The Country 25/10/24: Toby Williams talks to Rowena Duncum

Federated Farmers meat and wool chairman gives us an update on the wool sector, which he says was on a knife edge but may now be going farmers' way. He also discusses how groups need to work together for the future of the industry.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Week with FMG, because where there's a wool, there's a
way that still hasn't get gotten old. Where there's a will,
there's a way. Thanks so much to Air FMG for
supporting War week. We are heading to Gisbon. Now there
we find Federated Farmers Wool and meet she at Toby Williams.
Toby Good afternoon, afternoon Row. Now, how are things looking

(00:21):
for you and your perspective in terms of the wool industry.
Where are we heading in this country?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Yeah, we're really balanced on a knife edge. You know,
we're seeing so many sheep leaving, but the knife edge
is now maybe tilting back towards the farmer's favor. You know,
we've got record low levels of wall sitting in store,
so rightings and walls and the zen and their stores
are pretty much empty. So there's an opportunity here for
farmers to maybe take advantage of this and tell the

(00:48):
exporters they're going to put a reserve on their wall.
We'll tell their agents we want to reserve and we
want to be paid for what it's worth. And let's
push them push the boat out here and def we
can't make a big change.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
What's next for you. I know you've got a big
meeting coming up, but how do you see succession in
this industry going?

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, it's about a ten million dollar question for all
WILL growers. It's I'm not sure how it's going to
how it's actually going to pan out, but we've got
all the sect deleted. It's Beef lamp Us, Speed's Wall, Impact,
Will works, all these guys. We're meeting up and Wellington
next month to sort of, you know, to try to
figure out what does an enduring body representing WILL look like.

(01:25):
We need something everybody agrees with that, So how do
we make a look and how do we ensure that
when WILL, you know, returns back to favor and back
to profitability, the're actually able to capture that as growers
and also steer the industry to a new direction. And
I think you know, the people who have been in
there in the past, that's time thing to take you
take the back seat and let the next generation through

(01:46):
the drive WILL performance and WILL marketing for you know,
into the future.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yeah, because we have seen how it has been done
really well. If you look at Ike Spranker in the
New Zealand Marino Co. They got on that really early
and actually in isolation as well. You need to look
broader than this, but came up with some really good strategies.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, we need to do that. And I said, there's
great stuff happening all over the place, but unfortunately it's
happening in isolation and we are able to capture that.
And that's part of the erosion of wall trust from
farmers and people walking away from it. So we need
to be really clear. This is the last chance saloon.
If we don't get this right now, then you know,
we'll continue to have Wall, but it'll be or not

(02:28):
at the scale we need it, and it will be
little people, you know, doing a little bits here and there.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, that's a great comment there, Toby. Look you're farming
and Gisban. How are things looking there?

Speaker 2 (02:38):
We're actually not too bad. I'll be fortunate or unfortunate
that they have driven through the hawks spade back up
to gives them to that have the flights be canceled
and Wellington overnight and the country's looking pretty good. You know,
there's enough grass right if we're really honest, we could
probably deal with the dose of rain. But there's plenty
of lambs around. The sheep are looking pretty good and
we're heading into starting the wedding, so I'll start winning

(02:59):
next week. And the prices are looking so much better
than last year. It's not where we need them to be,
but there's a bit more of an air of positivity
around which is really nice to see and.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
It's been great. We we're chatting to the Prime Minister
of New Zealand, Christopher Luxen on Wednesday about you know,
quite a win in terms of RIMA reform and I
know Federated Farmers had been really pushing to get Otago
Regional Council broad in line with the rest of the country.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Oh, it's massive and the target Federated Farmers guys have
just done this amazing job, backed up by Colin Hurst
and Wayne and the leadership pre Feds and they've pushed
really hard for this and it's been really it's been
one of our big things. Local body government have just
seemed to have had the rule your own rules and
be quite happy that's going on about it. The stress
that it causes farmers, the uncertainty has just been compounding

(03:46):
along with the low pricing and the weather and something
like this has really given these farmers a big kick forward. Saying, look,
you know, we're getting somewhere, we're moving. The government said
they're going to do this now they're actually showing your
teeth and they're jumping into it. And it was a
massive sigh of relief. Yeah, and we need to be
careful though that we still need to be moving forward.
But the pathways they were looking at was going to

(04:07):
cripple farming and we're not going down as pathways now,
so it's really positive step towards for farming.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Yeah, brilliant. Hey, what is the long weekend hold in
store for you, Toby?

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Well, because I'm a stack of a punishment road, We're
now going to pick up the kitchen of school and
drive up to Rhoda Ruine for the weekend.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
Because you haven't done enough driving.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
I've done enough driving. Yeah, but even better going up
to Waitoma on Sunday. Oh nice, we're dragging the kids
around the caves up there. Brilliant, which'd be great. It's
just nice to get off farm and do something with
the family and really enjoy life a little bit.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Yeah, keep your eyes peeled for Tom Phillips.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
I certainly will.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Toby Williams Terracted Farmers Meet and Wheelchair really appreciate your
time here on War Week.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, thanks Rowan. Thanks to the FMG for spouandering it, buddy. Awesome.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Yeah, it is indeed