The Country 13/05/26: Kate Acland talks to Jamie Mackay

The Chair of Beef + Lamb NZ is just back from the US, where we've been commemorating 100 years of red meat export. We talk about the prospect of lamb tariffs, the protein boom and her nomination for Rural Woman of the Year at the PINZ Awards.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Kate Ackland is the chair of Beef and Lamb New
Zealand and she's just been nominated for Rural Woman of
the Year at the Primary Industry New Zealand Awards. More
about that later, Kate. But you're just back from the US.
You were over there recognized a recognizing should I say,
one hundred years of red meat export. What's the wheeze?

(00:21):
What are you hearing? What is the chat about Trump
and has trade people imposing more tariffs upon our LAMB
Because we don't want that.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Oh, good afternoon, Jamie. Noill, we absolutely don't. We were
just over Nathan guy and celebrating one hundred years of
the relationship between New Zealand and the US as far
as red meat goes, and it speaks to how I
think that relationship is to buy US consumers and New
Zealand producers. What we are hearing? So going on for

(00:53):
a while, there is a push to have a or
launch a global safeguard investigation LAMB imports. So some of
their producers over there think that imports are actually harming
their farming systems.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
But we are arguing, I don't know whether we're right
or wrong. We're arguing that our lamb exports to the
US along with the Australians, because we're both sending increased
volumes in there, are actually increasing the price that American
farmers are getting for their lamb.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, that's absolutely the case, and the data back set up,
so Down's been a pretty consistent supplier. We've remained for
the last decade about a quarter of US Land imports,
so it's been relatively stable through that period. The price
has steadily increased, and you know, we would argue that
we're actually helping keep lamb on the on the plates

(01:46):
of American consumers because there's just not enough to domestic
production to do that.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Okay, it's about what six hundred million dollars of sheep
meat we're sending there or were sent there in twenty
twenty five, and a total red meat exports you tell me,
are they twelve billion or something like that? So it's
not huge, but it's far from insignificant.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Look, it is significant because America is a really high
value market. So it's where we put on what you
see in the racks and the middle so it's a
my value market for any deal. Land would have an impact,
if you know, if tariff were to come on. But
you know we're a long way off that. So what's
what we're hearing this. It's going to be an investigation
into lands, an independent legal process, so you know, tariff's

(02:31):
far from a done deal. Obviously. We've been preparing for
this for quite some time, so we Nor's partners in
the US and just making sure we've got all that
data and we've got everything ready to go should this
investigation get launched.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Well, you may have just come back from the US.
You sound like you're in Mars. Stand on a chair.
We'll do our best because we'll battle away. We haven't
got brilliant reception while you were over there. What did
you make of the protein boom? And we will talk
to Mark dellatour hopefully shortly on the show about this.
He's from Open Country Dairy. There's a real boom there
for the dairy industry. Is it ditto for red meat?

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well, look, it's absolutely phenomenal. You know, I was lucky
enough to go to a couple of packing plants over there,
and you know all of the meat packaging has the
grants protein right up and big type on the front.
These these weight loss drugs, the glt ones are really
driving this bloom for red meat, and what we're getting
told is that, you know, with them turning their fud

(03:29):
perramid upside down, Americans are actually getting told to prioritize
red meat and they're diyets. So you know, the demand
is absolutely phenomenal over there.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
We've got RFK Junior to thank for that.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, well I don't know, but look it's it's unlike
anything I've seen before, and you know, all the signals
are that is that that will remain for some time.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
Let's just finish on you being nominated for the Rural
Woman of the Year, Kate Ackland, and your capacity is
the chair of Beef and Lamb New Zealand. You're up
against Sarah Donaldson from the East Coast Rural Support Trust.
I don't personally know Sarah, but obviously if she's in
that neck of the woods, she will have had a
lot of work on a plate to do with the
Rural Support Trust. And another person from that era area

(04:15):
does a great job, as Sandra Faulkner from Federated Farmers.
What are your chances?

Speaker 2 (04:20):
Oh, look at some pretty stiff conversation, but I'm I'm
absolutely trussed to have been nominated because there are so
many fantastic women up and down the up and down
the country and rural community who are doing really great things,
so very very flatted. But I think you're also up
for an award at these it depends conference.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Well, I've missed out on a nomination for Rural Man
or Rural Bloke of the Year. I noticed there isn't
one of those categories, Kate, should I complain.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
Good luck with I think the Rural Woman Award has
come about because of the International Year.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Of the Female Farmer.

Speaker 3 (04:58):
I understand, So okay, I think it's a cool award
because actually, as I said, you know, there's a women
who are absolutely the glue of our rural community, so
you know, acknowledging that is a great thing.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
Plus, you can multitask and blokes can't be stuffed without you.
There you go, Kate Ackland, thank you very much for
your time, good luck and I'll look forward to your
company at the Primary Industry Awards and Summit conference.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
Thanks Shenmy