May 21, 2025 • 38 mins
Jamie Mackay talks to Wayne Langford, Chris Hipkins, 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 Dee Construction Equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
AH Crackling Road and Geet on board. We gonna ride
to the end. No more gold checking its Lord, Lord Dunton,
Lord have me time with a all Man's.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Mad Godray New Zealand. Well, it's not really a good day.
It's a sad day for me, a bad day for me.
I'm Jamie McCay lost my best mate, Rowan Horral, sixty
years standing. He'd hate me to blob a way about him.
But we went to primary school together, secondary school together,
played rugby, tennis, squash golf together, badly together. I'm we
(01:00):
flatted together, We farmed together, raised families together. Rowan was
a farmer, a very good one at that. He had
a mgnisle Or. He has a magnificent thousand acre plus
property on the banks of the Matara River and he
was regarded as one of Southland's best sheep farmers. Got
a lovely tribute actually from Simon Hopcroft, who was the
(01:24):
two thousand and four Young Farmer of the Year current
FMG director. I think Simon's also was or was still
on the Fonterra Shareholders' Council, very progressive farmer, and he
noted when I wasn't at the Century Farm Awards because
of Rowan, he sent me a lovely message saying Rowan
(01:46):
was one of the role model sheep farmers to me
and many other young aspiring sheep farmers in the early
two thousands. To have a very profitable business alongside maintaining
a beautifully kept farm was a stack and out for me.
Go well, Rowan, you have given a lot and inspired
many in our agricultural community, nicely, said Simon. Rarely appreciate it,
(02:08):
but life goes on. And as I said, Rowan wouldn't
want me to be blubbing about him. I'm going to
have a great Sandoff Forum in Riversdale next Friday, and
then it's all on at the Riversdale Pub afterwards, as
we do in Riversdale.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I'm going to kick off the show today with Wayne Langford,
president of Federated Farmers. Are they They're having a love
in next week with the Labor Party. I'll talk to
Chris Hipkins about that one, because I caught up with
him a wee bit earlier and this morning you'll hear
that shortly. But the interesting thing I think with feeds
(02:45):
at the moment is the battle with ground swell enz
farming and the Methane Science Accord over methane targets and
emissions reductions. We'll talk about that one and we'll see
what Yodo's up to at field days. Honey or less
than three weeks to go. Chris Russell's our assie correspondent
and Jason to Break. I'm getting sick of Hosking, I
(03:06):
really am. I teed up this interview last night as
soon as the press release came out with the team
from Zesprey and Hosking. Bless him has such a wide
reach and to his credit, really keen on backing farming.
Of course he's cut my lunch yet again, so he
Jason to Break, chief executive of Zesprey, was on Hosking
(03:28):
this morning. You're going to hear him again today with me.
Hopefully I'll ask some different questions about ken We for
topping five billion dollars in global sales, two hundred and
twenty million trays we produced, up from one hundred and
sixty four million last year, and we've sold the or
we're going to sell the whole lot at record or
(03:48):
near record prices. What a great story that is. Okay,
he's had to sit through this, and I apologize, Yolo,
but I had to pay a tribute to my old mate,
you at war. It would seem with ground swell en
zed farming and the methane science accord you guys at feeds,
what's happening?
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (04:07):
Well, first, ubdomic condolences on your MATAI. It's never easy,
and nod you'll be taking a few days to reflect
on on everything that's come and gone, So so your
condolences on that one. And then and then to open
up your point there, No, no, we're not at all
with group. So we've just been being called out for
not representing farmers around methane Texas or pricing or where
(04:28):
it's all going. And we find that pretty ironic considering
the amount of hard work I'll be putting on in
over the last three months getting as to where we
are now.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I did note, was it a Facebook post Michelle's given
me and it's from Federated Farmers and it's titled Federated
Farmers will never accept the methane reduction of twenty four percent.
But I did note last week when we got the
ruminant methane survey report from said parties ground Swell in
(04:57):
z Farming and the Methane Science Accord, they said beef
and lamb New Zealand Dairy and Z and Federated Farmers
are not representing the majority view on this issue. The
government and industry co ops have signed onto biotech schemes
without consulting farmers. What do you say in your defense.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
I think it's just absolute rubbish rope. We first thought,
if you just take it back a step, this year
would be paying for our missions under Walker Can and
obviously we got that thrown out. We set some real
firm bottom lines and we made sure it didn't ever
happen for our farmers. And that's that's what's happened from
there through the election. We campaign campaign to get a
methane review to make sure methane is appropriately accounted for,
(05:42):
and we've got that and the data's come back on that.
The data's come back and said, hey, it's somewhere between
fourteen and twenty four percent reductions. Federated Farmers and said, well, hey,
that needs to be at the lower end of that
fourteen percent because because we're not going to have the
targets that are going to require twenty four percent, and
we're not putting our farmers at risk. Are because of that,
(06:02):
I've gone into meetings advocating for farmers zero to four
eight percent. It should be our mission's target because because
that's what it should be. We're not going to hit
one point five percent. One point five degrees for me,
agriculture is not going to have a significant impact on that.
Why would we be tected texting our farming sector do
(06:23):
not achieve anything, It's absolutely ridiculous. So we've got to
play our part and the whole thing, and we may
need to play a part in terms of marketing our
product and all that side of things, but we're certainly
not going to put farms out of business to do it.
And that's the position for our own farmers have been
with all well, and.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That's what Lux and Seid yesterday on the show. They're
not going to send billions of dollars overseas and break
farmers over these targets. But the silly things about the
targets Wine Langort at this stage, I mean the ones
for twenty thirty we're not going to meet. But if
we don't meet them, so what there doesn't appear to
be any punishment.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Well, that's actually a difference through I'm going to come
out of saying we are going to meet them. We
are going to be at ten percent by twenty thirty.
And therefore if we go in advocating for fourteen percent
by twenty fifty and our sector has got to reduce
by another four percent over twenty years. Now, if I
was to look at that, I would say, if we've
reduced ten percent over the last twelve years, then we're
sure is how going to reduce four percent over the
(07:18):
next twenty years. So it's nothing to see here, And
that's what's quite frustrating one about this report and two
about us being called out. We've got the facts kind
of laid out, we've got the science and behind it,
and we've got agriculture into a really good space. That's
why people paid their Federated Farmer's membership and that's why
we do what we do. You can tell it's getting
(07:38):
my red head rates a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Getting fired up. This is good stuff, good for ratings.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
No, but Jesus frustrating because I mean that's what feeds
are here for last weekend we had every every romantial
president email their local MP and say, hey, what's going
on with your ministers? You know, they seem to be
going for a higher target. They've called a meeting with
the Minister of Air Culture, with the Minister of Climate
(08:04):
Change and they've asked the question what's going on here?
That was all your local provincial presidents doing that for you,
you know, lobbying and behind the scenes to get a result.
That's not just from a comment on Facebook or anything
like that. That's actually doing the hard work to get
a result for farmers.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What do you say to the likes of the Methane
Science Accord on their poster girl Jane Smith, who would say,
we don't need any targets at all. We're getting there
by attrition. Targets are ridiculous, I would say, So, there's
two ways to look at it.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
You're right, are we going to achieve anything by doing
what we're doing? Well, that's really questionable, right, But as
our market asking for things or are the customers that
are buying our product asking for things, yes they are,
and would they like a target in place? Maybe they would?
And if they do and we're going to hit it.
Then what's the concern here? But let's not make something
(08:55):
out of nothing. Let's give the market what they want.
Let's do what we're doing. But hey, we're sure as
now how we're not going to do it by planting
land and pine trees, by doing things that we don't
need to do, because that's just completely ridiculous. We're not
going to put our farms out of business for it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Hey, let's move on, because earlier this morning I caught
up with Chris Hipkins, leader of the Opposition at spudget Day.
I wanted to know what he would do if he
was running the cutter. You'll hear that interviews shortly. But
I was giving him a bit of stick, a bit
of cheek about the lovin with labor and feeds. Next
week in the wire Rapper, you're cuddling up to the enemy, yolo.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
I mean, this is another classic example of exactly what
we're doing. You know, we met with with Debora Russell,
the Labor Party's Climate transfers this in two weeks ago,
up on a farm in Auckland, and we walked her
through the policy. We walked her through the methane review
and we talked to her about what their policy should
look like and why their last policy during the last
election was so drastically wrong. That's what it's all about.
(09:54):
The one day that the Labor Party will be back
in government and one day we'll need to work for
them as a farming sector. We want to make sure
that they've got solid policy and that's what we're doing.
And so next week a couple of key topics from us.
We've got David Frame, obviously leading leading missions scientists there,
he's coming in. We've got Elementary Commissioner for the Environment
(10:15):
Simon Upon talking about pine trees and they need to
need to slow that all down. And then some significant
talks around farm plans and also pest management on farm
as well. So a good soul of the gender to
go through with the Labor Party.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
On I haven't and I threw this at Chris Sipkins.
Where's the Labor Party egg policy. We haven't seen anything yet.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Yeah, they seem to be keeping that one in their
pockets and so you know, and obviously it was still
a year and a bit away from an election, right,
so that they'll do that for a while, but at
some stage they're going to have to put it out there,
and I would hope that actually we get a bit
of influence on it, because jeez, wouldn't it be good
for the labor government to listen to farmers again, unlike
(10:57):
when they were lasting government.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Well, as I said to chriss Hipkins, the worst government
ever for farmers anyhow, you'll hear about that one shortly.
Just on a lighter note, field days, you and I
are doing like a Laurel and Hardy duo. I think
at the Toyota site at some stage if I managed
to get there on time, which is always difficult in
field days, would you let me get a word in.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
It should be a bit of fun actually looking forward
to I think that's Thursday afternoon, isn't it? So we
should we should have a good crack there with toyur obviously. Yeah.
I've had my new one now for a couple of
weeks and it's gone great. Loving It's got a bit
extra power getting up over that taker hill, I can
tell you that much.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Well, that's that's the hybrid, you see. It gives you
a bit of a kick start when you put your
foot on foot on the accelerate. Have you got it?
Covered in cow poo. Yet it's a lot allowed on
the farm.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
No, no't got out on the mud, just just the
one padic with it and I thought and the way
she went, so yeah, you know it was a good fun.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Hey, Wayne Langford was good. That was good chatting to
you today. You're all fired up, you.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
Know, like I say, we're going to stick together as
the farming sector, right and so you know it calling
it out for what they think we're doing compared to
what we are doing is pretty tough, and so so
we'll catch up with them and make sure we are
all on the same page because one farming sectors together
is better than they all getting divided.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
That's well, I think Federated Farmers, your Tea, Aaron and
the team they might have to after you've had the
love and with labor, you might have to have a
kumbai all sit around and hold hands together with beef
and lamb in Zen deiry in Zed and Federated Farmers.
You guys are with the other three groups, well, you see.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
It's all more all in the advocacy hub together and
that's kind of what we've got us all in there
together because that's what it's all about. It's about doing
it together and putting the putting it all to the
ministers and others as one rather than trying to divide
us all up.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Good on you, hey, thanks for your time, mate, Cheers Mat,
There we go Yolo. Wayne Langford, the President of Federated
Farmers twenty after twelve on the Country. Yes, I alluded
to earlier this morning. I caught up with labor leader
Chris Sipkins. He's probably on the assuming there's like a
lockdown now. The budget comes out at two o'clock and
(13:05):
I know here the Duples. C Ellen is down in Wellington.
She'll be broadcasting her show from four o'clock. I think
no doubt Matt and Tyler will have something to say
at two o'clock as news comes to hand. And the
reason I had to catch up with Chrishipkins is he'll
be donkey deep note out going through the detail in
(13:25):
the budget, so he's up next before the end of
the hour. Chris Russell Loozzi, correspondent. How about this a
six month long cattle drive to educate city dwellers about
food security, and if you want to and you're a townee,
you can sign up to join it in Queensland. What
a great idea that is. And Jason to Brak, chief
(13:46):
executive of Zesbury, great day for the New Zealand primary
sector when Zesbury comes out with numbers like topping five
billion dollars in global sales.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Led now, lad now, plan Now, my baby, ncmel smile,
don't run away.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Fer Chris Hopkins is the Labor Party leader, leader of
the opposition budget day to day. Chris, if you were
running the cutter, what would you do? Borrow and damn
the torpedoes.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I think what we need to see from the government
is a plan to get New Zealand moving again. So
we need to get people back into work that has
a positive upside to the government and that they end
up paying paying less than unemployment benefits. We need to
get our infrastructure projects back up and running again. Despite
all their hot talk, we've actually seen less money being
spent on infrastructure over the last eighteen months than was
(14:46):
happening before they became the government. So basically, I think
what we need to see from the government today as
a plan to actually start delivering on the promises that
they made to New Zealanders, because so far I think
New Zealand is still waiting.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Okay, And that's possibly a fair argument because they haven't
done that much in the first eighteen months. But there's
a philosophical difference here. Isn't that they want to balance
the books, they want to cut spending. Do it that way?
You want to borrow, borrow and spend That didn't work
so well for you in the COVID times.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
No, Look, I think you should stop reading your National
Party talking points, Jamie. There are different ways to balance
the books. We all want to see the books balanced.
The difference is Nikola Willis is borrowing money to pay
the day to day bills, and I don't think that's acceptable.
But I think borrowing money to do things like fixing
our roads, fixing up our schools and hospitals, building long
term ass heads that the country's going to benefit from
(15:37):
that is justified. You know, when you go out and
you buy a bigger house, most people will take out
a bigger mortgage to do that, and then they pay
it off over time. But if you're borrowing, if you're
increasing your mortgage to pay your power bill, then you're
in financial tell Willis is borrowing to pay the power bill.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Totally get that, Chris. I've got an a minus and
accounting one. I want to believe it or not. I
won't tell you the rest of my marks. But what
happens if we get a major issue we're talking about,
you know, another earthquake, another big disaster, a cyclone Gabrielle
and we no longer have the ability to borrow when
we become a banana republic? Is the National Party over
egging that?
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I think they are over egging that. And actually some
of the investments that we need to make now are
the sorts of investments that will make us more resilient
to those shocks of the future. So spending more money
on flood protection, for example, spending more money on making
sure that things like our roads and our infrastructure are
actually resilient to extreme weather events, and even like here
in Wellington earthquakes, making sure that we're getting ahead of
(16:34):
that curve means actually the bill for the cleanup afterwards
will be smaller. So there is a justification for investing
now and making sure that we're actually fixing things up.
We're still relying on an infrastructure across the country that
was built for sort of three three and a half
million people. We've now got five and a half million
people here. We've actually got to do something about that.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Next week, Labour has its annual lover and as I
call it, with Federated Farmers, yourself, Damian O'Connor, Karen make
a Olty, Joe Luxton, Rachel Brooking all labor and peace.
I quite like too. By the way, Chris meeting with
Federated Farmers.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I'm not sure you call it a love and Jamie,
but it is an opportunity for us to meet with sector,
you know, representatives from across the primary industry, where we
get to talk about the future, and we get to
talk about future policy because we've actually got a lot
of sheed objectives. When I met with farmers, for example,
they're actually very very focused on sustainability and on making
sure that they're being good guardians of the land. And
(17:31):
you know, I think we actually find that we do
have a lot of common ground there. They also want
to have access to things like good quality healthcare. When
they're going to find a lot of common ground with
the Labor Party, there are going to be areas where
where we've got some tricky stuff to work through. You know,
what we do around climate emissions is one of those
things that we're going to be working through next week.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, but you realize farmers would view the last labor government,
the last term of the last labor government. They ad
and Hipkins government as the worst government in history for farming.
And you agree on that because you had said that
you'd made mistakes in that area, you walk that back. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, but I don't think. I don't think the way
you're characterizing is probably a bit extreme.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
No, No, it's not extreme.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Trust me.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I talk to these people all the time. That's how
you're regarded.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
As do I. And actually we've developed a pretty good
working relationship with them over the last eighteen months, and
I'm pretty optimistic about, you know, the fact that we
can work together in the future.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Where's your egg policy? As much as I like Joe,
she doesn't ever come out with any policy.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Well, that's because it's still too soon.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
I mean, we've got an election in eighteen months.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, but we're only halfway through the term. The government
can do a lot in eighteen months, and the risk
of putting out policy now is that everything can change
in that period of time and then we'd be saying, well,
are you still going to do this when the government
have done that or whatever, So actually, you know, you'll
get a good policy for us close to the election.
But one of the things that we are doing is
we're making sure that as we develop our agriculture policy,
that we're speaking to people in agriculture. So it's not
(18:57):
going to be something that we're going to be doing
to them, We're developing it of them.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Will Labor have a big team at field days? I
know you'll be there.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Yeah, I'm there for a day. Unfortunately I can only
make a day this year, but I'll be there for
a day. It's always good fun. I've always enjoyed my
time at field days. So yeah, we'll We're have a
team there. We probably, like like previous years, we'll we
spread across all days, so we won't all be there
all at once, but we'll be coming and going through
the through the course of the event.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Do you wake up sometimes in the middle of the
night in a cold sweat thinking how the hell am
I ever going to get elected? Because Labor's relatively sane,
let's face it, But your coalition partners, gee, they must
test you.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Chris Hipkins Well, I suspect Christopher Luxon has a similar
dilemma when he looks at New Zealand dust and heck,
you know that's the nature of m MP. You know,
you've got to work with other parties. Don't mean unlike
christper Luckxon, doesn't mean that you should let them do
whatever they want. You know, I think you've still got
to have some standards and you're still got to have
some bottom lines. So you know, I can work with
other parties. Doesn't mean that I'm going to let them
(19:55):
call the shots. You know, David Sema and Winston Peters
have been caught have been holding the country to ransom
farting much over the last year and a half, and
frankly I think Christopher Luxan should do more about that.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
But wouldn't Greens with good represented representation, should I say,
in Parliament potentially hold you to ransom? Would you have
to coalesce with some of their crazy nutty ideas around finance.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
No, you've still got to have bottom lines. You've still
got to be able to say no, we're not going
to go these are things that we're not going to do.
And actually the bigger votes here Labor gets, the stronger
our position is to do that. So that's why I'm
out there. I'm only got campaigning for one party in
the next diviction, that's Labor. I want to get Labor
to get as big as share of the vote as possible,
because that would put us in the strongest possible position
to form a good stable government.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
A final question for you, do you agree or disagree
that farming the primary sector is our only savior? Why
would you kill the goose that lays the golden egg?
Do you agree with that proposition?
Speaker 4 (20:52):
I don't necessarily agree with that proposition. I do agree
that farming is vitally important for New Zealand, and of
course we'd never want to, you know, to kill the
golden goose, so to speak. But we've got other really
promising industries that we need to back as well. So
don't because am either or I think it's folk.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
We might agree to disagree on that one. Hey, Chris Hipkins,
whether we disagree or not, it's good to have you
on the country. Looking forward to yarning to you and
field at Field Days in three weeks time.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Look forward to seeing you here, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yes, the leader of the opposition recorded a wee bit
earlier this morning. Be fair to say I've got Michelle
feverishly working on the text machine to get some texts
I can read out You're brutal on them out there
in New Zealand farming land. But I know we've got
(21:42):
a lot of urban listeners to this show as well.
Good afternoon, by the way, Michelle.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
Afternoon, I think are we done getting people's blood pressures up?
Speaker 4 (21:48):
For the more?
Speaker 3 (21:49):
The Oho yolo got a wee bit by it up,
didn't he dead?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
I could see his face turning red.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I think behind you, and I think that the key
to that yarn, and I mean that in all sincerity.
They when someone's giving me stick about liking a labor politician, no,
I don't like their policies at all, and I'll stick
with what I said they were. The Aduran Hipkins government
of twenty to twenty three was the worst government ever
(22:15):
in the history of this country for farming. Were certainly
going back in my lifetime, which is obviously getting on awe,
but now since the days of King Keith Holyoaks. So
but all I was saying is Rachel Brooking, Damian O'Connor,
Karen MacNulty, Joe Luxton, as people there are nice people.
They are nice people. I just think they're batting for
(22:38):
the wrong team, but that's the team they believe in. Anyhow,
I think the talent comment that should be made is
farming our only savior. No, you know, labor governments of
the past, and I think of long En Douglas were
describing completely out wrongly too farming as the sunset industry.
And that's the difference between the center government and a
(23:00):
center left government. Winston, Seymour and Luxon have the back
of farmers. The other lot don't. And God help us
if the Greens and TA Party Mari get anywhere near
the Treasury benches. And I'm talking about helping you farmers
out there. Up after the break, Rural News and Sports News,
Chris Russell, Jason to Brake to come before the end
(23:22):
of the hour. Welcome back to the country. I'm Jamie McKay.
The show's brought to you by Brent. Looking forward to
catching up with the team at field Days. Very shortly.
The latest and Rural news and sports news. But here's
(23:44):
a message from Federated Farmers. With the new dairy season
just around the corner, there's going to be plenty of
cockies out there looking for new farm staff. Now, you
know as well as I do that being an employer
can be challenging enough at the best of times, so
why make it harder than it needs to be. That's
where the team at Federated Farmers come in. Their employment
agreements are designed by farmers for farmers and are worth
(24:07):
their weight and goals. So whether you're hiring full time,
fixed term or just need a casual for carving, Federated
Farmers have got you covered. These contracts are farming specific
and written in plain, no nonsense language, so they're easy
for you and your staff to understand. And here's the kicker.
They're only one hundred dollars plus GST for members. That's
(24:28):
cheaper than a night out in Gore. So if you're
employing staff this season, make sure you're using a Federated
Farmer's contract. Just call eight hundred Farming.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
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Speaker 3 (24:48):
Have you sorted out the text machine yet?
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Oh, there's a lot to go through. I tell you what,
there's some high blood pressures there.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Here's quite a clever one. Chippy could make a farmer's
grass grow.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
That's probably the safest one of them.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
Line.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Yeah, now, and people are asking why we got him
on the show, because we have to try to be
politically balanced to a degree. I refuse to have the
Maori Party on the show. They're not a political party,
they're activists. And I, believe it or not, when Chloe
first became leader, I sent a message because James Shaw
(25:22):
used to be someone who I thought really added to
the show. He was the sensible green. I put a
request into Chloe's office to give her a monthly slot.
Never heard back from them, and she's just got slowly
nuttier and nuttier anyhow from it from a farming point
of view, So not really interested. But we do have
to have some political balance, and that's that's why Chris.
That's why Chris Hipkins is on. And you're getting stuck
(25:45):
into him on the text machine. But you know, I
take it from someone who follows it reasonably close. He's
more centrist than a lot of people in the Labor Party. Anyhow,
did I play the rural news thing?
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
I did. What's on rural News?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Okay, so on Royal News, the primary sector could be
the saving grace for challenging regional economies. Economic activity in
March quarter is down one point one percent year on year,
with GDP in every region taking a hit, but rural
economies appear to be fearing the best, down just zero
point four percent. If Infometrics principal economist Nick Brunson says
(26:20):
it's being propped up by dairy, meat and horticultural exports.
He says it is thanks to high lamb beef and
Kiwi fruit sale, so that's pretty amazing. You can find
more headlines and rural news at the Country dot co
dot nz.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Can't beat a bit of Neil Diamond, can We reminds
me of the dancers in the old days at the
Riversdale Community Center where will farewell rowan and do a
good job of it the next Friday? Anyhow, his sport.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Sport with AFCO. Visit them online at AFCO dot co
dot enz.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Well, here's a story about my favorite rugby player. New
Zealand Rugby's incumbent Player of the Year, Georgia Miller, will
debut it o openside Flanka for the Black Ferns fifteens
against the United States at Albany on Saturday. Hurricanes midfielder
Riley Higgins has been ruled out for the rest of
the Super Rugby season with the broken leg suffered in
(27:14):
the win over the Highlanders last weekend. And finally, Rugby's
twenty minute red card will shortly be tested worldwide and
I absolutely agree with that. You send someone off two
minutes into a Rugby World Cup final and you have
ruined other games, So I think you suffer enough punishment
with twenty minutes in the bin for the red card
(27:36):
and then being able to perhaps replace that person. Up
next to our Ossie correspondent, Chris Russell, here's our Australian correspondent,
a great made of mine, of long standing. We go
back thirty years. Chris Russell. It's a sad day for
me today because I've lost my mate of sixty years, Rowan,
(27:57):
horror and I was just thinking about Rowan this morning
and a wonderful trip Bledisload Cup trip we took with
another old mate of mine who's sadly gone, Tony Laker,
from Laker House to travel. We bought a whole lot
of Southland farmers over to Sydney for a Bledisload Cup game.
Two thousand and two. I think it was when Matt
Burke kicked the winning penalty and then on the Sunday
(28:17):
we went out to Paramatta to watch your side, the Eels,
play a league match and you took us quite literally
on a cross country cruise. It was the days before
Google and you nearly drowned us in a creek.
Speaker 7 (28:31):
Yeah, well, I remember that all well. And I'm so
sorry to hear about Rowan Finley party. It doesn't sound
like the last little time was much fun at all.
I remember that tour so well. It was a great
group and you know, sort of a group of farmers
really want to come to Australia and give us a
hard time as they always do, but have a wonderful time.
And I remember very well, and he was on that tour.
(28:55):
It was a great year that year actually, in one
of the years when we can sort of say well
we really had competitive size. In fact, we took the
Bleddersload Cup off you that year, I think, And yes,
as you mentioned Maddie Burke, you know he kicked that
winning penalty after the full time siren to retain the
Bladderslode Cup for a record fourth year. And in fact,
(29:16):
he finished that season as Australia's top point scorer as
I remember, so you know, it was a great year.
And then we went on to watch the Yeels, of course,
which also were a great side in those days. And
these days they seem to have diminished back into a
bit of a backwater, especially now they've lost some of
their key players. But great times, and I'm sure there'll
be more great times in the future. But vallet rowan
(29:40):
Horral I hope that his family will sit back in
the knowledge that he had. Our wonderful life well lived, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, and I'm glad we have got Google Maps these days.
You endangered our lives on that trup Chris. I'm just joking.
It was certainly a fun time. Had boil look seventeen
hundred head Kettle Drive and Western Queensland to educate cities
about food security. This is going to take something like
six months. What an epic journey.
Speaker 7 (30:09):
Well, it is an epic journey and there are and
the leaders that are even tay. The kids have taken
time off school, they're doing home schooling as they travel.
They'll take up to six months, probably three months as
a minimum, traveling about seven hundred and seventy kilometers along
the most historic Queensland stock route running from long Reach
in far western Queensland and of course the original home
(30:32):
of Quantas, all the way down those backstock route roads,
the long Paddick as they call it, into the big
markets which are at Roma where they can sell off
maybe six seven thousand head of cattle in a single day. There.
Now people can join this cruise of course, or they
call it a cruise, but it's really just hard work.
But they can join this by booking in to do
(30:54):
various parts of this. And the whole point of this
is to try and improve the awareness of Gold Coast,
in the Gold Coast and in Brisbane about you know
food security Food Bank, which is one of our big
sort of supplier nations of food that had eleven percent
increase in community groups seeking food assistance in Australia. And
(31:15):
you know, I often see people at big schools where
I'm doing talks. The parents all want their kids to
study law and medicine or wonderful professions. But of course
you've got to remember you might lead a lawyer three
times in your life, you might need a doctor three
times in a year, but you need a bloody farmer
three times every day, and I just don't think enough
(31:36):
people don't take that for granted.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Jamie, talk to me about roundup life to site, because
I know you have strong opinions on this.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Yes, So I was very intrigued to see an article
which was sent over to be by your producer about
New Zealand liberalizing if you like the use of roundup
in New Zealand. Now, while on the surface, of course
iientifically this is well founded and round up has been
a savior chemical in my view. I remember the days
(32:06):
when I was at school. All the ground used to
get eroded by people of a plowing for weed control,
and we had a department of saw conservation who ran
around filling all these gullies in putting in contour banks. Now,
with direct drilling using round up as the method of
weed control, those days are finished. It's been the most
valuable chemical we've ever had in agriculture. However, and this
(32:28):
is not going to sound like Chris Russell speaking, but
I am so conscious of the fact that in agriculture
we must have a social license, and our social license
says that yes, we'll tolerate round up because we realize
how good it is, but don't ask us to be
enthusiastic about it, and don't ask us to accept us
being flooded in it. And people still perceive this idea
(32:50):
that it has got that element of doubt as far
as causing cancer attached to it. And to push this further,
and I think it's already used to a level which
is going to be is providing good value. And of
course I see you're about to legalize the use of
roundup ready crops, which we've had here now for some time.
But if you start pushing that envelope too far, you
(33:13):
start making the limits of minimum residues and so on
too high, people are going to say, no, we've got
a step too far here. The social license has been
used up, and we could end up getting more restricted
rather than more open in our availability of roundup. So
I would urge caution there. I think let's just use
the science by all means, but let's also be aware
(33:35):
the perception is stronger than fact. In the City's Jomie, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
I can hardly believe it's Chris Russell saying that you
are the lucky country, but you're also a land of
climatic extremes and this year, for instance, harsh strouts flooding.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Right, Yeah, they say we're the lucky country, but you've
got all the dramas that we've got at the moment
you have to wonder. I mean we've currently got one
in five hundred years floods on the New South Wales
central case. So I saw in the paper this morning
cows have been seen reporting on the beach right, walking
on the beach at Old Bar. Now that's two hundred
(34:12):
kilometers from the nearest farm because it's a coastal tourist resort,
and all these cows have been washed down the Manning
River out in the sea and then come back in
and ended up on the beach and they're wandering around.
I mean, these floods are massive, half of me the
higher peaks than had ever been seen before in towns
like Tai which the last trout last flood they had,
(34:32):
which was anything like as big as this was nineteen
twenty nine. So you know that's on one hand, and
yet you look down in the South and I was
listening to commentary on the Sunday Farming Show last Sunday
from farmers who are all dry sowing their crops because
they can't afford to wait for rain before they sow
the crops in the hope that they'll get enough rain
in the next month to actually get some seedlings up
(34:53):
out of the ground, because they're just not getting anything
like the amount of rain they would expect in that
sort of country where they would always have had an
autumn break. South Australia much the same. This is country
which is absolutely dry as a chip, and country which
has not seen this sort of dry weather for a
long time. So Dorothy and mckiela was right when she said,
(35:15):
I love a sunburn country, a drin land of droughts
and flooding rains. We don't have any averages here, Jamie.
It's all either a drought or a surplus.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Chris Russell, thanks as always for your time. Thank you
for the kind words about Rowan horror my old mate.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
Yeah, no worries. We'll be thinking of him today, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
Welcome back to the country. Michelle's diligently gone through the
text machine and got some texts I can read out.
Here's one from Bryce Mackenzie from Groundswell. Great words from
Chris Russell reg life for sake, we need to tread
very carefully. And also another one, I like this is
ironic humor. We need round up desperately in New Zealand.
(36:04):
How else do we spray out the farms to let
pines grow? A nice text? There, Dean, some of your
texts on Chippy, let me get organized, Hi, Jamie, When
Hipkins was waffling on about Rhodes, you should you should
have reminded, should have reminded him. They canceled all the
roads of significance that National had rubber stamp. That's from
John Pat says, I'm a National voter, but I can't
(36:27):
believe he's still the labor leader of the Labor Party.
Who else is the pat? If the feds are serious
about supporting farmers, then they should be alerting the public
to the dangers of a labor led coalition not working
with them, says Reese. And another one says, is this
the comedy our now? Chippy is full of it? So
(36:50):
there you go. Those are the texts we can read out.
You're pretty tough on him. Look he's not He's not
a bad bloke. But you don't have you play the ball,
not the man. That's how to describe it. Isn't it.
We're going to wrap it with some more of your feedback.
Just having a bit of trouble getting a hold of
Jason to Break. Oh god, we got a ride to
(37:13):
the It is four away from one wrapping the country right,
it's going to be a fun show tomorrow. Chane j Oones,
the Prince of the Provinces, is on the show. Caine
Briscoe our farmstrong farmer, Jason to Break. We'll get them
tomorrow from Zespery. What a great result it is for
Zespery five billion dollars in global sales, record amount of crop,
(37:38):
two hundred and twenty million trays and they're selling the
whole lot at near record prices. And I think tomorrow also, Michelle,
very quickly we start our promotion for still chain or
safety chainsaw awen this week. We got five steel chainsaws
to give away next week.
Speaker 5 (37:55):
It's correct, So listen out tomorrow to find out more
about that one.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Thank you very much. Right, that is all the that's
all your feedback. See you're tough on chippy you guys
out there. Um yeah, good on you Jamie for calling
out to party Mary. But they can't be sacked. They're
an embarrassment. They're an embarrassment. I'm with Winston, why, why,
why should you wear a cowboy hat into Parliament. It's disgraceful. Anyhow,
(38:23):
that's a boomer Antle, catch you back tomorrow. Rest in peace, Rowan.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
As we go catch all the latest from the land.
It's the Country Podcast with Jamie McGue Thanks to Brent,
you're 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 Dee Construction Equipment.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
AH Crackling Road and Geet on board. We gonna ride
to the end. No more gold checking its Lord, Lord Dunton,
Lord have me time with a all Man's.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Mad Godray New Zealand. Well, it's not really a good day.
It's a sad day for me, a bad day for me.
I'm Jamie McCay lost my best mate, Rowan Horral, sixty
years standing. He'd hate me to blob a way about him.
But we went to primary school together, secondary school together,
played rugby, tennis, squash golf together, badly together. I'm we
(01:00):
flatted together, We farmed together, raised families together. Rowan was
a farmer, a very good one at that. He had
a mgnisle Or. He has a magnificent thousand acre plus
property on the banks of the Matara River and he
was regarded as one of Southland's best sheep farmers. Got
a lovely tribute actually from Simon Hopcroft, who was the
(01:24):
two thousand and four Young Farmer of the Year current
FMG director. I think Simon's also was or was still
on the Fonterra Shareholders' Council, very progressive farmer, and he
noted when I wasn't at the Century Farm Awards because
of Rowan, he sent me a lovely message saying Rowan
(01:46):
was one of the role model sheep farmers to me
and many other young aspiring sheep farmers in the early
two thousands. To have a very profitable business alongside maintaining
a beautifully kept farm was a stack and out for me.
Go well, Rowan, you have given a lot and inspired
many in our agricultural community, nicely, said Simon. Rarely appreciate it,
(02:08):
but life goes on. And as I said, Rowan wouldn't
want me to be blubbing about him. I'm going to
have a great Sandoff Forum in Riversdale next Friday, and
then it's all on at the Riversdale Pub afterwards, as
we do in Riversdale.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Right.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I'm going to kick off the show today with Wayne Langford,
president of Federated Farmers. Are they They're having a love
in next week with the Labor Party. I'll talk to
Chris Hipkins about that one, because I caught up with
him a wee bit earlier and this morning you'll hear
that shortly. But the interesting thing I think with feeds
(02:45):
at the moment is the battle with ground swell enz
farming and the Methane Science Accord over methane targets and
emissions reductions. We'll talk about that one and we'll see
what Yodo's up to at field days. Honey or less
than three weeks to go. Chris Russell's our assie correspondent
and Jason to Break. I'm getting sick of Hosking, I
(03:06):
really am. I teed up this interview last night as
soon as the press release came out with the team
from Zesprey and Hosking. Bless him has such a wide
reach and to his credit, really keen on backing farming.
Of course he's cut my lunch yet again, so he
Jason to Break, chief executive of Zesprey, was on Hosking
(03:28):
this morning. You're going to hear him again today with me.
Hopefully I'll ask some different questions about ken We for
topping five billion dollars in global sales, two hundred and
twenty million trays we produced, up from one hundred and
sixty four million last year, and we've sold the or
we're going to sell the whole lot at record or
(03:48):
near record prices. What a great story that is. Okay,
he's had to sit through this, and I apologize, Yolo,
but I had to pay a tribute to my old mate,
you at war. It would seem with ground swell en
zed farming and the methane science accord you guys at feeds,
what's happening?
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (04:07):
Well, first, ubdomic condolences on your MATAI. It's never easy,
and nod you'll be taking a few days to reflect
on on everything that's come and gone, So so your
condolences on that one. And then and then to open
up your point there, No, no, we're not at all
with group. So we've just been being called out for
not representing farmers around methane Texas or pricing or where
(04:28):
it's all going. And we find that pretty ironic considering
the amount of hard work I'll be putting on in
over the last three months getting as to where we
are now.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
I did note, was it a Facebook post Michelle's given
me and it's from Federated Farmers and it's titled Federated
Farmers will never accept the methane reduction of twenty four percent.
But I did note last week when we got the
ruminant methane survey report from said parties ground Swell in
(04:57):
z Farming and the Methane Science Accord, they said beef
and lamb New Zealand Dairy and Z and Federated Farmers
are not representing the majority view on this issue. The
government and industry co ops have signed onto biotech schemes
without consulting farmers. What do you say in your defense.
Speaker 6 (05:19):
I think it's just absolute rubbish rope. We first thought,
if you just take it back a step, this year
would be paying for our missions under Walker Can and
obviously we got that thrown out. We set some real
firm bottom lines and we made sure it didn't ever
happen for our farmers. And that's that's what's happened from
there through the election. We campaign campaign to get a
methane review to make sure methane is appropriately accounted for,
(05:42):
and we've got that and the data's come back on that.
The data's come back and said, hey, it's somewhere between
fourteen and twenty four percent reductions. Federated Farmers and said, well, hey,
that needs to be at the lower end of that
fourteen percent because because we're not going to have the
targets that are going to require twenty four percent, and
we're not putting our farmers at risk. Are because of that,
(06:02):
I've gone into meetings advocating for farmers zero to four
eight percent. It should be our mission's target because because
that's what it should be. We're not going to hit
one point five percent. One point five degrees for me,
agriculture is not going to have a significant impact on that.
Why would we be tected texting our farming sector do
(06:23):
not achieve anything, It's absolutely ridiculous. So we've got to
play our part and the whole thing, and we may
need to play a part in terms of marketing our
product and all that side of things, but we're certainly
not going to put farms out of business to do it.
And that's the position for our own farmers have been
with all well, and.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That's what Lux and Seid yesterday on the show. They're
not going to send billions of dollars overseas and break
farmers over these targets. But the silly things about the
targets Wine Langort at this stage, I mean the ones
for twenty thirty we're not going to meet. But if
we don't meet them, so what there doesn't appear to
be any punishment.
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Well, that's actually a difference through I'm going to come
out of saying we are going to meet them. We
are going to be at ten percent by twenty thirty.
And therefore if we go in advocating for fourteen percent
by twenty fifty and our sector has got to reduce
by another four percent over twenty years. Now, if I
was to look at that, I would say, if we've
reduced ten percent over the last twelve years, then we're
sure is how going to reduce four percent over the
(07:18):
next twenty years. So it's nothing to see here, And
that's what's quite frustrating one about this report and two
about us being called out. We've got the facts kind
of laid out, we've got the science and behind it,
and we've got agriculture into a really good space. That's
why people paid their Federated Farmer's membership and that's why
we do what we do. You can tell it's getting
(07:38):
my red head rates a little bit.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Getting fired up. This is good stuff, good for ratings.
Speaker 6 (07:44):
No, but Jesus frustrating because I mean that's what feeds
are here for last weekend we had every every romantial
president email their local MP and say, hey, what's going
on with your ministers? You know, they seem to be
going for a higher target. They've called a meeting with
the Minister of Air Culture, with the Minister of Climate
(08:04):
Change and they've asked the question what's going on here?
That was all your local provincial presidents doing that for you,
you know, lobbying and behind the scenes to get a result.
That's not just from a comment on Facebook or anything
like that. That's actually doing the hard work to get
a result for farmers.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What do you say to the likes of the Methane
Science Accord on their poster girl Jane Smith, who would say,
we don't need any targets at all. We're getting there
by attrition. Targets are ridiculous, I would say, So, there's
two ways to look at it.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
You're right, are we going to achieve anything by doing
what we're doing? Well, that's really questionable, right, But as
our market asking for things or are the customers that
are buying our product asking for things, yes they are,
and would they like a target in place? Maybe they would?
And if they do and we're going to hit it.
Then what's the concern here? But let's not make something
(08:55):
out of nothing. Let's give the market what they want.
Let's do what we're doing. But hey, we're sure as
now how we're not going to do it by planting
land and pine trees, by doing things that we don't
need to do, because that's just completely ridiculous. We're not
going to put our farms out of business for it.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Hey, let's move on, because earlier this morning I caught
up with Chris Hipkins, leader of the Opposition at spudget Day.
I wanted to know what he would do if he
was running the cutter. You'll hear that interviews shortly. But
I was giving him a bit of stick, a bit
of cheek about the lovin with labor and feeds. Next
week in the wire Rapper, you're cuddling up to the enemy, yolo.
Speaker 6 (09:31):
I mean, this is another classic example of exactly what
we're doing. You know, we met with with Debora Russell,
the Labor Party's Climate transfers this in two weeks ago,
up on a farm in Auckland, and we walked her
through the policy. We walked her through the methane review
and we talked to her about what their policy should
look like and why their last policy during the last
election was so drastically wrong. That's what it's all about.
(09:54):
The one day that the Labor Party will be back
in government and one day we'll need to work for
them as a farming sector. We want to make sure
that they've got solid policy and that's what we're doing.
And so next week a couple of key topics from us.
We've got David Frame, obviously leading leading missions scientists there,
he's coming in. We've got Elementary Commissioner for the Environment
(10:15):
Simon Upon talking about pine trees and they need to
need to slow that all down. And then some significant
talks around farm plans and also pest management on farm
as well. So a good soul of the gender to
go through with the Labor Party.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
On I haven't and I threw this at Chris Sipkins.
Where's the Labor Party egg policy. We haven't seen anything yet.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Yeah, they seem to be keeping that one in their
pockets and so you know, and obviously it was still
a year and a bit away from an election, right,
so that they'll do that for a while, but at
some stage they're going to have to put it out there,
and I would hope that actually we get a bit
of influence on it, because jeez, wouldn't it be good
for the labor government to listen to farmers again, unlike
(10:57):
when they were lasting government.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Well, as I said to chriss Hipkins, the worst government
ever for farmers anyhow, you'll hear about that one shortly.
Just on a lighter note, field days, you and I
are doing like a Laurel and Hardy duo. I think
at the Toyota site at some stage if I managed
to get there on time, which is always difficult in
field days, would you let me get a word in.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
It should be a bit of fun actually looking forward
to I think that's Thursday afternoon, isn't it? So we
should we should have a good crack there with toyur obviously. Yeah.
I've had my new one now for a couple of
weeks and it's gone great. Loving It's got a bit
extra power getting up over that taker hill, I can
tell you that much.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
Well, that's that's the hybrid, you see. It gives you
a bit of a kick start when you put your
foot on foot on the accelerate. Have you got it?
Covered in cow poo. Yet it's a lot allowed on
the farm.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
No, no't got out on the mud, just just the
one padic with it and I thought and the way
she went, so yeah, you know it was a good fun.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Hey, Wayne Langford was good. That was good chatting to
you today. You're all fired up, you.
Speaker 6 (11:54):
Know, like I say, we're going to stick together as
the farming sector, right and so you know it calling
it out for what they think we're doing compared to
what we are doing is pretty tough, and so so
we'll catch up with them and make sure we are
all on the same page because one farming sectors together
is better than they all getting divided.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
That's well, I think Federated Farmers, your Tea, Aaron and
the team they might have to after you've had the
love and with labor, you might have to have a
kumbai all sit around and hold hands together with beef
and lamb in Zen deiry in Zed and Federated Farmers.
You guys are with the other three groups, well, you see.
Speaker 6 (12:31):
It's all more all in the advocacy hub together and
that's kind of what we've got us all in there
together because that's what it's all about. It's about doing
it together and putting the putting it all to the
ministers and others as one rather than trying to divide
us all up.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Good on you, hey, thanks for your time, mate, Cheers Mat,
There we go Yolo. Wayne Langford, the President of Federated
Farmers twenty after twelve on the Country. Yes, I alluded
to earlier this morning. I caught up with labor leader
Chris Sipkins. He's probably on the assuming there's like a
lockdown now. The budget comes out at two o'clock and
(13:05):
I know here the Duples. C Ellen is down in Wellington.
She'll be broadcasting her show from four o'clock. I think
no doubt Matt and Tyler will have something to say
at two o'clock as news comes to hand. And the
reason I had to catch up with Chrishipkins is he'll
be donkey deep note out going through the detail in
(13:25):
the budget, so he's up next before the end of
the hour. Chris Russell Loozzi, correspondent. How about this a
six month long cattle drive to educate city dwellers about
food security, and if you want to and you're a townee,
you can sign up to join it in Queensland. What
a great idea that is. And Jason to Brak, chief
(13:46):
executive of Zesbury, great day for the New Zealand primary
sector when Zesbury comes out with numbers like topping five
billion dollars in global sales.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Led now, lad now, plan Now, my baby, ncmel smile,
don't run away.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Fer Chris Hopkins is the Labor Party leader, leader of
the opposition budget day to day. Chris, if you were
running the cutter, what would you do? Borrow and damn
the torpedoes.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
I think what we need to see from the government
is a plan to get New Zealand moving again. So
we need to get people back into work that has
a positive upside to the government and that they end
up paying paying less than unemployment benefits. We need to
get our infrastructure projects back up and running again. Despite
all their hot talk, we've actually seen less money being
spent on infrastructure over the last eighteen months than was
(14:46):
happening before they became the government. So basically, I think
what we need to see from the government today as
a plan to actually start delivering on the promises that
they made to New Zealanders, because so far I think
New Zealand is still waiting.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Okay, And that's possibly a fair argument because they haven't
done that much in the first eighteen months. But there's
a philosophical difference here. Isn't that they want to balance
the books, they want to cut spending. Do it that way?
You want to borrow, borrow and spend That didn't work
so well for you in the COVID times.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
No, Look, I think you should stop reading your National
Party talking points, Jamie. There are different ways to balance
the books. We all want to see the books balanced.
The difference is Nikola Willis is borrowing money to pay
the day to day bills, and I don't think that's acceptable.
But I think borrowing money to do things like fixing
our roads, fixing up our schools and hospitals, building long
term ass heads that the country's going to benefit from
(15:37):
that is justified. You know, when you go out and
you buy a bigger house, most people will take out
a bigger mortgage to do that, and then they pay
it off over time. But if you're borrowing, if you're
increasing your mortgage to pay your power bill, then you're
in financial tell Willis is borrowing to pay the power bill.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
Totally get that, Chris. I've got an a minus and
accounting one. I want to believe it or not. I
won't tell you the rest of my marks. But what
happens if we get a major issue we're talking about,
you know, another earthquake, another big disaster, a cyclone Gabrielle
and we no longer have the ability to borrow when
we become a banana republic? Is the National Party over
egging that?
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I think they are over egging that. And actually some
of the investments that we need to make now are
the sorts of investments that will make us more resilient
to those shocks of the future. So spending more money
on flood protection, for example, spending more money on making
sure that things like our roads and our infrastructure are
actually resilient to extreme weather events, and even like here
in Wellington earthquakes, making sure that we're getting ahead of
(16:34):
that curve means actually the bill for the cleanup afterwards
will be smaller. So there is a justification for investing
now and making sure that we're actually fixing things up.
We're still relying on an infrastructure across the country that
was built for sort of three three and a half
million people. We've now got five and a half million
people here. We've actually got to do something about that.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Next week, Labour has its annual lover and as I
call it, with Federated Farmers, yourself, Damian O'Connor, Karen make
a Olty, Joe Luxton, Rachel Brooking all labor and peace.
I quite like too. By the way, Chris meeting with
Federated Farmers.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
I'm not sure you call it a love and Jamie,
but it is an opportunity for us to meet with sector,
you know, representatives from across the primary industry, where we
get to talk about the future, and we get to
talk about future policy because we've actually got a lot
of sheed objectives. When I met with farmers, for example,
they're actually very very focused on sustainability and on making
sure that they're being good guardians of the land. And
(17:31):
you know, I think we actually find that we do
have a lot of common ground there. They also want
to have access to things like good quality healthcare. When
they're going to find a lot of common ground with
the Labor Party, there are going to be areas where
where we've got some tricky stuff to work through. You know,
what we do around climate emissions is one of those
things that we're going to be working through next week.
Speaker 3 (17:48):
Yeah, but you realize farmers would view the last labor government,
the last term of the last labor government. They ad
and Hipkins government as the worst government in history for farming.
And you agree on that because you had said that
you'd made mistakes in that area, you walk that back. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Yeah, but I don't think. I don't think the way
you're characterizing is probably a bit extreme.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
No, No, it's not extreme.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Trust me.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I talk to these people all the time. That's how
you're regarded.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
As do I. And actually we've developed a pretty good
working relationship with them over the last eighteen months, and
I'm pretty optimistic about, you know, the fact that we
can work together in the future.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Where's your egg policy? As much as I like Joe,
she doesn't ever come out with any policy.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Well, that's because it's still too soon.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
I mean, we've got an election in eighteen months.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, but we're only halfway through the term. The government
can do a lot in eighteen months, and the risk
of putting out policy now is that everything can change
in that period of time and then we'd be saying, well,
are you still going to do this when the government
have done that or whatever, So actually, you know, you'll
get a good policy for us close to the election.
But one of the things that we are doing is
we're making sure that as we develop our agriculture policy,
that we're speaking to people in agriculture. So it's not
(18:57):
going to be something that we're going to be doing
to them, We're developing it of them.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Will Labor have a big team at field days? I
know you'll be there.
Speaker 4 (19:04):
Yeah, I'm there for a day. Unfortunately I can only
make a day this year, but I'll be there for
a day. It's always good fun. I've always enjoyed my
time at field days. So yeah, we'll We're have a
team there. We probably, like like previous years, we'll we
spread across all days, so we won't all be there
all at once, but we'll be coming and going through
the through the course of the event.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Do you wake up sometimes in the middle of the
night in a cold sweat thinking how the hell am
I ever going to get elected? Because Labor's relatively sane,
let's face it, But your coalition partners, gee, they must
test you.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Chris Hipkins Well, I suspect Christopher Luxon has a similar
dilemma when he looks at New Zealand dust and heck,
you know that's the nature of m MP. You know,
you've got to work with other parties. Don't mean unlike
christper Luckxon, doesn't mean that you should let them do
whatever they want. You know, I think you've still got
to have some standards and you're still got to have
some bottom lines. So you know, I can work with
other parties. Doesn't mean that I'm going to let them
(19:55):
call the shots. You know, David Sema and Winston Peters
have been caught have been holding the country to ransom
farting much over the last year and a half, and
frankly I think Christopher Luxan should do more about that.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
But wouldn't Greens with good represented representation, should I say,
in Parliament potentially hold you to ransom? Would you have
to coalesce with some of their crazy nutty ideas around finance.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
No, you've still got to have bottom lines. You've still
got to be able to say no, we're not going
to go these are things that we're not going to do.
And actually the bigger votes here Labor gets, the stronger
our position is to do that. So that's why I'm
out there. I'm only got campaigning for one party in
the next diviction, that's Labor. I want to get Labor
to get as big as share of the vote as possible,
because that would put us in the strongest possible position
to form a good stable government.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
A final question for you, do you agree or disagree
that farming the primary sector is our only savior? Why
would you kill the goose that lays the golden egg?
Do you agree with that proposition?
Speaker 4 (20:52):
I don't necessarily agree with that proposition. I do agree
that farming is vitally important for New Zealand, and of
course we'd never want to, you know, to kill the
golden goose, so to speak. But we've got other really
promising industries that we need to back as well. So
don't because am either or I think it's folk.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
We might agree to disagree on that one. Hey, Chris Hipkins,
whether we disagree or not, it's good to have you
on the country. Looking forward to yarning to you and
field at Field Days in three weeks time.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Look forward to seeing you here, Jamie.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yes, the leader of the opposition recorded a wee bit
earlier this morning. Be fair to say I've got Michelle
feverishly working on the text machine to get some texts
I can read out You're brutal on them out there
in New Zealand farming land. But I know we've got
(21:42):
a lot of urban listeners to this show as well.
Good afternoon, by the way, Michelle.
Speaker 5 (21:45):
Afternoon, I think are we done getting people's blood pressures up?
Speaker 4 (21:48):
For the more?
Speaker 3 (21:49):
The Oho yolo got a wee bit by it up,
didn't he dead?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
I could see his face turning red.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I think behind you, and I think that the key
to that yarn, and I mean that in all sincerity.
They when someone's giving me stick about liking a labor politician, no,
I don't like their policies at all, and I'll stick
with what I said they were. The Aduran Hipkins government
of twenty to twenty three was the worst government ever
(22:15):
in the history of this country for farming. Were certainly
going back in my lifetime, which is obviously getting on awe,
but now since the days of King Keith Holyoaks. So
but all I was saying is Rachel Brooking, Damian O'Connor,
Karen MacNulty, Joe Luxton, as people there are nice people.
They are nice people. I just think they're batting for
(22:38):
the wrong team, but that's the team they believe in. Anyhow,
I think the talent comment that should be made is
farming our only savior. No, you know, labor governments of
the past, and I think of long En Douglas were
describing completely out wrongly too farming as the sunset industry.
And that's the difference between the center government and a
(23:00):
center left government. Winston, Seymour and Luxon have the back
of farmers. The other lot don't. And God help us
if the Greens and TA Party Mari get anywhere near
the Treasury benches. And I'm talking about helping you farmers
out there. Up after the break, Rural News and Sports News,
Chris Russell, Jason to Brake to come before the end
(23:22):
of the hour. Welcome back to the country. I'm Jamie McKay.
The show's brought to you by Brent. Looking forward to
catching up with the team at field Days. Very shortly.
The latest and Rural news and sports news. But here's
(23:44):
a message from Federated Farmers. With the new dairy season
just around the corner, there's going to be plenty of
cockies out there looking for new farm staff. Now, you
know as well as I do that being an employer
can be challenging enough at the best of times, so
why make it harder than it needs to be. That's
where the team at Federated Farmers come in. Their employment
agreements are designed by farmers for farmers and are worth
(24:07):
their weight and goals. So whether you're hiring full time,
fixed term or just need a casual for carving, Federated
Farmers have got you covered. These contracts are farming specific
and written in plain, no nonsense language, so they're easy
for you and your staff to understand. And here's the kicker.
They're only one hundred dollars plus GST for members. That's
(24:28):
cheaper than a night out in Gore. So if you're
employing staff this season, make sure you're using a Federated
Farmer's contract. Just call eight hundred Farming.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
The country's world use with cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading
right on lawnbower brand. Visit steel Ford dot co dot
z for your local stockist.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
Have you sorted out the text machine yet?
Speaker 5 (24:51):
Oh, there's a lot to go through. I tell you what,
there's some high blood pressures there.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
Here's quite a clever one. Chippy could make a farmer's
grass grow.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
That's probably the safest one of them.
Speaker 6 (25:02):
Line.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
Yeah, now, and people are asking why we got him
on the show, because we have to try to be
politically balanced to a degree. I refuse to have the
Maori Party on the show. They're not a political party,
they're activists. And I, believe it or not, when Chloe
first became leader, I sent a message because James Shaw
(25:22):
used to be someone who I thought really added to
the show. He was the sensible green. I put a
request into Chloe's office to give her a monthly slot.
Never heard back from them, and she's just got slowly
nuttier and nuttier anyhow from it from a farming point
of view, So not really interested. But we do have
to have some political balance, and that's that's why Chris.
That's why Chris Hipkins is on. And you're getting stuck
(25:45):
into him on the text machine. But you know, I
take it from someone who follows it reasonably close. He's
more centrist than a lot of people in the Labor Party. Anyhow,
did I play the rural news thing?
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:57):
I did. What's on rural News?
Speaker 5 (25:58):
Okay, so on Royal News, the primary sector could be
the saving grace for challenging regional economies. Economic activity in
March quarter is down one point one percent year on year,
with GDP in every region taking a hit, but rural
economies appear to be fearing the best, down just zero
point four percent. If Infometrics principal economist Nick Brunson says
(26:20):
it's being propped up by dairy, meat and horticultural exports.
He says it is thanks to high lamb beef and
Kiwi fruit sale, so that's pretty amazing. You can find
more headlines and rural news at the Country dot co
dot nz.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Can't beat a bit of Neil Diamond, can We reminds
me of the dancers in the old days at the
Riversdale Community Center where will farewell rowan and do a
good job of it the next Friday? Anyhow, his sport.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
Sport with AFCO. Visit them online at AFCO dot co
dot enz.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Well, here's a story about my favorite rugby player. New
Zealand Rugby's incumbent Player of the Year, Georgia Miller, will
debut it o openside Flanka for the Black Ferns fifteens
against the United States at Albany on Saturday. Hurricanes midfielder
Riley Higgins has been ruled out for the rest of
the Super Rugby season with the broken leg suffered in
(27:14):
the win over the Highlanders last weekend. And finally, Rugby's
twenty minute red card will shortly be tested worldwide and
I absolutely agree with that. You send someone off two
minutes into a Rugby World Cup final and you have
ruined other games, So I think you suffer enough punishment
with twenty minutes in the bin for the red card
(27:36):
and then being able to perhaps replace that person. Up
next to our Ossie correspondent, Chris Russell, here's our Australian correspondent,
a great made of mine, of long standing. We go
back thirty years. Chris Russell. It's a sad day for
me today because I've lost my mate of sixty years, Rowan,
(27:57):
horror and I was just thinking about Rowan this morning
and a wonderful trip Bledisload Cup trip we took with
another old mate of mine who's sadly gone, Tony Laker,
from Laker House to travel. We bought a whole lot
of Southland farmers over to Sydney for a Bledisload Cup game.
Two thousand and two. I think it was when Matt
Burke kicked the winning penalty and then on the Sunday
(28:17):
we went out to Paramatta to watch your side, the Eels,
play a league match and you took us quite literally
on a cross country cruise. It was the days before
Google and you nearly drowned us in a creek.
Speaker 7 (28:31):
Yeah, well, I remember that all well. And I'm so
sorry to hear about Rowan Finley party. It doesn't sound
like the last little time was much fun at all.
I remember that tour so well. It was a great
group and you know, sort of a group of farmers
really want to come to Australia and give us a
hard time as they always do, but have a wonderful time.
And I remember very well, and he was on that tour.
(28:55):
It was a great year that year actually, in one
of the years when we can sort of say well
we really had competitive size. In fact, we took the
Bleddersload Cup off you that year, I think, And yes,
as you mentioned Maddie Burke, you know he kicked that
winning penalty after the full time siren to retain the
Bladderslode Cup for a record fourth year. And in fact,
(29:16):
he finished that season as Australia's top point scorer as
I remember, so you know, it was a great year.
And then we went on to watch the Yeels, of course,
which also were a great side in those days. And
these days they seem to have diminished back into a
bit of a backwater, especially now they've lost some of
their key players. But great times, and I'm sure there'll
be more great times in the future. But vallet rowan
(29:40):
Horral I hope that his family will sit back in
the knowledge that he had. Our wonderful life well lived, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, and I'm glad we have got Google Maps these days.
You endangered our lives on that trup Chris. I'm just joking.
It was certainly a fun time. Had boil look seventeen
hundred head Kettle Drive and Western Queensland to educate cities
about food security. This is going to take something like
six months. What an epic journey.
Speaker 7 (30:09):
Well, it is an epic journey and there are and
the leaders that are even tay. The kids have taken
time off school, they're doing home schooling as they travel.
They'll take up to six months, probably three months as
a minimum, traveling about seven hundred and seventy kilometers along
the most historic Queensland stock route running from long Reach
in far western Queensland and of course the original home
(30:32):
of Quantas, all the way down those backstock route roads,
the long Paddick as they call it, into the big
markets which are at Roma where they can sell off
maybe six seven thousand head of cattle in a single day. There.
Now people can join this cruise of course, or they
call it a cruise, but it's really just hard work.
But they can join this by booking in to do
(30:54):
various parts of this. And the whole point of this
is to try and improve the awareness of Gold Coast,
in the Gold Coast and in Brisbane about you know
food security Food Bank, which is one of our big
sort of supplier nations of food that had eleven percent
increase in community groups seeking food assistance in Australia. And
(31:15):
you know, I often see people at big schools where
I'm doing talks. The parents all want their kids to
study law and medicine or wonderful professions. But of course
you've got to remember you might lead a lawyer three
times in your life, you might need a doctor three
times in a year, but you need a bloody farmer
three times every day, and I just don't think enough
(31:36):
people don't take that for granted.
Speaker 3 (31:38):
Jamie, talk to me about roundup life to site, because
I know you have strong opinions on this.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
Yes, So I was very intrigued to see an article
which was sent over to be by your producer about
New Zealand liberalizing if you like the use of roundup
in New Zealand. Now, while on the surface, of course
iientifically this is well founded and round up has been
a savior chemical in my view. I remember the days
(32:06):
when I was at school. All the ground used to
get eroded by people of a plowing for weed control,
and we had a department of saw conservation who ran
around filling all these gullies in putting in contour banks. Now,
with direct drilling using round up as the method of
weed control, those days are finished. It's been the most
valuable chemical we've ever had in agriculture. However, and this
(32:28):
is not going to sound like Chris Russell speaking, but
I am so conscious of the fact that in agriculture
we must have a social license, and our social license
says that yes, we'll tolerate round up because we realize
how good it is, but don't ask us to be
enthusiastic about it, and don't ask us to accept us
being flooded in it. And people still perceive this idea
(32:50):
that it has got that element of doubt as far
as causing cancer attached to it. And to push this further,
and I think it's already used to a level which
is going to be is providing good value. And of
course I see you're about to legalize the use of
roundup ready crops, which we've had here now for some time.
But if you start pushing that envelope too far, you
(33:13):
start making the limits of minimum residues and so on
too high, people are going to say, no, we've got
a step too far here. The social license has been
used up, and we could end up getting more restricted
rather than more open in our availability of roundup. So
I would urge caution there. I think let's just use
the science by all means, but let's also be aware
(33:35):
the perception is stronger than fact. In the City's Jomie, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:38):
I can hardly believe it's Chris Russell saying that you
are the lucky country, but you're also a land of
climatic extremes and this year, for instance, harsh strouts flooding.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Right, Yeah, they say we're the lucky country, but you've
got all the dramas that we've got at the moment
you have to wonder. I mean we've currently got one
in five hundred years floods on the New South Wales
central case. So I saw in the paper this morning
cows have been seen reporting on the beach right, walking
on the beach at Old Bar. Now that's two hundred
(34:12):
kilometers from the nearest farm because it's a coastal tourist resort,
and all these cows have been washed down the Manning
River out in the sea and then come back in
and ended up on the beach and they're wandering around.
I mean, these floods are massive, half of me the
higher peaks than had ever been seen before in towns
like Tai which the last trout last flood they had,
(34:32):
which was anything like as big as this was nineteen
twenty nine. So you know that's on one hand, and
yet you look down in the South and I was
listening to commentary on the Sunday Farming Show last Sunday
from farmers who are all dry sowing their crops because
they can't afford to wait for rain before they sow
the crops in the hope that they'll get enough rain
in the next month to actually get some seedlings up
(34:53):
out of the ground, because they're just not getting anything
like the amount of rain they would expect in that
sort of country where they would always have had an
autumn break. South Australia much the same. This is country
which is absolutely dry as a chip, and country which
has not seen this sort of dry weather for a
long time. So Dorothy and mckiela was right when she said,
(35:15):
I love a sunburn country, a drin land of droughts
and flooding rains. We don't have any averages here, Jamie.
It's all either a drought or a surplus.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
Chris Russell, thanks as always for your time. Thank you
for the kind words about Rowan horror my old mate.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
Yeah, no worries. We'll be thinking of him today, Jamie.
Speaker 3 (35:41):
Welcome back to the country. Michelle's diligently gone through the
text machine and got some texts I can read out.
Here's one from Bryce Mackenzie from Groundswell. Great words from
Chris Russell reg life for sake, we need to tread
very carefully. And also another one, I like this is
ironic humor. We need round up desperately in New Zealand.
(36:04):
How else do we spray out the farms to let
pines grow? A nice text? There, Dean, some of your
texts on Chippy, let me get organized, Hi, Jamie, When
Hipkins was waffling on about Rhodes, you should you should
have reminded, should have reminded him. They canceled all the
roads of significance that National had rubber stamp. That's from
John Pat says, I'm a National voter, but I can't
(36:27):
believe he's still the labor leader of the Labor Party.
Who else is the pat? If the feds are serious
about supporting farmers, then they should be alerting the public
to the dangers of a labor led coalition not working
with them, says Reese. And another one says, is this
the comedy our now? Chippy is full of it? So
(36:50):
there you go. Those are the texts we can read out.
You're pretty tough on him. Look he's not He's not
a bad bloke. But you don't have you play the ball,
not the man. That's how to describe it. Isn't it.
We're going to wrap it with some more of your feedback.
Just having a bit of trouble getting a hold of
Jason to Break. Oh god, we got a ride to
(37:13):
the It is four away from one wrapping the country right,
it's going to be a fun show tomorrow. Chane j Oones,
the Prince of the Provinces, is on the show. Caine
Briscoe our farmstrong farmer, Jason to Break. We'll get them
tomorrow from Zespery. What a great result it is for
Zespery five billion dollars in global sales, record amount of crop,
(37:38):
two hundred and twenty million trays and they're selling the
whole lot at near record prices. And I think tomorrow also, Michelle,
very quickly we start our promotion for still chain or
safety chainsaw awen this week. We got five steel chainsaws
to give away next week.
Speaker 5 (37:55):
It's correct, So listen out tomorrow to find out more
about that one.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Thank you very much. Right, that is all the that's
all your feedback. See you're tough on chippy you guys
out there. Um yeah, good on you Jamie for calling
out to party Mary. But they can't be sacked. They're
an embarrassment. They're an embarrassment. I'm with Winston, why, why,
why should you wear a cowboy hat into Parliament. It's disgraceful. Anyhow,
(38:23):
that's a boomer Antle, catch you back tomorrow. Rest in peace, Rowan.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
As we go catch all the latest from the land.
It's the Country Podcast with Jamie McGue Thanks to Brent,
you're specialist in John Deere machinery.
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