September 1, 2026 • 7 mins
Brother and sister FMG Young Farmer winners discuss planning for El Niño, the winter blast at the start of spring, and whether the Prime Minister has kept his promise to Emma about getting The FMG Young Farmer Grand Final back on television.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, one of my favourite times on the country when
I get to sit in the chair for my cousin Jamie,
as we say, Bo and Luke Duke is doing a
bit of recovering at the moment. He'll be back soon, though,
is when I get to chat to these two fine
young people of the agricultural establishment, the 2023 Young Farmer
of the Year, Emma Paul, and her brother, Tim Dange,
(00:20):
and 22 Young Farmer of the Year. G'day, team. How's things,
first of all, with you, Tim? You've finally got some
sun after a bit of a rough old tale of winter.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, g'day Hamish. We've been coughing it in the deep
south over the last sort of five days, but thankfully
the sun's out today, so a bit of recovery and
a chance to come up for a bit of air.
But no, it's been a big week really, right in
the peak of calving for most southland dairy farmers. So yeah,
it's just been a matter of getting through really day
by day and making sure that everyone gets home safe
(00:52):
at the end of the day has been the real goal.
So yeah, but it's nice to see the sun, Hamish.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, absolutely. It would be Emma further north in the Waikato, Poronga,
how things are with you?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, we've had a fair bit of wind here as well, Hamish,
but it's sunny today and it's been actually all in
all not a bad spring. We've been very, very lucky
with the amount of rain and sunshine.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
That we've had.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's made for easy carving here, so pretty lucky.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah, that is good to hear.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Tim, to start with you on El Nino, I mean,
you've just come out of the back of the weather
that you've got right now, but you've got this this
fandangled thing. We know it's coming. How much are you
preparing for the effects of?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I'll take some of it at the moment, Amish.
But no, it's interesting to see and talking to farmers
around the district how it plays out in the south
end is quite different to how or what I'm used
to when we get a big El Nino up home
in Mirawai north of Auckland there. So, yeah, we're just mindful,
I guess, of where our costs are at as always
(01:56):
and how much supplement that we're prepared to put into
the system if need be. Grass is always the cheapest
form of feed, though. So, yeah, we're just trying to
make sure that we stick to basics here, try and
grow and harvest as much high-quality grass as we can.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Emma, how much is it on your radar?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Definitely on the radar. I remember last, oh, it was
a few years ago when they predicted this. We sort
of got prepared with a whole lot of chicory and
turnips and whatnot and nothing really came of it. So
you've sort of got to take it with a grain
of salt, don't you? But it'll change our cropping plan
a bit. We'll allow for a bit of extra summer
crops to make sure that we've got something to feed
the cows. We're pretty fortunate we autumn carve a lot
(02:35):
of our herds, so they'll be dry during that period,
which is a real asset when that heat comes on.
So Probably more and more Waikato farmers looking at that
sort of thing as well because our Nino's almost becoming
the norm here in the Waikato. It gets very hot
and very dry February, March, even April. So it's the
farming that we're doing now.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yeah, it certainly is. Ag and secondary schools, the curriculum
looks like it's going to have its place that it
deserves and damn well should have sort of from next year.
But I was thinking, you know, I hope a lot
of the learning is around the opportunity that exists in
the entire primary ag sector. That's something we really need
to push, don't we?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Absolutely, and the people teaching those curriculums, it really hinges
on them, doesn't it Hamish?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
They have to be aware of what's out there.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And they have to be ready to motivate those students
and entice them into that subject because they're competing against
other subjects which are very appetising when you're a young
kid at school, being sports and art and the like,
so they just have to make sure that they've got
the right people in those roles to package that up
and draw them in, but it's good to hear that
(03:46):
it will be on the forefront of some people's mind
at least because we need more people in this sector
and the young people are awesome that are coming through
so far.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, and so it's not just about owning a farm. Sure,
that's a great goal and very admirable, but it's not
the only thing that can sustain somebody in a great
career and a great lifestyle and earning opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I went to vet school, didn't I? And then came
back and went farming after being a vet. So that's,
you know, being a vet on farms is awesome. And
it's another job that's connected to agriculture. And Tim had
his fair share of doing things off farm.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
As well, too.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Tim, it's coming up 100 years this year, isn't it,
for the Young Farmer of the Year? That'll be a
pretty big shindig, won't it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, it's an amazing achievement, Hamish, isn't it? It's for
the club itself, or the organisation rather, that is going
to clock up the century. So I suppose it's just
a neat time to reflect on all the amazing volunteers
that have come through in that time, Hamish, that have,
you know, run clubs and events within the rural communities,
as well as obviously the Young Farm of the Year contest,
(05:00):
which I suppose is the pinnacle of the club and
in the flagship event but it wouldn't happen without all
the amazing volunteer work that happens throughout and I think
it just highlights really how important young farmers clubs are
within our rural communities Hamish and it's just a fantastic
way to get young people connected you know it can
(05:20):
sometimes be a bit of a barrier I think for
young people that they think they might be heading off
you know to an isolated region or something like that
but as soon as you hook in with your local
young farmers club you're instantly connected with like-minded people and So, yeah,
it's a great opportunity to catch up down at the
pub and do other social events as well as competing
in the contest. So, yeah, it's awesome to see, mate.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, and so it's really important that you do have
these social events, and this will be a big party.
I don't want you to dob your sister in, but
who's the party animal? Which one of you is more
likely to cut loose at this 100-year celebration?
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Emma's got a lot more party yarns than I do, mate. So,
you know, there's been some good ones over the years.
She might be able to lose when she ended up
in some rose bushes at Massey University one time, I think.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, I was going to say.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
No, it'll be good.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah, vet school, Emma, you wouldn't have got up to
any hijinks? No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Nothing, nothing. It's a very tame place.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Hey, has the Prime Minister delivered on his promise, I think,
to you, Emma, that the Young Farmer of the Year
is going to be back on Kelly? I'm not quite
sure if that has happened.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Well, I haven't seen it either, Hamish. And out of
good faith, I let him hold my baby that day
when he said that he made that election promise.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Was it four years ago? So I've got a photo
of proof of.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Him holding wee blow-up in the air and saying that
it would be back on the TV. So we bring
it up every year. I think it's going to have
to resurface in election year and hold him to it.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yeah, well, it's got till November the 7th, hasn't it?
I see we spoke to him earlier, he's shooting off to...
what was it, Palau, I think the Cook Islands, and
with the big blue continent, isn't it, the meeting of
all the leaders there. So I will, when I speak
to him next, remind him of that. Tim, thank you
very much for joining us. Tim, go and soak up
some of that sun. Emma, enjoy not having a bit
(07:07):
of wind. Great to have you on the show, Emma
Poole and Tim Dangen.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Cheers, Amish.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Cheers, Amish. Thank you.
Well, one of my favourite times on the country when
I get to sit in the chair for my cousin Jamie,
as we say, Bo and Luke Duke is doing a
bit of recovering at the moment. He'll be back soon, though,
is when I get to chat to these two fine
young people of the agricultural establishment, the 2023 Young Farmer
of the Year, Emma Paul, and her brother, Tim Dange,
(00:20):
and 22 Young Farmer of the Year. G'day, team. How's things,
first of all, with you, Tim? You've finally got some
sun after a bit of a rough old tale of winter.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, g'day Hamish. We've been coughing it in the deep
south over the last sort of five days, but thankfully
the sun's out today, so a bit of recovery and
a chance to come up for a bit of air.
But no, it's been a big week really, right in
the peak of calving for most southland dairy farmers. So yeah,
it's just been a matter of getting through really day
by day and making sure that everyone gets home safe
(00:52):
at the end of the day has been the real goal.
So yeah, but it's nice to see the sun, Hamish.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Yeah, absolutely. It would be Emma further north in the Waikato, Poronga,
how things are with you?
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, we've had a fair bit of wind here as well, Hamish,
but it's sunny today and it's been actually all in
all not a bad spring. We've been very, very lucky
with the amount of rain and sunshine.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
That we've had.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's made for easy carving here, so pretty lucky.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Yeah, that is good to hear.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Tim, to start with you on El Nino, I mean,
you've just come out of the back of the weather
that you've got right now, but you've got this this
fandangled thing. We know it's coming. How much are you
preparing for the effects of?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I'll take some of it at the moment, Amish.
But no, it's interesting to see and talking to farmers
around the district how it plays out in the south
end is quite different to how or what I'm used
to when we get a big El Nino up home
in Mirawai north of Auckland there. So, yeah, we're just mindful,
I guess, of where our costs are at as always
(01:56):
and how much supplement that we're prepared to put into
the system if need be. Grass is always the cheapest
form of feed, though. So, yeah, we're just trying to
make sure that we stick to basics here, try and
grow and harvest as much high-quality grass as we can.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Emma, how much is it on your radar?
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Definitely on the radar. I remember last, oh, it was
a few years ago when they predicted this. We sort
of got prepared with a whole lot of chicory and
turnips and whatnot and nothing really came of it. So
you've sort of got to take it with a grain
of salt, don't you? But it'll change our cropping plan
a bit. We'll allow for a bit of extra summer
crops to make sure that we've got something to feed
the cows. We're pretty fortunate we autumn carve a lot
(02:35):
of our herds, so they'll be dry during that period,
which is a real asset when that heat comes on.
So Probably more and more Waikato farmers looking at that
sort of thing as well because our Nino's almost becoming
the norm here in the Waikato. It gets very hot
and very dry February, March, even April. So it's the
farming that we're doing now.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Yeah, it certainly is. Ag and secondary schools, the curriculum
looks like it's going to have its place that it
deserves and damn well should have sort of from next year.
But I was thinking, you know, I hope a lot
of the learning is around the opportunity that exists in
the entire primary ag sector. That's something we really need
to push, don't we?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Absolutely, and the people teaching those curriculums, it really hinges
on them, doesn't it Hamish?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
They have to be aware of what's out there.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
And they have to be ready to motivate those students
and entice them into that subject because they're competing against
other subjects which are very appetising when you're a young
kid at school, being sports and art and the like,
so they just have to make sure that they've got
the right people in those roles to package that up
and draw them in, but it's good to hear that
(03:46):
it will be on the forefront of some people's mind
at least because we need more people in this sector
and the young people are awesome that are coming through
so far.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Yeah, and so it's not just about owning a farm. Sure,
that's a great goal and very admirable, but it's not
the only thing that can sustain somebody in a great
career and a great lifestyle and earning opportunity.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
I went to vet school, didn't I? And then came
back and went farming after being a vet. So that's,
you know, being a vet on farms is awesome. And
it's another job that's connected to agriculture. And Tim had
his fair share of doing things off farm.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
As well, too.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Tim, it's coming up 100 years this year, isn't it,
for the Young Farmer of the Year? That'll be a
pretty big shindig, won't it?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, it's an amazing achievement, Hamish, isn't it? It's for
the club itself, or the organisation rather, that is going
to clock up the century. So I suppose it's just
a neat time to reflect on all the amazing volunteers
that have come through in that time, Hamish, that have,
you know, run clubs and events within the rural communities,
as well as obviously the Young Farm of the Year contest,
(05:00):
which I suppose is the pinnacle of the club and
in the flagship event but it wouldn't happen without all
the amazing volunteer work that happens throughout and I think
it just highlights really how important young farmers clubs are
within our rural communities Hamish and it's just a fantastic
way to get young people connected you know it can
(05:20):
sometimes be a bit of a barrier I think for
young people that they think they might be heading off
you know to an isolated region or something like that
but as soon as you hook in with your local
young farmers club you're instantly connected with like-minded people and So, yeah,
it's a great opportunity to catch up down at the
pub and do other social events as well as competing
in the contest. So, yeah, it's awesome to see, mate.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Yeah, and so it's really important that you do have
these social events, and this will be a big party.
I don't want you to dob your sister in, but
who's the party animal? Which one of you is more
likely to cut loose at this 100-year celebration?
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Emma's got a lot more party yarns than I do, mate. So,
you know, there's been some good ones over the years.
She might be able to lose when she ended up
in some rose bushes at Massey University one time, I think.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, I was going to say.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
No, it'll be good.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Yeah, vet school, Emma, you wouldn't have got up to
any hijinks? No, not at all.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Nothing, nothing. It's a very tame place.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Hey, has the Prime Minister delivered on his promise, I think,
to you, Emma, that the Young Farmer of the Year
is going to be back on Kelly? I'm not quite
sure if that has happened.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Well, I haven't seen it either, Hamish. And out of
good faith, I let him hold my baby that day
when he said that he made that election promise.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Was it four years ago? So I've got a photo
of proof of.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Him holding wee blow-up in the air and saying that
it would be back on the TV. So we bring
it up every year. I think it's going to have
to resurface in election year and hold him to it.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yeah, well, it's got till November the 7th, hasn't it?
I see we spoke to him earlier, he's shooting off to...
what was it, Palau, I think the Cook Islands, and
with the big blue continent, isn't it, the meeting of
all the leaders there. So I will, when I speak
to him next, remind him of that. Tim, thank you
very much for joining us. Tim, go and soak up
some of that sun. Emma, enjoy not having a bit
(07:07):
of wind. Great to have you on the show, Emma
Poole and Tim Dangen.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Cheers, Amish.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Cheers, Amish. Thank you.
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