December 8, 2025 • 9 mins
Hawke’s Bay farmer and former special ag trade envoy and chairman of Beef + Lamb NZ. Today we yarn about the big dry, progress on the Tukituki dam, an FTA with India, Trump’s tariffs and Petersen’s Ag Person of the Year.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
But let's kick off proceedings with said Hawks Boy Farmers.
Former special hag trade end for former chair of Beef
and Lamb New Zealand, Mike Patterson forty five years ago
today in New Zealand time. Do you remember where you
were and what you were doing when you heard about
John Lennon.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good o, Jamie, and it's great to be here with you.
Just on the lead up to Christmas. I don't remember
the exact woolshed, but I was in a crutching and
hatecarting gang operating out of Elsthorpe in Central Hawk's Bay,
so I would have been well and truly earning some
hard money, very hard earned money before I headed back
to school.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Talk to me about hawkspay at the moment, we see
some of the dams are running low. I mean, you
guys are traditionally summer dry. It's nothing new, but has
this come earlier than expected?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I think the key thing this year, Jamie, is me
it was a very dry winter and so we're looking
at a number of farmers in the region here that
are sitting on only fifty percent of their In your
reign four with a few weeks to run to the
end of the year, so you know, for people in
the wider region of New Zealand, I mean that's somewhere
between four hundred and fifty or five hundred mills of
rain a year, and so it just means that it's
(01:13):
getting hard underneath. We've had little bits of rain to
keep things fresh, but things are looking pretty tough at
the moment. But again not unusual for Hawks Bays. It's
that type of reason, that type of province.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Are you still under a heat warning? I think yesterday
you got to what thirty two to thirty four degrees?
Does it quin? Does it cool down?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yep, thirty three degrees yesterday. We've got a week of
probably temperatures in the thirties by the look of it,
and we've had some really hot weather up until now.
The whole of the region hawkspays on water restrictions, so
that gives you an idea of just how desperate it's becoming.
And we are clearly a region that needs to think
forward about what we do about water security. And as
(01:53):
you know, one of the things I'm championing is water
story just part of that solution, and it can't come
soon enough.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
How are you getting on that TOOKI took you.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Damn it's making progress, Jamie, But these projects take a
long time. There's a lot of planning desperately keen to
see the RIMA reforms come through because you know, planning
and Arima has been a mess of doorstop to these
projects going ahead, and looks it's making good, solid progress.
(02:22):
We're confident we're going to have a viable project at
the end of the day. But you know, it's tough
to get these things off the ground and it takes
a lot of hard work and you've got to be
quite bloody minded about it too. So we'll give you
the best shot.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
As the Prince of the province is backing you one
hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Marta Shane Marto Shane has been one hundred percent behind
us in this project. The TOOKI took me water security project.
In fact, I was texting him yesterday trying to just
to see what he's up to for the rest of
the year. You know, we we always need support from
central government and local body politicians to get these things
off the ground, and we're working very close with Manafenoa
(02:58):
to make sure that we stand and remediate their concerns
as well. So you've got to really bring the whole
province with you on these projects, Jamie. You can't just
do it for a few irrigators, which has been the
approach it's been in the past.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
You've spent a lot of you, well, quite a bit
of your work in Korea in the trade space through
wearing various hats Mike Petterson, how big a deal will
this free trade agreement be with India if we can
get it?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Oh, look, this is going to be really significant, Jamie.
The Indian opportunity for New Zealand is a really big one.
It's big in horticulture, it's big in livestock, particularly sheep obviously,
and it's big I think for the relationship between the
two countries and being able to grow business and people
to people connections. So look, hats off to Tom mclayar.
(03:47):
He must have traveled in India and back more often
than most other people in New Zealand at the moment.
And I'm confident that come early next year we'll see
something signed and sealed that will be quite meaningful. It
will always quite low, but we'll build over time and
with the confidence we get with each other, this will
turn into a big deal for New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I was reading on our n ZAID red radio news
this morning. To be fair, they do good rural news.
IKEA's Hawk's Bay pine tree expansion flames fares, residents will
have to pay the bill, and this is for wildfires. Mike,
you are a bit of a carbon farmer or am
I being unkind?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Now you're being unkind, Jamie. Look, look, I think that
you know there are concerns about just the amount of
productive farm land that's been planted in pine trees. And look,
the business I'm involved with, we don't do that. So
I can certainly take my head off there and I'm
okay to argue for our business. But look, it is
confronting here in Hawk's Bay. There have been a number
(04:48):
of really prime, in flat productive sheep and bee farms
that have gone to trees, and it's deeply uncomfortable. So
I just think we need to recognize that. I think
most even farm foresters and livestock farmers, of course, they
will want to control the pets. They want to make
sure that fire doesn't spread, and so we should all
(05:08):
have plans accordingly. And I'm really really supportive of the
views that are coming out of here about fire plans
and making sure that they are practical and do carr.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I know that they argue they're going to be production
forestry in the end. I don't actually buy that for
some of them. But are these so called carbon farms
taking the same precautions as the out and out production
forestry people when it comes to firebreaks, dams, you name it.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, Well, I know that the ones that I'm involved
with and are Jamie absolutely right. And we've got fire
plans for every property. We've got firebreaks and sprang out
fire breaks for every property, and we're making sure that
we are cleaning dams out so they are accessible in
the event of a fire. But I don't think there's
actually an example in New Zealand yet where a fire
(05:56):
started in a forest, but certainly they fuel for a fire,
and that's the concern.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And that's got to be the concern for the east
coast of both islands. If you're to believe, well what
the futurists, if that's the right word of telling us,
you are going to get drier, we are going to
get more weather extremes. Were setting ourselves up to be
a wildfire.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well potentially, Jamie. And that's all the more reason to
have good plans in place, and I'm sure that responsible
foresters will do that and exactly the same way as
i'd expect livestock farmers. And many of them have large
amounts of trees on their property. Now they should also
have fire plans in place, and I'm sure that that's
(06:37):
the case too. So look, everyone has to do their bit, Jamie.
And we've seen from fires around the world, not the
least of which Australia is very bad, and once they
take hold, they can be devastating, and so we've got
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Just to finish on, I gave you a text this
morning said would you come on the show? You said yep,
and we yarned away or texted away about a few
topics of discussion, and then one back at you, Mike Peedterson,
you're a man very well connected in New Zealand agriculture
and the primary sector. Who is your ag person of
the Year for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, Jamie, I've taken the view here that this is
someone who's contributed to the sector and contributed to growing
the sector. I've ruled out politicians to be honest, like
we talk enough about politicians. I think this award really
should be to someone who's really contributed positively to the sector.
I had three finalists in my mind. I had the
leadership team at Zesbrey with Jason Tabrak and Nathan Flowerday,
(07:34):
and you know the work they've done with espri an
amazing product, a very good company and superb approach to
taking their product around the world. The second one was
was Miles Hurrell and Peter McBride at Fonterra. Again, are
they done outstanding job at Fonterra and probably the deal
(07:56):
which is actually right on strategy, It's exactly the right
thing they should have done. I think that will be
seen as probably the deal of the year to sell
there the part of the business that they no longer
will own. And so I've had them as in the
finals as well, so Peter in Miles and they've do
an outstanding job. But look and for my Egg Person
(08:17):
of the Year this year, there's going to be someone
who's actually developed the product that I think is going
to be a completely noted game changer for our sector,
particularly the livestock sector, and that's Craig piggoted Holter, thirty
year old that's built a US billion dollar company in
a product and technology that is literally going to transform
the way we farm livestock, not just in New Zealand
(08:39):
but around the world. So Craig Pigt's my person for
Egg Person of the Year, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well sadly, what so you've thought that one out well
And I agree with you on all your nominees and
I'm going you're not going to get an argument with
me about Craig Piggot either.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Gee.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
He he's the Sir Peter Beck of the rural sector,
isn't he. Well he started at Rocket Lab.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Eyes outstanding. And you know we should spend more time
celebrating people in success than bitching and moaning Jamie.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And so you know my approach class is always our full.
Let's move forward to twenty six and all the best,
all of your listeners and yourself of course, for a
good breakout Christmas, stay safe, make sure you do stay safe,
get a break and come back in twenty six and
let's have a real crack at it.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Merry Christmas, Mike, and to you Jamie, all the best
But let's kick off proceedings with said Hawks Boy Farmers.
Former special hag trade end for former chair of Beef
and Lamb New Zealand, Mike Patterson forty five years ago
today in New Zealand time. Do you remember where you
were and what you were doing when you heard about
John Lennon.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good o, Jamie, and it's great to be here with you.
Just on the lead up to Christmas. I don't remember
the exact woolshed, but I was in a crutching and
hatecarting gang operating out of Elsthorpe in Central Hawk's Bay,
so I would have been well and truly earning some
hard money, very hard earned money before I headed back
to school.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Talk to me about hawkspay at the moment, we see
some of the dams are running low. I mean, you
guys are traditionally summer dry. It's nothing new, but has
this come earlier than expected?
Speaker 2 (00:49):
I think the key thing this year, Jamie, is me
it was a very dry winter and so we're looking
at a number of farmers in the region here that
are sitting on only fifty percent of their In your
reign four with a few weeks to run to the
end of the year, so you know, for people in
the wider region of New Zealand, I mean that's somewhere
between four hundred and fifty or five hundred mills of
rain a year, and so it just means that it's
(01:13):
getting hard underneath. We've had little bits of rain to
keep things fresh, but things are looking pretty tough at
the moment. But again not unusual for Hawks Bays. It's
that type of reason, that type of province.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Are you still under a heat warning? I think yesterday
you got to what thirty two to thirty four degrees?
Does it quin? Does it cool down?
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Yep, thirty three degrees yesterday. We've got a week of
probably temperatures in the thirties by the look of it,
and we've had some really hot weather up until now.
The whole of the region hawkspays on water restrictions, so
that gives you an idea of just how desperate it's becoming.
And we are clearly a region that needs to think
forward about what we do about water security. And as
(01:53):
you know, one of the things I'm championing is water
story just part of that solution, and it can't come
soon enough.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
How are you getting on that TOOKI took you.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Damn it's making progress, Jamie, But these projects take a
long time. There's a lot of planning desperately keen to
see the RIMA reforms come through because you know, planning
and Arima has been a mess of doorstop to these
projects going ahead, and looks it's making good, solid progress.
(02:22):
We're confident we're going to have a viable project at
the end of the day. But you know, it's tough
to get these things off the ground and it takes
a lot of hard work and you've got to be
quite bloody minded about it too. So we'll give you
the best shot.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
As the Prince of the province is backing you one
hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Marta Shane Marto Shane has been one hundred percent behind
us in this project. The TOOKI took me water security project.
In fact, I was texting him yesterday trying to just
to see what he's up to for the rest of
the year. You know, we we always need support from
central government and local body politicians to get these things
off the ground, and we're working very close with Manafenoa
(02:58):
to make sure that we stand and remediate their concerns
as well. So you've got to really bring the whole
province with you on these projects, Jamie. You can't just
do it for a few irrigators, which has been the
approach it's been in the past.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
You've spent a lot of you, well, quite a bit
of your work in Korea in the trade space through
wearing various hats Mike Petterson, how big a deal will
this free trade agreement be with India if we can
get it?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Oh, look, this is going to be really significant, Jamie.
The Indian opportunity for New Zealand is a really big one.
It's big in horticulture, it's big in livestock, particularly sheep obviously,
and it's big I think for the relationship between the
two countries and being able to grow business and people
to people connections. So look, hats off to Tom mclayar.
(03:47):
He must have traveled in India and back more often
than most other people in New Zealand at the moment.
And I'm confident that come early next year we'll see
something signed and sealed that will be quite meaningful. It
will always quite low, but we'll build over time and
with the confidence we get with each other, this will
turn into a big deal for New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I was reading on our n ZAID red radio news
this morning. To be fair, they do good rural news.
IKEA's Hawk's Bay pine tree expansion flames fares, residents will
have to pay the bill, and this is for wildfires. Mike,
you are a bit of a carbon farmer or am
I being unkind?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Now you're being unkind, Jamie. Look, look, I think that
you know there are concerns about just the amount of
productive farm land that's been planted in pine trees. And look,
the business I'm involved with, we don't do that. So
I can certainly take my head off there and I'm
okay to argue for our business. But look, it is
confronting here in Hawk's Bay. There have been a number
(04:48):
of really prime, in flat productive sheep and bee farms
that have gone to trees, and it's deeply uncomfortable. So
I just think we need to recognize that. I think
most even farm foresters and livestock farmers, of course, they
will want to control the pets. They want to make
sure that fire doesn't spread, and so we should all
(05:08):
have plans accordingly. And I'm really really supportive of the
views that are coming out of here about fire plans
and making sure that they are practical and do carr.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I know that they argue they're going to be production
forestry in the end. I don't actually buy that for
some of them. But are these so called carbon farms
taking the same precautions as the out and out production
forestry people when it comes to firebreaks, dams, you name it.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Yeah, Well, I know that the ones that I'm involved
with and are Jamie absolutely right. And we've got fire
plans for every property. We've got firebreaks and sprang out
fire breaks for every property, and we're making sure that
we are cleaning dams out so they are accessible in
the event of a fire. But I don't think there's
actually an example in New Zealand yet where a fire
(05:56):
started in a forest, but certainly they fuel for a fire,
and that's the concern.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
And that's got to be the concern for the east
coast of both islands. If you're to believe, well what
the futurists, if that's the right word of telling us,
you are going to get drier, we are going to
get more weather extremes. Were setting ourselves up to be
a wildfire.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Well potentially, Jamie. And that's all the more reason to
have good plans in place, and I'm sure that responsible
foresters will do that and exactly the same way as
i'd expect livestock farmers. And many of them have large
amounts of trees on their property. Now they should also
have fire plans in place, and I'm sure that that's
(06:37):
the case too. So look, everyone has to do their bit, Jamie.
And we've seen from fires around the world, not the
least of which Australia is very bad, and once they
take hold, they can be devastating, and so we've got
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Speaker 1 (06:50):
Just to finish on, I gave you a text this
morning said would you come on the show? You said yep,
and we yarned away or texted away about a few
topics of discussion, and then one back at you, Mike Peedterson,
you're a man very well connected in New Zealand agriculture
and the primary sector. Who is your ag person of
the Year for twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, Jamie, I've taken the view here that this is
someone who's contributed to the sector and contributed to growing
the sector. I've ruled out politicians to be honest, like
we talk enough about politicians. I think this award really
should be to someone who's really contributed positively to the sector.
I had three finalists in my mind. I had the
leadership team at Zesbrey with Jason Tabrak and Nathan Flowerday,
(07:34):
and you know the work they've done with espri an
amazing product, a very good company and superb approach to
taking their product around the world. The second one was
was Miles Hurrell and Peter McBride at Fonterra. Again, are
they done outstanding job at Fonterra and probably the deal
(07:56):
which is actually right on strategy, It's exactly the right
thing they should have done. I think that will be
seen as probably the deal of the year to sell
there the part of the business that they no longer
will own. And so I've had them as in the
finals as well, so Peter in Miles and they've do
an outstanding job. But look and for my Egg Person
(08:17):
of the Year this year, there's going to be someone
who's actually developed the product that I think is going
to be a completely noted game changer for our sector,
particularly the livestock sector, and that's Craig piggoted Holter, thirty
year old that's built a US billion dollar company in
a product and technology that is literally going to transform
the way we farm livestock, not just in New Zealand
(08:39):
but around the world. So Craig Pigt's my person for
Egg Person of the Year, Jamie.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
Well sadly, what so you've thought that one out well
And I agree with you on all your nominees and
I'm going you're not going to get an argument with
me about Craig Piggot either.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Gee.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
He he's the Sir Peter Beck of the rural sector,
isn't he. Well he started at Rocket Lab.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Eyes outstanding. And you know we should spend more time
celebrating people in success than bitching and moaning Jamie.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
And so you know my approach class is always our full.
Let's move forward to twenty six and all the best,
all of your listeners and yourself of course, for a
good breakout Christmas, stay safe, make sure you do stay safe,
get a break and come back in twenty six and
let's have a real crack at it.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
Merry Christmas, Mike, and to you Jamie, all the best
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