February 11, 2026 • 8 mins
The President of Federated Farmers addresses rumours he is considering a career in national (or should that be Labour?) politics. Plus, we also look at the controversial RMA reforms (is there a water tax in there?) and the submission process.
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Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But from what I understand, Wayne Langford, president of Federated Farmers,
there's a bit of a heat wave on in Southland today.
How are you going?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Oh there is, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I've just just arrived and Sloanen and just arrive here
at Fieldos. It's hard to find a quiet place to
stand it too, because as packed. Yeah, the place is hummon,
the sun's out. Great day. Going to call on for
the shade ladder in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well that's long, Matt continue, I'm going to be down
there tomorrow. Might be a bit cooler and a bit
wet a tomorrow, but you take it. You take a
fine day when you get one. Okay, let's just address
these rumors and that were made apparent to me on
Tuesday evening and back benches bar across the road from politics.
Here's Chris Hopkins from yesterday's show, Wayne back Benches last night, Chris,
(00:44):
rumors were rife that Wayne Langford, current president of Federated Farmers,
is going to be standing for Labor and Damien's old
seat West Coast Tasman. Can you confirm or deny if
you want to, you know, cast those potential aspersions on Wayne.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I don't view them as suspicions, but.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
He might there we go. I wonder if he does
view them as suspersions. Wayne Langford, do I are you
an apology?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I think so that bun calls have and I saying, hey,
what's what's going on now? Obviously with the West Coast
Desmond being widely available now people are asking questions. But
but I'm you know, and obviously you know I think
about it. I've spent a bit of time in the
halls there and and Wellington, but but my focus right
now is on feeds and and getting what we've got
(01:30):
to get done to for farmers.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Hello, let me let me put two and two think.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Okay, you're happy to be happy.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
You're happy, you're happy to be the MP for So
let me put two and two together and get five here.
Don't you finish your term as president of Federated Farmers
in June or July of this year. Wouldn't that open
up an opportunity for you to run in an election
in November?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh potentially, But I might be a bit more like
Donald Trump and to see if I can stay on
for another few years that saints. So see if I
can rewrite the constitution no, no, no, no, there's obviously
a bit going on in his election year, and you're right,
my turn.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Does finishing and at the end of June, and.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So of course i'd be looking at everything. I was
actually hoping to go back to the farm and do
a bit more farming. So there's all kinds of things
going on, But I can assure you right now that
my main focus is on feeds and getting the work
down to Where would.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
These rumors about the labor connection come from? I don't
know your political allegiances there up to you.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I would love to know what circles you're mixing on
to find Jamie. So I was just as surprised as
as many of the listeners out there was as well.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, but wait, we had a good we had a
good gathering with you Federated farmers guys and backbenches on
Tuesday evening, and it didn't come as a surprise that
rumor to some of them.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Oh you know, you know when you're when you're a
head of a leader, you'd be a heck of a politician.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Maybe, So there's no wonder that people were asking the question.
But no, no, no, like I said, I've got I've
got a job to do. It feeds and that's what
I'm focusing on doing uses an election coming up next year,
but for right now that seeds and seeds all the way.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
See, Chippy gave a reasonably unconvincing denial there, and I
did say to him, if labor could get their hands
on someone like you, it would give them some egg
cred that they haven't currently got.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I just said, it needs to be a fair
bit more than just incredible incredibility, right, And it's a
good policy for farmers and good results of farmers them.
And that's what I have been working on for the
last couple of years and I'm planned to continue to
work on that. So yeah, it would be an interesting time.
But but yeah, definitely all rumors at the moment. Have
you talked to final not something that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Of course not.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You've obviously talked to Andrew Hoggard, who went straight from
Federated Farmer's presidency to well, he went straight into being
a cabinet minister. And it's interesting in the other one,
the one the Federated Farmer's President before Andrew Hoggard was
Katie Milnan. Katie has told me so this is not
rumor spreading a rumormongering that she has been approached by
(04:04):
political parties and Katie, I guess is on the West
coast as well, so you never know she might put
her hand up.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I mean, well that just shows kind of the influencer
and the impact that we have was in so Parler
really just to show that we'd be having that kind
of interest.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
So the credit to the work that parad.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Tharmas does and like I say, the work that we
put in. But so again, right now, my focus is
on feeds and getting kids done. And if my term
comes to an end of at the end of June,
then i'll I'll consider my ups and then. But up
until then, yeah, getting it done for feeds.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Let's move on to National Lamb Day. It's getting bigger
and better and well I'm talking about yesterday's barbecue on
the Parliamentary lawns. It's getting bigger and better every year
and it seems to be getting garnering more national attention.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, it was a fantastic day and well I don't
know who was on cooking the cook and the chelves,
so they did a great job on that. So yeah, no,
very good obviously in an election you because all the
all the politicians were up, but most of all just
the celebration of Lamb and the fantastic product that we've
produced there.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So it was was really good.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
And you never know, next year they might move from
the from the back lawn out to the front lawn
and feed.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
A few of those protests out in the front.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Maybe there might be too many protesters to feed. It
might be fishes and loaves. Let's just have a quick
look at other issues that are coming across Federated Farmer's
Desk at the moment. That is the r m A reforms.
Now I know, ground swells hot under the collar about this.
You might be running into Bryce and Lorry at Waimumu.
I don't know. But is there a sneaky water tacks
(05:38):
in there somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah, No, there certainly some concerns with the way it's
being worded at the moment. And as you can imagine,
while we've come out in support of the RMO changes,
it doesn't mean that that that we agree with everything
that that's in there. And and actually probably some of
the wording has gone well, not probably it has gone
gone way too far. So so we're working through that
and the potential around the water text or a heavy
(06:00):
it's definitely on the table, and I'll be calling for
the current government to be ruling that out because because
we can't be heaving that.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
That's just ridiculous and we centaly wouldn't be agreeing to it.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
And I know the industry good bodies, not only Federated farmers,
but the likes of Beef and Lamb who were obviously
involved yesterday darien Z I was talking to them. They're
right in the middle of the submission process. So can
we rely on the industry good bodies to do the
heavy lifting for farmers? I mean, if you're a farmer
and you don't like the thought of a water tacks,
(06:30):
do you leave it up to your industry good body
or do you make a submission yourself?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Jamie that they are man as a complex topic and
so I encourage farmers if they do want to make
a submission, that's good. But it is a very complex
topic and the levy bodies and cetera. Timers are taken
and obviously extremely seriously. So the team did not get
a lot of holidays over the summer because it was
put out just before Christmas. It's got to be responded
(06:56):
to by the end of this week and they'll be
getting the submission and then there maybe certain parts of
it that different farmers want to submit on and that'd
be good to have farmer input. But certainly, yeah, the
teams are working very well together. So it's to make
sure we not only get good policy in there, but
also good science and extension work that comes from the
le everybody's in there as well.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I know you've just arrived on the ground at the
Southern field days at Why mumoo Rowena is calling it
because we're using her phone. Actually we'll catch her tomorrow.
She's running around organizing you at the moment because your
phone's gone flat, so we're talking on her phone. She
said it's like a heat wave, but that might be
an exaggeration for Southland.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, I don't think she can handle that.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
No, it is, honestly, it's a beautiful that it's a
cracker where feeder in the farmland extent. I got a
ride from the airport with the FMG and so they're
doing They are here too, and they've got a bigten
and so that's good. And then I'm kicking around with Rover.
But while I borrow her phone on to see hope
to see the messages that comes around this phone.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, well you never know. Do I need to forward
rowenas number on to Chrisshipkins just in case he wants
to call.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Definitly not no, no, I'm like I say, I've got
work to do for Peter before we go thinking about
that stuff.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
You practiced that line nicely, Wayne Yolo Langford, thanks for
being a good sport. It's good to catch up with
you yesterday, Oh jammy, President of Federated Farmers, Wayne Langford,
But from what I understand, Wayne Langford, president of Federated Farmers,
there's a bit of a heat wave on in Southland today.
How are you going?
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Oh there is, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
I've just just arrived and Sloanen and just arrive here
at Fieldos. It's hard to find a quiet place to
stand it too, because as packed. Yeah, the place is hummon,
the sun's out. Great day. Going to call on for
the shade ladder in the afternoon.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Well that's long, Matt continue, I'm going to be down
there tomorrow. Might be a bit cooler and a bit
wet a tomorrow, but you take it. You take a
fine day when you get one. Okay, let's just address
these rumors and that were made apparent to me on
Tuesday evening and back benches bar across the road from politics.
Here's Chris Hopkins from yesterday's show, Wayne back Benches last night, Chris,
(00:44):
rumors were rife that Wayne Langford, current president of Federated Farmers,
is going to be standing for Labor and Damien's old
seat West Coast Tasman. Can you confirm or deny if
you want to, you know, cast those potential aspersions on Wayne.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I don't view them as suspicions, but.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
He might there we go. I wonder if he does
view them as suspersions. Wayne Langford, do I are you
an apology?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
I think so that bun calls have and I saying, hey,
what's what's going on now? Obviously with the West Coast
Desmond being widely available now people are asking questions. But
but I'm you know, and obviously you know I think
about it. I've spent a bit of time in the
halls there and and Wellington, but but my focus right
now is on feeds and and getting what we've got
(01:30):
to get done to for farmers.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Hello, let me let me put two and two think.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Okay, you're happy to be happy.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
You're happy, you're happy to be the MP for So
let me put two and two together and get five here.
Don't you finish your term as president of Federated Farmers
in June or July of this year. Wouldn't that open
up an opportunity for you to run in an election
in November?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Oh potentially, But I might be a bit more like
Donald Trump and to see if I can stay on
for another few years that saints. So see if I
can rewrite the constitution no, no, no, no, there's obviously
a bit going on in his election year, and you're right,
my turn.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Does finishing and at the end of June, and.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So of course i'd be looking at everything. I was
actually hoping to go back to the farm and do
a bit more farming. So there's all kinds of things
going on, But I can assure you right now that
my main focus is on feeds and getting the work
down to Where would.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
These rumors about the labor connection come from? I don't
know your political allegiances there up to you.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
I would love to know what circles you're mixing on
to find Jamie. So I was just as surprised as
as many of the listeners out there was as well.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Yeah, but wait, we had a good we had a
good gathering with you Federated farmers guys and backbenches on
Tuesday evening, and it didn't come as a surprise that
rumor to some of them.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Oh you know, you know when you're when you're a
head of a leader, you'd be a heck of a politician.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Maybe, So there's no wonder that people were asking the question.
But no, no, no, like I said, I've got I've
got a job to do. It feeds and that's what
I'm focusing on doing uses an election coming up next year,
but for right now that seeds and seeds all the way.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
See, Chippy gave a reasonably unconvincing denial there, and I
did say to him, if labor could get their hands
on someone like you, it would give them some egg
cred that they haven't currently got.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Yeah, I just said, it needs to be a fair
bit more than just incredible incredibility, right, And it's a
good policy for farmers and good results of farmers them.
And that's what I have been working on for the
last couple of years and I'm planned to continue to
work on that. So yeah, it would be an interesting time.
But but yeah, definitely all rumors at the moment. Have
you talked to final not something that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Of course not.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
You've obviously talked to Andrew Hoggard, who went straight from
Federated Farmer's presidency to well, he went straight into being
a cabinet minister. And it's interesting in the other one,
the one the Federated Farmer's President before Andrew Hoggard was
Katie Milnan. Katie has told me so this is not
rumor spreading a rumormongering that she has been approached by
(04:04):
political parties and Katie, I guess is on the West
coast as well, so you never know she might put
her hand up.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
I mean, well that just shows kind of the influencer
and the impact that we have was in so Parler
really just to show that we'd be having that kind
of interest.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
So the credit to the work that parad.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Tharmas does and like I say, the work that we
put in. But so again, right now, my focus is
on feeds and getting kids done. And if my term
comes to an end of at the end of June,
then i'll I'll consider my ups and then. But up
until then, yeah, getting it done for feeds.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Let's move on to National Lamb Day. It's getting bigger
and better and well I'm talking about yesterday's barbecue on
the Parliamentary lawns. It's getting bigger and better every year
and it seems to be getting garnering more national attention.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, it was a fantastic day and well I don't
know who was on cooking the cook and the chelves,
so they did a great job on that. So yeah, no,
very good obviously in an election you because all the
all the politicians were up, but most of all just
the celebration of Lamb and the fantastic product that we've
produced there.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So it was was really good.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
And you never know, next year they might move from
the from the back lawn out to the front lawn
and feed.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
A few of those protests out in the front.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Maybe there might be too many protesters to feed. It
might be fishes and loaves. Let's just have a quick
look at other issues that are coming across Federated Farmer's
Desk at the moment. That is the r m A reforms.
Now I know, ground swells hot under the collar about this.
You might be running into Bryce and Lorry at Waimumu.
I don't know. But is there a sneaky water tacks
(05:38):
in there somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Yeah, No, there certainly some concerns with the way it's
being worded at the moment. And as you can imagine,
while we've come out in support of the RMO changes,
it doesn't mean that that that we agree with everything
that that's in there. And and actually probably some of
the wording has gone well, not probably it has gone
gone way too far. So so we're working through that
and the potential around the water text or a heavy
(06:00):
it's definitely on the table, and I'll be calling for
the current government to be ruling that out because because
we can't be heaving that.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
That's just ridiculous and we centaly wouldn't be agreeing to it.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
And I know the industry good bodies, not only Federated farmers,
but the likes of Beef and Lamb who were obviously
involved yesterday darien Z I was talking to them. They're
right in the middle of the submission process. So can
we rely on the industry good bodies to do the
heavy lifting for farmers? I mean, if you're a farmer
and you don't like the thought of a water tacks,
(06:30):
do you leave it up to your industry good body
or do you make a submission yourself?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Jamie that they are man as a complex topic and
so I encourage farmers if they do want to make
a submission, that's good. But it is a very complex
topic and the levy bodies and cetera. Timers are taken
and obviously extremely seriously. So the team did not get
a lot of holidays over the summer because it was
put out just before Christmas. It's got to be responded
(06:56):
to by the end of this week and they'll be
getting the submission and then there maybe certain parts of
it that different farmers want to submit on and that'd
be good to have farmer input. But certainly, yeah, the
teams are working very well together. So it's to make
sure we not only get good policy in there, but
also good science and extension work that comes from the
le everybody's in there as well.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
I know you've just arrived on the ground at the
Southern field days at Why mumoo Rowena is calling it
because we're using her phone. Actually we'll catch her tomorrow.
She's running around organizing you at the moment because your
phone's gone flat, so we're talking on her phone. She
said it's like a heat wave, but that might be
an exaggeration for Southland.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, I don't think she can handle that.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
No, it is, honestly, it's a beautiful that it's a
cracker where feeder in the farmland extent. I got a
ride from the airport with the FMG and so they're
doing They are here too, and they've got a bigten
and so that's good. And then I'm kicking around with Rover.
But while I borrow her phone on to see hope
to see the messages that comes around this phone.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Yeah, well you never know. Do I need to forward
rowenas number on to Chrisshipkins just in case he wants
to call.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Definitly not no, no, I'm like I say, I've got
work to do for Peter before we go thinking about
that stuff.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
You practiced that line nicely, Wayne Yolo Langford, thanks for
being a good sport. It's good to catch up with
you yesterday, Oh jammy, President of Federated Farmers, Wayne Langford,
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