September 4, 2025 • 7 mins
The Director General of MPI talks about doubling dairy, Paris and whether we've beaten Bovis?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
He is the Director General of MPI. His name is
Ray Smith. Ray lots to talk about today. Now, you
guys at MPI, I'm going to give you a pat
on the back here because earlier in the week I
had a guy by the name of Mark Townsend who
was a founding director of Fonterra large scale dairy farmer
on the show. Do you know the bloke? I do, Mark,
And do you know what he said to me. He's
(00:21):
leading a ginger group mentoring younger farmers to try and
do the heavy lifting around an increasing production for the
dairy sector. And he spoke to several bureaucrats, including from Fonterra,
Dairy and z the government and MPI, and he's told me,
I don't know if I should say this that the
best response he got was from MPI. That's promising.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
We shouldn't be so surprised, Jamie. That's a great it's
a great commendation for my folks. Look, I mean, look
the dairy sector, if you think about it, it's what
we do. We do lots of things in New Zealand
that we great it, but the thing we're best in
the world at is dairy production. Most of our capability.
Is our experience a big manufacturing plants and our farming
(01:05):
practices are world leading in a great climate.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well hang on, not if I'm to believe doctor Mike Joy.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh well yeah, Well look, you know, there's always going
to be those folks that have got an alternative view
to what we do in the primary sector. But look,
you and I know and probably everyone listening here that
you know, what we're best at is pastoral based farming
and we should do more of what we missed in
the world at because that's how we generate wealth for
our communities and our economy, and you know New Zealand
(01:35):
needs that right now.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Now. The government wants to double export earnings in the
next decade. It's a very lofty goal, but Mark townsends group.
They're saying we can lift it by fifty percent within
the next decade, which would in itself would be a
wonderful achievement if they can do that. A racemuth from MPI,
can you do that and still keep or look after
the environment.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Look, we know a whole lot more than we did,
say twenty years ago, Jamie, when environmental concerns really started
to come to the fore. And look since then you
know the changes in farming practices, how we look after waterways,
what we know about nitrates, leeching, and how to control
for that. We're in a whole different place than we
were twenty years ago. And look, you've got to earn
(02:17):
your right to grow when you're using natural resources, and
I think our pastoral farming sector has that right. We
are much more careful about what we do. Everyone's very
conscious about environmental matters, and all New Zealanders and all
farmers I meet care about the environment. So I think
we've got plenty of room for both. We can grow
and we can look after the environment. In fact, we
can make good returns for the environment.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Am I allowed to ask you about Paris? Are you
going to duck for cover?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Sure? You can ask me anything, Jamie right, enterre out?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Should we stay or should we go?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Well? Look, I mean politicians will make those choices ultimately.
But what we're very focused on here, and it's a
core goal here at MPI, is to make sure that
we've got in the hands of farmers' solutions through using
methane on their farms by twenty three. And look, I
visited company yesterday in Auckland, that's developing. A Bowler says
(03:08):
one that it will be one of the early technologies
that will lie to get released into the market towards
the end of this year or early next year. It's
going through its registration process, so we'll make sure it's
safe to use. There are vaccines, vaccine companies I'm meeting with.
They are well developed now and what they're producing. We're
(03:28):
going to solve this methane issue for farming without kind
of well. In fact, it's going to allow us to
produce more, will reduce methane from cars, that'll allow us
to increase production further and reduce our overall climate emissions.
And we'll do this in a way that means that
farmers have lots of options and choices.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Okay, methane's one part of the puzzle. Mike joways, banging
on about nitrates in our waterways.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, but I think that's the point I was making
is twenty year years ago, we knew a lot less
about nitrates and waterways. We know a whole lot more
about now how to protect and stop that from happening
or reduce the impacts, and whether that's kind of the
way in which fertilizer companies and the representatives work with
farmers to reduce the impact of fertilizer application, whether it's
the riperian planting or just the way that we graze
(04:20):
our stock in our animals. Well, look, we know a
whole lot more and there are more technologies that are
being developed. We're not standing still in the primary sector.
We're growing and changing all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
When it comes to biosecurity. MPI is the Ethander Group,
the Cody Taylor, the Fletcher Nule. You are the front
row of the defense of pattern. Here's a question for you.
Can we declare mbovus beaten?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, if we get to November, Jamie with no cases
through the spring on farms, we will declare provisional excellence
of imbovas in New Zealand and then we will have
another two year period will we will, assuming there's no cases,
we will be able to see that we are free
of it. So it's quite a long process you've got
(05:06):
to get through with the Animal Health Organization to be
able to do this. But hey, November is a really
big market for some were going well so far. You know,
we're about halfway there through this period of spring and
assuming we get nearby November, there'll be a massive market
and we've done an amazing thing to keep that out
of the country.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Well no other country has done it, So well done, MPI,
if you can pull that one, that rabit out of
the hat. Just to finish on, you've been on the
road for the past couple of weeks. You've been in
your home province of Taranaki, also in the Waikara region.
Those two places used to have a thing called the
logger Wood. We've got it in Southland now.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Ray Yeah, well the workout a was they took it
off Pardanaka o the week but it ended up in self.
But you've got a tough Kellen's this weekend, so that'll
be a great one. Taranaki and Kennebury, they'd be a
great one to get along to. Look plenty happening around
the country. I've been out and about. I went through
the Capuni urea plant that balance runs the air, which
(06:06):
was when I was a chid growing up in Padanaki.
It was just being built as part of the Think
Big projects and so I spent a few hours out
here with the team. There know challenges, there is energy
supply issues become a real feature in the guest industry.
But they are amazing jobs. It's incredible people working in
these places. And I was at a camera farm with
a young couple up in Dargable just last week and
(06:29):
sitting around the kitchen table just talking about how they'd
recovered from the severe floods in twenty twenty three and
how they're making you go. But that's quite a tough
gig Kuma growing actually. So I look across the country,
whether it's our big players, there are small ones. You know,
it's not a straight line, but two primary sector is
doing well and you've got to hand it to the
(06:49):
people on farms and the people in the factories and
the people in markets. I feel really proud about the
primary sector. We're doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Hi Ray Smith, thanks for your time today on the country.
Enjoy catching up you keep up the good work keeping
our boarders safe.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Thanks Jamie, and enjoy the game on the weekend.
He is the Director General of MPI. His name is
Ray Smith. Ray lots to talk about today. Now, you
guys at MPI, I'm going to give you a pat
on the back here because earlier in the week I
had a guy by the name of Mark Townsend who
was a founding director of Fonterra large scale dairy farmer
on the show. Do you know the bloke? I do, Mark,
And do you know what he said to me. He's
(00:21):
leading a ginger group mentoring younger farmers to try and
do the heavy lifting around an increasing production for the
dairy sector. And he spoke to several bureaucrats, including from Fonterra,
Dairy and z the government and MPI, and he's told me,
I don't know if I should say this that the
best response he got was from MPI. That's promising.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
We shouldn't be so surprised, Jamie. That's a great it's
a great commendation for my folks. Look, I mean, look
the dairy sector, if you think about it, it's what
we do. We do lots of things in New Zealand
that we great it, but the thing we're best in
the world at is dairy production. Most of our capability.
Is our experience a big manufacturing plants and our farming
(01:05):
practices are world leading in a great climate.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Well hang on, not if I'm to believe doctor Mike Joy.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh well yeah, Well look, you know, there's always going
to be those folks that have got an alternative view
to what we do in the primary sector. But look,
you and I know and probably everyone listening here that
you know, what we're best at is pastoral based farming
and we should do more of what we missed in
the world at because that's how we generate wealth for
our communities and our economy, and you know New Zealand
(01:35):
needs that right now.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Now. The government wants to double export earnings in the
next decade. It's a very lofty goal, but Mark townsends group.
They're saying we can lift it by fifty percent within
the next decade, which would in itself would be a
wonderful achievement if they can do that. A racemuth from MPI,
can you do that and still keep or look after
the environment.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Look, we know a whole lot more than we did,
say twenty years ago, Jamie, when environmental concerns really started
to come to the fore. And look since then you
know the changes in farming practices, how we look after waterways,
what we know about nitrates, leeching, and how to control
for that. We're in a whole different place than we
were twenty years ago. And look, you've got to earn
(02:17):
your right to grow when you're using natural resources, and
I think our pastoral farming sector has that right. We
are much more careful about what we do. Everyone's very
conscious about environmental matters, and all New Zealanders and all
farmers I meet care about the environment. So I think
we've got plenty of room for both. We can grow
and we can look after the environment. In fact, we
can make good returns for the environment.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Am I allowed to ask you about Paris? Are you
going to duck for cover?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Sure? You can ask me anything, Jamie right, enterre out?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Should we stay or should we go?
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Well? Look, I mean politicians will make those choices ultimately.
But what we're very focused on here, and it's a
core goal here at MPI, is to make sure that
we've got in the hands of farmers' solutions through using
methane on their farms by twenty three. And look, I
visited company yesterday in Auckland, that's developing. A Bowler says
(03:08):
one that it will be one of the early technologies
that will lie to get released into the market towards
the end of this year or early next year. It's
going through its registration process, so we'll make sure it's
safe to use. There are vaccines, vaccine companies I'm meeting with.
They are well developed now and what they're producing. We're
(03:28):
going to solve this methane issue for farming without kind
of well. In fact, it's going to allow us to
produce more, will reduce methane from cars, that'll allow us
to increase production further and reduce our overall climate emissions.
And we'll do this in a way that means that
farmers have lots of options and choices.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Okay, methane's one part of the puzzle. Mike joways, banging
on about nitrates in our waterways.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, but I think that's the point I was making
is twenty year years ago, we knew a lot less
about nitrates and waterways. We know a whole lot more
about now how to protect and stop that from happening
or reduce the impacts, and whether that's kind of the
way in which fertilizer companies and the representatives work with
farmers to reduce the impact of fertilizer application, whether it's
the riperian planting or just the way that we graze
(04:20):
our stock in our animals. Well, look, we know a
whole lot more and there are more technologies that are
being developed. We're not standing still in the primary sector.
We're growing and changing all the time.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
When it comes to biosecurity. MPI is the Ethander Group,
the Cody Taylor, the Fletcher Nule. You are the front
row of the defense of pattern. Here's a question for you.
Can we declare mbovus beaten?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Well, if we get to November, Jamie with no cases
through the spring on farms, we will declare provisional excellence
of imbovas in New Zealand and then we will have
another two year period will we will, assuming there's no cases,
we will be able to see that we are free
of it. So it's quite a long process you've got
(05:06):
to get through with the Animal Health Organization to be
able to do this. But hey, November is a really
big market for some were going well so far. You know,
we're about halfway there through this period of spring and
assuming we get nearby November, there'll be a massive market
and we've done an amazing thing to keep that out
of the country.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Well no other country has done it, So well done, MPI,
if you can pull that one, that rabit out of
the hat. Just to finish on, you've been on the
road for the past couple of weeks. You've been in
your home province of Taranaki, also in the Waikara region.
Those two places used to have a thing called the
logger Wood. We've got it in Southland now.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Ray Yeah, well the workout a was they took it
off Pardanaka o the week but it ended up in self.
But you've got a tough Kellen's this weekend, so that'll
be a great one. Taranaki and Kennebury, they'd be a
great one to get along to. Look plenty happening around
the country. I've been out and about. I went through
the Capuni urea plant that balance runs the air, which
(06:06):
was when I was a chid growing up in Padanaki.
It was just being built as part of the Think
Big projects and so I spent a few hours out
here with the team. There know challenges, there is energy
supply issues become a real feature in the guest industry.
But they are amazing jobs. It's incredible people working in
these places. And I was at a camera farm with
a young couple up in Dargable just last week and
(06:29):
sitting around the kitchen table just talking about how they'd
recovered from the severe floods in twenty twenty three and
how they're making you go. But that's quite a tough
gig Kuma growing actually. So I look across the country,
whether it's our big players, there are small ones. You know,
it's not a straight line, but two primary sector is
doing well and you've got to hand it to the
(06:49):
people on farms and the people in the factories and
the people in markets. I feel really proud about the
primary sector. We're doing a good job.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Hi Ray Smith, thanks for your time today on the country.
Enjoy catching up you keep up the good work keeping
our boarders safe.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Thanks Jamie, and enjoy the game on the weekend.
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