The Country Full Show: Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Jamie Mackay talks to Dame Lisa Carrington, Jane Smith, Brian Dineen, George Dodson, and Steve Wilkins.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
It's the Country Podcast.

Speaker 3 (00:04):
With Jamie mckaye thanks to Brents the starkest of the
leading agriculture.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Brands today New Zealand.

Speaker 4 (00:35):
I'm Jamie McKay. This is the Country, brought to you
by Brandt. Happy birthday, Debra Harry from Blondie eighty eighty today,
well done. Hey, We've got a bit of a star
started show for your lined up today. We're going to
kick it off with a very very special guest who
last week was announced as Zesperre's Global brand Ambassador and

(00:58):
how good will she be at that?

Speaker 2 (01:00):
Dame Lisa Carrington.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
To kick off the show today, We're going to also
catch up with Jane Smith and north Otago. George Dodson
four sleeps to go until he hands over the Cloak
of Knowledge and in the Cargo on Saturday night. He
is the twenty twenty four FMG Young Farmer of the Year.
What advice has he got for this year's seven Grand

(01:21):
finalists if I can track him down. Steve Wilkins at
the far Conference Day two of two at Lincoln University,
and we're going to update the flooding situation. Gee, I
hope the weather forecasters are wrong about what's going to
be coming a bit later in the week. But we're
going to catch up with Brian Denean, good Irishman, who

(01:43):
is the Dairy chair for the Nelson Region for Federated Farmers.
We've got a full dance card. Let's get on with it. Well,
this one was announced last week. A super food pairs

(02:04):
up with a super athlete. Yes, Dame Lisa Carrington is
now Zesbury's first ever global brand ambassador, and what a
great global brand she has got. Lisa, I guess you're
sort of hand in a glove here. Both they are plenty.

Speaker 5 (02:22):
Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean it's great to kind
of be able to nick back with home really absolutely.

Speaker 4 (02:31):
Now you're a super athlete, you're in super shape and
to get into that shape, you can't have a diet
like me. You've got to have one like you've got.
How big a role does Kiwi fruit play.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
In your diet?

Speaker 6 (02:44):
Yeah, I mean, I'm kery fruit is quite awesome. I
guess it's a bit of a superfood, right, So yeah,
like it's I know, we were pretty lucky here in
New Zealand, we've got pretty good access to it and yeah, no,
it's no have it the other day and yeah, all
through the year.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
So while we're talking Zesprey, Lisa, what do you like best? Green,
gold or red?

Speaker 5 (03:09):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (03:09):
I I mean I've only recently tried the ruby red
and that was quite nice, but definitely I think I
don't know, I really do.

Speaker 5 (03:21):
Enjoy the gold.

Speaker 6 (03:22):
Yeah, but I mean it's not fear to have a
favorite right on a world stage.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
What are you going to be doing for Zesprey.

Speaker 6 (03:30):
At the stage? It kind of we're kind of taking
it year by year.

Speaker 5 (03:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (03:35):
I guess we've done a really awesome kind of a
like a cinematic video to kind of to link the
relationships together, so you know there's over that time. Well,
I guess it's for me, it's really about promoting Viscree
and being able to do that globally and in any

(03:56):
way that can support them.

Speaker 4 (03:57):
You've signed a four year deal or four year global
partnership that obviously takes you past LA. And I'm not
suggesting for a moment, Dame Lisa, that you should be
retiring after LA, not the way you go, but no
doubt you are looking to life after athletics.

Speaker 6 (04:15):
Yeah, then that's always something that as an athlete, we
need to kind of keep in mind. But at the
same time, it's also really hard to focus on that
when you give everything to.

Speaker 7 (04:30):
Sport.

Speaker 6 (04:30):
And I guess with experience and getting older and wiser,
you kind of understand how I might do that. So yeah,
I guess slowly as I as I work it out,
and yeah, we'll figure out what the next steps are.

Speaker 4 (04:46):
Okay, I've got to take away bit of time to
be a fanboy here because I love you, and I mean,
as an athlete, should I say, Lisa and Dame Fowl
and Richie McCaw my favorite New Zealand athletes? And you've
won like eight Olympic Golds going all the way back
to London when you won the K one two hundred
of those eight golds, and you can't duck for cover

(05:06):
on this one, Lisa, what's your favorite?

Speaker 8 (05:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (05:11):
I guess each one is pretty unique and shares a
certain journey, and probably, to be honest, the last in
Paris was probably like a combination of all the lessons
and experiences and the challenges or adversities up until that point.
So I think that's probably the one that I value

(05:36):
a lot because I was able to kind of get
to a point where I could be able to perform
in a way that extracted the best performance in the moment.

Speaker 4 (05:46):
Well, I reckon, I've watched your goals in London, Rio,
Tokyo and Paris and my favorite and this has got
no value to you at all, but I just thought
i'd throw it in. There was the K four or
five hundred in Paris. That was so cool that you
could bring that group through.

Speaker 9 (06:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (06:01):
Yeah, that was a really special moment.

Speaker 6 (06:03):
And you know, it's not easy getting to the start
line and also getting you around to perform their best.
There's a lot of pressure and I think, you know,
as in a high performance environment, you do demand a
lot from yourself and from each other. So I think
for us to get there and be able to perform
like we did was yeah, really special.

Speaker 4 (06:25):
Were you annoyed when they got rid of the K
one two.

Speaker 5 (06:27):
Hundred, Yeah, it was. It was quite disappointing.

Speaker 6 (06:30):
I think, you know, there's kind of realize that you're
at the worm of you know, politics or people that.

Speaker 5 (06:41):
Sit in those high power positions.

Speaker 6 (06:43):
So that's really yeah, I mean absolutely the two hundred
was an incredible event for our sport.

Speaker 5 (06:50):
Yeah, so that was disappointing.

Speaker 4 (06:51):
Finally, final question for you. I know you're concentrating on LA,
but do you see yourself in the corporate world. I mean,
obviously you've got this relationship with ES I know you
have other corporate relationships as well. Do you see yourself
in that space when you finally hang up your or
ores or.

Speaker 10 (07:12):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (07:13):
I guess you know, I'm not.

Speaker 6 (07:17):
I've never had to be in the corporate world other
than kind of in this kind of ambassador kind of role.
So yeah, I mean I learn a lot from the partnerships,
and you know, there will be a lot to learn
over the next four years with ZESPRI and how they operate,
and I guess, yeah, that's probably just something for me

(07:38):
to work out and understand over you know, our relationship
going forward got on you.

Speaker 4 (07:44):
Well, they're a global brand, You're a global superbrand. Congratulations,
I know your work wonders together. Dame Lisa Carrington, thanks
for some of your time on the country.

Speaker 5 (07:52):
Yeah, awesome, thank you very much.

Speaker 4 (07:56):
Coming up to quarter past twelve, isn't she wonderful?

Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yes?

Speaker 4 (07:59):
What a great for ZESPRI on the international stage. Michelle
Watts wandered in here a bit of an endurance athlete herself. Now,
Dame Lisa was as nice as she is, you could
tell she was a wee bit peeved that they got
rid of the K one two hundred, which she won
by the length of the strait even though it's only
two hundred meters.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
All the time, so she had to go out to
the five hundred. But I'm thinking of another.

Speaker 4 (08:22):
Great female athlete, Alice. I was going to call her Dame.
I don't think she's Dame Alison yet. Definitely not Alison
Shanks Allison or is she Allison Palmer these days?

Speaker 11 (08:32):
Well, she did marry your coach christ but she's.

Speaker 4 (08:34):
Called I saw them, saw them at field Days. Great
to see them again. And she had her champion event
was at three thousand individual pursuit. Yeah, they took that
off her as well. Not fair anyhow. Up next and
no time to waste on the country. From a dame
to a Jane Jane Smith all fired up, led her

(08:56):
off the chain in North Otago. Next, you've heard from
Dame Lisa Carrington. Let's change tact and catch up with

(09:18):
Dame Jane Smith. Well, she's sort of farming royalty is
on this show anyhow, Jane, you're standing atop a hill
on your North Otago farm to try and get some
mobile reception. Don't move or else we might lose you.
Have you ever been compared to Dame Lisa Carrington before?

Speaker 9 (09:35):
Definitely not, Jamie and Dame Jane just haven't got the
same ring Jamie, and couldn't even compare myself to such
a legend. She's just truly amazing.

Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, well, I think there's a bit of a connection
between you and her.

Speaker 5 (09:47):
Yes.

Speaker 9 (09:48):
So she obviously got helped lead the K four over
the line against the gold medal last year in Paris,
and that's one of those was Olivia Brett, our niece.
So I'm really proud of the crew, but under Lisa's
leadership that really made the difference. Jamie.

Speaker 4 (10:04):
Absolutely, That's what I said to him. My favorite of
all her eight Olympic golds was that one. You've given
me like a flow chart, and I'm pretty sick, but
I've managed to follow yours. It was drawn quite literally
on the back of an envelope this morning. So this
is how your plan to set out your chat today.
You're starting with what the gisbone ball sales?

Speaker 9 (10:21):
Oh yeah, it's really fortunate enough to spend time up
on Gisbon. Last week, Claire and I went up to
particularly to go to the Tey House sale, which has
obviously hit the headlines with the high priced balls, and
so we had some fossil correct genetics that side, actually
three of those high price balls and a number of others.
So it was fantastic and you know, just to see
the positivity in an area like that that's been through

(10:43):
some real challenges, particularly in the past twenty four months,
and it was really really good to see that. And
I know the lights of Toby Williams, you know, he's
very celebrated up there in terms of being an advocate
for that area but for farming in general, and it
was really great. And at one point at the Terrier Angusal,
which of course is Toby's stomping ground clerky the auctioneers,

(11:06):
he'd imagine the genetic combination for advocacy if you combined.
I think it was Toby Williams of Jane Smith. He
must have spotted me in the room, Jamie. But yeah,
it was really really great and again really really positive.
And in the same track, Pickue, I was happy that
I was really stoked to catch up with some agri
legends up in the area, like Nuffield Scholar, carry Willsnop.

Speaker 5 (11:25):
Of course I did a lot of work with when we're.

Speaker 9 (11:27):
Trying to kick hewaki Ikina to touch, and of course
the man the Myths, the legend, Gibbon's modern day version
of Bility James. He's probably got to face more like
Barry Crump than Brad Pratt. But of course the famous
infamous farmer poet Graham Williams Jamie and he was great.
And actually Graham and I hadn't met before, and we've
talked to the phone a lot, but the first thing

(11:47):
he said to me, Jamie, was that I look really
different to what I sound like on the radio.

Speaker 5 (11:51):
So I'm not sure if that was a compliment or not.

Speaker 9 (11:54):
Thank you for saying I look maybe least like the
rock wheeler and more like a hunter way or maybe
many would argue that way around Jamie. But it was
really great to make that connection with Jamie and just
see the positivity up there.

Speaker 4 (12:04):
Jamie, well, you're definitely not a lapdog, let's be honest
about that. Julia Jones has written a story in the
Rural News, and you're not too pleased about it now,
Julia and I she does a wonderful job with the
Agri Women's Development Trust, but we agree to disagree on things,
probably because she said I spread toxic vibes throughout New
Zealand agriculture, which I thought was a bit rough at

(12:24):
the time. So Julia and I don't see eye to eye.
Do you see eye to eye with her?

Speaker 9 (12:30):
Well, I think just to come home and read, you know,
I was sort of a righteous I'd call it a
corporate climate change driven firman and the Rural News that
called out the feder at the Farmer's Save our Sheep campaign,
and I guess others such as a methane science are
called asking for what I think has sense and sensibility
and science around things like methane targets and the Paris
Accord and land use change and property rights and these

(12:52):
are apparently no hope narratives. And I guess those three words, really,
you know, I really struck a chord with me, and
not in a good way. And apparently we are chasing
progress off the property and whether we should be curious
not outraged, and you know, honestly, if it means closing
the gate on meaningless me saying mitigation that the poor
old textpayer is paying for and actually doing some genuine

(13:14):
environmental and production games on farm. Yes, I will be
chasing them off the property. And I guess what really
great me was. On the same time, I read McDonald's
i e. A wealthy global junk food company, saying that
New Zealand farmers should actually be thanking them because instead
of paying as a premium for our naturally pasture raised,
free range red meat, they're actually investing or going to

(13:34):
invest hundreds of thousands of dollars and I quote to
fund projects to help New Zealand farmers with their on
farm management.

Speaker 5 (13:40):
Will bugger me.

Speaker 9 (13:42):
I'm not sure that we need McDonald's to be telling us,
you know, how to improve our farm productivity. And I think, Jamie,
we're spending far too much time listening to sermons from
desk sitters and junk food companies, not enough promoting our unique,
bio diverse productivity to the world, Jamie. And you know,
these are tangible things that we're doing, not a piece
of paper. And I guess you know. I went down

(14:04):
to the Lawrence Winter Feed Competition on the weekend and
of lucky enough to be a speaker on the night,
and you know, looking around that room and seeing an
area that has been decimated by carbon farming Jamie, which
of course is a symptom of the bigger, bigger issue,
which of course are things like the RMA and the
Paris Accord, et cetera. But just seeing those good buggers
in the room doing the right thing and carrying on

(14:25):
just like the people up and Gibbon, it really gave
me hope, you know that we can actually sort of
from the ground up to actually make a difference and
actually push back on some of these things Jamie.

Speaker 4 (14:34):
Yeah, well, let's finish with a bit of positivity and
not spread toxic vides Joan.

Speaker 9 (14:40):
Well, exactly, And there's some really positive things happening at
the moment. You know. You look at that sparked the
chat thing that Hallmark Angus have done in the North Island.

Speaker 5 (14:46):
The rule support Wiggy.

Speaker 9 (14:48):
I see Patty Gower has got to hug the farmer
day he's actually looking to start. I mean, sheally Ey
don't want to be hugged. I just want to be
left alone as farmers do, to actually be creative and
innovative on our farms rather and being suffocated. And I
think we're in a you know, a real bind at
the moment that even the current coalition is going to
be doing that. However, I do have some hope with

(15:08):
Shane Jones, you know, calling out my local regional council
as a kremlin of New Zealand and calling what was it,
Waikato Regional Council the EWE back office and an economic executionist.
So you know that there is some people that are
actually calling this stuff out. So I think if we
can just mobilize farmers and small business owners throughout urban

(15:29):
and rural New Zealand to actually make a bit of
a call on this and actually stop the nonsense. Jamie,
I'm feeling pretty positive about that along.

Speaker 4 (15:36):
With Shane Jones rather than Julia on this one. Got
to go, Jane Smith. Enjoy the rest of your day
on your North Otago farm.

Speaker 1 (15:44):
Thanks Jamie, Thank you, Jane.

Speaker 4 (15:46):
Twenty five, make that twenty six after twelve. Glorious day
in Dunedin today where we're based.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
I hope it's I.

Speaker 4 (15:56):
Hope it's glorious in the areas that have been hammered
by the floods. So we're going to go to one
of them next and catch up with Federated Farmer's Guy
or their Dairy Chair in the Nelson Region, Brian Denean.
Before the end of the hour, where's my run sheet?

Speaker 2 (16:09):
I've lost that.

Speaker 4 (16:09):
I'm going to have to rely on memory, which is
always dangerous at my age. Michelle, We're going to chat
to George Dodson, who is the twenty twenty four FMG
Young Farmer of the Year. That Grand Final gets underway
inn in Macargo on Thursday, and of course today at
Lincoln University. It's all happening day two of the far
Foundation for Arable Research Conference for the Arable the cropping Farmers.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
It's on today.

Speaker 4 (16:34):
We're going to catch up, hopefully if I can find
them before the end of the hour with Steve Wilkins.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Plus we're going to hear.

Speaker 4 (16:39):
From the last YEP, the last of our region off
contestants for the FMG Young Farmer Grand Final. You've got
to vote for your winning region. We're going to tell
you all about it and enjoyed this guy's company at
the South Island Dairy event. His name is Gareth mccirchep.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
It is the.

Speaker 4 (17:09):
Story that refuses to go away. Unfortunately this week the
flooding in the Nelson Marlboro area particularly bad in the
Nelson region. To update us, we've got the Federated Farmer's
Nelson Provincial Dairy Chair Brian Denean great Irish accent too.
I might add, Brian, Hey, look you're in Murchison. But
really the trouble was a bit further up the road

(17:31):
from where you are.

Speaker 10 (17:32):
Right, Yeah, further north from us, so we were kind
of expecting more rain but it never really eventuated. We
have flooded quite badly where we are in the past,
but we were just lucky we missed it. So I
think it must have come in through the back of
Saint Erna's and then all that catchment area just grabbed everything.
And yeah, I think they're two hundred and twenty mils.

Speaker 12 (17:55):
I believe.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
Was that at your place.

Speaker 5 (17:58):
No, that was.

Speaker 10 (17:58):
Inside and Tapaware and Kahatu and before you get to Motueka.

Speaker 4 (18:03):
Yeah, and I've heard even I've heard rainfall numbers even
up and above that. So around the what Tapawa Kohatu
area is that the worst affected.

Speaker 10 (18:11):
Area from literally from Kahatu all the way down through
the Motchueca Valley right out to the before you get
to the sea. So I think that you've got a
kahatu Tapaware Natamoti and a lot of lifestyle blocks as
well that are possibly close to the closer to the river.
And you've a lot of farmland that has been destroyed

(18:33):
where the Motueca River has actually jumped out of its
course and the three aligned itself somewhere else. So there's
a huge amount of work to be done enter around
Tapeaware and down the valley really, and.

Speaker 4 (18:45):
I hear some of the hot farmers are some of
the worst affected.

Speaker 10 (18:49):
Yeah, they will be. Like people don't realize once the
flood comes through and you've got any barrier, especially if
it's sheep netting, and then you've obviously got a lot
of posts and you've got oneing going through hop gardens,
they're the ones that are going to catch all the debris.
So if you've got an open area, you can see
the flow go through. But once you get a barrier
built up like hot poles, wires, et cetera, all that

(19:11):
debris just clings to it and it causes a lot
of pressure on that line.

Speaker 2 (19:14):
Then you've been up for a look.

Speaker 10 (19:17):
A yeah, I just went up for a quick look yesterday.
We've just got a number of farmers that have been affected.
So it's just trying to check out what's happening and
what federated farmers can actually do, whether it's along the
feed line and who needs what fencing. Probably trying to
organize farmers to try and come in and help. As
you know, fencing is quite a specialized skill at times,

(19:41):
so you want those guys in there that can help
out and clean things up.

Speaker 4 (19:45):
Ran it's also a very expensive hobby to partake and
redoing those fences. I hear some of the deary winter
and blocks have been badly hit as well.

Speaker 10 (19:55):
Yeah, there's been a number and luckily I haven't heard
any feedby around stock losses. I think farmers were onto
it pretty quickly. But there's a number of runoff blocks
that belong to dairy farms that have been hit quite
hard and very difficult to get power back in there.
They've only x amount of feed left till calving. But
I suppose the silver lining is that it happened now

(20:16):
and it actually didn't happen during calving or closer to
calving at least. There's a bit of time now to
get you prepare and get ready, and you know, get
calves on the ground and start so from.

Speaker 4 (20:27):
A feder added farmer's point of view, and you're wearing
the provincial dairy chair ahead for the Nelson region, does
the eight hundred number? What should farmers do if they're
feeling in a bit of a helpless situation, has no
doubt some of them will.

Speaker 10 (20:39):
Be well, I think really you've got to look at
Rural Support Trust. So I know we've got Richard kent
torn inside in Nelson very good first time contact and
as regards to fed's and if you're looking at farmers,
just look it up and whoever you need to talk
to there, they'll put you onto the right person, especially
whether it's down the face line, whatever feed is around

(21:02):
and feed coordination or whatever questions you've got. And fads
are pretty good at answering and if what they don't know,
they'll put you in the right direction. Same goes with
Rule Support Trust as well.

Speaker 4 (21:11):
Yeah, and Brian, I know a number of South Island
farmers in particular had very good winter reserves and feed,
so maybe some of that could be donated to the region.
I guess time will tell with that one. Hey, with
the Irish accent obviously you're not originally in his illity.
You've been here for a number of years. I remember
you from playing footy back in the day for Nelson Bays.

(21:33):
Is that why you came over here.

Speaker 10 (21:35):
Yeah, initially came over to play rugby. I'd kind of
done my bed in Ireland and talked to my old
man over there, came out to New Zealand, played rugby
and then I just met my now wife and then
we just started farming. So I actually have no farming
background and I had to kind of learn on the
on the trot while starting off as a relief milker

(21:55):
down in Canterbury. So I've come here, we've gone from
Cannary back up Nelson, so it feels more like been
upward family once you get back into the Nelson region.
So yeah, it's been a good run for me. Have
been pretty lucky so that I don't play rugby anymore,
even though Marchison has tried to get me o from
time to time. Body's getting the bit old.

Speaker 4 (22:15):
It's pretty hard to retire in some of the small
rural areas. There's only I used to joke, there's only
two ways to get out of the rugby team is
to leave town and the other one's not.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Worth thinking about, but any help.

Speaker 4 (22:26):
Brian, Hey, thank you for some of your time and
look on behalf of all the good work you guys
at Federated Farmers are doing.

Speaker 2 (22:32):
Well done, appreciate your work.

Speaker 8 (22:34):
Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (22:35):
Twenty six away from one. Thank you, Brian. Yep.

Speaker 4 (22:38):
Okay, we're going to take a break on the other
side of our final contestant in the FMG excuse me
region off Gareth mckirche for aar angie before the end
of the hour. The bloke who currently holds the title,
George Dodson and if I can find him, Steve Wilkins
at the far Conference at Lincoln University. Today's FMG Young

(23:14):
Farmer Region representative as Cameron Smith for our Targo South
and okay, Cameron, you've got sixty seconds to sell your
region to the rest of the country after you go there.

Speaker 8 (23:24):
Jamie, I'm Cameron Smith from the Tiger self and region
representing the Boomber Young Farmers Club.

Speaker 7 (23:30):
So yeah, Tiger help and we're definitely the best streaching
out there for a coup of different reasons. To be fair,
the best thing is as you say your see off,
it's the Land of Milk and Honey down here. Sorry,
that trun pretty hard to do. The place prayer charity.

Speaker 8 (23:45):
I've got for the region off as the ron A
McDonald House charity, so that's sort of.

Speaker 7 (23:51):
Taught him with the self and hospital down here.

Speaker 8 (23:54):
Reason for is wharf and I had a daughter.

Speaker 7 (23:56):
Not long ago and she spent two weeks in intensive
key unit there.

Speaker 8 (24:00):
Staying in the Rono McDonald house was absolutely pulseless being
on site and me just triving back to the farmer
will work really well and it would like to go
back to the charity or with it, so sort of
sort of try trying to get as many votes as
we can to go back to them.

Speaker 2 (24:16):
And signs up. Thanks Cameron.

Speaker 4 (24:18):
Well you've just heard Cameron Smith's pitch for O Targo
Southland and now it's over to you to vote in
the FMG Region off. Go to FMG dot co dot
m zed Ford slash Region off and vote before July five.

Speaker 8 (24:39):
Ah.

Speaker 4 (24:39):
That was obviously wasn't Gareth mkircher. Apologies to Gareth. That
was Cam Smith, not the golfer, but the bloke who's
representing Itargo Southland and this weekends where it actually starts
on Thursday, FMG Young Farmer Grand Final. Remember you need
to vote for your favorite region. Five thousand dollars to

(25:00):
the chosen charity for the winning region, one thousand dollars
to the senior contestants. It could be Cam, it could
be Gareth, it could be any of them seven grand finalists. Now,
everyone who votes, and that's you guys out there, goes
into the drawer to won a five hundred dollars bonfire
gift card. Voting closes five pm on Saturday. Go to

(25:20):
FMG dot co dot z Ford slash Region off and
vote for your favorite region before five pm on Saturday.

Speaker 3 (25:30):
Is Rural News, the country's world news with Could Cadet,
New Zealand's leading right on lawn Bower brand is a
steel Ford dot co dot nz for your locals doggist.

Speaker 4 (25:45):
Now, was Atomic the best Blondie song?

Speaker 2 (25:48):
Or is it Hard of Glass?

Speaker 11 (25:49):
I do think it was. I mean I said to
you off here that I thought Hard of Glass was,
But now I think Atomic might be Cage one.

Speaker 2 (25:57):
It's so nineteen seventy nine.

Speaker 4 (25:59):
I was just a little, well not that little first
year commerce student, and we used to listen to Ready
to Roll at Irana Hall and Blondie Dominated and the
girl from Promises, but we won't go on about her.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
Have I played the rural news thing? You have away you.

Speaker 4 (26:17):
Go news and I can pre read the sports.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
News, okay.

Speaker 11 (26:20):
So met Service has issued a new orange heavy rain
warning for the Upper South Island, just days after significant flooding.
A local state of emergency remains inforced for Tasman, Nelson
and Marlborough. Now another one hundred millimeters of rains expected
on Thursday. Nelson mayor Next Smith says almost triple the
average amount of rainfall this June. He's pleased with how
well dozens of slips repaired after the twenty twenty two

(26:42):
floods are holding up, and he's advising people to clear
drains and garters and drive cautiously for the rest of
the week. So keep an eye on those heavy rain warnings, folks.
If you're up in that region, and here's Jane with Sports.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
News Indeed.

Speaker 1 (26:56):
Sports with FCO, visit them online at FCO dot co
dot ens.

Speaker 4 (27:00):
Warriors reserved grade halfback Tanner Boyd's decision to reject an
approach to join North Queensland and the NRL are looks
poised for reward. The twenty four year old's won all
thirteen matches he's played at New South Wales Cup level
since arriving from the Gold Coast during the off season,
so it looks like he's up for a promotion and

(27:23):
lulusson her chance to replicate her Wimbledon quarterfinal heroics from
twenty twenty four have been snuffed out by Marie Boshko
by Marie from Eastern Europe in straight sets.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
I should have pre read that, shouldn't.

Speaker 4 (27:42):
I can't decide, Michelle, whether I want Novak Djokovic to
get the twenty fifth Grand Slam. I don't think I do,
But I'm not sure who I want to win Wimbledon.

Speaker 2 (27:53):
I'm sure no, It's not up to me at all.
But I love Wimbledon.

Speaker 4 (27:58):
The greatest of all tennis tournaments, the greatest of all
farming competitions for young farmers is the FMG Young Farmer
of the Year Grand Final. It is coming up on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday and in Chicago. Up next to the
bloke who's holding the cloak of knowledge at the moment,
George Dodson, a good Southlander who's dairy farming in Canterbury,

(28:30):
so four sleeps to go and we will have a
new FMG Young Farmer of the Year the twenty twenty
five version.

Speaker 2 (28:38):
Let's year into the twenty twenty four version.

Speaker 4 (28:41):
His name is George Dodson dairy farming in Canterbury, but
originally from Southland. George, it'll be a bitter sweet, I guess,
handing over the cloak of knowledge on Saturday night in
your home province of Southland.

Speaker 12 (28:55):
Yeah, Jamie, I'm great to be on the show. Yeah,
we'll be a little bit bittersweet, actually a little bit.
It's sad to be handing it over, but it's part
of the competition, I suppose, is that you give the
next person the opportunity to do some of the incredible
things that I've got to experience in the last year.

Speaker 4 (29:10):
You were quite well, relatively young at twenty three years
of age when you won it last year. Just remind me,
because one year drips into the next one. Was everyone
a first time finalists last year?

Speaker 9 (29:24):
Yes?

Speaker 12 (29:24):
Yeah, every one was new last year, so.

Speaker 4 (29:26):
We've got a few repeat offenders I think in this year,
which probably makes it easier for them. How did how's
the last twelve months changed your life?

Speaker 2 (29:35):
George?

Speaker 12 (29:37):
Oh, it's like you say, it's been absolutely life changing.
There's been so many opportunities, you know, through talking to banks,
through going into opportunities like contract or shea milking, getting
to the front of the line on those sorts of things.
Just about everyone in the farming sector sort of knows
your name now, so it's just that personal brand, I suppose,
being able to really drive yourself as an asset and people,

(30:00):
and then that network as well has been fantastic and
done some pretty cool events like the Royal Support Trust
debate that you were at a few weeks ago, Jamie,
which was pretty incredible, So you know, that's something that
you don't get to do without sort of doing something
like the Young Farmer of the Year and getting your
name out there.

Speaker 4 (30:18):
So wow, you performed very well in front of what
how many people were there? Three or four hundred, I
just can't remember exactly. Claudland's Events Center was absolutely packed,
it might have been more than that, and you were
judged by doctor jaqueln Rowe as technically the best debater
minds you. You did have to take a bit of
friendly fire I think was it from James Meagher your

(30:38):
fellows South Island debater of course, the Minister for the
South Island calling you the most eligible rural bachelor in
New Zealand. But that's not quite true.

Speaker 12 (30:49):
Not quite my partner. She's been with her for a
couple of years, so going real well. But yeah, just
caught a few friendly for her shots I think from
James and that debate, which was good. I'm an all
in good humor.

Speaker 4 (31:01):
In the past twelve months, not only have you been
doing your commitments as the FMG Young Farmer of the Year,
your farming career has also taken quite a step forward.
Tell us about that, because I think this time a
year ago you were too ice on a farm.

Speaker 12 (31:15):
Yes, I was to icee on a four hundred and
forty cow dairy farm this time last year, and then
in the last or sort of month, just jumped onto
a seven hundred and thirty cow dairy farm. So just
got a bit more scale I suppose in the business
and a couple more staff under me, so it's going
to be a pretty cool experience.

Speaker 4 (31:32):
So you're looking at farm ownership through the family.

Speaker 12 (31:37):
Yeah, we've been had a few cracks I suppose in
a few different farms. Haven't quite managed to pull anything
off just yet, but it's sort of one of those
years I suppose were the payer and the cow price
dictates that things are potentially on a little bit of
the expensive side. It's certainly a big dream of mine
to go buy a farm with some family, and that's

(31:57):
been a dream for a long time.

Speaker 4 (31:59):
As we said, you've got four sleeps to go, then
your hand over the cloak and knowledge and in the
cargo on Saturday night. We don't know who to yet obviously,
but if any of the seven Grand finalists are listening,
and hopefully they are, what would be your words of advice?

Speaker 12 (32:15):
I think it's all about calm under pressure, a like,
there's so much different stuff that's going to get thrown
at you, and it's so easy to lose your head.
So you've just got to keep kart, I mean, and
if you do something wrong, like I mean everyone does that.
I've definitely did something's wrong at the Grand Final last year,
you've just got to sort of forget about it because
you can't do anything about it once that task is complete,
and you've got to move on to the next with

(32:36):
the clear head and try to do your best.

Speaker 4 (32:38):
See I could do with some of that advice on
the golf course, George, stay calm under pressure, don't panic,
don't panic. All right, Hey, look, thank you very much
for your time. You've been a wonderful young Farmer of
the Air. We'll keep in touch. We're going to keep
you on a panel, So thank you very much for
your time, George, and I know you'll be able to
relax a wee bit and enjoy a few days and

(32:59):
in the car and on Saturday night we will crown
the new winner the twenty twenty five FMG Young Farmer
of the Year.

Speaker 5 (33:06):
Go well, thanks.

Speaker 12 (33:08):
Jamie, looking forward to it.

Speaker 4 (33:10):
Gan away from one. Thanks George. We're going to wrap
it by heading to Lincoln University. Steve Wilkins at the
far conference. Another person that was good to catch up
with last week in christ Church is the vice president.
I think that's his title of the Foundation for Arable Research,

(33:32):
Steve Wilkins, Good Northern Southland. I like myself. That's your title,
isn't it, Steve.

Speaker 12 (33:37):
That's right?

Speaker 13 (33:38):
Yeah, thanks Jamie.

Speaker 2 (33:39):
Hey, good to have you on the show today.

Speaker 4 (33:40):
And the reason we've got you on and I get
accused of a lot of things on this show. One
of them is from your mate, block A Drysdale down
on Balfa of not having enough arable farmers on. So
I'm going to give you a crack today because your
two day conference finishes up today at Lincoln and the
theme for your conference, Steve Wilkins, is show me the money.

(34:01):
And it would be fair to say that arable farmers
probably haven't made as much money as I don't know,
dairy or beef farmers or can we frint growers in
the past year.

Speaker 13 (34:10):
Yeah, thanks Jamie, And yeah, that's probably right. I guess
you know, most of the sectors have sent ament, have
a lifted income over the last few months. Rrible guys
are looking to looking to share a bit of that,
I suppose. You know, the costs have increased a bit
over the last few years. You know, we saw a
bit of a spike in prices with the Ukraine War
three or four years ago. That pushed the grain prices high,

(34:32):
but it also pushed the input prices that were the
costs up as well. So grain prices sort of settled
a bit, but some of those input costs heaven so
much so we're a small industry, you know, I think
last week there's some numbers put up three hundred and
fifty thousand, sorry, three hundred and fifty million worth of
export dollars, which is is not that significant when you

(34:53):
start comparing them and that with the red meat or
with the dairy industry. But you know, we do you know,
those industries and need a couple of billion to to
the New Zealand economy too, so we can't.

Speaker 4 (35:02):
Forget about that and the farable Let me try that again.
The Foundation for Arable Research combine harvester. That's such an
English sort of word, isn't it. Workshops. You actually one
of the big winners at the Penns Awards last week
as well.

Speaker 13 (35:19):
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, we were fortunately come over with
a Technology and Innovation award there and it was around
a project that the fire team were alled out over
the last couple of years with combine workshops around the
country setting up getting increased productivity or getting the best
out of the combine harvester. You know, there's a significant

(35:41):
piece of investment for any farm and for somebody to
replace a one with a bit of scale. You now,
you know, you're into seven figures. It's over a million
dollars so and it sits in the shed for nine
months of the year.

Speaker 4 (35:53):
You must have been wrapped, are you arable farmers? To
see your chief executive of the at the Foundation for
Arable Research, Allison Stewart, become a Dame Companion in the
King's Birthday honors, and it was so good to see
someone who was kind of at the coal face and
agriculture being honored. She's just a wonderfully humble woman.

Speaker 13 (36:13):
It was great Jamie. You know, she said, a long
time in the industry and to see that recognition is
really good, and particularly at the you know, the stage
in her career now where she's just stepping down from
far and it was great recognition for the able industry,
but across you know, across all the agriculture really I give. Yeah,

(36:34):
it's wonderful to see and she can she's she's very
humbled by it, I think, and you know, there's obviously
been a bit of discussion around here over the last
couple of days and she's coming to terms of that.
But it wasn't something she certainly goes looking for, that's
for sure.

Speaker 2 (36:46):
That was well deserved.

Speaker 4 (36:48):
You you're part of the the I was going to
say the empire, the Wilkins Empire, that's not very fair,
is it. You're part of a very large skull arable
cropping operation in Southland, the Wilkins family. Perhaps New Zealand's
best known arable farmer at the moment is our Special
Agricultural Trade Envoy Hamas Shma, who we spoke to recently,
who he will no doubt be at the conference.

Speaker 13 (37:10):
Is he speaking, Yes, he, as he spoke yesterday, gave
a bit of an insight into into the global goings
on and for the arable and what that means. But yeah,
and some of those challenges that you know he's seeing
us faced with here, you know, they're not uncommon across
across the world as well, you know, and not just

(37:30):
a terrible but you know, and all sectors of agriculture really,
you know, everybody seems to be facing facing the same challenges.
But yeah, Hamish, yeah I spoke yesterday, had to catch
up with them last night and actually set episode in
this morning too.

Speaker 4 (37:44):
So yeah, Steve Welkins, thanks for some of your time
from a Lincoln University of course for the far annual conference.
Was good to see Dame Alison Stewart, as I said,
recognized last night at your conference dinner enjoy the rest
of your conference, which winds up this afternoon.

Speaker 13 (38:00):
All do think much for the opportunity, Jamie.

Speaker 4 (38:03):
Good on you, Steve, and we're winding up the show today.
Thanks for joining us. Catch us tomorrow. Prime Minister Christopher
Luxen back from his travels, and Craig Piggott, the ag
tech guru from Halter whose company is now worth in
the billions, used to work at Rocket Lab.

Speaker 2 (38:20):
What a great story. See you tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (38:25):
Catch you are the latest from the land. It's the
Country Podcast with Jamie McGue.

Speaker 3 (38:31):
Thanks to Brent, You're specialist in John Dere machinery.