March 12, 2026 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Andy Dalton, Andy Borland, Alan Livingston, Mark Patterson, Tania Houghton, Rachel Shearer, and PJ Budler.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch are the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Aisuzu, Get Demo deals
on the Tough Dmax Today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You and the Dark Bats a count of the Stars program.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Role gadamiws Ellen. Welcome to the Country. We've been all
over the country in the past week mastered and for
the Golden Shears Christchurch for the Zander McDonald Awards. We
wind up my storm week here on the Country by
being at Wonaka day one of the Wonica amp Show,
(00:41):
huge event. I haven't been here for a number of
years now. Last night we had a great fundraisers for
Lincoln University backing sport organized by Andy Ball and chief
executive of the Scales Group. Obviously Lincoln alumni and Donald
Howie Morrison, former director of the Alliance Group. But our
keynote speaker or one of them. I was a former
All Black captain, our former farmer. I don't know if
(01:04):
he's still a current farmer. Let's ask him. Andy Dalton,
good Andy, great to meet you in person. And what
I found out about you last night that you spent
five summers on the farm right next door to mine
and I didn't know you existed you.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I was working with John McLay on his family farm
there in Riversdale. Met John walking the track when I
was about fourteen or fifteen, and every holiday after that
I went down, enjoyed the farming down there, and as
a consequence of that, went to Lincoln and farming eventually,
So it certainly fed my interest.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
His mother, Phyllis, gave me my first tennis racket, an
old slashship with remember the old tennis rackets with the
cat gup. If you left them out in the rain,
they would buckle. Anyhow, this is all about you. So
we talked about your time and the All Blacks and
that's pretty well documented. And I didn't get a chance
to go there last night. But life after rugby for
a Dedlton.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, Well, while while I was playing rugby, when I
started with the All Blacks, I was a farm advisor.
And then we bought our first block of land in Bombay,
just out of Pooka Koe in nineteen seventy eight, and
then added to that in eighty and eighty one and
ended up nine hundred acres there, and I was trying
to run that two little kids playing for the All
(02:22):
Blacks and not a lot of money coming in then
and later in the eighties I put a manager on
the farm and we went into town and started a
waste business with some Frenzy and Stevens who just recently
died unfortunately, but people in the Southern Club down and
Dunedin would know him well. And a very successful business
(02:44):
that we subsequently sold onto new Plex. I ran the
Australasian waste businesses for Newplex for a number of years
and then went into television and outdoor media production, which
Lincoln taught me all about.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
You're a man of many talent, so of course you
still kept your finger and the pie as it were.
With rugby. You were the CEO of the Auckland Rugby
Union and of course a president or a former president
of a New Zealand rugby union, so you've you've kept
that connection and.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Still involved with the foundation who looks after the severely
injured players from the game. So got a good connect
there as well, which I really enjoy and I met
some wonderful people over the years. Jamie quite special.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Last night I tried to get it out of you
because my old mate Warwick Taylor. I don't know if
he's listening Hello Warwick if you are went on the
Cavaliers tour and I always try and weasel it out
of him how much you got paid. And I didn't
have much luck with you either last night. You know
you didn't know, but your business career took off after
you came home from the Cavaliers tour. Andy, was that
(03:48):
Judison Capital funding? Oh, that's when we had to go
in to get off the farm. Actually it was a
pretty tough time and we were paying twenty one percent
interest rates. We're getting ten twelve dollars for a store, lamb,
So it was the ugly Therefore it you've got your
finger in all these business pies. Have you still got
investment in farming? Only ten acres now?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Life sentence block in Waypoo and surrounded by farmland, and
I don't actually graze the property, to be honest. I've
got a neighbor looking after that for me and fully
involved in real estate, which I'm absolutely enjoying. I got
bored when I got up there, supposedly to retire and
now working my butt off actually, and my wife keeps
telling me I'm into performing.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I need to work harder at it so I do
well While I've got you would be remissing me not
to talk a wee bit of foddy. Two years out
or less than two years out from the Rugby World Cup,
we've had a change. Dave Rennie's very highly rated. I
was a wee bit disappointed my man and Otago didn't
get the job Jamie Joseph, But what chance the All
Blacks because it looks like we're going to come up
(04:51):
against the spring Box and the quarter final. They are
the best team in the world at the moment.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, I totally agree, and I think this year is
going to be a tough year for with them over
there touring the midweek games will be as tough as
a test matches, so they're going to have a It'll
be a fantastic tour to go on, but it's going
to be a tough one for them.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
But I think they are going to be.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Totally focused now they know how short the runway is
and they'll be planning for that. And I'd still back
Dave to get it sorted within the two years.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Okay, we'll be at Delton. Just a pleasure to meet you,
an absolute honor to meet you. You're a rugby legend.
I'm just going to chuck another Andy on. This is
Andy Borland, who's the chief executive these days. Well, we
were at Lincoln together back in the early eighties. Andy,
these days, you've done so much better in life than
I have. I mean, just look at your salary compared
to mine. But you're the chief executive Scales Group, huge
(05:42):
in horticulture, huge also and pet food. And you told
me I've got to mind the p's and queues today.
There are certain subjects you don't wan to broach. Just
in case you Chairman Mike Peterson's listening.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Oh thanks, thanks, Jamie.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Look, you know ye have enjoyed my time at Scales,
the great, great team of people working there across the divisions.
With the horticulture business, we were flat out harvesting at
the moment. The looks like a pretty good crop so far,
but you know we're still in that process. We don't
really like to count them till they're all under tin
as it were in the shed. So yeah, that's the
(06:16):
guy who's a flat out doing that now. And yeah,
and the obvious question that we were discussing not to
talk about was the little kafuffle in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So we're allowed to talk about it, Mike, letting us
talk about it.
Speaker 5 (06:28):
I knew, I knew you'd ask.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
But anyway, because last night at the Lincoln fundraising, and
he did a great job of you and Howie Morrison,
but you were flogging off apples for good causes for charity,
and it looked like you might have had to contain
a load or two that you couldn't get rid of,
so you were going to flog them off for a
donation at the Link dinner.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
It was all good.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
I was just getting them to you know, see what
great apples they were, because we don't sell that many
dazzle in the in the retail shops in New Zealand
because they're all exported.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
No.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Look, the we had a few early.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
The apple's stuck in Singapore, which will divert to another market. Look,
it's not never good these things. They create uncertainty. But
you know, so far, you know, we're just waiting, watching
and you know, getting good information out of the government,
and we'll be just taking a watching brief on it. It'll, it'll, it'll.
You know, everyone's hoping it's a short war, not a
(07:22):
long one.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Well history might suggest otherwise. I hope I'm wrong on
that one. Hey. Just to finish on, the most important
thing for you guys at this time of the year is,
dare I say it, the weather. We all remember Cyclone
Gabrielle and the apples are coming off now and then
the key with fruits starting to come off. So the
long range forecast. We're going to talk to Chris Brandolino
from newa But it's quite good for March. That is
(07:43):
such good news for the horticulture industry.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
Yeah, look, it's it's really it's good when it's dry
and you know, picking the apples and the rain's not
that you know, productive, so it's important. Dry weather through
autumn is great for us. So yeah, we'll be we'll
be watching the weather. But yeah, hopefully by the end
of April, they're all in the shed.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Hey, Andy Borland, to you and Donald Howie Morrison from
our Lincoln days. I mean you've both done very well
and you two were the main drivers, or two of
the main drivers behind our fundraising dinner. Andy Dalton guest
speaker Gary Stead, wasn't he good? A former black Cap
and Black Caps coach. So you've got a wonderful array
of talent up there. It was a good evening. Well
(08:24):
done and a big shout out to Alan Dippy, the
guy who owns the vintage machinery shed.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
It's impressive shed. And yeah he's as he said himself,
he's got a very serious addiction to collecting crime.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Well when he said I've only got three hundred and
fifty tractors, now I'm thinking jeez, yeah he had over
five hundred. He's amazing. Anyhow, we're going to take a
break here on the Country. On the other side of
someone else who played rugby with Andy Dalton at Lincoln
University in the early seventies is Alan Livingstone and he
is the chair of the KIWI two National Trust. We'll
(08:56):
chat to him after the break. That is nineteen after twelve.
You're with the Country broadcasting from Farmlands and new partners
on the Country. Fantastic. One guy I met last night
at the Lincoln fundraising dinner who actually went to Lincoln
with Andy Dalton and Ian Hurst for that matter, another
(09:20):
former All Black who's done very well in life as
Allan Livingston. And Alan, I've got you on because you're
the chair of an organization very near and dear to
my own heart, and that is the Kiwi two National Trust.
You've taken over from Bruce Wills who did a sterling job.
Graham Murray's been involved as he's still on the board.
He's still on the board. Yes, Yes, some smart guys
(09:40):
played rugby for New Zealand in the seventies and eighties.
You look at Andy Dalton and Graham Murray. Obviously Ian
Hurst's another guy who's done very well. Halfternoon, Jamie, it's
a pleasure to be here and talking of rugby. Yes,
I thoroughly enjoyed my years at Lincoln and in my
first year I was actually in the under twenty Bees,
(10:02):
which was captain by infamous Southlander by the names of
Alistair McIntosh. Oh yes, father of Jamie correct and Andy
Dalton was a captain of the A's and we had
the honor of beating the Bees. Beating the A's. We
had a notable Paul Quinn that was a big help
to our team. Oh yes, Wellington flanker. And then I
(10:22):
was under Andy's captaincy in the next year in the
under twenty A's and the second fifteen the following year. Yeah.
Because the interesting thing about Andy Dolton, mind you, as
I said last night, there were some great rugby players
at Lincoln who never made the first fifteen out and
we won't go into that one. But Andy Dalton went
on to be a great All Black but never cracked
the first fifteen at Lincoln College. And I guess that's
(10:43):
a reflection of the caliber of players that were there, Jamie,
because they were outstanding players that didn't make the first
fifteen yet went on to play rep rugby. And I
think of Ross McGlashan, who played a large number of
games for y Katto, who didn't crack the first fifteen.
Andy was behind Mark Peacock who went on and played
(11:06):
for kin Country and his brother Phil played for Canterbury
and the South Island. So there was some quality players
from one to fifteen. Where are you farming and how
did you get involved in the Kiwi Tu National Trust?
I take it that you've got covenance on your property, correct, Yes,
a passionate covenant tour farming a sheep and cattle property
(11:26):
near Taomutu, southwest of Hamilton, and I've got two covenants.
I've always had an interest in biodiversity and the environment,
and I was involved in local government for twenty four
years and heavily involved there as well, and it's great
to be involved and contribute to what is an absolute
(11:47):
stunning role that we plan in New Zealand's bio diversity.
Now I know the government's got no money, which is
a real shame. You and I were discussing this last night.
The best thing, bar none, the government could do for
the environment is triple, quadruple ten times the contribution they
make to the Q two National Trust, because that locks
(12:08):
and farmers to put land and I've got a covenant
myself and it's protected forever and the farmers do all
the hard yards. Look, you could be our advocate, Jamie,
because what you say is absolutely right. We haven't had
an increase in funding for fifteen years from the government,
other than we appreciate Minister Potarker finding one and a
(12:30):
half million from the International Visitor Levy. But look at
the moment we're only covenanting in extra thirty five new covenants,
whereas previously we're doing one hundred and fifty. Our priority
is our existing covenant tours and looking after them, so
we've had to cut back on new covenants, which is
(12:51):
damned tough because we've got people lining up to covenant
their bush. Well, I've got Mark Patterson, who's the Minister
of wall I mean who knows I wins becomes prime minister,
he could end up being the Minister of Agriculture. Who knows,
so we might chew his here on that one. Alan,
great to meet you. Did you enjoy the night last night?
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Went?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Those guys interesting? Very interesting, not surprising with Andy, but
I hadn't met the Steads before. But Garry Stead really interesting,
very interesting and very successful as a player, but more
so as a coach as you said, and Rachel his wife,
very successful but highlighting the value of volunteers. Absolutely, Alan Livingston,
(13:30):
what a pleasure to catch up with you. Now. I'm
based in Duneaton. I got up here and this is
part of the new sponsorship deal. Can I bring you
in Ben Humphries see the old bosses here, Alan, I've
got to be on my best behavior. This bloke's in
charge of rural and Sport for endz ME. He's still
trying to plug himself and while he does, I'm just
going to get a shameless plug in for the Isuzu
(13:52):
m Ux. That's the suv that's the seventh seater, so
it's not just transport. It's your work mate. Now I'm
talking about the Mux here and the Dmax towing trailers
down metal roads, hauling gear back to the paddock. You
need a vehicle that doesn't just look the part, it's
got to deliver. That's where is Suzu utes come in.
They've got real truck DNA, real reliability. You can count
(14:15):
on the Dmax chute. Three and a half ton towing capacity,
three liter turbo diesel engine built for strength and durability.
This is the real power for real work. And if
you are like me and you're a towny and you
want an suv, have a look at the m Ux suv.
It brings the practicality of seven seats. You can fold
those down, allen and put your golf clubs, lots of
(14:36):
golf clubs in the back. Same engine power as the Dmax. Now,
right now, I Suzu utes are running a demo sale.
Dmax and Mux models ready to work at prices that
make sense. The good news as they come with an
extended six year warranty finance available from seven point nine percent.
T's and c's obviously apply. I don't mark around. Demo
stock is limited. Head to a suzautes dot co dot
(14:58):
Nz to register you interest or visit your localized Susie dealership.
Real Vehicles, Real Tough, Real Value. Hello Ben, good morning,
good afternoon. Yeah, so how are we going so far?
I'll get a bit nervous broadcasting in front of the boss. No,
it's wonderful. You've got a great lineup. I'm very impressed.
Well you've got connections. Well yes, well I'm from down
(15:22):
this neck of the woods, so I do know. Look, honestly, Ben,
Wonica is filled with retired or not retired. My mates
from Southland or are still farming. They've all got holiday
homes up here. If you did a demographic scan of
the population of wanaicer Oic and the DNA, most of
it's Southland. Do you go.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Have you got a batch here, Jamie?
Speaker 3 (15:42):
No, No, I haven't got a batch at all. Well,
you know that'd be quite good if you'd got one,
Well you got you could share the keys around? Are
we still talking accommodation? She got to stop that, Ben.
We're going to take a break and I've got the
Minister of Wall waiting, Mark Patterson. I'm going to a
for Ellen Livingstone, who's the chair of the Kiwi two.
(16:02):
Trust I'm going to chew his air and see if
we can get some more money for that wonderful cause
it is twenty six after twelve. We'll be back after
the break. Welcome back to the country. What a day
here in Wanaka. It's just beautifully fine. There are so
many people here. They tell me it's the second biggest
(16:24):
day in p show behind christ. Uh my goodness, there's
some people here. This bloke is the Minister of Wall
amongst other things, Associate agg Minister. And if Winston gets
his way Mark Patterson and becomes the Prime ministry. See
I've got this conspiracy theory. This is Winston's legacy election
and he's going to demand the top job. You could
(16:45):
be the Minister of Agriculture.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Yeah, well we won't be getting too far ahead of ourselves,
the Damien and your conspiracy theories. But no, that the
you know, we're pleased with the way we're tracking, a
long on way to go and the country's got a
non number of challenges in front of it.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So see one of my other co and the theories,
Mark Minister of Willham. We'll get onto that in a tick.
Is that New Zealand first are going to poll very
well in this election. I think Winston and Shane are
very good at scratching itches. They are populist. Let's talk
about it. But I think New Zealand First is going
to poll well and unfortunately for the Nats and perhaps
(17:22):
Seymour on the other side as well, cannibalized the National
Party vote. Is that part of the master plan.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Well, we're trying to maximize that vote. There's no doubt
about that. They can worry about their camps. But you know,
I think the messages we're saying, and Winston and Shane
in particular, are really resonating with New Zealanders. You never
wonder where they're standing though they're pretty frank. I mean,
Winston's not a fantastic job navigating an incredibly difficult geopolitical environment.
(17:50):
Shan's out in the province is actually making stuff happening
and mining and aquaculture. You know, people can actually see
what we're doing, and I think and hopefully in yeah
as well.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Okay, well, let's talk well very quickly, we've got Rachel
Sharer coming onto the show from she's the GM of
Wall for PGG Rights and we've seen a renaissance. Admittedly,
we've got a way to go, but gee, it's the
prices have improved threefold since the real lows of COVID.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
Yeah, we've been talking about it for a while, haven't
we This swing back to natural fibers, but it actually
is starting to happen now. You can talk about it
for so long, but we're actually seeing the results. So
it's fantastic to see those auction prices for Strong wim
and Melbourne the other day exceeding nine dollars a kilo.
All of a sudden, it's starting to become meaningful and
obviously that's where we'd like to see the bulk of
(18:36):
the clip up at around those levels. But yeah, the
sentiment's really good. There's a lot of investment going on
now too. Hopefully there's there's a couple of reasonably manifold
manufacturing announcements coming up shortly where we're doing more for
more with will Wear in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Now, I don't know whether you've met this bloke. His
name's Alan Livingston's the chair of the Kiwi two National Trust.
Have you got any covenants on your farm? And south
Hoakta I've got about eight Minookah bushes, so sorry, Alan,
but well, see I'm starting another campaign. You might be
the Minister of Agriculture of Winstance prime minister, so you
need to put some more money into that. That's the
(19:12):
best thing government could do to protect the environment.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
Yeah, in think we we're having just this discussion the
other day. You'll be pleased to hear, Alan, that's certainly
been pitched to us by the Funning leaders that one
of the ways we could get around some of the
CCNA stuff is actually to really lean a bit more
into the Q two stuff, and we are hearing those messages.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Okay, Mark, thank you very much for your time. You
enjoy the rest of your day. Mark Patterson, Associate agg Minister,
Minister of Wall. Keep up the good fight. We're going
to take a break on the other side of it.
Rural News with Michelle, Sports News with Mark Kelly out
of Auckland and hopefully also out of Auckland Chris Brandolino
after the break. Welcome back to the country. Broadcasting from
(19:58):
the farm Land's Tent, where I've got the best coffee
on site here at day one of the one A
and P Show. Our host and our new sponsor, Farmlands,
Tarnia Houghton joins us Halton or Horton Halton Halton, Let's
go with Helton. You realize this is kind of back
to the future because when I first set up the
show in nineteen ninety four and Gore and our original
(20:20):
sponsor was CRT, which was of course a fore runner
to Farmlands. Absolutely it was yeah, and even the Isuzu connection.
My brother, my late brother, great bloke, he was too.
When we were young guys, young farmers, we had we
had an old Series one land Rover which should go
about sixty k's an hour if we were lucky, if
we were lucky on the open road. So we charged
(20:43):
up to a brand new four wheel drive ute carton Isuzu.
So history is repeating itself.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Well, CRT is definitely a huge part of our DNA
and why it's fantastic to be done here in one
occurrent in South.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Island because we had a North Island CRT and we
had a South Island CRT back in the day, didn't we.
Speaker 9 (21:02):
I couldn't comment on the North Island gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Okay, Well, anyhow you're all together now we have. You
went to the Leader's breakfast this morning and one of
the really interesting topics was AI. How does AI for
instance effect or help your business?
Speaker 8 (21:18):
Well, it's probably not so much yet Jamie, how it's
helping although we do have embedded it, we are looking
to embed it where we can. It's more around how
it makes you think about how quickly things are moving,
particularly the access to knowledge and information, and how we
are going to use AI to increase our ability to
(21:38):
deliver our customer requirements. So it's what every business owner
should be thinking about right now is what does the
next twelve months look like for them in the embedding
of AI and their business.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Now, I see you've got a big promo here with
Farmlands Flex and this is like your solar power platform,
and goodness knows with what's happening in the Middle East
that we are looking at or two of energy sources.
So what's the deal.
Speaker 8 (22:03):
So Farmlands Flex is a new joint venture that Farmland's
launched in June last year at National Field Days Atmosphy Creek,
and it is more than solar. It's more than just
solar and batteries. It's actually really underpinned by the platform
that we delivered to you that enables you to manage
the energy that you generate to improve your return on farm.
(22:27):
So it is really about not just generating energy, but
making that energy intelligent, enabling you to use energy better.
And I think your point there is really valid, Jamie.
Whether it's pressure from the Middle East, current geopolitical situation,
or just the changing use of energy, there's no question
that we are becoming more and more electric and the
(22:50):
requirement that that is going to mean in terms of
people's energy usage is going to increase, and so consequently
we need to become more self aligned.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
You know, might Casey the Electric I like Casey very well.
I'm sure you do. Now. He is a great advocate
of electrifying the farms of New Zealand. And the example
he gave was from the storms that decimated the powers
supply and the Deep South and in Canterbury and the
farmers with the solar panels on the milking sheds, for instance,
could carry on milk and cows and.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
Some of those were farmlands flex customers.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that, Tarni, or I'm absolutely
pleased to hear. Hey. Just before I let you go,
you guys have released your half year results. I put
it to you you can't make money this year, You'll
never make money in a farm supply business. Well I would.
Speaker 8 (23:33):
Put that back to you actually and say this year
might be a really strong year on farm But the
reality is the use of inputs, traditional use of inputs
is completely changing. So categories that we used to rely on,
like for example, infrastructure are being disrupted by wearables and
technology light halter and so we this whay ai and
(23:57):
thinking about disruption is so important because the reality is
that an input business has to be thinking about what
are the inputs of the future, and the market of
the inputs of today is really changing use of input
So while it's a good year, it's not a great year,
but it could be a great year again if we
(24:18):
think really hard about what it is that farmers are
going to need, not just today but.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
In ten years a year.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yeah, good on you, tar, But if it's a good
year for farmers, it's a good year for farm lands.
Thank you very much for hosting us today. You've got
a wonderful team here and you know the coffeemakers over
there are amazing. As soon as your cops empty out
comes another one they.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Must be looking after you. Well, well, I haven't had
that service today.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Well, I'll tell you what you know. How you're talking
about powering farms. Well, radio announcers, that's an old wood.
Radio hosts are powered by Carefeme.
Speaker 8 (24:48):
Yeah, are so many of our team as well, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
And there's worst things to be powered by TARNI are
holding the chief Executive of farm Lands our host for today. Hey,
Mark and Michelle, we might throw now if we can.
Hopefully this is enough warning for you to rural news.
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
The Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower bread visit steel Ford dot co
dot In said for your local stockist.
Speaker 10 (25:16):
Hey, Jamie, always prepared for you to throw me under
the bus or something right.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yet, Well, I hope you've got some rural news for me, Michelle,
or you will be under.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
A bus of course, always prepared. Last night was the
Taranaki Balance Farm Environment Awards. Regional Supreme winners have been
announced from that. They're Philip and Linlear Hooper of the
hoop Man Family Trust. So they join the other. One
is vying for the Gordon Stevenson Trophy which is being
held in July and christ Church and that's Royal News
of course over the weekend as well, we've got the
(25:48):
regional competition for Taranaki MANAUA two I think for the
young farmers as well, So good luck to all those
competing in that. And here is Marco.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Sport Sports Country with AFCO invested in your foaming success.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
Thank you.
Speaker 11 (26:04):
Michelle Mondo Deplantis has added another centimeter to his own
world pole vault record. He's clear that six point three
one meters in an indoor meet in Sweden in the
tall fan. So I've lost seventy four to fifty one
to Italy in the second game of the World Cup
Basketball qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Back to Wanica here.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Thanks Mark Kelly out of Auckland and Michelle. I no
one likes the corrector. But didn't we have the Taranaki
manor or two regional final last weekend?
Speaker 10 (26:29):
I think we did behind myself as East Coast.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Sorry about that East Coast, Well, you weren't a mile away,
You're only half an island away. Anyhow, We've got that
one sorted. Was that that South African bloke? Yeah? Yeah,
where's he gone? Is he gone? He's coming back? Apparently
he's a must talk to PJ. Butler's's name a livestock
judge from Wealth, South African, but he's from Texas. We
might or might not get a chance to speak to
(26:53):
him here on the country. But after the break, I'm
misterr I mister and mastered in last Friday because she
was two humble to go banging on the on the
window of our broadcast site. So we missed it. We've
got it today, Rachel Sharer. She's the GM of PGG
Rights and Wall and we've only got good news at
the moment for wool. We'll do that next with Rachel
(27:14):
Sharer here on the country that has fifteen away from
one quarter to one one of a show. Beautiful day,
great part of the country. This she was in mastered
on last Friday. I was in mastered on last Friday
and we were ships in the night, Rachel Sharer, which
(27:36):
is a great name for the head of wool for
PGG rights. And I know you guys are major sponsors
of the Golden Shares. You do the National sharing Circuit.
How good was the Golden Shares and of course the
World Championships, Oh, what.
Speaker 9 (27:49):
An outstanding events. They play such a role, such a
crucial role in the quality of wall going out of
New Zealand, and these guys and girls, what athletes. It
was phenomenal and the fact that Jack Fagan stood up
in the vet ned PGG rights and sharing circuit was outstanding.
I know you had his dad on the show.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Oh yeah, well, Sir David was on the show. But
Jack is such a good ambassador for sharing. He's such
an eloquent young man. He's fluent in about three language,
is a very intellectual sort of guy, thinks deeply about
all sorts of things other than sharing. But he got
he didn't quite make the open finals for the Golden Shares,
(28:28):
but he did win that one and he is the
best speed sharer in the country.
Speaker 9 (28:33):
Absolutely, and we're incredibly proud of him and we're looking
forward to giving him his well deserved Santa Fe sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
So he gets it for a year, does he? Who
had it before?
Speaker 9 (28:44):
Nathan Stratford and part has also had it.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Oh well, Nathan Stratford's a great Southland Now we've had
another wall sale this week. We have ninety eight percent clearance.
South Island Strongwall Indicator up three cents. I know we've
got a long way to go. But Wall is suddenly
back on the radar because it's worth something. I was
worried a year or two ago that strong wool would
(29:08):
disappear off the face of the earth and we'd all
go self shedding sheep and that would be the end
of our war ravest That would be well, it would
be a travestick because it's a wonderful product and we
all figured it was going to come right at some stage.
How is Wall effected by what's happening in the Middle
East at the moment? And I say that because we
know there's a correlation, for instance, between whole milk powder
(29:29):
and oil price. What about if oil price is going up,
that must make synthetics more expensive. Surely that plays into
the hand of a natural product like wool.
Speaker 9 (29:39):
It sure does, although we also have to take in
consideration the shipping lines and the lake. But you're absolutely right,
and what our GM of export is across in the
European markets at the moment, And a common theme coming
through from him is there's just a real concern about
the supply going forward. Finally people are waking up to
the lower supply numbers coming forward, but also that quality
remains incredibly important. Back to the girls and guys at
(30:01):
the Golden Shears, they play such an important role in
the wallsheds for the quality of New Zealand wall.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
So are we getting exporters who are being caught short
on contracts? And is that what's driving the market a
bit at the moment? A little bit?
Speaker 9 (30:13):
Although at the moment we are seeing that prices have
leveled off. I guess where supply where demand currently is.
So we're in that prices are plate owed for a bit,
but that's quite typical for this time of the year
as the color starts to come off. Up until now,
quality has been incredibly good and good production levels. We're
looking forward to heading into the into the winter period.
But yeah, exporters are currently have filled their books predominantly.
(30:38):
That's why you're seeing the prices plateau.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
At the moment.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
What else do we need to talk about, Look, we.
Speaker 9 (30:44):
Can't go away from the fact at five dollars year
around that five dollars fifty clean mark. At the moment,
we're nearly a dollar fifty two dollars up on where
we were the same time last year. So you know,
we're talking to growers and we're talking to growlers here
at the Wanaka Show who are starting to say it's
no longer reliability on their balance sheet of music to
many sheep farmers is because at the end of the day,
(31:04):
I'm incredibly passionate that we need to keep New Zealand
farmers in sheep. They play such an important part of
our ecosystem. They play such an important role in the
New Zealand farming landscape, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
And the environmental footprint of fat is much less than cattle.
Speaker 9 (31:18):
One hundred percent. And it's not just a good product,
but it's actually good for New Zealand environment, you know, sustainability,
sustainable nature of our farms.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
All right, Rachel, great, great to catch you, keep up
work there at PGG Rights and Wile and apologies for
last for last Friday.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
That's all good.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
We were ships in the night and before I forget,
I just want to get a plug in for Farmstrong.
They're also our our partners here on the tree and
they do a lot of good work. And farmers are
telling us coping with the ups and downs of farming
is a lot easier when you share the load. I'm
sure everyone gets that one. A problem shared is a
problem halved. That's why it's important to have a natter
(31:54):
and get things off your chest rather than bottle things up.
That only makes a tough day worse. Not make time
this weekend to catch up with a mate over a
coffee or a bear and I'm sure Rachel will be
a few bears had later this afternoon. It's getting quite
warm out there. Talking to others is a great way
to lighten the backpack. For free tools and advice on
how to stay farm strong, head to the website farmstrong
(32:17):
dot co dot Nzi Ben Ben Earth to Ben, he's
not even listening, Ben. Do we have PJ Butler here?
We do is listen here right? Okay, We've got our
special celebrity guest. We'll come back after the break with
a South African who lives in Texas and is a
world renowned livestock judge. Okay, wrapping the country from the
(32:41):
Wana Care Show, Day one of two beautiful day, Huge
crowds here, you can't believe it. A few weeks ago
I got an email from a bloke saying, I hear
you're at the Wanaker Show. You need to talk to
this man. His name is PJ. Butler. He's a South
African livestock judge of world renowned and he's based in Texas.
We've met for thirty seconds literally before we conduct this shown.
(33:04):
Tell me about yourself and why you're such a big
deal in the livestock judging.
Speaker 12 (33:09):
Jamie, that's a very difficult introduction, but I don't think
of a big deal. I'm cheap and available. So I
really enjoy evaluating livestock and I love doing it all
over the world, and it complements my real business, which
is working for a biotechnology company. We do livestock, livestock
(33:30):
embryos and cloning and gene editing, stuff like that, and
then I consult on cattle operations worldwide and get pulled
into a lot of speaking opportunities at conferences.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
So that's what keeps you well. I know you're here
today and your capacity is a live stock judge. If
you had to look around the cattle here.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
No, just from a distance.
Speaker 12 (33:51):
I like seeing them, you know, for the first time
when the judging actually starts, and I'm looking forward to that.
There's a good entry, a lot of different breeds represented,
and from what I saw from a distance, the quality
is bang on target.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Why them moved to Texas.
Speaker 12 (34:09):
So I was seventh generation on a farm in South
Africa beef, cattle, wool sheep, and I loved it.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
I really loved the production. We had big bull sales.
Speaker 12 (34:22):
And then I got this bug for international business after
I started consulting in different countries and bringing genetics in
from different countries, and I thought, maybe there's a place
in the market to do a global livestock initiative where
try and create a bit more awareness and do some
projects that bring some goodwill between those producers and then
(34:44):
launch that into trade. And that project is running and
it's keeping me busy, and I needed to be in
Texas to do it, just from a logistics standpoint. South
Africa's far away from everything, and also there's a big,
busy airport in Dallas that I fly in a nut
of and there's a lot of activity in Texas itself,
(35:05):
so it's kept me busse.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
I've been lucky enough to visit your country on a
rugby tour and you have the fries, Yes, barbecues you
do great, you do great barbecue. Meat. Took another tour
in a past life to South America. They do meat
really well. But the best steak i've ever had in
my life was just outside of Dallas, between Dallas and
(35:26):
Fort Worth, Texas Steakhouse. So where are the best steaks
in the world.
Speaker 12 (35:31):
So that's a controversial question, but I agree with you
on that. I think that generally America does food really badly,
but they're really really good at doing steak. And yeah,
I think there's a good North American Rabbi or the
New York Strip. I think that's about as good as
I've had.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Because over there they the steak that I had anyhow
was like two inches that. Yes, so they sare at
either side and then they whack it in an oven
for eight or nine minutes or whatever and just new
cut and it's just to die for.
Speaker 5 (36:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (36:05):
And I think also they've really got the management down
in terms of how long they feed them for like
entry point, exit point. Their cuts have really they've really
got that refined and turn art and their genetics have
become quite uniform, so that part of the cuisine in
the US is good.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
The rest of it is pretty suspect.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Fair enough, they have the deep fried onion rings to
go with it. That's why Americans. If you're a beef
farmer listening to this where on getting record returns at
the moment, how long will this sweet spot last for
because you've got to rebuild the herd, especially in the US.
Speaker 12 (36:45):
So the interesting part about this is it is record
highs and it's it's literally record highs, Like as long
as they've been cattle in the US, they've never sold
for as much as they sell or now, and it's
becoming a global trend pretty much all around the world
that they're getting good spikes in their prices. It's going
to last for at least another three years because even
(37:06):
if it starts raining now in the West, they're going
to have to start retaining heifers and not sending them
to the feed yards, which means that the inventry will
be low for another couple of years. And there's a
problem with New World screwworm in Latin America, so those
borders are closed, so that's two million cattle not getting
(37:27):
into the feedlots.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
PJ. Butler, very late notice. Great to catch up with
you today on the country. Enjoy you're judging gig here
at the Wanaka amp show. That's us done on dust
that I'll be quite happy to spend a week in
Duneda next week It's spend life of a traveling salesman.
Have a great weekend wherever you are, and go the Highlanders.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Aisuzu, get demo deals
on the tough Dmax today
Catch are the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Aisuzu, Get Demo deals
on the Tough Dmax Today.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
You and the Dark Bats a count of the Stars program.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Role gadamiws Ellen. Welcome to the Country. We've been all
over the country in the past week mastered and for
the Golden Shears Christchurch for the Zander McDonald Awards. We
wind up my storm week here on the Country by
being at Wonaka day one of the Wonica amp Show,
(00:41):
huge event. I haven't been here for a number of
years now. Last night we had a great fundraisers for
Lincoln University backing sport organized by Andy Ball and chief
executive of the Scales Group. Obviously Lincoln alumni and Donald
Howie Morrison, former director of the Alliance Group. But our
keynote speaker or one of them. I was a former
All Black captain, our former farmer. I don't know if
(01:04):
he's still a current farmer. Let's ask him. Andy Dalton,
good Andy, great to meet you in person. And what
I found out about you last night that you spent
five summers on the farm right next door to mine
and I didn't know you existed you.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I was working with John McLay on his family farm
there in Riversdale. Met John walking the track when I
was about fourteen or fifteen, and every holiday after that
I went down, enjoyed the farming down there, and as
a consequence of that, went to Lincoln and farming eventually,
So it certainly fed my interest.
Speaker 3 (01:40):
His mother, Phyllis, gave me my first tennis racket, an
old slashship with remember the old tennis rackets with the
cat gup. If you left them out in the rain,
they would buckle. Anyhow, this is all about you. So
we talked about your time and the All Blacks and
that's pretty well documented. And I didn't get a chance
to go there last night. But life after rugby for
a Dedlton.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, Well, while while I was playing rugby, when I
started with the All Blacks, I was a farm advisor.
And then we bought our first block of land in Bombay,
just out of Pooka Koe in nineteen seventy eight, and
then added to that in eighty and eighty one and
ended up nine hundred acres there, and I was trying
to run that two little kids playing for the All
(02:22):
Blacks and not a lot of money coming in then
and later in the eighties I put a manager on
the farm and we went into town and started a
waste business with some Frenzy and Stevens who just recently
died unfortunately, but people in the Southern Club down and
Dunedin would know him well. And a very successful business
(02:44):
that we subsequently sold onto new Plex. I ran the
Australasian waste businesses for Newplex for a number of years
and then went into television and outdoor media production, which
Lincoln taught me all about.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
You're a man of many talent, so of course you
still kept your finger and the pie as it were.
With rugby. You were the CEO of the Auckland Rugby
Union and of course a president or a former president
of a New Zealand rugby union, so you've you've kept
that connection and.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Still involved with the foundation who looks after the severely
injured players from the game. So got a good connect
there as well, which I really enjoy and I met
some wonderful people over the years. Jamie quite special.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Last night I tried to get it out of you
because my old mate Warwick Taylor. I don't know if
he's listening Hello Warwick if you are went on the
Cavaliers tour and I always try and weasel it out
of him how much you got paid. And I didn't
have much luck with you either last night. You know
you didn't know, but your business career took off after
you came home from the Cavaliers tour. Andy, was that
(03:48):
Judison Capital funding? Oh, that's when we had to go
in to get off the farm. Actually it was a
pretty tough time and we were paying twenty one percent
interest rates. We're getting ten twelve dollars for a store, lamb,
So it was the ugly Therefore it you've got your
finger in all these business pies. Have you still got
investment in farming? Only ten acres now?
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Life sentence block in Waypoo and surrounded by farmland, and
I don't actually graze the property, to be honest. I've
got a neighbor looking after that for me and fully
involved in real estate, which I'm absolutely enjoying. I got
bored when I got up there, supposedly to retire and
now working my butt off actually, and my wife keeps
telling me I'm into performing.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
I need to work harder at it so I do
well While I've got you would be remissing me not
to talk a wee bit of foddy. Two years out
or less than two years out from the Rugby World Cup,
we've had a change. Dave Rennie's very highly rated. I
was a wee bit disappointed my man and Otago didn't
get the job Jamie Joseph, But what chance the All
Blacks because it looks like we're going to come up
(04:51):
against the spring Box and the quarter final. They are
the best team in the world at the moment.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Yeah, I totally agree, and I think this year is
going to be a tough year for with them over
there touring the midweek games will be as tough as
a test matches, so they're going to have a It'll
be a fantastic tour to go on, but it's going
to be a tough one for them.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
But I think they are going to be.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Totally focused now they know how short the runway is
and they'll be planning for that. And I'd still back
Dave to get it sorted within the two years.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Okay, we'll be at Delton. Just a pleasure to meet you,
an absolute honor to meet you. You're a rugby legend.
I'm just going to chuck another Andy on. This is
Andy Borland, who's the chief executive these days. Well, we
were at Lincoln together back in the early eighties. Andy,
these days, you've done so much better in life than
I have. I mean, just look at your salary compared
to mine. But you're the chief executive Scales Group, huge
(05:42):
in horticulture, huge also and pet food. And you told
me I've got to mind the p's and queues today.
There are certain subjects you don't wan to broach. Just
in case you Chairman Mike Peterson's listening.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
Oh thanks, thanks, Jamie.
Speaker 6 (05:54):
Look, you know ye have enjoyed my time at Scales,
the great, great team of people working there across the divisions.
With the horticulture business, we were flat out harvesting at
the moment. The looks like a pretty good crop so far,
but you know we're still in that process. We don't
really like to count them till they're all under tin
as it were in the shed. So yeah, that's the
(06:16):
guy who's a flat out doing that now. And yeah,
and the obvious question that we were discussing not to
talk about was the little kafuffle in the Middle East.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
So we're allowed to talk about it, Mike, letting us
talk about it.
Speaker 5 (06:28):
I knew, I knew you'd ask.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
But anyway, because last night at the Lincoln fundraising, and
he did a great job of you and Howie Morrison,
but you were flogging off apples for good causes for charity,
and it looked like you might have had to contain
a load or two that you couldn't get rid of,
so you were going to flog them off for a
donation at the Link dinner.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
It was all good.
Speaker 6 (06:46):
I was just getting them to you know, see what
great apples they were, because we don't sell that many
dazzle in the in the retail shops in New Zealand
because they're all exported.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
No.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Look, the we had a few early.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
The apple's stuck in Singapore, which will divert to another market. Look,
it's not never good these things. They create uncertainty. But
you know, so far, you know, we're just waiting, watching
and you know, getting good information out of the government,
and we'll be just taking a watching brief on it. It'll, it'll, it'll.
You know, everyone's hoping it's a short war, not a
(07:22):
long one.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Well history might suggest otherwise. I hope I'm wrong on
that one. Hey. Just to finish on, the most important
thing for you guys at this time of the year is,
dare I say it, the weather. We all remember Cyclone
Gabrielle and the apples are coming off now and then
the key with fruits starting to come off. So the
long range forecast. We're going to talk to Chris Brandolino
from newa But it's quite good for March. That is
(07:43):
such good news for the horticulture industry.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
Yeah, look, it's it's really it's good when it's dry
and you know, picking the apples and the rain's not
that you know, productive, so it's important. Dry weather through
autumn is great for us. So yeah, we'll be we'll
be watching the weather. But yeah, hopefully by the end
of April, they're all in the shed.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Hey, Andy Borland, to you and Donald Howie Morrison from
our Lincoln days. I mean you've both done very well
and you two were the main drivers, or two of
the main drivers behind our fundraising dinner. Andy Dalton guest
speaker Gary Stead, wasn't he good? A former black Cap
and Black Caps coach. So you've got a wonderful array
of talent up there. It was a good evening. Well
(08:24):
done and a big shout out to Alan Dippy, the
guy who owns the vintage machinery shed.
Speaker 6 (08:30):
It's impressive shed. And yeah he's as he said himself,
he's got a very serious addiction to collecting crime.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Well when he said I've only got three hundred and
fifty tractors, now I'm thinking jeez, yeah he had over
five hundred. He's amazing. Anyhow, we're going to take a
break here on the Country. On the other side of
someone else who played rugby with Andy Dalton at Lincoln
University in the early seventies is Alan Livingstone and he
is the chair of the KIWI two National Trust. We'll
(08:56):
chat to him after the break. That is nineteen after twelve.
You're with the Country broadcasting from Farmlands and new partners
on the Country. Fantastic. One guy I met last night
at the Lincoln fundraising dinner who actually went to Lincoln
with Andy Dalton and Ian Hurst for that matter, another
(09:20):
former All Black who's done very well in life as
Allan Livingston. And Alan, I've got you on because you're
the chair of an organization very near and dear to
my own heart, and that is the Kiwi two National Trust.
You've taken over from Bruce Wills who did a sterling job.
Graham Murray's been involved as he's still on the board.
He's still on the board. Yes, Yes, some smart guys
(09:40):
played rugby for New Zealand in the seventies and eighties.
You look at Andy Dalton and Graham Murray. Obviously Ian
Hurst's another guy who's done very well. Halfternoon, Jamie, it's
a pleasure to be here and talking of rugby. Yes,
I thoroughly enjoyed my years at Lincoln and in my
first year I was actually in the under twenty Bees,
(10:02):
which was captain by infamous Southlander by the names of
Alistair McIntosh. Oh yes, father of Jamie correct and Andy
Dalton was a captain of the A's and we had
the honor of beating the Bees. Beating the A's. We
had a notable Paul Quinn that was a big help
to our team. Oh yes, Wellington flanker. And then I
(10:22):
was under Andy's captaincy in the next year in the
under twenty A's and the second fifteen the following year. Yeah.
Because the interesting thing about Andy Dolton, mind you, as
I said last night, there were some great rugby players
at Lincoln who never made the first fifteen out and
we won't go into that one. But Andy Dalton went
on to be a great All Black but never cracked
the first fifteen at Lincoln College. And I guess that's
(10:43):
a reflection of the caliber of players that were there, Jamie,
because they were outstanding players that didn't make the first
fifteen yet went on to play rep rugby. And I
think of Ross McGlashan, who played a large number of
games for y Katto, who didn't crack the first fifteen.
Andy was behind Mark Peacock who went on and played
(11:06):
for kin Country and his brother Phil played for Canterbury
and the South Island. So there was some quality players
from one to fifteen. Where are you farming and how
did you get involved in the Kiwi Tu National Trust?
I take it that you've got covenance on your property, correct, Yes,
a passionate covenant tour farming a sheep and cattle property
(11:26):
near Taomutu, southwest of Hamilton, and I've got two covenants.
I've always had an interest in biodiversity and the environment,
and I was involved in local government for twenty four
years and heavily involved there as well, and it's great
to be involved and contribute to what is an absolute
(11:47):
stunning role that we plan in New Zealand's bio diversity.
Now I know the government's got no money, which is
a real shame. You and I were discussing this last night.
The best thing, bar none, the government could do for
the environment is triple, quadruple ten times the contribution they
make to the Q two National Trust, because that locks
(12:08):
and farmers to put land and I've got a covenant
myself and it's protected forever and the farmers do all
the hard yards. Look, you could be our advocate, Jamie,
because what you say is absolutely right. We haven't had
an increase in funding for fifteen years from the government,
other than we appreciate Minister Potarker finding one and a
(12:30):
half million from the International Visitor Levy. But look at
the moment we're only covenanting in extra thirty five new covenants,
whereas previously we're doing one hundred and fifty. Our priority
is our existing covenant tours and looking after them, so
we've had to cut back on new covenants, which is
(12:51):
damned tough because we've got people lining up to covenant
their bush. Well, I've got Mark Patterson, who's the Minister
of wall I mean who knows I wins becomes prime minister,
he could end up being the Minister of Agriculture. Who knows,
so we might chew his here on that one. Alan,
great to meet you. Did you enjoy the night last night?
Speaker 5 (13:08):
Went?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Those guys interesting? Very interesting, not surprising with Andy, but
I hadn't met the Steads before. But Garry Stead really interesting,
very interesting and very successful as a player, but more
so as a coach as you said, and Rachel his wife,
very successful but highlighting the value of volunteers. Absolutely, Alan Livingston,
(13:30):
what a pleasure to catch up with you. Now. I'm
based in Duneaton. I got up here and this is
part of the new sponsorship deal. Can I bring you
in Ben Humphries see the old bosses here, Alan, I've
got to be on my best behavior. This bloke's in
charge of rural and Sport for endz ME. He's still
trying to plug himself and while he does, I'm just
going to get a shameless plug in for the Isuzu
(13:52):
m Ux. That's the suv that's the seventh seater, so
it's not just transport. It's your work mate. Now I'm
talking about the Mux here and the Dmax towing trailers
down metal roads, hauling gear back to the paddock. You
need a vehicle that doesn't just look the part, it's
got to deliver. That's where is Suzu utes come in.
They've got real truck DNA, real reliability. You can count
(14:15):
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Nz to register you interest or visit your localized Susie dealership.
Real Vehicles, Real Tough, Real Value. Hello Ben, good morning,
good afternoon. Yeah, so how are we going so far?
I'll get a bit nervous broadcasting in front of the boss. No,
it's wonderful. You've got a great lineup. I'm very impressed.
Well you've got connections. Well yes, well I'm from down
(15:22):
this neck of the woods, so I do know. Look, honestly, Ben,
Wonica is filled with retired or not retired. My mates
from Southland or are still farming. They've all got holiday
homes up here. If you did a demographic scan of
the population of wanaicer Oic and the DNA, most of
it's Southland. Do you go.
Speaker 5 (15:40):
Have you got a batch here, Jamie?
Speaker 3 (15:42):
No, No, I haven't got a batch at all. Well,
you know that'd be quite good if you'd got one,
Well you got you could share the keys around? Are
we still talking accommodation? She got to stop that, Ben.
We're going to take a break and I've got the
Minister of Wall waiting, Mark Patterson. I'm going to a
for Ellen Livingstone, who's the chair of the Kiwi two.
(16:02):
Trust I'm going to chew his air and see if
we can get some more money for that wonderful cause
it is twenty six after twelve. We'll be back after
the break. Welcome back to the country. What a day
here in Wanaka. It's just beautifully fine. There are so
many people here. They tell me it's the second biggest
(16:24):
day in p show behind christ. Uh my goodness, there's
some people here. This bloke is the Minister of Wall
amongst other things, Associate agg Minister. And if Winston gets
his way Mark Patterson and becomes the Prime ministry. See
I've got this conspiracy theory. This is Winston's legacy election
and he's going to demand the top job. You could
(16:45):
be the Minister of Agriculture.
Speaker 7 (16:47):
Yeah, well we won't be getting too far ahead of ourselves,
the Damien and your conspiracy theories. But no, that the
you know, we're pleased with the way we're tracking, a
long on way to go and the country's got a
non number of challenges in front of it.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
So see one of my other co and the theories,
Mark Minister of Willham. We'll get onto that in a tick.
Is that New Zealand first are going to poll very
well in this election. I think Winston and Shane are
very good at scratching itches. They are populist. Let's talk
about it. But I think New Zealand First is going
to poll well and unfortunately for the Nats and perhaps
(17:22):
Seymour on the other side as well, cannibalized the National
Party vote. Is that part of the master plan.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
Well, we're trying to maximize that vote. There's no doubt
about that. They can worry about their camps. But you know,
I think the messages we're saying, and Winston and Shane
in particular, are really resonating with New Zealanders. You never
wonder where they're standing though they're pretty frank. I mean,
Winston's not a fantastic job navigating an incredibly difficult geopolitical environment.
(17:50):
Shan's out in the province is actually making stuff happening
and mining and aquaculture. You know, people can actually see
what we're doing, and I think and hopefully in yeah
as well.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
Okay, well, let's talk well very quickly, we've got Rachel
Sharer coming onto the show from she's the GM of
Wall for PGG Rights and we've seen a renaissance. Admittedly,
we've got a way to go, but gee, it's the
prices have improved threefold since the real lows of COVID.
Speaker 7 (18:16):
Yeah, we've been talking about it for a while, haven't
we This swing back to natural fibers, but it actually
is starting to happen now. You can talk about it
for so long, but we're actually seeing the results. So
it's fantastic to see those auction prices for Strong wim
and Melbourne the other day exceeding nine dollars a kilo.
All of a sudden, it's starting to become meaningful and
obviously that's where we'd like to see the bulk of
(18:36):
the clip up at around those levels. But yeah, the
sentiment's really good. There's a lot of investment going on
now too. Hopefully there's there's a couple of reasonably manifold
manufacturing announcements coming up shortly where we're doing more for
more with will Wear in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Now, I don't know whether you've met this bloke. His
name's Alan Livingston's the chair of the Kiwi two National Trust.
Have you got any covenants on your farm? And south
Hoakta I've got about eight Minookah bushes, so sorry, Alan,
but well, see I'm starting another campaign. You might be
the Minister of Agriculture of Winstance prime minister, so you
need to put some more money into that. That's the
(19:12):
best thing government could do to protect the environment.
Speaker 7 (19:15):
Yeah, in think we we're having just this discussion the
other day. You'll be pleased to hear, Alan, that's certainly
been pitched to us by the Funning leaders that one
of the ways we could get around some of the
CCNA stuff is actually to really lean a bit more
into the Q two stuff, and we are hearing those messages.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
Okay, Mark, thank you very much for your time. You
enjoy the rest of your day. Mark Patterson, Associate agg Minister,
Minister of Wall. Keep up the good fight. We're going
to take a break on the other side of it.
Rural News with Michelle, Sports News with Mark Kelly out
of Auckland and hopefully also out of Auckland Chris Brandolino
after the break. Welcome back to the country. Broadcasting from
(19:58):
the farm Land's Tent, where I've got the best coffee
on site here at day one of the one A
and P Show. Our host and our new sponsor, Farmlands,
Tarnia Houghton joins us Halton or Horton Halton Halton, Let's
go with Helton. You realize this is kind of back
to the future because when I first set up the
show in nineteen ninety four and Gore and our original
(20:20):
sponsor was CRT, which was of course a fore runner
to Farmlands. Absolutely it was yeah, and even the Isuzu connection.
My brother, my late brother, great bloke, he was too.
When we were young guys, young farmers, we had we
had an old Series one land Rover which should go
about sixty k's an hour if we were lucky, if
we were lucky on the open road. So we charged
(20:43):
up to a brand new four wheel drive ute carton Isuzu.
So history is repeating itself.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Well, CRT is definitely a huge part of our DNA
and why it's fantastic to be done here in one
occurrent in South.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Island because we had a North Island CRT and we
had a South Island CRT back in the day, didn't we.
Speaker 9 (21:02):
I couldn't comment on the North Island gentlemen.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Okay, Well, anyhow you're all together now we have. You
went to the Leader's breakfast this morning and one of
the really interesting topics was AI. How does AI for
instance effect or help your business?
Speaker 8 (21:18):
Well, it's probably not so much yet Jamie, how it's
helping although we do have embedded it, we are looking
to embed it where we can. It's more around how
it makes you think about how quickly things are moving,
particularly the access to knowledge and information, and how we
are going to use AI to increase our ability to
(21:38):
deliver our customer requirements. So it's what every business owner
should be thinking about right now is what does the
next twelve months look like for them in the embedding
of AI and their business.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
Now, I see you've got a big promo here with
Farmlands Flex and this is like your solar power platform,
and goodness knows with what's happening in the Middle East
that we are looking at or two of energy sources.
So what's the deal.
Speaker 8 (22:03):
So Farmlands Flex is a new joint venture that Farmland's
launched in June last year at National Field Days Atmosphy Creek,
and it is more than solar. It's more than just
solar and batteries. It's actually really underpinned by the platform
that we delivered to you that enables you to manage
the energy that you generate to improve your return on farm.
(22:27):
So it is really about not just generating energy, but
making that energy intelligent, enabling you to use energy better.
And I think your point there is really valid, Jamie.
Whether it's pressure from the Middle East, current geopolitical situation,
or just the changing use of energy, there's no question
that we are becoming more and more electric and the
(22:50):
requirement that that is going to mean in terms of
people's energy usage is going to increase, and so consequently
we need to become more self aligned.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
You know, might Casey the Electric I like Casey very well.
I'm sure you do. Now. He is a great advocate
of electrifying the farms of New Zealand. And the example
he gave was from the storms that decimated the powers
supply and the Deep South and in Canterbury and the
farmers with the solar panels on the milking sheds, for instance,
could carry on milk and cows and.
Speaker 8 (23:19):
Some of those were farmlands flex customers.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
Well, I'm pleased to hear that, Tarni, or I'm absolutely
pleased to hear. Hey. Just before I let you go,
you guys have released your half year results. I put
it to you you can't make money this year, You'll
never make money in a farm supply business. Well I would.
Speaker 8 (23:33):
Put that back to you actually and say this year
might be a really strong year on farm But the
reality is the use of inputs, traditional use of inputs
is completely changing. So categories that we used to rely on,
like for example, infrastructure are being disrupted by wearables and
technology light halter and so we this whay ai and
(23:57):
thinking about disruption is so important because the reality is
that an input business has to be thinking about what
are the inputs of the future, and the market of
the inputs of today is really changing use of input
So while it's a good year, it's not a great year,
but it could be a great year again if we
(24:18):
think really hard about what it is that farmers are
going to need, not just today but.
Speaker 5 (24:21):
In ten years a year.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yeah, good on you, tar, But if it's a good
year for farmers, it's a good year for farm lands.
Thank you very much for hosting us today. You've got
a wonderful team here and you know the coffeemakers over
there are amazing. As soon as your cops empty out
comes another one they.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Must be looking after you. Well, well, I haven't had
that service today.
Speaker 3 (24:39):
Well, I'll tell you what you know. How you're talking
about powering farms. Well, radio announcers, that's an old wood.
Radio hosts are powered by Carefeme.
Speaker 8 (24:48):
Yeah, are so many of our team as well, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (24:50):
And there's worst things to be powered by TARNI are
holding the chief Executive of farm Lands our host for today. Hey,
Mark and Michelle, we might throw now if we can.
Hopefully this is enough warning for you to rural news.
Let's do it.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
The Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn bower bread visit steel Ford dot co
dot In said for your local stockist.
Speaker 10 (25:16):
Hey, Jamie, always prepared for you to throw me under
the bus or something right.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yet, Well, I hope you've got some rural news for me, Michelle,
or you will be under.
Speaker 10 (25:26):
A bus of course, always prepared. Last night was the
Taranaki Balance Farm Environment Awards. Regional Supreme winners have been
announced from that. They're Philip and Linlear Hooper of the
hoop Man Family Trust. So they join the other. One
is vying for the Gordon Stevenson Trophy which is being
held in July and christ Church and that's Royal News
of course over the weekend as well, we've got the
(25:48):
regional competition for Taranaki MANAUA two I think for the
young farmers as well, So good luck to all those
competing in that. And here is Marco.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Sport Sports Country with AFCO invested in your foaming success.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
Thank you.
Speaker 11 (26:04):
Michelle Mondo Deplantis has added another centimeter to his own
world pole vault record. He's clear that six point three
one meters in an indoor meet in Sweden in the
tall fan. So I've lost seventy four to fifty one
to Italy in the second game of the World Cup
Basketball qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.
Speaker 5 (26:20):
Back to Wanica here.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
Thanks Mark Kelly out of Auckland and Michelle. I no
one likes the corrector. But didn't we have the Taranaki
manor or two regional final last weekend?
Speaker 10 (26:29):
I think we did behind myself as East Coast.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Sorry about that East Coast, Well, you weren't a mile away,
You're only half an island away. Anyhow, We've got that
one sorted. Was that that South African bloke? Yeah? Yeah,
where's he gone? Is he gone? He's coming back? Apparently
he's a must talk to PJ. Butler's's name a livestock
judge from Wealth, South African, but he's from Texas. We
might or might not get a chance to speak to
(26:53):
him here on the country. But after the break, I'm
misterr I mister and mastered in last Friday because she
was two humble to go banging on the on the
window of our broadcast site. So we missed it. We've
got it today, Rachel Sharer. She's the GM of PGG
Rights and Wall and we've only got good news at
the moment for wool. We'll do that next with Rachel
(27:14):
Sharer here on the country that has fifteen away from
one quarter to one one of a show. Beautiful day,
great part of the country. This she was in mastered
on last Friday. I was in mastered on last Friday
and we were ships in the night, Rachel Sharer, which
(27:36):
is a great name for the head of wool for
PGG rights. And I know you guys are major sponsors
of the Golden Shares. You do the National sharing Circuit.
How good was the Golden Shares and of course the
World Championships, Oh, what.
Speaker 9 (27:49):
An outstanding events. They play such a role, such a
crucial role in the quality of wall going out of
New Zealand, and these guys and girls, what athletes. It
was phenomenal and the fact that Jack Fagan stood up
in the vet ned PGG rights and sharing circuit was outstanding.
I know you had his dad on the show.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Oh yeah, well, Sir David was on the show. But
Jack is such a good ambassador for sharing. He's such
an eloquent young man. He's fluent in about three language,
is a very intellectual sort of guy, thinks deeply about
all sorts of things other than sharing. But he got
he didn't quite make the open finals for the Golden Shares,
(28:28):
but he did win that one and he is the
best speed sharer in the country.
Speaker 9 (28:33):
Absolutely, and we're incredibly proud of him and we're looking
forward to giving him his well deserved Santa Fe sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
So he gets it for a year, does he? Who
had it before?
Speaker 9 (28:44):
Nathan Stratford and part has also had it.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Oh well, Nathan Stratford's a great Southland Now we've had
another wall sale this week. We have ninety eight percent clearance.
South Island Strongwall Indicator up three cents. I know we've
got a long way to go. But Wall is suddenly
back on the radar because it's worth something. I was
worried a year or two ago that strong wool would
(29:08):
disappear off the face of the earth and we'd all
go self shedding sheep and that would be the end
of our war ravest That would be well, it would
be a travestick because it's a wonderful product and we
all figured it was going to come right at some stage.
How is Wall effected by what's happening in the Middle
East at the moment? And I say that because we
know there's a correlation, for instance, between whole milk powder
(29:29):
and oil price. What about if oil price is going up,
that must make synthetics more expensive. Surely that plays into
the hand of a natural product like wool.
Speaker 9 (29:39):
It sure does, although we also have to take in
consideration the shipping lines and the lake. But you're absolutely right,
and what our GM of export is across in the
European markets at the moment, And a common theme coming
through from him is there's just a real concern about
the supply going forward. Finally people are waking up to
the lower supply numbers coming forward, but also that quality
remains incredibly important. Back to the girls and guys at
(30:01):
the Golden Shears, they play such an important role in
the wallsheds for the quality of New Zealand wall.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
So are we getting exporters who are being caught short
on contracts? And is that what's driving the market a
bit at the moment? A little bit?
Speaker 9 (30:13):
Although at the moment we are seeing that prices have
leveled off. I guess where supply where demand currently is.
So we're in that prices are plate owed for a bit,
but that's quite typical for this time of the year
as the color starts to come off. Up until now,
quality has been incredibly good and good production levels. We're
looking forward to heading into the into the winter period.
But yeah, exporters are currently have filled their books predominantly.
(30:38):
That's why you're seeing the prices plateau.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
At the moment.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
What else do we need to talk about, Look, we.
Speaker 9 (30:44):
Can't go away from the fact at five dollars year
around that five dollars fifty clean mark. At the moment,
we're nearly a dollar fifty two dollars up on where
we were the same time last year. So you know,
we're talking to growers and we're talking to growlers here
at the Wanaka Show who are starting to say it's
no longer reliability on their balance sheet of music to
many sheep farmers is because at the end of the day,
(31:04):
I'm incredibly passionate that we need to keep New Zealand
farmers in sheep. They play such an important part of
our ecosystem. They play such an important role in the
New Zealand farming landscape, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
And the environmental footprint of fat is much less than cattle.
Speaker 9 (31:18):
One hundred percent. And it's not just a good product,
but it's actually good for New Zealand environment, you know, sustainability,
sustainable nature of our farms.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
All right, Rachel, great, great to catch you, keep up
work there at PGG Rights and Wile and apologies for
last for last Friday.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
That's all good.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
We were ships in the night and before I forget,
I just want to get a plug in for Farmstrong.
They're also our our partners here on the tree and
they do a lot of good work. And farmers are
telling us coping with the ups and downs of farming
is a lot easier when you share the load. I'm
sure everyone gets that one. A problem shared is a
problem halved. That's why it's important to have a natter
(31:54):
and get things off your chest rather than bottle things up.
That only makes a tough day worse. Not make time
this weekend to catch up with a mate over a
coffee or a bear and I'm sure Rachel will be
a few bears had later this afternoon. It's getting quite
warm out there. Talking to others is a great way
to lighten the backpack. For free tools and advice on
how to stay farm strong, head to the website farmstrong
(32:17):
dot co dot Nzi Ben Ben Earth to Ben, he's
not even listening, Ben. Do we have PJ Butler here?
We do is listen here right? Okay, We've got our
special celebrity guest. We'll come back after the break with
a South African who lives in Texas and is a
world renowned livestock judge. Okay, wrapping the country from the
(32:41):
Wana Care Show, Day one of two beautiful day, Huge
crowds here, you can't believe it. A few weeks ago
I got an email from a bloke saying, I hear
you're at the Wanaker Show. You need to talk to
this man. His name is PJ. Butler. He's a South
African livestock judge of world renowned and he's based in Texas.
We've met for thirty seconds literally before we conduct this shown.
(33:04):
Tell me about yourself and why you're such a big
deal in the livestock judging.
Speaker 12 (33:09):
Jamie, that's a very difficult introduction, but I don't think
of a big deal. I'm cheap and available. So I
really enjoy evaluating livestock and I love doing it all
over the world, and it complements my real business, which
is working for a biotechnology company. We do livestock, livestock
(33:30):
embryos and cloning and gene editing, stuff like that, and
then I consult on cattle operations worldwide and get pulled
into a lot of speaking opportunities at conferences.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
So that's what keeps you well. I know you're here
today and your capacity is a live stock judge. If
you had to look around the cattle here.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
No, just from a distance.
Speaker 12 (33:51):
I like seeing them, you know, for the first time
when the judging actually starts, and I'm looking forward to that.
There's a good entry, a lot of different breeds represented,
and from what I saw from a distance, the quality
is bang on target.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Why them moved to Texas.
Speaker 12 (34:09):
So I was seventh generation on a farm in South
Africa beef, cattle, wool sheep, and I loved it.
Speaker 5 (34:17):
I really loved the production. We had big bull sales.
Speaker 12 (34:22):
And then I got this bug for international business after
I started consulting in different countries and bringing genetics in
from different countries, and I thought, maybe there's a place
in the market to do a global livestock initiative where
try and create a bit more awareness and do some
projects that bring some goodwill between those producers and then
(34:44):
launch that into trade. And that project is running and
it's keeping me busy, and I needed to be in
Texas to do it, just from a logistics standpoint. South
Africa's far away from everything, and also there's a big,
busy airport in Dallas that I fly in a nut
of and there's a lot of activity in Texas itself,
(35:05):
so it's kept me busse.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
I've been lucky enough to visit your country on a
rugby tour and you have the fries, Yes, barbecues you
do great, you do great barbecue. Meat. Took another tour
in a past life to South America. They do meat
really well. But the best steak i've ever had in
my life was just outside of Dallas, between Dallas and
(35:26):
Fort Worth, Texas Steakhouse. So where are the best steaks
in the world.
Speaker 12 (35:31):
So that's a controversial question, but I agree with you
on that. I think that generally America does food really badly,
but they're really really good at doing steak. And yeah,
I think there's a good North American Rabbi or the
New York Strip. I think that's about as good as
I've had.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Because over there they the steak that I had anyhow
was like two inches that. Yes, so they sare at
either side and then they whack it in an oven
for eight or nine minutes or whatever and just new
cut and it's just to die for.
Speaker 5 (36:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 12 (36:05):
And I think also they've really got the management down
in terms of how long they feed them for like
entry point, exit point. Their cuts have really they've really
got that refined and turn art and their genetics have
become quite uniform, so that part of the cuisine in
the US is good.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
The rest of it is pretty suspect.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Fair enough, they have the deep fried onion rings to
go with it. That's why Americans. If you're a beef
farmer listening to this where on getting record returns at
the moment, how long will this sweet spot last for
because you've got to rebuild the herd, especially in the US.
Speaker 12 (36:45):
So the interesting part about this is it is record
highs and it's it's literally record highs, Like as long
as they've been cattle in the US, they've never sold
for as much as they sell or now, and it's
becoming a global trend pretty much all around the world
that they're getting good spikes in their prices. It's going
to last for at least another three years because even
(37:06):
if it starts raining now in the West, they're going
to have to start retaining heifers and not sending them
to the feed yards, which means that the inventry will
be low for another couple of years. And there's a
problem with New World screwworm in Latin America, so those
borders are closed, so that's two million cattle not getting
(37:27):
into the feedlots.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
PJ. Butler, very late notice. Great to catch up with
you today on the country. Enjoy you're judging gig here
at the Wanaka amp show. That's us done on dust
that I'll be quite happy to spend a week in
Duneda next week It's spend life of a traveling salesman.
Have a great weekend wherever you are, and go the Highlanders.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Aisuzu, get demo deals
on the tough Dmax today
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