July 2, 2025 • 8 mins
The chairman of Ruralco, and Banks Peninsula farmer, on the history of the co-operative. Carter is also the former Speaker of the House and former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, so he discusses the state of today’s politics and agriculture. He also says he’s not a fan of carbon credits.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But we're going to kick it off with a super celebrity.
Guess you don't get to be called a sir for nothing,
Sir David Carter, of course, Minister of Agriculture from two
thousand and eight to twenty thirteen, Minister of Forestry from
two thousand and eight to twenty eleven. He might correct
me on that. But your connection with Rural Co as
(00:21):
you're the chairman.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'm the chairman of the board.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
So I came on to the board five years ago
as I left Parliament.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And then a couple of years later became chairman of
Rural Co. It's a privilege to do.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So, to explain Rural Co to the great unwashed around
the rest of the country. It's sort of like a
farmlands or a CRT as they was. We're back in
those days. It's a cooperative and all the farmers become
shareholders and they joined in the profits.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Hopefully, David, exactly right. It's a cooperative as you say.
It was formed sixty three years ago, started trading as
the Shurton Trading Society, then changed his name more recently
to Rural Coat. We have about three and a half
thousand shareholders. Very much locally based, it's mid Canterbury, and
that most of our farmers in Mid Canterbury would be
(01:10):
shareholders and members of Rural Coat and.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Hopefully we'll be talking well, we'll definitely be talking to
some of them today on the show. We've got a
full dance card. More about that later. But you're farming
these days, and you're still actively farming on the Bank's
peninsula that's not in Mid Canterbury obviously, Do you still
get your deals off Rural Coat. Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Absolutely, I've been a shareholder now for a number of years.
While I say we're mainly based in Mid Canterbury, we
spread right throughout North Canterbury, for example, the West Coast,
South even we have shareholders as far as down Nicki.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So we're right around the country.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Competing with other farm supply companies obviously and cooperatives. We're
about delivering the best competitive pricing weekend to our members.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And just before I forget and Bill Temey, who's my
technical assistant here, does great job for spending half of
our life together these days. Remind me before the end
of the hour that I've got a two one thousand
dollar vouchers to give away one to someone in here
and one a wee bit for anyone listening around the country.
But obviously you're going to have to buy it off
rural coat.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
That sounds like a good deal. That's a good promotion.
But you know, the Instrall Days have been running for
thirty one years. They are just part of our culture
and they bring a lot of people into con for
social and direction.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
There are also some super super deals out there for
the farmers if they go.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Not for them. Okay, let's put on your former Minister
of Agriculture hat, Sir David Carter. You held the job
from two thousand and eight to twenty thirteen, and I
think Nathan Guy then took it on after you.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I became speaker and beginning of thirteen, so no, I
think I took over the portfolio.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And how do you reckon the current speaker's going? I
reckon he could be a bit tougher old Jerry Brown.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Will you listen.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I don't want to criticize him, because every speaker's got
their own style and their own way of doing things.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
But yeah, I think.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Sta and it's ev slipped and he's got a responsibility
there to make democracy work build.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
He's got some tough customers to deal with. There's no
doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The good news is I'm out there farming actively every day,
so I don't go and watch question Time at two o'clock.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Can I criticize the speaker before that? Who was the
worst speaker in the history of speakers? Trevor Mallard, I
reckon he's responsible for the downfall of standards in the House.
I think I shouldn't be wearing cowboy hats. I bang
on about this, but it annoys the hell out of me.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well frequently.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I think it's we talk about Parliament being the highest
court in the land. I think the least they could
do is the guy should have put a tie, a
collar and tie on and when they come in Trevor
relats that rule.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I think that was the start of the dropping of
the standards.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But as I say, you're not meant to criticize speakers,
you might get you and you and me into trouble.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Jamie, Oh, I don't care if I get this hack.
It's not the end of the world now for me.
Where do you see agriculture at the moment, Because there
was some good farming years in two thousand and eight
to twenty thirteen. Admittedly we had the GFC at the
beginning of that, but you know John Key was supposedly
presiding over the Rockstar economy.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, I think this time you're seeing an economy that's
very strongly based on the primary sector. The sheep and
beef out looks as good as it's been. The dairy
industry just speaks herself. It's a per performance by the
dairy guys. And I'm close to Christy. It's some second
largest city in New Zealand. The economy there has been
driven by the performance of Canterbury. The outlook for farming
(04:30):
looks really really positive. We've continue to open up good markets.
China is still extremely important to us. Very pleased to
see miss to luxon now in the last two weeks
talking to the Chinese carter parts. But we're exporting everywhere
and we've got some good free trading deal.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
We've got the issue of.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Mister Trump and what he might do tomorrow morning, but
we've just got to face that challenge if it comes now.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You were also, as I said, the Minister of Forestry,
and I've been talking to some of the locals here.
We're going to have one one of your locals on
a guy by the name of Peter ware I think
you know him Darewell, and he's just come back from Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania, where he tells me farming and forestry
happily co exist. And I think that farming and forestry
(05:15):
can happily co exist. But I'm not a fan of
carbon farming. Spray and walk away, And that's where Peter
and I might disagree.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And listen, I'm on your signe. The reason we signed
Paris in two thousand and five and we developed the
system around carbon credits was actually to give science an
opportunity to develop solutions by which would reduce emissions. We've
actually grabbed the carbon credits and many people are farming
for them and doing reasony well. In the meantime, the
big emitters haven't focused on reducing emissions, and we've seen
(05:46):
emissions increase not only in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But right around the world. I don't like carbon farming either.
I'm not a fan of it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
No good on you and see the other my other
beef with this one and I am a broken record,
but I might get you to agree with me on
this one. Now, climates change, global warm and greenhouse scarce
emissions is not the fault of animals, because they have
an increased in population, certainly since nineteen ninety and probably
not since the beginning of time when there were buffalo
(06:12):
roaming the planes. So the problem in the world is
man burning fossil fuels, in my mind, not productive animals
emitting metho.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I totally agree.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
The biggest part of the problem is fossil for your usage,
and that's from the point I'm making is we've got
to concentrate on reducing those emissions. The Paris Accord was
equally quite important when it stated we have to feed
the world at the.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Same time, and in my min.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
A bigger issue to this world than climate change is
actually food security. It will not be a peaceful place
unless we find a way to feed the current world.
And that's why the outlook for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Is so positive. We're good at producing quality food.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And when it comes to producing quality food, I mean
I guess a mid Canterbury where we are today, ish
Burton is kind of the grain bowl or the seed
bowl of this nation. I look at the soils here.
We were driving down from the Christchurch Airport this morning
and there is some beautiful farmland here. You can do
anything with it.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yep. And and you're seeing diversification.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
We were talking to a guy at the Rakaias store
today of Rural Coat who's growing bolbs a lily bobs,
which they explored.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
All around the world.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
He had markets everywhere, which back to a guy earlier
today who's doing Boxtroy seed, which they're now sending to China.
The future for Canterbury is to recognize those really good,
top quality soils and to see diversification of those really
high value products and that will happen.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Hey a final word, because you were known or not
only when you were Speaker of the House, but also
when you were in there for having a few clashes
with my old mate Winston Peters. Have you mended that,
fanc or are you too? Are you and I'm still smarring?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
No, we're not sparring.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Well I'm not sparring, but I don't think he forget
So of course it all went around the defamation case
he fired against me.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I appealed at I won.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Winston doesn't like to lose, so there's a love hate
relationship there. I love the guy. I think he's doing
a great job. But I suspect he still hates me.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
What about Shane Jones, do you reckon he's good for
the country.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I think he's doing a great job.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, he's saying a lot of the things that I
think National should be saying. They need to tough enough.
And that's why the Colossians coalition's working. Well, you've got
Act that speaks out, You've got New Zealand first, that
speaks out long mate last.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So what you're telling me and I'm putting words in
your mouth here orly, but the Nats are too woke.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
I think there's an opportunity for them to speak out
a lot more.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Stories of the question, it's a funny word.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I think there's an opportunity for National to speak out
a lot more, and they need to do that between
now and the next election, which is only eighty months away.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
I'll take that as a yes. Sir David Carter, Chair
of Rural Co, Thank you very much for your time.
But we're going to kick it off with a super celebrity.
Guess you don't get to be called a sir for nothing,
Sir David Carter, of course, Minister of Agriculture from two
thousand and eight to twenty thirteen, Minister of Forestry from
two thousand and eight to twenty eleven. He might correct
me on that. But your connection with Rural Co as
(00:21):
you're the chairman.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
I'm the chairman of the board.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
So I came on to the board five years ago
as I left Parliament.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And then a couple of years later became chairman of
Rural Co. It's a privilege to do.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
So, to explain Rural Co to the great unwashed around
the rest of the country. It's sort of like a
farmlands or a CRT as they was. We're back in
those days. It's a cooperative and all the farmers become
shareholders and they joined in the profits.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Hopefully, David, exactly right. It's a cooperative as you say.
It was formed sixty three years ago, started trading as
the Shurton Trading Society, then changed his name more recently
to Rural Coat. We have about three and a half
thousand shareholders. Very much locally based, it's mid Canterbury, and
that most of our farmers in Mid Canterbury would be
(01:10):
shareholders and members of Rural Coat and.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Hopefully we'll be talking well, we'll definitely be talking to
some of them today on the show. We've got a
full dance card. More about that later. But you're farming
these days, and you're still actively farming on the Bank's
peninsula that's not in Mid Canterbury obviously, Do you still
get your deals off Rural Coat. Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Absolutely, I've been a shareholder now for a number of years.
While I say we're mainly based in Mid Canterbury, we
spread right throughout North Canterbury, for example, the West Coast,
South even we have shareholders as far as down Nicki.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So we're right around the country.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Competing with other farm supply companies obviously and cooperatives. We're
about delivering the best competitive pricing weekend to our members.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
And just before I forget and Bill Temey, who's my
technical assistant here, does great job for spending half of
our life together these days. Remind me before the end
of the hour that I've got a two one thousand
dollar vouchers to give away one to someone in here
and one a wee bit for anyone listening around the country.
But obviously you're going to have to buy it off
rural coat.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
That sounds like a good deal. That's a good promotion.
But you know, the Instrall Days have been running for
thirty one years. They are just part of our culture
and they bring a lot of people into con for
social and direction.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
There are also some super super deals out there for
the farmers if they go.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Not for them. Okay, let's put on your former Minister
of Agriculture hat, Sir David Carter. You held the job
from two thousand and eight to twenty thirteen, and I
think Nathan Guy then took it on after you.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
I became speaker and beginning of thirteen, so no, I
think I took over the portfolio.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
And how do you reckon the current speaker's going? I
reckon he could be a bit tougher old Jerry Brown.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Will you listen.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
I don't want to criticize him, because every speaker's got
their own style and their own way of doing things.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
But yeah, I think.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Sta and it's ev slipped and he's got a responsibility
there to make democracy work build.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
He's got some tough customers to deal with. There's no
doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
The good news is I'm out there farming actively every day,
so I don't go and watch question Time at two o'clock.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Can I criticize the speaker before that? Who was the
worst speaker in the history of speakers? Trevor Mallard, I
reckon he's responsible for the downfall of standards in the House.
I think I shouldn't be wearing cowboy hats. I bang
on about this, but it annoys the hell out of me.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Well frequently.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
I think it's we talk about Parliament being the highest
court in the land. I think the least they could
do is the guy should have put a tie, a
collar and tie on and when they come in Trevor
relats that rule.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
I think that was the start of the dropping of
the standards.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
But as I say, you're not meant to criticize speakers,
you might get you and you and me into trouble.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Jamie, Oh, I don't care if I get this hack.
It's not the end of the world now for me.
Where do you see agriculture at the moment, Because there
was some good farming years in two thousand and eight
to twenty thirteen. Admittedly we had the GFC at the
beginning of that, but you know John Key was supposedly
presiding over the Rockstar economy.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, I think this time you're seeing an economy that's
very strongly based on the primary sector. The sheep and
beef out looks as good as it's been. The dairy
industry just speaks herself. It's a per performance by the
dairy guys. And I'm close to Christy. It's some second
largest city in New Zealand. The economy there has been
driven by the performance of Canterbury. The outlook for farming
(04:30):
looks really really positive. We've continue to open up good markets.
China is still extremely important to us. Very pleased to
see miss to luxon now in the last two weeks
talking to the Chinese carter parts. But we're exporting everywhere
and we've got some good free trading deal.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
We've got the issue of.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Mister Trump and what he might do tomorrow morning, but
we've just got to face that challenge if it comes now.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You were also, as I said, the Minister of Forestry,
and I've been talking to some of the locals here.
We're going to have one one of your locals on
a guy by the name of Peter ware I think
you know him Darewell, and he's just come back from Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania, where he tells me farming and forestry
happily co exist. And I think that farming and forestry
(05:15):
can happily co exist. But I'm not a fan of
carbon farming. Spray and walk away, And that's where Peter
and I might disagree.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
And listen, I'm on your signe. The reason we signed
Paris in two thousand and five and we developed the
system around carbon credits was actually to give science an
opportunity to develop solutions by which would reduce emissions. We've
actually grabbed the carbon credits and many people are farming
for them and doing reasony well. In the meantime, the
big emitters haven't focused on reducing emissions, and we've seen
(05:46):
emissions increase not only in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But right around the world. I don't like carbon farming either.
I'm not a fan of it.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
No good on you and see the other my other
beef with this one and I am a broken record,
but I might get you to agree with me on
this one. Now, climates change, global warm and greenhouse scarce
emissions is not the fault of animals, because they have
an increased in population, certainly since nineteen ninety and probably
not since the beginning of time when there were buffalo
(06:12):
roaming the planes. So the problem in the world is
man burning fossil fuels, in my mind, not productive animals
emitting metho.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I totally agree.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
The biggest part of the problem is fossil for your usage,
and that's from the point I'm making is we've got
to concentrate on reducing those emissions. The Paris Accord was
equally quite important when it stated we have to feed
the world at the.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Same time, and in my min.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
A bigger issue to this world than climate change is
actually food security. It will not be a peaceful place
unless we find a way to feed the current world.
And that's why the outlook for New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Is so positive. We're good at producing quality food.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
And when it comes to producing quality food, I mean
I guess a mid Canterbury where we are today, ish
Burton is kind of the grain bowl or the seed
bowl of this nation. I look at the soils here.
We were driving down from the Christchurch Airport this morning
and there is some beautiful farmland here. You can do
anything with it.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yep. And and you're seeing diversification.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
We were talking to a guy at the Rakaias store
today of Rural Coat who's growing bolbs a lily bobs,
which they explored.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
All around the world.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
He had markets everywhere, which back to a guy earlier
today who's doing Boxtroy seed, which they're now sending to China.
The future for Canterbury is to recognize those really good,
top quality soils and to see diversification of those really
high value products and that will happen.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Hey a final word, because you were known or not
only when you were Speaker of the House, but also
when you were in there for having a few clashes
with my old mate Winston Peters. Have you mended that,
fanc or are you too? Are you and I'm still smarring?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
No, we're not sparring.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Well I'm not sparring, but I don't think he forget
So of course it all went around the defamation case
he fired against me.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
I appealed at I won.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Winston doesn't like to lose, so there's a love hate
relationship there. I love the guy. I think he's doing
a great job. But I suspect he still hates me.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
What about Shane Jones, do you reckon he's good for
the country.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I think he's doing a great job.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Yeah, he's saying a lot of the things that I
think National should be saying. They need to tough enough.
And that's why the Colossians coalition's working. Well, you've got
Act that speaks out, You've got New Zealand first, that
speaks out long mate last.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
So what you're telling me and I'm putting words in
your mouth here orly, but the Nats are too woke.
Speaker 3 (08:35):
I think there's an opportunity for them to speak out
a lot more.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Stories of the question, it's a funny word.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
I think there's an opportunity for National to speak out
a lot more, and they need to do that between
now and the next election, which is only eighty months away.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
I'll take that as a yes. Sir David Carter, Chair
of Rural Co, Thank you very much for your time.
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