March 15, 2026 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Peter McBride, David Seymour, John Fagan, Tom Young, 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 (00:37):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I am
Jamie McKay. It's Oscar's day to day Chairheads of Fire
nineteen eighty two talking about the oscars as Miles Hurrald
deserved on. We were chatting to him last week at
the Sanda McDonald Awards and he did a very good
impersonation of a bloke who was happy to stay in
(00:58):
his job and build his legacy at Fonterra. But that's
the big one of the big stories today he has
announced his I guess sudden recognition resignation after eight years
in the top job. We're going to get Pete McBride.
He's just waiting on hold to run us through that.
We understand Miles isn't doing media today. David Seymour, the
(01:19):
acting Prime Ministers, also on the show. We haven't been asked,
according to David, for military support in the Strait of Hamuz,
but Nikola Willis, Finance Minister, will be holding a one
pm press conference this afternoon about the fuel crisis. And
in some places it is a bit of a fuel crisis.
(01:39):
John Fagan, this is one of my favorite stories from
the weekend. He's a legend from the Fagan family, obviously
an agrarian double All Black, yet not only won the
Golden Shares, he won the Golden Pliers I think four times.
He has been honored at the Rural Games and Rural
Sports Awards over the weekend as the first inductee in
(02:00):
the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame. And well
done to Steve Hollander and his team for recognizing John Fagan.
He should be a sur like his brother. Tom Young
out of AFG caught up with him at the Wanaka Show.
Phil Duncan on the weather. It's all to come here
on the country today where I've got a brand new
(02:21):
computer program I'm working called Zetta Gee. I hope I
don't cock this up. Let's see how we go. That
(02:45):
is the big news story of the day. Miles Hurrell
steps aside as Fonterra Chief executive. Shock, horror, how come
this has happened? Let's ask the bloke who's effectively his boss,
the chair of Fonterra, Peter McBride Peter, when did you
find out about.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
This, good Jamie. Miles advised me on the weekend, so
obviously he's been reflecting on it and thinking on it
for quite a while. You know, you don't make these
decisions lately, but hey, here is in a role that
is particularly challenging and takes heavy toll on you and
your family. He's decided it's time for him.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well, I'm reading in business tests from Riley Kennedy. He
reckons this. There's rumors of miles departure have been bubbling
away for weeks. I was certainly unaware of it, Peter
McBride because at the Xander McDonald Awards I did a
fireside chat with Miles and Shane mcmanaway, and Miles seemed
full of beans. I reckon he should have been at
the Oscars today because he put on a good acting
(03:45):
performance for a bloke who was going to leave the
next week.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, it's been there's been speculation actually for months on this,
you know, and that Farmer meetings in particular, over the
last twelve months, there's been a lot of questions around
succession at management but also at board level. Jamie, So
you know, the conversationism a new one.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
So well, let's let's deal to the rumors. Is he
leaving Fonterra to go and run New Zealand Rugby, because
I'm thinking that would be out of the frying pan
into the fire.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yeah, I don't think so. I think Miles is going
to take a break for a while and he hasn't
decided what he's going to do next, So I'm pretty
sure and he's going. Rugby's not on the ticket.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Any skeletons in the cupboard that are going to come
out that are going to bite him in.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
The backside, No, No, not all.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Okay, he is. Because there's lots of theories going around
and one of the good ones that Rightley Kennedy has
floated in business desk is that I mean he leaves
as sort of a corporate genius. Because you can say
what you want about the Miles Hurrale tenure at Fonterra,
He's been along with you, I might add, been very
successful in what he's done. He's turned the good ship
(04:53):
Fonterra around or you two have.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, Miles has done a great job and I want
to acknowledge John Monahan those first two years for Miles
and John were particularly brutal, tough, and a lot of
hard decisions had to be made by management and boards. So,
you know, I really want to acknowledge Miles in particular
for stepping into what was a really challenging role. You know,
(05:17):
he's done a fantastic job.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
So when he contacted you over the weekend, did you
try and convince him to change his mind?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
I don't think it's right to do that, Jamie. You know,
like when someone's decided it's your time, you've got to
accept it, you know, as much as you know you
don't necessarily want to, but you know, you can't hold
someone into a role. They've got to really want to
do it. So you know, we're we're in good shape
from a succession planning perspective. Internally, we'll do for a
(05:52):
search and process. But yeah, I think when someone says
it's my time, you know you've got to respect that.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Have you all already anointed effectively our successor Global Ingredients
President Richard Allen? He joined the co Op I think
in twenty twenty four, came back from working in America
in Chicago. Is he the Golden Boy?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
No, we haven't annoyed the success and it's really important
that you know, we run a fear on proper process
so that any candidate that applies has a few chance
of getting the job.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Is this a natural time for Miles to step aside?
Speaker 5 (06:29):
I e.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
The mainland deal is done and he can get that
out of the road, because the next fork in the
road if he wants, like within a couple of years time,
when they said they wanted to get back to pre
mainland sale profits.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I think from Wiles, you know, as a realization
well it had been eight years. But also you know,
he felt he would need to commit for several more
years to embark on their new strategy. So he made
all that it was the right time for him.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
So yeah, when will Miles be doing some media? My
understanding is he's not talking to anyone till next Monday.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I don't know. You have to ask him. I'm sure
he's available, just call.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, I can't ask him because he's not available. That's
why we've got you on today.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You his number?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yes, I do have his number. He may not be answering,
but anyhow, look, Peter McBride, interesting times for Fonterra. Miles
Hurrell will be remembered probably as a bit of a
corporate genius, because he's certainly done a very good job
and we wish him all the best at New Zealand Rugby.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
He might need it, hey, just as a bell.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I'm on a side, Jamie. I've had my first application
from my south On farmer today, billow Sulomon. He text
me and said when do I start? And I text
him back because he's Irish and I said, you can
start when you're in the sixth nations.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Bill, Yeah, exactly. Well I know he would he I
know Billy would talk too much to be the FONTIRA
chief executive. Well Fonterra Chair of the board, Peter McBride,
thanks for being available. This is a breaking story today
and thanks for updating us on it.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Thank you again, Thank you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
It is twelve fifteen. I can tell the time online
New Computer Systems. Celebrity sports newsreader today is Aaron Gardner.
I said, you know much about sport. He's the former
guy he used to program the hits. These days he's
a tech guru, he says he doesn't. There's some good
sports news stories in there. Not everyone as happy or
wishing Miles the best as he departs Fonterra. He's still
(08:33):
got six months to go, Winston. Surprise, surprise. I'm just
reading from a quote from his social media. As we
predicted last year when Fonterra sold off our iconic Kiwi
dairy brands like Mainland Anchor, Carpety and others to foreign
owned company Luck Talise CEO Miles Hurrell has resigned and
(08:55):
will leave once his bonuses are paid. Winston's none too
happy with Miles. Well, Winston's not the acting Prime Minister anymore.
He was cunning enough to ditch that job ahead of
the election. Up next is the acting Prime Minister. He's
got a bit on his plate with Christopher Luxon in
the Islands. It is David Seymour really looking forward to
(09:15):
chatting to John Fagan today. Agrarian Double All Black. He
was honored over the weekend at the Rural Sports Awards
and Palmei North. Before the end of the Tom Young
on Red Meat and Phil Duncan on the Weather.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
For nine.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
In my dreams, I.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
See Welcome back to the Country on Oscar's Day. My
heart will go on from Titanic, one of the greatest
biggest movies of all time. I don't know if it's
the greatest movie of all time. There is, of course
that iconic scene with Leo Leo DiCaprio yep, I got
it right and Kate Winslet up the front of the
(10:22):
Titanic hugging each other. How do I segue from that
to Winston and David Seymour? David, how do I do that?
Because you two aren't exactly corporate or political huggers of
each other.
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Well, I think it's mainly you that wants to make
that transition. I mean, you know it's not normally your demographic,
but are trying to transition?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
No, no, no, it's not.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Okay, We're accepting.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
You and Winston because I'm going to get onto Iran.
It's such a serious topic. But the other big story
of the day is, of course Miles harril sudden resignation.
A lot of us in the industry didn't see it coming,
but Winston's already put the boot in, saying basically he
said Miles would resign as soon as he got his
bonuses for selling off the consumer brands. I take it
(11:10):
you have a different angle.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
Well, you can't argue with results. I think most people
I talk to are pretty pleased with the way that
FONTR has been run. Ninety percent of farmers voted for
the sale, and you look at the price at the gate,
you know, it's been pretty solid. Obviously that's not entirely
controlled by Fonterra, but it does require them to go
(11:33):
out and hustle globally. They seem to have run the
thing pretty well. So then I sort of look at
you know, does New Zealand benefit from having politicians, you know,
beating down every door. Well maybe if they provide an
alternative that is constructive. But then I say, well, what's
actually the alternative here? I mean, you know, the guy
(11:55):
a free citizen, he's done the job for eight years,
he's done pretty well. He's offering to stick around for
six months, which I think is always a good sign
that he's going on good terms. So I would say,
good on Miles Hurrell. He's done a good job, and
let's try a bit more supporting each other in New Zealand,
because it's only five million of us and I don't
know if we've got enough enemies to continually beat up
(12:17):
on him.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Well, exactly, we need more Miles Hurrales in this country.
You're hearing anything about going to run New Zealand rugby.
Imagine a bloke with Miles Hurrell's logistical common sense and
organization of a super huge company. I reckon he could
tidy up New Zealand rugby in a fortnite.
Speaker 7 (12:34):
Well, it is just a logistical exercise. We're just trying
to get the ball over the line and down on
the ground. So given some of the challenges that the
All Blacks have had doing that in recent games, maybe
he's just what we need.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Let's address the other urgent issue of the day, and
I know that Finance Minister Nikola Willis will hold a
one pm press conference to update New Zealanders on the
government's response to the economic til spilling out of the
conflict in the Middle East. I'm obviously reading that you
have come out this morning and said the United States
has not asked New Zealand for military support in the
(13:10):
strait of her moves. We haven't got anything we could
send anyhow, have we.
Speaker 7 (13:15):
I think that's a little unfair. It's certainly true that
New Zealand is under invested, probably about twenty years since
Allan Clark said, oh, we live in a benign strategic environment.
Got rid of the combat wing of the Air Force,
and we've got the same old ships that we had
been for the most part. However, that doesn't take away
(13:36):
from the people in the New Zealand Defense Force, the
first class. A lot of them are respected for what
they do by their peers around the world, and I
wouldn't be surprised if we did get a request and
fulfilled it. We've got the capability to do so. But
all of that would have to go before the Cabinet.
We'd have to weigh it up, and at this point
(13:57):
it's all hypothetical because we don't have a response anyway.
But I wouldn't run down the people in the NZDF.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
In the meantime, what is Nikola Willis going to say
this afternoon at one pm regarding the petrol or fuel supplies.
Speaker 7 (14:10):
Well, I expect that she'll give an update on the
amount of reserves that we have. I expect she'll make
the point that we actually are in a pretty good
position right now. Depending on whether it is jet fuel,
diesel or petrol, we have about fifty days of supply,
and in the context of this war, fifty days is
(14:31):
a lifetime. There are things that could happen that would
be worse in the future, and we are actively working
on that in several ways. New Zealand has its diplomats
building connections on this issue with our traditional friends including
Australia and Singapore, but also the likes of the South Koreans,
(14:52):
Japanese and Americans. So we're at the table talking to
people constantly about what plays out if there's a problem
or if the problem deepens. Rather, we're also looking at
contingencies for what could happen. But at this point, the
sixty four thousand dollars question is when will the Straight
(15:12):
of Foremost reopen? Nearly everybody has an incentive to let
that happen, so it's just a matter of time, I
would say, But we're preparing for every scenario. We're also
looking at fertilizer, it's obviously a big issue. We're also
looking at plastic because a huge amount of New Zealand's
produce actually goes offshore and plastic and keeping a supply
(15:34):
of that's important.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think, just finally I heard you quoted on
news talks there'd be a week bit earlier about your
thoughts on GDP numbers, which I think what come out
this week for the last quarter of Is that right?
The last quarter of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
I think that that is right. On Thursday, we'll seek
the same quarter.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So obviously this is not going to affect that. But
I mean, you've painted some scenarios on what could possibly
happen with GDT a GDP, should I say, and inflation,
because we're just battling to get inflation under three percent
per anum.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Well, I was asked about forecasts that Westpac Bank have made.
They're saying that inflation could get up into the mid
threes and that economic growth, which they had forecast for
this year at three point three, might be only two
point eight. I just made two comments about that number. One,
if you told me that economic growth this year was
(16:30):
going to be two point eight after inflation, I'd be
pretty happy with that, And I wouldn't worry so much
that someone had previously forecasts three point three. Two point
eight would be a good number for us anyway. So
far as inflation goes, the question there is, okay, where
is it now about three point one? Where will it go?
(16:52):
Probably higher because energy costs will rise, But will that
lead to the Reserve Bank raising interest rates. Well, you know,
traditionally that's what happens when inflation rises. I'm sure that
they will be put keping in mind that there will
also be a lot of pressure on household spending because
of higher energy prices, and that's disinflationary, so they'll have
(17:15):
to weigh up two things that may not necessarily lead
to any interest rate risers.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I can hear Celine Dion in the background and David
seah well, no, no, no, I know, and I just
do I need to apologize for the comparison with you
and Winston at the front of the Titanic. Not that
I'm suggesting the Coalition government has any comparisons or parallels
to the Titanic, David, but you know it was only
in good humor.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Of everyone in New Zealand Radio. You have the weirdness stues.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or an insult.
See ya see it right there we go, David Seymour.
It is twenty seven after twelve. Back in the farming days,
I probably had a fantasy I wanted to be like
John Fagan such a He was a hero of mine
when I was growing up, and he is the first inductee.
(18:06):
Inductee into the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame
John Fagan, up next.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Just one time he.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Ringups fallen on my head.
Speaker 8 (18:25):
And just like the girls, Big.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Four, Oscar's day here on the country. It's bang on
twelve thirty. This is one of the great films of
all time, which Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Well, let's
welcome on to the country. John Fagan, Agrarian double All Black,
became the first inductee into the New Zealand Rural Sports
Hall of Fame on Friday night at the Rural Sports
(18:49):
Awards in Palmerston, North and honor accompanied by the Lifetime
Legacy Award, which was also awarded to legendary harness racing
trainer John Fagan. It was great to catch up with
you at the Golden Shares. You've had many honors bestowed
upon you in your long career in sharing and fencing
(19:11):
at administration. This must be the icing on the cake
for you.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Yes, hi, Jamie. Look, it's pretty humbling, all right, very
very honored, you know, with all the other great people
out there to be selected and get this, it's really humbling.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Well, you're sort of the Jeff Wilson, if you don't
mind me saying so of a rural sports because I
don't think we'll ever see another double all black. I'm
not sure whether we'll ever see another double agrarian all
black because sharing you were an all black, and obviously
in fencing as well. Here's the question for you, John Fagan,
which were you better at fencing or sharing?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Well, stranger enough, I want the fencing twice before I
ended the show.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah, before you entered a sharing show. You mean, yes, yeah,
because I'm just reading off the pr blurb that came
with your appointment. You started sharing and shows at the
age of twenty six, which is relatively old compared to,
for instance, your younger brothers of David Fagan, who was
into the minner's teens.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Yes, exactly all of those days we were in a
sharing gang in the local area, and sharing competitions ever
even came on my radar. But between haggard cheering and
seeking cheer or main cheer as we call it, we
used to fence. And then I became a part of
(20:42):
a three men fencing gang and it took you know,
it took president over everything else except that sharing was
done seasonally.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It's an amazing record. I mean, you've got so many records,
You've held world records, you've won the Golden Shares. Interestingly, though,
I think this is a good When you were the
first sharer to share in terms of world record attempts
seven hundred, and then you were the first to break
the eight hundred bear era as well, and I was
looking at your world a lot of your world sharing records,
(21:12):
John Fagan, they came, they came all at once. You
must have been breaking them literally every fortnight at one stage.
Speaker 8 (21:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Well, what happened, Jamie was that I wasn't a ten
stand record of Eddie Ready's and that I caught the
bug and I was sharing in a shed in the
back of Bennidale and I just about equaled the single
lamb record I think at that time was six fifty four.
(21:44):
So I decided to have a go at the record
and did seven seven o two and Samson came back
with seven I think seven eight, and then I came
back with seven four, and then Sampson came back with
seven forty three, and then I came back with the
(22:06):
eight hundred.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, well you did what did you do? Let me
have a look. Helped me out here someone eight hundred
and where was it?
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Eight o four?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Eight o four? Because I reckon and correct me if
I'm wrong. That Alan McDonald another great king country shaer
he got eight o five. And then David, your younger brother,
had eight ten down in Riversdale and I was there
that day, one of the great days of sport.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, yep, that's correct. And we had a great day
with David down there.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Well you did, You gave him the biggest strum up
I've ever heard at halftime.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Yeah, oh no, that was just a family talk. Yep.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yes, I'd imagine there's no shirkers in the in the
Fagan family. So like, who's the most competitive? Here's a
good another good question for you, David or you? Who's
the most competitive? Man?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Oh? Look, look, we grew up in a family of competitors,
you know, with with six six kids one one sister.
We competed with everything as youngsters, so I think we
probably inherited it.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Okay, yes, sorry, competing.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
With David goes in the latter years he was way
more competitive than me.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Well he was a bit younger, that was why, Yeah, probably, Yeah,
all right, So and you were a four times winner
of the Golden Players at field Days and the other
The other part of the reason you were recognized, John Fagan,
was because of your administration not only in fencing but
also in sharing. You were the co founder of the
news what was I think it was originally the Tika
what He Shares but it's the New Zealand Shares now
(23:46):
and that has gone on to be as just as
big a title as the Golden Shares. You must be
very proud of what you've created there.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Oh, very very proud. And you know what we what
we were part of with Ticker were building the statue
as well. That was a copy of the Mary carving
and that's a real tourist attraction now in tiguity.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Absolutely. Hey listen, John Fagan, congratulations, so wonderful that you
were recognized along with Barry Perdin and I and I
know apparently you enjoyed a few oysters, a good feed
of oysters over the weekend at the spates Ale House
and Palmei North, one of the great pubs in the country.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Yes, we had a magnificent host and he shadows a
few oysters and it made my night. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Good on you John Fagan. Yes he should. He's got
an mbe. Probably should be a sur like his brother. Anyhow,
what a fantastic recipient. He was the first inductee into
the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame. Up next,
celebrity sports newsreader Aaron Gardner. He's looking awey, bit nervous
and Michelle will have rural news for you as well.
(24:55):
And I think we've got the result of that dairy
en zed levy vote. That's coming up next on the
Country on Oscar's Day.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
It will be.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It is coming up to twenty away from one year
with the Country brought to you by Farmlands and Isuzu.
I must admit the old Isuzu m Ux seven that
I'm driving around and at the moment got it dirty
over the weekend, driving into the duck pond. Got to
clean it now now. This is from Chariots Aphia nineteen
(25:37):
eighty two. Great movie featuring in New Zealander in the
cast while I was depicting in New Zealander Harold Abrahams.
He has another great one. Runner Michelle Wapp with the
latest and rural news, the.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Country's world news with Cod Cadet New Zealand's leading right
on lawnlower brand. Visit steel Ford dot co dot nz
for your local stock.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
How'd you like that intro?
Speaker 9 (25:59):
That was probably the nicest is that because Aaron's standing
here and.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Got to know I'm always nice to here. You should
you should have listened when Russell not Russell Duncan, he's
long gone. Hello Russell, if you're listening. What was that
other bag of Bond's name, Sam Casey? He was he
was permanently a victim. That's that's because he gave back
better anyhow, enough for him because he's with another channel
now you and Rural News and we've got the result
(26:25):
of the Dairy Darien Zed levy vote.
Speaker 8 (26:27):
They do.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
Indeed, the milk Solids levy results show that sixty six
percent of levy payers who participated in the vote support
of the levy, which represents seventy two percent of the
milk solids produced by all voters. Daryan Zed will now
lodge the formal levy application to gain ministerial approval and
anticipates this process to be completed prior to this general
election on November seventh this year, and the East Coast
(26:51):
FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional winner has been announced.
Of course this was held over the weekend. Taking the
top spot Edwin Labor and coming in second Jane Fox
and third Cayden van Galen.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
So we got that's is that the first note? Second
North Island one? We must have two North Island ones
to go. Yeah, okay, there we go. There's Michelle with
rural News. Let's see what's happening in Sport. Welcome back
to the country. Better late than never a sport. I
(27:23):
was hoping to get through my first show with this
new computer system Zetta unscathed. But let's be honest, it
was never really going to happen. And no one likes
the corrector. But in your case, Steve Van Harris, I'll
let you away with it. I was talking about Harold
Abraham's being a Kiwi. Of course he wasn't. The Keywi
I was thinking of in Chariots of Fire was Arthur Port.
(27:43):
I think he got a bronze medal. Yes, he got
a bronze medal in the one hundred meters at the
Paris Olympics in nineteen twenty four, and he went on
to be our Governor General roll as promised. He's our
celebrity sports newsreader Aaron Gardner, who was shaking his head
in dismay when I pressed the wrong button. I'm blaming Michelle.
I think she put the sports liner in the wrong place.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Sports on the country with AFCO business, well done.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Well, thank you for coming in and showing us the
news system.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Aaron.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
It it was Michelle's fault, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, absolutely, we'll go with that. I was really hoping
that would kind of get me off the hook for
reading the sport thing.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Well no, I mean you used to be on the hits,
so your propagation regard from the hits, but read the
sports news for me.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Do you want me to put on that voice?
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yes? Please, No, it's not do that.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
American golfer Cameron Young is seven point eight million dollars
better off after winning the Players Championship in Florida. Took
Young ninety four tournaments to on his first title, but
he's crafted a second victory just ten events later, and
the New Zealand women's seven side have bounced back from
twenty one to five down in the second half to
beat Australia twenty two to twenty one to win the
(28:51):
latest sevens World Series tournament in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
So there we go. That is sports news with Aaron
Gardner doing an excellent job teaching an old dog new tricks.
And from Cam Young the golfer, let's go to another
great Young. Well, he's probably not as great as Cam,
to be honest, but he's not a bad bloke. I
enjoyed lunch with him at the Wanaka Show on Friday.
As soon as I dial him up, I'm going to
(29:15):
to Tom Young from AFCO. He is the national livestock
(29:37):
manager for AFCO. Great to catch up with them for
lunch on Friday at the Wanaka show. But Tom Young,
with Myles Hurrell resigning hot news story of the day,
maybe you might be throwing your hat into the ring
for the top job there cut off your mate Mark
de Latour at the past.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
Yeah, well I think I think, well, thanks for thinking
considering me to do that, Jamie, but I suspect it's
probably slowly above my pay grade. But maybe Mark would
be a better option hitting in that direction.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Well, I can think of about six point three million
reasons why you might throw your hat into the ring time.
But in the meantime, in the meantime, let's talk about
red meat your area of expertise, What is this Middle
East war doing to affect prices that farmers are going
to get in their back pocket? And I asked this
because the schedules have softened slightly, but not much.
Speaker 8 (30:31):
No, So over the last three or four weeks, probably
schedules have only really come off twenty to thirty cents
off their hives. So as everyone knows, there's a huge
amount of uncertainty and it's sort of playing out now.
I think we'll probably see in the next two to
three weeks we'll see that you know, where the rubber
meets the road, energy costs obviously going through the roof
(30:53):
market access into that Middle East is well restricted or
pretty much non existent. And so with all those sorts
of pressures, if you're shipping product around the world and
you don't have the Middle East as an options, you're
looking at congestion and congestion charges into other port You're
looking at some serious issues that could slow certainly slow
(31:16):
things down. So yeah, I think it's sort of got
watching brief. We've got a number of markets that are
probably okay to strengthening. In some cases China, the US,
they are still taking along nicely, a little bit of
negativity and downward pressure in Europe, so we sort of
(31:36):
we've got a bit of a watching brief. But I
think if I was a farmer and I had killable stock,
I'd certainly be sending it in and getting on with
it and sort of making the most of the pricing
where it is now.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, because obviously the price of oil fuel transport is
going to very quickly be factored into a getting your
stock to the processing plants and be sending that stuff
over the seas.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I think we're sort of
two to three weeks out from the now really seeing
the impacts of all this stuff. So we'll only speaking
from ath Coast perspective, but we we softened our LAMB
schedule last week and both islands coming into this week,
and we held on to sort of the beef levels.
So yeah, I mean farmers are still getting record money.
(32:22):
But you know, I don't know what's going to happen
in two to three weeks time. Well, no one really does,
but it's it would certainly point to be to be
a very cautious sort of market.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Are you still got a heep or have you still
got a heap of farmers hanging on because of the
grass market.
Speaker 8 (32:39):
Yeah, we think there's still a lot of stock out
there and that that's actually another issue. So if the
stockholl sort of hit us at once and market access
was a little bit restricted, and you know it's hard
to get containers to the other side of the world
for various reasons. There's only a limited amount of storage
space in New Zealand, so you know we've got to
(33:00):
be a little bit mindful of that as well.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
How did you enjoy the Wonka Show. It's very much
a networking opportunity for you guys, as I finally say,
even at field days. You do the best lunch at
these field days. That's why. That's why you're my mate
when it comes to about two o'clock when I get
off Air Tom. But other than the networking, is it
good value for companies such as AFCO to be.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
There, Yeah, yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 8 (33:22):
I mean it's a great day to catch up with
farmers and clients and it's a good it's a good
fund event, I guess, and people can sit on the
tent Goes tent and have have a meal, a pretty
good meal and a beer or a class for orange
juice if they want to, and just take away with
your feet and catch up with your local rep and
sort of enjoy the day. So yeah, we think it's
(33:44):
a good thing. We're going to continue to do it. It's
you know, from I guess from a social responsibility perspective,
it's good to support these events. We tip a lot
of money into them. You know what the returns are,
I don't know, but we've got to be you know,
we've got to keep supporting things where we can.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
You can't afford not to be there. Hey, Tom Young,
it was great to catch up with you last Friday
and Wanica. I haven't been to that show for years
and I drove past it on Saturday morning on my
way to Queenstown and there was even more people there.
I think on the Saturday. It is a great show.
Speaker 8 (34:19):
Fantastic day. Will two days actually.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Thanks mate, See you later.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
Wonderful see you.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
See Yeah, Tom, it has ye away from one. Some
of your feedback in on the text line. Sooner Peter's departs,
the better. Miles Hurrel should go to Air New Zealand,
says Matthew from Ypookeral. Jamie, what do you think of
the crusaders resorting to Thuggary to get rid of Highlanders
like cam Miller, he's a good gore boy. Of course
I don't like it, Charlie, the evil, evil Crusaders. And
(34:49):
here's one from Greg. This is best, my favorite text
of the day. Send the into islander to the Strait
of for Hamuz and hopefully the Iranians will think the blas.
Do you think that's not a bad text? In jest?
Of course, in jest. We're gonna wrap it with Phil
Duncan next. I am on, are you now? I blame
(35:18):
Phil Duncan, he demanded Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. My
hang on, Phelle, let me turn your fader up. You're
sorry about this. I've got a new system. This might
spell the end of my career. Actually, this news system.
Maybe it's time to call time. Who knows, but you
(35:39):
are a big romantic and I know you loved Titanic.
Speaker 6 (35:44):
I love this movie when it came out, Yes I
did at that time.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Okay, Hey, I'm looking at the longer range forecast. March
looks to be a very sort of settled month, which
is good news unless you're looking for a wee bit
of moisture. Are any places in the country getting a
bit dry? And what happened to those tropical storms that
were supposedly coming down.
Speaker 6 (36:05):
Yeah, so we've got a fairly orderly weather pattern. That
was the headline in our Climate Watch update two weeks ago,
predicting sort of these big belts of high pressure coming
out of Australia and after which regions are dry. You know,
the far North, the upper part of Northland, parts of
Auckland now, wai Katso, Bay of Plenty, Coramandel, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wanganui,
(36:27):
Nelson and parts of the West Coast. Those are probably
the main ones, but there are other pockets. Now I'm
hearing people in northern South and talking about it being dry.
So eastern areas are wetter generally speaking, except the Bay
of Plenty region, and those tropical cyclones are heading off
towards Queensland or tropical depression because of the high pressure
belt moving in over US. So we are in a
(36:50):
drier than usual week coming up, despite a week cold
front a little bit today in the South and another
one again on Wednesday. Mostly dry really in many parts
of New Zealand for the next several days. If not
the next week and a half or two.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
Well, what does the weather man do when the weather
pattern's so settled?
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Get some sleeping, Maybe.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Watch reruns of Titanic Titanic.
Speaker 6 (37:10):
Yeah, there we go. It's good at resets the batteries
before the next wave of weather comes through.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
All right, have you got anything else to add?
Speaker 6 (37:18):
Not a lot more? Yes, that possible cyclone in the
very northern part of Queensland, but otherwise much of Australia
is pretty settled too.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Okay, fell duncan thank you very much for your time. Today.
We almost got through unscathed, but not quite. Tomorrow is
Saint Patrick's day, right, yeah, it does, Everyone's not and
it's Saint Patrick's day. So let's get a mad irishman
on the show today, on the show tomorrow, shall we?
Who can I think of who's a mad irishman? Probably
(37:50):
likes a drink and a bit of a fight. I
know who, Damien O'Connor. We'll get Damien on the show
tomorrow just because we can remember. Tune into news Talks.
There'd be big press conference with Nikola Willis at one pm.
Catch you tomorrow, catch all.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
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 (00:37):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I am
Jamie McKay. It's Oscar's day to day Chairheads of Fire
nineteen eighty two talking about the oscars as Miles Hurrald
deserved on. We were chatting to him last week at
the Sanda McDonald Awards and he did a very good
impersonation of a bloke who was happy to stay in
(00:58):
his job and build his legacy at Fonterra. But that's
the big one of the big stories today he has
announced his I guess sudden recognition resignation after eight years
in the top job. We're going to get Pete McBride.
He's just waiting on hold to run us through that.
We understand Miles isn't doing media today. David Seymour, the
(01:19):
acting Prime Ministers, also on the show. We haven't been asked,
according to David, for military support in the Strait of Hamuz,
but Nikola Willis, Finance Minister, will be holding a one
pm press conference this afternoon about the fuel crisis. And
in some places it is a bit of a fuel crisis.
(01:39):
John Fagan, this is one of my favorite stories from
the weekend. He's a legend from the Fagan family, obviously
an agrarian double All Black, yet not only won the
Golden Shares, he won the Golden Pliers I think four times.
He has been honored at the Rural Games and Rural
Sports Awards over the weekend as the first inductee in
(02:00):
the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame. And well
done to Steve Hollander and his team for recognizing John Fagan.
He should be a sur like his brother. Tom Young
out of AFG caught up with him at the Wanaka Show.
Phil Duncan on the weather. It's all to come here
on the country today where I've got a brand new
(02:21):
computer program I'm working called Zetta Gee. I hope I
don't cock this up. Let's see how we go. That
(02:45):
is the big news story of the day. Miles Hurrell
steps aside as Fonterra Chief executive. Shock, horror, how come
this has happened? Let's ask the bloke who's effectively his boss,
the chair of Fonterra, Peter McBride Peter, when did you
find out about.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
This, good Jamie. Miles advised me on the weekend, so
obviously he's been reflecting on it and thinking on it
for quite a while. You know, you don't make these
decisions lately, but hey, here is in a role that
is particularly challenging and takes heavy toll on you and
your family. He's decided it's time for him.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Well, I'm reading in business tests from Riley Kennedy. He
reckons this. There's rumors of miles departure have been bubbling
away for weeks. I was certainly unaware of it, Peter
McBride because at the Xander McDonald Awards I did a
fireside chat with Miles and Shane mcmanaway, and Miles seemed
full of beans. I reckon he should have been at
the Oscars today because he put on a good acting
(03:45):
performance for a bloke who was going to leave the
next week.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Yeah, it's been there's been speculation actually for months on this,
you know, and that Farmer meetings in particular, over the
last twelve months, there's been a lot of questions around
succession at management but also at board level. Jamie, So
you know, the conversationism a new one.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
So well, let's let's deal to the rumors. Is he
leaving Fonterra to go and run New Zealand Rugby, because
I'm thinking that would be out of the frying pan
into the fire.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yeah, I don't think so. I think Miles is going
to take a break for a while and he hasn't
decided what he's going to do next, So I'm pretty
sure and he's going. Rugby's not on the ticket.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Any skeletons in the cupboard that are going to come
out that are going to bite him in.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
The backside, No, No, not all.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Okay, he is. Because there's lots of theories going around
and one of the good ones that Rightley Kennedy has
floated in business desk is that I mean he leaves
as sort of a corporate genius. Because you can say
what you want about the Miles Hurrale tenure at Fonterra,
He's been along with you, I might add, been very
successful in what he's done. He's turned the good ship
(04:53):
Fonterra around or you two have.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, Miles has done a great job and I want
to acknowledge John Monahan those first two years for Miles
and John were particularly brutal, tough, and a lot of
hard decisions had to be made by management and boards. So,
you know, I really want to acknowledge Miles in particular
for stepping into what was a really challenging role. You know,
(05:17):
he's done a fantastic job.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
So when he contacted you over the weekend, did you
try and convince him to change his mind?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
I don't think it's right to do that, Jamie. You know,
like when someone's decided it's your time, you've got to
accept it, you know, as much as you know you
don't necessarily want to, but you know, you can't hold
someone into a role. They've got to really want to
do it. So you know, we're we're in good shape
from a succession planning perspective. Internally, we'll do for a
(05:52):
search and process. But yeah, I think when someone says
it's my time, you know you've got to respect that.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Have you all already anointed effectively our successor Global Ingredients
President Richard Allen? He joined the co Op I think
in twenty twenty four, came back from working in America
in Chicago. Is he the Golden Boy?
Speaker 3 (06:15):
No, we haven't annoyed the success and it's really important
that you know, we run a fear on proper process
so that any candidate that applies has a few chance
of getting the job.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Is this a natural time for Miles to step aside?
Speaker 5 (06:29):
I e.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
The mainland deal is done and he can get that
out of the road, because the next fork in the
road if he wants, like within a couple of years time,
when they said they wanted to get back to pre
mainland sale profits.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I think from Wiles, you know, as a realization
well it had been eight years. But also you know,
he felt he would need to commit for several more
years to embark on their new strategy. So he made
all that it was the right time for him.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
So yeah, when will Miles be doing some media? My
understanding is he's not talking to anyone till next Monday.
Is that correct?
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I don't know. You have to ask him. I'm sure
he's available, just call.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Well, I can't ask him because he's not available. That's
why we've got you on today.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
You his number?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Yes, I do have his number. He may not be answering,
but anyhow, look, Peter McBride, interesting times for Fonterra. Miles
Hurrell will be remembered probably as a bit of a
corporate genius, because he's certainly done a very good job
and we wish him all the best at New Zealand Rugby.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
He might need it, hey, just as a bell.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
I'm on a side, Jamie. I've had my first application
from my south On farmer today, billow Sulomon. He text
me and said when do I start? And I text
him back because he's Irish and I said, you can
start when you're in the sixth nations.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Bill, Yeah, exactly. Well I know he would he I
know Billy would talk too much to be the FONTIRA
chief executive. Well Fonterra Chair of the board, Peter McBride,
thanks for being available. This is a breaking story today
and thanks for updating us on it.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Thank you again, Thank you, Peter.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
It is twelve fifteen. I can tell the time online
New Computer Systems. Celebrity sports newsreader today is Aaron Gardner.
I said, you know much about sport. He's the former
guy he used to program the hits. These days he's
a tech guru, he says he doesn't. There's some good
sports news stories in there. Not everyone as happy or
wishing Miles the best as he departs Fonterra. He's still
(08:33):
got six months to go, Winston. Surprise, surprise. I'm just
reading from a quote from his social media. As we
predicted last year when Fonterra sold off our iconic Kiwi
dairy brands like Mainland Anchor, Carpety and others to foreign
owned company Luck Talise CEO Miles Hurrell has resigned and
(08:55):
will leave once his bonuses are paid. Winston's none too
happy with Miles. Well, Winston's not the acting Prime Minister anymore.
He was cunning enough to ditch that job ahead of
the election. Up next is the acting Prime Minister. He's
got a bit on his plate with Christopher Luxon in
the Islands. It is David Seymour really looking forward to
(09:15):
chatting to John Fagan today. Agrarian Double All Black. He
was honored over the weekend at the Rural Sports Awards
and Palmei North. Before the end of the Tom Young
on Red Meat and Phil Duncan on the Weather.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
For nine.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
In my dreams, I.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
See Welcome back to the Country on Oscar's Day. My
heart will go on from Titanic, one of the greatest
biggest movies of all time. I don't know if it's
the greatest movie of all time. There is, of course
that iconic scene with Leo Leo DiCaprio yep, I got
it right and Kate Winslet up the front of the
(10:22):
Titanic hugging each other. How do I segue from that
to Winston and David Seymour? David, how do I do that?
Because you two aren't exactly corporate or political huggers of
each other.
Speaker 7 (10:36):
Well, I think it's mainly you that wants to make
that transition. I mean, you know it's not normally your demographic,
but are trying to transition?
Speaker 2 (10:46):
No, no, no, it's not.
Speaker 4 (10:47):
Okay, We're accepting.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
You and Winston because I'm going to get onto Iran.
It's such a serious topic. But the other big story
of the day is, of course Miles harril sudden resignation.
A lot of us in the industry didn't see it coming,
but Winston's already put the boot in, saying basically he
said Miles would resign as soon as he got his
bonuses for selling off the consumer brands. I take it
(11:10):
you have a different angle.
Speaker 7 (11:12):
Well, you can't argue with results. I think most people
I talk to are pretty pleased with the way that
FONTR has been run. Ninety percent of farmers voted for
the sale, and you look at the price at the gate,
you know, it's been pretty solid. Obviously that's not entirely
controlled by Fonterra, but it does require them to go
(11:33):
out and hustle globally. They seem to have run the
thing pretty well. So then I sort of look at
you know, does New Zealand benefit from having politicians, you know,
beating down every door. Well maybe if they provide an
alternative that is constructive. But then I say, well, what's
actually the alternative here? I mean, you know, the guy
(11:55):
a free citizen, he's done the job for eight years,
he's done pretty well. He's offering to stick around for
six months, which I think is always a good sign
that he's going on good terms. So I would say,
good on Miles Hurrell. He's done a good job, and
let's try a bit more supporting each other in New Zealand,
because it's only five million of us and I don't
know if we've got enough enemies to continually beat up
(12:17):
on him.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Well, exactly, we need more Miles Hurrales in this country.
You're hearing anything about going to run New Zealand rugby.
Imagine a bloke with Miles Hurrell's logistical common sense and
organization of a super huge company. I reckon he could
tidy up New Zealand rugby in a fortnite.
Speaker 7 (12:34):
Well, it is just a logistical exercise. We're just trying
to get the ball over the line and down on
the ground. So given some of the challenges that the
All Blacks have had doing that in recent games, maybe
he's just what we need.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Let's address the other urgent issue of the day, and
I know that Finance Minister Nikola Willis will hold a
one pm press conference to update New Zealanders on the
government's response to the economic til spilling out of the
conflict in the Middle East. I'm obviously reading that you
have come out this morning and said the United States
has not asked New Zealand for military support in the
(13:10):
strait of her moves. We haven't got anything we could
send anyhow, have we.
Speaker 7 (13:15):
I think that's a little unfair. It's certainly true that
New Zealand is under invested, probably about twenty years since
Allan Clark said, oh, we live in a benign strategic environment.
Got rid of the combat wing of the Air Force,
and we've got the same old ships that we had
been for the most part. However, that doesn't take away
(13:36):
from the people in the New Zealand Defense Force, the
first class. A lot of them are respected for what
they do by their peers around the world, and I
wouldn't be surprised if we did get a request and
fulfilled it. We've got the capability to do so. But
all of that would have to go before the Cabinet.
We'd have to weigh it up, and at this point
(13:57):
it's all hypothetical because we don't have a response anyway.
But I wouldn't run down the people in the NZDF.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
In the meantime, what is Nikola Willis going to say
this afternoon at one pm regarding the petrol or fuel supplies.
Speaker 7 (14:10):
Well, I expect that she'll give an update on the
amount of reserves that we have. I expect she'll make
the point that we actually are in a pretty good
position right now. Depending on whether it is jet fuel,
diesel or petrol, we have about fifty days of supply,
and in the context of this war, fifty days is
(14:31):
a lifetime. There are things that could happen that would
be worse in the future, and we are actively working
on that in several ways. New Zealand has its diplomats
building connections on this issue with our traditional friends including
Australia and Singapore, but also the likes of the South Koreans,
(14:52):
Japanese and Americans. So we're at the table talking to
people constantly about what plays out if there's a problem
or if the problem deepens. Rather, we're also looking at
contingencies for what could happen. But at this point, the
sixty four thousand dollars question is when will the Straight
(15:12):
of Foremost reopen? Nearly everybody has an incentive to let
that happen, so it's just a matter of time, I
would say, But we're preparing for every scenario. We're also
looking at fertilizer, it's obviously a big issue. We're also
looking at plastic because a huge amount of New Zealand's
produce actually goes offshore and plastic and keeping a supply
(15:34):
of that's important.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
And I think, just finally I heard you quoted on
news talks there'd be a week bit earlier about your
thoughts on GDP numbers, which I think what come out
this week for the last quarter of Is that right?
The last quarter of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
I think that that is right. On Thursday, we'll seek
the same quarter.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
So obviously this is not going to affect that. But
I mean, you've painted some scenarios on what could possibly
happen with GDT a GDP, should I say, and inflation,
because we're just battling to get inflation under three percent
per anum.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Well, I was asked about forecasts that Westpac Bank have made.
They're saying that inflation could get up into the mid
threes and that economic growth, which they had forecast for
this year at three point three, might be only two
point eight. I just made two comments about that number. One,
if you told me that economic growth this year was
(16:30):
going to be two point eight after inflation, I'd be
pretty happy with that, And I wouldn't worry so much
that someone had previously forecasts three point three. Two point
eight would be a good number for us anyway. So
far as inflation goes, the question there is, okay, where
is it now about three point one? Where will it go?
(16:52):
Probably higher because energy costs will rise, But will that
lead to the Reserve Bank raising interest rates. Well, you know,
traditionally that's what happens when inflation rises. I'm sure that
they will be put keping in mind that there will
also be a lot of pressure on household spending because
of higher energy prices, and that's disinflationary, so they'll have
(17:15):
to weigh up two things that may not necessarily lead
to any interest rate risers.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
I can hear Celine Dion in the background and David
seah well, no, no, no, I know, and I just
do I need to apologize for the comparison with you
and Winston at the front of the Titanic. Not that
I'm suggesting the Coalition government has any comparisons or parallels
to the Titanic, David, but you know it was only
in good humor.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
Of everyone in New Zealand Radio. You have the weirdness stues.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
I'm not sure whether that's a compliment or an insult.
See ya see it right there we go, David Seymour.
It is twenty seven after twelve. Back in the farming days,
I probably had a fantasy I wanted to be like
John Fagan such a He was a hero of mine
when I was growing up, and he is the first inductee.
(18:06):
Inductee into the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame
John Fagan, up next.
Speaker 5 (18:13):
Just one time he.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
Ringups fallen on my head.
Speaker 8 (18:25):
And just like the girls, Big.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Four, Oscar's day here on the country. It's bang on
twelve thirty. This is one of the great films of
all time, which Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Well, let's
welcome on to the country. John Fagan, Agrarian double All Black,
became the first inductee into the New Zealand Rural Sports
Hall of Fame on Friday night at the Rural Sports
(18:49):
Awards in Palmerston, North and honor accompanied by the Lifetime
Legacy Award, which was also awarded to legendary harness racing
trainer John Fagan. It was great to catch up with
you at the Golden Shares. You've had many honors bestowed
upon you in your long career in sharing and fencing
(19:11):
at administration. This must be the icing on the cake
for you.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
Yes, hi, Jamie. Look, it's pretty humbling, all right, very
very honored, you know, with all the other great people
out there to be selected and get this, it's really humbling.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Well, you're sort of the Jeff Wilson, if you don't
mind me saying so of a rural sports because I
don't think we'll ever see another double all black. I'm
not sure whether we'll ever see another double agrarian all
black because sharing you were an all black, and obviously
in fencing as well. Here's the question for you, John Fagan,
which were you better at fencing or sharing?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
Well, stranger enough, I want the fencing twice before I
ended the show.
Speaker 2 (20:01):
Yeah, before you entered a sharing show. You mean, yes, yeah,
because I'm just reading off the pr blurb that came
with your appointment. You started sharing and shows at the
age of twenty six, which is relatively old compared to,
for instance, your younger brothers of David Fagan, who was
into the minner's teens.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
Yes, exactly all of those days we were in a
sharing gang in the local area, and sharing competitions ever
even came on my radar. But between haggard cheering and
seeking cheer or main cheer as we call it, we
used to fence. And then I became a part of
(20:42):
a three men fencing gang and it took you know,
it took president over everything else except that sharing was
done seasonally.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
It's an amazing record. I mean, you've got so many records,
You've held world records, you've won the Golden Shares. Interestingly, though,
I think this is a good When you were the
first sharer to share in terms of world record attempts
seven hundred, and then you were the first to break
the eight hundred bear era as well, and I was
looking at your world a lot of your world sharing records,
(21:12):
John Fagan, they came, they came all at once. You
must have been breaking them literally every fortnight at one stage.
Speaker 8 (21:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Well, what happened, Jamie was that I wasn't a ten
stand record of Eddie Ready's and that I caught the
bug and I was sharing in a shed in the
back of Bennidale and I just about equaled the single
lamb record I think at that time was six fifty four.
(21:44):
So I decided to have a go at the record
and did seven seven o two and Samson came back
with seven I think seven eight, and then I came
back with seven four, and then Sampson came back with
seven forty three, and then I came back with the
(22:06):
eight hundred.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Yeah, well you did what did you do? Let me
have a look. Helped me out here someone eight hundred
and where was it?
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Eight o four?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Eight o four? Because I reckon and correct me if
I'm wrong. That Alan McDonald another great king country shaer
he got eight o five. And then David, your younger brother,
had eight ten down in Riversdale and I was there
that day, one of the great days of sport.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yeah, yep, that's correct. And we had a great day
with David down there.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
Well you did, You gave him the biggest strum up
I've ever heard at halftime.
Speaker 4 (22:41):
Yeah, oh no, that was just a family talk. Yep.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yes, I'd imagine there's no shirkers in the in the
Fagan family. So like, who's the most competitive? Here's a
good another good question for you, David or you? Who's
the most competitive? Man?
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Oh? Look, look, we grew up in a family of competitors,
you know, with with six six kids one one sister.
We competed with everything as youngsters, so I think we
probably inherited it.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
Okay, yes, sorry, competing.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
With David goes in the latter years he was way
more competitive than me.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Well he was a bit younger, that was why, Yeah, probably, Yeah,
all right, So and you were a four times winner
of the Golden Players at field Days and the other
The other part of the reason you were recognized, John Fagan,
was because of your administration not only in fencing but
also in sharing. You were the co founder of the
news what was I think it was originally the Tika
what He Shares but it's the New Zealand Shares now
(23:46):
and that has gone on to be as just as
big a title as the Golden Shares. You must be
very proud of what you've created there.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Oh, very very proud. And you know what we what
we were part of with Ticker were building the statue
as well. That was a copy of the Mary carving
and that's a real tourist attraction now in tiguity.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Absolutely. Hey listen, John Fagan, congratulations, so wonderful that you
were recognized along with Barry Perdin and I and I
know apparently you enjoyed a few oysters, a good feed
of oysters over the weekend at the spates Ale House
and Palmei North, one of the great pubs in the country.
Speaker 7 (24:26):
Ah.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Yes, we had a magnificent host and he shadows a
few oysters and it made my night. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Good on you John Fagan. Yes he should. He's got
an mbe. Probably should be a sur like his brother. Anyhow,
what a fantastic recipient. He was the first inductee into
the New Zealand Rural Sports Hall of Fame. Up next,
celebrity sports newsreader Aaron Gardner. He's looking awey, bit nervous
and Michelle will have rural news for you as well.
(24:55):
And I think we've got the result of that dairy
en zed levy vote. That's coming up next on the
Country on Oscar's Day.
Speaker 5 (25:03):
It will be.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
It is coming up to twenty away from one year
with the Country brought to you by Farmlands and Isuzu.
I must admit the old Isuzu m Ux seven that
I'm driving around and at the moment got it dirty
over the weekend, driving into the duck pond. Got to
clean it now now. This is from Chariots Aphia nineteen
(25:37):
eighty two. Great movie featuring in New Zealander in the
cast while I was depicting in New Zealander Harold Abrahams.
He has another great one. Runner Michelle Wapp with the
latest and rural news, the.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Country's world news with Cod Cadet New Zealand's leading right
on lawnlower brand. Visit steel Ford dot co dot nz
for your local stock.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
How'd you like that intro?
Speaker 9 (25:59):
That was probably the nicest is that because Aaron's standing
here and.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
Got to know I'm always nice to here. You should
you should have listened when Russell not Russell Duncan, he's
long gone. Hello Russell, if you're listening. What was that
other bag of Bond's name, Sam Casey? He was he
was permanently a victim. That's that's because he gave back
better anyhow, enough for him because he's with another channel
now you and Rural News and we've got the result
(26:25):
of the Dairy Darien Zed levy vote.
Speaker 8 (26:27):
They do.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
Indeed, the milk Solids levy results show that sixty six
percent of levy payers who participated in the vote support
of the levy, which represents seventy two percent of the
milk solids produced by all voters. Daryan Zed will now
lodge the formal levy application to gain ministerial approval and
anticipates this process to be completed prior to this general
election on November seventh this year, and the East Coast
(26:51):
FMG Young Farmer of the Year regional winner has been announced.
Of course this was held over the weekend. Taking the
top spot Edwin Labor and coming in second Jane Fox
and third Cayden van Galen.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
So we got that's is that the first note? Second
North Island one? We must have two North Island ones
to go. Yeah, okay, there we go. There's Michelle with
rural News. Let's see what's happening in Sport. Welcome back
to the country. Better late than never a sport. I
(27:23):
was hoping to get through my first show with this
new computer system Zetta unscathed. But let's be honest, it
was never really going to happen. And no one likes
the corrector. But in your case, Steve Van Harris, I'll
let you away with it. I was talking about Harold
Abraham's being a Kiwi. Of course he wasn't. The Keywi
I was thinking of in Chariots of Fire was Arthur Port.
(27:43):
I think he got a bronze medal. Yes, he got
a bronze medal in the one hundred meters at the
Paris Olympics in nineteen twenty four, and he went on
to be our Governor General roll as promised. He's our
celebrity sports newsreader Aaron Gardner, who was shaking his head
in dismay when I pressed the wrong button. I'm blaming Michelle.
I think she put the sports liner in the wrong place.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
Sports on the country with AFCO business, well done.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Well, thank you for coming in and showing us the
news system.
Speaker 4 (28:12):
Aaron.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
It it was Michelle's fault, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (28:15):
Yeah, absolutely, we'll go with that. I was really hoping
that would kind of get me off the hook for
reading the sport thing.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
Well no, I mean you used to be on the hits,
so your propagation regard from the hits, but read the
sports news for me.
Speaker 5 (28:27):
Do you want me to put on that voice?
Speaker 2 (28:29):
Yes? Please, No, it's not do that.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
American golfer Cameron Young is seven point eight million dollars
better off after winning the Players Championship in Florida. Took
Young ninety four tournaments to on his first title, but
he's crafted a second victory just ten events later, and
the New Zealand women's seven side have bounced back from
twenty one to five down in the second half to
beat Australia twenty two to twenty one to win the
(28:51):
latest sevens World Series tournament in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
So there we go. That is sports news with Aaron
Gardner doing an excellent job teaching an old dog new tricks.
And from Cam Young the golfer, let's go to another
great Young. Well, he's probably not as great as Cam,
to be honest, but he's not a bad bloke. I
enjoyed lunch with him at the Wanaka Show on Friday.
As soon as I dial him up, I'm going to
(29:15):
to Tom Young from AFCO. He is the national livestock
(29:37):
manager for AFCO. Great to catch up with them for
lunch on Friday at the Wanaka show. But Tom Young,
with Myles Hurrell resigning hot news story of the day,
maybe you might be throwing your hat into the ring
for the top job there cut off your mate Mark
de Latour at the past.
Speaker 8 (29:54):
Yeah, well I think I think, well, thanks for thinking
considering me to do that, Jamie, but I suspect it's
probably slowly above my pay grade. But maybe Mark would
be a better option hitting in that direction.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
Well, I can think of about six point three million
reasons why you might throw your hat into the ring time.
But in the meantime, in the meantime, let's talk about
red meat your area of expertise, What is this Middle
East war doing to affect prices that farmers are going
to get in their back pocket? And I asked this
because the schedules have softened slightly, but not much.
Speaker 8 (30:31):
No, So over the last three or four weeks, probably
schedules have only really come off twenty to thirty cents
off their hives. So as everyone knows, there's a huge
amount of uncertainty and it's sort of playing out now.
I think we'll probably see in the next two to
three weeks we'll see that you know, where the rubber
meets the road, energy costs obviously going through the roof
(30:53):
market access into that Middle East is well restricted or
pretty much non existent. And so with all those sorts
of pressures, if you're shipping product around the world and
you don't have the Middle East as an options, you're
looking at congestion and congestion charges into other port You're
looking at some serious issues that could slow certainly slow
(31:16):
things down. So yeah, I think it's sort of got
watching brief. We've got a number of markets that are
probably okay to strengthening. In some cases China, the US,
they are still taking along nicely, a little bit of
negativity and downward pressure in Europe, so we sort of
(31:36):
we've got a bit of a watching brief. But I
think if I was a farmer and I had killable stock,
I'd certainly be sending it in and getting on with
it and sort of making the most of the pricing
where it is now.
Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, because obviously the price of oil fuel transport is
going to very quickly be factored into a getting your
stock to the processing plants and be sending that stuff
over the seas.
Speaker 8 (32:01):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I think we're sort of
two to three weeks out from the now really seeing
the impacts of all this stuff. So we'll only speaking
from ath Coast perspective, but we we softened our LAMB
schedule last week and both islands coming into this week,
and we held on to sort of the beef levels.
So yeah, I mean farmers are still getting record money.
(32:22):
But you know, I don't know what's going to happen
in two to three weeks time. Well, no one really does,
but it's it would certainly point to be to be
a very cautious sort of market.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Are you still got a heep or have you still
got a heap of farmers hanging on because of the
grass market.
Speaker 8 (32:39):
Yeah, we think there's still a lot of stock out
there and that that's actually another issue. So if the
stockholl sort of hit us at once and market access
was a little bit restricted, and you know it's hard
to get containers to the other side of the world
for various reasons. There's only a limited amount of storage
space in New Zealand, so you know we've got to
(33:00):
be a little bit mindful of that as well.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
How did you enjoy the Wonka Show. It's very much
a networking opportunity for you guys, as I finally say,
even at field days. You do the best lunch at
these field days. That's why. That's why you're my mate
when it comes to about two o'clock when I get
off Air Tom. But other than the networking, is it
good value for companies such as AFCO to be.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
There, Yeah, yeah, I think it is.
Speaker 8 (33:22):
I mean it's a great day to catch up with
farmers and clients and it's a good it's a good
fund event, I guess, and people can sit on the
tent Goes tent and have have a meal, a pretty
good meal and a beer or a class for orange
juice if they want to, and just take away with
your feet and catch up with your local rep and
sort of enjoy the day. So yeah, we think it's
(33:44):
a good thing. We're going to continue to do it. It's
you know, from I guess from a social responsibility perspective,
it's good to support these events. We tip a lot
of money into them. You know what the returns are,
I don't know, but we've got to be you know,
we've got to keep supporting things where we can.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
You can't afford not to be there. Hey, Tom Young,
it was great to catch up with you last Friday
and Wanica. I haven't been to that show for years
and I drove past it on Saturday morning on my
way to Queenstown and there was even more people there.
I think on the Saturday. It is a great show.
Speaker 8 (34:19):
Fantastic day. Will two days actually.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Thanks mate, See you later.
Speaker 8 (34:23):
Wonderful see you.
Speaker 2 (34:25):
See Yeah, Tom, it has ye away from one. Some
of your feedback in on the text line. Sooner Peter's departs,
the better. Miles Hurrel should go to Air New Zealand,
says Matthew from Ypookeral. Jamie, what do you think of
the crusaders resorting to Thuggary to get rid of Highlanders
like cam Miller, he's a good gore boy. Of course
I don't like it, Charlie, the evil, evil Crusaders. And
(34:49):
here's one from Greg. This is best, my favorite text
of the day. Send the into islander to the Strait
of for Hamuz and hopefully the Iranians will think the blas.
Do you think that's not a bad text? In jest?
Of course, in jest. We're gonna wrap it with Phil
Duncan next. I am on, are you now? I blame
(35:18):
Phil Duncan, he demanded Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. My
hang on, Phelle, let me turn your fader up. You're
sorry about this. I've got a new system. This might
spell the end of my career. Actually, this news system.
Maybe it's time to call time. Who knows, but you
(35:39):
are a big romantic and I know you loved Titanic.
Speaker 6 (35:44):
I love this movie when it came out, Yes I
did at that time.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Okay, Hey, I'm looking at the longer range forecast. March
looks to be a very sort of settled month, which
is good news unless you're looking for a wee bit
of moisture. Are any places in the country getting a
bit dry? And what happened to those tropical storms that
were supposedly coming down.
Speaker 6 (36:05):
Yeah, so we've got a fairly orderly weather pattern. That
was the headline in our Climate Watch update two weeks ago,
predicting sort of these big belts of high pressure coming
out of Australia and after which regions are dry. You know,
the far North, the upper part of Northland, parts of
Auckland now, wai Katso, Bay of Plenty, Coramandel, Taranaki, Manawatu, Wanganui,
(36:27):
Nelson and parts of the West Coast. Those are probably
the main ones, but there are other pockets. Now I'm
hearing people in northern South and talking about it being dry.
So eastern areas are wetter generally speaking, except the Bay
of Plenty region, and those tropical cyclones are heading off
towards Queensland or tropical depression because of the high pressure
belt moving in over US. So we are in a
(36:50):
drier than usual week coming up, despite a week cold
front a little bit today in the South and another
one again on Wednesday. Mostly dry really in many parts
of New Zealand for the next several days. If not
the next week and a half or two.
Speaker 2 (37:02):
Well, what does the weather man do when the weather
pattern's so settled?
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Get some sleeping, Maybe.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Watch reruns of Titanic Titanic.
Speaker 6 (37:10):
Yeah, there we go. It's good at resets the batteries
before the next wave of weather comes through.
Speaker 2 (37:16):
All right, have you got anything else to add?
Speaker 6 (37:18):
Not a lot more? Yes, that possible cyclone in the
very northern part of Queensland, but otherwise much of Australia
is pretty settled too.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Okay, fell duncan thank you very much for your time. Today.
We almost got through unscathed, but not quite. Tomorrow is
Saint Patrick's day, right, yeah, it does, Everyone's not and
it's Saint Patrick's day. So let's get a mad irishman
on the show today, on the show tomorrow, shall we?
Who can I think of who's a mad irishman? Probably
(37:50):
likes a drink and a bit of a fight. I
know who, Damien O'Connor. We'll get Damien on the show
tomorrow just because we can remember. Tune into news Talks.
There'd be big press conference with Nikola Willis at one pm.
Catch you tomorrow, catch all.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
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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