October 6, 2025 • 38 mins
Hamish McKay talks to Todd McClay, Bex Green, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Kate Acland.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue. Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Dere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
For the first time in my life. That's why I
tell you you'd better be home soon.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good afternoon, Welcome out of the Country. Brought to you
by Brent ho Hamers MacKaye and for Jamie McKay. Great
to have your company on your Tuesday right across New Zealand.
Coming up, we go Heartland with Ian Kirkpatrick, All Black
great out of Tyre Raffert. He's been keeping a bit
of an eye on his old Poverty Bay boys in
the in the Lahore Trophy. There in the Heartland Rugby.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ask Bella. Who is Bella?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You might say Kate Ecklin from beaver Lamb and Zed
will tell us more about Bella.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Very friendly as Bella has all the answers. Bella.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You might know Bella of that particular shape and form.
We continue our focus on Mental Health Awareness Week. A
beautiful story, a sad story that becomes a winning story.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We go to North Canterbury for that. But first up
twelve oh eight Trade in India Todd McClay. Next, Yes,
(01:36):
it is.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
A time to go ministerial on things Minister of ag
and Trade, amongst other things.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Todd McLay, good afternoon.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Todd haymous good afternoon. Can I say you have the
best music in the country and I'm either showing my
age or a misspent youth, but I reckon that's only
half the reason people tune in.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Yeah, well, I don't know whether it's me or the
other Mackay Jamie who need claim responsibility. I think often
Michelle who does such a good job of being playing
DJ on the show. But yeah, it hard to beat
to the old bit of the old crowded house. Okay,
India trade deal, how are we looking there?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah, look, there's a lot of momentum and pace going on.
But fair to say, trade agreements always very difficult to negotiate,
particularly for New Zealand. You know, we have the world's
best farmers producing the highest quality, safest food, and I've
got to say that producers elsewhere are envious and governments
protect But we've now had three formal rounds of negotiation
(02:33):
with India. There's another one coming up in India very
very shortly, and both sides have said we want to
get this done and get it done quickly. And we
remain committed to delivering a trade agreement that you know
that will move the economy forward with India during this
term of parliament.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Okay, so three rounds down, are yet? How confident are
you told that you've got the fourth round knockout blow
lined up.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
When when we launched earlier in the year, and Amy's
going to remember, everyone said it wasn't possible, it would
be years away. INDI would never do it. When I
flew out to India and we sat down with my
counterpart PS Gooyal, we both agreed would only launch if
we're committed to getting it done. So you know, that's
the first time India have said that. The second thing
(03:19):
is when the US put that fifty percent tariff on India,
Prime Mister Modi and PS Gooyal both said two things.
Number one, Indian should buy more from India. Number two,
they are accelerating their free trade negotiations with the European Union,
with Norway and with New Zealand. And so it's the
first time in my history, my seventeen years in this parliament,
(03:40):
I've heard the Indian government say we're going to do
a deal with New Zealand. But I want to caution
it's always difficult, it's always hard, and the tough stuff
we have to keep talking about. We're going to make
sure we get out there good access for New Zealand
farmers in that market as we have in China and European,
New New UK and many other countries, to give them choice.
We're going to keep discussing, negotiating until I think I
(04:02):
can come back to Prime Minister DeLux and New Zealand
farmers and say this is good enough to do.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Toddy, were you an opening batter or left arm spinner,
because the cricketers have been the only guys from New
Zealand have really sort of seemed to have had any
cut through in India in the past.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
But you seem to be seen to be making headway made.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
They didn't help me. I'm out there trying to get
a negotiation launched and Bloody in New Zealand was beating
the Indians right, So I said the message. They calmed
down a bit for the natural God. No, look, it's
about it's about relationship. I've taken a very different approach
to a trade and agriculture this time as a minister.
Then when I was Minister of Trade last time. You
think about businesses, right, you don't enter into a long
(04:41):
term business relationship with somebody to rip them off or
to get as much as you can and then go
somewhere else. You want to build a long term business
relationship and it's based on trust and understanding and working
things out. And so that's the approach that I've taken
with the UAE when we've got that deal last year
in record time. The GCC, including Saudi we got one
you know, it was dead over eighteen years. And now
(05:02):
with India and it's just mutual respect that they have
sensitive issues as we have. We've agreed to rather than
just leave on negotiator's bag head, we will try and
find solutions that you know, can help each each side.
And so far the negotiators are tough and they're hard,
but they are reaching agreement in an area and so
progress is big made.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Right Okay, Now, forestry tariffs, what's the situation there?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
With the US, Well, we faced a no tariff into
the US. You know, across the board. New Zealand's face
phase ten percent. When President Trump came in, it was
moved to fifteen percent. Solely because we have a trade surplace.
We sell them a small amount more than we buy.
He's had a special investigation into softwood going to the
US market and he's come out with tarasov for New
(05:48):
Zealand ten percent in itself. That is harmful and it's
unwarranted and it's not welcome. But what we do know
is they need the wood from New Zealand house where
to build their houses. If I compare New Zealand exporters
to say Canada, the same wood product face almost fifty
percent tariff. So we're not worse off there. But you know,
we have seen from the US the President Trump campaigned
(06:10):
on tariff and he has a tariff agenda, and we
are working with the wood industry of a period of
time and many others, so i'd better understand, you know,
the effectors will have on them and to assist them.
Most of them are telling me they will be able
to keep trading that market, just as our beef is
still going up there, the areus going up there and
so on. What I'm most concerned about. And I met
(06:30):
with my US counterpart a week or so ago in Malaysia.
I think it's my fourth and person meeting with him,
I said, what is concerning me the most, apart from
the tariffs that are unwarranted and are harmful I was
pushing costs up for US consumers is the uncertain nature
and the change, and that is actually what's having the
biggest impact upon their exporters. And our officials are meeting
(06:53):
monthsly to try and work through that so we can
get a bit more certain ded. But you know, we
are in a raging now where the US has said
they're going to apply terraffs. Our trade is not necessarily
going down, but it is very uncertain. It's getting more
and more challenging.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, okay, well, let's hope you can get a bit
more surety around those issues with the tariffs into the US. Look, Tod,
we're not against a bit of self praise. Mood of
the boardroom had you at fourth You're obviously working very hard.
But this leads to another thing, which is Mental Health
Awareness Week. What do you do to keep your top
two inches in check as busy as you are.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That's so interesting.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
I haven't thought about it. I just get a bit
and going to the job every day. But I'll tell
you what keeps driving me forward. It is the hard
working men and women in rural New Zealand who support
the economy and create jobs, and how much they were
banged around over the last six years of the Labor government.
I'm not going to make this political, but when we
came in, rural confidence was at record low levels and
(07:53):
that's just ridiculous because New Zealand farmers contributed so much
and always have for New Zealand to New Zealand economy.
And so what I've done with my three associates across agriculture,
our job is to be a champion of talk about
the good things and where something is not working final solutions,
don't blame And you know I've got to say that
with Matt Doocy also, who's our mental health muse's first
(08:13):
mental health Minister. I spent a lot of time talking
to him about how we need to engage with the
sector and experts there and everyday farmers and communities to
work out what more we should be doing. You don't
find the solutions sitting in Wellington talking to your officials.
And that's done a really really good job. You'll have
seen we announced funding and new programs at the budget
this year around rural health and mental health, and we've
(08:35):
worked with a lot of people you know, across the
board to get it right. But I've got to say
that I am very pleased that rural confidence levels are up.
There's still hard work to do, but there's confidence levels
up because I think not only a commodity prices is
good and we're getting the costs down through city bureaucracy,
farmers are setting valued.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Again fantastic and so they should. I the backbone of
the country.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
That's our minister Todd mcclady are joining us here on
the country. It is coming up to sixteen minutes after midday.
Let's have a little bit more of the old crowded
house to take us through of the.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Brain tarning mill.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That's why I'll.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Tell you looking out for our farmers on the country
with Federated Farmers proud supporters of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Right here on the country, we continue our look at
a very very important top and a huge week. It
is Mental Health Awareness Week and our guests today Becks.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Green North Canterbury Fed's President A Bex.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
How are you good things show you?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
No, I'm fighting, fighting fit. But that wasn't the case
for you after a certain game of netball?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Was it a little.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
While back, which is sort of the I guess, the
underlying theme to this chat that we're about to have,
because what was that three or four years ago?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Yeah, about four years ago, I was playing Nipple and
had played Neckmare my whole license. I think I was
about five, and you know, I always loved it, played
throughout having children and in between children and things like that,
and yeah, playing a really great game, I thought, and
lo and behold, I just sort of my knee gave
out and turned out I'd ruptured my ACL. So my
(10:31):
first major injury from playing Nipple.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I guess, and something.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Okay, you'd never experienced a major injury before, and you
were heading into a very busy.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Time on farming right before carving, and yeah, pretty yeah,
so take us through the next stages of this. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
Look, my husband obviously wasn't very happy about the injury
timing happening just before carving, So yeah, I didn't really
have much of a choice but to get through carving
with a knee brace. Hobbled myself around all the farm
and on the uneven ground, and wore some better boots
to try and help, and yeah, it was a really
(11:12):
tough time. To be honest, I struggled a lot. I
couldn't exercise, hadn't been so active my whole life, and
struggled to really do anything. And obviously the following summer,
my husband decided to do the longest day coast to coast,
and I really really struggled watching him go off and exercise,
(11:33):
and I was stuck at home looking after kids and
not been able to do much with my knee.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So while the knee was healing, the top two inches,
we was sort of clouding over.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Things were getting a bit grayer.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
Oh well, And truly it was having been so active
my whole life, I've always you know, hyped, and you know,
family adventures, family biking, and biking on my own, and
so watching your husband leave and go and do that
and you're stuck at home. You can't even turn your
(12:06):
legs on the bike, and you can't even manage a
walk out on the farm with the kids was really
really tough. And so my top two inches, yeah, just
really we're in a dark place. And I hid in
the bedroom and put my kids on devices, which was
a really crap thing to do. Over summer, but I
just couldn't bear doing anything. Basically, I was really unhappy and.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Was your knee worst because you had to do that
work at carving time.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
There was no plan B.
Speaker 6 (12:38):
Yeah, there was no plan B. I did have to
put in a lot of work to get my knee
strong enough surgery, which was really tough, a lot of
strength exercises and things like that, and I found it
really difficult coming back from the knee injury and having
carving on top of me. So it was a super
(13:00):
busy time of year. I couldn't manage much exercise, much
strength exercises, and I had to get within a certain
level to get the surgery, which happened. Didn't happen until
about seven eight months later.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Okay, your husband is training for the longest day. Is
he aware of what's.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Going on or was he used to you being super strong,
super tough and not somebody that he, you know, would
expect to be feeling the way you were feeling.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Yeah, I think he was somewhat aware. Obviously he knew
he wasn't coming home to a happy wife, but I
don't think he had the capacity to really deal with
that because he was very focused. He was very driven.
You know, he had a set plan, you know, a
set goal in mind of how he wanted to achieve
(13:49):
the longest day for coast to coast, And so we
lived very different lives, I would say. And yes, I
think he thought that I'd cope, I'd manage, you know,
I've I'm a strong person at home, I do everything
for the kids, and you know, run the business behind
the scenes. And so I guess we were able to, yeah,
(14:13):
not really be on the same path over that summer,
and our marriage really struggled because of it.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, And I think there are plenty of partners out
there who see the other partner in the relationship is
that the rock the strong ones, so they don't ask
and they perhaps don't take it on fully on board.
When did you at what point did you go to
I need some help or was anybody checking in on you?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Did anybody notice outside away from your husband, Was any
of your friends saying, hey, what's up? You all good?
Speaker 5 (14:42):
No?
Speaker 6 (14:42):
And I think that's what I struggled with the most,
is that I didn't have anyone really asking me, you know,
how are you really doing? You know, some are ever
intends to do their own thing, you know, go away
on holidays, and with Blair training so much, we just
sort of stayed at home while he ained, and so yeah,
nobody was really checking in on me. And my family
(15:04):
live in Northland, both of our families actually live in Northland,
and so I didn't really have that support down, you know,
right in front of my face. And I think if
they had been right there, I probably would have broken
down in front of my mother. You know, we're best friends,
and I think I would have struggled been in front
of her. But yeah, I just managed to get through
(15:29):
and put on a bit of a different mask in
front of the community, and nobody really knew what was
going on behind the scenes and.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
What about getting help, So you would probably knew that
you had to get some what was access to health
support and your rural area.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Like given your inn Cheviot, I think at the time.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Yeah, look, it was really hard. I struggled to walk
into the GP because you know, the receptionist at the
time was a very good friend of mine and I
felt super embarrassed to be to walk in there to
be us to seek help, and I just didn't have
that courage. What I did do was reach out to
the will to Live charity to seek some of their
(16:10):
funding to get a counselor, and I got that, but
the wait time for the counselor was eight weeks, and
at that point in time when I was feeling that lower,
I just didn't think I could wait eight weeks. It
just felt like it was too long and I just
couldn't bear it. So I just gave up. And so
(16:30):
the only way I dealt with it was just struggling
at home. And you know, out in the community, nobody
knew what I was like at home. They just saw
a different bes out.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
There, incredibly brave becks. The reason we're having this conversation
is because you made it through and this is hopefully
going to and I not hopefully, I know it will
help somebody.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
You then you really you kind of had to pick
up the pieces.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
So you started this by getting your knee came right
and you're able to get into a bit of a
bit of training.
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Yeah. I struggled for about a good twelve to eighteen months,
to be honest, Famish, and I didn't couldn't really see
a way forward. I picked up busy, you know, rolls
and keep myself busy to sort of hide what was
going on, and it wasn't until my husband suggested me
doing coast to coast. I think I laughed in this case,
(17:22):
to be honest, I'm.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Just laughing thinking about how you might have reacted at
that moment.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Really, yeah, I know, I think, don't be silly like
that just seems so far fetched. But I thought, you know,
maybe I could attempt, you know, a team event, and
so I set my sights on a three person two
day team and picked up cycling. The cycling seemed to
be the least impactful on my knee, and got myself
(17:49):
a pet and a multi sport coach b who is
such an amazing multi sport coach, and you got cycle fit.
And you know, my team, which had my husband is
a kayaker and another dairy farmer friend who ran. We
came away west of the three person two day team win,
(18:09):
which if my if somebody had said to me, you know,
you're going to go ahead and do coast to coast.
It's like all three leagues of the coast and you know,
for the West coast to the East coast, and then
your team's gonna win. I just I wouldn't have believed
it if you had said that to me and now a.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Lot you know, yeah, wonderful, wonderful part of the whole process.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Two ways of looking at this.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
What's the best piece of advice you can give to
somebody who's going through what you went through? And for
those that are looking at from the other side, what's
something you can say?
Speaker 2 (18:40):
What would bes like to have heard?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I would have liked to have heard somebody really asked me,
you know, how I'm doing at home? Like, really really
asked you know, how are you really doing? How are
you coping? I can see that you're taking on a
lot of roles, you know, are you coping with them?
And and what can I do to help? I think
if somebody had asked me there, I would have broken down,
(19:06):
and I think they would have seen it. And I
honestly encouraged so many people to do that because I
think we're a bit afraid to ask. We're afraid of
what we're going to get. We're afraid of people breaking
down in front of us and not knowing what to do,
what to help them. But if somebody had just asked
me that question and let me cry, or let me
(19:26):
just talk for hours on end about how I was feeling,
it would have helped. All I had was my husband,
and so my advice for anyone that is struggling is
to find one person that you can talk to. You know,
for some people that's a stranger, because telling somebody close
to them is difficult, and trust me, it was super difficult.
(19:48):
But if you can find just one person to talk to,
or even just one person to cry to, then do
it because it will help, because you'll get some sort
of support and then you can make those small steps
to to recovery.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I guess, Bex, thank you so much for telling us
and sharing your story. And of course, no point in
having the beautiful facade of a building if.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
It's a pile of rubble behind.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
It, and look it's I'm still on that journey. I've
still had more injuries since then, and one another coast
actually as well. So the journey just seems to keep
on going. But I know I have the tools now
to get through all these tough times and get past
all the injuries.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
She is something so strong, Beckscreen Federated Farmers North Canterbury
President there and her journey, her story right from that
neat Well knee injury.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It's a serious knee injury, but look what it led to.
But good is coming out of that here.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And mental Health Awareness Week coming up, News and sports
at then he and Kirkpatrick and then we're going to
ask ballast they tuned to find out who Baler is.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I'm the country.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
It's gonna come through. Remember the Country's World news with
Cob Cadet. New Zealand's leading right on lawn bower bread.
Visit steel Ford dot co dot zip for your local
stockist and.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
In rural news, Lamming has been completed on most farms
across Tairafati and farmers have enjoyed a successful season. Egg
for as consultant Peter Andrew has said, it's mainly by
driven driven by good survival rates among your rivals and
low level of storms over late winter, and farmers have
been also busy docking. I can't get used to using
the word docking Hamish. It's just it's just not a
(21:44):
Southern thing.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
What's the other or tailing or something silly you say
down there, don't you.
Speaker 7 (21:49):
That's what we used to get righted into doing as kids, tailing.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Tailing and you go after your crib? What about your batch? Batch?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Isn't nothing down here? But yeah good lamming up in
north of course hitting up that way shortly to talk
to in kirk Patrick. So yeah, interesting how that all
tied and nicely and right time for some sports.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Sports with FCO. Visit them online at f CO dot
co dot Nz.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
And no real surprise here is the Dame Noline Saga
drags on vit McCausland jury, staying on Fern's coaching role.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Veteran Karen Forren has been named in the latest Kiwiz
squad for that Pacific Championship.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
The White Ferns Deero deer o dear big payday may
not be coming o and two at the Cricket World Cup.
That's two losses and Black Fern Porsche Woodman. Woodcliffe has
been given her own Barbie Doll, the Poorschit Barbie Doll.
That's so cool and she looks like she's really quite
chuffed about it.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I like it.
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Let me be chuffed about it? Would you be chuffed?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
If you're a Kendall ken.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
Do are you keen enough? Have you seen the Barbie movie?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
No? I haven't seen the Barbie on you then the
Kennet I had sort of a G I. J.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Dole when I was young that my cousin bought home
from New York or something. He was pretty cool. That's
our sport. There's this is the country, Hams mackay and
for JB.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
McKay, by Luke and for Duke Luke.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
You could say, right, I hope joining us now or
probably somewhere up there in ty Rafferty Country, up in
the old poverty bay. I and Kirkpatrick, former all black
retired farmer. Are you fully retired from farming, Kirky or
do you still keep your hand.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
In a bit?
Speaker 5 (23:35):
Oh? Look, probably just a fraction. I'm just finding a
few lambs during the winter and now I show the
lifestyle block and so they just keeps some it frol
with it. Yeah, I'm really right out of farming. I
want to say.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
It doesn't see, you wouldn't be right out of farming
if you went to the sale back in the summer
and bought lambs at ninety five dollars and now the
three hund than fifty dollars hogits you can't you know,
you're probably done, right, Kirkey.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Well you actually paid a bit more than that. This
was more done. It was about that. So yeah, but
you know these prices are great, but not everyone's got
a thousand, two thousand lampsy you know, to put on
them to see of the work. So you know, it's
it's about timing, isn't it. So yeah, it's still it's
(24:26):
good to have those prices, and farmers need it, you know,
they go through some difficult times and I know all
about that flood and droughts and down scends and economy
and you know, you name it, and so they need
they need, you know, some good period. So I don't
think we you know that farmers become millionaires over over
(24:50):
six months. I'm til youre not not by at all.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
You're not seeing a whole lot of Aston Martin's replacing
you know, falcons and commodols and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That's not happening.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
No, it's definitely not.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And you've been through it long enough, Kirky, you would
remember the gee you know, I mean your reagion. You
think of the Bowl of Days and the post Roger noomics,
the removal of the the s MPs. I mean, cheez,
we should not forget those times because their bloody will happen.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
And they were tough, oh they sure were.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yeah, But you know that's that's been farming pretty much
all the way through, you know, you know, the wall
boom and just after the war, Second World War, you know,
and so all those sort of things happen and then disappeared. Look,
nothing stays the same forever, so you've got to accept
that and just get on with it and take just
(25:43):
make the right cause that's the time. So you know,
the farmers are always doing that. You know, they've got
the weather to continue with and so yeah, it's just
it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
But it's not all beer and skittles, No, no, it's not.
But it is good though, to at least see people
with a bit of a smile on their dial and
you know, and you know, a bit of the sort
of the wolf from the door has gone and parked
himself at the back of the kennel sort of thing
for a while, which is good.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Yeah. Yeah, that's full of this.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Now Heartland Rugby.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Obviously you follow your mighty Poverty Bay around you.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I see.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
They had a pretty close one on the weekend against
the old bows down the line there bottom of the island,
Wild Upper Bush twenty nine, Poverty Bay twenty four.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Did you catch that, Kiki?
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Yeah, she went down with the boys. They were asking
me if I'm going to go down with some and
obviously involved with them a little bit over the last
few years and just give them support. Yeah, so yeah,
we we you know, we're in front for a third
bit of the second half and we just we had
to go into extra timeaically golden points who get a
(26:55):
decision and they scored and deserverly, So I guess we've
tried what at the end, and so that was it.
But the boys played well, you know the sidewise of wish.
They you know, they're quite big boys and it's all
about these days, it seems to be. And so yeah,
they they've played pretty well, so you know it's and
(27:18):
so partly Bay have to go down and play North
O Chigo in the first playoff of the Hawk Cup.
So yeah, they've already been down there probably three four
weeks ago, so yeah, so it won't be easy down
there either. But no, they've done pretty well this year
Poly Bay. Last year we've never won a game, if
(27:38):
there were a few close ones, but this year things
have changed a little bit. Loan players have helped the
bits and so yeah, so you know they've had a
pretty good year, but that's not over yet.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yep. So I have to play North Otago down there
in Old Maru, I guess, and a bit of the
old White Stone cheese, a few of the local attractions
and what you're not hitting down there too, are you kicking?
Speaker 5 (28:05):
No, I'm not. I've got I've got a prior engagement
on Friday night, so I can't. I can't go. So yeah, no, they'll, they'll,
they'll do the best. Good lads, I'll tell you they
they're probably a little bit more dedicated and probably some
of the guys i'll plays way back, but but no,
(28:26):
they yeah, they they're sort of not quite professional obviously,
but but they know they're proud of the Jersey and
they go out there and they do their best every time.
So that's all you can ask for. So yeah, they's
not over to all the fat Lady singers, as they say,
So yeah they'll go down there. Well, a few a
(28:49):
few of our key guys injured at the moment, but however,
that's that's part of the game. So yeah, no, they
will look forward to going down there again. And it's
on the.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Luck too, right. They were mid Canterbury of course, finished
top of the log unbeaten. South Canterbury the next.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Cab off the rank lost three and it goes right
down through to Poverty Bay who lost four in seventh.
And that's a great competition right across the board. All
black Saturday night, Kicky, what did you give them past?
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Mike? Out of team? Where do you think they're sitting
under razor?
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (29:19):
They I think you mean you're talking about the game itself. Yeah,
I thought, you know, they were playing an obviously seeing
that one of the beats them obviously, and it's not
a bad Ossie team. You know, they've got some good
plays here. They were dominant in the first twenty minutes
and so yeah, I think they I think they they
(29:40):
came out of it pretty well. I thought some difficult games.
Who decide what you know, what's going to happen in
these games? Now that's you know the game. So it
was it's tough. It's very tough. And so you know
they've got the got to travel back to back or
(30:01):
will all the teams do that, you know, Saturday to
Saturday and some of these plays don't come right still Wednesday,
so you know they've you knows, it goes with all
of them of course. Yeah, so it's not that easy.
You know. You think, oh yeah, the professional and they
should be doing this and should be doing that. But
it's not all you know, they're not made of steal
(30:21):
our human beings, and so they get beaten enough of
it and so they take a while to recover. So
you know, that's that's that's the thing they've got to
get over somehow.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
All Black numbers six six six se and Kirkpatrick eleven
seasons at All Black, one hundred and thirteen games for
the All Blacks. He would have got beaten up on
a view occasions on some of those long tours. You're
listening to the country fifteen away from one.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I'll be waiting when you call.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Great to have your company on the country where wherever
you are, whatever you might be doing.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Right, I've joined out of Mount Summers now. Kate Eckland
from Beef and lamb in' z to Kate. How are you?
Speaker 8 (31:11):
I'm good, Homer show you, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Know, I'm you know this.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Jamie McKay has got me very busy taking off to
watch the rugby and things like that, so you know,
but that's all good. Hey, Now, if I went to
the Bella the answer tool on the Beef and lamb
in Z's knowledge hub of info powered by the old AI.
Would it tell me how to sort of get all
my ducks in a row and deal with my busy life?
(31:37):
But that is side joking, aside it is, let's talk
about this Bella, this new well, it's an answer tool.
I guess is that is that the best way to
describe it.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
That's a great way to describe it. I mean, essentially,
what we've done is we've put an AI engine across
our knowledge hub, where there's thousands and thousands of pages
of information and here years with the research, and we've
enabled it to AI so you can just type in
any question in any language and it will give you
an answer, which is, you know, it's suddenly unlocked. What
(32:11):
was quite clumsy and hard to deal with. So it's
really great.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Millions and millions of textbooks just rolled into one. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
Well, my husband likes to talk about it being the
old Lincoln Farm Technical Manual, but in your pocket, on
your phone, which is a lot more user friendly.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, use a friend.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
But a lot of these sort of places we go
to source information resources, they sort of get your information
don't they But not answers. That's the critical thing here,
isn't it?
Speaker 8 (32:40):
Well, if it was two parts to it. One is
that unlike you know, using chat GPT, where you can
get some pretty wacky answers out of it. This is
just across the Beef and Land knowledge hubs. So there's
been a lot of ours gone into making sure that
the information that's in there is correct and accurate for
New Zealand. And it just prevents it in a way
that makes sense. So you ask it a question, gives
(33:02):
you sort of four bullet points at the top usually,
and then a whole lot of detail underneath, and then
all the references if you want to dig a bit deeper.
But I don't know if you've ever used the Beef
and Land website the traditional search, You search something and
it might give you seventy two different pds to read,
which is you know, who's got time to do that?
So we're really excited about this. We think it sort
of unlocks millions of dollars worth of research and actually
(33:25):
puts it in farmer's hands.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Yeah, and the user's hands. The power is the power
is there to be utilized, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (33:33):
And it's been really well received. I mean, I think
we said twenty seven hundred unique users since we launched
a few weeks ago, so that's really positive. But we
know there's about ten thousand commercial sheep and beef farmers,
so pretty keen to see that number push up a
bit more because you know, this is this is real
value for farmers.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Who else you know, I guess, I guess it's all
right across the farming team can benefit from chatting to Bella.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Oh absolutely. I was in the office the other day.
We've got a couple of GFF students like cadets on
farm and they were having to do a project on
rapairum planting, Like I don't even know what that is.
So I showed them Bala and how to use it,
and they were like, Jesus, this is going to be
great for all of our other projects. So you know,
I think it's going to be good for right across
(34:23):
the steptrum. I mean, David and I we use it
all the time already. But you know, from our shepherd's right.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Through, what's what's a good practical answer that Bella's come
up with for you as as a first hand example?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Okay, well, The.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Best one for me actually is we were going into
an audit, you know, as you have to do, and
trying to get the paperwork lined up for some of
the induction and health and safety stuff for our staff,
and I had forgotten that all of that resource sits
on the beef of main website. So now you can
ask it to create you checklists and templates and Vala
will do it for you. So it's just it's making
(34:58):
it all a whole lot easier, you know, And I
think there's more to come. There's more data and particularly
farm statistics that hopefully future versions of Dalla will will have,
so you could you know. The vision is ultimately farmer
will be able to use Dalla for benchmarking and a
whole lot more.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Yeah, yep, Well, the opportunity is just massive, one would think, Kate,
and generally speaking out there farmer vibe. I mean, prices
are good, but some I think some areas is pretty
struggling with it, but the old weather and grass growth
not so good.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Prices are excellent, and everyone seems to have a smile
on their face, but it has been a tough spring
in places. I mean, I know around us it hasn't
been too bad moisture and temperature wise, but the Northwest
just won't stop blying. It's been the windy of spring
with had in years, you know, and I know other
parts of the South Island are struggling a bit. Was
the cold so but I guess at this time of
(35:52):
year you know that it's only going to get better.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Generally speaking, Yeah, good now we need the weather to
get better for you because you've got just a sort
of it. We all talk about getting off farm and
mental health fitness and physical fitness and the value of
that being Mental Health Awareness Week. Iron Man, what's up?
How's the training going?
Speaker 6 (36:11):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (36:11):
That's what you're aiming for? What March Tapo? Is it?
A yeah?
Speaker 8 (36:15):
So I was very lucky that Ensco has sponsored me
as part of a farmer team to do the Iron Man.
And I think what happened is I'd too much time
in the office and not not enough time on farm,
and I sort of felt like the old jeans were
getting a bit tight. So I thought I'd set a
really big challenge for myself. So the aim is to
(36:37):
finish it. Certainly, don't be expecting anything impressive, but it's
a lot of.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Fun yeah, and look, so how is the training going
and how demanding is it?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
How much time are you putting into it? And you know,
having to ask Bella about what to do next? I mean,
have you got a good coach?
Speaker 8 (36:55):
Well, I haven't got a coach at all. I don't
think Bella will help me with this cyber. But look,
I'm just just getting out to it, getting fit again,
you know, it feels goods but trying to give it
as much time as I've got time as a challenge
at the moment, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I imagine so, But I guess I think your target
is right, isn't it. I mean I don't can't speak
from experience, but those of observe it, just take the
time and have that, you know, set that target of finishing.
But I think that's fantastic that you're doing that. So
I won't keep you any longer because I think you're
at the pool. You're about to do some lengths. Yes,
I am, yep, right, okay, wonderful to chat. Thank you
(37:34):
very much, Go and do those lengths. Thank you much
for you, Thank you to all our guests. Thank you
to you for your company today. This has been another
edition of the Country. I'm Hamis McCay will do it
all again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to friends, specialist in John
Deer Construction Equipment
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
Podcast with Jamie mckue. Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Dere machinery.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
For the first time in my life. That's why I
tell you you'd better be home soon.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good afternoon, Welcome out of the Country. Brought to you
by Brent ho Hamers MacKaye and for Jamie McKay. Great
to have your company on your Tuesday right across New Zealand.
Coming up, we go Heartland with Ian Kirkpatrick, All Black
great out of Tyre Raffert. He's been keeping a bit
of an eye on his old Poverty Bay boys in
the in the Lahore Trophy. There in the Heartland Rugby.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Ask Bella. Who is Bella?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
You might say Kate Ecklin from beaver Lamb and Zed
will tell us more about Bella.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Very friendly as Bella has all the answers. Bella.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
You might know Bella of that particular shape and form.
We continue our focus on Mental Health Awareness Week. A
beautiful story, a sad story that becomes a winning story.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
We go to North Canterbury for that. But first up
twelve oh eight Trade in India Todd McClay. Next, Yes,
(01:36):
it is.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
A time to go ministerial on things Minister of ag
and Trade, amongst other things.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Todd McLay, good afternoon.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Todd haymous good afternoon. Can I say you have the
best music in the country and I'm either showing my
age or a misspent youth, but I reckon that's only
half the reason people tune in.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Yeah, well, I don't know whether it's me or the
other Mackay Jamie who need claim responsibility. I think often
Michelle who does such a good job of being playing
DJ on the show. But yeah, it hard to beat
to the old bit of the old crowded house. Okay,
India trade deal, how are we looking there?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Yeah, look, there's a lot of momentum and pace going on.
But fair to say, trade agreements always very difficult to negotiate,
particularly for New Zealand. You know, we have the world's
best farmers producing the highest quality, safest food, and I've
got to say that producers elsewhere are envious and governments
protect But we've now had three formal rounds of negotiation
(02:33):
with India. There's another one coming up in India very
very shortly, and both sides have said we want to
get this done and get it done quickly. And we
remain committed to delivering a trade agreement that you know
that will move the economy forward with India during this
term of parliament.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Okay, so three rounds down, are yet? How confident are
you told that you've got the fourth round knockout blow
lined up.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
When when we launched earlier in the year, and Amy's
going to remember, everyone said it wasn't possible, it would
be years away. INDI would never do it. When I
flew out to India and we sat down with my
counterpart PS Gooyal, we both agreed would only launch if
we're committed to getting it done. So you know, that's
the first time India have said that. The second thing
(03:19):
is when the US put that fifty percent tariff on India,
Prime Mister Modi and PS Gooyal both said two things.
Number one, Indian should buy more from India. Number two,
they are accelerating their free trade negotiations with the European Union,
with Norway and with New Zealand. And so it's the
first time in my history, my seventeen years in this parliament,
(03:40):
I've heard the Indian government say we're going to do
a deal with New Zealand. But I want to caution
it's always difficult, it's always hard, and the tough stuff
we have to keep talking about. We're going to make
sure we get out there good access for New Zealand
farmers in that market as we have in China and European,
New New UK and many other countries, to give them choice.
We're going to keep discussing, negotiating until I think I
(04:02):
can come back to Prime Minister DeLux and New Zealand
farmers and say this is good enough to do.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Toddy, were you an opening batter or left arm spinner,
because the cricketers have been the only guys from New
Zealand have really sort of seemed to have had any
cut through in India in the past.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
But you seem to be seen to be making headway made.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
They didn't help me. I'm out there trying to get
a negotiation launched and Bloody in New Zealand was beating
the Indians right, So I said the message. They calmed
down a bit for the natural God. No, look, it's
about it's about relationship. I've taken a very different approach
to a trade and agriculture this time as a minister.
Then when I was Minister of Trade last time. You
think about businesses, right, you don't enter into a long
(04:41):
term business relationship with somebody to rip them off or
to get as much as you can and then go
somewhere else. You want to build a long term business
relationship and it's based on trust and understanding and working
things out. And so that's the approach that I've taken
with the UAE when we've got that deal last year
in record time. The GCC, including Saudi we got one
you know, it was dead over eighteen years. And now
(05:02):
with India and it's just mutual respect that they have
sensitive issues as we have. We've agreed to rather than
just leave on negotiator's bag head, we will try and
find solutions that you know, can help each each side.
And so far the negotiators are tough and they're hard,
but they are reaching agreement in an area and so
progress is big made.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Right Okay, Now, forestry tariffs, what's the situation there?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
With the US, Well, we faced a no tariff into
the US. You know, across the board. New Zealand's face
phase ten percent. When President Trump came in, it was
moved to fifteen percent. Solely because we have a trade surplace.
We sell them a small amount more than we buy.
He's had a special investigation into softwood going to the
US market and he's come out with tarasov for New
(05:48):
Zealand ten percent in itself. That is harmful and it's
unwarranted and it's not welcome. But what we do know
is they need the wood from New Zealand house where
to build their houses. If I compare New Zealand exporters
to say Canada, the same wood product face almost fifty
percent tariff. So we're not worse off there. But you know,
we have seen from the US the President Trump campaigned
(06:10):
on tariff and he has a tariff agenda, and we
are working with the wood industry of a period of
time and many others, so i'd better understand, you know,
the effectors will have on them and to assist them.
Most of them are telling me they will be able
to keep trading that market, just as our beef is
still going up there, the areus going up there and
so on. What I'm most concerned about. And I met
(06:30):
with my US counterpart a week or so ago in Malaysia.
I think it's my fourth and person meeting with him,
I said, what is concerning me the most, apart from
the tariffs that are unwarranted and are harmful I was
pushing costs up for US consumers is the uncertain nature
and the change, and that is actually what's having the
biggest impact upon their exporters. And our officials are meeting
(06:53):
monthsly to try and work through that so we can
get a bit more certain ded. But you know, we
are in a raging now where the US has said
they're going to apply terraffs. Our trade is not necessarily
going down, but it is very uncertain. It's getting more
and more challenging.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Yeah, okay, well, let's hope you can get a bit
more surety around those issues with the tariffs into the US. Look, Tod,
we're not against a bit of self praise. Mood of
the boardroom had you at fourth You're obviously working very hard.
But this leads to another thing, which is Mental Health
Awareness Week. What do you do to keep your top
two inches in check as busy as you are.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
That's so interesting.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
I haven't thought about it. I just get a bit
and going to the job every day. But I'll tell
you what keeps driving me forward. It is the hard
working men and women in rural New Zealand who support
the economy and create jobs, and how much they were
banged around over the last six years of the Labor government.
I'm not going to make this political, but when we
came in, rural confidence was at record low levels and
(07:53):
that's just ridiculous because New Zealand farmers contributed so much
and always have for New Zealand to New Zealand economy.
And so what I've done with my three associates across agriculture,
our job is to be a champion of talk about
the good things and where something is not working final solutions,
don't blame And you know I've got to say that
with Matt Doocy also, who's our mental health muse's first
(08:13):
mental health Minister. I spent a lot of time talking
to him about how we need to engage with the
sector and experts there and everyday farmers and communities to
work out what more we should be doing. You don't
find the solutions sitting in Wellington talking to your officials.
And that's done a really really good job. You'll have
seen we announced funding and new programs at the budget
this year around rural health and mental health, and we've
(08:35):
worked with a lot of people you know, across the
board to get it right. But I've got to say
that I am very pleased that rural confidence levels are up.
There's still hard work to do, but there's confidence levels
up because I think not only a commodity prices is
good and we're getting the costs down through city bureaucracy,
farmers are setting valued.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Again fantastic and so they should. I the backbone of
the country.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
That's our minister Todd mcclady are joining us here on
the country. It is coming up to sixteen minutes after midday.
Let's have a little bit more of the old crowded
house to take us through of the.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Brain tarning mill.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That's why I'll.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Tell you looking out for our farmers on the country
with Federated Farmers proud supporters of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Right here on the country, we continue our look at
a very very important top and a huge week. It
is Mental Health Awareness Week and our guests today Becks.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Green North Canterbury Fed's President A Bex.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
How are you good things show you?
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:53):
No, I'm fighting, fighting fit. But that wasn't the case
for you after a certain game of netball?
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Was it a little.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
While back, which is sort of the I guess, the
underlying theme to this chat that we're about to have,
because what was that three or four years ago?
Speaker 6 (10:09):
Yeah, about four years ago, I was playing Nipple and
had played Neckmare my whole license. I think I was
about five, and you know, I always loved it, played
throughout having children and in between children and things like that,
and yeah, playing a really great game, I thought, and
lo and behold, I just sort of my knee gave
out and turned out I'd ruptured my ACL. So my
(10:31):
first major injury from playing Nipple.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
I guess, and something.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Okay, you'd never experienced a major injury before, and you
were heading into a very busy.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Time on farming right before carving, and yeah, pretty yeah,
so take us through the next stages of this. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
Look, my husband obviously wasn't very happy about the injury
timing happening just before carving, So yeah, I didn't really
have much of a choice but to get through carving
with a knee brace. Hobbled myself around all the farm
and on the uneven ground, and wore some better boots
to try and help, and yeah, it was a really
(11:12):
tough time. To be honest, I struggled a lot. I
couldn't exercise, hadn't been so active my whole life, and
struggled to really do anything. And obviously the following summer,
my husband decided to do the longest day coast to coast,
and I really really struggled watching him go off and exercise,
(11:33):
and I was stuck at home looking after kids and
not been able to do much with my knee.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
So while the knee was healing, the top two inches,
we was sort of clouding over.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Things were getting a bit grayer.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
Oh well, And truly it was having been so active
my whole life, I've always you know, hyped, and you know,
family adventures, family biking, and biking on my own, and
so watching your husband leave and go and do that
and you're stuck at home. You can't even turn your
(12:06):
legs on the bike, and you can't even manage a
walk out on the farm with the kids was really
really tough. And so my top two inches, yeah, just
really we're in a dark place. And I hid in
the bedroom and put my kids on devices, which was
a really crap thing to do. Over summer, but I
just couldn't bear doing anything. Basically, I was really unhappy and.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Was your knee worst because you had to do that
work at carving time.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
There was no plan B.
Speaker 6 (12:38):
Yeah, there was no plan B. I did have to
put in a lot of work to get my knee
strong enough surgery, which was really tough, a lot of
strength exercises and things like that, and I found it
really difficult coming back from the knee injury and having
carving on top of me. So it was a super
(13:00):
busy time of year. I couldn't manage much exercise, much
strength exercises, and I had to get within a certain
level to get the surgery, which happened. Didn't happen until
about seven eight months later.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Okay, your husband is training for the longest day. Is
he aware of what's.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Going on or was he used to you being super strong,
super tough and not somebody that he, you know, would
expect to be feeling the way you were feeling.
Speaker 6 (13:28):
Yeah, I think he was somewhat aware. Obviously he knew
he wasn't coming home to a happy wife, but I
don't think he had the capacity to really deal with
that because he was very focused. He was very driven.
You know, he had a set plan, you know, a
set goal in mind of how he wanted to achieve
(13:49):
the longest day for coast to coast, And so we
lived very different lives, I would say. And yes, I
think he thought that I'd cope, I'd manage, you know,
I've I'm a strong person at home, I do everything
for the kids, and you know, run the business behind
the scenes. And so I guess we were able to, yeah,
(14:13):
not really be on the same path over that summer,
and our marriage really struggled because of it.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Yeah, And I think there are plenty of partners out
there who see the other partner in the relationship is
that the rock the strong ones, so they don't ask
and they perhaps don't take it on fully on board.
When did you at what point did you go to
I need some help or was anybody checking in on you?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Did anybody notice outside away from your husband, Was any
of your friends saying, hey, what's up? You all good?
Speaker 5 (14:42):
No?
Speaker 6 (14:42):
And I think that's what I struggled with the most,
is that I didn't have anyone really asking me, you know,
how are you really doing? You know, some are ever
intends to do their own thing, you know, go away
on holidays, and with Blair training so much, we just
sort of stayed at home while he ained, and so yeah,
nobody was really checking in on me. And my family
(15:04):
live in Northland, both of our families actually live in Northland,
and so I didn't really have that support down, you know,
right in front of my face. And I think if
they had been right there, I probably would have broken
down in front of my mother. You know, we're best friends,
and I think I would have struggled been in front
of her. But yeah, I just managed to get through
(15:29):
and put on a bit of a different mask in
front of the community, and nobody really knew what was
going on behind the scenes and.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
What about getting help, So you would probably knew that
you had to get some what was access to health
support and your rural area.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Like given your inn Cheviot, I think at the time.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
Yeah, look, it was really hard. I struggled to walk
into the GP because you know, the receptionist at the
time was a very good friend of mine and I
felt super embarrassed to be to walk in there to
be us to seek help, and I just didn't have
that courage. What I did do was reach out to
the will to Live charity to seek some of their
(16:10):
funding to get a counselor, and I got that, but
the wait time for the counselor was eight weeks, and
at that point in time when I was feeling that lower,
I just didn't think I could wait eight weeks. It
just felt like it was too long and I just
couldn't bear it. So I just gave up. And so
(16:30):
the only way I dealt with it was just struggling
at home. And you know, out in the community, nobody
knew what I was like at home. They just saw
a different bes out.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
There, incredibly brave becks. The reason we're having this conversation
is because you made it through and this is hopefully
going to and I not hopefully, I know it will
help somebody.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
You then you really you kind of had to pick
up the pieces.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
So you started this by getting your knee came right
and you're able to get into a bit of a
bit of training.
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Yeah. I struggled for about a good twelve to eighteen months,
to be honest, Famish, and I didn't couldn't really see
a way forward. I picked up busy, you know, rolls
and keep myself busy to sort of hide what was
going on, and it wasn't until my husband suggested me
doing coast to coast. I think I laughed in this case,
(17:22):
to be honest, I'm.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Just laughing thinking about how you might have reacted at
that moment.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
Really, yeah, I know, I think, don't be silly like
that just seems so far fetched. But I thought, you know,
maybe I could attempt, you know, a team event, and
so I set my sights on a three person two
day team and picked up cycling. The cycling seemed to
be the least impactful on my knee, and got myself
(17:49):
a pet and a multi sport coach b who is
such an amazing multi sport coach, and you got cycle fit.
And you know, my team, which had my husband is
a kayaker and another dairy farmer friend who ran. We
came away west of the three person two day team win,
(18:09):
which if my if somebody had said to me, you know,
you're going to go ahead and do coast to coast.
It's like all three leagues of the coast and you know,
for the West coast to the East coast, and then
your team's gonna win. I just I wouldn't have believed
it if you had said that to me and now a.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Lot you know, yeah, wonderful, wonderful part of the whole process.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Two ways of looking at this.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
What's the best piece of advice you can give to
somebody who's going through what you went through? And for
those that are looking at from the other side, what's
something you can say?
Speaker 2 (18:40):
What would bes like to have heard?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I would have liked to have heard somebody really asked me,
you know, how I'm doing at home? Like, really really
asked you know, how are you really doing? How are
you coping? I can see that you're taking on a
lot of roles, you know, are you coping with them?
And and what can I do to help? I think
if somebody had asked me there, I would have broken down,
(19:06):
and I think they would have seen it. And I
honestly encouraged so many people to do that because I
think we're a bit afraid to ask. We're afraid of
what we're going to get. We're afraid of people breaking
down in front of us and not knowing what to do,
what to help them. But if somebody had just asked
me that question and let me cry, or let me
(19:26):
just talk for hours on end about how I was feeling,
it would have helped. All I had was my husband,
and so my advice for anyone that is struggling is
to find one person that you can talk to. You know,
for some people that's a stranger, because telling somebody close
to them is difficult, and trust me, it was super difficult.
(19:48):
But if you can find just one person to talk to,
or even just one person to cry to, then do
it because it will help, because you'll get some sort
of support and then you can make those small steps
to to recovery.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I guess, Bex, thank you so much for telling us
and sharing your story. And of course, no point in
having the beautiful facade of a building if.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
It's a pile of rubble behind.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
It, and look it's I'm still on that journey. I've
still had more injuries since then, and one another coast
actually as well. So the journey just seems to keep
on going. But I know I have the tools now
to get through all these tough times and get past
all the injuries.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
She is something so strong, Beckscreen Federated Farmers North Canterbury
President there and her journey, her story right from that
neat Well knee injury.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It's a serious knee injury, but look what it led to.
But good is coming out of that here.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
And mental Health Awareness Week coming up, News and sports
at then he and Kirkpatrick and then we're going to
ask ballast they tuned to find out who Baler is.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
I'm the country.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
It's gonna come through. Remember the Country's World news with
Cob Cadet. New Zealand's leading right on lawn bower bread.
Visit steel Ford dot co dot zip for your local
stockist and.
Speaker 7 (21:22):
In rural news, Lamming has been completed on most farms
across Tairafati and farmers have enjoyed a successful season. Egg
for as consultant Peter Andrew has said, it's mainly by
driven driven by good survival rates among your rivals and
low level of storms over late winter, and farmers have
been also busy docking. I can't get used to using
the word docking Hamish. It's just it's just not a
(21:44):
Southern thing.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
What's the other or tailing or something silly you say
down there, don't you.
Speaker 7 (21:49):
That's what we used to get righted into doing as kids, tailing.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
Tailing and you go after your crib? What about your batch? Batch?
Speaker 7 (21:56):
Isn't nothing down here? But yeah good lamming up in
north of course hitting up that way shortly to talk
to in kirk Patrick. So yeah, interesting how that all
tied and nicely and right time for some sports.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Sports with FCO. Visit them online at f CO dot
co dot Nz.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
And no real surprise here is the Dame Noline Saga
drags on vit McCausland jury, staying on Fern's coaching role.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Veteran Karen Forren has been named in the latest Kiwiz
squad for that Pacific Championship.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
The White Ferns Deero deer o dear big payday may
not be coming o and two at the Cricket World Cup.
That's two losses and Black Fern Porsche Woodman. Woodcliffe has
been given her own Barbie Doll, the Poorschit Barbie Doll.
That's so cool and she looks like she's really quite
chuffed about it.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
I like it.
Speaker 7 (22:47):
Let me be chuffed about it? Would you be chuffed?
Speaker 2 (22:48):
If you're a Kendall ken.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
Do are you keen enough? Have you seen the Barbie movie?
Speaker 2 (22:53):
No? I haven't seen the Barbie on you then the
Kennet I had sort of a G I. J.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Dole when I was young that my cousin bought home
from New York or something. He was pretty cool. That's
our sport. There's this is the country, Hams mackay and
for JB.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
McKay, by Luke and for Duke Luke.
Speaker 3 (23:18):
You could say, right, I hope joining us now or
probably somewhere up there in ty Rafferty Country, up in
the old poverty bay. I and Kirkpatrick, former all black
retired farmer. Are you fully retired from farming, Kirky or
do you still keep your hand.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
In a bit?
Speaker 5 (23:35):
Oh? Look, probably just a fraction. I'm just finding a
few lambs during the winter and now I show the
lifestyle block and so they just keeps some it frol
with it. Yeah, I'm really right out of farming. I
want to say.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
It doesn't see, you wouldn't be right out of farming
if you went to the sale back in the summer
and bought lambs at ninety five dollars and now the
three hund than fifty dollars hogits you can't you know,
you're probably done, right, Kirkey.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Well you actually paid a bit more than that. This
was more done. It was about that. So yeah, but
you know these prices are great, but not everyone's got
a thousand, two thousand lampsy you know, to put on
them to see of the work. So you know, it's
it's about timing, isn't it. So yeah, it's still it's
(24:26):
good to have those prices, and farmers need it, you know,
they go through some difficult times and I know all
about that flood and droughts and down scends and economy
and you know, you name it, and so they need
they need, you know, some good period. So I don't
think we you know that farmers become millionaires over over
(24:50):
six months. I'm til youre not not by at all.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
You're not seeing a whole lot of Aston Martin's replacing
you know, falcons and commodols and that sort of thing.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
That's not happening.
Speaker 5 (25:00):
No, it's definitely not.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And you've been through it long enough, Kirky, you would
remember the gee you know, I mean your reagion. You
think of the Bowl of Days and the post Roger noomics,
the removal of the the s MPs. I mean, cheez,
we should not forget those times because their bloody will happen.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
And they were tough, oh they sure were.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yeah, But you know that's that's been farming pretty much
all the way through, you know, you know, the wall
boom and just after the war, Second World War, you know,
and so all those sort of things happen and then disappeared. Look,
nothing stays the same forever, so you've got to accept
that and just get on with it and take just
(25:43):
make the right cause that's the time. So you know,
the farmers are always doing that. You know, they've got
the weather to continue with and so yeah, it's just
it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
But it's not all beer and skittles, No, no, it's not.
But it is good though, to at least see people
with a bit of a smile on their dial and
you know, and you know, a bit of the sort
of the wolf from the door has gone and parked
himself at the back of the kennel sort of thing
for a while, which is good.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Yeah. Yeah, that's full of this.
Speaker 2 (26:15):
Now Heartland Rugby.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
Obviously you follow your mighty Poverty Bay around you.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I see.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
They had a pretty close one on the weekend against
the old bows down the line there bottom of the island,
Wild Upper Bush twenty nine, Poverty Bay twenty four.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Did you catch that, Kiki?
Speaker 5 (26:32):
Yeah, she went down with the boys. They were asking
me if I'm going to go down with some and
obviously involved with them a little bit over the last
few years and just give them support. Yeah, so yeah,
we we you know, we're in front for a third
bit of the second half and we just we had
to go into extra timeaically golden points who get a
(26:55):
decision and they scored and deserverly, So I guess we've
tried what at the end, and so that was it.
But the boys played well, you know the sidewise of wish.
They you know, they're quite big boys and it's all
about these days, it seems to be. And so yeah,
they they've played pretty well, so you know it's and
(27:18):
so partly Bay have to go down and play North
O Chigo in the first playoff of the Hawk Cup.
So yeah, they've already been down there probably three four
weeks ago, so yeah, so it won't be easy down
there either. But no, they've done pretty well this year
Poly Bay. Last year we've never won a game, if
(27:38):
there were a few close ones, but this year things
have changed a little bit. Loan players have helped the
bits and so yeah, so you know they've had a
pretty good year, but that's not over yet.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yep. So I have to play North Otago down there
in Old Maru, I guess, and a bit of the
old White Stone cheese, a few of the local attractions
and what you're not hitting down there too, are you kicking?
Speaker 5 (28:05):
No, I'm not. I've got I've got a prior engagement
on Friday night, so I can't. I can't go. So yeah, no, they'll, they'll,
they'll do the best. Good lads, I'll tell you they
they're probably a little bit more dedicated and probably some
of the guys i'll plays way back, but but no,
(28:26):
they yeah, they they're sort of not quite professional obviously,
but but they know they're proud of the Jersey and
they go out there and they do their best every time.
So that's all you can ask for. So yeah, they's
not over to all the fat Lady singers, as they say,
So yeah they'll go down there. Well, a few a
(28:49):
few of our key guys injured at the moment, but however,
that's that's part of the game. So yeah, no, they
will look forward to going down there again. And it's
on the.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Luck too, right. They were mid Canterbury of course, finished
top of the log unbeaten. South Canterbury the next.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Cab off the rank lost three and it goes right
down through to Poverty Bay who lost four in seventh.
And that's a great competition right across the board. All
black Saturday night, Kicky, what did you give them past?
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Mike? Out of team? Where do you think they're sitting
under razor?
Speaker 4 (29:19):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (29:19):
They I think you mean you're talking about the game itself. Yeah,
I thought, you know, they were playing an obviously seeing
that one of the beats them obviously, and it's not
a bad Ossie team. You know, they've got some good
plays here. They were dominant in the first twenty minutes
and so yeah, I think they I think they they
(29:40):
came out of it pretty well. I thought some difficult games.
Who decide what you know, what's going to happen in
these games? Now that's you know the game. So it
was it's tough. It's very tough. And so you know
they've got the got to travel back to back or
(30:01):
will all the teams do that, you know, Saturday to
Saturday and some of these plays don't come right still Wednesday,
so you know they've you knows, it goes with all
of them of course. Yeah, so it's not that easy.
You know. You think, oh yeah, the professional and they
should be doing this and should be doing that. But
it's not all you know, they're not made of steal
(30:21):
our human beings, and so they get beaten enough of
it and so they take a while to recover. So
you know, that's that's that's the thing they've got to
get over somehow.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
All Black numbers six six six se and Kirkpatrick eleven
seasons at All Black, one hundred and thirteen games for
the All Blacks. He would have got beaten up on
a view occasions on some of those long tours. You're
listening to the country fifteen away from one.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
I'll be waiting when you call.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Great to have your company on the country where wherever
you are, whatever you might be doing.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
Right, I've joined out of Mount Summers now. Kate Eckland
from Beef and lamb in' z to Kate. How are you?
Speaker 8 (31:11):
I'm good, Homer show you, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Know, I'm you know this.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Jamie McKay has got me very busy taking off to
watch the rugby and things like that, so you know,
but that's all good. Hey, Now, if I went to
the Bella the answer tool on the Beef and lamb
in Z's knowledge hub of info powered by the old AI.
Would it tell me how to sort of get all
my ducks in a row and deal with my busy life?
(31:37):
But that is side joking, aside it is, let's talk
about this Bella, this new well, it's an answer tool.
I guess is that is that the best way to
describe it.
Speaker 8 (31:48):
That's a great way to describe it. I mean, essentially,
what we've done is we've put an AI engine across
our knowledge hub, where there's thousands and thousands of pages
of information and here years with the research, and we've
enabled it to AI so you can just type in
any question in any language and it will give you
an answer, which is, you know, it's suddenly unlocked. What
(32:11):
was quite clumsy and hard to deal with. So it's
really great.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Millions and millions of textbooks just rolled into one. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (32:19):
Well, my husband likes to talk about it being the
old Lincoln Farm Technical Manual, but in your pocket, on
your phone, which is a lot more user friendly.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, use a friend.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
But a lot of these sort of places we go
to source information resources, they sort of get your information
don't they But not answers. That's the critical thing here,
isn't it?
Speaker 8 (32:40):
Well, if it was two parts to it. One is
that unlike you know, using chat GPT, where you can
get some pretty wacky answers out of it. This is
just across the Beef and Land knowledge hubs. So there's
been a lot of ours gone into making sure that
the information that's in there is correct and accurate for
New Zealand. And it just prevents it in a way
that makes sense. So you ask it a question, gives
(33:02):
you sort of four bullet points at the top usually,
and then a whole lot of detail underneath, and then
all the references if you want to dig a bit deeper.
But I don't know if you've ever used the Beef
and Land website the traditional search, You search something and
it might give you seventy two different pds to read,
which is you know, who's got time to do that?
So we're really excited about this. We think it sort
of unlocks millions of dollars worth of research and actually
(33:25):
puts it in farmer's hands.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
Yeah, and the user's hands. The power is the power
is there to be utilized, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (33:33):
And it's been really well received. I mean, I think
we said twenty seven hundred unique users since we launched
a few weeks ago, so that's really positive. But we
know there's about ten thousand commercial sheep and beef farmers,
so pretty keen to see that number push up a
bit more because you know, this is this is real
value for farmers.
Speaker 2 (33:53):
Who else you know, I guess, I guess it's all
right across the farming team can benefit from chatting to Bella.
Speaker 8 (34:03):
Oh absolutely. I was in the office the other day.
We've got a couple of GFF students like cadets on
farm and they were having to do a project on
rapairum planting, Like I don't even know what that is.
So I showed them Bala and how to use it,
and they were like, Jesus, this is going to be
great for all of our other projects. So you know,
I think it's going to be good for right across
(34:23):
the steptrum. I mean, David and I we use it
all the time already. But you know, from our shepherd's right.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
Through, what's what's a good practical answer that Bella's come
up with for you as as a first hand example?
Speaker 2 (34:35):
Okay, well, The.
Speaker 8 (34:36):
Best one for me actually is we were going into
an audit, you know, as you have to do, and
trying to get the paperwork lined up for some of
the induction and health and safety stuff for our staff,
and I had forgotten that all of that resource sits
on the beef of main website. So now you can
ask it to create you checklists and templates and Vala
will do it for you. So it's just it's making
(34:58):
it all a whole lot easier, you know, And I
think there's more to come. There's more data and particularly
farm statistics that hopefully future versions of Dalla will will have,
so you could you know. The vision is ultimately farmer
will be able to use Dalla for benchmarking and a
whole lot more.
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Yeah, yep, Well, the opportunity is just massive, one would think, Kate,
and generally speaking out there farmer vibe. I mean, prices
are good, but some I think some areas is pretty
struggling with it, but the old weather and grass growth
not so good.
Speaker 8 (35:31):
Prices are excellent, and everyone seems to have a smile
on their face, but it has been a tough spring
in places. I mean, I know around us it hasn't
been too bad moisture and temperature wise, but the Northwest
just won't stop blying. It's been the windy of spring
with had in years, you know, and I know other
parts of the South Island are struggling a bit. Was
the cold so but I guess at this time of
(35:52):
year you know that it's only going to get better.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Generally speaking, Yeah, good now we need the weather to
get better for you because you've got just a sort
of it. We all talk about getting off farm and
mental health fitness and physical fitness and the value of
that being Mental Health Awareness Week. Iron Man, what's up?
How's the training going?
Speaker 6 (36:11):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (36:11):
That's what you're aiming for? What March Tapo? Is it?
A yeah?
Speaker 8 (36:15):
So I was very lucky that Ensco has sponsored me
as part of a farmer team to do the Iron Man.
And I think what happened is I'd too much time
in the office and not not enough time on farm,
and I sort of felt like the old jeans were
getting a bit tight. So I thought I'd set a
really big challenge for myself. So the aim is to
(36:37):
finish it. Certainly, don't be expecting anything impressive, but it's
a lot of.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Fun yeah, and look, so how is the training going
and how demanding is it?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
How much time are you putting into it? And you know,
having to ask Bella about what to do next? I mean,
have you got a good coach?
Speaker 8 (36:55):
Well, I haven't got a coach at all. I don't
think Bella will help me with this cyber. But look,
I'm just just getting out to it, getting fit again,
you know, it feels goods but trying to give it
as much time as I've got time as a challenge
at the moment, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I imagine so, But I guess I think your target
is right, isn't it. I mean I don't can't speak
from experience, but those of observe it, just take the
time and have that, you know, set that target of finishing.
But I think that's fantastic that you're doing that. So
I won't keep you any longer because I think you're
at the pool. You're about to do some lengths. Yes,
I am, yep, right, okay, wonderful to chat. Thank you
(37:34):
very much, Go and do those lengths. Thank you much
for you, Thank you to all our guests. Thank you
to you for your company today. This has been another
edition of the Country. I'm Hamis McCay will do it
all again tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Catch all the latest from the land. It's the Country
podcast with Jamie McKay. Thanks to friends, specialist in John
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