February 15, 2026 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Andrew Hoggard, Damien O'Connor, Ian Strahan, Dominic Jones, and Phil Duncan.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch are the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Farmlands from tanks to troughs,
trusted for water control.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Good afternoon, Well it's not really for a lot of you.
I'm Jamie McKay. This is the Country brought to you
by Farmlands and is suzu if you're into your golf.
Colin Morikawa has just won at Pebble Beach, but we've
got bigger fish to fry on the show today. The
weather is crap, there's no other word for it, and
states have emergency in several parts of the North Island
(00:51):
and the rain moving south. We're going to have a
look at that. We're going to kick off the show
with Manama two Farmer and act MP Andrew Hoggard. How
does this one compare and how are they getting on
in the eye of the storm. Damian O'Connor, Labour's trade
spokesperson on the FTA, what sort of price chippy in
himself and Labor going to extract from national to support this.
(01:14):
En Strawn, yes, son of the Great Sam Strawn as
also Federated Farmers one or two President. We're going to
catch up with him. Dominic Jones, Can we fruit the
harvest is about to begin? Can you believe that year
the red harvest is about to get underway? And Phil
Duncan will update the weather for you and more importantly
tell you when it's going to come right. All that
(01:35):
to do on the country today. Plus we've got a
special celebrity in studio who has chosen the music today,
who will be reading sports news. More about that later on,
but Andrew Hogard to kick off the show. So she's
(02:02):
been a rough and wet and windy old weekend, especially
in the North Island. It would appear that the one
or two Rangeticki region has been as badly affected as
any Let's go to a well known farmer and politician
from that region, Andrew Hoggard. Andrew, I sent you a
text this morning and you said, yeah, it's not flash,
(02:22):
but it's not as bad as Gabrielle or two thousand
and four. And I remember the two thousand and four
floods very well in your region because I remember talking
to the late Alistair Paulson about it because his farm
was decimated by those floods.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yes, yes, and prad Alistairn's family had to jump up
on the roof to get to safety on that one.
But yeah, it's I'd say we're probably a meter or
so below where it was two thousand and four Gabriel,
So it's coming over the paddocks and a few spots
(02:59):
At this stage, I'm kind of hoping it's peaked, but
who knows where they could do anything.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And power has obviously been an issue for you guys.
I know you haven't got any as we speak.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's sort of went out at about
six o'clock this morning, so we got the finished milking
off on the generator and sort of looking at the
outages site on for power COO. But they seem absolutely
swamped with outages all over the show, so who knows
when it'll come back on. I'm sure they're working as
(03:34):
hard as they can in pretty trying circumstances.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I noted that one of your parliamentary colleagues, who does
a great job as the Emergency Minister, Mark Mitchell, said
we're just in a we're in a case now and
I've forgotten his exact words, but we are chasing our tail.
It's one weather event then another, and it's recovery, recovery, recovery,
from all these Ye.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
It seems like that although you know it a back
at the history of men or two River and you know,
I mean, this is something we do get every five
ten years here where we are, it all seems to
always be on the same bloody day. The two thousand
and four floods. We're also on February the sixteenth, Gabrielle
was February fourteenth. I think it's probably a day everyone
(04:19):
in the man or Toosha just block in their calendar
to at home and be prepared.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Where does act sit, Well, I know where you sit,
but where do you sit? Regarding Labour's attitude to the
Sindian FTA agreements. We're going to be speaking to Damien
hopefully Damien O'Connor hopefully shortly on the show and get
his view of it, because it would appear to me
that he's going to have a bit of a major
role to play.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I guess the reality is that I don't think we're
in a position to be able to renegotiate the deal
at this late points. I'm not sure what the games are.
I just know that it's this deal would provide some
really good benefits for the horticulture scene. So you know,
obviously parties want to play politics. Just be weary that
(05:05):
they're playing politics with people's lovelihoods.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well not to mention the sheep industry, meat and woo.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yes, yes, sorry, yes, and definitely for lamb as well.
They will have some strong benefits as well from it
and wine.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And yes, I keep reminding you, Andrew. Yes, it's almost
to say you're not across the.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well. Our new horticulture was the main one that they
were getting a hell of a lot of benefits. But yeah,
there's a number of sectors where it's going to have
some big benefits obviously not mine, but count one.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
The more you are a former president of Federated Farmers
who got into politics, will history repeat itself later this year?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Well, you seem to be staring the kid.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I've had to walk that one back away, but I
don't know. Look, it's just interesting. I mean West Coast Tasman,
where Wayne Langford, the current president is rumored to maybe
having a tilt. We don't know who for because there's
rumors on both sides there. But obviously Damian O'Connor has gone,
Maureen Pugh has retired. Someone like Wayne with a high
(06:12):
profile and great cred and agriculture. I would imagine would
whilshom if he put his name forward in that electorate.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Well, I guess it just depends on which party four though,
because there'll be some you know, potential ways people might
you know, feel about various parties and that Nick of
the Woods. Obviously, any party that aligns himself with the
Greens and wants to shut down mining and forestry might
not get a lot of support on the coast. But yeah,
(06:42):
who knows.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Maybe Shane Jones could stand against Yolo. That would be
an interesting battle, wouldn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Well, Katie's board these days, so maybe she might.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, well, I know, well, I know that Katie has
been approached by more than one party and she would
be a strong candidate too.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Yep, yep. There's no shortage of good ex faming seeds
leaders down there. Yep.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Old Federated Farmer's presidents don't grow old, Andrew Hoggard, they
just get into politics. Hey, good luck in the recovery
in the man Or two region. Our thanks Jamie, thank you, Andrew.
Fourteen after twelve you are with the country, and of
course Katie that we were referring to Katie Milne who
was the president of Federated Farmers before, Andrew Hoggard who
(07:28):
was the President of Federated Farmers before Wayne Langford. A
man definitely in the news. Yolo, if you're listening, I
hope I'm still on your Christmas card list. You just
do whatever's best for you, Okay, up next someone I
always enjoy it, but a banter with Damian O'Connor. He's
sort of back in vogue or people or after a
(07:50):
piece of him because along with Chippy his Labour's trusted
trade spokesperson. We've got a big issue in this country
and that's getting a free trade agreement across the line.
Damian O'Connor, Next, Ian Strawn from man Or two Federated Farmers,
Dominic Jones on Kiwi Fruit and Fell Duncan on the weather.
(08:24):
Just when you thought he was yesterday's man, No he's not.
He's a man in demand at the moment, labor's trade spokesperson.
How's that for an intro, Damien O'Connor. Everyone wants a
piece of you at the moment.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
You're not much younger than I am. Jamie should just
be really careful about agism.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I don't mean it like that, but I mean you're opposition,
You're kind of on the back bench. All of a sudden,
people are wooing you, courting you because they want your support,
and to be fair to you, you've got a lot
of experience in the trade portfolio. Now, is Labor yes
or no, going to support National and Act to get
(09:05):
this Indian Free Trade agreement across the line.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
There's a couple of things ersly, as should be said,
we haven't had a formal request to endorse it, and
I've had discussions with Todd McClay that being kind of informal.
I went to his office the other day. But I've
always said this is a caucus decision and ultimately it
will be between leaders to negotiate anything. What we've done
is sent a letter clearly outlining having studied as much
(09:33):
as we can of the agreement, outlining areas where we
think improvements need to be made, not in the agreement.
We can't renegotiate the proposed agreement, but we can ensure
that some of the things we're concerned about can be protected,
like making sure we have credible educational institutions that we
don't bring people in so called students into the country,
(09:56):
the shonky courses and they just go and work. That's crazy.
It happened to in the past, shouldn't happen into the future.
And then making sure that we've got people running around
where we do know workers are being abused and some
of them are microt workers, that we've got labor inspectors
to keep a proper eye on that process, our international
reputations at stay here. And then questions around, of course,
(10:20):
the thirty three billion dollars, which is it's aspirational, it's
not absolute in the agreement, but it's still you know,
something we should question. And so that's gone in a
formal letter to the Prime Minister. And I guess we'll
await the response.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
But you said it's aspirational, but it's a hell of
a lot of money in New Zealand dollars thirty three
billion over fifteen years. I heard, or I watched and
listened to Todd McLay with Jack tame on Q and A,
and he said, look, we don't actually have to commit
to any of this until fifteen years.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
Hence, well it is over a fifteen year period. And look,
it was at early discussions that I had with him.
You know, I parified is that and absolute that is
we must know it is, we must attempt to do this.
And so there's a slight out there and I guess
if we haven't met it in fifteen years, the Indians
(11:12):
can shut down all these preferential access arrangements under the
trade agreement. I guess that the aspiration would be to
have partnerships between New Zealand and India that had built
up and are valuable enough for both party to say
in fifteen years time that well we can continue on
and we don't have to make any changes. There has
(11:32):
been some investment. You know, it may not have reached
the target, but it's certainly divisient. Look, that's a challenge
and the question we want to ask of the government
how big a challenge and how do they see that
being addressed in the future.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Well, I know you want to extract your pound of flesh,
but I put it to you that you and Chippy
are between a rock and a hard place. A weebit
on this because traditionally, and it's been under your watch
as well, trade has been a bipartisan sort of thing.
You don't support this if this falls over due to
lack of support for labor. That would not go well
for you in an election year.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
We're trading nation and you know, we negotiated to China
ft I think it's a bit it's a bit rich
for Todd to compare the China FDA with this one.
It's not even in the same league. But it's still
a valuable step forward if we get things right and
if we don't undermine, you know, any of the conditions.
(12:29):
And with the New Zealand so we in opposition are
just making sure that this trade agreement is a positive,
not a negative any in any way for New Zealand.
And look, if it was that good, then Winston should
have supported it. We're not politicing. We are supporting trade.
We just want to make sure that some of the
issues raised can in fact be signed off and we
(12:52):
can have some assurance as we move into the future.
Ideally the government would have negotiated with Winston and had approved.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He hates anything with migration and it just finally, what
are you hearing? What are the whispers around West coast Tasman.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
I don't know, I see, I see you started at
a remedy the other day.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Chamie up there, I've walked that one back. I've walked
that one back.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
You started that you did saying that Wayne Langthory was
going to be labor. Look, I haven't heard any of that.
Wayne hasn't hasn't come to me saying he'd like to
be a labor candidate. I think that's a bit unfair.
It's a bit like you. I heard that Jamie McCray
was saying about going for the Greens and in the
cargo that would that would be a wonderful thing for
(13:35):
you to do.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Wow, My sisters are both Green voters, so you never know.
It might run in the family. Wayne Langford, Yeah, Wayne,
Wayne Langford of course has got really good agg creed
and I think someone like him, regardless of which party
he goes for, because I'm certainly still hearing he's interested,
would be a valuable catch for any party.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
That's true. But I mean, I'd like to think the
actually people and labor have labor values and they are
of cooperation. They are standing up for all New Zealand.
Theer's not just a few at the top. And what
we've seen from National and that is that supporting people
who have lots of money and lots of luck and
doing okay and are trampling on those people who are
(14:18):
unlucky or losing their jobs, or who for some unfortunate
set of circumstances aren't as well off as you and
I and labor stands to ensure that every New Zealander
has a chance, not just a wealthy and the lucky.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah, maybe one needs to be a socialist to get
the technic future.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
The dairy industry. The dairy industry is actually based on
share the risks and share the rewards through cooperation. Actually,
those are the principles that labour's value that built on
as well. So if we all did that, then talk
responsibility would all be better off.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Only you and a labor government can save a Stamian.
Thanks for your time. As always I agree.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
With you there, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Good on you mate. Yes, love to greet to disagree
with Damien. A lot of the times interesting times. Indeed,
as we count down to November the seventh, right, we're
going to concentrate on the weather again. Ends Strawn. His
dad was a great bloke, Sam Storn, former All Black
Great locked the scrum with pine tree Meads learned his
(15:19):
trade from the great tree. He's his son is Federated
Farmer's man Or two President. We'll catch up with him.
Dominic Jones. He we fruits on a real high at
the moment. And Phil Duncan, when's the weather going to
come right? Casey in the Sunshine Band will tell you
who's responsible for this? Shortly dunk you just twenty eight
(15:59):
after twelve you all with the country going to stick
with the weather theme. It has been an awful weekend
for a lot of people, especially in the North Island.
The weather's moving south. Will update that with Phil Duncan
before the end of the hour. But En Strawns Federated
Farmer's man Or two President. And just before we do,
I want to talk awey bit of footy because your
(16:19):
father Sam locked the scrum with pine Tree Meads. He
went on a couple of my Rugby World Cup tours
and he was wonderful, especially in the UK where he
toured in nineteen sixty seven and everywhere we went in
we wheeled out your dad Sam as our resident all
Black in the bus. He was the only one we
had and what a great ambassador he was for New Zealand.
(16:40):
I'm so sad he's no longer with us.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
Ye Jamie here thinks you Sam used to used to
love traveling, and he really enjoyed that, enjoyed that trip.
So yeah, no, they had a great time over there.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
You're not farming not a mile away from Andrew Hoggart,
who we chatted to it the top of the hour
and he said, yeah, it's bad, it's messy, but not
as bad as Gabrielle or two thousand and four, and
we mentioned another former president of Federated Farmers and Alistair Paulsen.
But two thousand and four was pretty horrific for you guys.
Speaker 7 (17:15):
Yeah, it was a shocker.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
And yeah, the met Service came out yesterday afternoon when
they knew what was coming and there was talk about
rainfall like two thousand and four, we thought, here we go.
So here we got our networks going and got some
warnings out. But thank goodness, we had about half the
rain that was forecast when we had sixty sixty five
(17:38):
and I'll actually here. But one thing we did get
was a terrible wind that it just roared all night
until about nine o'clock this morning. So there's a lot
of damage. Trees down everywhere, over power lines, you know,
there's a lot of chainsaw work for farmers in the
month or two, ring a ticket for the rest of
the week. I'd say there's a bit of carnage.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Yeah, well it's a bit like Southland and late October.
And trees really love falling over, don't they in when
they've got wet feet.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, well that's probably a good thing. We weren't
quite well enough for.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
The trees.
Speaker 6 (18:15):
It's mainly just branches that have come over. There's there's
been whole trees down here and there in the main
highway at Forten and animal has been closed because of
trees and effected the power lines. But yeah, if we
had another couple of inches we might have had some
real cannate with trees tipping over with roots and wet
saw We are.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Getting better and of pad Ole, Phil Duncan and his
mates on the back here at weather forecasting's more precise science,
even though it's still imprecise than it used to be.
So with these heavy rain warnings and they are quick
to get them out, I would expect there's been a
little or no livestock lost.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
No, so that was good. We had the network's got
going that the councils and the rural Coordination Group and
so all defense and everything. So yeah, there were lots
of lots of warnings that I think everyone's a lot
better at that nowadays. So yeah, we've we've we've got
a we've got a man on the Rural Coordination Group,
and yeah, everyone's everyone looks slightly in reasonable shape that
(19:15):
they're not that that that group, the Royal Coordination Groups
not meeting because it doesn't like there's enough enough of
a problem. It's just yeah, it's just it's just nigli
And yeah, really needed watching. So everyone everyone took the
right precautions by the look of it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yeah, and a whole lot of slog to tide out.
But I guess every cloud has its silver lining. Drought
will be off the menu, and the Lower North Island,
i'd imagine for the rest of the summer.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Oh well, and well, and truly one one downer. It's
always there's always good and bad. One dawn is the
arable arable guys around around the region. They've been flogged again,
so I think a lot of a lot of the
cereal crops have lodged, they've got wet and fallen over
the wind. So I've even heard Mace there's some damage
and maize cross so yeah, even though we're going to
(20:01):
get some big pasture growth everywhere, yeah, some people trying
to get crops off are are going to be frustrated.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, and that weather is creeping down into the South
Island into Canterbury as well. And I've had a hell
of a time the arable farmers. Thank you for reminding
me we shouldn't forget about them, because they've been getting
hammered by the weather and by prices.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Yeah they have. Yeah, well it's hardlining the planets of
prices and weather up and when you get both going
in the wrong rechan she's pretty ugly. So yeah, when
one sector is going all right, yeah, you've got to
think of the others, because yeah, we need we need
a strong, terrible sector in this country.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Ay and Strawn Federated Farmers Men or two President. Were
you any chop as a rugby player or was it
was it tough being son of Sam?
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Yeah well it was yeah, No, it wasn't much chop,
but yeah I didn't get the height and yeah I
just mucked around with a bit of club rugby suit.
No no, yeah, yeah, my mother wasn't quite as tall
is then I think I've got here Hype Son oh.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Gone but never forgotten the great Sam storn Ed Strawn.
Thank you so much for your time today. And if
people need a bit of a helping hand feeds, I've
got an eight hundred number. Can you remember it off
the top of your head?
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Yeah, are eight hundred for feds And actually another good
context that are All Support Trust. They did great work,
so you're given contact with them as well.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Yeah, Rural Support Trusts been absolutely outstanding in Strawn. There
twenty seven away from one k C and the Sunshine
Band up next the man responsible for this music today.
This is like a trip back to the late seventies,
I laugh, very shortly representing Central FM, a celebrity guest,
(22:01):
Welcome back to the country, very shortly, the latest and
rural news, and a special celebrity guest in the studio
to read sport. But parasites and drench resistance are becoming
a major challenge for farmers across New Zealand, putting real
pressure on productivity and profitability. Quick accurate diagnosis can make
all the difference, saving time, saving money and helping you
(22:23):
make smarter decisions on farm. In the next episode of
the podcast series brought to you by Beef and Lamb
New Zealand, empowered by us Here at the Country, Hamish
Mackay dives into this issue with Vets Sarah Williams and
Chevy at farmer Harry Railton. Together they look at how
Beef and Lamb New Zealand's livestock management groups are making
a difference in the ways parasites are controlled and monitored
(22:45):
on farm and how the farmer led groups are helping
innovate parasite management strategies. Keep an air out for this
brand new episode on parasite game changes, landing Wednesday on
The Country podcast on iHeartRadio. To you by Beef and Lamb,
New Zealand. Great supporters of National Lamb Day Yesterday.
Speaker 8 (23:10):
The Country's world news with cub Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Visit Steelford dot co dot Nz for your locals.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Duggist and good afternoon, Michelle. What you got into the
vibe of a National Lamb Day yesterday? But you had hoggot?
Did you have bad?
Speaker 9 (23:27):
My mum and dad brought up a shoulder of hogget
and we slow cooked it on the barbecue brilliant.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
While I went to my local countdown and I was
very pleased to see that you could buy a leg
of lamb for nineteen dollars ninety five a kilo, which
I'm not bad. No, it's not bad considering the farmers
are getting eleven dollars a kilo for said meat. Now
you compare that to go and buy a sirloin steak
(23:54):
or something at forty plus bucks, and the beef farmers
are getting less than the lamb farmers. So go figure
that one. And I know that a leg isn't as
premium cutters a sirloin or rabbi steak, but yeah, some
people are making a lot of money out of meat.
But anyhow, it was great. It was I think it
was a great promotion. Well done to Beef and Lamb,
(24:17):
New Zealand, AG, Proud Rabobank FMG and everyone who was
behind as what he got for Rural News.
Speaker 9 (24:24):
Okay, so in Rural News today of course. Over the
weekend was one of the regional finals. It was up
in Tasman or Holden Curwe and the winner of that
is Bryce won. He took out the title of the
Day of Challenges at Courtney Amp Showgrounds. He's the third
regional finals name so farn joins our rangies a Jack
Target and a Tiger Southern's Thomas Slee and the next
regional final was in Taranaki man Or two on March seventh.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Yeah, they take a bit of a break as they
change Ireland. So well done. Okay, here's our celebrity sports
news reader.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Sports on the Country with AFCO one percent Q we owned.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That's rare and his name is Donald Parkinson. He's the
breakfast guy. He's the program director at Central FM and
y Pookerel and he has for a sins got to
work with Steve Wan Harris.
Speaker 10 (25:11):
I wouldn't say sins, but you close, Jamie, you close. No,
come on, Donald, he's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
I love Steve, but you told me that he does
come into the office and boy, you're silly about fireballs.
Speaker 10 (25:23):
It's luckily I can escape the office and poor old
Shelley in our office has to.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
She's got your escape. She gets what an hour and
a half of fireballs.
Speaker 10 (25:30):
Hour and a half fireballs and having to google the
set and the other about them.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
So but we love Steve, Yes, we love Steve. He's
nothing if not passionate. What have you got in sports
news for us? Have you got my golf story?
Speaker 10 (25:41):
I have now? Michelle and I were talking off here
about him. Do I like golf? And I said, I've
got no idea about golf, but we have got a
golf story here. But the Hurricanes are expecting to miss
Reubin Love for the first month of Super Rugby with
an ankle injury. Golfer Ryan Fox has posted a three
underpar final round at the PGA Tours People Beach Pro M.
He's finished in a tie for twenty fourth at fourteen
(26:02):
under overall. Colin Mordi Kawa has birdied the final hole
to claim a one shot victory at twenty two under.
And the Australian Rugby League Commission have updated representative eligibility
rules in what shapes as a boost to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Now you're responsible for Casey and the Sunshine band. What
a great band from the seventies disco band.
Speaker 10 (26:24):
Michelle put me on the spot when I came in.
You picked the songs and I said, look, seventies, so
we decided on Casey and Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Are you a bit young to be the seventies child?
Speaker 10 (26:34):
Seventy seven? I was born, not that I admit it publicly.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
So you probably had fetal derangement syndrome or something. No,
I'm just with the disco. Seventy seven was the height
of the disco era. Mum was probably playing it.
Speaker 10 (26:45):
I would quite imagine so and the soys I've heard
from from those days, I wuld quite imagine.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
So Oh, what happened in the seventies has got to
stay in the seventies. Donald, thank you for coming in
and popping into the studio. We love having Central FM
broadcast the country. I think was it four days.
Speaker 10 (27:01):
A week four days a week now we were head
to chop Steve one day, so we got you four days, Steve.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
It's not long till you'll be just practicing your golf.
Tell you what any help the listeners, No, he does
a great job with the cockies out on Central FM.
Up next, we're going to talk Kiwi fruit with Dom
Jones from Origin Capital Partners and Clement Weather Around the country.
(27:39):
Let's head to somewhere where it's been a bit wet recently,
though they have dodged a bullet compared to other places
in the North Island, the Bay of Plenty. There we
find Dominic Jones Origin Capital Partners. Now, I've got to
get this right dominant because your mum, Trish will be
on mccase. Last time I chatted to you, I called
you a corporate Kiwi fruit grower, but mum was none
(28:01):
too pleased.
Speaker 7 (28:03):
Hi Jamie, thanks for having me on. Yeah, you've got
to keep my mother happier. That's okay, okay, Well.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Let's call you a keyw fruit growing managed fun. I
know you've got orchards and the Bay of Plenty and
the Gisbone region before we talk about harvest believe it
or not getting underway this week. How has the weather
effected you in recent weeks?
Speaker 7 (28:26):
Oh yeah, look so obviously famously pretty wet in the
by Plenty a few weeks ago. We had some rain
this weekend, but I just called that normal rain. It's
sort of not really here nor there, so a couple
of inches. If we were dairy farmers, we would have
been looking forward to the rain as key for growers
would probably prefer that it didn't come at this time
(28:46):
of year. You're you're trying to encourage dry matter and
you want sunlight for that. But it's all part and
parcel of dealing with growing food and the wettest.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Are getting on with your orchards in the Gisbane region
because you've got some reasonable transport challenges in that neck
of the woods at the moment.
Speaker 7 (29:10):
Yeah, so it's been harvest for the goal that will
start in about three, three or four weeks time. The
gorge is sort of closed at the moment. You can
catch convoys through it. Sounds like they're likely to open
it more fully this week and so that'll be good.
The Gisbane crops look as good as I've ever seen
(29:31):
it in any of our years being there, so we're
all hopeful that we can bring the truck. Bring the
truck through the gorge. Big picture, if you have to
go the longer way, then you have to go the
longer way, so it's a little bit more expensive, but
not a big deal.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Why do you have to truck the fruit from the
Gisbane region to buy a plenty? I know all your
pack houses are there, but why don't you just chuck
them on a boat at Gisbane Port.
Speaker 7 (29:58):
It's a very good question. I don't actually know the
answer to that.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, maybe maybe I should be the managing director of
Origin Capital Partners. I might save you some money.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
Dom you're not thinking big enough. Maybe it's espree. Look once,
once you get the fruit off the vines at that
time of year, you want to get them into a
box as quickly as possible, And so to fill up
a big ship has tacked a lot longer than to
fill up a little truck. I suppose.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah, okay, fair enough. Harvest starting this week, and as
you said, the gold's about a month away. This is
Kiwi fruit red. Is this the next big thing or
is it always going to be a minor player compared
to Kiwi fruit gold Red?
Speaker 7 (30:37):
Starting this week, Red looking like it will be about
five million trays compared to three million last year. So
Red is probably going to keep growing from five million
today to I'm sure more than ten million trays over
the next the next week while. But to give you
an example, Gold this year will be about one hundred
and forty five million trays and green a fifty five.
(31:00):
So it's a red's a pretty small part of that.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Well, Zesbury estimating another record year in terms of volume.
Can you find a home for all of this? Is
this growth in the Kiwi fruit industry? Sustainable? I know
that Zesprey keeps a keen watch on Kiwi fruit licenses.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Absolutely we can. So the first thing is if every
season was exactly the same, then every season you would
expect to be a record and that's because Desprey have
been progressively releasing additional sun gold license every year. This
year they're releasing four hundred hectares, which sounds like a
(31:39):
hell of a lot, and to put it in context,
it's hundreds of millions of dollars of investment required through
the license and building the orchards, et cetera. But equally,
that four hundred hectares is growing the total total Kiwi
fruit pool by about three percent of volume tier year.
(32:00):
At that level of growth, yes, it is growth, but
you get much bigger swings yet to year depending on
the quality of the season, and that growth is actually
a lot slower than what we've seen over the last
ten years in the industry. So yeah, we absolutely believe
that the industry can handle it. And the reality is
there's still good value there and so growing the industry
(32:21):
is good for the industry and it's good for the
communities and the regions that we're in as well.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
So you're a key we for grower or growing managed
fund I know you've got two funds number one and two.
Are they're fully subscribed, the inn is full there, you're
going to release a third one yep.
Speaker 7 (32:40):
So we have two funds. We raised them in twenty
twenty one and then twenty twenty two, and so we
raise the funds and then over the next few years
we invest that capital through the buying orchards or developing
orchards from beer land, or in some cases converting green
orchards to gold. We've just finished, we've completed all of
(33:02):
the investment from our second funds. We've just pulled the
trigger on another development and so yeah, we're going to
We're going to raise a third fund. Will probably kick
off that raise in the next month or so, and
that's going to do exactly the same things as our
first two funds. It's going to invest predominantly in sun gold.
We will do that through the buying sun gold orchards
(33:24):
or building them from beer land or converting them from green.
And we will invest in Vespree through ownership of Vespri
shares as well.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Your funds have performed well, with the exception of a
bit of a kick in the guts in the Gisban region.
From Gabrielle. But you weren't alone there.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Yep.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
No. The funds, the funds are going. The funds are
going really well. You have good years and you have
bad years. Twenty twenty three was a pretty crappy year
with gabriel but equally the last couple of years have
been exceptional and that's horticulture right. So yes, look, we're
(34:01):
really happy with how it's going and just excited to
keep growing our business. Really, we have about two hundred
and sixty investors across our two funds. We're looking to
just keep that trajectory going.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Watch the Space Origin Capital Partners fun number three coming up,
your chance to and maybe invest in that one. I
hope your mum's happy with how I handled the interview today, Dom,
good to chat mate, and I hope you get a
good spell of weather for your Kiwi fruit harvest.
Speaker 7 (34:26):
Thank you, me too, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Thanks Tom zade Away from One Up Next. Yes, it's
what we've been talking about today, The weather with Phil
Duncan six Away from One Wrapping the country with Phil
(34:50):
Duncan from weather Watch. Phil. The worst of it's over
supposedly for the North Island. It's creeping south this unfortunate
weather event.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Yeah, the storm at the moment yesterday it pulled in
towards the lower North Island, especially Hawk's Bay down to Wellington.
This morning you can see it on the rain radar.
It is actually starting to move offshore again. So I
mean it's been offshore the whole time, but it's moving
further offshore now. And as it does that the winds
and the rain ease in the North Island. But then
(35:20):
later today, tonight, tomorrow, that low drifts southwards and so
that's why the rain is now pushing already into Canterbury.
And now I see that met Service that n't got
to wear a watch out for heavy rain for eastern
parts of Dunedin. So we are oh sorry of Otago.
So we are seeing the low moving southwards, but it's
fracturing now. It's breaking apart a lot more as far
(35:42):
as the rain is concerned, and the worst of the
winds should start to ease back, if they haven't already,
they'll start to ease back this afternoon and tonight.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Hey, Andrew Hoggard made a really interesting point. He was
talking about the big weather event. I think off the
top of my head in the Manu or two in
two thousand and four on it it fell on February's
extinct or was it Gabrielle one or t'ther? But here
we go again on February sixteen. Why is it so
active at this time of the year.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Well, yeah, February and March. I mean it's odd a
little bit at the same dates. But around February middle,
especially the middle of February through to the start of April,
that is when we get some of our fastest growing,
largest storms of the year. They can rapidly develop. And
that's because while our summer weather starts to come to
an end around about the middle of February, it starts
(36:28):
to break. Apart of it, the sea is still warming
up and it doesn't get to its peak until March.
So you've got the warm waters of the sea and
then this approaching kind of colder waterum air, and those
two combined can produce very big storms from February through
to April. And that's where you know, got the Wahini
disaster in there in the middle of April as well,
So you've got the sort of line of big storms
(36:49):
that hit That's why we have so many easter weekend storms.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Does the weather come right for people midweek onwards, because
it's all about recovery now it does.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
The good news is this low basically falls apart by Thursday.
It's south of the country and it's very weak, but
coincidentally behind it on Wednesday Thursday is another storm and
almost the exact same tracking, but the difference this time
has been the second one, and it's quite normal to
have two storms one after each other if things haven't
changed much around them. That next one's going to hit
(37:19):
the Chatam Islands. So they've got serious wind coming in
for Wednesday Thursday and a bit of rain. The rest
of the country, the mainland and the North Island, they'll
be seeing westerly winds turning southwest and high pressure coming
in this weekend. So I'm much better forecast than most.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Phil Duncan there from weather Watch doing an excellent job
as always, has a text and from Laura, Oh my god,
Jamie bloody. Green Peace have just to faced the newly
restored Rakaia Salmon Statue. They spent hundreds of thousands on that.
Green Peace go and save some whals and leave us alone.
(37:54):
Catch them back the same time, same place, tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to farmlands, from tanks to
trouts trusted for water control
Catch are the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Farmlands from tanks to troughs,
trusted for water control.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Good afternoon, Well it's not really for a lot of you.
I'm Jamie McKay. This is the Country brought to you
by Farmlands and is suzu if you're into your golf.
Colin Morikawa has just won at Pebble Beach, but we've
got bigger fish to fry on the show today. The
weather is crap, there's no other word for it, and
states have emergency in several parts of the North Island
(00:51):
and the rain moving south. We're going to have a
look at that. We're going to kick off the show
with Manama two Farmer and act MP Andrew Hoggard. How
does this one compare and how are they getting on
in the eye of the storm. Damian O'Connor, Labour's trade
spokesperson on the FTA, what sort of price chippy in
himself and Labor going to extract from national to support this.
(01:14):
En Strawn, yes, son of the Great Sam Strawn as
also Federated Farmers one or two President. We're going to
catch up with him. Dominic Jones, Can we fruit the
harvest is about to begin? Can you believe that year
the red harvest is about to get underway? And Phil
Duncan will update the weather for you and more importantly
tell you when it's going to come right. All that
(01:35):
to do on the country today. Plus we've got a
special celebrity in studio who has chosen the music today,
who will be reading sports news. More about that later on,
but Andrew Hogard to kick off the show. So she's
(02:02):
been a rough and wet and windy old weekend, especially
in the North Island. It would appear that the one
or two Rangeticki region has been as badly affected as
any Let's go to a well known farmer and politician
from that region, Andrew Hoggard. Andrew, I sent you a
text this morning and you said, yeah, it's not flash,
(02:22):
but it's not as bad as Gabrielle or two thousand
and four. And I remember the two thousand and four
floods very well in your region because I remember talking
to the late Alistair Paulson about it because his farm
was decimated by those floods.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yes, yes, and prad Alistairn's family had to jump up
on the roof to get to safety on that one.
But yeah, it's I'd say we're probably a meter or
so below where it was two thousand and four Gabriel,
So it's coming over the paddocks and a few spots
(02:59):
At this stage, I'm kind of hoping it's peaked, but
who knows where they could do anything.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
And power has obviously been an issue for you guys.
I know you haven't got any as we speak.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's sort of went out at about
six o'clock this morning, so we got the finished milking
off on the generator and sort of looking at the
outages site on for power COO. But they seem absolutely
swamped with outages all over the show, so who knows
when it'll come back on. I'm sure they're working as
(03:34):
hard as they can in pretty trying circumstances.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I noted that one of your parliamentary colleagues, who does
a great job as the Emergency Minister, Mark Mitchell, said
we're just in a we're in a case now and
I've forgotten his exact words, but we are chasing our tail.
It's one weather event then another, and it's recovery, recovery, recovery,
from all these Ye.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
It seems like that although you know it a back
at the history of men or two River and you know,
I mean, this is something we do get every five
ten years here where we are, it all seems to
always be on the same bloody day. The two thousand
and four floods. We're also on February the sixteenth, Gabrielle
was February fourteenth. I think it's probably a day everyone
(04:19):
in the man or Toosha just block in their calendar
to at home and be prepared.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Where does act sit, Well, I know where you sit,
but where do you sit? Regarding Labour's attitude to the
Sindian FTA agreements. We're going to be speaking to Damien
hopefully Damien O'Connor hopefully shortly on the show and get
his view of it, because it would appear to me
that he's going to have a bit of a major
role to play.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I guess the reality is that I don't think we're
in a position to be able to renegotiate the deal
at this late points. I'm not sure what the games are.
I just know that it's this deal would provide some
really good benefits for the horticulture scene. So you know,
obviously parties want to play politics. Just be weary that
(05:05):
they're playing politics with people's lovelihoods.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Well not to mention the sheep industry, meat and woo.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Yes, yes, sorry, yes, and definitely for lamb as well.
They will have some strong benefits as well from it
and wine.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And yes, I keep reminding you, Andrew. Yes, it's almost
to say you're not across the.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Well. Our new horticulture was the main one that they
were getting a hell of a lot of benefits. But yeah,
there's a number of sectors where it's going to have
some big benefits obviously not mine, but count one.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
The more you are a former president of Federated Farmers
who got into politics, will history repeat itself later this year?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Well, you seem to be staring the kid.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I've had to walk that one back away, but I
don't know. Look, it's just interesting. I mean West Coast Tasman,
where Wayne Langford, the current president is rumored to maybe
having a tilt. We don't know who for because there's
rumors on both sides there. But obviously Damian O'Connor has gone,
Maureen Pugh has retired. Someone like Wayne with a high
(06:12):
profile and great cred and agriculture. I would imagine would
whilshom if he put his name forward in that electorate.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Well, I guess it just depends on which party four though,
because there'll be some you know, potential ways people might
you know, feel about various parties and that Nick of
the Woods. Obviously, any party that aligns himself with the
Greens and wants to shut down mining and forestry might
not get a lot of support on the coast. But yeah,
(06:42):
who knows.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Maybe Shane Jones could stand against Yolo. That would be
an interesting battle, wouldn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Well, Katie's board these days, so maybe she might.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, well, I know, well, I know that Katie has
been approached by more than one party and she would
be a strong candidate too.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
Yep, yep. There's no shortage of good ex faming seeds
leaders down there. Yep.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Old Federated Farmer's presidents don't grow old, Andrew Hoggard, they
just get into politics. Hey, good luck in the recovery
in the man Or two region. Our thanks Jamie, thank you, Andrew.
Fourteen after twelve you are with the country, and of
course Katie that we were referring to Katie Milne who
was the president of Federated Farmers before, Andrew Hoggard who
(07:28):
was the President of Federated Farmers before Wayne Langford. A
man definitely in the news. Yolo, if you're listening, I
hope I'm still on your Christmas card list. You just
do whatever's best for you, Okay, up next someone I
always enjoy it, but a banter with Damian O'Connor. He's
sort of back in vogue or people or after a
(07:50):
piece of him because along with Chippy his Labour's trusted
trade spokesperson. We've got a big issue in this country
and that's getting a free trade agreement across the line.
Damian O'Connor, Next, Ian Strawn from man Or two Federated Farmers,
Dominic Jones on Kiwi Fruit and Fell Duncan on the weather.
(08:24):
Just when you thought he was yesterday's man, No he's not.
He's a man in demand at the moment, labor's trade spokesperson.
How's that for an intro, Damien O'Connor. Everyone wants a
piece of you at the moment.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
You're not much younger than I am. Jamie should just
be really careful about agism.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I don't mean it like that, but I mean you're opposition,
You're kind of on the back bench. All of a sudden,
people are wooing you, courting you because they want your support,
and to be fair to you, you've got a lot
of experience in the trade portfolio. Now, is Labor yes
or no, going to support National and Act to get
(09:05):
this Indian Free Trade agreement across the line.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
There's a couple of things ersly, as should be said,
we haven't had a formal request to endorse it, and
I've had discussions with Todd McClay that being kind of informal.
I went to his office the other day. But I've
always said this is a caucus decision and ultimately it
will be between leaders to negotiate anything. What we've done
is sent a letter clearly outlining having studied as much
(09:33):
as we can of the agreement, outlining areas where we
think improvements need to be made, not in the agreement.
We can't renegotiate the proposed agreement, but we can ensure
that some of the things we're concerned about can be protected,
like making sure we have credible educational institutions that we
don't bring people in so called students into the country,
(09:56):
the shonky courses and they just go and work. That's crazy.
It happened to in the past, shouldn't happen into the future.
And then making sure that we've got people running around
where we do know workers are being abused and some
of them are microt workers, that we've got labor inspectors
to keep a proper eye on that process, our international
reputations at stay here. And then questions around, of course,
(10:20):
the thirty three billion dollars, which is it's aspirational, it's
not absolute in the agreement, but it's still you know,
something we should question. And so that's gone in a
formal letter to the Prime Minister. And I guess we'll
await the response.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
But you said it's aspirational, but it's a hell of
a lot of money in New Zealand dollars thirty three
billion over fifteen years. I heard, or I watched and
listened to Todd McLay with Jack tame on Q and A,
and he said, look, we don't actually have to commit
to any of this until fifteen years.
Speaker 5 (10:50):
Hence, well it is over a fifteen year period. And look,
it was at early discussions that I had with him.
You know, I parified is that and absolute that is
we must know it is, we must attempt to do this.
And so there's a slight out there and I guess
if we haven't met it in fifteen years, the Indians
(11:12):
can shut down all these preferential access arrangements under the
trade agreement. I guess that the aspiration would be to
have partnerships between New Zealand and India that had built
up and are valuable enough for both party to say
in fifteen years time that well we can continue on
and we don't have to make any changes. There has
(11:32):
been some investment. You know, it may not have reached
the target, but it's certainly divisient. Look, that's a challenge
and the question we want to ask of the government
how big a challenge and how do they see that
being addressed in the future.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
Well, I know you want to extract your pound of flesh,
but I put it to you that you and Chippy
are between a rock and a hard place. A weebit
on this because traditionally, and it's been under your watch
as well, trade has been a bipartisan sort of thing.
You don't support this if this falls over due to
lack of support for labor. That would not go well
for you in an election year.
Speaker 5 (12:08):
We're trading nation and you know, we negotiated to China
ft I think it's a bit it's a bit rich
for Todd to compare the China FDA with this one.
It's not even in the same league. But it's still
a valuable step forward if we get things right and
if we don't undermine, you know, any of the conditions.
(12:29):
And with the New Zealand so we in opposition are
just making sure that this trade agreement is a positive,
not a negative any in any way for New Zealand.
And look, if it was that good, then Winston should
have supported it. We're not politicing. We are supporting trade.
We just want to make sure that some of the
issues raised can in fact be signed off and we
(12:52):
can have some assurance as we move into the future.
Ideally the government would have negotiated with Winston and had approved.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
He hates anything with migration and it just finally, what
are you hearing? What are the whispers around West coast Tasman.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
I don't know, I see, I see you started at
a remedy the other day.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
Chamie up there, I've walked that one back. I've walked
that one back.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
You started that you did saying that Wayne Langthory was
going to be labor. Look, I haven't heard any of that.
Wayne hasn't hasn't come to me saying he'd like to
be a labor candidate. I think that's a bit unfair.
It's a bit like you. I heard that Jamie McCray
was saying about going for the Greens and in the
cargo that would that would be a wonderful thing for
(13:35):
you to do.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Wow, My sisters are both Green voters, so you never know.
It might run in the family. Wayne Langford, Yeah, Wayne,
Wayne Langford of course has got really good agg creed
and I think someone like him, regardless of which party
he goes for, because I'm certainly still hearing he's interested,
would be a valuable catch for any party.
Speaker 5 (13:58):
That's true. But I mean, I'd like to think the
actually people and labor have labor values and they are
of cooperation. They are standing up for all New Zealand.
Theer's not just a few at the top. And what
we've seen from National and that is that supporting people
who have lots of money and lots of luck and
doing okay and are trampling on those people who are
(14:18):
unlucky or losing their jobs, or who for some unfortunate
set of circumstances aren't as well off as you and
I and labor stands to ensure that every New Zealander
has a chance, not just a wealthy and the lucky.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah, maybe one needs to be a socialist to get
the technic future.
Speaker 5 (14:38):
The dairy industry. The dairy industry is actually based on
share the risks and share the rewards through cooperation. Actually,
those are the principles that labour's value that built on
as well. So if we all did that, then talk
responsibility would all be better off.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Only you and a labor government can save a Stamian.
Thanks for your time. As always I agree.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
With you there, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Good on you mate. Yes, love to greet to disagree
with Damien. A lot of the times interesting times. Indeed,
as we count down to November the seventh, right, we're
going to concentrate on the weather again. Ends Strawn. His
dad was a great bloke, Sam Storn, former All Black
Great locked the scrum with pine tree Meads learned his
(15:19):
trade from the great tree. He's his son is Federated
Farmer's man Or two President. We'll catch up with him.
Dominic Jones. He we fruits on a real high at
the moment. And Phil Duncan, when's the weather going to
come right? Casey in the Sunshine Band will tell you
who's responsible for this? Shortly dunk you just twenty eight
(15:59):
after twelve you all with the country going to stick
with the weather theme. It has been an awful weekend
for a lot of people, especially in the North Island.
The weather's moving south. Will update that with Phil Duncan
before the end of the hour. But En Strawns Federated
Farmer's man Or two President. And just before we do,
I want to talk awey bit of footy because your
(16:19):
father Sam locked the scrum with pine Tree Meads. He
went on a couple of my Rugby World Cup tours
and he was wonderful, especially in the UK where he
toured in nineteen sixty seven and everywhere we went in
we wheeled out your dad Sam as our resident all
Black in the bus. He was the only one we
had and what a great ambassador he was for New Zealand.
(16:40):
I'm so sad he's no longer with us.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
Ye Jamie here thinks you Sam used to used to
love traveling, and he really enjoyed that, enjoyed that trip.
So yeah, no, they had a great time over there.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
You're not farming not a mile away from Andrew Hoggart,
who we chatted to it the top of the hour
and he said, yeah, it's bad, it's messy, but not
as bad as Gabrielle or two thousand and four, and
we mentioned another former president of Federated Farmers and Alistair Paulsen.
But two thousand and four was pretty horrific for you guys.
Speaker 7 (17:15):
Yeah, it was a shocker.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
And yeah, the met Service came out yesterday afternoon when
they knew what was coming and there was talk about
rainfall like two thousand and four, we thought, here we go.
So here we got our networks going and got some
warnings out. But thank goodness, we had about half the
rain that was forecast when we had sixty sixty five
(17:38):
and I'll actually here. But one thing we did get
was a terrible wind that it just roared all night
until about nine o'clock this morning. So there's a lot
of damage. Trees down everywhere, over power lines, you know,
there's a lot of chainsaw work for farmers in the
month or two, ring a ticket for the rest of
the week. I'd say there's a bit of carnage.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Yeah, well it's a bit like Southland and late October.
And trees really love falling over, don't they in when
they've got wet feet.
Speaker 6 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, well that's probably a good thing. We weren't
quite well enough for.
Speaker 7 (18:15):
The trees.
Speaker 6 (18:15):
It's mainly just branches that have come over. There's there's
been whole trees down here and there in the main
highway at Forten and animal has been closed because of
trees and effected the power lines. But yeah, if we
had another couple of inches we might have had some
real cannate with trees tipping over with roots and wet
saw We are.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Getting better and of pad Ole, Phil Duncan and his
mates on the back here at weather forecasting's more precise science,
even though it's still imprecise than it used to be.
So with these heavy rain warnings and they are quick
to get them out, I would expect there's been a
little or no livestock lost.
Speaker 6 (18:51):
No, so that was good. We had the network's got
going that the councils and the rural Coordination Group and
so all defense and everything. So yeah, there were lots
of lots of warnings that I think everyone's a lot
better at that nowadays. So yeah, we've we've we've got
a we've got a man on the Rural Coordination Group,
and yeah, everyone's everyone looks slightly in reasonable shape that
(19:15):
they're not that that that group, the Royal Coordination Groups
not meeting because it doesn't like there's enough enough of
a problem. It's just yeah, it's just it's just nigli
And yeah, really needed watching. So everyone everyone took the
right precautions by the look of it.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
Yeah, and a whole lot of slog to tide out.
But I guess every cloud has its silver lining. Drought
will be off the menu, and the Lower North Island,
i'd imagine for the rest of the summer.
Speaker 6 (19:40):
Oh well, and well, and truly one one downer. It's
always there's always good and bad. One dawn is the
arable arable guys around around the region. They've been flogged again,
so I think a lot of a lot of the
cereal crops have lodged, they've got wet and fallen over
the wind. So I've even heard Mace there's some damage
and maize cross so yeah, even though we're going to
(20:01):
get some big pasture growth everywhere, yeah, some people trying
to get crops off are are going to be frustrated.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Yeah, and that weather is creeping down into the South
Island into Canterbury as well. And I've had a hell
of a time the arable farmers. Thank you for reminding
me we shouldn't forget about them, because they've been getting
hammered by the weather and by prices.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Yeah they have. Yeah, well it's hardlining the planets of
prices and weather up and when you get both going
in the wrong rechan she's pretty ugly. So yeah, when
one sector is going all right, yeah, you've got to
think of the others, because yeah, we need we need
a strong, terrible sector in this country.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
Ay and Strawn Federated Farmers Men or two President. Were
you any chop as a rugby player or was it
was it tough being son of Sam?
Speaker 6 (20:48):
Yeah well it was yeah, No, it wasn't much chop,
but yeah I didn't get the height and yeah I
just mucked around with a bit of club rugby suit.
No no, yeah, yeah, my mother wasn't quite as tall
is then I think I've got here Hype Son oh.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Gone but never forgotten the great Sam storn Ed Strawn.
Thank you so much for your time today. And if
people need a bit of a helping hand feeds, I've
got an eight hundred number. Can you remember it off
the top of your head?
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Yeah, are eight hundred for feds And actually another good
context that are All Support Trust. They did great work,
so you're given contact with them as well.
Speaker 2 (21:22):
Yeah, Rural Support Trusts been absolutely outstanding in Strawn. There
twenty seven away from one k C and the Sunshine
Band up next the man responsible for this music today.
This is like a trip back to the late seventies,
I laugh, very shortly representing Central FM, a celebrity guest,
(22:01):
Welcome back to the country, very shortly, the latest and
rural news, and a special celebrity guest in the studio
to read sport. But parasites and drench resistance are becoming
a major challenge for farmers across New Zealand, putting real
pressure on productivity and profitability. Quick accurate diagnosis can make
all the difference, saving time, saving money and helping you
(22:23):
make smarter decisions on farm. In the next episode of
the podcast series brought to you by Beef and Lamb
New Zealand, empowered by us Here at the Country, Hamish
Mackay dives into this issue with Vets Sarah Williams and
Chevy at farmer Harry Railton. Together they look at how
Beef and Lamb New Zealand's livestock management groups are making
a difference in the ways parasites are controlled and monitored
(22:45):
on farm and how the farmer led groups are helping
innovate parasite management strategies. Keep an air out for this
brand new episode on parasite game changes, landing Wednesday on
The Country podcast on iHeartRadio. To you by Beef and Lamb,
New Zealand. Great supporters of National Lamb Day Yesterday.
Speaker 8 (23:10):
The Country's world news with cub Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn Bower brand.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Visit Steelford dot co dot Nz for your locals.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Duggist and good afternoon, Michelle. What you got into the
vibe of a National Lamb Day yesterday? But you had hoggot?
Did you have bad?
Speaker 9 (23:27):
My mum and dad brought up a shoulder of hogget
and we slow cooked it on the barbecue brilliant.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
While I went to my local countdown and I was
very pleased to see that you could buy a leg
of lamb for nineteen dollars ninety five a kilo, which
I'm not bad. No, it's not bad considering the farmers
are getting eleven dollars a kilo for said meat. Now
you compare that to go and buy a sirloin steak
(23:54):
or something at forty plus bucks, and the beef farmers
are getting less than the lamb farmers. So go figure
that one. And I know that a leg isn't as
premium cutters a sirloin or rabbi steak, but yeah, some
people are making a lot of money out of meat.
But anyhow, it was great. It was I think it
was a great promotion. Well done to Beef and Lamb,
(24:17):
New Zealand, AG, Proud Rabobank FMG and everyone who was
behind as what he got for Rural News.
Speaker 9 (24:24):
Okay, so in Rural News today of course. Over the
weekend was one of the regional finals. It was up
in Tasman or Holden Curwe and the winner of that
is Bryce won. He took out the title of the
Day of Challenges at Courtney Amp Showgrounds. He's the third
regional finals name so farn joins our rangies a Jack
Target and a Tiger Southern's Thomas Slee and the next
regional final was in Taranaki man Or two on March seventh.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Yeah, they take a bit of a break as they
change Ireland. So well done. Okay, here's our celebrity sports
news reader.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Sports on the Country with AFCO one percent Q we owned.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That's rare and his name is Donald Parkinson. He's the
breakfast guy. He's the program director at Central FM and
y Pookerel and he has for a sins got to
work with Steve Wan Harris.
Speaker 10 (25:11):
I wouldn't say sins, but you close, Jamie, you close. No,
come on, Donald, he's pretty good.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
I love Steve, but you told me that he does
come into the office and boy, you're silly about fireballs.
Speaker 10 (25:23):
It's luckily I can escape the office and poor old
Shelley in our office has to.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
She's got your escape. She gets what an hour and
a half of fireballs.
Speaker 10 (25:30):
Hour and a half fireballs and having to google the
set and the other about them.
Speaker 2 (25:33):
So but we love Steve, Yes, we love Steve. He's
nothing if not passionate. What have you got in sports
news for us? Have you got my golf story?
Speaker 10 (25:41):
I have now? Michelle and I were talking off here
about him. Do I like golf? And I said, I've
got no idea about golf, but we have got a
golf story here. But the Hurricanes are expecting to miss
Reubin Love for the first month of Super Rugby with
an ankle injury. Golfer Ryan Fox has posted a three
underpar final round at the PGA Tours People Beach Pro M.
He's finished in a tie for twenty fourth at fourteen
(26:02):
under overall. Colin Mordi Kawa has birdied the final hole
to claim a one shot victory at twenty two under.
And the Australian Rugby League Commission have updated representative eligibility
rules in what shapes as a boost to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Now you're responsible for Casey and the Sunshine band. What
a great band from the seventies disco band.
Speaker 10 (26:24):
Michelle put me on the spot when I came in.
You picked the songs and I said, look, seventies, so
we decided on Casey and Sunshine.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Are you a bit young to be the seventies child?
Speaker 10 (26:34):
Seventy seven? I was born, not that I admit it publicly.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
So you probably had fetal derangement syndrome or something. No,
I'm just with the disco. Seventy seven was the height
of the disco era. Mum was probably playing it.
Speaker 10 (26:45):
I would quite imagine so and the soys I've heard
from from those days, I wuld quite imagine.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
So Oh, what happened in the seventies has got to
stay in the seventies. Donald, thank you for coming in
and popping into the studio. We love having Central FM
broadcast the country. I think was it four days.
Speaker 10 (27:01):
A week four days a week now we were head
to chop Steve one day, so we got you four days, Steve.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
It's not long till you'll be just practicing your golf.
Tell you what any help the listeners, No, he does
a great job with the cockies out on Central FM.
Up next, we're going to talk Kiwi fruit with Dom
Jones from Origin Capital Partners and Clement Weather Around the country.
(27:39):
Let's head to somewhere where it's been a bit wet recently,
though they have dodged a bullet compared to other places
in the North Island, the Bay of Plenty. There we
find Dominic Jones Origin Capital Partners. Now, I've got to
get this right dominant because your mum, Trish will be
on mccase. Last time I chatted to you, I called
you a corporate Kiwi fruit grower, but mum was none
(28:01):
too pleased.
Speaker 7 (28:03):
Hi Jamie, thanks for having me on. Yeah, you've got
to keep my mother happier. That's okay, okay, Well.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Let's call you a keyw fruit growing managed fun. I
know you've got orchards and the Bay of Plenty and
the Gisbone region before we talk about harvest believe it
or not getting underway this week. How has the weather
effected you in recent weeks?
Speaker 7 (28:26):
Oh yeah, look so obviously famously pretty wet in the
by Plenty a few weeks ago. We had some rain
this weekend, but I just called that normal rain. It's
sort of not really here nor there, so a couple
of inches. If we were dairy farmers, we would have
been looking forward to the rain as key for growers
would probably prefer that it didn't come at this time
(28:46):
of year. You're you're trying to encourage dry matter and
you want sunlight for that. But it's all part and
parcel of dealing with growing food and the wettest.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Are getting on with your orchards in the Gisbane region
because you've got some reasonable transport challenges in that neck
of the woods at the moment.
Speaker 7 (29:10):
Yeah, so it's been harvest for the goal that will
start in about three, three or four weeks time. The
gorge is sort of closed at the moment. You can
catch convoys through it. Sounds like they're likely to open
it more fully this week and so that'll be good.
The Gisbane crops look as good as I've ever seen
(29:31):
it in any of our years being there, so we're
all hopeful that we can bring the truck. Bring the
truck through the gorge. Big picture, if you have to
go the longer way, then you have to go the
longer way, so it's a little bit more expensive, but
not a big deal.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
Why do you have to truck the fruit from the
Gisbane region to buy a plenty? I know all your
pack houses are there, but why don't you just chuck
them on a boat at Gisbane Port.
Speaker 7 (29:58):
It's a very good question. I don't actually know the
answer to that.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
Well, maybe maybe I should be the managing director of
Origin Capital Partners. I might save you some money.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
Dom you're not thinking big enough. Maybe it's espree. Look once,
once you get the fruit off the vines at that
time of year, you want to get them into a
box as quickly as possible, And so to fill up
a big ship has tacked a lot longer than to
fill up a little truck. I suppose.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Yeah, okay, fair enough. Harvest starting this week, and as
you said, the gold's about a month away. This is
Kiwi fruit red. Is this the next big thing or
is it always going to be a minor player compared
to Kiwi fruit gold Red?
Speaker 7 (30:37):
Starting this week, Red looking like it will be about
five million trays compared to three million last year. So
Red is probably going to keep growing from five million
today to I'm sure more than ten million trays over
the next the next week while. But to give you
an example, Gold this year will be about one hundred
and forty five million trays and green a fifty five.
(31:00):
So it's a red's a pretty small part of that.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Well, Zesbury estimating another record year in terms of volume.
Can you find a home for all of this? Is
this growth in the Kiwi fruit industry? Sustainable? I know
that Zesprey keeps a keen watch on Kiwi fruit licenses.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
Absolutely we can. So the first thing is if every
season was exactly the same, then every season you would
expect to be a record and that's because Desprey have
been progressively releasing additional sun gold license every year. This
year they're releasing four hundred hectares, which sounds like a
(31:39):
hell of a lot, and to put it in context,
it's hundreds of millions of dollars of investment required through
the license and building the orchards, et cetera. But equally,
that four hundred hectares is growing the total total Kiwi
fruit pool by about three percent of volume tier year.
(32:00):
At that level of growth, yes, it is growth, but
you get much bigger swings yet to year depending on
the quality of the season, and that growth is actually
a lot slower than what we've seen over the last
ten years in the industry. So yeah, we absolutely believe
that the industry can handle it. And the reality is
there's still good value there and so growing the industry
(32:21):
is good for the industry and it's good for the
communities and the regions that we're in as well.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
So you're a key we for grower or growing managed
fund I know you've got two funds number one and two.
Are they're fully subscribed, the inn is full there, you're
going to release a third one yep.
Speaker 7 (32:40):
So we have two funds. We raised them in twenty
twenty one and then twenty twenty two, and so we
raise the funds and then over the next few years
we invest that capital through the buying orchards or developing
orchards from beer land, or in some cases converting green
orchards to gold. We've just finished, we've completed all of
(33:02):
the investment from our second funds. We've just pulled the
trigger on another development and so yeah, we're going to
We're going to raise a third fund. Will probably kick
off that raise in the next month or so, and
that's going to do exactly the same things as our
first two funds. It's going to invest predominantly in sun gold.
We will do that through the buying sun gold orchards
(33:24):
or building them from beer land or converting them from green.
And we will invest in Vespree through ownership of Vespri
shares as well.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Your funds have performed well, with the exception of a
bit of a kick in the guts in the Gisban region.
From Gabrielle. But you weren't alone there.
Speaker 4 (33:40):
Yep.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
No. The funds, the funds are going. The funds are
going really well. You have good years and you have
bad years. Twenty twenty three was a pretty crappy year
with gabriel but equally the last couple of years have
been exceptional and that's horticulture right. So yes, look, we're
(34:01):
really happy with how it's going and just excited to
keep growing our business. Really, we have about two hundred
and sixty investors across our two funds. We're looking to
just keep that trajectory going.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Watch the Space Origin Capital Partners fun number three coming up,
your chance to and maybe invest in that one. I
hope your mum's happy with how I handled the interview today, Dom,
good to chat mate, and I hope you get a
good spell of weather for your Kiwi fruit harvest.
Speaker 7 (34:26):
Thank you, me too, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
Thanks Tom zade Away from One Up Next. Yes, it's
what we've been talking about today, The weather with Phil
Duncan six Away from One Wrapping the country with Phil
(34:50):
Duncan from weather Watch. Phil. The worst of it's over
supposedly for the North Island. It's creeping south this unfortunate
weather event.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Yeah, the storm at the moment yesterday it pulled in
towards the lower North Island, especially Hawk's Bay down to Wellington.
This morning you can see it on the rain radar.
It is actually starting to move offshore again. So I
mean it's been offshore the whole time, but it's moving
further offshore now. And as it does that the winds
and the rain ease in the North Island. But then
(35:20):
later today, tonight, tomorrow, that low drifts southwards and so
that's why the rain is now pushing already into Canterbury.
And now I see that met Service that n't got
to wear a watch out for heavy rain for eastern
parts of Dunedin. So we are oh sorry of Otago.
So we are seeing the low moving southwards, but it's
fracturing now. It's breaking apart a lot more as far
(35:42):
as the rain is concerned, and the worst of the
winds should start to ease back, if they haven't already,
they'll start to ease back this afternoon and tonight.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Hey, Andrew Hoggard made a really interesting point. He was
talking about the big weather event. I think off the
top of my head in the Manu or two in
two thousand and four on it it fell on February's
extinct or was it Gabrielle one or t'ther? But here
we go again on February sixteen. Why is it so
active at this time of the year.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Well, yeah, February and March. I mean it's odd a
little bit at the same dates. But around February middle,
especially the middle of February through to the start of April,
that is when we get some of our fastest growing,
largest storms of the year. They can rapidly develop. And
that's because while our summer weather starts to come to
an end around about the middle of February, it starts
(36:28):
to break. Apart of it, the sea is still warming
up and it doesn't get to its peak until March.
So you've got the warm waters of the sea and
then this approaching kind of colder waterum air, and those
two combined can produce very big storms from February through
to April. And that's where you know, got the Wahini
disaster in there in the middle of April as well,
So you've got the sort of line of big storms
(36:49):
that hit That's why we have so many easter weekend storms.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Does the weather come right for people midweek onwards, because
it's all about recovery now it does.
Speaker 4 (36:58):
The good news is this low basically falls apart by Thursday.
It's south of the country and it's very weak, but
coincidentally behind it on Wednesday Thursday is another storm and
almost the exact same tracking, but the difference this time
has been the second one, and it's quite normal to
have two storms one after each other if things haven't
changed much around them. That next one's going to hit
(37:19):
the Chatam Islands. So they've got serious wind coming in
for Wednesday Thursday and a bit of rain. The rest
of the country, the mainland and the North Island, they'll
be seeing westerly winds turning southwest and high pressure coming
in this weekend. So I'm much better forecast than most.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Phil Duncan there from weather Watch doing an excellent job
as always, has a text and from Laura, Oh my god,
Jamie bloody. Green Peace have just to faced the newly
restored Rakaia Salmon Statue. They spent hundreds of thousands on that.
Green Peace go and save some whals and leave us alone.
(37:54):
Catch them back the same time, same place, tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to farmlands, from tanks to
trouts trusted for water control
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.