The Country 12/05/25: John McOviney talks to Jamie Mackay

Waitomo sheep and beef farmer, and Steelfort’s chief executive, reflects on some great prices for lambs and calves and the results of the methane survey.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
John mcavini, just back from Africa, is a white Tomo
sheep and beef farmer and also the chief executive of
steel fort Hey. John, Before we talk about Africa, I
want to talk about this latest survey out from Groundswell,
the Methane Science Accord and NZ Farming. And I know
you haven't heard the results, but ninety five percent of

(00:20):
those surveyed. Admittedly they may have been surveying their own
typewriter on this one. I'm playing devil's advocate. Before you
buy my head off, ninety five percent agree reducing livestock
methane won't impact global climate change. And they're not getting
They're not going to get an argument from you, are they.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
You did write about that, Good afternoon, Jamie. Yes, no,
you won't get any argument for me. Make that ninety
six percent and put me in Well, they didn't survey you.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Maybe you need to sign up to Groundswell or the
Methane Science Accord. Look on, Hopefully I'll have Hopefully, I'll
have your poster girl Jane Smith on the show tomorrow
and we'll talk about it then. But I know you're
no fan of staying in Paris. But we've already heard
from Grant McCullum and Andrew Hogart and Grant from the
natsas saying, if we pull out of Paris the milk

(01:09):
payer or go from ten bucks to five bucks. I'm
not quite sure I agree with that, but will there
be a cost?

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Personally, I don't believe so. I don't think it makes
any difference. They say that, you know, if we pull
out of there in the rest of the world are
going to make put penalties on New Zealand for pulling
out of that agreement. I think that's absolutely es as
far as I'm concerned, I don't think it'll make any
People are buying air product because they need protein and
they want protein, whether it be lamb or beef or

(01:38):
beery products, that's what they buy. And I don't think
being in or out of that scheme will make an
iota of difference. That's my opinion, Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
And we do have a low carbon foot front, perhaps
the lowest in the world, so we're starting from a
position of advantage. Talk to me John about what you
I know you live in a bit of a shack
there beside the eighth beside the ape at Mount Monganoi
golf course. Your poor bugger, But what are you going
to do with all your money this year? You're selling
store lambs on your w Tomo sheep and beef farm

(02:08):
for one hundred and fifty five bucks. You're not even
going to sell your calves. You're going to take them through.
Is huge money being paid for both of them?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, I know it is, but this is a bit
of a logistical thing, you know, getting five or six
hundred calves ready and bring them in a sale and
taking what you get on that day. We have adopted
a different philosophy this year, so we're going to sell
the bottom end of them, probably one hundred, one hundred
and twenty off something like that, drop a few cow
numbers back, and we're going to take the wieners through

(02:38):
to the spring market in October. And you know that's
the change in our direction this year. I suppose. I mean,
I'm look, I hear what you say about lamb prices,
and they are good. I mean we average ninety three
bucks last year and this year I was a closer
to one hundred and fifty. But we need that money.
You know, you go and put it, you know, you

(03:00):
know a kilometer of fencing app or do any work
around the farm. It's expensive, you know, the costs that
we are incurring now to run a farming property are there,
and so I had I'm not feeling embarrassed one little
bit about getting one hundred and fifty bucks for store lambs.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
I mean, nor should you look. I mean lamb's going
for what high eights maybe nine dollars a kilo and
rising as we get to the end of the season.
But it needs to be ten. That needs to be
the stock standard amount for I think for sheep farmers
to be competitive.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
You won't get any argument from me for that. I mean,
you know, you go and put a kilometer of fencing
up and see what it costs. You do some work
around the place in terms of putting you know, roading
in or by drench all the costs related labor for fence,
you know, for running a sheep and bee property. It's

(03:55):
expensive these days. And you know, ten dollars might be
sound good, you know, as an overall income, but we
need that, you know. I don't feel bad.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
Okay, we're agreeing too much yet I thought you'd disagree
with me more. John, just to finish on your day
job as chief executive of Steel fort, you make or
you sell lawnmowers, the right ons and the ones you
have to push if you're silly enough. Great time now,
I would imagine, And as we head into the off
season to buy a lawnmower good deals, Well.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
We've got some really good stuff. I mean, you're going
to see it all, Jamie, because we're coming to the
Field Days for the first time in twelve years. And
I an agreement with Peter Nation before he left and
he's given us a very good site there, and so
I will see you at the Field Days and you
can come and have a look at what we've got
a fantastic array of products, all available on the steel

(04:51):
Fort website, the cub Credit website and the Hustler website,
and you have a look at the gen sets and
the logs, blitters and the cool and the hand tools
and the lithium mind product. You know, I'd like you know,
what we're trying to be, of course, is the premium
supplier of outdoor power equipment in New Zealand. And we
know we're still in New Zealand owned company and you know,

(05:14):
so I'm very proud of that situation. So you will
see all that when you're at the field day, Sammy

Speaker 1 (05:20):
Got on you look forward to catching up then see
you later okay mate, Cheers