September 23, 2025 • 6 mins
North Otago farmer and award-winning environmentalist who has just been elected to the board of directors for Ravensdown. We also get her views on the Alliance Group recapitalisation. Plus, what did she think of yesterday’s interview with GreenXperts Ltd principal scientist, Susan Harris, who said New Zealand should lobby the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to remove livestock emissions from the Paris Climate Agreement?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
She's taking time off the lambing beat on a North
Otago farm to talk to us. Her name is Jane Smith.
She is a former owner of the Balance Farm Environment
Awards and now a director of the Ravenstown Board. Jane,
is this like the first step in your relentless march
to Wellington?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I think not, Jamie. I think, as
I've said before, I last about five minutes. And politics
because I like to get things done and I am
am quite an impatient person, So yeah, politics would not
be for me, Jamie. But look, I'm just a cooperative
that I'm passionate about and has you know that let's
set there has some real challenges and opportunities, particularly for
(00:38):
both of our co ops, and they're going to have
to be slit and number in order to move forward.
So I'm open minded about what the seator looks like, Jamie,
and I'm just pleased to I guess serve my sect
to Jamie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You well, you're not only a farmer shareholder of Ravenstown,
you used to work for them in your youth.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yes, I mean, I guess I've got some a degree
of institutional knowledge in terms of how the sick to work, Jamie.
But yeah again, so I know that's vastly different to governance.
But again I'm really passionate about I guess the fight
that farmers had back in the nineteen seventies to develop
Raven's Down and really want to go from strengths to strengths, Jamie,
(01:17):
So dealize a challenge.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well that gives that is the beauty of the cooperative.
It gives farmers in a lot of ways ultimate control.
What do you make about the troubled cooperative down the road.
While it used to be based in Southland, HQ is
now in christ Church, the Alliance Group. We've spoken already
to Mark Gunton on the show, and I know you
haven't heard the interview, but are these five high profile
farmers peeing into northern Southland northwester Well, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Just interesting, Jamie. I guess what's in and I haven't
followed it really closely, but what has been put in
front of shreerholders is a bit of a Hobson's choice.
So they really have been painted into a corner and
I have no doubt that, and it has been grossly undervalued.
So good on those farmers are standing up. I hope
it's not too late. But again, any discussion, especially in
a cooperative, is healthy, and so I hope that has
(02:06):
aired and it's to be good to hear head that
interview with Mark Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Did you hear the scientist Susan Harris on the show yesterday.
I'd never heard of her before, and then I read
something online and I thought or she'd be an interesting yarn.
And she's saying, we just need to take natural livestock
emissions out of the Paris Climate Agreement, and I'm thinking
Jane Smith will be jumping up and down on an
North Otago farm, going yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I did actually catch the end of that, Jamie, and
it was really interesting to hear what Susan had to
say in terms of just a I guess a new
voice into that discussion. And you know, I guess even
Susan would say, you don't require a doctorate or degree
that any rational New Zealander would see the fiscal fast
and chasing me saying, I mean we're edging towards a
billion dollars a taxpayers money that you hunting down solutions
(02:55):
to something that that is immeasurable, and you've got to remember,
at worst be four millionths of a degree over time,
that we would be potentially at worse again, even if
you don't take in the seven and a half million
hit dares of native bush in our fine country, four
millions of a degree, So that's zero point zero zero
zero zero zero four. So when I went to school,
(03:17):
that many zeros after a decimal point rounds to zero Jamie.
So you know, again, we've been very quick to have
a sentencing by politics instead of a trial by science
and fact. And in regards to the methane science are called,
we're working with some you know, and I've mentioned this previously,
the World Sustainable Livestock Forum, to actually look at a
proposal in terms of a mend in Paris. So we're
(03:38):
hoping we'll have a couple of announcements to make in
the next month or sign that Jamie.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I thought one of her interesting comments was a better
investment for New Zealand would be to develop some diplomatic
bottle as she labeled it, and lead the sixty eight
nations involved into lobbying the IPCC to remove natural livestock
emissions from the Paris Climate Agreement. And I couldn't help
but agree with her on that one. Rather than sacrificing
(04:05):
ourselves on the altar of climate change.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
We can be the leaders, absolutely, Jamie. And we need
to move really quickly on this action before any more
land is lost both here and globally, and perpetuity to
food producing land lost forever. And I guess wearing my
global farm around table hat, I've continuously been asked by
my peers off shore to say, you know, New Zealand
(04:29):
should be leading this as a leading room in at
free rate posteral based sector. We really need to leave
the charge on this and so again we're not waiting
around any longer. Again, our sector has been very quick
to look at the symptoms of the Paris Accord, such
as the food producing land taxonomy, energy and fuel costs,
(04:50):
wind farm sold of farms. But strangely hecedent to call
out that the Paris Accord is not fit for purpose.
But that's what we want to focus on.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Jam Just to finish on, you've taken time out the
chat to us, You're going to grab a bite to lunch,
then back out to the lambing beat. You've been pretty
dry and also, Targo, how are you faring?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah, I know it was very welcome yesterday Jamie actually
we'd had no rain to turn and a half month
no miserable rain and we got twenty mills yesterday, so
it was fantastic out tagging stud lambs. We've got to
twenty eight hundred lambs we need to tag, so but
a quality time was clear and the rain so for
once we were both easually smiling and no, it's very,
(05:28):
very welcome, so I think it was reasonably isolated, though
Jamie and I further up the way Techy Valley didn't
get it. So we do need a bit of recharge
in the headwaters. And there is a dusting of snow
in our hells this morning, so that was actually welcome again.
You want the season and the rightful place, Jamie, so
that's all we can ask for.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Jane Smith, thanks for your time, congratulations on being elected
onto the Ravens Downboard and another one of our correspondents,
I should be sending you both an invoice, doctor Jack
Willon Roweth elected unopposed as the North Island Director, so
well done you too.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Thanks Jammie, and thanks again to Nicky and Rebecca that
also ran, so it's good to see you again. Positive
commitment to to the co ops.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Indeed, thank you, Joina
She's taking time off the lambing beat on a North
Otago farm to talk to us. Her name is Jane Smith.
She is a former owner of the Balance Farm Environment
Awards and now a director of the Ravenstown Board. Jane,
is this like the first step in your relentless march
to Wellington?
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon, Jamie. I think not, Jamie. I think, as
I've said before, I last about five minutes. And politics
because I like to get things done and I am
am quite an impatient person, So yeah, politics would not
be for me, Jamie. But look, I'm just a cooperative
that I'm passionate about and has you know that let's
set there has some real challenges and opportunities, particularly for
(00:38):
both of our co ops, and they're going to have
to be slit and number in order to move forward.
So I'm open minded about what the seator looks like, Jamie,
and I'm just pleased to I guess serve my sect
to Jamie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
You well, you're not only a farmer shareholder of Ravenstown,
you used to work for them in your youth.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Yes, I mean, I guess I've got some a degree
of institutional knowledge in terms of how the sick to work, Jamie.
But yeah again, so I know that's vastly different to governance.
But again I'm really passionate about I guess the fight
that farmers had back in the nineteen seventies to develop
Raven's Down and really want to go from strengths to strengths, Jamie,
(01:17):
So dealize a challenge.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Well that gives that is the beauty of the cooperative.
It gives farmers in a lot of ways ultimate control.
What do you make about the troubled cooperative down the road.
While it used to be based in Southland, HQ is
now in christ Church, the Alliance Group. We've spoken already
to Mark Gunton on the show, and I know you
haven't heard the interview, but are these five high profile
farmers peeing into northern Southland northwester Well, it's.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Just interesting, Jamie. I guess what's in and I haven't
followed it really closely, but what has been put in
front of shreerholders is a bit of a Hobson's choice.
So they really have been painted into a corner and
I have no doubt that, and it has been grossly undervalued.
So good on those farmers are standing up. I hope
it's not too late. But again, any discussion, especially in
a cooperative, is healthy, and so I hope that has
(02:06):
aired and it's to be good to hear head that
interview with Mark Jamie.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Did you hear the scientist Susan Harris on the show yesterday.
I'd never heard of her before, and then I read
something online and I thought or she'd be an interesting yarn.
And she's saying, we just need to take natural livestock
emissions out of the Paris Climate Agreement, and I'm thinking
Jane Smith will be jumping up and down on an
North Otago farm, going yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
I did actually catch the end of that, Jamie, and
it was really interesting to hear what Susan had to
say in terms of just a I guess a new
voice into that discussion. And you know, I guess even
Susan would say, you don't require a doctorate or degree
that any rational New Zealander would see the fiscal fast
and chasing me saying, I mean we're edging towards a
billion dollars a taxpayers money that you hunting down solutions
(02:55):
to something that that is immeasurable, and you've got to remember,
at worst be four millionths of a degree over time,
that we would be potentially at worse again, even if
you don't take in the seven and a half million
hit dares of native bush in our fine country, four
millions of a degree, So that's zero point zero zero
zero zero zero four. So when I went to school,
(03:17):
that many zeros after a decimal point rounds to zero Jamie.
So you know, again, we've been very quick to have
a sentencing by politics instead of a trial by science
and fact. And in regards to the methane science are called,
we're working with some you know, and I've mentioned this previously,
the World Sustainable Livestock Forum, to actually look at a
proposal in terms of a mend in Paris. So we're
(03:38):
hoping we'll have a couple of announcements to make in
the next month or sign that Jamie.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I thought one of her interesting comments was a better
investment for New Zealand would be to develop some diplomatic
bottle as she labeled it, and lead the sixty eight
nations involved into lobbying the IPCC to remove natural livestock
emissions from the Paris Climate Agreement. And I couldn't help
but agree with her on that one. Rather than sacrificing
(04:05):
ourselves on the altar of climate change.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
We can be the leaders, absolutely, Jamie. And we need
to move really quickly on this action before any more
land is lost both here and globally, and perpetuity to
food producing land lost forever. And I guess wearing my
global farm around table hat, I've continuously been asked by
my peers off shore to say, you know, New Zealand
(04:29):
should be leading this as a leading room in at
free rate posteral based sector. We really need to leave
the charge on this and so again we're not waiting
around any longer. Again, our sector has been very quick
to look at the symptoms of the Paris Accord, such
as the food producing land taxonomy, energy and fuel costs,
(04:50):
wind farm sold of farms. But strangely hecedent to call
out that the Paris Accord is not fit for purpose.
But that's what we want to focus on.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Jam Just to finish on, you've taken time out the
chat to us, You're going to grab a bite to lunch,
then back out to the lambing beat. You've been pretty
dry and also, Targo, how are you faring?
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yeah, I know it was very welcome yesterday Jamie actually
we'd had no rain to turn and a half month
no miserable rain and we got twenty mills yesterday, so
it was fantastic out tagging stud lambs. We've got to
twenty eight hundred lambs we need to tag, so but
a quality time was clear and the rain so for
once we were both easually smiling and no, it's very,
(05:28):
very welcome, so I think it was reasonably isolated, though
Jamie and I further up the way Techy Valley didn't
get it. So we do need a bit of recharge
in the headwaters. And there is a dusting of snow
in our hells this morning, so that was actually welcome again.
You want the season and the rightful place, Jamie, so
that's all we can ask for.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Jane Smith, thanks for your time, congratulations on being elected
onto the Ravens Downboard and another one of our correspondents,
I should be sending you both an invoice, doctor Jack
Willon Roweth elected unopposed as the North Island Director, so
well done you too.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Thanks Jammie, and thanks again to Nicky and Rebecca that
also ran, so it's good to see you again. Positive
commitment to to the co ops.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Indeed, thank you, Joina
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