The Country 07/07/26: Bex Green talks to Hamish McKay

Federated Farmers North Canterbury president and vice dairy chair on the challenging weather conditions in her region. Plus, the Greens’ plan to phase out synthetic nitrogen, and what it means to win the Federated Farmers advocacy award.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We head to colvid In and welcome Becks onto the
show now, the Federated Farmers North Canterbury President, National Dairy
Vice Chair, Becks, how are things in your part of
the world.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Juda Hamish, Yeah, No, it's pretty wesh up here in
North Canterbury. State of emergency has just been declared this
morning in Cocoda, So we're just going through what that
means for our farmers in the area and just helping
them with that process.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, look at you know, said old that said old thing.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
We've got this what is a nice time at the
whole farm gate in terms of returns, But old mother
Nature is always going to be there to challenge this
right and these will be difficult times for a lot
of people across the country.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh yeah, I think surely tests us our resilience like
a good old weather event, and I've had not had
my shortage of those over the last year with the
windstorm at colvid In last year. So no, obviously it's
been a large amount of rainfall and we've had some
rivers burs the banks, which is similar to the ninety
ninety three flood event to be honest, and so we're

(01:06):
just helping them navigate the weather and what they can
do for their animals and people on farm.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yeah, okay, let's get into this.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
I want to get into the synthetic fertilizer band that
the Greens are proposeding the Green Party.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
What do you reckon if this word happen? Would be
the consequences for our production? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Look, if you take away synthetic nitrogen, that changes how
we grow feed. You know, potentially we grow less grass,
carry fewer cows, produce less milk, or have to buy
them more supplement. And every one of those options has
the cost. You'll drive up the price of food like
fresh fruit, vegetables and meat. And because when there's this
is something, the price goes up, and so that won't

(01:48):
help the cost of living crisis. You know, that will
make every New Zealand much poorer.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, I mean, is it a sort of a kind
of a doom's a kind of thing coming from the
Greens here, or is it something that could be navigated
should the worst case scenario happen.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
It feels like policy rated from an ideological starting point
rather than from an understanding of how modern farming systems
actually work. You know, the policy is completely lacking important
detail like over what time period will it be phased out?
Is it three years, thirty years, one hundred years? You
know that sort of detail matters. So yeah, I believe

(02:31):
you know, is it really a phase out use of
Nazeren fertilizer in New Zealand or is it really a ban?

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Yeah? Okay, right, we've dealt with that.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Okay, Yeah, I'm just want to ask you your Advocate
of the Year at the Federated Farmer's Internal Awards, how
does that work in the in the advocacy space going?
And you obviously enjoy that and what are the goals? Oh?

Speaker 2 (02:56):
Look, I'm a certainly blown away to win that award
and I certainly didn't expect it. I feel incredibly clear
out of the advocacy work that you know, not just
me but my team have done over the past year
in terms of the policing restructure and the wind event
that we had in Colbernin. But I really love being
an advocate for rural people on the ground. You know,

(03:18):
good advocacy starts with listening and genuinely understanding the people
that I'm representing. And so yeah, I'm really proud of that.
I didn't know I wanted to become an advocate. But
I think I just keep seeing issues where people were
most affected, and yeah, I just want to keep going
from there.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Organic advocate. Then it's just something that's sort of well,
it plays to your strengths.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Right, Yeah, I'm probably not very good at sitting back
when I think something could be done better. You know,
if farmers are frustrated by policy, or if a royal
community has been overlooked, or if decisions have been made
without understanding the practical reality on the ground, my instinct
is to get involved. And over time I realized their
advocacy isn't just about being allowed voice in the room.

(04:00):
It's about listening and understanding the issue properly, and building
relationships with the people who can influence change, and then
being persistent enough to keep it going.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, and you must you're what first generation dairy farmer there.
I mean, that's obviously an incredible learning journey and plenty
of challenges face, which all leads into to seeing.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
What needs to be addressed. I guess, oh, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
You know, we didn't have you know, we're first generation,
my husband and I we didn't have you know, family
backing us. But we've been really fortunate that our farm
owners have been willing to invest in us and not
just employ us, giving us the opportunity to buy shares
in the farm and which has created a pathway that
we probably wouldn't have otherwise existed. But because we've been

(04:47):
to that process, you know, starting from the bottom and
moving our way up, I think there's you know, we've
learned a lot along the way, and our story also
highlights how difficult that jump in f our ownership has become.

Speaker 1 (04:59):
Yeah, don't work in the in the Federated Farmers in
the in the membership growth as well, I understand you've
had some real movement in your part of the world. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Look, obviously with the police restructure in the windstorm last year,
you know, people saw what Federated Farmers North Canterbury can do,
not just at a high level, but on the ground.
And I'm just so proud to be able to bring
home the Chris Allen Memorial Trophy to Canterbury where Chris
was such a strong advocate in the Canterbury region. And yes,

(05:31):
just love that that award has come back to a
Canterbury province and especially North Canterbury.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, a great, a great name associated with that trophy
and yeah, top marks to you for all the work
that is happening in your.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
Area and great to chat becks.

Speaker 1 (05:49):
Thank you very much for joining us as beckscreen Federated
Farmers North Canterbury President, National Dairy Vice Chair