July 28, 2025 • 38 mins
Hamish McKay talks to Damien O'Connor, Rebecca Greaves, Pita Alexander, and Hamish Marr.
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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 starkest of the
leading agriculture brands.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Texas down Now.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Welcome into the Country, Harts mackay and again
for Jamie. Today's way on special family Duties. Great to
be here with you. A bit of beyond he to
get things going all day. I was thinking about this
earlier and I was a little bit like getting to
Michelle on this one, but I was thinking maybe a little.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Bit of Graham Brazier High.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Wind in Jamaica, you know, high Wind and Fong Array
high Wind and Tasman Bay. You know, we could have
done little bit of that given the way the weather
is in the way mister Duncan got it so spot
on yesterday. Coming up on the Country today, he's heeling
the special trade end boy member arable farmer Hamish Mar.
We'll talk to him about well, extremely low confidence levels
(01:06):
across the arable sector. It's pretty and stark contrast to
what we're seeing with the ten dollar plus boys. In
the majority of the dairy industry were those ones who
are sort of producing at less than five dollars a
kilogram or a little bit more perhaps gives them a
little bit more of a is a little bit more
meat in the sandwich, so to speak. Polar farmer and
(01:27):
media commentator journalist Forreca Greaves two years on from cyclone Gabriel.
She's right at the heart of that on their farm
over there and what I call the Southern Hawk's Bay,
Northern Wire Rappa somewhere right in the middle there, you know,
inland from Paihia tour. Plenty of that coming up here
on the country today. And I think we're going to
head straight to our man who was a parliamentary rugby
(01:49):
team legend on the open side flank. I presume that
was a position he always played, of course, from the
west coast.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Damien O'Connor, Damien, welcome, how.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Are you great Hamish? So nice to have you replacing
your older brother, Yeah, Jamie, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
He remains a remarkable nick given how much older he
is than me. I've got to hand it to him.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It is amazing. Yes, yeah, the good life does.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That's what the good life exactly exactly. Hey, let's talk
food costs. That old chestnut undergoing in one direction.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Unfortunately, Look it is and pro Fonterra in the firing
line last week and a bit of an own goal.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
I guess.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
I think that Miles probably could have been prepared for
media when he had his meeting with Nichola Willis, and
Nicholas stirred this up, really put the heat on both
him and herself kind of blame cost of living on butter. Look,
it's one of those things that thankfully, through you know,
global commodity prices, we're all going to benefit from, but
(02:53):
there are some impacts back here at home. And of
course it's not just the price of butter. It's a
lot of other things. Electricity rates there are squeezing people.
They're feeling a bit agitated, and of course the price
of butter. It is it is a base but act
for most of our diets, and that's been in the
firing line. And I guess Fontier are the biggest company.
(03:16):
They were always going to have to explain it, and
Miles probably could have done better by just giving a
few clear lines when he came out of that meeting
and would have probably moved on. But nonetheless it's kind
of bouncing around still.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, I look, I agree with you in terms of
like I would like to have had Miles for ten
minutes before he walked down that alleyway past the one
used reporter and as you say, two or three sixth
lines and you put it to bed.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, well it is.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
I mean the issues of our food system and you know,
the domestic costs and the supermarkets and all that. It's
a bigger, wider issue. Fonterier is not responsible for all
of that, but it is. You know, the biggest players
in town are always going to, you know, have to
take some responsibility. And I know Fontier does do some
good work helping people who you know, probably can't afford
(04:07):
all the food that they need, and so you know,
they might have to step up, continue to step up.
And I think that's what you call social license. The
banks don't sponsor lots of things because they love giving
away money. He realizes a social license that they have
to earn as well.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
I think it was a football match, our own goals.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
I guess it had been Nichola Willis minus one, Miles
Horace minus one too, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So yeah, I think that's a good complute.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Room for improvement, Yeah, room for improvement. Tasman floods and
we've got a bit of rain coming in again too.
The whole weather watch thing just continues on Damien.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Look it is and these things aren't going to go away.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
And I guess people have been saying for twenty thirty
years that you know, is climate shifts, changes, warms, call
it what you like. We likely to have these events
that are more acute and certainly impact of Tasman and
modern Acre Valley in particular way Valley. You know, big
dump of rain came down and affected a whole lot
(05:08):
of people who you know are in the floodplain areas.
And I guess that's one of the things that we
learned from cycling, Gabrielle. You know, if you're on a floodplane,
then it's going to flood at some stage. And we
put up stock banks and we feel more secure and protective,
but ultimately, you know, nature has its way. And I
guess what happened in Moderaco over many years, there was
a lot of tobacco growing in those floodplaines. They were
(05:31):
annual crops. You took a chance, and every now and
then they get hammered. Now I've got a lot of
good investment in permanent structures around pears and apples and
hops and blueberries, and of course some of those pool growers.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Of hammered and it is tragic.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
Hopefully they'll get through it and hopefully they don't get
hammered again in the next day or so.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, sometimes the old television screen can conceal more than
it reveals. I mean, is the devastation more widespread than
we perhaps seeing it from Auckland or Palmerston author wherever
you're watching it from.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well down the mode Acre Valley.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
It's pretty intense, you know, and up all the way
up back through tackle wear. No, I think the TV
has portrayed it pretty accurately, and for some it's really devastating.
Some people living in homes, they might be tiny homes,
they've shifted them there. They've literally been swept off their
foundations and they've lost everything.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yeah, I want to talk to this.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Children on farms, child labor, farming chores, whatever you call it.
I mean, I'm all for health and safety on the farm.
You know, I grew up in a generation where where
every summer there was those terrible stories of you know,
silent incidents and PTOs not being covered and goodness knows what.
But this general risk regulations and practicing farms safety. This
(06:49):
is an issue that I see Brook van Velden is
raising and addressing.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Look, I have come to the details of it, and
I suspect she may not be over all the details.
Anyone who's grown up on a farm probably has an idea.
There are some inherent risks. You know, if you're working
with animals or machinery, it is very risky. We do kill,
unfortunately and maim too many kids and adults on their farms,
(07:14):
so we do have to try harder. Don't think anyone
sets out to do that. It's just that, you know,
I guess people if you go back fifty years, people
were more practical, There were more people who came from
the regions, from rural areas, were probably used to these dangers.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Now you've got a world of virtual reality.
Speaker 5 (07:33):
You have people coming from the cities into farm environments
not aware of those dangers. So we do have to
try harder to have some better safety guidelines. But there
is a reality, of course, as I say, with an
animal or machine, it's not always predictable.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I just don't think we need to worry too much
about collecting the eggs from the trucks I think that's
some of those as well.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
I haven't seen that, and I've just got to you know,
whether it's beat up by by politicians or by by media. No,
I think there's some recently pragmatic things that should be done.
I was just lucky enough to have an adventure tourism
business before anyone invented regulations.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
We were lucky, you know, we got by, but you know,
as things move on, we.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Had to realize that there needs to be clear guidelines.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, beat up by a politician or a media, Damian,
I do not know what you are talking about, but
I know one thing you do know what you're talking
about is footy. I just want to ask you quickly
about will the Fortress of Eden Park remained intact as
of early September when we've got to take on those
South Africans and their bomb squad.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Well, that's going to be a great, great contest, and
I think, you know, I think we should.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I kind of like the way that the Rublects have kind.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Of evolved in some creative playing and you know, the
new rules a bit frustrating for people like the Australians
at times, but anyway, that's the way it goes, so
keep out figures cross.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Yah, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Damien O'Connor, thank you very much, much appreciated there we go.
Always good to chat to Damien. And yeah, that children
on farms, the child chores thing quite possibly that you know,
rules around collecting eggs from the.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Chooks could be a bit of a bit of a
beat up.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Next up Rebecca Greaves, her farm, her farm, Richard husband Richard.
They farm at Pomoroa, Northern Wider Upper Southern Hawks Bay,
right in the middle there. What's happened two years on
from Gabriel, how they addressed it? What about the local community,
great pub there, great pub there, And of course there's
the new road that sort of links them to the
(09:39):
other side of once they come over those couple of
big hills and they can get from Woodville to Farmers
to north lots to talk about.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Next up with Rebecca Greaves of course.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Award winning journalist as well, and later on the show
arable Farming Hamish mar from down meth and Way, of
course is our NZ special egg trade in Remember some
real negativity around the arable farming industry at the moment,
so we'll.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Be addressing that.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
That's coming up here on the country in the middle.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
Boy, cold beer on Friday night, a pair of jeans
that figures right, and radio.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
The country on your Tuesday, Hamus McKay with you, Did
I say Tuesday right? Elocution all that sort of thing,
you know, you get Tuesday out correctly.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Great to have you company, Hamus mcquaye.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
And for Jamie away on family duties this week, we're
going to go to well, I know she's on the
road today up through the Northern Hawks Bay, but of
course domicile down near Polara, which is sort of northern
Wider Rapper Southern Hawks Bay of Wood. When he journalists
in fact, a few years ago under another guy's Rebecca
(11:03):
Greaves and I teamed up and we won the journalistic
the Egg journal Journalism Guild Award. Sadly it was for
the coverage or something that we would prefer not to
have covered, that being cyclone.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Gabriel Becks joins us, Now, how are you?
Speaker 7 (11:21):
I'm great, Thanks, Hame, how are you? It's great to
hear you, hear you doing the country.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Oh, it's great to be in here.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
For the old boy is Damien kind of referred to
him earlier, but yeah, nice to be here right. Look,
one of our collaborations was the coverage of Cyclone Gabriel,
and it hit obviously such a wide sway the country.
But you were down there in Polara, right in the
heart of it. What are we a couple of years on.
I mean, how's the recovery going in that area?
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Yeah, I mean we weren't anywhere near as bad as
some of the more northern areas and Hawks Bay. I mean,
actually going up on my way to go to instead
of wire or to see a farm, it's a case
study that would have been quite affected by the cyclones.
I'm really interested to get on fun and see some
of the environmental stuff that I've been doing to kind
of future proof, I guess, will make the business more
(12:13):
resilient for future events. But yeah, we we've pretty much
that's everything. The back country is still just hanging out
because we're not really sure what to do with it.
We haven't sort of fertilized it. It's the fences are
I mean, the boundary fences are secured, but there's not
a lot else out there. But otherwise we've we've spent
(12:34):
a lot of money and yeah, I mean we've spent
the money up front we borrowed money to do it
so that we could farm the farm again really, so
to contain it to two years and then move on.
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Yeah, so you're show up, so we've got the boundary
fence back up and then and then then let the
further out country sort of run itself a bit, because
I know you had some pretty good results in terms
of landing percentages and things that when the US were
given a little bit more sort of of their freedom.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I remember you saying, yeah, well, that was.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
One blessing I guess was that at that time we
had plenty of feed and Ruschard had had the foresight
to open my husband to open a few gates, so
you know, when we couldn't get out the back, which
we couldn't, they were able to sort of spread themselves
out of it, which meant that they all had a
nice time and had plenty of feed. And yeah, we
did have a pretty good learning percentage after that will cyclone.
(13:30):
So I guess there's some silver linings.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, so a lot of popular planting that sort of thing.
What have you done.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Yeah, Well, we already had a whole fun plan with horizons,
and we were already doing a pretty extensive popular in
wallow planting program, but we've really rent that up so
we basically take as many poplars as we can in
wallows as we can get. So this year I think
we've got three fifty plant and you know, they're all
being space planted so that they you know, kind link
up and they're actually eligible for the eighty. They are
(14:00):
helping secure some of our roads, and the councils actually
jumped on board with that and we've now got a
program our way where they're doing they're actually funding that,
and some people came and planted more so they saw
some of the stuff that we'd actually been doing on
the faces below the roads, and they will hopefully help
combat the erosion on our farm but also stop the
(14:21):
roads from slipping and therefore hopefully mean that our axis
can stay maintained when we're on these gravel country roads.
That there's noting that I was looking at the stock
truck and trailer unit and can be a little challenging.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yeah, a little vulnerable with those populars once their root
structure starts to take hold. I mean, pretty bloody wondrous
things really, to be honest.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
Wow, do you know we had we had a group
of grown future farmers actually came on Monday last week
to have a look at what we were doing with
that sort of thing heavy look at some soils, and
we had someone Molly Olton from Balance and also our
local Timmy Cooper who helps us from Horizons with the poplars,
and we showed the students and they all planted one.
(15:08):
So Richard was happy because it was twelve less for
him to plant. And she bought this picture which showed
the root structure like it was a popular that had
actually been dug up. Someone must have spent I don't
know a long time, but I could not get over
how they spread. So it just gave me that visual
of what it would look like that met of roots
(15:28):
underneath the soil and how it would do such a
good job of holding the hillside together. So yeah, I
mean they look nice. You know, you feel good when
you plant them, but they also really do a job.
So yeah, we've been doing a massive program of there
and we'll just continue. It's like a business as usual
every year.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Aside from giving your husband Richard to tune up after
being laid back from golf, occasionally you used to give
me a bit of a tune up when I'd go
back to nineteen eighty six eighty seven post ride genomics
and talk about how we netted about forty cents for
a lamb. Well, you've added two hundred dollars to that recently.
I see two hundred dollars and forty cents for truck loads.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Four cents. But hey, you know he.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Is over thirty six cents. Rebecca grees.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
It started with the true. But yeah, I mean, I
think that's the first time we've ever cracked over two
hundred dollars for a lamb. But it's quite insane to
think that the year ago, you know, it was one
hundred dollars. If we're doing well and you know this
year it's two hundred, it's like, maybe it'd be quite
good if we could just consistently get something in the middle.
I don't know, but yeah, we're happy.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, No, as you should be. As you should be.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And I won't go back to nineteen eighty six and
one hundred and seven dollars Angus Wiena stairs that were magnificent.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
No, I'm not going to go there because showing.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
Your age, you're showing your age.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
I was one were true Oh my goodness, don't do
that to me. Now, polaraa and the community and the
pub and you've got a thing, what do you to
think called top team or something that you do there
coming up?
Speaker 7 (17:00):
I mean it's not for a little while, but if
we have it every year, and you know, I would
say that our team has won a few times, so
you know we're not.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Top team that you know you've won.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
You know, you can gloat all you like, but I
need some information on what is top team.
Speaker 7 (17:15):
And I think I think you should make a team
or maybe you know, we could bring you into our
team this year. I have to check, you know, the
availability that you have five people. You have to have
one female excu's me and you you get matched with
another team and you go around and you play five
(17:35):
different sports. So you play squash, you shoot some claybored,
you play some ultimate shot golf. I think do you
call it ambrose? Is that what it is? Poland darts
at the pub and I think we did indoor bowls
last year, We've done netball, and we've done all sorts
of other things in the past that the other sports
stay the same. And then there's also a theme and
(17:57):
you get points for your dress up and a winning
team is crowned top team for the year. And it's
such a great It's always the first weekend of October,
so's we've got some time home so you can get
in training.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Yeah, and we could make I feel like it. I
feel like it has these sort of wheels to be
a national event, you know, like Polara could be host.
The first nationals are regional winners, you know, especially the
dress up part. I know that'd be big for Jamie.
He'd be into that.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Does he like it dress apparently?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Yeah, and I've just heard that little rumor on the
grapevine apparently.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
And he doesn't have to go far to get the
dress up, if you know what I mean. Yes.
Speaker 7 (18:36):
Anyway, well, guess what the theme the dress up theme
is this year. We've already got it.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
What is it?
Speaker 7 (18:41):
You're going to love this? It's anything but clothes?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Oh my goodness zero zero dear well it there's Polarara
after all.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Rebecca.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Gre's always great to chat to you. And I know
one very last quick thing. The new road over the
Lower Rouhiney Rangers because it's on the roy Heeney sid
not the town of rus from Woodville suddenly become this
fantastic little town. Are you You like to do a
bit of retail therapy and partners the North, So you're
loving that that that new ride over the Hill.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
Well, since I broke my hand, I have to go
to Palmerston quite regularly for hands for the hospital visits.
So yes, it's been quite nice. That's like, oh, it's
a scenic total. I mean it's it's like a tourist
attraction all on its own. It's got sculptures and walking
tracks and biking tracks. Yeah, it's amazing. It's the native
plantings are incredible.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It's fantastic. We'll talk again. Rebecca Grees here on the
Country Alarm, the Country hammersmar for Jamie. Well, yeah, some
a few life lessons coming out of Pongoroa there anything
(19:58):
but clothes. That's an into topic, Rebecca Greaves or an
interesting theme for the dress up for their top team.
But what about lessons for Life in New Zealand and
twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Avery accountant.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Very knowledgeable person is Peter Alexander and it's come up
with these lessons for Life in New Zealand in twenty
twenty five. And I'm going to go straight to number nine,
which is which I'm sure would be the one my
dad would go because he used to say, these things
are an inanimate piece of junk.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Don't purchase a car until you have an income. Good eight,
How are you a much? Good afternoon, great to chat.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Look, this is a magnificent We were not going to
have a time to get through to number number seventy
one in but I tell you what, Gee, you've nailed
it here, haven't you. You've obviously put a bit of
thought into this, and I tell you what it's worth
its weight in gold. I'd love to park in front
of my twenty one year old now.
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Yes, I enjoy this writing these art. Of course, I've
had a long practice with this type of thing, and
I think every high school person in the country should
be reading something like this. Everyone's got a different perspective.
But a lot of our high school students are leaving school.
It's not good enough financial knowledge and they hit a
(21:20):
wall out in our hard society and they need to
get the hang of these type of lessons.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, look number two. I'll go to number two.
Speaker 9 (21:30):
Here.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Listen to mom and dad around the kitchen table. Learn
from their pain, their mistakes and their experience there and
all that in there, the wins and losses. Because as
a parent now of kids from twenty one to twenty five, Hell,
that's pertinent because I thought they need to see it all,
don't they? And they need to listen to it all
because it's you know, both sides of the coin.
Speaker 8 (21:52):
Yes, Round the kitchen table is about eighty percent of
the exercise for our young schools leading up to it.
Around that kitchen table, Mum and Dad can teach them
something enormous. Their school our schools is not really helping
them much in this area. They think they are, but
(22:13):
they're not really Hamish Mum and Dad are way ahead
of it. Around the kitchen table.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
And then you know, we've got never lose your sense
of humor, practice at work on it. Because this is
my current sort of mantra. My current motto is from
joy come strength.
Speaker 8 (22:33):
Yes, no, A good sense of humor with communication today
is so important. I mean, our business people need to
be preferred employers. It's so important. You can't do all
the work yourself. The sense of humor with working colleagues
is a very important issue, like job satisfaction. If you're
not getting job satisfaction, then whose fault is it?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's your fault.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah, yeah, you got to nail that. How long did
it take you to come up with this current article,
this list of seventy one plus lessons for life?
Speaker 8 (23:09):
Oh, probably a couple of hours. And then I get
my partner and my office staff and cross to peer
review it. Because I was bottom of the class in English,
top of the class in mathematics, and some people are
surprised that I can write this sort of stuff, But
it's all about life's experiences. I spent three years troubleshooting.
(23:29):
If you learn an enormous amount when you're helping a
couple who are going through a low patch financially, you
really learn.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
And one of the things I've learned, having had a
few moments of my own in recent times, is that
people go through those patches, but you can come back
from it if you apply the right sort of you know,
the right practices and support and not be shy to
ask for it.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Yes, it's very important.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
For example, with your partner.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
They may not know.
Speaker 8 (24:02):
As much as you do ha much about the business,
but your partner knows your weaknesses and those weaknesses are
really worth knowing. And you're quite right.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
You go through a low patch.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
Thirty percent of the people in this country, you are
probably living beyond their income and that is very hard going.
And there's nothing on the horizon at the moment. Just
kind of change that, and it makes these household budgets
very hard work.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Yeah, yeah, I like your personal growth should always be
with a capital G.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
I like that.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Yeah, it is so important. I mean you could mark time,
but growth, I mean, look at our company, look at
the world's countries. Every chancellor of the executives talking about growth.
But both involves hard work. It involves planning five years ahead.
It doesn't come overnight.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
No, And you know what you talk about growth and
planning ahead. I like number fifty seven. Set goals, but
not too many goals, not like years away, review them
at intervals, change direction when required. I guess that means
pivoting and always think long term, but be prepared to change.
Simple but effective.
Speaker 8 (25:14):
Yes, you can't think years ago. We used to do
budgets five years ahead. That would now be just not
very practical.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, but you do.
Speaker 8 (25:24):
Need to think twelve months ahead. I mean, nothing good
happens overnight without you putting it in place?
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah, Pet, how are we going to We're going to
have to make this available to people, so we'll work
on that because it is absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
That is Peter Alexander, agri accountant.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Very well qualified life experience, fantastic Peter Alexander's Lessons for
Life in New Zealand and twenty twenty five bloody mighty
stuff seventy odd points there and sorry, mister twenty one
year old and your fourth year at Lincoln University, this
is going to be plumped down in front of you
and we're going to have a.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Long heart chat. Himus McKay here on the country.
Speaker 10 (26:04):
I'm kind of led back and much an old country
Ballock meccain hack.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
It's early to rise, early in the sack.
Speaker 10 (26:11):
Thank god, I'm a country.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Twelve forty twenty minutes away from one time now. Michelle
Standing by Rural News, the.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading right
on lawn Bower Bread visit steel for dot co dot
N said for your local stockist.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
And I feel like you've kind of snooked me with
my rural News because you've spoken to people about these
things and I haven't had time to write anything else.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
I wouldn't deliberately. I love that term, snooky snookes. That's
quite good though.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Quent old fashioned term. Anyway to the Rural News, and
we mentioned it briefly with Damien of course where't place.
Relations and Safety Minister Brook van Valden has announced a
targeted consultation with farmers and the wider eggs sector to
ensure health and safety regulations reflect the realities of farm life.
So one of the proposed changes is to a mean
the general risk regulations to make it clear that young
(27:03):
people can take part doing light chores on family farms.
The consultation will take place with farmers and the egg
sector on the thresholds for light chores for children on farm,
such as collecting eggs, feeding small animals and watering plants,
or making sure safety is not compromised. Now, you and
I both grew up on sort of farming rural areas,
didn't we.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
I did appity in the northern Manu or two Cleava farm,
yes yeah.
Speaker 9 (27:26):
And I grew up down in Warry Para in South Otago.
I feed lambs, I lit.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
All sorts of things, well, dangerous thing that feeding lambs.
I mean the teat might come off and you might
get hot milk on you. That I shouldn't be facetious.
The eggs from the chucks I did.
Speaker 9 (27:41):
Indeed, that was one of the jobs. I had horses
as well, so I was out in the middle of
the night covering them and all sorts of boiling barley
at six am.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
I do think around horses and things. You've got it,
you know, because they so they're not deliberately unpredictable, but
they can be. And we've seen some terrible incidents of
a hoof to the head and you know, so you
do those things you need to teach without.
Speaker 9 (28:01):
Yeah, animals unpredictable. We've got to be worried about that.
And Sports now is right. We'll put you on for that,
ain't they?
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Oh shall I come on in with some sports news?
Speaker 9 (28:09):
Hang on, let me play this little sting first.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Okay, go.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Sports with a FCO visit them online at FCO dot
co dot nzed.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Love this blake actually Jerome Hughes, of course, Melbourne Storm
keyw WE halfback. He's signed with the Storm until twenty thirty.
Another five years you'll be thirty five. That's the club
for life. Love it when a club value is a
player like that, and a player values their club and
everybody's a winner. Now, ke We heavyweight boxer Larnie Daniels
(28:39):
of course lost to Claressa Shields in the US outpointed
in every round in fact, so that was a bit
of a I guess a reality check for Larnie Daniels,
but no doubt she'll be back and just unboxing. And
I mean we're talking a lot about Joseph Parker and
Usek the Big Ukrainian. But recently my Instagram has been
pummeled with a return to the nineteen eighties Michelle when
(29:02):
it was the division that had a Sugar Ray, Leonard Thomas,
the Hitman, Hearns, Marvis Marvel, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Jurand
and I am just obsessed with the pugilism from that time.
That was boxing at an unbelievable time. And I was
in the Northern mantor or two that we mentioned before,
(29:22):
Brian Bowski's gym at Combolton at the Oura Rugby football Club.
I tell you what I used to come up against,
guys by the name of Blue Tucky and a guy
who played rugby for man Or to a North Harbour
called Simon Clavis, So I reckon could have boxed anybody
in the world. Unfortunately, I couldn't fight my way out
of a wet paper bag if I tried. When it
came to boxing, I was hopeless. But I do love boxing.
(29:44):
And finally in sports news, a bit of an incident
up here in a big rugby college game. The one
a Auckland competition liston College have been a real bolt
from the blue, but one of their players on the
weekend a more hit the goal post and the crossbar
came crashing down on one of the liston College. Ford's
testament of just how strong this blake was, though uninjured,
(30:06):
even though the crossbar the goalpost crossbar hit him on
the old noggin. But fantastic and I just wanted to
mention too if I can, can I just go one?
Palmerston North Boys High School hosting Row to Ruer Boys
High in the Top eight final. This is probably the
I'm going to upset one or two in the South
Island and the Auckland region, But I reckon this is
(30:26):
the toughest competition in the country, the Top eight, which
has rote or Hamilton Tower or et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Napier boys.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
So that's the final the Saturday that is sport on
the country, life on.
Speaker 10 (30:40):
The farms kind of led back. Ain't much an old
country ball like McCain hack. It's early to rise, early
in the side, Thank god, country.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
This is the country on your Tuesday, Haimush McKay in
for Jamie for a couple of days this week as
he's away on very special family duty. Is great to
have your company now, Phil thing from weather what's yesterday?
Was bang on when referring to the weather in Auckland.
I've been so used to beautiful frosts and the matter
with two and blue skies up here. It is absolutely
(31:10):
persisting down and the wind is howling away. What's it
like down sort of methan way. We joined now by
NZI special ad trade end boy member of course, Hamish
markeday hamis how are you doing.
Speaker 11 (31:23):
Amosh' Very well? Thanks And the weather is a beautiful,
stunning day today, not a lot of claid, not a
lot of wind. We've had probably two or three weeks
now of what we would call perfect winter weather to
day's frosty mornings beautiful.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Yeah, fantastic, that's good. And that's what it's been like
where I sort of spend half of my time down
there with a great team. It remains in fielding, it's
been like that, but not here. Hey, look, of course,
farmer confidence survey time and the dairy guys pretty positive.
Sheep and beef sort of somewhere in the middle there.
But the arable terrrible world, much more challenging at the moment.
Speaker 11 (32:02):
Hamish, Yeah, that is it in a nutshell, but it's
probably worse than challenging. And to put that simply, I
would say that inflation has caught up with arable farming,
and I'm not surprised to hear that confidence is down
a lot, because that's how I would feel as well.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Okay, so well, what is really causing this this term all?
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Then? What are the what are the factors, what are
the imports?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Oh?
Speaker 11 (32:30):
Well, put really simply, we've got high cost structure that
has caught up with a sale structure that's based on
international price. So we've got high cost of production and
low output costs and the two have virtually merged. So
pedical ryegraphs, for example, the profit margin and the foundation
(32:55):
of bearable research did this work. So this isn't my research,
but the industries research. The profit margin really isn't a
straw that we sell as opposed to the seed that
we're selling, because the costs are all absorbed in the production,
So there's a tiny bit left at the end.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Yeah, and that would be a tiny bit, wouldn't it.
I mean, that's just the.
Speaker 11 (33:19):
We're talking about a profit margin of by the time
you take all your costs out, about five hundred dollars
a hectorre, which is negligible.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (33:28):
Look, what doesn't leave a lot of room for ERA?
Speaker 4 (33:33):
No? No, it doesn't leave zero room for ERA, basically
doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Okay, So what's the is there? You know, green Shoots
is the next twelve months. Is there any hope to
sort of to start turning this around?
Speaker 11 (33:47):
There is hope, Hamoush Yes, and I gave a presentation
of the conference a while ago and described errial sector
as the perfect storm. At the moment. We've had three
years of glow will over supply and forage seed industry.
So there's been very good harvest in the Northern Hemisphere
over the last wee while. So there's a lot of
(34:09):
seeds sitting around. We have got them out, as you said,
a dairy sector in a sheep sector that are feeling
buoyant again, particularly the sheaven beef, so they will be
wanting to regrasp the dairy sector. We wanting to feed grain.
So there is green shoots. But it highlights the fact
that our sector underpins all of those other ones and
(34:32):
there's very little room for us as arable farmers.
Speaker 4 (34:35):
They add value.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
It's interesting you say that perfect storm because I had
the absolute honor of being MC I think for the.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Arable Awards that was three or four years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Now in christ Church and I'm going and things weren't
as you described them now as we know they are,
it's not the way you describe them as fact. So
that perfect storm has sort of come and hopefully it's
going to pass sooner than later. What are some of
the things that we can do, you know, what are
some of the regulation issues and the tariffs of this
world that are that are that that can be addressed
(35:06):
or need to be addressed.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
Well, there's a there's a few key things to me.
The arable sector we rely on being efficient because we
live in a world where export customers are heavily subsidized.
We're not, so we have to be efficient as we can. Therefore,
we need access to good technology, good chemistry, the things
(35:31):
that we rely on, good import regulation. We have some
troubles with the EPA at the moment getting new technology
into the country, so it would be good effect could
be fixed. In terms of the effects of tariffs on
the arable industry, it's I think that we're still trying
to sail that ship through or negotiate our way through
(35:55):
those things. It's a bit hard to know just yet,
but it probably is having a positive effect in terms
of stuff that would be destined for the United States
that may well be going to other countries maybe to
avoid some of those tariffs. So look, Hamish, there is
green shoots for sure, but it's not that great just
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
No, I understand that, And let's hope things change in
terms of the EPA and in terms of ministry ministers, etc.
You know, where does the sort of the rocket under
the proverbial need to be.
Speaker 11 (36:28):
Well, the genuine thing about the arable industry is, to
my mind and the other farmer's mind, is that there
really is no one that's advocating on behalf ofout the
arable farmer per se. So if you think about their
in New Zealand, you think about beef and lamb, you
think about wine growers, you think about the other organizations,
(36:49):
the arable sector really doesn't have anyone that's doing that
on behalf of the sector. There is industry groups, but
no one that's genuinely doing it on behalf of the grower.
So I think that's the hosing we have to sort out.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yep, okay, so plenty plenty needs to happen. Let's hope
there's a turnaround and we can get rid of this
perfect storm. Haimersh Mar thank you very much for joining us.
Much appreciate it.
Speaker 11 (37:12):
No worries, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Okay, well that's about us for a Tuesday. We might
talk a bit of shearing tomorrow Prime Minister as well.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
We shall any feedback of.
Speaker 9 (37:28):
Note just that the Pomoroa District is actually Innatarua District apparently,
and also nearly choked on my muffin get out of
our lives government of course, referring to those new rules
around kids on farms and doing stuff.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Yes, I know, be careful feeding those chalks or putting
the teat on the hot milk for the lambs. That's
the country. We'll do it all again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Weesom Listen my coup this week with catch all the
latest from the land. It's the Country Podcast with Jamie MacKaye.
Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in John Deere construction equipment.
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie McKay thanks to Brent starkest of the
leading agriculture brands.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Texas down Now.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Good afternoon, Welcome into the Country, Harts mackay and again
for Jamie. Today's way on special family Duties. Great to
be here with you. A bit of beyond he to
get things going all day. I was thinking about this
earlier and I was a little bit like getting to
Michelle on this one, but I was thinking maybe a little.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Bit of Graham Brazier High.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Wind in Jamaica, you know, high Wind and Fong Array
high Wind and Tasman Bay. You know, we could have
done little bit of that given the way the weather
is in the way mister Duncan got it so spot
on yesterday. Coming up on the Country today, he's heeling
the special trade end boy member arable farmer Hamish Mar.
We'll talk to him about well, extremely low confidence levels
(01:06):
across the arable sector. It's pretty and stark contrast to
what we're seeing with the ten dollar plus boys. In
the majority of the dairy industry were those ones who
are sort of producing at less than five dollars a
kilogram or a little bit more perhaps gives them a
little bit more of a is a little bit more
meat in the sandwich, so to speak. Polar farmer and
(01:27):
media commentator journalist Forreca Greaves two years on from cyclone Gabriel.
She's right at the heart of that on their farm
over there and what I call the Southern Hawk's Bay,
Northern Wire Rappa somewhere right in the middle there, you know,
inland from Paihia tour. Plenty of that coming up here
on the country today. And I think we're going to
head straight to our man who was a parliamentary rugby
(01:49):
team legend on the open side flank. I presume that
was a position he always played, of course, from the
west coast.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Damien O'Connor, Damien, welcome, how.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Are you great Hamish? So nice to have you replacing
your older brother, Yeah, Jamie, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
He remains a remarkable nick given how much older he
is than me. I've got to hand it to him.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It is amazing. Yes, yeah, the good life does.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
That's what the good life exactly exactly. Hey, let's talk
food costs. That old chestnut undergoing in one direction.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Unfortunately, Look it is and pro Fonterra in the firing
line last week and a bit of an own goal.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
I guess.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
I think that Miles probably could have been prepared for
media when he had his meeting with Nichola Willis, and
Nicholas stirred this up, really put the heat on both
him and herself kind of blame cost of living on butter. Look,
it's one of those things that thankfully, through you know,
global commodity prices, we're all going to benefit from, but
(02:53):
there are some impacts back here at home. And of
course it's not just the price of butter. It's a
lot of other things. Electricity rates there are squeezing people.
They're feeling a bit agitated, and of course the price
of butter. It is it is a base but act
for most of our diets, and that's been in the
firing line. And I guess Fontier are the biggest company.
(03:16):
They were always going to have to explain it, and
Miles probably could have done better by just giving a
few clear lines when he came out of that meeting
and would have probably moved on. But nonetheless it's kind
of bouncing around still.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Yeah, I look, I agree with you in terms of
like I would like to have had Miles for ten
minutes before he walked down that alleyway past the one
used reporter and as you say, two or three sixth
lines and you put it to bed.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, well it is.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
I mean the issues of our food system and you know,
the domestic costs and the supermarkets and all that. It's
a bigger, wider issue. Fonterier is not responsible for all
of that, but it is. You know, the biggest players
in town are always going to, you know, have to
take some responsibility. And I know Fontier does do some
good work helping people who you know, probably can't afford
(04:07):
all the food that they need, and so you know,
they might have to step up, continue to step up.
And I think that's what you call social license. The
banks don't sponsor lots of things because they love giving
away money. He realizes a social license that they have
to earn as well.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
I think it was a football match, our own goals.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
I guess it had been Nichola Willis minus one, Miles
Horace minus one too, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So yeah, I think that's a good complute.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Room for improvement, Yeah, room for improvement. Tasman floods and
we've got a bit of rain coming in again too.
The whole weather watch thing just continues on Damien.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Look it is and these things aren't going to go away.
Speaker 5 (04:47):
And I guess people have been saying for twenty thirty
years that you know, is climate shifts, changes, warms, call
it what you like. We likely to have these events
that are more acute and certainly impact of Tasman and
modern Acre Valley in particular way Valley. You know, big
dump of rain came down and affected a whole lot
(05:08):
of people who you know are in the floodplain areas.
And I guess that's one of the things that we
learned from cycling, Gabrielle. You know, if you're on a floodplane,
then it's going to flood at some stage. And we
put up stock banks and we feel more secure and protective,
but ultimately, you know, nature has its way. And I
guess what happened in Moderaco over many years, there was
a lot of tobacco growing in those floodplaines. They were
(05:31):
annual crops. You took a chance, and every now and
then they get hammered. Now I've got a lot of
good investment in permanent structures around pears and apples and
hops and blueberries, and of course some of those pool growers.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Of hammered and it is tragic.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
Hopefully they'll get through it and hopefully they don't get
hammered again in the next day or so.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, sometimes the old television screen can conceal more than
it reveals. I mean, is the devastation more widespread than
we perhaps seeing it from Auckland or Palmerston author wherever
you're watching it from.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Well down the mode Acre Valley.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
It's pretty intense, you know, and up all the way
up back through tackle wear. No, I think the TV
has portrayed it pretty accurately, and for some it's really devastating.
Some people living in homes, they might be tiny homes,
they've shifted them there. They've literally been swept off their
foundations and they've lost everything.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
Yeah, I want to talk to this.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Children on farms, child labor, farming chores, whatever you call it.
I mean, I'm all for health and safety on the farm.
You know, I grew up in a generation where where
every summer there was those terrible stories of you know,
silent incidents and PTOs not being covered and goodness knows what.
But this general risk regulations and practicing farms safety. This
(06:49):
is an issue that I see Brook van Velden is
raising and addressing.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Look, I have come to the details of it, and
I suspect she may not be over all the details.
Anyone who's grown up on a farm probably has an idea.
There are some inherent risks. You know, if you're working
with animals or machinery, it is very risky. We do kill,
unfortunately and maim too many kids and adults on their farms,
(07:14):
so we do have to try harder. Don't think anyone
sets out to do that. It's just that, you know,
I guess people if you go back fifty years, people
were more practical, There were more people who came from
the regions, from rural areas, were probably used to these dangers.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Now you've got a world of virtual reality.
Speaker 5 (07:33):
You have people coming from the cities into farm environments
not aware of those dangers. So we do have to
try harder to have some better safety guidelines. But there
is a reality, of course, as I say, with an
animal or machine, it's not always predictable.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I just don't think we need to worry too much
about collecting the eggs from the trucks I think that's
some of those as well.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
I haven't seen that, and I've just got to you know,
whether it's beat up by by politicians or by by media. No,
I think there's some recently pragmatic things that should be done.
I was just lucky enough to have an adventure tourism
business before anyone invented regulations.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
We were lucky, you know, we got by, but you know,
as things move on, we.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Had to realize that there needs to be clear guidelines.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Yeah, beat up by a politician or a media, Damian,
I do not know what you are talking about, but
I know one thing you do know what you're talking
about is footy. I just want to ask you quickly
about will the Fortress of Eden Park remained intact as
of early September when we've got to take on those
South Africans and their bomb squad.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Well, that's going to be a great, great contest, and
I think, you know, I think we should.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
I kind of like the way that the Rublects have kind.
Speaker 5 (08:48):
Of evolved in some creative playing and you know, the
new rules a bit frustrating for people like the Australians
at times, but anyway, that's the way it goes, so
keep out figures cross.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
Yah, good stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Damien O'Connor, thank you very much, much appreciated there we go.
Always good to chat to Damien. And yeah, that children
on farms, the child chores thing quite possibly that you know,
rules around collecting eggs from the.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Chooks could be a bit of a bit of a
beat up.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Next up Rebecca Greaves, her farm, her farm, Richard husband Richard.
They farm at Pomoroa, Northern Wider Upper Southern Hawks Bay,
right in the middle there. What's happened two years on
from Gabriel, how they addressed it? What about the local community,
great pub there, great pub there, And of course there's
the new road that sort of links them to the
(09:39):
other side of once they come over those couple of
big hills and they can get from Woodville to Farmers
to north lots to talk about.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Next up with Rebecca Greaves of course.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Award winning journalist as well, and later on the show
arable Farming Hamish mar from down meth and Way, of
course is our NZ special egg trade in Remember some
real negativity around the arable farming industry at the moment,
so we'll.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Be addressing that.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
That's coming up here on the country in the middle.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
Boy, cold beer on Friday night, a pair of jeans
that figures right, and radio.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
The country on your Tuesday, Hamus McKay with you, Did
I say Tuesday right? Elocution all that sort of thing,
you know, you get Tuesday out correctly.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Great to have you company, Hamus mcquaye.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
And for Jamie away on family duties this week, we're
going to go to well, I know she's on the
road today up through the Northern Hawks Bay, but of
course domicile down near Polara, which is sort of northern
Wider Rapper Southern Hawks Bay of Wood. When he journalists
in fact, a few years ago under another guy's Rebecca
(11:03):
Greaves and I teamed up and we won the journalistic
the Egg journal Journalism Guild Award. Sadly it was for
the coverage or something that we would prefer not to
have covered, that being cyclone.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
Gabriel Becks joins us, Now, how are you?
Speaker 7 (11:21):
I'm great, Thanks, Hame, how are you? It's great to
hear you, hear you doing the country.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
Oh, it's great to be in here.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
For the old boy is Damien kind of referred to
him earlier, but yeah, nice to be here right. Look,
one of our collaborations was the coverage of Cyclone Gabriel,
and it hit obviously such a wide sway the country.
But you were down there in Polara, right in the
heart of it. What are we a couple of years on.
I mean, how's the recovery going in that area?
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Yeah, I mean we weren't anywhere near as bad as
some of the more northern areas and Hawks Bay. I mean,
actually going up on my way to go to instead
of wire or to see a farm, it's a case
study that would have been quite affected by the cyclones.
I'm really interested to get on fun and see some
of the environmental stuff that I've been doing to kind
of future proof, I guess, will make the business more
(12:13):
resilient for future events. But yeah, we we've pretty much
that's everything. The back country is still just hanging out
because we're not really sure what to do with it.
We haven't sort of fertilized it. It's the fences are
I mean, the boundary fences are secured, but there's not
a lot else out there. But otherwise we've we've spent
(12:34):
a lot of money and yeah, I mean we've spent
the money up front we borrowed money to do it
so that we could farm the farm again really, so
to contain it to two years and then move on.
You know.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Yeah, so you're show up, so we've got the boundary
fence back up and then and then then let the
further out country sort of run itself a bit, because
I know you had some pretty good results in terms
of landing percentages and things that when the US were
given a little bit more sort of of their freedom.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
I remember you saying, yeah, well, that was.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
One blessing I guess was that at that time we
had plenty of feed and Ruschard had had the foresight
to open my husband to open a few gates, so
you know, when we couldn't get out the back, which
we couldn't, they were able to sort of spread themselves
out of it, which meant that they all had a
nice time and had plenty of feed. And yeah, we
did have a pretty good learning percentage after that will cyclone.
(13:30):
So I guess there's some silver linings.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
Yeah, so a lot of popular planting that sort of thing.
What have you done.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Yeah, Well, we already had a whole fun plan with horizons,
and we were already doing a pretty extensive popular in
wallow planting program, but we've really rent that up so
we basically take as many poplars as we can in
wallows as we can get. So this year I think
we've got three fifty plant and you know, they're all
being space planted so that they you know, kind link
up and they're actually eligible for the eighty. They are
(14:00):
helping secure some of our roads, and the councils actually
jumped on board with that and we've now got a
program our way where they're doing they're actually funding that,
and some people came and planted more so they saw
some of the stuff that we'd actually been doing on
the faces below the roads, and they will hopefully help
combat the erosion on our farm but also stop the
(14:21):
roads from slipping and therefore hopefully mean that our axis
can stay maintained when we're on these gravel country roads.
That there's noting that I was looking at the stock
truck and trailer unit and can be a little challenging.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Yeah, a little vulnerable with those populars once their root
structure starts to take hold. I mean, pretty bloody wondrous
things really, to be honest.
Speaker 7 (14:46):
Wow, do you know we had we had a group
of grown future farmers actually came on Monday last week
to have a look at what we were doing with
that sort of thing heavy look at some soils, and
we had someone Molly Olton from Balance and also our
local Timmy Cooper who helps us from Horizons with the poplars,
and we showed the students and they all planted one.
(15:08):
So Richard was happy because it was twelve less for
him to plant. And she bought this picture which showed
the root structure like it was a popular that had
actually been dug up. Someone must have spent I don't
know a long time, but I could not get over
how they spread. So it just gave me that visual
of what it would look like that met of roots
(15:28):
underneath the soil and how it would do such a
good job of holding the hillside together. So yeah, I
mean they look nice. You know, you feel good when
you plant them, but they also really do a job.
So yeah, we've been doing a massive program of there
and we'll just continue. It's like a business as usual
every year.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Now.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Aside from giving your husband Richard to tune up after
being laid back from golf, occasionally you used to give
me a bit of a tune up when I'd go
back to nineteen eighty six eighty seven post ride genomics
and talk about how we netted about forty cents for
a lamb. Well, you've added two hundred dollars to that recently.
I see two hundred dollars and forty cents for truck loads.
Speaker 7 (16:09):
Four cents. But hey, you know he.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
Is over thirty six cents. Rebecca grees.
Speaker 7 (16:16):
It started with the true. But yeah, I mean, I
think that's the first time we've ever cracked over two
hundred dollars for a lamb. But it's quite insane to
think that the year ago, you know, it was one
hundred dollars. If we're doing well and you know this
year it's two hundred, it's like, maybe it'd be quite
good if we could just consistently get something in the middle.
I don't know, but yeah, we're happy.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, No, as you should be. As you should be.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And I won't go back to nineteen eighty six and
one hundred and seven dollars Angus Wiena stairs that were magnificent.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
No, I'm not going to go there because showing.
Speaker 7 (16:45):
Your age, you're showing your age.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
I was one were true Oh my goodness, don't do
that to me. Now, polaraa and the community and the
pub and you've got a thing, what do you to
think called top team or something that you do there
coming up?
Speaker 7 (17:00):
I mean it's not for a little while, but if
we have it every year, and you know, I would
say that our team has won a few times, so
you know we're not.
Speaker 4 (17:10):
Top team that you know you've won.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
You know, you can gloat all you like, but I
need some information on what is top team.
Speaker 7 (17:15):
And I think I think you should make a team
or maybe you know, we could bring you into our
team this year. I have to check, you know, the
availability that you have five people. You have to have
one female excu's me and you you get matched with
another team and you go around and you play five
(17:35):
different sports. So you play squash, you shoot some claybored,
you play some ultimate shot golf. I think do you
call it ambrose? Is that what it is? Poland darts
at the pub and I think we did indoor bowls
last year, We've done netball, and we've done all sorts
of other things in the past that the other sports
stay the same. And then there's also a theme and
(17:57):
you get points for your dress up and a winning
team is crowned top team for the year. And it's
such a great It's always the first weekend of October,
so's we've got some time home so you can get
in training.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Yeah, and we could make I feel like it. I
feel like it has these sort of wheels to be
a national event, you know, like Polara could be host.
The first nationals are regional winners, you know, especially the
dress up part. I know that'd be big for Jamie.
He'd be into that.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Does he like it dress apparently?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
Yeah, and I've just heard that little rumor on the
grapevine apparently.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
And he doesn't have to go far to get the
dress up, if you know what I mean. Yes.
Speaker 7 (18:36):
Anyway, well, guess what the theme the dress up theme
is this year. We've already got it.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
What is it?
Speaker 7 (18:41):
You're going to love this? It's anything but clothes?
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Oh my goodness zero zero dear well it there's Polarara
after all.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Rebecca.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Gre's always great to chat to you. And I know
one very last quick thing. The new road over the
Lower Rouhiney Rangers because it's on the roy Heeney sid
not the town of rus from Woodville suddenly become this
fantastic little town. Are you You like to do a
bit of retail therapy and partners the North, So you're
loving that that that new ride over the Hill.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
Well, since I broke my hand, I have to go
to Palmerston quite regularly for hands for the hospital visits.
So yes, it's been quite nice. That's like, oh, it's
a scenic total. I mean it's it's like a tourist
attraction all on its own. It's got sculptures and walking
tracks and biking tracks. Yeah, it's amazing. It's the native
plantings are incredible.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It's fantastic. We'll talk again. Rebecca Grees here on the
Country Alarm, the Country hammersmar for Jamie. Well, yeah, some
a few life lessons coming out of Pongoroa there anything
(19:58):
but clothes. That's an into topic, Rebecca Greaves or an
interesting theme for the dress up for their top team.
But what about lessons for Life in New Zealand and
twenty twenty five?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Avery accountant.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Very knowledgeable person is Peter Alexander and it's come up
with these lessons for Life in New Zealand in twenty
twenty five. And I'm going to go straight to number nine,
which is which I'm sure would be the one my
dad would go because he used to say, these things
are an inanimate piece of junk.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Don't purchase a car until you have an income. Good eight,
How are you a much? Good afternoon, great to chat.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Look, this is a magnificent We were not going to
have a time to get through to number number seventy
one in but I tell you what, Gee, you've nailed
it here, haven't you. You've obviously put a bit of
thought into this, and I tell you what it's worth
its weight in gold. I'd love to park in front
of my twenty one year old now.
Speaker 8 (20:56):
Yes, I enjoy this writing these art. Of course, I've
had a long practice with this type of thing, and
I think every high school person in the country should
be reading something like this. Everyone's got a different perspective.
But a lot of our high school students are leaving school.
It's not good enough financial knowledge and they hit a
(21:20):
wall out in our hard society and they need to
get the hang of these type of lessons.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Yeah, look number two. I'll go to number two.
Speaker 9 (21:30):
Here.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Listen to mom and dad around the kitchen table. Learn
from their pain, their mistakes and their experience there and
all that in there, the wins and losses. Because as
a parent now of kids from twenty one to twenty five, Hell,
that's pertinent because I thought they need to see it all,
don't they? And they need to listen to it all
because it's you know, both sides of the coin.
Speaker 8 (21:52):
Yes, Round the kitchen table is about eighty percent of
the exercise for our young schools leading up to it.
Around that kitchen table, Mum and Dad can teach them
something enormous. Their school our schools is not really helping
them much in this area. They think they are, but
(22:13):
they're not really Hamish Mum and Dad are way ahead
of it. Around the kitchen table.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:20):
And then you know, we've got never lose your sense
of humor, practice at work on it. Because this is
my current sort of mantra. My current motto is from
joy come strength.
Speaker 8 (22:33):
Yes, no, A good sense of humor with communication today
is so important. I mean, our business people need to
be preferred employers. It's so important. You can't do all
the work yourself. The sense of humor with working colleagues
is a very important issue, like job satisfaction. If you're
not getting job satisfaction, then whose fault is it?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It's your fault.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah, yeah, you got to nail that. How long did
it take you to come up with this current article,
this list of seventy one plus lessons for life?
Speaker 8 (23:09):
Oh, probably a couple of hours. And then I get
my partner and my office staff and cross to peer
review it. Because I was bottom of the class in English,
top of the class in mathematics, and some people are
surprised that I can write this sort of stuff, But
it's all about life's experiences. I spent three years troubleshooting.
(23:29):
If you learn an enormous amount when you're helping a
couple who are going through a low patch financially, you
really learn.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
And one of the things I've learned, having had a
few moments of my own in recent times, is that
people go through those patches, but you can come back
from it if you apply the right sort of you know,
the right practices and support and not be shy to
ask for it.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
Yes, it's very important.
Speaker 8 (23:58):
For example, with your partner.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
They may not know.
Speaker 8 (24:02):
As much as you do ha much about the business,
but your partner knows your weaknesses and those weaknesses are
really worth knowing. And you're quite right.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
You go through a low patch.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
Thirty percent of the people in this country, you are
probably living beyond their income and that is very hard going.
And there's nothing on the horizon at the moment. Just
kind of change that, and it makes these household budgets
very hard work.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
Yeah, yeah, I like your personal growth should always be
with a capital G.
Speaker 5 (24:34):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
I like that.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
Yeah, it is so important. I mean you could mark time,
but growth, I mean, look at our company, look at
the world's countries. Every chancellor of the executives talking about growth.
But both involves hard work. It involves planning five years ahead.
It doesn't come overnight.
Speaker 3 (24:55):
No, And you know what you talk about growth and
planning ahead. I like number fifty seven. Set goals, but
not too many goals, not like years away, review them
at intervals, change direction when required. I guess that means
pivoting and always think long term, but be prepared to change.
Simple but effective.
Speaker 8 (25:14):
Yes, you can't think years ago. We used to do
budgets five years ahead. That would now be just not
very practical.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Yeah, but you do.
Speaker 8 (25:24):
Need to think twelve months ahead. I mean, nothing good
happens overnight without you putting it in place?
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah, Pet, how are we going to We're going to
have to make this available to people, so we'll work
on that because it is absolutely brilliant.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
That is Peter Alexander, agri accountant.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Very well qualified life experience, fantastic Peter Alexander's Lessons for
Life in New Zealand and twenty twenty five bloody mighty
stuff seventy odd points there and sorry, mister twenty one
year old and your fourth year at Lincoln University, this
is going to be plumped down in front of you
and we're going to have a.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
Long heart chat. Himus McKay here on the country.
Speaker 10 (26:04):
I'm kind of led back and much an old country
Ballock meccain hack.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
It's early to rise, early in the sack.
Speaker 10 (26:11):
Thank god, I'm a country.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Twelve forty twenty minutes away from one time now. Michelle
Standing by Rural News, the.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
Country's world news with Cod Cadet, New Zealand's leading right
on lawn Bower Bread visit steel for dot co dot
N said for your local stockist.
Speaker 9 (26:28):
And I feel like you've kind of snooked me with
my rural News because you've spoken to people about these
things and I haven't had time to write anything else.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
I wouldn't deliberately. I love that term, snooky snookes. That's
quite good though.
Speaker 9 (26:42):
Quent old fashioned term. Anyway to the Rural News, and
we mentioned it briefly with Damien of course where't place.
Relations and Safety Minister Brook van Valden has announced a
targeted consultation with farmers and the wider eggs sector to
ensure health and safety regulations reflect the realities of farm life.
So one of the proposed changes is to a mean
the general risk regulations to make it clear that young
(27:03):
people can take part doing light chores on family farms.
The consultation will take place with farmers and the egg
sector on the thresholds for light chores for children on farm,
such as collecting eggs, feeding small animals and watering plants,
or making sure safety is not compromised. Now, you and
I both grew up on sort of farming rural areas,
didn't we.
Speaker 4 (27:22):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
I did appity in the northern Manu or two Cleava farm,
yes yeah.
Speaker 9 (27:26):
And I grew up down in Warry Para in South Otago.
I feed lambs, I lit.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
All sorts of things, well, dangerous thing that feeding lambs.
I mean the teat might come off and you might
get hot milk on you. That I shouldn't be facetious.
The eggs from the chucks I did.
Speaker 9 (27:41):
Indeed, that was one of the jobs. I had horses
as well, so I was out in the middle of
the night covering them and all sorts of boiling barley
at six am.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
I do think around horses and things. You've got it,
you know, because they so they're not deliberately unpredictable, but
they can be. And we've seen some terrible incidents of
a hoof to the head and you know, so you
do those things you need to teach without.
Speaker 9 (28:01):
Yeah, animals unpredictable. We've got to be worried about that.
And Sports now is right. We'll put you on for that,
ain't they?
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Oh shall I come on in with some sports news?
Speaker 9 (28:09):
Hang on, let me play this little sting first.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Okay, go.
Speaker 1 (28:13):
Sports with a FCO visit them online at FCO dot
co dot nzed.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
Love this blake actually Jerome Hughes, of course, Melbourne Storm
keyw WE halfback. He's signed with the Storm until twenty thirty.
Another five years you'll be thirty five. That's the club
for life. Love it when a club value is a
player like that, and a player values their club and
everybody's a winner. Now, ke We heavyweight boxer Larnie Daniels
(28:39):
of course lost to Claressa Shields in the US outpointed
in every round in fact, so that was a bit
of a I guess a reality check for Larnie Daniels,
but no doubt she'll be back and just unboxing. And
I mean we're talking a lot about Joseph Parker and
Usek the Big Ukrainian. But recently my Instagram has been
pummeled with a return to the nineteen eighties Michelle when
(29:02):
it was the division that had a Sugar Ray, Leonard Thomas,
the Hitman, Hearns, Marvis Marvel, Marvin Hagler and Roberto Jurand
and I am just obsessed with the pugilism from that time.
That was boxing at an unbelievable time. And I was
in the Northern mantor or two that we mentioned before,
(29:22):
Brian Bowski's gym at Combolton at the Oura Rugby football Club.
I tell you what I used to come up against,
guys by the name of Blue Tucky and a guy
who played rugby for man Or to a North Harbour
called Simon Clavis, So I reckon could have boxed anybody
in the world. Unfortunately, I couldn't fight my way out
of a wet paper bag if I tried. When it
came to boxing, I was hopeless. But I do love boxing.
(29:44):
And finally in sports news, a bit of an incident
up here in a big rugby college game. The one
a Auckland competition liston College have been a real bolt
from the blue, but one of their players on the
weekend a more hit the goal post and the crossbar
came crashing down on one of the liston College. Ford's
testament of just how strong this blake was, though uninjured,
(30:06):
even though the crossbar the goalpost crossbar hit him on
the old noggin. But fantastic and I just wanted to
mention too if I can, can I just go one?
Palmerston North Boys High School hosting Row to Ruer Boys
High in the Top eight final. This is probably the
I'm going to upset one or two in the South
Island and the Auckland region, But I reckon this is
(30:26):
the toughest competition in the country, the Top eight, which
has rote or Hamilton Tower or et cetera, et cetera.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Napier boys.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
So that's the final the Saturday that is sport on
the country, life on.
Speaker 10 (30:40):
The farms kind of led back. Ain't much an old
country ball like McCain hack. It's early to rise, early
in the side, Thank god, country.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
This is the country on your Tuesday, Haimush McKay in
for Jamie for a couple of days this week as
he's away on very special family duty. Is great to
have your company now, Phil thing from weather what's yesterday?
Was bang on when referring to the weather in Auckland.
I've been so used to beautiful frosts and the matter
with two and blue skies up here. It is absolutely
(31:10):
persisting down and the wind is howling away. What's it
like down sort of methan way. We joined now by
NZI special ad trade end boy member of course, Hamish
markeday hamis how are you doing.
Speaker 11 (31:23):
Amosh' Very well? Thanks And the weather is a beautiful,
stunning day today, not a lot of claid, not a
lot of wind. We've had probably two or three weeks
now of what we would call perfect winter weather to
day's frosty mornings beautiful.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Yeah, fantastic, that's good. And that's what it's been like
where I sort of spend half of my time down
there with a great team. It remains in fielding, it's
been like that, but not here. Hey, look, of course,
farmer confidence survey time and the dairy guys pretty positive.
Sheep and beef sort of somewhere in the middle there.
But the arable terrrible world, much more challenging at the moment.
Speaker 11 (32:02):
Hamish, Yeah, that is it in a nutshell, but it's
probably worse than challenging. And to put that simply, I
would say that inflation has caught up with arable farming,
and I'm not surprised to hear that confidence is down
a lot, because that's how I would feel as well.
Speaker 3 (32:21):
Okay, so well, what is really causing this this term all?
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Then? What are the what are the factors, what are
the imports?
Speaker 2 (32:30):
Oh?
Speaker 11 (32:30):
Well, put really simply, we've got high cost structure that
has caught up with a sale structure that's based on
international price. So we've got high cost of production and
low output costs and the two have virtually merged. So
pedical ryegraphs, for example, the profit margin and the foundation
(32:55):
of bearable research did this work. So this isn't my research,
but the industries research. The profit margin really isn't a
straw that we sell as opposed to the seed that
we're selling, because the costs are all absorbed in the production,
So there's a tiny bit left at the end.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Yeah, and that would be a tiny bit, wouldn't it.
I mean, that's just the.
Speaker 11 (33:19):
We're talking about a profit margin of by the time
you take all your costs out, about five hundred dollars
a hectorre, which is negligible.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (33:28):
Look, what doesn't leave a lot of room for ERA?
Speaker 4 (33:33):
No? No, it doesn't leave zero room for ERA, basically
doesn't it.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
Okay, So what's the is there? You know, green Shoots
is the next twelve months. Is there any hope to
sort of to start turning this around?
Speaker 11 (33:47):
There is hope, Hamoush Yes, and I gave a presentation
of the conference a while ago and described errial sector
as the perfect storm. At the moment. We've had three
years of glow will over supply and forage seed industry.
So there's been very good harvest in the Northern Hemisphere
over the last wee while. So there's a lot of
(34:09):
seeds sitting around. We have got them out, as you said,
a dairy sector in a sheep sector that are feeling
buoyant again, particularly the sheaven beef, so they will be
wanting to regrasp the dairy sector. We wanting to feed grain.
So there is green shoots. But it highlights the fact
that our sector underpins all of those other ones and
(34:32):
there's very little room for us as arable farmers.
Speaker 4 (34:35):
They add value.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
It's interesting you say that perfect storm because I had
the absolute honor of being MC I think for the.
Speaker 4 (34:41):
Arable Awards that was three or four years ago.
Speaker 3 (34:44):
Now in christ Church and I'm going and things weren't
as you described them now as we know they are,
it's not the way you describe them as fact. So
that perfect storm has sort of come and hopefully it's
going to pass sooner than later. What are some of
the things that we can do, you know, what are
some of the regulation issues and the tariffs of this
world that are that are that that can be addressed
(35:06):
or need to be addressed.
Speaker 11 (35:08):
Well, there's a there's a few key things to me.
The arable sector we rely on being efficient because we
live in a world where export customers are heavily subsidized.
We're not, so we have to be efficient as we can. Therefore,
we need access to good technology, good chemistry, the things
(35:31):
that we rely on, good import regulation. We have some
troubles with the EPA at the moment getting new technology
into the country, so it would be good effect could
be fixed. In terms of the effects of tariffs on
the arable industry, it's I think that we're still trying
to sail that ship through or negotiate our way through
(35:55):
those things. It's a bit hard to know just yet,
but it probably is having a positive effect in terms
of stuff that would be destined for the United States
that may well be going to other countries maybe to
avoid some of those tariffs. So look, Hamish, there is
green shoots for sure, but it's not that great just
at the moment.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
No, I understand that, And let's hope things change in
terms of the EPA and in terms of ministry ministers, etc.
You know, where does the sort of the rocket under
the proverbial need to be.
Speaker 11 (36:28):
Well, the genuine thing about the arable industry is, to
my mind and the other farmer's mind, is that there
really is no one that's advocating on behalf ofout the
arable farmer per se. So if you think about their
in New Zealand, you think about beef and lamb, you
think about wine growers, you think about the other organizations,
(36:49):
the arable sector really doesn't have anyone that's doing that
on behalf of the sector. There is industry groups, but
no one that's genuinely doing it on behalf of the grower.
So I think that's the hosing we have to sort out.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yep, okay, so plenty plenty needs to happen. Let's hope
there's a turnaround and we can get rid of this
perfect storm. Haimersh Mar thank you very much for joining us.
Much appreciate it.
Speaker 11 (37:12):
No worries, thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (37:19):
Okay, well that's about us for a Tuesday. We might
talk a bit of shearing tomorrow Prime Minister as well.
Speaker 4 (37:27):
We shall any feedback of.
Speaker 9 (37:28):
Note just that the Pomoroa District is actually Innatarua District apparently,
and also nearly choked on my muffin get out of
our lives government of course, referring to those new rules
around kids on farms and doing stuff.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
Yes, I know, be careful feeding those chalks or putting
the teat on the hot milk for the lambs. That's
the country. We'll do it all again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Weesom Listen my coup this week with catch all the
latest from the land. It's the Country Podcast with Jamie MacKaye.
Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in John Deere construction equipment.
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