November 5, 2025 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Winston Peters, Professor Keith Woodford, Harry Gaddum, and Chris Russell.
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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 Brent, You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
There's talk on the street, sounds a famili great expectations you.
Everybody is watching you. People you mean they are see
(00:34):
know you.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie
McKay Shows brought to you by Brent Michelle Watt. Producers
decided to make it an Eagle's day and who am
I to argue? New kid in town? Our first guest
on the Country is anything but a new kid in town.
He's been arguing and debating the toss for fifty years
or more. Winston Peters, I suspect I might have an
(00:59):
argument with them over Fonterra and the Alliance group. He's
going to kick off the show. It's going to be
great to catch up with Professor Keith Woodford, one of
my favorite academics. Interestingly, he wrote a column about the
current high red meat prices and his comment was it's
a sweet spot that won't be maintained. We'll see what
(01:20):
he means. Shortly on the Country, Harry Gadam, is this
month's Farm Strong Interview. We're going to revisit this hawks
Bay farmer. He's a deer farmer. He's got sheep and
beef as well. We've kept tabs on him since cyclone, Gabrielle,
can you believe it's nearly three years since then? Getting
very dry on hawks Bay? But perhaps more importantly, I'm
(01:40):
going to ask him to offer some sound advice to
the South Island farmers who have been hammered by the
recent wind events on how to deal with the aftermath
of an extreme weather event. Our Elsie correspondents Chris Russell
Michelle will have rural news for you. We'll have a
look at sports news and some of the Super Rugby
(02:02):
teams have named sides. Franchises have named their sides for
twenty twenty six. I think the Highlanders are looking pretty good,
but I would say that, wouldn't I Winston Peters to
kick off the country next.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Be soon?
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Many things you should have told her the named after
night you will.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Just hold Winston Peters is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He's been busy, just back from Scandinavia. Winston. Now that
I'm a pensioner, I'm of of an age where I
might consider voting for New Zealand first, But how could
I vote for a party that is so wrong when
it comes to issues such as the Alliance and Fonterra votes.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
Well, this is actually staggering. You remember the sal Ferns
farm sale, Remember civil civil firms and the meat sale
to China.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Well you hang on, it's it's a joint venture. One step,
not a stile. It's a joint venture.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
Excuse me, excuse me. You're trying to make excuse me
before you can get the first answer back for me.
You see what I mean. You haven't got a leg
to stand on Silver Fern's farms. They rated it up
to depth falsely, they ratted it down, the earnings falsely,
gave the farmers one quarter information together the Chinese and
the rest is history. And the directors took an eight
million dollar bonus. You remember that. Now you're not even
(03:31):
asking the right questions. This is Farming show should be
asking Harrel and his directors how much are you guys
going to get at the end of this event?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Well, Miles Horrell said on this very show, mister Peters,
that there were no incentive bonuses for the Fonterra directors
over the style of the consumer brains. We've got that
on tape.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
No, no, this is one on one step. I'm talking
about the built in outcome when the thing is completed.
He didn't answer that question, and lookers not with his
two experiences of democracy, given that we started the Anchor
brand in eighteen eighty six and worked on it all
this time. For this thing to be sold off to
an international outfit, it could be gone tomorrow. I just
come back from norder countries. You know why they've gone
(04:11):
rocking past us because they maximize added value for their
own workers, for their own people, for their own economent,
for their own wealth.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Hey, what happened? What happens to individual property rights? You
don't own Fonterra. About eight or nine thousand farmer shareholders
own Fonterra. It's their decision, not yours.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Oh yes, So why did they come to parliament twenty
twenty one and all the times before that? Getting Parliament
is brought to get to where they wanted to go
to If they could have done all by themselves, why
were they always relying upon Parliament? And I know this
from a long way back. I mean, I come up
a dairy farm and we've come to the Parliament to
forget the protection we need to give ourselves an advantage,
and then all of a sudden, this monopoly they've got
(04:50):
has now been given to another outfit, and a French
one of that. And my warning to their miss do
you think we're going to give on parliament to protection
to make a offer to sell to other country? No,
we're nationalists. We put our country first, not last.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Well, you're certainly a nationalistic sort of person, I'll give
you that. What about the Alliance Group? Literally they had
no choice. Dawn Meats was the best offer on the table.
What would you have them do?
Speaker 6 (05:15):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
New Zealand company wanted a bar of it or couldn't
afford to. Would you have sunk government money into a
unprofitable red meat meat industry?
Speaker 7 (05:26):
No?
Speaker 5 (05:27):
What do I do is make sure that the mead
meat industry is positible. That's what our problem business country.
We should be out there maximizing added value and if
people can't do the job, get out of the job
and give it to somebody else. What we've got here
is people who are on the back of the taxpayer,
on the back of the monopoly, in the back of
the country's century l history of being an agricultural empower
(05:48):
US can't do the job. But they stay there on
massive pay and massive incomes normous And they say the
bank's calling up. Has anybody gone to the bank? Did
the government that I belonged to? Did they go to
the bank and say, hang on a minute, we're not
in this. We want to see what an outcome is. No,
nothing is happening there. So there goes two in a row,
added value major industry. One to the to the Irish
(06:09):
who are not buying it because it's a failure. One
to the French because they're not who are not buying
course of a failure. No, it's because of short term profit.
And within three years the guarantee of the supply will
be removed. And then when where will the farmers be
and their sons and daughters and their grantlan who should
be going into the farming industry.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Well, if you and I, and if you and I
are both about in three years, we'll revisit this one.
Let's talk about.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Things we'm very happy to visited that I'm happy to.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Will you still be around it? Will you still be
around politically?
Speaker 5 (06:38):
In three years I'll be probably trying to save you
and this country the same time yeares.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Worst unemployment. You could do something on the unemployment numbers instead,
instead of worrying about the red meat industry. Worst unemployment
numbers in a decade.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
All forecast in the Treasury report to ground Robinson before
the last election. All this was forecast to years ago
by treating to be executed.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
What it was.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Our trouble is we haven't turned around fast enough, but
turn around we will.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It's a party, Mari. I know that you're a stickler
for protocol and etikuit, especially in the House, that they
are unraveling before our very eyes.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Well, my first speech that after the last election, I
said this part is you're not looking to be around
for long, that they would blow apart, and I didn't
think it take that quickly. But they're blowing apart as
we speak because they've applied the same angst and curere
to themselves that they've tried to apply to the rest apartment.
We were going to take it from them.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
You realize there's only one pathway to get a labor
led coalition government, don't you, And that pathway involves you.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
What's the point of that in a statement.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Well, you said you won't work with Chris Sipkins, but
you haven't said you won't work with Labor First.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
I'm not having I'm not having you or anybody else
tell me what my party strategy is.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Well, you've told us what your strategy is.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
I'll give you. I'll give you one sentence. Is going
to keep on climbing up on the poles and we'll
be the determining factor for the outcome of a better
economy and a better social cohesive country as we go
forward into the next three years.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Do you reckon that the ACT Party in New Zealand
First will cannibalize the National Party vote in next year's election,
Because I agree with you for what it's worth, I
think New Zealand First is a double digit party.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Well we already here, now that's the point. Look at
the latest polls and a national party what the internal
polls are saying. But we're not sitting on our roles here.
We're out there flat out around the regions getting the
best list of candidates we can have, have put together
experience and set the go at the next election.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Are you undermining your Prime Minister?
Speaker 5 (08:37):
What do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Well, you corrected them on social media. He said, I
you said we.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Well, you know, having gone up there for the last
meeting with those people, and I said to them, look, guys,
I've be in this game fifty years, and fifty years
we're waiting for a deal. Do you not think we've
been patient enough?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
You know?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
They said to me, you know once and we think
you're right, So we're going to sign a deal. So yes,
it is we, we use we and us and how features
do you notice that? Not iron me? It's we in us.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
All right, let's just finish on a couple fta with India.
Are we getting close? You make Todd maclay and I
know you have a good relationship with him. Seems to
be doing a good job for us.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
He's working seriously hard on He gave me a brief
the other day. I can't give you the details because
a lot of things to be got yet done, but
you know, as in terms of speed given it's nineteen
eighty five, do you remember this. Mike Moore comes back
from India with the whole group of businessmen and he
says he secured five hundred million dollars of potential orders.
(09:34):
You know, I must have was for nothing. So all
these years we've been wedding and all of a sudden
we've got going by going up to not just the capital,
we've gone to the states of the India where there
is some real powerhouse there and got some movement at last.
So yes, I'm looking forward to but we're going to
make sure that this deal is in our interests.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Are you peeved off you weren't in the Pike River movie.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
I'm very pleased. I'm not in the Pike movement because
of the sham, and I can tell you that this
is a murder scene and what's happened here is mostly irresponsible.
Now I'm not picked off, and I'm not building the
watch the darn thing because the only reason why there
was a full scale inquiry is because of New Zealand
first demanded every other party was having to go ahead.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
What I just have you seen the movie just then
us climbing all the glory.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Well, if you're claiming all the glory for shutting down
the pop inquiry and then honkering the place up when
we don't know what the answer was what's going on
in there, then that is an abiding disgrace. No, I'm
with Lester Monk, and what's his name down there, Bernie
mo Yeah, Bernie Bernie. I'm with Bernie Monk. Now, Bernie Monk,
you know, has gone and said that the only person
(10:43):
who's done it right here is a guy called Winston Peter. Now,
I'm not boasting, but I have worked underground eleven miles underground,
actually threw underground and the Snowy Mounts, and I knew
something about this, and I could see from the word
go that this was a murder scene where people lost
their lives and should never have and a whole lot
of political phase. We're responsible for that in letting the
rules be loose in terms of surveillance and proper industrial
(11:06):
relations procedures. It's self crime and they've got away with it.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
A final question for you on your former colleague Jasinda Ardum.
Were you interviewed for the unauthorized biography? No, Well that's
a short and sharp answer, Winston Peters, Thanks for your time.
It's often an argument I can never win. By the way,
You're wrong about Alliance and Fonterra, but will agree to disagree.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Well, we'll we'll see who's going to be right or
wrong in the next three years. And year four, stand
back and watch who told you so? And I hope
you'll make sure that every day you've got to get
up and apologize for letting the future farmers of this
country who can buy only against New Zealand competition to
buy the farm in the first place, and now they're
flogging off the profits to two other economies. They're not
(11:53):
coming here because they're Santa Claus. They're coming here because
they are being allowed to rip us off under the
oversight of a Marls program. Well, the Country show that
is not doing his job.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
That's me told off. I'll tell you what. I'm not
going to bet against your being around in three years time.
You've lost none of your bark or your bite.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Thanks for your time, Thank you to have a good day.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
A nineteen after twelve year with the country. Lots of
feedback coming in on Winston Peters. Here's one here which
I totally disagree with. Prediction Jamie Peters won't be standing again.
New Zealand first won't get double digit figures. He's definitely
standing as long as he is standing, if you know
what I mean, He's definitely going to be standing, Jamie
(12:42):
smart Farmers. Winston just milking votes. That's from Jeff when
he's way off the mark with Alliance and Fonterra deal's
especially when giving silver Fin Farms as an example. It's
worked out, okay, hasn't it well? I think it's okay.
It's better than the alternative would have been. You bade
him well, Jamie, He's always up for a fight, isn't he?
Speaker 7 (13:01):
Ha ha?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yes, he loves a fight. He's another one. Winston is right,
there's that many coming and I'm losing them onwards screen.
Winston is right, keep New Zealand for New Zealand, make
Winston PM, says Wayne. Another one says Winston's dodgy, but
I like him, and he promotes conspiracy. It's probably pretty
much on the market mark. And here's another one. Tiptop
got sold off and it's still on the shelves in
(13:24):
New Zealand with New Zealand milk used. That's a good text.
Up next, Professor Keith Woodford on red meat prices. Are
they at a sweet spot that won't be maintained? One
of our best academics.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Up next, on the country, you're walking away.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I do enjoy here on the country talking to people
who are smarter than me. Now, the cynics out there
will say that's just about everyone I'm talking to, but
in the case of my next guest, it definitely is
the case. Professor Keith Woodford, formerly of Lincoln University, has
written a really interesting piece on interest dot co dot INZ.
I think it was in Farmers Weekly as well, and
(14:19):
he writes this year is a remarkable time for sheep
and beef farms, with record prices for both lamb meat
and beef. Farmgate prices are up in the order of
thirty percent since twenty twenty four, and in some situations
even more. He goes on to say, it is a
sweet spot that won't be maintained. Keith, your glass your
(14:43):
glass should I say half empty on this one? Good afternoon?
Speaker 7 (14:48):
Yeah, Well, it's challenging s on the striker balance. They
are exciting times. We all hope that they're going to
be maintained. There are some reasons why they could be maintained,
and we all hope that's going to happen. But I'm
just saying that for farmers they need to wait till
(15:11):
they see the money in the bank before they actually
spend the money. Because history tells us that these prices
are cyclical, and it would be just a little bit
over confident to say these what we've got now is
a normal going forward. Hopefully it is, but by gosh,
(15:32):
just let's make sure we can see the money in
the bank before we spend them.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yes, very sage advice there, Keith Woodford. Let's start with Lamb.
It's at eleven dollars a kilo at the moment, but
you know that's an out of season peak. If you want.
Tom Young from AFCO earlier in the week, Keith said
he could see a Lamb schedule of nine dollars fifty
to ten dollars at the peak of the season. I
think that's pretty good going. You're suggesting it could be
(15:58):
lower than that.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
I'm just saying I think that's a fantastic price, and
I'm just waiting a little bit with bated breath to
see how consumers react to those higher prices. And this
is a cross in world market. So you know, we're
(16:21):
talking about the EU, we're talking about Britain, and we're
talking about America, and I think, you know, we just
know that high prices almost always lead to a consumer response.
So fingers cross, fingers costs to see how it holds
minds you?
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Is lamb now a niche product as opposed to a
staple like beef.
Speaker 7 (16:46):
Well, it's almost become a niche product back here in
New Zealand. Even the problem with a niche product is
that you can go to other products. Now, lamb happens
to be my favorite meat people, you know, I mean
overseas people. They can certainly buy chicken, and they can
(17:09):
buy pork. It's just a fraction of the price that
they're paying for now for beef and lamb.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, but it doesn't taste as good. Let's move on
to beef, Professor Keith Watford, because it would appear to
me that certainly in the medium term, the outlook for
beef is going to be stronger than probably any other
meat simply because of the dynamics of what's happening in
the US market. Or am I wrong? Am I reading
that wrong?
Speaker 7 (17:37):
Well, it's certainly a big factor. And you know, the
beef cycle in the US is something I've been watching.
Their breeding herd is now the lowest it's been for
about seventy years. And that couple of factors, there's just
one of them is the regular beef cycle, which runs
(17:57):
on an eight to ten year read Another is the
drought that they had a year or so ago. And
what happens with the B cycle is once the Americans
decide to build their herds again, is actually less meat
comes into the marketplace because all the female stock is
(18:21):
getting retained as readers. So that's an incredible good sort
of signal coming to us that we can see with
the where the V cycle is currently that you know,
we would hope, all other things being equal, that the
(18:42):
price would be maintained now for several years. But what
we've also got to remember the traditional on the last
few years, the biggest source of imported beef into the
United States has been Brazil. Brazil's overall all exports of
b for about six times US. They're the leader in
(19:03):
the world. Effectively, they've been shut out of the United
States and they're now putting huge quantities into China. Well,
until very recently, China was our biggest beef market. At
the moment, the US is our biggest beef market, but
China is still very important to us. And you know,
(19:27):
just a word of course, in there was so much
Brazilian beef looking for a home there's uncertainty out there,
and that's all I'm really saying is that we shouldn't
see the current sweet spot as necessary being the long
(19:48):
term normal. Let's wait and see how it does develop.
Let's hope and hope that it is maintained. That would
be fantastic. But don't spend the money till it's in
the bank.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Hey, Professor Keithwood. But always good to chat to you
here on the country. Really appreciate your time because I
realize you're running out of it. And I say that
with the utmost respect. You're having a battle with pancreatic cancer.
You have got one hell of a constitution because at
this stage you're winning the battle. You've got your head
above water. Not everyone can say that, so well done.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
Yes, since three years now, since I was diagnosed with
being created cancer, and with hindsight, I had it before that,
so it was reasonably advanced and I am doing a
great deal better than what I was advice was likely
at the start. So yep, well it's good. I'm continuing
(20:48):
to stay involved. There's a few things that can't do,
like trevel overseas anymore, but yep, I'm still active.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, and you can still go skiing. You're a champion.
Keith word Thanks. This is always for your time. Stay well, okay.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
Good Jerry, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Good or should I say go well Keith Woodford. What
a legend that man is. Appreciate his time on the country.
Harry Gadams our farmstrong farmer this month. Some good advice
for farmers who have been smacked by the recent wind events,
Chris Russell or Osie correspondent yere feedback's coming in thick
and fast on Winston, Jamie, Winston's good value, says Jen.
(21:29):
Another one says absolutely owns you, Jamie. It made you
look like an idiot. That's a bit tough Texter. I
thought I did all right actually anyhow, um Jamie. I
hate to admit it, but when he's right, if we
keep on relying on commodities and tourism for the economy,
we will end up with a island economy. Rather than
(21:51):
selling these businesses. We need to understand why we can't
make money from these businesses and fix it. Just some
of the feed back coming in that I can read out.
Here's another one. Massive drought looming. So regardless, farmers on
the east coast of both islands without irrigation, won't be
able to maximize the good times, good text. Right up next,
(22:14):
I hope you're wrong about the drought, too very dry
in Hawk's Bay. We're going to go there shortly. But
up next it's Michelle with the latest and rural news,
and i'll have sports news for you, including the announcement
of some of those super rugby sides and another Texter
Jeff from Southland, says Professor Keith Woodford the Eagles. Things
(22:36):
don't get better than that. You're pretty right, actually, Jeff.
I hope you're having a good day.
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Seem fun.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Oh, Eagles days as happy days here on the country.
Here's Michelle what with the latest and rural news.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
What the countries world? You with cop Cadet, New Zealand's
leading right on lawn Bower Bread. Visit steel Ford dot
co dot z for your local stockist.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, and well done picking the Eagles. What do you got?
Speaker 8 (23:09):
Thanks, Jamie. It's not often I get praised, but.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Let's taste it your music. Your music tastes leaves something
something to be desired on occasions, but I guess you
would say the same of mine. Hey, someone abuses me
on the text line.
Speaker 8 (23:23):
I did notice you didn't change half the songs that
you normally do either. So I'm going to hold onto
this little moment and it'll be my little moment that
glows till the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Good on you, Okay.
Speaker 8 (23:31):
So in rural news, it's not great news for up North.
Yellow leagued hornets could be a real street to local
honeybee populations and biosecurity risk. The Ministry for Primary Industry
sees the queen hornets have been discovered on Auckland's north shore,
with biosecurity in New Zealand urging in New Zealanders to
be on the lookout for the hornets and their nests.
They feed on bees, wass and flies, and bi secure
(23:53):
in New Zealand has one hundred and twenty traps in
the field already, so it's pretty scary stuff. We might
try and catch up with someone from MP get an
update on what they've found, because I know they've found
quite a few hornets, but it could be a real all.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
We could catch up with Nathan guy. Isn't he the
head of apiculture Eyes?
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Yeah, we should catch up Nathan.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Book Red Meat and Bees with Nathan. Thank you. Michelle
has sport sport.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
On the country with Alfco one owned and trusted it that's.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Rare oops, thank you f CO. Seven fresh faces for
the Highlanders for the twenty twenty six Super Rugby Pacific season,
headlined by highly tilted halfback Dylan Pledger. Mark my words,
this guy will be cam Royguards understudy sooner rather than later.
The return of midfielder Peter r Key highlights the new
(24:40):
Blue squad, while Wana Pacifica have snared former All Blacks
halfback Augustine Pullu alongside the experienced campaigners Nanni Lamarpi and
Jimmy Chupos. That is you, Swan, I hang on this
one here for the cricket tonight, We've got another. That
was a good finish last night. We've got another one
tonight at Eden Park, and Black Caps captain Mitch Satner
(25:02):
is adamant there's no time for angst over a first
up T twenty loss to the West Indies at Eden
Park last night. Satner is happy to execute the same
bowling plans and tonight's second encounter, but he wants his
batters to judge the tempo better, especially through the middle
stages of the innings. There's sport for you. Up next,
it's our farm strong farmer with some good advice for
(25:25):
South Island farmers and he's in a very dry hawks Bay.
We go there next with Harry Gadam.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
It's so for.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
If you want a job done, ask a busy man.
Here's a busy man. He's a hawks Bay deer farmer,
bit a sheep and beef as well. Every morning he
gets up and runs with his mates at five thirty am,
boundless energy. Harry Gadam he's our farm strong farmer this month.
And Harry, we've been keeping tabs on you since cyclone.
Gabrielle and I think it's very app that we talk
to you today because there's a lot of farmers in
(26:06):
the South Island in recent times with those wind events
who have been smacked badly. I'm going to pick your
brain on how to deal with it. Before we do that, though,
How are things on Hawkspy you? I understand you're getting
very dry.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
Yeah, thanks Jamie Chez for having me on again. Good
to chat you. Yeah, look, look absolutely hawks Bay. It's
funny we we sort of had this last year a
weave it, but it's always that sort of sticky point
in the year where we've been kriyche which ways is
going to go and we've had Yeah, we probably haven't
(26:40):
had enough moisture through spring for everyone feel good. Where
I am in Caeru feels each we're still growing grass
and we've had a bit more moisture than most so.
But you go ten minutes or fifteen minutes over the
hill and it's a different story, drying off really quickly.
I actually can't just out of the hill as well.
That sort of not well, and and it's turning really quickly.
(27:05):
We kind of get into a bit of a desperate
stage of wanting to moisture. But yeah, look that talks
bay and I guess we farm to it a wee bit.
We're just like it like a bit of spring if
we kid and we get it all.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, yeah, cyclone, Gabrielle, you're nearly three years on from
that terrible event. We won't relitigate history there because I
know in some places are the recoveries still very much happening.
What's your advice to these farmers in the South Island.
Speaker 9 (27:32):
Yeah, Look, it's it's a it's a big task and
you know, a lot's happened down there with pivots, and
in course snow and it's a busy time of year
with milking and lambing and carving going on. So it's
the best things just to take stock of where you're at.
Really you've got it. You've got to come back to
sort of the basics, and number one is looking after yourself,
(27:52):
your family, and your friends and your neighbors. And then
and then everything kind of flows from there. Jamie, what
what What.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Is the old saying about eating an elephant? I think
that's it. You eat it one bite of the time,
And I guess And it's easy for me to say
once again sitting in an air conditioned radio studio, but
when it comes to these endless trees that have been
down in their over fences, it's just a matter of
taking it one day at a time and prioritizing.
Speaker 9 (28:20):
Yeah, it really is. You just can't do it all
at once. And even though it seems so immense at
the time, you kind of got it. You're going and
got to prioritize what's important and that that sort of
branch that that's sitting on the side of the track, Look,
it might just have to wait where you go and
do all the other important jobs. For a while, and
it might pissue off for a bit, but to be fair,
(28:42):
it's it's it's these are the these are the times
you actually just got to really take stock and prioritize
what's important. And we're the same hawks day. We've had
actually horrific winds recently, and it's it's down a huge
amount of trees and whatnot, and it's just one of
those things you've just got to work your way slowly
through it. And that's not going to look pretty for
(29:03):
a time. And that was the biggest thing about the
cyclone I guess we learned is that it just doesn't
look pretty and you kind of got to adjust your
mindset of of what goods for a bit, because we're
all proud people and proud of the land and proud
of what we do and the way it looks, I guess,
and so so trying to adjust your mindset on that
(29:23):
is a trick, but it's it's so worthwhile because once
you make the decision to adjust and and and get
on with what's important, it makes the rest of life
a lot easier.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
As a former farmer, looking from the outside, and I'm
probably in a good position to judge to be perfectly honest.
If I could find fault with a lot of farmers,
including farmer mate of mind, the fault would be, with
the exception of Bruce holiday Weller down on West Otago,
the fault would be they don't take enough time off
the farm.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Yeah, that's often the way, especially in these busy times,
you know, just taking no small breaks, finding finding somewhere
special to go with your family or your partner or whatnot.
It's so important because just taking that sort of breath
away from the farm, trying to change the mindset to weaver,
just concentrate on something else with it's you know, going
(30:18):
kicking the ball around with your mates or going for
a game of tennis. You know, it's so jolly important
just to look after look after yourself and you know,
put some put some air in your lungs that are
potentially isn't the stuff from your farm.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Finally, I'm naturally a cynical sort of person and when
I hear words like mental fitness and toolbox, I kind
of I go, I'm not quite so sure about that,
but you can train the mind. I need to do
this for golf because I've got severe as she's there.
But how do you train your mind?
Speaker 9 (30:50):
Yeah, look, it's it's it's about really, it's resetting and
finding finding the good and the bad things in some ways.
You know, it's it's understanding that you can actually change
the way you perceive the day. If something's going wrong,
you've just kind of got to walk away, take a breath,
take a moment, try to understand and then attack it
(31:12):
in a different piece, in a different mindset. It's a
hard thing to do, but once you control it, once
you start to understand it, make your breath. Breathing's really
important through these hard times. It makes a world of
difference to me.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Yeah, I found breathing most useful during my life. It's
kept me alive. Hey, Harry Gatam, Look, thanks mate, thanks
for some of your time. I do love chatting to you.
You're such a positive person. I do hope you get
some rain and Hawk's bay.
Speaker 9 (31:40):
I really appreciate Jamie. No, it'll come. It'll all come
in December.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
It's all good.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Good on you, Harry, Thanks for your time. Appreciate it's
text coming. And Jamie. I heard some poor bugger had
a tree come down on the dog motel lost his
whole team. Disaster says clean. That would be an absolute
tragedy thing more valuable on the farm than a good
farm dog, or even better, a good pack of farm dogs.
(32:06):
Up next to Elsie correspondent Chris Russell on the Country.
Chris Russell's there, Assie correspondent based out of Sydney, But
all the action this week was in Melbourne. Chris, You'll
be interested to know I won the office suite for
(32:28):
the Melbourne Cup with half yours.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Well you did, well, I didn't, but you know, I
thought it was a fantastic story. Young Jamie Mellon coming
through there and she and the way her story because
she was the first husband and wife combination to have
ridden in a Melbourne Cup. And she's quite different to
her husband reportedly in that she very much just sort
(32:51):
of sees how it goes when she gets in there.
He's very much a strategist, and they had talked about
tactics before the race and he suggested she really needs
to get over to the rails in the first hundred
meters that he and she did that in fact, and
then of course she came up behind her husband who
was riding smoke and Romans that was already tiring a
(33:13):
bit when it went at the top of the main
Flemington Strait and half yours took the decision out of
She was about the scream and her husband get out
of the bloody road. But in fact her horse took
out of her hands and ducked the side through the
really narrow gap, pushed her husband aside. All he got
was a shove out of a bent, and then he
came up and kept on going through and pulled into
(33:35):
the next gap where there was hardly any room, but
the horse just managed to find a hole in there
and through he went.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
Well.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Of course, when the horse went through it was no
stopping because it was She said, it was the fittest
horse she's ever ridden.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Great story, great race, great result, even though I lost
money in the end. Another story for another day. Hey, Chris,
talking about races, there's an arms race on sort of
really a global power struggle of do you want between
America and China? She up against Trump. Obviously, how's that
going to affect Australian cattle or beef farmers.
Speaker 10 (34:09):
Well, there's been the last twelve eight months or there's
hundreds of beef licenses out of the US that China
hasn't renewed, and that's given us a.
Speaker 6 (34:20):
New market for our grain fed beef. Now we're not
talking about the same beef that the Americans are buying
from us. They haven't got enough of. What they want
is lean grinding beef for mixing with their very fatty
grinding beef for hamburgers. But this is a much more
expensive grain fed meat, and it's been a wonderful boost
to our grain fed industry. But overall beef trade to
(34:43):
China in fact thirty five percent up on previous years,
and in Japan also fifty three percent in career of
eleven percent just by the bye. But those big markets
have been going well. But now there seems to have
been a little sort of love tryst between Trump and She.
While Trump's talking about it, she isn't. But nonetheless, they
(35:04):
are expecting that the controls on Chinese import of American
beef are going to be lifted, along with the other
things they talked about, rare earth and so on. And
if that happens, then we can expect to lose some
of that market. So we're expecting that to drop back.
But really, in the big scheme of things, the amount
of business we're doing. We just can't sell all the
(35:25):
beef we're producing now, so I don't think it's going
to have a massive effect on our prices.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Jamie from The Believer It or Not Chris Russell files
feral pigs take and eat ninety nine percent of lambs
on a New South Wales farm. That wouldn't have help
the old tailing or docking percentage.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
Well, when I saw this, I thought, no, they must
mean because the headline was the feral pigs are eating
ninety nine out of one hundred lambs on a property.
This is a property blunt to Neil Nevel Mattic in
central West New South Wales. I thought he must mean
out eating them or taking away, But no, what he's
saying is he's been breeding sheep on this farm for
(36:04):
one hundred and forty years with his family, and these
pigs are eating his lambs alive, with few of them
one in one hundred surviving this season. One in one
hundred is all he's getting, and it's plummeted in recent years.
He said that, in fact, the amazing thing about this
is when they take these lambs, there's nothing left of them.
Your flat out actually finding any trace of the lamb
(36:26):
that they've taken. We've got about twenty three and a
half million feral pigs in Australia, and of course with
the rise in national parks, I think you've had the
same problem in New Zealand where hunters have not been
allowed to go into remove the pigs. They just come
in out of the national parts and might do their
damage and go back again. I reckon the estimated cost
about one hundred and fifty million dollars this year, So
(36:49):
you know it's that's I couldn't believe that only one
in one hundred we're not being fully eaten and these
pigs are obviously gone carnivorous and it's mostly meant and
he's going to get out of sheep completely next year
because he can't compete with them.
Speaker 7 (37:03):
Jamie.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Yeah, problem's not the national parks, it's the carbon farms
that they're coming out of to eat our lamb. Chris Russell,
thanks is always for your time.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Look forward to seeing next week Jamie.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (37:15):
Chris.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
We're going to take a break wrap it with some
of your feedback here on the country. It is three
and a half away from one wrapping the country with
some of your feedback. Here's some more on Winston. For
a bloke that stated many times that the only pole
he believes and is the one on voting day, Winston
(37:37):
is pretty certain of them right now. When New Zealand
First is concerned, yes, he will tell you. They're a
double digit party all day long. Tomorrow's show, we're going
to catch up with Fonterra chem and Peter McBride he's
in China, and also a farmer panel George Dodson and
Hugh Jackson. Twenty twenty four and twenty five of the
(38:00):
year have a good day. Catch it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Intance catch all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent, your specialist
in John Deere Machinery
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent, You're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
There's talk on the street, sounds a famili great expectations you.
Everybody is watching you. People you mean they are see
(00:34):
know you.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Good afternoon, New Zealand. Welcome to the Country. I'm Jamie
McKay Shows brought to you by Brent Michelle Watt. Producers
decided to make it an Eagle's day and who am
I to argue? New kid in town? Our first guest
on the Country is anything but a new kid in town.
He's been arguing and debating the toss for fifty years
or more. Winston Peters, I suspect I might have an
(00:59):
argument with them over Fonterra and the Alliance group. He's
going to kick off the show. It's going to be
great to catch up with Professor Keith Woodford, one of
my favorite academics. Interestingly, he wrote a column about the
current high red meat prices and his comment was it's
a sweet spot that won't be maintained. We'll see what
(01:20):
he means. Shortly on the Country, Harry Gadam, is this
month's Farm Strong Interview. We're going to revisit this hawks
Bay farmer. He's a deer farmer. He's got sheep and
beef as well. We've kept tabs on him since cyclone, Gabrielle,
can you believe it's nearly three years since then? Getting
very dry on hawks Bay? But perhaps more importantly, I'm
(01:40):
going to ask him to offer some sound advice to
the South Island farmers who have been hammered by the
recent wind events on how to deal with the aftermath
of an extreme weather event. Our Elsie correspondents Chris Russell
Michelle will have rural news for you. We'll have a
look at sports news and some of the Super Rugby
(02:02):
teams have named sides. Franchises have named their sides for
twenty twenty six. I think the Highlanders are looking pretty good,
but I would say that, wouldn't I Winston Peters to
kick off the country next.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Be soon?
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Many things you should have told her the named after
night you will.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Just hold Winston Peters is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
He's been busy, just back from Scandinavia. Winston. Now that
I'm a pensioner, I'm of of an age where I
might consider voting for New Zealand first, But how could
I vote for a party that is so wrong when
it comes to issues such as the Alliance and Fonterra votes.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
Well, this is actually staggering. You remember the sal Ferns
farm sale, Remember civil civil firms and the meat sale
to China.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Well you hang on, it's it's a joint venture. One step,
not a stile. It's a joint venture.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
Excuse me, excuse me. You're trying to make excuse me
before you can get the first answer back for me.
You see what I mean. You haven't got a leg
to stand on Silver Fern's farms. They rated it up
to depth falsely, they ratted it down, the earnings falsely,
gave the farmers one quarter information together the Chinese and
the rest is history. And the directors took an eight
million dollar bonus. You remember that. Now you're not even
(03:31):
asking the right questions. This is Farming show should be
asking Harrel and his directors how much are you guys
going to get at the end of this event?
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Well, Miles Horrell said on this very show, mister Peters,
that there were no incentive bonuses for the Fonterra directors
over the style of the consumer brains. We've got that
on tape.
Speaker 5 (03:50):
No, no, this is one on one step. I'm talking
about the built in outcome when the thing is completed.
He didn't answer that question, and lookers not with his
two experiences of democracy, given that we started the Anchor
brand in eighteen eighty six and worked on it all
this time. For this thing to be sold off to
an international outfit, it could be gone tomorrow. I just
come back from norder countries. You know why they've gone
(04:11):
rocking past us because they maximize added value for their
own workers, for their own people, for their own economent,
for their own wealth.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Hey, what happened? What happens to individual property rights? You
don't own Fonterra. About eight or nine thousand farmer shareholders
own Fonterra. It's their decision, not yours.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Oh yes, So why did they come to parliament twenty
twenty one and all the times before that? Getting Parliament
is brought to get to where they wanted to go
to If they could have done all by themselves, why
were they always relying upon Parliament? And I know this
from a long way back. I mean, I come up
a dairy farm and we've come to the Parliament to
forget the protection we need to give ourselves an advantage,
and then all of a sudden, this monopoly they've got
(04:50):
has now been given to another outfit, and a French
one of that. And my warning to their miss do
you think we're going to give on parliament to protection
to make a offer to sell to other country? No,
we're nationalists. We put our country first, not last.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Well, you're certainly a nationalistic sort of person, I'll give
you that. What about the Alliance Group? Literally they had
no choice. Dawn Meats was the best offer on the table.
What would you have them do?
Speaker 6 (05:15):
No?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
New Zealand company wanted a bar of it or couldn't
afford to. Would you have sunk government money into a
unprofitable red meat meat industry?
Speaker 7 (05:26):
No?
Speaker 5 (05:27):
What do I do is make sure that the mead
meat industry is positible. That's what our problem business country.
We should be out there maximizing added value and if
people can't do the job, get out of the job
and give it to somebody else. What we've got here
is people who are on the back of the taxpayer,
on the back of the monopoly, in the back of
the country's century l history of being an agricultural empower
(05:48):
US can't do the job. But they stay there on
massive pay and massive incomes normous And they say the
bank's calling up. Has anybody gone to the bank? Did
the government that I belonged to? Did they go to
the bank and say, hang on a minute, we're not
in this. We want to see what an outcome is. No,
nothing is happening there. So there goes two in a row,
added value major industry. One to the to the Irish
(06:09):
who are not buying it because it's a failure. One
to the French because they're not who are not buying
course of a failure. No, it's because of short term profit.
And within three years the guarantee of the supply will
be removed. And then when where will the farmers be
and their sons and daughters and their grantlan who should
be going into the farming industry.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Well, if you and I, and if you and I
are both about in three years, we'll revisit this one.
Let's talk about.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Things we'm very happy to visited that I'm happy to.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Will you still be around it? Will you still be
around politically?
Speaker 5 (06:38):
In three years I'll be probably trying to save you
and this country the same time yeares.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Worst unemployment. You could do something on the unemployment numbers instead,
instead of worrying about the red meat industry. Worst unemployment
numbers in a decade.
Speaker 5 (06:52):
All forecast in the Treasury report to ground Robinson before
the last election. All this was forecast to years ago
by treating to be executed.
Speaker 7 (07:01):
What it was.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Our trouble is we haven't turned around fast enough, but
turn around we will.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
It's a party, Mari. I know that you're a stickler
for protocol and etikuit, especially in the House, that they
are unraveling before our very eyes.
Speaker 5 (07:15):
Well, my first speech that after the last election, I
said this part is you're not looking to be around
for long, that they would blow apart, and I didn't
think it take that quickly. But they're blowing apart as
we speak because they've applied the same angst and curere
to themselves that they've tried to apply to the rest apartment.
We were going to take it from them.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
You realize there's only one pathway to get a labor
led coalition government, don't you, And that pathway involves you.
Speaker 5 (07:41):
What's the point of that in a statement.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Well, you said you won't work with Chris Sipkins, but
you haven't said you won't work with Labor First.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
I'm not having I'm not having you or anybody else
tell me what my party strategy is.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Well, you've told us what your strategy is.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
I'll give you. I'll give you one sentence. Is going
to keep on climbing up on the poles and we'll
be the determining factor for the outcome of a better
economy and a better social cohesive country as we go
forward into the next three years.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Do you reckon that the ACT Party in New Zealand
First will cannibalize the National Party vote in next year's election,
Because I agree with you for what it's worth, I
think New Zealand First is a double digit party.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Well we already here, now that's the point. Look at
the latest polls and a national party what the internal
polls are saying. But we're not sitting on our roles here.
We're out there flat out around the regions getting the
best list of candidates we can have, have put together
experience and set the go at the next election.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Are you undermining your Prime Minister?
Speaker 5 (08:37):
What do you mean by that?
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Well, you corrected them on social media. He said, I
you said we.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
Well, you know, having gone up there for the last
meeting with those people, and I said to them, look, guys,
I've be in this game fifty years, and fifty years
we're waiting for a deal. Do you not think we've
been patient enough?
Speaker 3 (08:53):
You know?
Speaker 5 (08:53):
They said to me, you know once and we think
you're right, So we're going to sign a deal. So yes,
it is we, we use we and us and how features
do you notice that? Not iron me? It's we in us.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
All right, let's just finish on a couple fta with India.
Are we getting close? You make Todd maclay and I
know you have a good relationship with him. Seems to
be doing a good job for us.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
He's working seriously hard on He gave me a brief
the other day. I can't give you the details because
a lot of things to be got yet done, but
you know, as in terms of speed given it's nineteen
eighty five, do you remember this. Mike Moore comes back
from India with the whole group of businessmen and he
says he secured five hundred million dollars of potential orders.
(09:34):
You know, I must have was for nothing. So all
these years we've been wedding and all of a sudden
we've got going by going up to not just the capital,
we've gone to the states of the India where there
is some real powerhouse there and got some movement at last.
So yes, I'm looking forward to but we're going to
make sure that this deal is in our interests.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Are you peeved off you weren't in the Pike River movie.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
I'm very pleased. I'm not in the Pike movement because
of the sham, and I can tell you that this
is a murder scene and what's happened here is mostly irresponsible.
Now I'm not picked off, and I'm not building the
watch the darn thing because the only reason why there
was a full scale inquiry is because of New Zealand
first demanded every other party was having to go ahead.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
What I just have you seen the movie just then
us climbing all the glory.
Speaker 5 (10:22):
Well, if you're claiming all the glory for shutting down
the pop inquiry and then honkering the place up when
we don't know what the answer was what's going on
in there, then that is an abiding disgrace. No, I'm
with Lester Monk, and what's his name down there, Bernie
mo Yeah, Bernie Bernie. I'm with Bernie Monk. Now, Bernie Monk,
you know, has gone and said that the only person
(10:43):
who's done it right here is a guy called Winston Peter. Now,
I'm not boasting, but I have worked underground eleven miles underground,
actually threw underground and the Snowy Mounts, and I knew
something about this, and I could see from the word
go that this was a murder scene where people lost
their lives and should never have and a whole lot
of political phase. We're responsible for that in letting the
rules be loose in terms of surveillance and proper industrial
(11:06):
relations procedures. It's self crime and they've got away with it.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
A final question for you on your former colleague Jasinda Ardum.
Were you interviewed for the unauthorized biography? No, Well that's
a short and sharp answer, Winston Peters, Thanks for your time.
It's often an argument I can never win. By the way,
You're wrong about Alliance and Fonterra, but will agree to disagree.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Well, we'll we'll see who's going to be right or
wrong in the next three years. And year four, stand
back and watch who told you so? And I hope
you'll make sure that every day you've got to get
up and apologize for letting the future farmers of this
country who can buy only against New Zealand competition to
buy the farm in the first place, and now they're
flogging off the profits to two other economies. They're not
(11:53):
coming here because they're Santa Claus. They're coming here because
they are being allowed to rip us off under the
oversight of a Marls program. Well, the Country show that
is not doing his job.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
That's me told off. I'll tell you what. I'm not
going to bet against your being around in three years time.
You've lost none of your bark or your bite.
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Thanks for your time, Thank you to have a good day.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
A nineteen after twelve year with the country. Lots of
feedback coming in on Winston Peters. Here's one here which
I totally disagree with. Prediction Jamie Peters won't be standing again.
New Zealand first won't get double digit figures. He's definitely
standing as long as he is standing, if you know
what I mean, He's definitely going to be standing, Jamie
(12:42):
smart Farmers. Winston just milking votes. That's from Jeff when
he's way off the mark with Alliance and Fonterra deal's
especially when giving silver Fin Farms as an example. It's
worked out, okay, hasn't it well? I think it's okay.
It's better than the alternative would have been. You bade
him well, Jamie, He's always up for a fight, isn't he?
Speaker 7 (13:01):
Ha ha?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yes, he loves a fight. He's another one. Winston is right,
there's that many coming and I'm losing them onwards screen.
Winston is right, keep New Zealand for New Zealand, make
Winston PM, says Wayne. Another one says Winston's dodgy, but
I like him, and he promotes conspiracy. It's probably pretty
much on the market mark. And here's another one. Tiptop
got sold off and it's still on the shelves in
(13:24):
New Zealand with New Zealand milk used. That's a good text.
Up next, Professor Keith Woodford on red meat prices. Are
they at a sweet spot that won't be maintained? One
of our best academics.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
Up next, on the country, you're walking away.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
I do enjoy here on the country talking to people
who are smarter than me. Now, the cynics out there
will say that's just about everyone I'm talking to, but
in the case of my next guest, it definitely is
the case. Professor Keith Woodford, formerly of Lincoln University, has
written a really interesting piece on interest dot co dot INZ.
I think it was in Farmers Weekly as well, and
(14:19):
he writes this year is a remarkable time for sheep
and beef farms, with record prices for both lamb meat
and beef. Farmgate prices are up in the order of
thirty percent since twenty twenty four, and in some situations
even more. He goes on to say, it is a
sweet spot that won't be maintained. Keith, your glass your
(14:43):
glass should I say half empty on this one? Good afternoon?
Speaker 7 (14:48):
Yeah, Well, it's challenging s on the striker balance. They
are exciting times. We all hope that they're going to
be maintained. There are some reasons why they could be maintained,
and we all hope that's going to happen. But I'm
just saying that for farmers they need to wait till
(15:11):
they see the money in the bank before they actually
spend the money. Because history tells us that these prices
are cyclical, and it would be just a little bit
over confident to say these what we've got now is
a normal going forward. Hopefully it is, but by gosh,
(15:32):
just let's make sure we can see the money in
the bank before we spend them.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Yes, very sage advice there, Keith Woodford. Let's start with Lamb.
It's at eleven dollars a kilo at the moment, but
you know that's an out of season peak. If you want.
Tom Young from AFCO earlier in the week, Keith said
he could see a Lamb schedule of nine dollars fifty
to ten dollars at the peak of the season. I
think that's pretty good going. You're suggesting it could be
(15:58):
lower than that.
Speaker 7 (16:00):
I'm just saying I think that's a fantastic price, and
I'm just waiting a little bit with bated breath to
see how consumers react to those higher prices. And this
is a cross in world market. So you know, we're
(16:21):
talking about the EU, we're talking about Britain, and we're
talking about America, and I think, you know, we just
know that high prices almost always lead to a consumer response.
So fingers cross, fingers costs to see how it holds
minds you?
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Is lamb now a niche product as opposed to a
staple like beef.
Speaker 7 (16:46):
Well, it's almost become a niche product back here in
New Zealand. Even the problem with a niche product is
that you can go to other products. Now, lamb happens
to be my favorite meat people, you know, I mean
overseas people. They can certainly buy chicken, and they can
(17:09):
buy pork. It's just a fraction of the price that
they're paying for now for beef and lamb.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, but it doesn't taste as good. Let's move on
to beef, Professor Keith Watford, because it would appear to
me that certainly in the medium term, the outlook for
beef is going to be stronger than probably any other
meat simply because of the dynamics of what's happening in
the US market. Or am I wrong? Am I reading
that wrong?
Speaker 7 (17:37):
Well, it's certainly a big factor. And you know, the
beef cycle in the US is something I've been watching.
Their breeding herd is now the lowest it's been for
about seventy years. And that couple of factors, there's just
one of them is the regular beef cycle, which runs
(17:57):
on an eight to ten year read Another is the
drought that they had a year or so ago. And
what happens with the B cycle is once the Americans
decide to build their herds again, is actually less meat
comes into the marketplace because all the female stock is
(18:21):
getting retained as readers. So that's an incredible good sort
of signal coming to us that we can see with
the where the V cycle is currently that you know,
we would hope, all other things being equal, that the
(18:42):
price would be maintained now for several years. But what
we've also got to remember the traditional on the last
few years, the biggest source of imported beef into the
United States has been Brazil. Brazil's overall all exports of
b for about six times US. They're the leader in
(19:03):
the world. Effectively, they've been shut out of the United
States and they're now putting huge quantities into China. Well,
until very recently, China was our biggest beef market. At
the moment, the US is our biggest beef market, but
China is still very important to us. And you know,
(19:27):
just a word of course, in there was so much
Brazilian beef looking for a home there's uncertainty out there,
and that's all I'm really saying is that we shouldn't
see the current sweet spot as necessary being the long
(19:48):
term normal. Let's wait and see how it does develop.
Let's hope and hope that it is maintained. That would
be fantastic. But don't spend the money till it's in
the bank.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Hey, Professor Keithwood. But always good to chat to you
here on the country. Really appreciate your time because I
realize you're running out of it. And I say that
with the utmost respect. You're having a battle with pancreatic cancer.
You have got one hell of a constitution because at
this stage you're winning the battle. You've got your head
above water. Not everyone can say that, so well done.
Speaker 7 (20:24):
Yes, since three years now, since I was diagnosed with
being created cancer, and with hindsight, I had it before that,
so it was reasonably advanced and I am doing a
great deal better than what I was advice was likely
at the start. So yep, well it's good. I'm continuing
(20:48):
to stay involved. There's a few things that can't do,
like trevel overseas anymore, but yep, I'm still active.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
Yeah, and you can still go skiing. You're a champion.
Keith word Thanks. This is always for your time. Stay well, okay.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
Good Jerry, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Good or should I say go well Keith Woodford. What
a legend that man is. Appreciate his time on the country.
Harry Gadams our farmstrong farmer this month. Some good advice
for farmers who have been smacked by the recent wind events,
Chris Russell or Osie correspondent yere feedback's coming in thick
and fast on Winston, Jamie, Winston's good value, says Jen.
(21:29):
Another one says absolutely owns you, Jamie. It made you
look like an idiot. That's a bit tough Texter. I
thought I did all right actually anyhow, um Jamie. I
hate to admit it, but when he's right, if we
keep on relying on commodities and tourism for the economy,
we will end up with a island economy. Rather than
(21:51):
selling these businesses. We need to understand why we can't
make money from these businesses and fix it. Just some
of the feed back coming in that I can read out.
Here's another one. Massive drought looming. So regardless, farmers on
the east coast of both islands without irrigation, won't be
able to maximize the good times, good text. Right up next,
(22:14):
I hope you're wrong about the drought, too very dry
in Hawk's Bay. We're going to go there shortly. But
up next it's Michelle with the latest and rural news,
and i'll have sports news for you, including the announcement
of some of those super rugby sides and another Texter
Jeff from Southland, says Professor Keith Woodford the Eagles. Things
(22:36):
don't get better than that. You're pretty right, actually, Jeff.
I hope you're having a good day.
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Seem fun.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Oh, Eagles days as happy days here on the country.
Here's Michelle what with the latest and rural news.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
What the countries world? You with cop Cadet, New Zealand's
leading right on lawn Bower Bread. Visit steel Ford dot
co dot z for your local stockist.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
Yeah, and well done picking the Eagles. What do you got?
Speaker 8 (23:09):
Thanks, Jamie. It's not often I get praised, but.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Let's taste it your music. Your music tastes leaves something
something to be desired on occasions, but I guess you
would say the same of mine. Hey, someone abuses me
on the text line.
Speaker 8 (23:23):
I did notice you didn't change half the songs that
you normally do either. So I'm going to hold onto
this little moment and it'll be my little moment that
glows till the end of the week.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Good on you, Okay.
Speaker 8 (23:31):
So in rural news, it's not great news for up North.
Yellow leagued hornets could be a real street to local
honeybee populations and biosecurity risk. The Ministry for Primary Industry
sees the queen hornets have been discovered on Auckland's north shore,
with biosecurity in New Zealand urging in New Zealanders to
be on the lookout for the hornets and their nests.
They feed on bees, wass and flies, and bi secure
(23:53):
in New Zealand has one hundred and twenty traps in
the field already, so it's pretty scary stuff. We might
try and catch up with someone from MP get an
update on what they've found, because I know they've found
quite a few hornets, but it could be a real all.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
We could catch up with Nathan guy. Isn't he the
head of apiculture Eyes?
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Yeah, we should catch up Nathan.
Speaker 3 (24:09):
Book Red Meat and Bees with Nathan. Thank you. Michelle
has sport sport.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
On the country with Alfco one owned and trusted it that's.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Rare oops, thank you f CO. Seven fresh faces for
the Highlanders for the twenty twenty six Super Rugby Pacific season,
headlined by highly tilted halfback Dylan Pledger. Mark my words,
this guy will be cam Royguards understudy sooner rather than later.
The return of midfielder Peter r Key highlights the new
(24:40):
Blue squad, while Wana Pacifica have snared former All Blacks
halfback Augustine Pullu alongside the experienced campaigners Nanni Lamarpi and
Jimmy Chupos. That is you, Swan, I hang on this
one here for the cricket tonight, We've got another. That
was a good finish last night. We've got another one
tonight at Eden Park, and Black Caps captain Mitch Satner
(25:02):
is adamant there's no time for angst over a first
up T twenty loss to the West Indies at Eden
Park last night. Satner is happy to execute the same
bowling plans and tonight's second encounter, but he wants his
batters to judge the tempo better, especially through the middle
stages of the innings. There's sport for you. Up next,
it's our farm strong farmer with some good advice for
(25:25):
South Island farmers and he's in a very dry hawks Bay.
We go there next with Harry Gadam.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
It's so for.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
If you want a job done, ask a busy man.
Here's a busy man. He's a hawks Bay deer farmer,
bit a sheep and beef as well. Every morning he
gets up and runs with his mates at five thirty am,
boundless energy. Harry Gadam he's our farm strong farmer this month.
And Harry, we've been keeping tabs on you since cyclone.
Gabrielle and I think it's very app that we talk
to you today because there's a lot of farmers in
(26:06):
the South Island in recent times with those wind events
who have been smacked badly. I'm going to pick your
brain on how to deal with it. Before we do that, though,
How are things on Hawkspy you? I understand you're getting
very dry.
Speaker 9 (26:19):
Yeah, thanks Jamie Chez for having me on again. Good
to chat you. Yeah, look, look absolutely hawks Bay. It's
funny we we sort of had this last year a
weave it, but it's always that sort of sticky point
in the year where we've been kriyche which ways is
going to go and we've had Yeah, we probably haven't
(26:40):
had enough moisture through spring for everyone feel good. Where
I am in Caeru feels each we're still growing grass
and we've had a bit more moisture than most so.
But you go ten minutes or fifteen minutes over the
hill and it's a different story, drying off really quickly.
I actually can't just out of the hill as well.
That sort of not well, and and it's turning really quickly.
(27:05):
We kind of get into a bit of a desperate
stage of wanting to moisture. But yeah, look that talks
bay and I guess we farm to it a wee bit.
We're just like it like a bit of spring if
we kid and we get it all.
Speaker 3 (27:18):
Yeah, yeah, cyclone, Gabrielle, you're nearly three years on from
that terrible event. We won't relitigate history there because I
know in some places are the recoveries still very much happening.
What's your advice to these farmers in the South Island.
Speaker 9 (27:32):
Yeah, Look, it's it's a it's a big task and
you know, a lot's happened down there with pivots, and
in course snow and it's a busy time of year
with milking and lambing and carving going on. So it's
the best things just to take stock of where you're at.
Really you've got it. You've got to come back to
sort of the basics, and number one is looking after yourself,
(27:52):
your family, and your friends and your neighbors. And then
and then everything kind of flows from there. Jamie, what
what What.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
Is the old saying about eating an elephant? I think
that's it. You eat it one bite of the time,
And I guess And it's easy for me to say
once again sitting in an air conditioned radio studio, but
when it comes to these endless trees that have been
down in their over fences, it's just a matter of
taking it one day at a time and prioritizing.
Speaker 9 (28:20):
Yeah, it really is. You just can't do it all
at once. And even though it seems so immense at
the time, you kind of got it. You're going and
got to prioritize what's important and that that sort of
branch that that's sitting on the side of the track, Look,
it might just have to wait where you go and
do all the other important jobs. For a while, and
it might pissue off for a bit, but to be fair,
(28:42):
it's it's it's these are the these are the times
you actually just got to really take stock and prioritize
what's important. And we're the same hawks day. We've had
actually horrific winds recently, and it's it's down a huge
amount of trees and whatnot, and it's just one of
those things you've just got to work your way slowly
through it. And that's not going to look pretty for
(29:03):
a time. And that was the biggest thing about the
cyclone I guess we learned is that it just doesn't
look pretty and you kind of got to adjust your
mindset of of what goods for a bit, because we're
all proud people and proud of the land and proud
of what we do and the way it looks, I guess,
and so so trying to adjust your mindset on that
(29:23):
is a trick, but it's it's so worthwhile because once
you make the decision to adjust and and and get
on with what's important, it makes the rest of life
a lot easier.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
As a former farmer, looking from the outside, and I'm
probably in a good position to judge to be perfectly honest.
If I could find fault with a lot of farmers,
including farmer mate of mind, the fault would be, with
the exception of Bruce holiday Weller down on West Otago,
the fault would be they don't take enough time off
the farm.
Speaker 9 (29:55):
Yeah, that's often the way, especially in these busy times,
you know, just taking no small breaks, finding finding somewhere
special to go with your family or your partner or whatnot.
It's so important because just taking that sort of breath
away from the farm, trying to change the mindset to weaver,
just concentrate on something else with it's you know, going
(30:18):
kicking the ball around with your mates or going for
a game of tennis. You know, it's so jolly important
just to look after look after yourself and you know,
put some put some air in your lungs that are
potentially isn't the stuff from your farm.
Speaker 6 (30:32):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
Finally, I'm naturally a cynical sort of person and when
I hear words like mental fitness and toolbox, I kind
of I go, I'm not quite so sure about that,
but you can train the mind. I need to do
this for golf because I've got severe as she's there.
But how do you train your mind?
Speaker 9 (30:50):
Yeah, look, it's it's it's about really, it's resetting and
finding finding the good and the bad things in some ways.
You know, it's it's understanding that you can actually change
the way you perceive the day. If something's going wrong,
you've just kind of got to walk away, take a breath,
take a moment, try to understand and then attack it
(31:12):
in a different piece, in a different mindset. It's a
hard thing to do, but once you control it, once
you start to understand it, make your breath. Breathing's really
important through these hard times. It makes a world of
difference to me.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Yeah, I found breathing most useful during my life. It's
kept me alive. Hey, Harry Gatam, Look, thanks mate, thanks
for some of your time. I do love chatting to you.
You're such a positive person. I do hope you get
some rain and Hawk's bay.
Speaker 9 (31:40):
I really appreciate Jamie. No, it'll come. It'll all come
in December.
Speaker 2 (31:43):
It's all good.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Good on you, Harry, Thanks for your time. Appreciate it's
text coming. And Jamie. I heard some poor bugger had
a tree come down on the dog motel lost his
whole team. Disaster says clean. That would be an absolute
tragedy thing more valuable on the farm than a good
farm dog, or even better, a good pack of farm dogs.
(32:06):
Up next to Elsie correspondent Chris Russell on the Country.
Chris Russell's there, Assie correspondent based out of Sydney, But
all the action this week was in Melbourne. Chris, You'll
be interested to know I won the office suite for
(32:28):
the Melbourne Cup with half yours.
Speaker 6 (32:31):
Well you did, well, I didn't, but you know, I
thought it was a fantastic story. Young Jamie Mellon coming
through there and she and the way her story because
she was the first husband and wife combination to have
ridden in a Melbourne Cup. And she's quite different to
her husband reportedly in that she very much just sort
(32:51):
of sees how it goes when she gets in there.
He's very much a strategist, and they had talked about
tactics before the race and he suggested she really needs
to get over to the rails in the first hundred
meters that he and she did that in fact, and
then of course she came up behind her husband who
was riding smoke and Romans that was already tiring a
(33:13):
bit when it went at the top of the main
Flemington Strait and half yours took the decision out of
She was about the scream and her husband get out
of the bloody road. But in fact her horse took
out of her hands and ducked the side through the
really narrow gap, pushed her husband aside. All he got
was a shove out of a bent, and then he
came up and kept on going through and pulled into
(33:35):
the next gap where there was hardly any room, but
the horse just managed to find a hole in there
and through he went.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
Well.
Speaker 6 (33:42):
Of course, when the horse went through it was no
stopping because it was She said, it was the fittest
horse she's ever ridden.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Great story, great race, great result, even though I lost
money in the end. Another story for another day. Hey, Chris,
talking about races, there's an arms race on sort of
really a global power struggle of do you want between
America and China? She up against Trump. Obviously, how's that
going to affect Australian cattle or beef farmers.
Speaker 10 (34:09):
Well, there's been the last twelve eight months or there's
hundreds of beef licenses out of the US that China
hasn't renewed, and that's given us a.
Speaker 6 (34:20):
New market for our grain fed beef. Now we're not
talking about the same beef that the Americans are buying
from us. They haven't got enough of. What they want
is lean grinding beef for mixing with their very fatty
grinding beef for hamburgers. But this is a much more
expensive grain fed meat, and it's been a wonderful boost
to our grain fed industry. But overall beef trade to
(34:43):
China in fact thirty five percent up on previous years,
and in Japan also fifty three percent in career of
eleven percent just by the bye. But those big markets
have been going well. But now there seems to have
been a little sort of love tryst between Trump and She.
While Trump's talking about it, she isn't. But nonetheless, they
(35:04):
are expecting that the controls on Chinese import of American
beef are going to be lifted, along with the other
things they talked about, rare earth and so on. And
if that happens, then we can expect to lose some
of that market. So we're expecting that to drop back.
But really, in the big scheme of things, the amount
of business we're doing. We just can't sell all the
(35:25):
beef we're producing now, so I don't think it's going
to have a massive effect on our prices.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Jamie from The Believer It or Not Chris Russell files
feral pigs take and eat ninety nine percent of lambs
on a New South Wales farm. That wouldn't have help
the old tailing or docking percentage.
Speaker 6 (35:43):
Well, when I saw this, I thought, no, they must
mean because the headline was the feral pigs are eating
ninety nine out of one hundred lambs on a property.
This is a property blunt to Neil Nevel Mattic in
central West New South Wales. I thought he must mean
out eating them or taking away, But no, what he's
saying is he's been breeding sheep on this farm for
(36:04):
one hundred and forty years with his family, and these
pigs are eating his lambs alive, with few of them
one in one hundred surviving this season. One in one
hundred is all he's getting, and it's plummeted in recent years.
He said that, in fact, the amazing thing about this
is when they take these lambs, there's nothing left of them.
Your flat out actually finding any trace of the lamb
(36:26):
that they've taken. We've got about twenty three and a
half million feral pigs in Australia, and of course with
the rise in national parks, I think you've had the
same problem in New Zealand where hunters have not been
allowed to go into remove the pigs. They just come
in out of the national parts and might do their
damage and go back again. I reckon the estimated cost
about one hundred and fifty million dollars this year, So
(36:49):
you know it's that's I couldn't believe that only one
in one hundred we're not being fully eaten and these
pigs are obviously gone carnivorous and it's mostly meant and
he's going to get out of sheep completely next year
because he can't compete with them.
Speaker 7 (37:03):
Jamie.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Yeah, problem's not the national parks, it's the carbon farms
that they're coming out of to eat our lamb. Chris Russell,
thanks is always for your time.
Speaker 6 (37:12):
Look forward to seeing next week Jamie.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
Thank you.
Speaker 6 (37:15):
Chris.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
We're going to take a break wrap it with some
of your feedback here on the country. It is three
and a half away from one wrapping the country with
some of your feedback. Here's some more on Winston. For
a bloke that stated many times that the only pole
he believes and is the one on voting day, Winston
(37:37):
is pretty certain of them right now. When New Zealand
First is concerned, yes, he will tell you. They're a
double digit party all day long. Tomorrow's show, we're going
to catch up with Fonterra chem and Peter McBride he's
in China, and also a farmer panel George Dodson and
Hugh Jackson. Twenty twenty four and twenty five of the
(38:00):
year have a good day. Catch it tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Intance catch all the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to Brent, your specialist
in John Deere Machinery
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