position to attack the future.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, and that's a pretty exciting industry to be and
be fair.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Sort of gone from strength to the strength the last
couple of years, hasn't it. So Yeah, we're probably just
focused on doing the simple things right here and try
and grow a bit more grass, market up more milk
and capitalize on good prices.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
What are the simple things? What are the two or
three simple things that you get right that you like
to get right to maintain that even keel and get
a good flow on, so to speak.
Speaker 7 (17:53):
Ah, we've got to have yeah, focus on getting good people,
good people onto our farm and the that sort of
drives past your management and good animal management, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
So the probably the big three for us on this farm. Yeah,
got to weave it of scale here, So you just
got to try and keep it simple and yeah, do
your best.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
What was it? Was it?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Karen Williams, one of the judges from the Sustainability from
the Balance Awards, saying that good people, good crops, you know,
the grow good crop. It's good people. It is about
That's the starting point, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Yeah, it's all this technology that's around now too, so
harness it a weave it of that. But yeah, I
think if you've got good people, makes things hell of
a lot easier on the farm and yeah, makes them
good decisions.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, it's the right amount of everything into the overall pie,
isn't it. Hey, this has been great chatting Tom. I
hope you're not sort of having to overdo it today,
but no doubt back into it. You go go and
enjoy yourself. Did you have to watch the All Blacks
of Rewind? Did you replay?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
I haven't seen it yet.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It's worth the one there. Yeah, you'll get there, Thanks
very much, Tom Jabi.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
It awesome the best of the country with Rubbobank.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Choose the bank with one hundred and twenty years global
agribusiness experience.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Grow with Rubbobank.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Welcome back in to the country. Hamers McKay in for
Jamie McKay last day today. Actually got enjoyed the last
couple of weeks. We'll see in the old fellow away again.
Right crossing the ditch now to Sydney to senior macro
strategist for Rabo Research being picked and joined us. Now
what it's morning over there being.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Good morning, good morning Hamish.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, o cr here up zero point two five basis points.
Any surprise in this.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Move, well, some might have been a little bit surprised.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
It was.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
It was a little bit of a I guess, a
split between the views of various market economists whether they
would hike or not. We were going for a hike.
That's been our view for a couple of months now.
The futures market was implying around about an eighty percent
chance of the hike, but that had increased since earlier
in the week. When I looked at it on Monday morning,
(20:05):
it was only about seventy percent. So it wasn't really
a faded completly by any stretch, but it was probably
the expected outcome.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Okay, what do you think the purpose is? The thinking
behind it after what's been a long time coming, A
long time between drinks.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, Well, basically they're justifying it by saying that the
economy is in recovery, it's expected to grow more quickly
in the next six months, and that the level of
where the ocr was at two hundred quarter percent, that's
a stimulator in level, so effectively, given that inflation is
(20:44):
above the target range and is expected to remain above
the target range for a little while yet, And keeping
in mind that we've got a new wave of issues
coming out of the Middle East over the last forty
eight hours, they want to remove some of the stimulus
so that as the economy accelerates, they don't run the
(21:04):
risk of entrenching inflation over the longer term.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Yeah, how much do you think these what's happened in
the last sort of I suppose twenty four or forty
eight hours has impacted you know, Donald coming out with
as cuckoo claims and et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Yeah, Well, it's you know, it's always difficult to know
how long these things are going to last, whether the
renewed fighting is just a little bit of a forty
eight hours tis to tat, or whether it's going to
be the start of an extended campaign. Our view, our
baseline view on the Middle East, was that we expected
fighting to resume after the US midterms. We thought that
(21:42):
there were basically irreconcilable differences around Iran's nuclear program, around
the status of hesbilar in looking on, and also over
the whether there would be tolls or not in the
straight of hor news. So we thought that the peace
deal was reasonably shaky, but this certainly accelerated the timeline
(22:06):
on things, and that does pose renewed risks to inflation.
Were already seeing higher oil prices and higher diesel prices
this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Ye effect on mortgage rate time owners what I wouldn't well,
has it a guest, but zero point two five basis
points shouldn't sort of see this in the panic zone.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
No, I don't think so, and largely because mortgage rates
tend to be based on wholesale money market rates, and
those wholesale market rates had moved a long time ago,
so this expected increase to the o CR was already
largely priced into the market, and further increases to the
(22:48):
o CR are already largely priced into the market, to
the extent that the IBN there. They actually said yesterday
that one of the reasons why they hiked was to
have void loosening monetary conditions, because they if they didn't
deliver on the hike, then than wholesale money market rates
(23:08):
would have adjusted lower and it would have effectively provided
extra stimulus. So they were effectively meeting the market in
the moves that they made yesterday.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Okay, in overall growth shouldn't have too much of an impact.
I mean, it seems like a fevery moderate sort of move.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Yeah, we don't expect that it'll have dramatic impact on
economic growth. As I sort of said that most were
expecting this move and if not yesterday, then in the
near future. Most banks and research houses are expecting further
increases to the ocr and the RBNZ certainly sent that
(23:49):
message yesterday. The timing is a little bit uncertain, but
certainly the direction is expected to be up, and they're
characterizing this as a removal of stimulus rather than hitting
the brakes on the economy. So it's not really intended
to slow growth down. It's just intended to stop accelerating
(24:12):
it to quite the same extent.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Ben Pickton, thanks very much for joining us.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Cheers, Hamish the best of the Country with Rabobank.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Choose the bank with a huge network of progressive farming clients.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Rabobank.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
This is the Best of the Country, brought to you
by Rabobank, Hamish mackay and for Jamie McKay now at
the PIN Summit. Late last month, Rabobank released its latest
white paper titled Succession twenty fifty Gearing up for New
Zealand's food and agri future now. It features insight from
fourteen industry leaders and explores the opportunities and challenges facing
(24:55):
New Zealand's primary industry as we transition into the future,
hopefully a very bright future. You can download a copy
of the new white paper on the Rubber Bank website
dub dub dub a dot a rubber Bank a dot
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Speaker 1 (25:14):
Lis ships.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
The best of the country with rubber Bank, the bank
with local acri banking experts passionate about the future of
rural communities Rubber Bank.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
I'm going to look now at innovation from a scientist
perspective in the egg sector. Principal scientists Farmer Engagement Specialist,
Doctor Robin Dines at the Bioeconomy Science Institute joins us now, Robert,
good afternoon. Hello, great to have you with us. Look
great technology, but we're getting some really cool stuff happening,
(25:59):
and the future looks wonderful, but it also needs to
be supported and underpinned by great and accurate science.
Speaker 9 (26:08):
Yeah, Hamish, that is so true, isn't it. Innovation is
the gadgets and the technology, but it's more it's better
ways to farm that improve productivity, profitability, environmental outcomes and
our resilient future. So it's all of that and the
technology is definitely a key part of it. And we
need great science and our science must be accurate.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Yes, yeap.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
And so are you confident that we have the all
the plans and processes in place to continue that we
can to be so good in the science field.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Look, New Zealand agricultural scientists are world leading in many spaces, Hamish.
We're also well connected to our industries and we are
aiming to do science that has an impact.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
And if you don't think we are, then.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Pull us up.
Speaker 10 (26:56):
No.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
So give me an example of something that's going to
make that you're sort of you know, it doesn't matter
how far down the track you are on it, but
something that will, as you say, be a real sort
of brick in the head in a positive way.
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Look, I think Hamish, to look at the work that
my institution has.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Done with endo fights.
Speaker 9 (27:17):
You know, we in the fights were present world type
indfights killed our production in autumn. My colleagues understood, researched
what they were and then selected novel indo fights. So
we got the epichloe indo fights like AR thirty seven.
That's worth three point six billion to the industry over
twenty years, and that science will keep emerging and keep
(27:41):
giving us new options for the future.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
So things are in good hands. I mean that's a
great example. Did you say three point six billion? That's correct?
Speaker 9 (27:50):
Yeah, I pastoral agriculture is critical to a tamer.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, absolutely it is. So now that brings me to
the bit of news during the Greens during the week,
the synthetic synthetic fertilizer band proposal. What's your take on that.
Speaker 9 (28:06):
I don't think it's a wise idea. I think we
need responsible science based nitrogen use that's needs either, which
is better than unrestricted, useful outright bands because Hamish nitrogen
is essential for life, you know, it's one of the
nineteen elements we've all got to have, and nichen fertilizer
is a huge driver of our food and agricultural productivity.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yep. So where do you think they get their information
to make those sort of the claims that they are making,
you know, given the impact that it would have, like
the cost of living going through the roof and the
backbone of the country being completely undermined.
Speaker 9 (28:45):
Look, I can't comment on that, Hamish. I think we've
got some great science from New Zealand around responsible nitrogen
fertilizer use. We know the way it's used masses more
than the amount alone, So we've got to get the
right amount of fertilizer in the right time, in the
right place.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Yeah. And essential yeah. Yeah. And one more things. I
mean data. I mean, we're getting way better at our
sort of our accumulation and use thereafter of data, aren't
we is that's certainly improving immensely.
Speaker 9 (29:19):
Oh, look absolutely. And the sort of technology that we're
now seeing on farms, and you've been highlighting some of
it this week. One of the things from a science
perspective that it excites us.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Is the big data sects are emerging.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
You've also talked about.
Speaker 5 (29:31):
AI this week.
Speaker 9 (29:33):
That's one of those cool tools that, together with the data,
are going to be real accelerators for the science and
we think for farming, for better decisions, and we want
to see a massive contribution to better ways to farm.
And so that's a win for the country, it's a
win for our farmers and it's going to be brilliant
for our science.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
There we go. That's what we like to hear. That
is doctor Robin Dines, Principal Scientists and Farmer Engagement Specialist
at Bioeconomy Science Institute. Out of the Mighty Way Kaddow the.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Best of the country with Rabobank.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Choose the bank with one hundred and twenty years global
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Speaker 3 (30:13):
Yes, Indeed, Innovation Week brought to you by heard I
and this was something that was very very popular at
the field days. I'll tell you what. It is hard
to go past being the people's choice. And this is
an invention that was well. It was born the good
Old Kiwi sort of number eight y mentality way by
(30:34):
a bloke called Warren Story who was raised on a
dairy farm and the wy Kaddow and invented Postmate to
help farmers save time and remove risk. And there's plenty
of risk in removing fence pasts. And part of the
team is of course Harry Newey. There's three three man
teams sort of three pronged approach to this and Harry
joins us. Now Kaday, Harry, how are you?
Speaker 10 (30:56):
How are you hey? Missh I'm I'm great from this
and the good day.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Yeah, can't complain, can't complain with us, all right, I'm up.
And the sort of it in the Aukland region, not
like some parts of the country who are getting a
bit of a getting a bit of a pummeling. Look, Harry,
tell us about this. It's a it's about clearing fence
lines up to four times quicker than the traditional way.
I mean, is it simple complicated? Give us the drill?
Speaker 10 (31:24):
Yeah, hey, mass So essentially, removing fence posts has always
been that really tedious task. It requires two people, may
it be your tractor or your digger, someone driving and
someone underneath with a chain and you wrap the chain
round and raise the loader and pull the post out.
It's tedious, but most importantly it's dangerous. Why once you
(31:47):
start doing that over and over, you know, you're increasing
the risk of you get a finger caught, you know,
too much tension and then suddenly slips. But the reality
is it's been a problem all around the world that
just hasn't really had a solution. Ever since we've been
put in posts in we haven't had a safe solution.
(32:08):
And that's where Warren Story's brilliant invention of the post mate.
It's it's the it's the solution that ticks every box.
So essentially, not just does it completely eliminate the safety risks,
but it also speeds the job up dramatically, and while
as you've got one less labor unit, you're saving on
(32:31):
labor at the same time. And it is such a
simplistic design and now I think that's where it's brilliance
comes from.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Okay, how does it work? How does it make it
so simple and four times quicker and safe?
Speaker 10 (32:42):
Yeah, well that's that's the beauty of the post mate.
So essentially you can hang it from any front end loader.
And the way it works is it's a small and
chain design and as you approach the fence, the chain
will come one side, the postmate will go the other,
and you'll you'll lower your loader and bring it back
to a little bit of back pressure, so your spull
(33:03):
is making contact with the post Now, as you raise
your loader, the spool starts rotating, but of course because
the chain is attached to the spool, it means the
chain is self tightening and then until eventually it's got
a nice tight grip. And as you raise the loader.
You then pull the post out with it. And the
beauty of it is is the harder you pull, the
(33:26):
tighter the grip. So that's another reason it completely eliminates
any slippage.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Yeah, fantastic. How you're already getting Well it's so popular,
you're getting global cut through, Harry, you need a patent.
I mean this is you know, this is going through
the roof. It'll be Wall Street next Yeah.
Speaker 10 (33:48):
Well you're dead right, Hamish. It can be dog eat
dog out there. And that's where the patent is so important.
So that was I mean, Warren has had this in
the pipeline for years. Is it was only when we
sort of really teamed up, maybe just over a year ago,
that we started going through the patent design, the patent process,
(34:08):
and we had to keep that all pretty low key
until until we were protected in that sense, and that's
when we released on October fifteenth. And we have been
overwhelmed with the response all around the world because it
is people are looking at it saying, oh my god,
you know, how has no one thought of this before?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Yeah, isn't that the beauty of simplicity in it? In innovation? Incredible?
So look, well, okay, can you give us an idea
of what that demand is like? And here you're going
to cope and here are you going to get your
strategized to meet the demand?
Speaker 10 (34:43):
Yeah? Absolutely, So essentially we were approached fairly earlier on
from a few suppliers over in the UK who wanted
there was a little bit of a battle for some
exclusivity over there, and of course it's extremely tough with
us being here trying to cope and keep up here.
So we actually now we're pretty fortunate. We've got a
(35:05):
partner over in the UK who have a license agreement
and they produce them and distribute over to Europe. So
that's that side of the world covered, and we're currently
working on replicating that now over in America and then
for us here Australasia. We're making them all in house,
all at Matamata, and we'll keep up here and you know,
(35:27):
we'll tackle weach obstacle as it comes. But it's they're
good obstacles to have, hamoush not exactly.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Hey, doesn't matter how high the hurdle is, you'll get
over them. Fantastic. And I suppose this is a really
relevant point here is that we talk about saving on labor, fuel, saving,
on time, it's quicker and everything, but safety because Harry,
no doubt, you know some horror stories from you know,
frustrated fence post pullers, you know, making silly decisions and
(35:59):
things can go horrible wrong.
Speaker 10 (36:01):
Oh that's it, hey, mass Like we see people quite often.
May it be lost fingers, may it be broken bones,
even broken backs, or even facial disfigurement, and pulling posts
is the last job in their industry where we expect
staff or ourselves to work underneath the loader. There is
(36:23):
no other job that we expect them to work underneath
an operational loader. And the reason being is there just
hasn't been an alternative. So the big thing is yet,
the time savings are great and the labor savings are great,
but the reality is we're getting to a stage we
cannot expect our staff now to go and put me
(36:44):
in these dangerous positions because these injuries are real and
they're happening a lot. And that's where we are be
happy and you know, we're so One of the things
we're most proud of on the post Mate is it
is saving real injuries in real time.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, fantastic, What an incredible innovation to kick off Innovation Week,
brought to you by Heard Eye, winner of the people's
choice at the Field Days the Wayhadow invented postmte. Thank
you very much. Regards to Warren and I think Sean's
your other teammate Harry as well. So you know, great
job and we look forward to continuing to follow this
(37:22):
story with great interest.
Speaker 10 (37:24):
Oh, thank you very much. I'll send the regards to
the team and yeah, we really appreciate it and we
look forward to filling you in as the postmate journey continues.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Brilliant Harry, Thank you very much. You're listening to the country.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
The best of the country with Rabobank. Choose the bank
with a huge network of progressive farming clients, Ravo Bank.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
This is the best star of the country, brought to
you by a Rabobank. Now, would you like to better
understand the process of parts on control and ownership of
your farming business. Rabobank have these wonderful free one day
succession workshops to help improve your understanding of business transition
and succession, giving you the confidence to start and progress
on that succession plan for your farm. They're running several
(38:16):
workshops in the Southland region during July, and you can
find out more by visiting their website and selecting Planning
for Succession workshops under the Knowledge and Networks tab. With
Rabobank bringing you the best of the country, growing a
bet it is healing together. I'm Harbers from Kais with
a cracking old couple of weeks. We'll send that Jamie
machaoff on holiday again in the not too distant future,
(38:38):
but he will be back on a next week. Thank
you for let's think going to leave you now with
the dulcet tones of the amazing Graham Brazier. Hello sailor here,
this has been the country best of.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Born in the sight of the Liverpool doc. What the
call of the scene?
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What's the stound.
Speaker 11 (39:13):
Of poverty? So they write you down on our soci
show list. Two songs of war and gosp don't exist.
Speaker 5 (39:26):
And now.
Speaker 11 (39:29):
We can't be praise. But yesterday we were ten years old.
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Yesterday we were freezing the call.
Speaker 11 (39:42):
Yesterday that's ross and so now.
Speaker 5 (39:48):
We are believb.
Speaker 11 (40:05):
Must wear a great guitars do in the fight troubled times,
and we must unite.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Let the change.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That bind us be.
Speaker 11 (40:21):
That's none need to shout, ever bargain all swilt is
now wow, English rules.
Speaker 6 (40:29):
Let's all.
Speaker 8 (40:32):
The last us feel.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
The fatuous tar, the duns and dolls. We're black and white,
we're young and alls gees. Today we did what we
were tall, and now.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
We are only bold.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
Yes,
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Grow with rubbobak.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Ah, Good morning but a Harlow Sailor to kick off
your Saturday and welcome to the Best of the Country
board to you buy a Rabobank, the show where we
bring you the best interviews from across the week. I'm
Hamish McKay. Jamie McKay will return next week after he's
had a deserved break, hasn't he What a great one
it was by the All Blacks last week in a
crushing Now I say great not because of the score,
(00:36):
necessarily of the performance, because there is no French b
team will see team any longer. They have depth and
we need to recognize that. So good stuff from Dave
any of the team getting away there and of course
itillly in Wellington to night. So hopefully we'll be talking
about winners now talking about winners coming up on the show.
We caught up with the twenty twenty six Young Farmer
of the Year who has now become part of a
(00:57):
rich family legacy. Leave me it's all here on the
Best of the Country brought to you by rubber Bank.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
The best of the country with rubber Bank. Choose the
bank with a huge network of progressive farming clients, rubber Bank.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
David Seymour Act Leader. Look do you like it? Bit
of the country, but of Luke colmb's a bit of
the old back in the saddle is that you.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
I went.
Speaker 5 (01:42):
I was at school.
Speaker 6 (01:43):
I had a best friend who was into Brooks and
I could never quite understand it. But I I you know,
I represent a party that believes in freedom and choice.
So you do you?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, exactly? Mind you your friend, your mate was obviously
pretty cutting edge to be into get Brooks. That's good, right,
trade deals a veritable feast of opportunity. If we listen
to minister maclay, what's your take on this sort of
the spreading of the tentacles.
Speaker 6 (02:12):
Yeah, he's right, and he's politically smart because he's announcing
something that's kind of already underway. Sometimes politicians do stuff
and forget to take the credit. Other Times they take
the credit for stuff that I'm not doing. I guess
this time Todd mcclay's somewhere in the middle taking credit
for stuff that's actually going to happen. Because labor national
(02:33):
and definitely the ACT Party have been very much in
favor of free trade for a long time. And if
you think about it, it's actually natural for a country
of New Zealand size. If you draw a circle around
any group of five million people, say Colorado in the
middle of the United States. Of course they trade with
people all around them. But we only have five million people.
(02:57):
We're not part of the EU, were not part of
the US where we're just musical and so it's essential
that we filmed as many agreements as possible so that
we too can access a large market, more people to
sell to, more consistent prices. It's all really smart stuff,
and you know, good on Todd putting as a plag
up saying it it's all his ideas.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, well, why not take the opportunity. I'd say ten
out of ten to them. In terms of some of
these countries that we're looking at, the Bangladesh's and the
Nigeria's of this world, there's a bit of a sort
of a geography lesson in economics lesson and sort of
their global performance and their growth. A lot to be taken.
You know, I guess some people might be a bit
surprised by some of the countries.
Speaker 6 (03:41):
Well there's an old story that demography is destiny, and
some of those countries you mentioned, they have an awful
lot of young people. So the challenge for them is
if they get their institutions and their rules right, then
it could be their century because a kind of a
big young workforce. If they get the right technology, then
(04:01):
they're going to be in a really good place. And
I think it's smart for New Zealand to be looking ahead.
I mean, you go back twenty years ago New Zealand
diplomats started scoping out the CPTPP. Now you know that
is a real triumph that New Zealand was really the
lynchpin of that. For considering ours small size, but again,
(04:23):
small nation has to trade. We're a trading nation. We
did it, and the act Party for One hopes that continues.
I think one little flag is that we've got to
make sure that trade agreements really are trade agreements. They
don't have fishooks. So if you look at this India
Free Trade Agreement, you know it has the United Nations
Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People in it. Well,
(04:45):
the Indians don't care about and it wasn't their idea.
It wasn't my idea, so where did it come from?
And I think it's important that whoever is the next
Trade Minister looks very carefully at the details, because we
asked Odd if there was any treaty stuff and as
he said, there wasn't there was. So it's critical that
you know, we keep pushing for trade, but we actually
(05:07):
sign agreements that are trade agreements, not left wing political vehicles.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I would have thought that it would be a reasonable
short priced investment at the tab that the minister will
remain the Minister of Trade, though, David, would you say.
Speaker 6 (05:21):
Well, you know what, it's illegal to gamble in politics
in New Zealand, so you just have to find out
after the election.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
We will, we will indeed, okay, would act work with
the Opportunities Party And if that ended up being an
option of a coalition government.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Well hypothetical. I mean, you know, a hell of a
long way to go before that is a hypothetical, But
you'd have.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
To say it's unlikely.
Speaker 6 (05:47):
Their policies are basically to the left of the Greens.
Would we work with the Greens? No, they're nuts and
this party, as far as I can tell, that their
basic plan is to put everybody on a wealthare benefit
and then tax your farm, tax your land, tax your
house to pay for it. But you know, after having
(06:08):
a pretty blessed run with spawning media for the first
month or two, people are starting to ask questions like, apparently,
when they did their calculations, they assume they're only three
point six adult million adults in New Zealand, there's actually
four point one, so they missed half a million people.
They seem to be assuming that the value of land
(06:31):
and New Zealand is much higher than it actually is,
so they might not raise as much tax Even if
you think taxing land is a good idea, it's probably
not going to raise the cash. And at the end
of the day that the numbers just don't add up.
And that's not a surprise because you think about the
prospect of basically putting every single adult on the unemployment benefit.
(06:54):
The cost of that is just enormous, and if it's
enough money to live on, then people to stay home
on it, And if you then have to raise taxes
massively to pay for that, then of course, you know,
the whole incentive to work is less because the government
takes more and gives it to someone else. Who stays home.
So it's actually a recipe for a real flat economy.
(07:15):
And I would say as time goes on, people are
going to realize that they're not just nice, friendly people
who could work with anyone. They're hard left crazy that
have some pretty slick pr And I'll give you another prediction,
there's a real smugness that comes out of them. And
I suspect over the next four months that's going to
(07:36):
start to great with a lot more people.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Okay, to the left of the Greens, that's probably the
end of that. Then still lunches is this is sort
of the gift that keeps on giving.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Oh yeah, well, look, I got to tell you. I
campaign to end the program. I think parents should provide
lunches for children. Overwhelmingly they do, about three quarters do
because only a quarter of kids in this school lunch scheme. Nonetheless,
and one of those sort of funny twists of political face,
(08:06):
I ended up carving up the education portfolio, and I
ended up doing a whole lot of stuff, and Erica
Stanford does a whole lot of stuff, and I think
we do well at it all. But I got the
school lunches and I thought, well, that's kind of funny.
What can we do? So we've saved three hundred and
sixty million bucks. That's the first thing. We've almost half
the price of the thing, and that makes a real
(08:27):
difference to government debt. But the second thing is we've
actually had pretty similar performance to the last guys. But
we've upset a lot of people because, you know, the
people that used to be selling the lunches for twice
the price, they don't really like me. The people at
the Ministry of Education we used to have a much
bigger bureaucracy managing it. They don't really like me, and
(08:47):
they've all gone off to the Order to General that's
basically given them a pretty long counseling session and released
it as a report. End of the day, three hundred
and sixty million bucks. Money talks, and you know what
walks right next thing.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
The ex party your plan for getting rid of some
of the fat government changes here you're looking at what
are we looking at. We're looking at forty three departments
to be consolidated into nineteen departments, the seventy eight overlapping
portfolios with twenty eight ministers, get it back to eighteen ministers.
Pretty bold sort of plan.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Well, I thought it was bold, but we based it
off Ireland and Norway. In Singapore, they all have about sixteen, seventeen,
eighteen ministers and departments depending on the country, so we're
actually aligning with other countries of five million. But here's
why it's not as bold as I thought. I was
giving a speech about this last week and a good
(09:49):
friend of mine, mister Osawa, who was the Japanese ambassador,
was there sitting in the front row, and he came
up to me afterwards. He said, you know, in Japan
we have fifteen ministers and fifteen departments. I said, you
got to be kidding. You've got one hundred and twenty
million people, you've only got fifteen ministers. He said, absolutely.
So actually, I don't think my plan is that bold.
The Japanese are bold. My plan is just the bare minimum.
(10:10):
If we want to make this country affordable, to make
the government responsive, to restore people's faith and democracy, but
your votes for people and they actually can do it,
then we've got to get rid of this just absolute
spaghetti of too many ministers, too many departments, and too
many relationships. You know, it's not just that you've got
lots of ministers and lots of departments. You've got twenty
(10:33):
three ministers that have a relationship with Endy, You've got
a lot of ministers who have up to seven different portfolios,
and so everybody and nobody's in charge of everything and nothing.
And I think that that's what the big thing I've
learned after three years in cabinet, which I hadn't done
previously in my career, is that we've got to simplify
(10:55):
at the top if we want the government to function
the way people want it to. And hey, look if
the Japs can do it with Fasteen and the country
is a lot bigger than ours in every respect, then
I reckon we can do it with eighteen ministers.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
Great stuff. David Seymour, leader of that party, Thank you
very much for joining us here on the country.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
The best of the country with Rubber Bank, the bank,
with local ACRI banking experts, passionate about the future of
rural communities, Rubber Bank.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
Well.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
The excitement levels were building, bubbling away towards the end
of our last week where we chatted the previous winners
and of course to RADA down there in the Taranaki.
It was the FMG Young Farmer of the Year and
this year's winner, Tom Slee, twenty nine year old dairy
farmer from the Deep South. Good afternoon, Tom.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
Hey Jan, thank you.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
Great to have you and well done. So how have
you sort of let it sink in and celebrate so
to speak?
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Thank you nice. He's been a surreal feeling.
Speaker 7 (11:57):
Really, I don't he's still kind of work working it
all out to be fair, but yeah, it's a good
catch up with a few people this morning.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
Yeah, So you were heading into the agri Knowledge quiz,
you were sitting in third place behind Cam Clayton and
Jack Taggert, but you sort of came into your own there. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
No, we had a bit of a bit of a
yarn during the afternoon with Uncle Simon and Dad and
sort of kind of a bit of a strategy just
to hit the buzzer if ire on an in front.
So yeah, ripped into that and got more than half them, right,
So yeah, paid off, I think.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Yeah. So Dad is Richard Slee, who of course won
the Young Farmer of the Year back in nineteen ninety nine,
and uncle Simon uncle Simon Hopcroft, who won the two
thousand and four Young Farmer of the Year. I mean
not a bad coaching team, young fella to have.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
No, Yeah, I'm pretty lucky to have them there up
there all weekend. So yeah, anyveryone outstairs supporting. So I
had a pretty good, pretty good crew that made it
up to Taranaki for weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So how did you feel though, you know, did you
feel you've given your best prior to going into the
Agri Knowledge Quiz into the final round so to speak?
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Yeah, No, it was a pretty good couple of days
we had. We were definitely tested by the organizing committee
up there and they've found a pretty good show.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
So yeah, it was.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
It was a challenging time, but yeah, it was good too.
Good to see that I was sort of still in
the top three going to that quiz.
Speaker 8 (13:32):
So yeah, okay, so I want to I'm going to
ask you where you're really delivered, but aside from the
Aggrige Knowledge Quiz, but where do you think you might
have done better?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Was there any was there any sort of chink in
the armor along the way?
Speaker 6 (13:46):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (13:46):
I had.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, we had a pretty good day on the on
the technical day. Yeah, so sort of the exam was
based around financial like dairy financials and we to present
our innovation project and your interviews and that kind of
thing that day. So yeah, it all went pretty well
I think, And then practical day it was just busy, busy, busy.
(14:11):
So yeah, ap proably didn't do quite as well as
the other boys there, but yeah, I couldn't. You couldn't
get little behind too far there either, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
Yeah, well, what is your strength as a farmer?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
What do you what do you?
Speaker 3 (14:22):
What do you get the most? I mean, clearly to
be a good cocky, you've got to be a good
all round it, don't you. But what what where's your
where do your strengths lie?
Speaker 4 (14:33):
I struggled with this Christian Amish but now I've got
a pretty big team down here on the farm. So yeah,
we're just managing people, contractors and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Yeah, sort of.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
Got to try and be a bit of an intermediate
tree there, but that's probably hard for them to test
on us up there as well.
Speaker 3 (14:50):
So yeah, yeah, you've gotta been all around good bugger,
don't you most of the time? And that sort of
what sort of size operation do you actually have to
talk us through that? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, so contract melting a thousand calves from my parents
gerry found down here until you so yeah, so good farm.
It's pretty busy at times, so yeah, it keeps me
out of trouble.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, so what does the next year look like? Is
the as the Ragning FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
I guess there's a fear bitter responsibility comes with that.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
Yeah, and yeah, just a bit of an ambassador I
suppose for the industry. And yeah, take up a few
phone calls for lots of you guys, and I married
that I'll get to meet her a few special people
along the way, so.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Yeah, yeah, and when that moment came, do you do
you have a sort of a clear recollection of when
the moment where you followed in the footsteps of your
father and your uncle. I mean, that must have been
so good.
Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, and now it was nice and it was nice
to have copparents and and uncles and everyone. Everyone was
a lot there and young farmers and people other people
from the region. So yeah, pretty you should have shared.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
It with you good to have it down the deep
South too, you know, bragging rights you can crow away,
you know, because the further south it's been was what
twenty eighteen I think Logan Wallace, South Otago ship farmer.
So that's a few years between drinks. But good for Southland,
I think so.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
And I see that Southland's won that they don't file
environment awards too, so yeah, good Todd another one with
the closet their for the year.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Yeah too, right, too right. And as a competition, the
sort of collegiality and convivial you know, you make good
you'd make good mates out of it, wudn't you right
across the country people you'll stay in contact for for
a long time, I'd imagine.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, definitely. All the guys that were there compete with that.
We're competing their top quality blokes. Are nice to meet
them all and hang up with him for the last
few months. Really, we sort of called up the christ Church.
It might opened a couple of months ago, and then
you've spent a week with them this week and I
being committee and Eve run up there. There are all
really good people, so good context to make yep.
Speaker 3 (17:05):
The dairy game, the dairy industry, the future. I mean,
we've got all these sort of trade talks going down
and going on at the moment as we sort of
spread our tentacles around the globe. Do you feel confident
and sort of in a good position to attack the future.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Yeah, and that's a pretty exciting industry to be and
be fair.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Sort of gone from strength to the strength the last
couple of years, hasn't it. So Yeah, we're probably just
focused on doing the simple things right here and try
and grow a bit more grass, market up more milk
and capitalize on good prices.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
What are the simple things? What are the two or
three simple things that you get right that you like
to get right to maintain that even keel and get
a good flow on, so to speak.
Speaker 7 (17:53):
Ah, we've got to have yeah, focus on getting good people,
good people onto our farm and the that sort of
drives past your management and good animal management, doesn't it.
Speaker 4 (18:03):
So the probably the big three for us on this farm. Yeah,
got to weave it of scale here, So you just
got to try and keep it simple and yeah, do
your best.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
What was it? Was it?
Speaker 3 (18:15):
Karen Williams, one of the judges from the Sustainability from
the Balance Awards, saying that good people, good crops, you know,
the grow good crop. It's good people. It is about
That's the starting point, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Yeah, it's all this technology that's around now too, so
harness it a weave it of that. But yeah, I
think if you've got good people, makes things hell of
a lot easier on the farm and yeah, makes them
good decisions.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah, it's the right amount of everything into the overall pie,
isn't it. Hey, this has been great chatting Tom. I
hope you're not sort of having to overdo it today,
but no doubt back into it. You go go and
enjoy yourself. Did you have to watch the All Blacks
of Rewind? Did you replay?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
I haven't seen it yet.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
It's worth the one there. Yeah, you'll get there, Thanks
very much, Tom Jabi.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
It awesome the best of the country with Rubbobank.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Choose the bank with one hundred and twenty years global
agribusiness experience.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Grow with Rubbobank.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Welcome back in to the country. Hamers McKay in for
Jamie McKay last day today. Actually got enjoyed the last
couple of weeks. We'll see in the old fellow away again.
Right crossing the ditch now to Sydney to senior macro
strategist for Rabo Research being picked and joined us. Now
what it's morning over there being.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Good morning, good morning Hamish.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yeah, o cr here up zero point two five basis points.
Any surprise in this.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
Move, well, some might have been a little bit surprised.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
It was.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
It was a little bit of a I guess, a
split between the views of various market economists whether they
would hike or not. We were going for a hike.
That's been our view for a couple of months now.
The futures market was implying around about an eighty percent
chance of the hike, but that had increased since earlier
in the week. When I looked at it on Monday morning,
(20:05):
it was only about seventy percent. So it wasn't really
a faded completly by any stretch, but it was probably
the expected outcome.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Okay, what do you think the purpose is? The thinking
behind it after what's been a long time coming, A
long time between drinks.
Speaker 5 (20:24):
Yeah, Well, basically they're justifying it by saying that the
economy is in recovery, it's expected to grow more quickly
in the next six months, and that the level of
where the ocr was at two hundred quarter percent, that's
a stimulator in level, so effectively, given that inflation is
(20:44):
above the target range and is expected to remain above
the target range for a little while yet, And keeping
in mind that we've got a new wave of issues
coming out of the Middle East over the last forty
eight hours, they want to remove some of the stimulus
so that as the economy accelerates, they don't run the
(21:04):
risk of entrenching inflation over the longer term.
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Yeah, how much do you think these what's happened in
the last sort of I suppose twenty four or forty
eight hours has impacted you know, Donald coming out with
as cuckoo claims and et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 5 (21:20):
Yeah, Well, it's you know, it's always difficult to know
how long these things are going to last, whether the
renewed fighting is just a little bit of a forty
eight hours tis to tat, or whether it's going to
be the start of an extended campaign. Our view, our
baseline view on the Middle East, was that we expected
fighting to resume after the US midterms. We thought that
(21:42):
there were basically irreconcilable differences around Iran's nuclear program, around
the status of hesbilar in looking on, and also over
the whether there would be tolls or not in the
straight of hor news. So we thought that the peace
deal was reasonably shaky, but this certainly accelerated the timeline
(22:06):
on things, and that does pose renewed risks to inflation.
Were already seeing higher oil prices and higher diesel prices
this morning.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Ye effect on mortgage rate time owners what I wouldn't well,
has it a guest, but zero point two five basis
points shouldn't sort of see this in the panic zone.
Speaker 5 (22:27):
No, I don't think so, and largely because mortgage rates
tend to be based on wholesale money market rates, and
those wholesale market rates had moved a long time ago,
so this expected increase to the o CR was already
largely priced into the market, and further increases to the
(22:48):
o CR are already largely priced into the market, to
the extent that the IBN there. They actually said yesterday
that one of the reasons why they hiked was to
have void loosening monetary conditions, because they if they didn't
deliver on the hike, then than wholesale money market rates
(23:08):
would have adjusted lower and it would have effectively provided
extra stimulus. So they were effectively meeting the market in
the moves that they made yesterday.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Okay, in overall growth shouldn't have too much of an impact.
I mean, it seems like a fevery moderate sort of move.
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Yeah, we don't expect that it'll have dramatic impact on
economic growth. As I sort of said that most were
expecting this move and if not yesterday, then in the
near future. Most banks and research houses are expecting further
increases to the ocr and the RBNZ certainly sent that
(23:49):
message yesterday. The timing is a little bit uncertain, but
certainly the direction is expected to be up, and they're
characterizing this as a removal of stimulus rather than hitting
the brakes on the economy. So it's not really intended
to slow growth down. It's just intended to stop accelerating
(24:12):
it to quite the same extent.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Ben Pickton, thanks very much for joining us.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Cheers, Hamish the best of the Country with Rabobank.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Choose the bank with a huge network of progressive farming clients.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Rabobank.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
This is the Best of the Country, brought to you
by Rabobank, Hamish mackay and for Jamie McKay now at
the PIN Summit. Late last month, Rabobank released its latest
white paper titled Succession twenty fifty Gearing up for New
Zealand's food and agri future now. It features insight from
fourteen industry leaders and explores the opportunities and challenges facing
(24:55):
New Zealand's primary industry as we transition into the future,
hopefully a very bright future. You can download a copy
of the new white paper on the Rubber Bank website
dub dub dub a dot a rubber Bank a dot
a co dot in z.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Lis ships.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
The best of the country with rubber Bank, the bank
with local acri banking experts passionate about the future of
rural communities Rubber Bank.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
I'm going to look now at innovation from a scientist
perspective in the egg sector. Principal scientists Farmer Engagement Specialist,
Doctor Robin Dines at the Bioeconomy Science Institute joins us now, Robert,
good afternoon. Hello, great to have you with us. Look
great technology, but we're getting some really cool stuff happening,
(25:59):
and the future looks wonderful, but it also needs to
be supported and underpinned by great and accurate science.
Speaker 9 (26:08):
Yeah, Hamish, that is so true, isn't it. Innovation is
the gadgets and the technology, but it's more it's better
ways to farm that improve productivity, profitability, environmental outcomes and
our resilient future. So it's all of that and the
technology is definitely a key part of it. And we
need great science and our science must be accurate.
Speaker 6 (26:28):
Yes, yeap.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
And so are you confident that we have the all
the plans and processes in place to continue that we
can to be so good in the science field.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Look, New Zealand agricultural scientists are world leading in many spaces, Hamish.
We're also well connected to our industries and we are
aiming to do science that has an impact.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Yes.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
And if you don't think we are, then.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
Pull us up.
Speaker 10 (26:56):
No.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
So give me an example of something that's going to
make that you're sort of you know, it doesn't matter
how far down the track you are on it, but
something that will, as you say, be a real sort
of brick in the head in a positive way.
Speaker 9 (27:10):
Look, I think Hamish, to look at the work that
my institution has.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Done with endo fights.
Speaker 9 (27:17):
You know, we in the fights were present world type
indfights killed our production in autumn. My colleagues understood, researched
what they were and then selected novel indo fights. So
we got the epichloe indo fights like AR thirty seven.
That's worth three point six billion to the industry over
twenty years, and that science will keep emerging and keep
(27:41):
giving us new options for the future.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
So things are in good hands. I mean that's a
great example. Did you say three point six billion? That's correct?
Speaker 9 (27:50):
Yeah, I pastoral agriculture is critical to a tamer.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
Yeah, absolutely it is. So now that brings me to
the bit of news during the Greens during the week,
the synthetic synthetic fertilizer band proposal. What's your take on that.
Speaker 9 (28:06):
I don't think it's a wise idea. I think we
need responsible science based nitrogen use that's needs either, which
is better than unrestricted, useful outright bands because Hamish nitrogen
is essential for life, you know, it's one of the
nineteen elements we've all got to have, and nichen fertilizer
is a huge driver of our food and agricultural productivity.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yep. So where do you think they get their information
to make those sort of the claims that they are making,
you know, given the impact that it would have, like
the cost of living going through the roof and the
backbone of the country being completely undermined.
Speaker 9 (28:45):
Look, I can't comment on that, Hamish. I think we've
got some great science from New Zealand around responsible nitrogen
fertilizer use. We know the way it's used masses more
than the amount alone, So we've got to get the
right amount of fertilizer in the right time, in the
right place.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Yeah. And essential yeah. Yeah. And one more things. I
mean data. I mean, we're getting way better at our
sort of our accumulation and use thereafter of data, aren't
we is that's certainly improving immensely.
Speaker 9 (29:19):
Oh, look absolutely. And the sort of technology that we're
now seeing on farms, and you've been highlighting some of
it this week. One of the things from a science
perspective that it excites us.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Is the big data sects are emerging.
Speaker 9 (29:30):
You've also talked about.
Speaker 5 (29:31):
AI this week.
Speaker 9 (29:33):
That's one of those cool tools that, together with the data,
are going to be real accelerators for the science and
we think for farming, for better decisions, and we want
to see a massive contribution to better ways to farm.
And so that's a win for the country, it's a
win for our farmers and it's going to be brilliant
for our science.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
There we go. That's what we like to hear. That
is doctor Robin Dines, Principal Scientists and Farmer Engagement Specialist
at Bioeconomy Science Institute. Out of the Mighty Way Kaddow the.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Best of the country with Rabobank.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Choose the bank with one hundred and twenty years global
agribusiness experience grow with Rubbobank.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
Yes, Indeed, Innovation Week brought to you by heard I
and this was something that was very very popular at
the field days. I'll tell you what. It is hard
to go past being the people's choice. And this is
an invention that was well. It was born the good
Old Kiwi sort of number eight y mentality way by
(30:34):
a bloke called Warren Story who was raised on a
dairy farm and the wy Kaddow and invented Postmate to
help farmers save time and remove risk. And there's plenty
of risk in removing fence pasts. And part of the
team is of course Harry Newey. There's three three man
teams sort of three pronged approach to this and Harry
joins us. Now Kaday, Harry, how are you?
Speaker 10 (30:56):
How are you hey? Missh I'm I'm great from this
and the good day.
Speaker 3 (31:00):
Yeah, can't complain, can't complain with us, all right, I'm up.
And the sort of it in the Aukland region, not
like some parts of the country who are getting a
bit of a getting a bit of a pummeling. Look, Harry,
tell us about this. It's a it's about clearing fence
lines up to four times quicker than the traditional way.
I mean, is it simple complicated? Give us the drill?
Speaker 10 (31:24):
Yeah, hey, mass So essentially, removing fence posts has always
been that really tedious task. It requires two people, may
it be your tractor or your digger, someone driving and
someone underneath with a chain and you wrap the chain
round and raise the loader and pull the post out.
It's tedious, but most importantly it's dangerous. Why once you
(31:47):
start doing that over and over, you know, you're increasing
the risk of you get a finger caught, you know,
too much tension and then suddenly slips. But the reality
is it's been a problem all around the world that
just hasn't really had a solution. Ever since we've been
put in posts in we haven't had a safe solution.
(32:08):
And that's where Warren Story's brilliant invention of the post mate.
It's it's the it's the solution that ticks every box.
So essentially, not just does it completely eliminate the safety risks,
but it also speeds the job up dramatically, and while
as you've got one less labor unit, you're saving on
(32:31):
labor at the same time. And it is such a
simplistic design and now I think that's where it's brilliance
comes from.
Speaker 3 (32:37):
Okay, how does it work? How does it make it
so simple and four times quicker and safe?
Speaker 10 (32:42):
Yeah, well that's that's the beauty of the post mate.
So essentially you can hang it from any front end loader.
And the way it works is it's a small and
chain design and as you approach the fence, the chain
will come one side, the postmate will go the other,
and you'll you'll lower your loader and bring it back
to a little bit of back pressure, so your spull
(33:03):
is making contact with the post Now, as you raise
your loader, the spool starts rotating, but of course because
the chain is attached to the spool, it means the
chain is self tightening and then until eventually it's got
a nice tight grip. And as you raise the loader.
You then pull the post out with it. And the
beauty of it is is the harder you pull, the
(33:26):
tighter the grip. So that's another reason it completely eliminates
any slippage.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Yeah, fantastic. How you're already getting Well it's so popular,
you're getting global cut through, Harry, you need a patent.
I mean this is you know, this is going through
the roof. It'll be Wall Street next Yeah.
Speaker 10 (33:48):
Well you're dead right, Hamish. It can be dog eat
dog out there. And that's where the patent is so important.
So that was I mean, Warren has had this in
the pipeline for years. Is it was only when we
sort of really teamed up, maybe just over a year ago,
that we started going through the patent design, the patent process,
(34:08):
and we had to keep that all pretty low key
until until we were protected in that sense, and that's
when we released on October fifteenth. And we have been
overwhelmed with the response all around the world because it
is people are looking at it saying, oh my god,
you know, how has no one thought of this before?
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Yeah, isn't that the beauty of simplicity in it? In innovation? Incredible?
So look, well, okay, can you give us an idea
of what that demand is like? And here you're going
to cope and here are you going to get your
strategized to meet the demand?
Speaker 10 (34:43):
Yeah? Absolutely, So essentially we were approached fairly earlier on
from a few suppliers over in the UK who wanted
there was a little bit of a battle for some
exclusivity over there, and of course it's extremely tough with
us being here trying to cope and keep up here.
So we actually now we're pretty fortunate. We've got a
(35:05):
partner over in the UK who have a license agreement
and they produce them and distribute over to Europe. So
that's that side of the world covered, and we're currently
working on replicating that now over in America and then
for us here Australasia. We're making them all in house,
all at Matamata, and we'll keep up here and you know,
(35:27):
we'll tackle weach obstacle as it comes. But it's they're
good obstacles to have, hamoush not exactly.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
Hey, doesn't matter how high the hurdle is, you'll get
over them. Fantastic. And I suppose this is a really
relevant point here is that we talk about saving on labor, fuel, saving,
on time, it's quicker and everything, but safety because Harry,
no doubt, you know some horror stories from you know,
frustrated fence post pullers, you know, making silly decisions and
(35:59):
things can go horrible wrong.
Speaker 10 (36:01):
Oh that's it, hey, mass Like we see people quite often.
May it be lost fingers, may it be broken bones,
even broken backs, or even facial disfigurement, and pulling posts
is the last job in their industry where we expect
staff or ourselves to work underneath the loader. There is
(36:23):
no other job that we expect them to work underneath
an operational loader. And the reason being is there just
hasn't been an alternative. So the big thing is yet,
the time savings are great and the labor savings are great,
but the reality is we're getting to a stage we
cannot expect our staff now to go and put me
(36:44):
in these dangerous positions because these injuries are real and
they're happening a lot. And that's where we are be
happy and you know, we're so One of the things
we're most proud of on the post Mate is it
is saving real injuries in real time.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Yeah, fantastic, What an incredible innovation to kick off Innovation Week,
brought to you by Heard Eye, winner of the people's
choice at the Field Days the Wayhadow invented postmte. Thank
you very much. Regards to Warren and I think Sean's
your other teammate Harry as well. So you know, great
job and we look forward to continuing to follow this
(37:22):
story with great interest.
Speaker 10 (37:24):
Oh, thank you very much. I'll send the regards to
the team and yeah, we really appreciate it and we
look forward to filling you in as the postmate journey continues.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Brilliant Harry, Thank you very much. You're listening to the country.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
The best of the country with Rabobank. Choose the bank
with a huge network of progressive farming clients, Ravo Bank.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
This is the best star of the country, brought to
you by a Rabobank. Now, would you like to better
understand the process of parts on control and ownership of
your farming business. Rabobank have these wonderful free one day
succession workshops to help improve your understanding of business transition
and succession, giving you the confidence to start and progress
on that succession plan for your farm. They're running several
(38:16):
workshops in the Southland region during July, and you can
find out more by visiting their website and selecting Planning
for Succession workshops under the Knowledge and Networks tab. With
Rabobank bringing you the best of the country, growing a
bet it is healing together. I'm Harbers from Kais with
a cracking old couple of weeks. We'll send that Jamie
machaoff on holiday again in the not too distant future,
(38:38):
but he will be back on a next week. Thank
you for let's think going to leave you now with
the dulcet tones of the amazing Graham Brazier. Hello sailor here,
this has been the country best of.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Born in the sight of the Liverpool doc. What the
call of the scene?
Speaker 3 (39:10):
What's the stound.
Speaker 11 (39:13):
Of poverty? So they write you down on our soci
show list. Two songs of war and gosp don't exist.
Speaker 5 (39:26):
And now.
Speaker 11 (39:29):
We can't be praise. But yesterday we were ten years old.
Speaker 5 (39:38):
Yesterday we were freezing the call.
Speaker 11 (39:42):
Yesterday that's ross and so now.
Speaker 5 (39:48):
We are believb.
Speaker 11 (40:05):
Must wear a great guitars do in the fight troubled times,
and we must unite.
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Let the change.
Speaker 5 (40:16):
That bind us be.
Speaker 11 (40:21):
That's none need to shout, ever bargain all swilt is
now wow, English rules.
Speaker 6 (40:29):
Let's all.
Speaker 8 (40:32):
The last us feel.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
The fatuous tar, the duns and dolls. We're black and white,
we're young and alls gees. Today we did what we
were tall, and now.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
We are only bold.
Speaker 5 (41:01):
Yes,
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