July 12, 2026 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Richard Allen, Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCallum, Dave Martin, and Phil Duncan.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to farmlands helping to keep
animals fed and thriving.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I guess n sir, the me you love time. You
got a picture of you?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
We say, got your lipstick marks alone, your cover cup.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good afternoon, Good a New Zealand. I'm Jamie McKay back
for good, well not for good, but for a week
while anyhow, Thank you to Hamish mackay cousin Hamish fulfilling
it in my absence. Really appreciated it. Right Today's big
news story. I guess I'm disappointing, but not surprising. Fonterra
dropping it's forecast milk by fifty cents per kilogram of
(01:03):
milk solids down to nine dollars twenty five from nine
to seventy five. Richard Allen waiting on hold, the relatively
new chief executive. We'll talk to him about that one. Obviously,
I've been in Australia for a couple of weeks on
grandparenting duty. It's good to be back. This is like
a holiday from the holiday. More about that later. But
(01:24):
I've been keeping a close eye on things, trying to
catch up with what's happening in New Zelle. I know
the weather's been terrible, it was something else that's really
got me fired up as the Greens. Nothing unusual in that,
but their latest water slash fertilizer policy could only be
described as economically illiterate, hair brained, half witted, whatever you
(01:45):
want to call it. So we'll have a discussion about
that one. The gloves will come off, no doubt. Dr
Jaquelin Row with Dave Martin wairoa farmer updating yet more
devastating flooding on the East coast. I heard Hamish talking
to the two mcmanaway's Adam and Shane last week. Kokoura
Waira Rappa. The east coast of the country has been
(02:08):
absolutely battered. We'll see how they're faring at the top
end of it. Today's Farmer Panel Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCullum,
couple of dairy farmers and politicians. I wonder what they
make of the reduced forecast milk price and I see
it in bloody old Winston getting stuck into the Indian FTA.
(02:28):
It's things like this that will save this country. But
he's like a dog with the bone, He's calling it
a twenty billion dollar cover up. Phil Duncan on the Weather.
I think we're going to get a better week this week,
let's hope. So to kick off the country, Richard Allen
from Fonterra can't just want you back for Birch. It
(03:05):
is today's big news story and I would describe it
as disappointing but not surprising. To tell us more, the
chief executive of Fonterra, Richard Allen, you came out this morning, Richard,
the co op cut fifty cents from its forecast milk
price as a battles softer than expected demand and strong
global supply. Good afternoon. You're relatively new in the job.
(03:28):
You've got a bit of a hospital pass having to
deliver this one, Richard.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Good Jammie, thanks for having me on. Look, yeah, it's
never great having to reduce the milk price, but we
have seen softness over the last few dudits from when
we came out in May with the evening forecast, I
think we've seen around about eleven percent decline across kind
of the key products to go into the milk price,
So really important we get the signal out there. We
(03:54):
went out with a wide range. To begin with, we
knew that the world was pretty uncertain and prettyvollatile, and
we're starting to see a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Of that through absolutely So those GDT prices have fallen
eleven percent across the reference products since late May, so
that's a drop that you couldn't ignore.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
That's exactly right. And you know, getting a signal out
there is an important time of year on farm farmers
making decisions around around the rest of the season, So
get that signal out there and let our farmers get
onto them.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
We're expecting a stronger than average if I can use
that word start to the season. We finished last season
with the wet sal didn't we milk production up? What
for in a bit percent or something like that. It's
looking good for a promising start, but there are a
couple of dark clouds on the horizon. The super al
Nino here in Australasia would be one, and obviously even
(04:47):
with what's happening in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment,
this heat wave, and you don't want to benefit from
another dairy farmer's misfortune. But could that eventually play into
the hands of New Zealand farmers.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, I think time will tell, but the heat is
definitely starting to I wouldn't say it's dropping them, but
it's certainly slowing the growth, particularly particularly in Europe, but even.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
In parts of the US.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I think here in New Zealand year we had a
bumper season last year. We expect that to continue into
this year. A lot of talk around the potential impacts
of the Super Nino. I know our farmers are pretty
well prepared, and you know there's pretty good on farm
feed around.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
So look, I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Sure they're all preparing for it, but we'll see how
the season plays up.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Do you suspect that this signal you're sending now by
reducing the forecast milk price by fifty cents will encourage
perhaps farmers to change their farming practices my words, not yours.
Maybe use a bit less supplement.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
No, I don't.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Look.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Again, it's up to our farmers as to you know,
what they do and the decision.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
They make on their farm.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I think you know, our.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Job is to get out there and maximize the value
for them milk. And at the moment, you know, the
demand has been mild, the softest the place has been
a little bit up. But I think you know, generally,
nine twenty five is still not a bad number. We
just got to get up there and deliver it.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Hey, I think about this time about a year ago.
It might not have quite been a year ago. One stage,
we were staring down the barrel of a payout that
was going to begin with an eight. So things can
change quickly, and.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
That's exactly right, Jamie. I mean, we're so early into
the season, and you know there will be twists and
turns from here.
Speaker 6 (06:29):
We know that we are.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Particularly you know, the forecast is really susceptible to changes
in price right now, and so this is where we
see it today. But as you say, things can conturn
pretty quickly, and again we'll have to watch and see
what comes with this season.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Richard Allen with a chief executive of fon Terra. You've
been in the job now for a couple of months.
You had very big shoes or to use dairy farming
terminology gum boots to fill replacing Miles Hurrel. How are
you finding the job?
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It's great, Damie.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, this is you know, it's a real privilege
to have this opportunity. We've got a great team, We've
got a great set of products, and we've got two
great businesses in our food service and ingredients business out
there in the market. So look, no shortage of challenges
if you look what's happening in the world, and you
know we're pretty good at navigating those. But as I said,
it's a great team, it's a great co op and yeah,
(07:24):
just looking looking forward to delivering for the farms.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Life would be a lot easier if people in other
parts of the world would mind their own business.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Life would be a lot easier, James, for sure. But
I think you know, we hope to that. We certainly
don't plan for that. And yeah, you know our job
is to take what's thrown at us and get out
there and maximize value for our farmers.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Wow, there's a protein boom on out there and we
are the best at converting grass to protein. So the
future as good, but there will always be ups and downs.
Richard Allen, Chief Executive a Fonterra. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
Thanks Jamie, Thank.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
You Richard fourteen after twelve with the Country brought to
you by Isuzu Acture. I think Hamish mackay sells is
is these days in Auckland. Go and see him, the
great man and get yourself one of those well a
d maax suit. Maybe in Auckland you might be better
off with the m UX seventh seater great vehicle. Trust
(08:19):
me m Country Calendar last night, I really enjoyed that.
The pumpkin growers or the pumpkin sea growers from Wanganui,
see they're innovative, gutsy people. I really enjoyed that. And
make sure you watch Country Calendar this coming weekend Sunday
(08:39):
British Golf Open will be on. Looking forward to that
one and we'll know who the finalists are by then.
In the Football World Cup. Oh and the All Blacks
have got Ireland as well. But what makes sure you
watch Country Calendar on Sunday because Jack Jordan is going
to be starring King Country Farmer and of course the
world's best x men, Timber Sport champion, still Timber Sport
(09:02):
Champion champion, bloke, real hard worker, he's sort of old
school farming. So look forward to Jack Jordan on Country Calendar.
Well done, Country Calendar, Okay, up next. Oh my blood
was boiling in Australia when I saw those wombat Greens
come out with their latest water slash fertilizer policy. We've
(09:22):
got to put a stop to this. Gloves come off
next we're going to get stuck into the Greens. I
just want you back for god a lot.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Here's my moa and pard.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Down the world, Pander run.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
First day back on the job, back on the tools,
and I've got to deal with the floods. Gee, it's
been a tough time, hasn't around New Zealand than my absence.
Also at the fall and the forecast milk price. And
if that's not bad enough, the Greens new policy on
water and fertilizer. My blood is boiling on day one,
doctor Jackall and Roweth. Then I just say to any
(10:16):
sorry to get onto the front foot. I say to
any farmer out there, if you're thinking of voting and
this will get me in trouble, anything other than National
Act or New Zealand First, you are mad because if
we have a change of government, it's game over? Am
I being too dramatic?
Speaker 7 (10:31):
I think you will give people a wake up call
about what's going on. And it is deeply distressing that
there are some policies coming out now in an attempt
to do better for the future without realizing that it
won't be better that there are unintended consequences with every action,
and the latest screen party policy is very, very worrying
(10:54):
in terms of what they think will happen to food
and by the way, it won't clean up water because
they do not understand and the basis of what they're saying,
which is that water is a function of everything that
happens around it, not just the dairy cow that they
don't like.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
I'm so relieved to see the World Health Organization coming
out last month with its guidelines for drinking water quality,
the updated fourth edition.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
They're still saying fifty milligrams per liter of as nitrate.
It's the one we use already, and they can't find
any health implications with any quality water quality as long
as it's the fifty of NS nitrate, which is eleven
(11:45):
as nitrogen nitrate. And the point is there are huge
safety barriers in that. So I'd love us to stop
frightening people with the suggestion that water quality in New
Zealand is no good.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
You've got a really good case study and what happened,
and you'll know more about this than I do with
what happened in Sri Lanka when they tried to get
rid of synthetic or nitrogen synthetic fertilizers.
Speaker 7 (12:10):
Oh, it was a crash. It was an economic crash.
People started starving, the animals were in dire straits.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It was just awful.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
I was there.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Eighteen months after that looking at the farming systems for
NPI here and giving the report that that country had
not recovered from the well intentioned but completely idiotic sudden removal.
Now people will then say, oh, well, if they'd phased
it out, it would have been different, but there is
(12:41):
no evidence to suggest that that is the case. So
what happens when you pull out nitrogen is that you
get a winding down of the production system and eventually
you're either accept a very much lower productivity base or
you say this can't go on because actually people need feed.
And it's the people need feeding which drives my agricultural
(13:03):
science background, which is how do we feed the most
number of people. They're nutritional requirements for the least impact
on the environment, whether we're talking in soil and water
or greenhouse gases, least impact and New Zealand's got a
very good track record.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
In that notdrogen fertilizer feeds half the world.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Yeah, that is the calculation.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Surely labor won't be dumb enough to go along with
us were to be a change of government.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Well, the thing that happens then is, well, we don't
need to feed the world, but of course we do
need to export in order to have our economic development.
Our economy depends upon the export economy and most of
that is the primary sector. So if we don't have
enough to sell, well, Only West, when he was vice
(13:55):
chancellor of Lincoln University, said if we don't look after
our water resources, somebody else will come and do it
for us. And I'd say the same about food. We've
got terrific soils, much better than most of the world has.
We've got fantastic water resources, and I think it behooves
us to actually be doing what the world needs, which
(14:16):
is producing high quality protein and that means animal protein
and exporting it. And we have least environmental impact, so
when people buy stuff from us, it has like a
mouthful of cheese or milk or meat, it has less
environmental impact than most other countries can manage. That's terrific
(14:37):
and New Zealand is still a fabulous place. We rate
really highly on all the indicators that come out of
the OECD or.
Speaker 8 (14:49):
Work life balance.
Speaker 7 (14:50):
We've discussed that in the past, or indeed the water
in the Best Country to Live indices which terrific.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We are the best at converting ground into protein in
the world. That's our great natural advantage. All right, Jacqueline,
got to go. You are a director of Ravens Down
and I'm hoping to catch up with Mike Whitty tomorrow
to talk about what the latest who are. If you
can call it that, I don't think it's a strong
enough word. In the Middle East might mean for fertilizer
prices in the coming season, but we'll leave that till
(15:20):
tomorrow's show. Thanks for your time today. Always good to
catch up.
Speaker 7 (15:24):
Lovely to have you back.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Thanks Jomy, It's good to be back. Twenty four after
twelve the Country brought to you by Isuzu and Farmland.
Some of your feedback coming in. Charlie, I'm not going
to read your word out or your text out word
for word, because it's a wee bit racist, if you
don't mind me saying so. He but Charlie does say no,
(15:48):
Jamie Winston is correct. How did Luxeon and maclay not
do their due diligence? And account for the payment of
a twenty billion dollar investment into the Indian economy. It's
just a payment to the Indians for giving us a
trade deal. And the clowns McLay and Luxeon were not
awake to it. We've got to get rid of them,
(16:10):
says Charlie. Look, I couldn't disagree more. Charlie. You and
I are on opposite sides of the Indian FTA. It's
an aspirational number. It's not set in concrete. Charlie, tell
me where it's set in concrete. And why wouldn't you
Zealand companies want to invest money? And I'm talking about
our big ad companies and our tech companies. Why wouldn't
(16:32):
they want to invest money in India when you've got
a customer base of one point four billion people and growing.
Just common business sense. We'll see what a couple of
farmer politicians say next, Andrew Hoggard and Grant McCullum. We'll
see what they think of the Green's latest policy. And
why is rugby a game for a young man? Well?
(16:56):
Ask Grant McCullum that apparently he's getting knee surger or
his head knee surgery after playing for the Parliamentary rugby team.
Silly old fall. Those words sprink to mind anyhow, They're
up next. Dave Martin wairoa farmer, terrible weather over the
past couple of weeks on the east coast of both islands.
(17:19):
And Phil Duncan on the weather. We'll see if we
can dish up better forecast for you for this week.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
And on we will walk at da Brig again.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
I'll touch green grass you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Oh, welcome back to the country. It is twenty eight
after twelve. Poor, some sugar on me, baby. That's not
what Grant McCullum was saying after the Parliamentary rugby game,
and Russell he was saying, pour some cold water on me,
or pause or put some liniment on me. Grant, don't
you think you're a bit old to be playing rugby?
Have you had your knee surgery yet?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yes, it's probably as the first question and the seconds
of the agent. Secondly, no, I beg sitting there. It
was always a but Dodgy just got a bit worse
after that effort. But yeah, look lowds for a great cause, mate.
You raised fifty odd grand for a couple of great
sporting trusts out there. But Yeah, it was an interesting
weekend and a lot of fun. And yes the ribbing
has continued. Whips that was much.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Well, he's got broken ribs. I heard Andrew's Saville talking
to the husk this morning talking about his injuries. I'm
surprised Save fronted up, but no doubt anchoring the scrum
for the Parliamentary rugby team would be our other farmer
politician today, Minister of Biosecurity Associate AG Minister Andrew Hoggart.
How did you pull up after the game, Andrew?
Speaker 6 (18:57):
No, I didn't play that. I've been given enough problems
this year, put my back out every time I pick
a pinup. So no, I'm hang up the boots for good.
Quite frankly, I look being free to move.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Well, what loss of the game matters?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Now?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I see Winstant the old buggers getting stuck into McLay
and Luxon. He's calling it now the twenty billion dollar
cover up. One at a time, boys, Okay, Andrew, away
you go.
Speaker 6 (19:29):
Well, Christian men, wives, pack Patterson, you owing on a
ministerial trip to India. The benefits of New Zealand wool
now that we've got a terrace reduction on it. So
look I think this is there's a huge amount of
benefit to this deal for a number of New Zealand
agricultural enterprises. I wish it could have been gairy, but hey,
(19:49):
we know it's particularly troublesome for India, but you know
we've got great excess. Yeah, I think this has a
bit over over the top quite frankly.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
That's it's grant. It's plainly politicking an election year by
Winston because this twenty billion dollars. Well, let's answer this question.
Is it a commitment or is it an aspirational number.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
It's an aspirational number. And the Indians have said as much.
They've said the same thing, and I just think it
is so irresponsible of Winston Peters in Zillim first to
run around bagging this agreement when you look at the
benefit trade has given this country and India one of
the fastest gray economies in the world. One point four
billion people, hundreds of millions come into the middle class
(20:35):
and they don't want to do business with them. Oh
but hold on, as there's this highlighted by Andrew which
Mark Patterson's shot off there. I've seen his press release
to go and talk about well, no mention the free
trade agreement, the fact that's going to make his job
easier be interesting discussions when he gets told they're chatting
away to the various ministers and people about what his
leader's saying.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, well, Andrew Hoggart, I made the comment awe it earlier.
May have been a informed I don't know, but why
wouldn't big New Zealand agg and tech companies and I
think of Fonterra, Silver fern Farms, Halter and all these
sorts of outfits. Why wouldn't they invest in a marketplace
with one point four billion and counting people.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
Well, I mean, for on the dairy side, you'd obviously
want some excess in return. Obviously there might be some.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
You know, future.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
Potentials there through some of the formula exports. As for
Halter though, let's not forget the average Indian dairy herds
only two cows, so there's probably other markets they want
to go to.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
It might be a bit over the top having what
a collar on your cow ons too in the backyard?
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Yeah, yeah, okay, pretty much.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Yeah, Well maybe it was an informed commentary by me.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
So look, there's certainly benefits to New Zealand. Every time
we have a trade deal, there's more benefits to New Zealand. Egg.
We never want to get away from having market access.
It's so critical for this country. We export ninety to
ninety five percent of what we produce, so we've got
to have market access.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Andrew, you talked about your bad back and Grant, I
know you've got a bad knee after your rugby game. Now,
I wanted to just check that after your rugby game
your neck was okay, because no doubt you would have
had a busy weekend. Nodding in the background while Luxon
was cuddling up to Mody.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Well, I thank you for that observation, Jamie. If I
was not invited, wasn't far enough up that food Jane
this time round? But no, it was great. The Prime
Minister is a fantastic job and relationships matter in this world.
And clearly he gets on well with Mody, as does
tied with the Indian Trade Minister. That stuff really matters
for us. And yeah, and the benefits of this country
(22:49):
be massive. There are many news owned companies now already
looking to your business in India because they see the opportunities.
Why wouldn't you I mean, I just go back to it,
very irresponsible Winston Peters, and he's on first to come
out and say the things are saying right.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I might have an argument with Winston a wee bit
later in the week on the show. Hey look, I've
already I've already fired a few shots across the bow
of the Greens. I can't believe how Andrew Hoggard, how
economically illiterate they are. And I did make the I
pose the question to doctor Jack Willnrowe it surely labor
won't be dumb enough to buy into this.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Well, problem is, labor haven't put out any agricultural policies,
so we don't know what they believe. They're probably just
going to rely on at the moment. You have to
assume that the green agricultural policies would be the policies
for their coalition if it so comes to that. And
I mean it's not just economic illiteracy, it's also farming
and literacy, because if you don't put nitrogen, and they
(23:52):
seem to think agriculture is solely dairy farming, and actually
you know, yeah, I could do easily still do gary
farming without nitrogen, but you can't do that for arable
and actually, you know, we use nitrogen to boost production
at a level that's workable and sensible. But if you're
trying to grow oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, you've got
(24:18):
to use nitrogen otherwise we aren't producing it in this country.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, I think the vegetables are the ones who are
behind the green green Zagg policy, namely the people.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
And now the other thing here is I've heard Steve
Abele interviewed on this topic. It was unbelievable. What he's
effectively saying is that the well, his farming sisters out
there now, they don't use nitrogen. But guess what he
talked about it. I'm suspecting he's talking about organics. Well,
that those farmers get paid another two dollars a kilo,
approximately a kilo extra, So that's higher cost of food
(24:53):
more to the average person of the supermarket. How are
they going to go in the supermarket? They're going to
go have to pay more for their food middle of
a cost. You know, that's just ridiculous. The other silly
comedy matters, We currently produce enough, more than enough food
in the world, so we don't need this nitrogen so
what is the effect to be saying is we've got
to spend those of us who wealthy judged eat less
(25:13):
and give more to those of the poor countries. It's
just faintly ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Absolutely. Hey, Andrew, I've been watching keeping an eye on
competing radio online shows, and I note that blueberry gate
is rearing its head. You're in the sights of another
show who says you've dropped the ball and we're all
going to die of some horrid disease if we put
uncooked blueberries into our smoothies.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Well, I'm pretty sure I did go on that show
and explain what is happening. And you know, we're just
developing an import our standard for blueberries. It's just still
in draft form yet. I haven't seen the final version
of it, but I'm sure that and when I do
see it, I'll be looking to make sure that the
controls that are in place similar to the controls we
(26:02):
have in place for other fruits and vegetables that can
be imported to this country where they manage the same
pests and diseases from the same locations. So making sure
that those strength, those you know, control mechanisms are in place,
because you know, we need to if we want to
be able to export. We've only some important all.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Right, lad say, I've got to wrap this. But you're
both farmer or farmer politicians, you're both dairy pharmacy, are
both supplying fonterra. Disappointing but not surprising. Nine dollars twenty
five can. I know you've both got good off farm incomes,
but can you make a bucket that level?
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Oh well, look Jamie, yes, I wish we can. But
ultimately this is normal in the dairy sector. Just go
up and down, the volatility everywhere. I'm sure my all
the farmers out there very prudently careful about how they
approach these things, so you will survive.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
And final word for you, Andrew Haggard, Yeah, ye.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
Same thing. I mean, I'm well and truly used the
prices going up and down. I mean it's still the
nine dollar payout, which you know, if I go back
a decade or more, that seems completely unbelievable that we
ever have payouts there high. So look, yep, it's disappointing,
but we'll survive.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Yep. Farming, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it,
including softies like us who sit around on around heated offices.
I'm not accusing you too. Oh yeah, it's good to
be back. I'm not accusing you two of being softies,
although Andrew you're a bit soft for not fronting up
for the team. Yeah, at least you played the rugby.
It's silly old fault. So there we go, Grant McCallum
(27:35):
and Andrew Hoggard the Farmer Politician panel. I must have
an argument with Winston later in the week. He's annoying
me now with his rhetoric around this Indian Fdaight up next,
Michelle's in here with rural news. We'll have sports news
for you. So much going on in sport at the moment.
Dave Martin in Wairaha where there's been terrible goes without
(27:58):
saying and fell Duncan going to try and do something
about the weather for you.
Speaker 9 (28:10):
Two day's gonna be the day that they're gonna throw
it back Sea.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Well, welcome back to the country. Good to be back
in the chair. Thank you to Hamish for filling in
in my absence of Michelle for organizing Hamish. Here she
is with the latest and rural news. This is the
song we're gonna hear a wee bit over the next week.
Football's coming home. Don't know about that, but this is
kind of the facto theme song for the English team
(28:36):
at the Football World Cup. How good is that? I'm
very excited about that. But anyhow, Michelle, good afternoon. Here
is Rural News, the Country's rural News with cub Cadet.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
It's one thing to talk innovation, another to back it up,
drive it we dare you visit steel Ford dot co
dot nzen for your locals, Tar guest.
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Thanks Jamie and Masa.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
You were a mussed I, you know what, not by everybody.
I've got a bit of abuse on the text line obviously,
was that Steve Abeles phone number? I better check. I
might get Steve Island abuse home for his Green Party policy. Actually,
I've had quite a bit of support about my rant
about the Greens. Seriously, they're economically illiterate. It's one thing
saving the planet, but you go broken the process. You
(29:21):
can't be green unless you're in the black.
Speaker 10 (29:22):
Michelle, that probably does make total sense. So I also think,
just personal opinion, most farmers are actually very responsible and
don't you use for atilize It costs a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, you don't use it unnecessarily, you bang on and
most most farmers ninety nine percent of them are good
guardians of the environment, or maybe not ninety nine ninety
seven ninety eight most of them anyhow, But there's bad
apples and every business radio. What do you got so quickly?
Speaker 10 (29:48):
Actually Andrew Hoggard got my news on that chat before.
But Associate Agricultural Minister Mark Patterson is visiting India this
week to promote New Zealand's premium Strong Wall and strengths
and relationships at the bar Text twenty six, which is
a global textile expo. It's New Zealand's actually New Zealand,
and New Zealand is India. India is New Zealand's second
(30:08):
largest market for wool get it right and a key
market for key We will grow as an export is
so the strong potential there. According to Mark Patterson, he'll
be there speaking at business round table and champion New
Zealand Strong Will and meet with key figures across Indians
supply chain here.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Yet but he won't mention the war. He won't be
mentioned in the Indian FTA because Winston won't let him.
Looking forward to that fight later in the week heres sport.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Sport on the country with a fco business well done.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Oh so much going on? Why are we going to go?
We'll go with tennis beating Wimbledon finalists. Alexander Sparev believes
there's a genuine gap at the top of men's tennis
and Janick Sinner is clearly the benchmark the Italian world
number one. Sinner defended as Wimbledon crown, claiming a fifth
Grand Slam title. Key we goal for Ryan Fox has
(30:56):
finished tied for thirtieth at the Scottish Open. Rule already
had a very bad third round to see stormed home
with a very good final round. I think he might
be the guy to beat in the Open this weekend,
but I don't know much about golf anyhow. Up next,
we're going to talk farming and Wirah, Dave Martin.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Then make get Batner.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Remember du leterent deal than guns. Yeah, Oh what goodness,
my headphone's allowed. Just got to get used to working
this desk. It is thirteen and a half away from one.
There's another song we're going to hear a bit of
over the next week. Jude Bellingham. How good is he?
(31:43):
Dave Martin's pretty good as well. He runs the East
Coast Farming Expo. He's a farmer in Wirah on the
east coast there. And I know you guys have had
a real thrashing, but compared to some other areas, namely
Cookura wire Rapper, have you dodged a bit of a bullet, Dave.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Yeah, we've dodged that kind of bullet.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Good afternoon, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (32:03):
Yet we've had a bit of innoundation on our on
our lower terraces, and I think be tween a few
of us is probably about fifty odd hect years that
was under and there's got silver in it.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
But it's it's it's not too bad.
Speaker 9 (32:15):
We won't get we won't get that country back for
the winter, but we will get it in the spring.
So bit of disruption, but it could have been.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
A hell of a lot worse. It was a terrible
weather event that hung around for so long. And actually
I've been neglectful to mention Otago Southland and Itaga or
coastal Southland in Otago. It just moved its way slowly
up the country and just kept oozing rain.
Speaker 9 (32:41):
Yeah, we thought we were going to dodge it for
a while, but no, it definitely came around and gave
us the tail end. And yeah, that country is not
too bad. I've been talking to the manager on the
whole Country station and he's got a few slips across
the odd track, but we're sort of pretty lucky up
there too. Hundred mills in the back country and one
hundred meals down here on the flats, so smaller the
bottom ene of the river in town and Warrel, that's
(33:03):
that's been beaten up by what seems to be a
bit of storm suage.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Okay, well, let's talk some positive stories and farming, because
there are still positives, plenty of positive stories out there.
You're enjoying good returns on live stock and wall hopefully
they stay there.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
Oh, it's been a fantastic year, Jamie. You know, Dad
and I discussing the day, you know, we just can't
you know, he can't remember these pricings, and it makes
it really positive for us. And now that Hawks Bay's
got a good bit of rain, that will just really
set the storm market up for Warral and all the
breeding farms up here going forward into the spring.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
And I know some people don't like talking about this.
I don't know whether it's head in the sand, or
whether they're just not trusting of weather forecasters, but or
they're all coming out and we're going to talk to
Phil Duncan in a minute, and they're all warning of
this strong Anino event. I know in Australia where I've
been there, they're already starting to take precautions or do
a bit of forward planning. Potentially could be very bad
(34:01):
for your region. What are you doing?
Speaker 9 (34:04):
We try to go with the dollar each way, Jamie.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
We've been caught before where new.
Speaker 9 (34:09):
Have come out and said we're going to go for
a horrible dry and we dun't lambs and got burnt.
But he'd be silly this time not to have some plans.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
And we are.
Speaker 9 (34:17):
You know, we're a hell country. Majority of our country
as hell country, and so we're readily fixed with breeding stock.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
But we're making plans around you know.
Speaker 9 (34:24):
How we set stock stuff so we can access it
should it get dry on the spring. You know, used
with lambs at the foot being stacked and away from
the yards and priories and doing something we've never done
which has put a bigger up there in the middle
of winter, just to cleaning a few extra dams out
and in preparation, you know, for filling them up and
having that water to resource there.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Absolutely, And also Maze. I talked to you when I
was at the Gisbane show about Maze. It's a bit
of a tough one for you guys at the moment.
Speaker 9 (34:54):
Yeah, like all all the arable sectoring is in. At
the moment, we're getting punished by really poor returns and
year cutting out of war or where we've got an
expense from the long transport down to the market. So
once again we're lucky in our operation with the hell
Country Block. We can have a dollar each way, and
we're doing the numbers on whether we continue to grow
a lot of maize, or we pull back and put
(35:14):
more fodder crops and potentially run lambs, or if it
gets dry, we can bring down some of our younger
capital stock and run them on some crops. So that's
once again for that dollar each way.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Hey, Dave Martin, thanks for some of your time and
good luck for the rest of the farming season. You
farm in a great part of the country, weather permitting
like the rest of us.
Speaker 9 (35:36):
Yeah, thanks, Jamie, and I'll think of all those guys
down south and our friends in town near the suffering
at the moment, and we're should give you one a
bloody good spring to be honest, Yep, we need one.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
There we go, Dave Martin and why up next, Phil Duncan,
We'll see what we can do for your weatherwise for
the coming week. Okay, wrapping the country with Mondays weather
man Phil Duncan. Phil, there's been some awful weather in
the past couple of weeks. I'm not going to look
(36:07):
in the rear vision mirror. I want to look forward
for all those people who are in recovery mode after
all this wet and all this flooding. What do you
got lined up for them this week? I only want
good news. By the way, well I can do that.
Speaker 8 (36:20):
We've got a balancing act coming up now. So we
had a lot of southerlyas a lot of southeasterlyes that
have been blowing through and that's bored and all this
rain to the eastern side of New Zealand. But this
week we switch around to westeries as we would normally expect,
and so that's going to bring in a cold front
that's already arriving today in the South Island's west coast.
(36:41):
Thunderstorms in the southern half, heavy falls moving through this
afternoon and tonight, so there will be some rain. That
front falls apart as it crosses the North Island, so
there will be some wet weather, but not a huge amount.
And long story short, the eastern side of the country
has a relatively dry week this week and most of
the rain is on the west coast, and most of
(37:02):
that rain is south of Hokatika.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Well that's exactly what they want to hear. Are you
surprised that people breathlessly talk about low temperatures in the
middle of July?
Speaker 8 (37:14):
No, you, Sam, though the yes part is yeah. Some
of the new stories get silly when they talk about
places that are in the mountains getting cold in winter.
But I was talking to a reporter, Paul Gorman at
the weekend because he lives in christ Church where there
was a frost. I was in Auckland and there was
a frost, and we're both just saying it kind of
(37:35):
it feels a bit like the past, and it gets
a little bit exciting to see a frost these days
in some parts of New Zealand. So yeah, I think
it is a normal time of year to be getting
frosts and they've been a little bit absent in some
regions up until more recently.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Hey not our Nino of super al Nino. Earth Sciences
New Zealand have come out strongly about this one. Is
the jury still out for you.
Speaker 8 (38:00):
A little bit still? I think the concern is certainly
going to be what the weather pattern in New Zealand
does from the middle of spring through to autumn next year.
So we're still we're still in winter mode where it's
very chaotic, but I think once that spring pattern starts
to arrive, that's when we can really seriously look at it.
But I do think what's happening in the Eastern Pacific
(38:20):
is really extraordinary to see, you know, sea temperatures eight
degrees above where they should be.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
Yeah, it is going to be very interesting times. I
guess full warned is forearmed. Phil Duncan, thanks as always
for your time. Appreciate it mate, Thank you sir Phil
Duncan from weather Watch, great website for Farmers Radio. That's
me done on Dust's first day back on the tool.
See it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Then catch all the latest from the land. It's the
Country podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmlands helping to
keep animals fed and thriving.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's The Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to farmlands helping to keep
animals fed and thriving.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I guess n sir, the me you love time. You
got a picture of you?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
We say, got your lipstick marks alone, your cover cup.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Good afternoon, Good a New Zealand. I'm Jamie McKay back
for good, well not for good, but for a week
while anyhow, Thank you to Hamish mackay cousin Hamish fulfilling
it in my absence. Really appreciated it. Right Today's big
news story. I guess I'm disappointing, but not surprising. Fonterra
dropping it's forecast milk by fifty cents per kilogram of
(01:03):
milk solids down to nine dollars twenty five from nine
to seventy five. Richard Allen waiting on hold, the relatively
new chief executive. We'll talk to him about that one. Obviously,
I've been in Australia for a couple of weeks on
grandparenting duty. It's good to be back. This is like
a holiday from the holiday. More about that later. But
(01:24):
I've been keeping a close eye on things, trying to
catch up with what's happening in New Zelle. I know
the weather's been terrible, it was something else that's really
got me fired up as the Greens. Nothing unusual in that,
but their latest water slash fertilizer policy could only be
described as economically illiterate, hair brained, half witted, whatever you
(01:45):
want to call it. So we'll have a discussion about
that one. The gloves will come off, no doubt. Dr
Jaquelin Row with Dave Martin wairoa farmer updating yet more
devastating flooding on the East coast. I heard Hamish talking
to the two mcmanaway's Adam and Shane last week. Kokoura
Waira Rappa. The east coast of the country has been
(02:08):
absolutely battered. We'll see how they're faring at the top
end of it. Today's Farmer Panel Andrew Hoggard, Grant McCullum,
couple of dairy farmers and politicians. I wonder what they
make of the reduced forecast milk price and I see
it in bloody old Winston getting stuck into the Indian FTA.
(02:28):
It's things like this that will save this country. But
he's like a dog with the bone, He's calling it
a twenty billion dollar cover up. Phil Duncan on the Weather.
I think we're going to get a better week this week,
let's hope. So to kick off the country, Richard Allen
from Fonterra can't just want you back for Birch. It
(03:05):
is today's big news story and I would describe it
as disappointing but not surprising. To tell us more, the
chief executive of Fonterra, Richard Allen, you came out this morning, Richard,
the co op cut fifty cents from its forecast milk
price as a battles softer than expected demand and strong
global supply. Good afternoon. You're relatively new in the job.
(03:28):
You've got a bit of a hospital pass having to
deliver this one, Richard.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
Good Jammie, thanks for having me on. Look, yeah, it's
never great having to reduce the milk price, but we
have seen softness over the last few dudits from when
we came out in May with the evening forecast, I
think we've seen around about eleven percent decline across kind
of the key products to go into the milk price,
So really important we get the signal out there. We
(03:54):
went out with a wide range. To begin with, we
knew that the world was pretty uncertain and prettyvollatile, and
we're starting to see a little bit.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Of that through absolutely So those GDT prices have fallen
eleven percent across the reference products since late May, so
that's a drop that you couldn't ignore.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
That's exactly right. And you know, getting a signal out
there is an important time of year on farm farmers
making decisions around around the rest of the season, So
get that signal out there and let our farmers get
onto them.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
We're expecting a stronger than average if I can use
that word start to the season. We finished last season
with the wet sal didn't we milk production up? What
for in a bit percent or something like that. It's
looking good for a promising start, but there are a
couple of dark clouds on the horizon. The super al
Nino here in Australasia would be one, and obviously even
(04:47):
with what's happening in the Northern Hemisphere at the moment,
this heat wave, and you don't want to benefit from
another dairy farmer's misfortune. But could that eventually play into
the hands of New Zealand farmers.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, I think time will tell, but the heat is
definitely starting to I wouldn't say it's dropping them, but
it's certainly slowing the growth, particularly particularly in Europe, but even.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
In parts of the US.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
I think here in New Zealand year we had a
bumper season last year. We expect that to continue into
this year. A lot of talk around the potential impacts
of the Super Nino. I know our farmers are pretty
well prepared, and you know there's pretty good on farm
feed around.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
So look, I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Sure they're all preparing for it, but we'll see how
the season plays up.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Do you suspect that this signal you're sending now by
reducing the forecast milk price by fifty cents will encourage
perhaps farmers to change their farming practices my words, not yours.
Maybe use a bit less supplement.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
No, I don't.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Look.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Again, it's up to our farmers as to you know,
what they do and the decision.
Speaker 6 (05:55):
They make on their farm.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
I think you know, our.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Job is to get out there and maximize the value
for them milk. And at the moment, you know, the
demand has been mild, the softest the place has been
a little bit up. But I think you know, generally,
nine twenty five is still not a bad number. We
just got to get up there and deliver it.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Hey, I think about this time about a year ago.
It might not have quite been a year ago. One stage,
we were staring down the barrel of a payout that
was going to begin with an eight. So things can
change quickly, and.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
That's exactly right, Jamie. I mean, we're so early into
the season, and you know there will be twists and
turns from here.
Speaker 6 (06:29):
We know that we are.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Particularly you know, the forecast is really susceptible to changes
in price right now, and so this is where we
see it today. But as you say, things can conturn
pretty quickly, and again we'll have to watch and see
what comes with this season.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Richard Allen with a chief executive of fon Terra. You've
been in the job now for a couple of months.
You had very big shoes or to use dairy farming
terminology gum boots to fill replacing Miles Hurrel. How are
you finding the job?
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It's great, Damie.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
I mean, this is you know, it's a real privilege
to have this opportunity. We've got a great team, We've
got a great set of products, and we've got two
great businesses in our food service and ingredients business out
there in the market. So look, no shortage of challenges
if you look what's happening in the world, and you
know we're pretty good at navigating those. But as I said,
it's a great team, it's a great co op and yeah,
(07:24):
just looking looking forward to delivering for the farms.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Life would be a lot easier if people in other
parts of the world would mind their own business.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Life would be a lot easier, James, for sure. But
I think you know, we hope to that. We certainly
don't plan for that. And yeah, you know our job
is to take what's thrown at us and get out
there and maximize value for our farmers.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Wow, there's a protein boom on out there and we
are the best at converting grass to protein. So the
future as good, but there will always be ups and downs.
Richard Allen, Chief Executive a Fonterra. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
Thanks Jamie, Thank.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
You Richard fourteen after twelve with the Country brought to
you by Isuzu Acture. I think Hamish mackay sells is
is these days in Auckland. Go and see him, the
great man and get yourself one of those well a
d maax suit. Maybe in Auckland you might be better
off with the m UX seventh seater great vehicle. Trust
(08:19):
me m Country Calendar last night, I really enjoyed that.
The pumpkin growers or the pumpkin sea growers from Wanganui,
see they're innovative, gutsy people. I really enjoyed that. And
make sure you watch Country Calendar this coming weekend Sunday
(08:39):
British Golf Open will be on. Looking forward to that
one and we'll know who the finalists are by then.
In the Football World Cup. Oh and the All Blacks
have got Ireland as well. But what makes sure you
watch Country Calendar on Sunday because Jack Jordan is going
to be starring King Country Farmer and of course the
world's best x men, Timber Sport champion, still Timber Sport
(09:02):
Champion champion, bloke, real hard worker, he's sort of old
school farming. So look forward to Jack Jordan on Country Calendar.
Well done, Country Calendar, Okay, up next. Oh my blood
was boiling in Australia when I saw those wombat Greens
come out with their latest water slash fertilizer policy. We've
(09:22):
got to put a stop to this. Gloves come off
next we're going to get stuck into the Greens. I
just want you back for god a lot.
Speaker 5 (09:40):
Here's my moa and pard.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Down the world, Pander run.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
First day back on the job, back on the tools,
and I've got to deal with the floods. Gee, it's
been a tough time, hasn't around New Zealand than my absence.
Also at the fall and the forecast milk price. And
if that's not bad enough, the Greens new policy on
water and fertilizer. My blood is boiling on day one,
doctor Jackall and Roweth. Then I just say to any
(10:16):
sorry to get onto the front foot. I say to
any farmer out there, if you're thinking of voting and
this will get me in trouble, anything other than National
Act or New Zealand First, you are mad because if
we have a change of government, it's game over? Am
I being too dramatic?
Speaker 7 (10:31):
I think you will give people a wake up call
about what's going on. And it is deeply distressing that
there are some policies coming out now in an attempt
to do better for the future without realizing that it
won't be better that there are unintended consequences with every action,
and the latest screen party policy is very, very worrying
(10:54):
in terms of what they think will happen to food
and by the way, it won't clean up water because
they do not understand and the basis of what they're saying,
which is that water is a function of everything that
happens around it, not just the dairy cow that they
don't like.
Speaker 5 (11:13):
I'm so relieved to see the World Health Organization coming
out last month with its guidelines for drinking water quality,
the updated fourth edition.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
They're still saying fifty milligrams per liter of as nitrate.
It's the one we use already, and they can't find
any health implications with any quality water quality as long
as it's the fifty of NS nitrate, which is eleven
(11:45):
as nitrogen nitrate. And the point is there are huge
safety barriers in that. So I'd love us to stop
frightening people with the suggestion that water quality in New
Zealand is no good.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
You've got a really good case study and what happened,
and you'll know more about this than I do with
what happened in Sri Lanka when they tried to get
rid of synthetic or nitrogen synthetic fertilizers.
Speaker 7 (12:10):
Oh, it was a crash. It was an economic crash.
People started starving, the animals were in dire straits.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It was just awful.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
I was there.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Eighteen months after that looking at the farming systems for
NPI here and giving the report that that country had
not recovered from the well intentioned but completely idiotic sudden removal.
Now people will then say, oh, well, if they'd phased
it out, it would have been different, but there is
(12:41):
no evidence to suggest that that is the case. So
what happens when you pull out nitrogen is that you
get a winding down of the production system and eventually
you're either accept a very much lower productivity base or
you say this can't go on because actually people need feed.
And it's the people need feeding which drives my agricultural
(13:03):
science background, which is how do we feed the most
number of people. They're nutritional requirements for the least impact
on the environment, whether we're talking in soil and water
or greenhouse gases, least impact and New Zealand's got a
very good track record.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
In that notdrogen fertilizer feeds half the world.
Speaker 7 (13:24):
Yeah, that is the calculation.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Surely labor won't be dumb enough to go along with
us were to be a change of government.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Well, the thing that happens then is, well, we don't
need to feed the world, but of course we do
need to export in order to have our economic development.
Our economy depends upon the export economy and most of
that is the primary sector. So if we don't have
enough to sell, well, Only West, when he was vice
(13:55):
chancellor of Lincoln University, said if we don't look after
our water resources, somebody else will come and do it
for us. And I'd say the same about food. We've
got terrific soils, much better than most of the world has.
We've got fantastic water resources, and I think it behooves
us to actually be doing what the world needs, which
(14:16):
is producing high quality protein and that means animal protein
and exporting it. And we have least environmental impact, so
when people buy stuff from us, it has like a
mouthful of cheese or milk or meat, it has less
environmental impact than most other countries can manage. That's terrific
(14:37):
and New Zealand is still a fabulous place. We rate
really highly on all the indicators that come out of
the OECD or.
Speaker 8 (14:49):
Work life balance.
Speaker 7 (14:50):
We've discussed that in the past, or indeed the water
in the Best Country to Live indices which terrific.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
We are the best at converting ground into protein in
the world. That's our great natural advantage. All right, Jacqueline,
got to go. You are a director of Ravens Down
and I'm hoping to catch up with Mike Whitty tomorrow
to talk about what the latest who are. If you
can call it that, I don't think it's a strong
enough word. In the Middle East might mean for fertilizer
prices in the coming season, but we'll leave that till
(15:20):
tomorrow's show. Thanks for your time today. Always good to
catch up.
Speaker 7 (15:24):
Lovely to have you back.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Thanks Jomy, It's good to be back. Twenty four after
twelve the Country brought to you by Isuzu and Farmland.
Some of your feedback coming in. Charlie, I'm not going
to read your word out or your text out word
for word, because it's a wee bit racist, if you
don't mind me saying so. He but Charlie does say no,
(15:48):
Jamie Winston is correct. How did Luxeon and maclay not
do their due diligence? And account for the payment of
a twenty billion dollar investment into the Indian economy. It's
just a payment to the Indians for giving us a
trade deal. And the clowns McLay and Luxeon were not
awake to it. We've got to get rid of them,
(16:10):
says Charlie. Look, I couldn't disagree more. Charlie. You and
I are on opposite sides of the Indian FTA. It's
an aspirational number. It's not set in concrete. Charlie, tell
me where it's set in concrete. And why wouldn't you
Zealand companies want to invest money? And I'm talking about
our big ad companies and our tech companies. Why wouldn't
(16:32):
they want to invest money in India when you've got
a customer base of one point four billion people and growing.
Just common business sense. We'll see what a couple of
farmer politicians say next, Andrew Hoggard and Grant McCullum. We'll
see what they think of the Green's latest policy. And
why is rugby a game for a young man? Well?
(16:56):
Ask Grant McCullum that apparently he's getting knee surger or
his head knee surgery after playing for the Parliamentary rugby team.
Silly old fall. Those words sprink to mind anyhow, They're
up next. Dave Martin wairoa farmer, terrible weather over the
past couple of weeks on the east coast of both islands.
(17:19):
And Phil Duncan on the weather. We'll see if we
can dish up better forecast for you for this week.
Speaker 4 (17:25):
And on we will walk at da Brig again.
Speaker 8 (17:31):
I'll touch green grass you.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Oh, welcome back to the country. It is twenty eight
after twelve. Poor, some sugar on me, baby. That's not
what Grant McCullum was saying after the Parliamentary rugby game,
and Russell he was saying, pour some cold water on me,
or pause or put some liniment on me. Grant, don't
you think you're a bit old to be playing rugby?
Have you had your knee surgery yet?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yes, it's probably as the first question and the seconds
of the agent. Secondly, no, I beg sitting there. It
was always a but Dodgy just got a bit worse
after that effort. But yeah, look lowds for a great cause, mate.
You raised fifty odd grand for a couple of great
sporting trusts out there. But Yeah, it was an interesting
weekend and a lot of fun. And yes the ribbing
has continued. Whips that was much.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
Well, he's got broken ribs. I heard Andrew's Saville talking
to the husk this morning talking about his injuries. I'm
surprised Save fronted up, but no doubt anchoring the scrum
for the Parliamentary rugby team would be our other farmer
politician today, Minister of Biosecurity Associate AG Minister Andrew Hoggart.
How did you pull up after the game, Andrew?
Speaker 6 (18:57):
No, I didn't play that. I've been given enough problems
this year, put my back out every time I pick
a pinup. So no, I'm hang up the boots for good.
Quite frankly, I look being free to move.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Well, what loss of the game matters?
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Now?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
I see Winstant the old buggers getting stuck into McLay
and Luxon. He's calling it now the twenty billion dollar
cover up. One at a time, boys, Okay, Andrew, away
you go.
Speaker 6 (19:29):
Well, Christian men, wives, pack Patterson, you owing on a
ministerial trip to India. The benefits of New Zealand wool
now that we've got a terrace reduction on it. So
look I think this is there's a huge amount of
benefit to this deal for a number of New Zealand
agricultural enterprises. I wish it could have been gairy, but hey,
(19:49):
we know it's particularly troublesome for India, but you know
we've got great excess. Yeah, I think this has a
bit over over the top quite frankly.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
That's it's grant. It's plainly politicking an election year by
Winston because this twenty billion dollars. Well, let's answer this question.
Is it a commitment or is it an aspirational number.
Speaker 4 (20:13):
It's an aspirational number. And the Indians have said as much.
They've said the same thing, and I just think it
is so irresponsible of Winston Peters in Zillim first to
run around bagging this agreement when you look at the
benefit trade has given this country and India one of
the fastest gray economies in the world. One point four
billion people, hundreds of millions come into the middle class
(20:35):
and they don't want to do business with them. Oh
but hold on, as there's this highlighted by Andrew which
Mark Patterson's shot off there. I've seen his press release
to go and talk about well, no mention the free
trade agreement, the fact that's going to make his job
easier be interesting discussions when he gets told they're chatting
away to the various ministers and people about what his
leader's saying.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
Yeah, well, Andrew Hoggart, I made the comment awe it earlier.
May have been a informed I don't know, but why
wouldn't big New Zealand agg and tech companies and I
think of Fonterra, Silver fern Farms, Halter and all these
sorts of outfits. Why wouldn't they invest in a marketplace
with one point four billion and counting people.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
Well, I mean, for on the dairy side, you'd obviously
want some excess in return. Obviously there might be some.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
You know, future.
Speaker 6 (21:25):
Potentials there through some of the formula exports. As for
Halter though, let's not forget the average Indian dairy herds
only two cows, so there's probably other markets they want
to go to.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
It might be a bit over the top having what
a collar on your cow ons too in the backyard?
Is that what you're saying?
Speaker 6 (21:43):
Yeah, yeah, okay, pretty much.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Yeah, Well maybe it was an informed commentary by me.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
So look, there's certainly benefits to New Zealand. Every time
we have a trade deal, there's more benefits to New Zealand. Egg.
We never want to get away from having market access.
It's so critical for this country. We export ninety to
ninety five percent of what we produce, so we've got
to have market access.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Andrew, you talked about your bad back and Grant, I
know you've got a bad knee after your rugby game. Now,
I wanted to just check that after your rugby game
your neck was okay, because no doubt you would have
had a busy weekend. Nodding in the background while Luxon
was cuddling up to Mody.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Well, I thank you for that observation, Jamie. If I
was not invited, wasn't far enough up that food Jane
this time round? But no, it was great. The Prime
Minister is a fantastic job and relationships matter in this world.
And clearly he gets on well with Mody, as does
tied with the Indian Trade Minister. That stuff really matters
for us. And yeah, and the benefits of this country
(22:49):
be massive. There are many news owned companies now already
looking to your business in India because they see the opportunities.
Why wouldn't you I mean, I just go back to it,
very irresponsible Winston Peters, and he's on first to come
out and say the things are saying right.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I might have an argument with Winston a wee bit
later in the week on the show. Hey look, I've
already I've already fired a few shots across the bow
of the Greens. I can't believe how Andrew Hoggard, how
economically illiterate they are. And I did make the I
pose the question to doctor Jack Willnrowe it surely labor
won't be dumb enough to buy into this.
Speaker 6 (23:29):
Well, problem is, labor haven't put out any agricultural policies,
so we don't know what they believe. They're probably just
going to rely on at the moment. You have to
assume that the green agricultural policies would be the policies
for their coalition if it so comes to that. And
I mean it's not just economic illiteracy, it's also farming
and literacy, because if you don't put nitrogen, and they
(23:52):
seem to think agriculture is solely dairy farming, and actually
you know, yeah, I could do easily still do gary
farming without nitrogen, but you can't do that for arable
and actually, you know, we use nitrogen to boost production
at a level that's workable and sensible. But if you're
trying to grow oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, vegetables, you've got
(24:18):
to use nitrogen otherwise we aren't producing it in this country.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Yeah, I think the vegetables are the ones who are
behind the green green Zagg policy, namely the people.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
And now the other thing here is I've heard Steve
Abele interviewed on this topic. It was unbelievable. What he's
effectively saying is that the well, his farming sisters out
there now, they don't use nitrogen. But guess what he
talked about it. I'm suspecting he's talking about organics. Well,
that those farmers get paid another two dollars a kilo,
approximately a kilo extra, So that's higher cost of food
(24:53):
more to the average person of the supermarket. How are
they going to go in the supermarket? They're going to
go have to pay more for their food middle of
a cost. You know, that's just ridiculous. The other silly
comedy matters, We currently produce enough, more than enough food
in the world, so we don't need this nitrogen so
what is the effect to be saying is we've got
to spend those of us who wealthy judged eat less
(25:13):
and give more to those of the poor countries. It's
just faintly ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Absolutely. Hey, Andrew, I've been watching keeping an eye on
competing radio online shows, and I note that blueberry gate
is rearing its head. You're in the sights of another
show who says you've dropped the ball and we're all
going to die of some horrid disease if we put
uncooked blueberries into our smoothies.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Well, I'm pretty sure I did go on that show
and explain what is happening. And you know, we're just
developing an import our standard for blueberries. It's just still
in draft form yet. I haven't seen the final version
of it, but I'm sure that and when I do
see it, I'll be looking to make sure that the
controls that are in place similar to the controls we
(26:02):
have in place for other fruits and vegetables that can
be imported to this country where they manage the same
pests and diseases from the same locations. So making sure
that those strength, those you know, control mechanisms are in place,
because you know, we need to if we want to
be able to export. We've only some important all.
Speaker 2 (26:22):
Right, lad say, I've got to wrap this. But you're
both farmer or farmer politicians, you're both dairy pharmacy, are
both supplying fonterra. Disappointing but not surprising. Nine dollars twenty
five can. I know you've both got good off farm incomes,
but can you make a bucket that level?
Speaker 4 (26:38):
Oh well, look Jamie, yes, I wish we can. But
ultimately this is normal in the dairy sector. Just go
up and down, the volatility everywhere. I'm sure my all
the farmers out there very prudently careful about how they
approach these things, so you will survive.
Speaker 2 (26:54):
And final word for you, Andrew Haggard, Yeah, ye.
Speaker 6 (26:57):
Same thing. I mean, I'm well and truly used the
prices going up and down. I mean it's still the
nine dollar payout, which you know, if I go back
a decade or more, that seems completely unbelievable that we
ever have payouts there high. So look, yep, it's disappointing,
but we'll survive.
Speaker 2 (27:15):
Yep. Farming, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it,
including softies like us who sit around on around heated offices.
I'm not accusing you too. Oh yeah, it's good to
be back. I'm not accusing you two of being softies,
although Andrew you're a bit soft for not fronting up
for the team. Yeah, at least you played the rugby.
It's silly old fault. So there we go, Grant McCallum
(27:35):
and Andrew Hoggard the Farmer Politician panel. I must have
an argument with Winston later in the week. He's annoying
me now with his rhetoric around this Indian Fdaight up next,
Michelle's in here with rural news. We'll have sports news
for you. So much going on in sport at the moment.
Dave Martin in Wairaha where there's been terrible goes without
(27:58):
saying and fell Duncan going to try and do something
about the weather for you.
Speaker 9 (28:10):
Two day's gonna be the day that they're gonna throw
it back Sea.
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Well, welcome back to the country. Good to be back
in the chair. Thank you to Hamish for filling in
in my absence of Michelle for organizing Hamish. Here she
is with the latest and rural news. This is the
song we're gonna hear a wee bit over the next week.
Football's coming home. Don't know about that, but this is
kind of the facto theme song for the English team
(28:36):
at the Football World Cup. How good is that? I'm
very excited about that. But anyhow, Michelle, good afternoon. Here
is Rural News, the Country's rural News with cub Cadet.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
It's one thing to talk innovation, another to back it up,
drive it we dare you visit steel Ford dot co
dot nzen for your locals, Tar guest.
Speaker 10 (28:56):
Thanks Jamie and Masa.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
You were a mussed I, you know what, not by everybody.
I've got a bit of abuse on the text line obviously,
was that Steve Abeles phone number? I better check. I
might get Steve Island abuse home for his Green Party policy. Actually,
I've had quite a bit of support about my rant
about the Greens. Seriously, they're economically illiterate. It's one thing
saving the planet, but you go broken the process. You
(29:21):
can't be green unless you're in the black.
Speaker 10 (29:22):
Michelle, that probably does make total sense. So I also think,
just personal opinion, most farmers are actually very responsible and
don't you use for atilize It costs a lot of money.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, you don't use it unnecessarily, you bang on and
most most farmers ninety nine percent of them are good
guardians of the environment, or maybe not ninety nine ninety
seven ninety eight most of them anyhow, But there's bad
apples and every business radio. What do you got so quickly?
Speaker 10 (29:48):
Actually Andrew Hoggard got my news on that chat before.
But Associate Agricultural Minister Mark Patterson is visiting India this
week to promote New Zealand's premium Strong Wall and strengths
and relationships at the bar Text twenty six, which is
a global textile expo. It's New Zealand's actually New Zealand,
and New Zealand is India. India is New Zealand's second
(30:08):
largest market for wool get it right and a key
market for key We will grow as an export is
so the strong potential there. According to Mark Patterson, he'll
be there speaking at business round table and champion New
Zealand Strong Will and meet with key figures across Indians
supply chain here.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Yet but he won't mention the war. He won't be
mentioned in the Indian FTA because Winston won't let him.
Looking forward to that fight later in the week heres sport.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Sport on the country with a fco business well done.
Speaker 2 (30:35):
Oh so much going on? Why are we going to go?
We'll go with tennis beating Wimbledon finalists. Alexander Sparev believes
there's a genuine gap at the top of men's tennis
and Janick Sinner is clearly the benchmark the Italian world
number one. Sinner defended as Wimbledon crown, claiming a fifth
Grand Slam title. Key we goal for Ryan Fox has
(30:56):
finished tied for thirtieth at the Scottish Open. Rule already
had a very bad third round to see stormed home
with a very good final round. I think he might
be the guy to beat in the Open this weekend,
but I don't know much about golf anyhow. Up next,
we're going to talk farming and Wirah, Dave Martin.
Speaker 3 (31:18):
Then make get Batner.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Remember du leterent deal than guns. Yeah, Oh what goodness,
my headphone's allowed. Just got to get used to working
this desk. It is thirteen and a half away from one.
There's another song we're going to hear a bit of
over the next week. Jude Bellingham. How good is he?
(31:43):
Dave Martin's pretty good as well. He runs the East
Coast Farming Expo. He's a farmer in Wirah on the
east coast there. And I know you guys have had
a real thrashing, but compared to some other areas, namely
Cookura wire Rapper, have you dodged a bit of a bullet, Dave.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Yeah, we've dodged that kind of bullet.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Good afternoon, Jamie.
Speaker 9 (32:03):
Yet we've had a bit of innoundation on our on
our lower terraces, and I think be tween a few
of us is probably about fifty odd hect years that
was under and there's got silver in it.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
But it's it's it's not too bad.
Speaker 9 (32:15):
We won't get we won't get that country back for
the winter, but we will get it in the spring.
So bit of disruption, but it could have been.
Speaker 2 (32:22):
A hell of a lot worse. It was a terrible
weather event that hung around for so long. And actually
I've been neglectful to mention Otago Southland and Itaga or
coastal Southland in Otago. It just moved its way slowly
up the country and just kept oozing rain.
Speaker 9 (32:41):
Yeah, we thought we were going to dodge it for
a while, but no, it definitely came around and gave
us the tail end. And yeah, that country is not
too bad. I've been talking to the manager on the
whole Country station and he's got a few slips across
the odd track, but we're sort of pretty lucky up
there too. Hundred mills in the back country and one
hundred meals down here on the flats, so smaller the
bottom ene of the river in town and Warrel, that's
(33:03):
that's been beaten up by what seems to be a
bit of storm suage.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Okay, well, let's talk some positive stories and farming, because
there are still positives, plenty of positive stories out there.
You're enjoying good returns on live stock and wall hopefully
they stay there.
Speaker 9 (33:18):
Oh, it's been a fantastic year, Jamie. You know, Dad
and I discussing the day, you know, we just can't
you know, he can't remember these pricings, and it makes
it really positive for us. And now that Hawks Bay's
got a good bit of rain, that will just really
set the storm market up for Warral and all the
breeding farms up here going forward into the spring.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
And I know some people don't like talking about this.
I don't know whether it's head in the sand, or
whether they're just not trusting of weather forecasters, but or
they're all coming out and we're going to talk to
Phil Duncan in a minute, and they're all warning of
this strong Anino event. I know in Australia where I've
been there, they're already starting to take precautions or do
a bit of forward planning. Potentially could be very bad
(34:01):
for your region. What are you doing?
Speaker 9 (34:04):
We try to go with the dollar each way, Jamie.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
We've been caught before where new.
Speaker 9 (34:09):
Have come out and said we're going to go for
a horrible dry and we dun't lambs and got burnt.
But he'd be silly this time not to have some plans.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
And we are.
Speaker 9 (34:17):
You know, we're a hell country. Majority of our country
as hell country, and so we're readily fixed with breeding stock.
Speaker 4 (34:22):
But we're making plans around you know.
Speaker 9 (34:24):
How we set stock stuff so we can access it
should it get dry on the spring. You know, used
with lambs at the foot being stacked and away from
the yards and priories and doing something we've never done
which has put a bigger up there in the middle
of winter, just to cleaning a few extra dams out
and in preparation, you know, for filling them up and
having that water to resource there.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Absolutely, And also Maze. I talked to you when I
was at the Gisbane show about Maze. It's a bit
of a tough one for you guys at the moment.
Speaker 9 (34:54):
Yeah, like all all the arable sectoring is in. At
the moment, we're getting punished by really poor returns and
year cutting out of war or where we've got an
expense from the long transport down to the market. So
once again we're lucky in our operation with the hell
Country Block. We can have a dollar each way, and
we're doing the numbers on whether we continue to grow
a lot of maize, or we pull back and put
(35:14):
more fodder crops and potentially run lambs, or if it
gets dry, we can bring down some of our younger
capital stock and run them on some crops. So that's
once again for that dollar each way.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Hey, Dave Martin, thanks for some of your time and
good luck for the rest of the farming season. You
farm in a great part of the country, weather permitting
like the rest of us.
Speaker 9 (35:36):
Yeah, thanks, Jamie, and I'll think of all those guys
down south and our friends in town near the suffering
at the moment, and we're should give you one a
bloody good spring to be honest, Yep, we need one.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
There we go, Dave Martin and why up next, Phil Duncan,
We'll see what we can do for your weatherwise for
the coming week. Okay, wrapping the country with Mondays weather
man Phil Duncan. Phil, there's been some awful weather in
the past couple of weeks. I'm not going to look
(36:07):
in the rear vision mirror. I want to look forward
for all those people who are in recovery mode after
all this wet and all this flooding. What do you
got lined up for them this week? I only want
good news. By the way, well I can do that.
Speaker 8 (36:20):
We've got a balancing act coming up now. So we
had a lot of southerlyas a lot of southeasterlyes that
have been blowing through and that's bored and all this
rain to the eastern side of New Zealand. But this
week we switch around to westeries as we would normally expect,
and so that's going to bring in a cold front
that's already arriving today in the South Island's west coast.
(36:41):
Thunderstorms in the southern half, heavy falls moving through this
afternoon and tonight, so there will be some rain. That
front falls apart as it crosses the North Island, so
there will be some wet weather, but not a huge amount.
And long story short, the eastern side of the country
has a relatively dry week this week and most of
the rain is on the west coast, and most of
(37:02):
that rain is south of Hokatika.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
Well that's exactly what they want to hear. Are you
surprised that people breathlessly talk about low temperatures in the
middle of July?
Speaker 8 (37:14):
No, you, Sam, though the yes part is yeah. Some
of the new stories get silly when they talk about
places that are in the mountains getting cold in winter.
But I was talking to a reporter, Paul Gorman at
the weekend because he lives in christ Church where there
was a frost. I was in Auckland and there was
a frost, and we're both just saying it kind of
(37:35):
it feels a bit like the past, and it gets
a little bit exciting to see a frost these days
in some parts of New Zealand. So yeah, I think
it is a normal time of year to be getting
frosts and they've been a little bit absent in some
regions up until more recently.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
Hey not our Nino of super al Nino. Earth Sciences
New Zealand have come out strongly about this one. Is
the jury still out for you.
Speaker 8 (38:00):
A little bit still? I think the concern is certainly
going to be what the weather pattern in New Zealand
does from the middle of spring through to autumn next year.
So we're still we're still in winter mode where it's
very chaotic, but I think once that spring pattern starts
to arrive, that's when we can really seriously look at it.
But I do think what's happening in the Eastern Pacific
(38:20):
is really extraordinary to see, you know, sea temperatures eight
degrees above where they should be.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
Yeah, it is going to be very interesting times. I
guess full warned is forearmed. Phil Duncan, thanks as always
for your time. Appreciate it mate, Thank you sir Phil
Duncan from weather Watch, great website for Farmers Radio. That's
me done on Dust's first day back on the tool.
See it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
Then catch all the latest from the land. It's the
Country podcast with Jamie Mackay. Thanks to Farmlands helping to
keep animals fed and thriving.
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