The Country 17/12/25: Jim Hopkins talks to Jamie Mackay

Our long-standing rural raconteur chips in with his Ag Person of the Year.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I loved the last week of the year on the
country because I get to talk to all of my
old regulars, and in this case he's a very old
old regular. Jim Hopkins. Hey, Jim, you were duly re
elected to the Waitaki District Council. Good on you, and
you've recently recently had surgery so you're sort of coming
out of your sick bed to do this, and I

(00:20):
can report the recoveries going well. But you have two minutes,
my friend, or less, if you want to do me
a favor to name your twenty twenty five AGG Person
of the Year.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well always through, but here we go. So Merry Christmas.
First of all, of course, to you and your millions
of listeners. Are you and my view are the Mike
Hosking of your own imagination, and we are as beneficiaries.
And also I must say Merry Christmas to each and
every farming family and farm worker in New Zealand. You
have near single handedly pull this out of a session

(00:53):
and rebuilt the foundations of our wealth. The sunset industry
of David Long's nineteen eighties is shining more brightly than ever.
So egged Person of the Year. Well, I've gone a
bit left field, possibly to avoid repetition. There are obvious
people like Myles Hurrell, Todd McKay and McLay, but I

(01:14):
think both were nominated last year. Old favorites like Jacquelin
Rowis our best rural educator and advocate and Feisky Fiery,
fearless Jane Smith Campaign of Supreme, but both of them
have been nominated in the past as well. So okay
here Number one. Maybe the impact on New Zealand farming

(01:39):
you as president and tariff composer Donald Trump. He's the
one who put the tariffs on, put him up, then
put him down, and it has had an impact on
our farming and it's certainly distorted it and may indeed
distort it more in the future, although I read most
recently the response has been better than expected and farming

(02:05):
has suffered less. The other problem with Trump is his
decisions have effected a lot of people, not just us,
so perhaps his efforts should be seen as international rather
than national. So locally, who well, Jamie, I've got two
drum roll please both Chris is Chris Number one, Chris Bishop.

(02:30):
I think his RMA reforms look at first glance to
be the rethink the reimagining that rural New Zealand and
rural and agriculture has needed and asked for. The devil
will be in the detail, but the lawn certainly looks
like delivering outcomes. And number two Chris Number two, Chris Luxon.

(02:58):
He has been all year on your show and elsewhere
a passionate supporter of New Zealand farming and farmers. He
fronts all stage meetings. He's hugely energetic on the trade
deal front, fighting our corner at home and overseas, fighting

(03:19):
for our farmers, amongst others. So take your back. As
far as I'm concerned, this year it's Chris one or
Chris Who, And for me it's Chris Who. The PM.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
Well, Jim Hopkins, thanks for getting out of your sick
bed to do that. Really appreciate your time, the longest
two minutes of my life. Love your work. Merry Christmas.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Have a great Christmas as well, mate. Talking to New
Year