The Country Full Show: Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Hamish McKay talks to Damien O'Connor, Kate Acland, Matt Holden, Jack Jordan, and Duncan Humm.

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Episode Transcript

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 Deere Machinery.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good afternoon, Welcome into the country, Harris mckaye and for
Jamie McKay, Jamie back on Thursday where he'll be at
the Gisbone A and P Show. It sounds like fun,
doesn't it. Great place to be, hy Rafferty, what a
magnificent part of the country and that show.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Is always a cracker.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Not a lot of work gets done on the farm
on those couple of days down there are up there
and guzzy as it is from the Partners to North Studio.
But I'm coming to you from today Brent taking Jamie.
The great team at Brent bring you the show and
also Jamie McKay from a gisband later on the weekend.
On the show today very shortly, we'll get Labour's stance
on the methane reductions announced yesterday. We'll talk to Damien

(01:08):
O'Connor who's very kindly stepped out of a very busy.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Meeting in the Capitol to be with us.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
Kate Ecklund on the methane reduction announcement. Busy around the
country today too. We'll also talk to Matt Holden of course,
big event coming up. There are mates of mates for
mates out of the Hawk's Bay, Jack Jordan of course
in our still Timber sports team. This guy's an absolute beast.

(01:34):
Will be talking to him as well. In dunkinghom on
Venison in the main, we'll talk to Duncan about the
Venison world and what's going on there at the moment.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
But right now I just want to.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Check in with DJ and w out of Duneed. And
as to the Hall and Oates, I'm loving a bit
of the Hall of Oates.

Speaker 4 (01:52):
I love the Hall of Oates as well. And fifty
years since this self titled album was released, So then
you go a bit of a fun fact for you.
Of course, very famous duo, really, aren't they.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
They're a big deal haul of notes because they were.
They were both in We Are the World. They both
had sort of one line, you know, you know, the
old there comes a time, you know, so they had
so they are a big deal, right, So cool, very
good choice of a music. Michelle wat Out of Duneda
and rdy ho one of my winding up the music.

(02:29):
Of course, I'm not going to wind up. Damian O'Connor,
who joins us now, Damien, good afternoon, Dora.

Speaker 5 (02:35):
Nice to talk to Jamie's younger brother.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, our younger handsome, more chisel, ral jewel,
all those things. Now, Yeah, well if he if he
was my big brother, I'd love him fantastic hate right
labour stance on the methane reductions that were announced yesterday.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
I guess is you know, what where do you stand
on this?

Speaker 5 (02:54):
Well, look, I'm neither the climate change spokesfist nor the
agriculture spokesist clearly have been involved for a long time.
And from a trade perspective, there are number of angles
here as well.

Speaker 6 (03:05):
I mean, it seems like.

Speaker 5 (03:07):
The government panel has been set a task to go
out and find reasons to justify a guess of reduction
and the target, and you know that there's a lot
of excitement across agriculture for that. There's still I guess
excluding it from any possible charge is something else that
people seem excited about that this is a big issue.

(03:28):
What we're seeing is more climate change across the globe.
We have an economy it's dependent upon biological production systems
and the climate. We're probably likely to be more impacted
from an economic perspective than many other parts of the world,
so it is really important that we get this right.
And I think in reading through some of the scientific

(03:49):
opinions on this, many people who are objective, who don't
have a conflict of interest, are disappointed with the latest announcement.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
What about from a farming perspective, though, how do you
view it from perspective?

Speaker 5 (04:01):
Well, I guess we're the ones at the front line
of climate change.

Speaker 7 (04:04):
You know, we are day to day.

Speaker 8 (04:08):
The weather changes, but this is a bigger.

Speaker 5 (04:09):
Issue of course around you know that the crops that
will need, the effect on the animals and all the
rest of the stuff over time, the events like cyclone Gabrielle.

Speaker 8 (04:19):
You know we're in the farmers.

Speaker 5 (04:20):
Are in the firing line of this, and so the
world's trying to reduce the global warming, to reduce the
impact on climate so that people like farmers can get
on and not have too much disruption.

Speaker 8 (04:33):
In their lives and their businesses.

Speaker 5 (04:35):
So you know, everyone else is doing their bit, and
the question I guess that comes from this announcement are farmers.

Speaker 8 (04:41):
Doing their bit as well?

Speaker 5 (04:42):
And that's what other people are asking fifty percent of
our missions look at a historical thing. You know that
we've got a lot of animals, we have a biological system,
good farming systems, but we do have to you know,
ask the question, you know, what is our contribution. The
fact that we have cleared quite a bit of bush.
My father did a bit as well. I've done a bit,

(05:02):
you know, to create glass. It has had an impact
along with all of the other clearing the Amazon and
everything else, burning oil, it is affecting the climate. And
just to make sure that as a nation we are
seen to be doing our bit and indeed possibly you know,
being ahead of the world. And that's where I think
this is a missed opportunity because when we had our proposals,

(05:25):
we asked the industry what they think we should do collectively.
That was here Wachekinoa, and we went around the world
in my trade visits when we talked about you know,
we're trying to get this right. People were excited with
the prospect of New Zealand leading the way. That's clearly
not where where we've got to now.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
Yeah, but we're leading the way for our farmers, aren't
we aren't. Aren't we another backbone of the country. I mean,
what do you say to Wayne Langford, president of Federated Farmers,
when he says the whole things are fast and it
should be zero percent.

Speaker 5 (05:56):
Well, you know, good luck, Wayne, you know, I mean
ted farmers haven't always led farmers in the right way,
and they haven't always been right. And I guess if
you look at the collective wisdom I guess of many
climate change scientists around the impacts on us and then
the way.

Speaker 6 (06:13):
Of how we handle that.

Speaker 9 (06:14):
There are a lot of farmers.

Speaker 5 (06:15):
Who were seeking assistance when Cyclone Gabriel hit and if
we get more of those, we have to be in
a position to be able to step up and help farmers.
We've got to try and minimize the impact on them.
And that's what the world is trying to do across
you know, as I say, across the whole planet.

Speaker 8 (06:33):
Are we doing our bit?

Speaker 5 (06:35):
You know, we say we are good farmers, We are
very efficient, but not necessarily the last admitters in the
world though, for protein, and so we're just going to
keep trying to do our bit. And the question is
are we going to continue to try and get better?

Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (06:50):
But if we drop our production because of meeting these
targets that.

Speaker 9 (06:56):
Were going to stop it.

Speaker 5 (06:58):
Look the eighties, I was there in the eighties when
you know that was a labor took the subsidies off
and a lot of people jumping up and down. Then,
in fact, we've seen our sheet numbers go from about
seventy million back to about twenty three twenty five, and
actually we've maintained our production.

Speaker 6 (07:13):
So there are ways.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
Years ago and there was a lot of heard after that.

Speaker 9 (07:19):
It was at the time.

Speaker 5 (07:20):
I'm not denying that, and I'm not saying it was
done in the right way, But the point is that
you know, we are innovative and creative. The figures that
we've heard, and indeed they were in government papers around
the loss of it wasn't the loss of farms. It
was a loss of profitability and in some areas production.
I think we we will work through that. The question
is whether you know we we can maintain. If we

(07:44):
think we can the same systems over time into the future,
I think we're kidding ourselves. So we are going to
have to make some adjustments. And the one around a levy,
which has been pointed out where they called it used
to be called a tarbon tax proposal that was rejected
ets you.

Speaker 8 (07:58):
Know, no good.

Speaker 5 (08:00):
How how does the industry reinvest back into those new technologies?

Speaker 3 (08:04):
Okay, on to the gene tech bell back in August.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
You've voiced your concerns on this and and don't want
you didn't want the government to go ahead with What
if it does go ahead?

Speaker 3 (08:14):
And where's it sitting right now? Do you think?

Speaker 2 (08:17):
Well?

Speaker 9 (08:17):
They haven't?

Speaker 5 (08:18):
You know, there have been options to change it. I
think there hasn't been much discussion around the wider agricultural
productive areas. There's been discussion around medicine and in lab
are indeed for many, many years indeed we saw a
need and government for some changes to be made there.
But the wider discussion around our production systems, around the

(08:40):
impact on the markets, none of that has occurred. And
indeed many of the submitters to the Select Committee made
that point. So that discussion hasn't occurred. We should not
progress as is. But the government's come back from the
Select Committee basically trying to push ahead with its original proposals.
I think they're really wrong and I think New Zealand
First has indicated that they won't support them. I hope

(09:01):
they hold the line on that, and you know, don't
get kind of persuaded by people who have vested interest
to cave in. And it's really critical for us into
the future and where what kind of product we sell
to who what they want, and whether it's a gy
product or not is going to be critical to that success.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
All right, Damien, thank you very much. Damian. I'm kind
of joining us here on.

Speaker 2 (09:27):
The country on your Tuesday afternoon, seventeen minutes after midday
or is that a bit more of Hall and eight
so I can hear ringing out there. Very nice coming
up talking to Chate Ackland. Of course she's in our
kluther for the Beef and Land New Zealand Farmer Council
Council Annual meeting today. Matt Holden from the Hawks by

(09:50):
Jack Jaw and the Big Falla. He is still Timber
Sports team heading to the World Champs and Milan that's
coming up. And also Dun Duncan Harmon we'll talk a
bit of Venison as well. They're coming up here on
the country on your Tuesday right for me it is

(10:22):
twenty minutes after midday on your Tuesday here on the
country right across the country, famous mckaye and for Jamie mcguy.
I don't forget Jamie's back. He'll be back full noise
Thursday and Friday. Out of the Gisbane amp Show with
a great team from Brand. We're heading now to all Balcluther.
We're the Farmer Council Council Annual meeting happening for Beef

(10:44):
and Lamb.

Speaker 3 (10:44):
Kate Eckland, Good afternoon.

Speaker 6 (10:45):
Ky Hi, it's nice to talk again.

Speaker 2 (10:48):
Yes, indeed also also so soon now the fourteen to
twenty four percent.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
Methane cut by twenty fifty. Where is the position of
Beef and Lamb on this?

Speaker 6 (11:02):
Oh, look, it's incredibly positive. It's a really great move.

Speaker 10 (11:05):
But I think most importantly the assurance that there will
be no pricing on our emissions. You know, that's the
big news and that's something that can give farmers, I suppose,
confidence to invest in businesses and just move forward and
move on from this.

Speaker 2 (11:20):
What are you hearing already in the last twenty four
hours from farmers as a reaction to this, Look.

Speaker 10 (11:26):
It's been largely positive. I'm not going to say overwhelmingly positive.
There's always some farmers ahead of you that there should
be no targets at all. But the fat we've got
confirmation that there will be no pricing at all, and
also there was the assurance that the government's going to
look at taking a split gas approach to our NDCs

(11:46):
in future. Is another really positive thing.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Those that want the zero present, what about the fourteen
to twenty four percent? Is that still going to be challenging.

Speaker 10 (11:55):
Well, on the other end of that range will be challenging,
but you know, I'm ready incident with efficiency gains. There's
torment technologies coming that farmers can.

Speaker 6 (12:05):
Choose to use. I think we'll get there.

Speaker 10 (12:08):
I'm not going to say it's going to be simple,
but look at the lower end, I think that that
should be fairly easy, and the upper end is absolutely doable.
I mean, the Shed and B sect has got this
phenomenal productivity and efficiency gain story. Over the last thirty years,
we've almost halved our sheep numbers, but we've almost maintained
the kilograms of products we're sending overseas. So you know,

(12:30):
that's a really great story and we can keep doing that.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
Just had Damian O'Connor on and trying to, you know,
suggest that there's a comparison between had the previous levels
gone through for twenty fifty that it'll be similar to
what happened in ninety eighties with the removal of the
smps and we recovered our production. What about the fifteen
or twenty years of how it followed that. I think

(12:54):
he's missed the point.

Speaker 6 (12:55):
Look, I think he's absolutely missed the point.

Speaker 10 (12:57):
And you know, we know under what was prop with
pair Walk Recano, we were looking at losing sort of
twenty percent of our sheep and beef farms and six
for seven percent of our dairy farms. And it's not
a great outcome for New Zealand. So you know, I
think we need to keep coming back to the fact
this is a it's pragmatic, it's achievable, and it's actually
a really good outcome for New Zealand because New Zealand
needs the economic powerhouse that is the primary sector.

Speaker 2 (13:21):
Absolutely it does backbone of the country. Right now, now
the gene Tech bill. What a farm has been feeling
on this one. Where's the stance of beef and lamb?

Speaker 10 (13:33):
Well, you know the announcement that was made or the
report was out yesterday, we're still digesting that. We know
that that farmers are quite mixed on this. You know,
there is there's potentially some significant opportunities, but there's some
significant risks as well, And I guess we've been very
frustrated the whole way through it how quickly this has
been pushed through the lack of consultation with farmers and

(13:55):
the lack of time for farmers and actually the general
public just to understand both opportunities and those risks and
make a really sort of informed decision or an informed
submission on the issue. So you know, we will continue
to push for getting it right. It's a really major
thing and we need to take the time to get
it right.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
Yeah, a bit of water to go under the bridge
on this one. What sort of day is it in Bowcluther.

Speaker 10 (14:19):
It's a beautiful day in bowclother Actually I got here
this morning and the first thing I did was have
a cheese roll and admi the river.

Speaker 2 (14:27):
Oh stop it Bowcluther on a beautiful day. Cheese roll
and fantastic.

Speaker 3 (14:32):
Hey, Kate, we won't keep you.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
You're busy person, and you've flat out down there with
the Farmer Council and your meeting much appreciated.

Speaker 3 (14:39):
There we go, That is.

Speaker 2 (14:40):
Kate Acklin there from a Bowcluther and a great insight
into what is happening with both the situation with the
cuts the methane fourteen to twenty four percent, the new
target by twenty fifty, and the fact that the pricing
won't happen, and also a bit of water to go
under the bridge with the gene tech bill as well.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
Coming up, we're going to head to the Hawk's Bay.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
I mean they've been a bit dry over there, maybe
they've had a bit of moisture. Our man, Matt Holden
is next here on the country.

Speaker 11 (15:13):
Why don't we lose so many? Whoa yeah, but a
whole not.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
It's night out big and the hawks Bay back in
the eighties when Matt Holden would have been in its
absolute prime.

Speaker 3 (15:39):
And he joins us now, young man, how are you?

Speaker 12 (15:43):
Yeah, good mush, thanks for the opportunities to have a yarn.
And it's raining.

Speaker 3 (15:50):
It's raining.

Speaker 2 (15:50):
Get because things were getting parts of the Hawk's Bay,
or much of it getting pretty dry.

Speaker 12 (15:56):
It was a real one of its still as a
real concern. Hey yeah, parts are really dry and soiled.
Moisture levels well behind where they should be for the
summer year. But look it's raining now, so We'll take
that and long mate continue.

Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yeah, excellent of course, mates of mates for mates. Now
you've got a big event coming up not too far away.

Speaker 12 (16:22):
Yeah, Thursday week at the Hawk's Bay Show and we
call it the Rural Round up Hamish and hope to
round up a few locals and a few from further afield,
you know, hopefully they'll take a day off docking and
come down off the farm and just enjoy some some

(16:44):
good old fashioned hospitality and also listen to a couple
of inspirational speakers that I've got London.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
Ever, a camaradi ari, a bit of hospitality. So who's
going to be speaking at this day? So it's on
the Thursday, twenty third of October three to five thirty
I get is that a hard finished time or can
people actually kick on and do things afterwards? That remains
the million dollar question. Who you got lined up by
mat who's going to be speaking?

Speaker 9 (17:07):
Well, so look it's going to be the afternoon is
going to be m.

Speaker 12 (17:11):
Feed by Toddy David Todd from Toddy Talks and he's
a bit of a local legend.

Speaker 9 (17:16):
Toddy in a former facilitator.

Speaker 12 (17:19):
For the Royal Hawksbay's Royal Support Trust, so Toddy will
he'll be running the afternoon. And then I've got Sarah
Donaldson who's a well being consultant and she's actually the
facilitator for the Royal Support Trust and the wire Rappa
and I've heard Sarah speak before a few times actually,

(17:40):
and she's amazing. I mean she's a farmer, she's a mother,
and she's a rugby coach too, so she's well qualified
in a lot of a lot of areas. And then
Wayne Forrest. Wayne's an amazing human being Hamish and these
were his words, and he's just celebrated this.

Speaker 9 (18:02):
Year thirty years in the chair and that's thirty years
in a.

Speaker 12 (18:06):
Wheelchair after a rugby accident at Pronger Howe when he
was twenty five. And Wayne is just so inspirational and
look he's a life coach, a ted X speaker and
also an author. He's written an amazing little book called
The Inner Warrior. So it's going to be a great lineup.

(18:27):
And then of course you know there's that time afterwards
just to enjoy each other's company in that sort of
social connection which I think is always that's the value,
the really valuable part of the afternoon.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
As well, yeah, that's what mates of mates for mates
is all about, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
That contact? That's what you've always pushed hard, Matt.

Speaker 9 (18:47):
Well, look, it's all about it is all about your mates.

Speaker 12 (18:50):
And that just reminds me that there is a mates
of mates from mate's T shirt strap for a courier
pigeon on its way to your mailbox as we.

Speaker 2 (19:00):
Oh fantastic, I'll look sharp in that. But you know,
I need my mates and I need my T shirts
as much as I need my mates sometimes too.

Speaker 12 (19:10):
Exactly, and we all need our mates, and I think,
you know, sometimes it's just it might be direct contact
with her mate, but it might be from or via
another mate that actually just helps, you know, join the
dots to say, hey, look, just you know, keep old Bob.

Speaker 9 (19:32):
Just get in touch with Bob, you know what I mean.
And that's what it's all about.

Speaker 3 (19:36):
Yeah, I'm just gonna ask you, is Sarah Donaldson?

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Now would she be of an age where she was
possibly coached by me when I was coaching the Iron Maidens?

Speaker 3 (19:44):
Did she get a messy?

Speaker 12 (19:46):
Look?

Speaker 9 (19:46):
I don't know, hey, miss yeah, yeah, look.

Speaker 3 (19:53):
You can find that out for me. Matt.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
I've given you your task for the day because there
was a Cyah Donaldson.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
Who was a good footy player who I coached.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
Isn't she the iron Maidens at Massi University the Carpetsuckers.
If you remember writing in that documentary mid nineteen nineties,
it was a terribly tough time in my life.

Speaker 12 (20:10):
Matt, Oh, look maybe maybe so. Well, look I'll ask
Sarah when I see her next Thursday. Yeah, okay, one
of the iron Maidens.

Speaker 3 (20:20):
Yeah, there you go.

Speaker 2 (20:22):
Hey, you have a great day next And how's everything
with business with you in general, the everything else you
do in the world.

Speaker 12 (20:28):
Yeah, well, look, you know, it was sort of there's
been obviously plenty of tales getting cut off the length
of the country, and what that means is that's one
one season slam crop sort of out of the way,
and that means there's going to be another one coming
up next year. So for that to happen, there's obviously
going to be a few ram sold. So we're sort

(20:49):
of gearing up for another busy November December famoush with
ram selling for Kelso so that's always an exciting time
of year and also, you know, just a good time
year to connect. What's our pharmacunts.

Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah, absolutely, yep, there you go, yep, Kelso Rams outstanding.

Speaker 3 (21:10):
There we go.

Speaker 2 (21:11):
That is our man, Matt Hold and there mates of
mates for mates. We've got to meet your great made
up and a couple of great mates up and we've
caught up in the past and no doubt that some
stage we'll be doing that again. Twelve thirty four Here
on your Tuesday, continuing the fifty years since the release
of their first album, Haul and It's standing by.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
For a bit of news and sport.

Speaker 1 (21:54):
The country's world news with cop Cadets, New Zealand's leading
right on lawn, bow Bread, visit steel for dot co,
dot nzim for your local stockist.

Speaker 4 (22:04):
And in raural news. Preparations have gathered momentum for the
Spring at Show at the Showgrounds part later this week,
which will celebrate one hundred and fifty years of the
Poverty Amp Association. Marquees have gone up, storeholders have been
moving onto these sites and a major working bee was
held over the weekend. Other working bees will take place
throughout the week as the show jumping arena is constructed

(22:24):
and the Association volunteers make all the finishing touches. The
current forecast for this weekend show is northwesterly winds and
fine where there was temperatures of twenty to twenty two
degrees both days according to mess Service. So cracking day
out at the Poverty Amp show. If you're heading along
to that one, right, hamish you to show you to poverty?

Speaker 2 (22:44):
You been to poverty. I've called in there a couple
of times, but never quite as in depth as our
esteem leader. Jamie's going to be there one show only
Elvis Friday.

Speaker 4 (22:53):
Alvis Frida. That's right, right, Let's say to Sports News,
I'll just play a little sting for you.

Speaker 1 (22:57):
Yes, okay, Sports where the af go We to the
bone since nineteen oh four.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
Talk about the plot thickening with Netbourne, New Zealand now
that Gale Parata selector has stood down. Angry obviously, this
whole coaching saga that just continues to go on and on.
Sam Dowry into the All Blacks.

Speaker 3 (23:18):
Now.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
Strangely, Patrick Twey Polotto was named in the thirty six
man squad but now faces six months on the sideline.
Now we thought it might have been an extension of
that facial injury, but apparently he needs a shoulder reconstruction
which would put him out for the best part of
a six month, while the rest of us still continue
to wonder why there were a couple of veterans selections
in that team and no real I for the future.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
Right.

Speaker 2 (23:42):
We mentioned the Gismond Show where Jamie will be on Friday,
but the christ Church Royal A and P Show. Just
want to give this a bit of a mention. Thirteenth
to fifteenth of November, the Royal A and P Show
in christ Ches Now.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
Michelle Watts, I've been to this quite a few times.

Speaker 2 (23:57):
We've got some family passes to give away on the
treat Facebook page. All you need to do is comment
Thursday for a Farmer's Day pass or Saturday for tickets
to the Farmer's Family Day christ Just Royle A and
P show happening this time and next month.

Speaker 3 (24:13):
There you go. Make sure you check it out. Thirteenth
to fifteenth of November.

Speaker 2 (24:17):
It is twenty one minutes away from one here on
the country.

Speaker 11 (24:26):
No, no, lie, you're earning s all right, sad Saturday.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
Great to have your company on the country on your Tuesday,
the fourteenth of October, eighteen minutes away from one twelve
forty two. Never quite sure. The director on the time
calling is righty, ho, will we standing by to talk
to Jack Jordan? Of course, the Still Timber Sports team
heading to the World Chapmins in Milan on Saturday. They

(25:12):
take place next week. Of course, Big Jack, I mean
he's a beast. He's a beheamoth of a human being.
Silver medalist of individual World Championships in twenty twenty fourth,
three time one of the World Trophy, four times national
pro champion.

Speaker 3 (25:26):
We can't get a hold of Jack at the moment
because you know those.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
Big saws that they have where they they are hybrids,
so they create their own saw, their own chainsaw with
these amazing blick and engines on them. The Rural day
here in Palmerston, North, the Rural Games back in March.
I was lucky enough to be part of the Still
Timber Sports team. And we might even give Phil Roperha.
If you're listing Phil Roperha from Still, we should be

(25:50):
get he's the commentator.

Speaker 3 (25:51):
He'd be given.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
He'd give us the drill on these guys. So we
will stand to get a hold of Jack. And of
course he's hitting off a Cleveland cherry. Chris Lord and
Quentin forcet off there to those World Champs in Milan.

Speaker 3 (26:03):
Been great on the.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
Show today we've had a good discussion with both sides
of the fence. Damian O'Connor farmer desperately going into bat
for the labor side of the things on the methane reductions.
And also well Kate Ecklund too from Beef and Lamb,
New Zealand down there at the council meeting in Balclouth
today where it's a beautiful day.

Speaker 3 (26:25):
How interesting to see those poles out.

Speaker 2 (26:26):
Yesterday overall rating down a little bit, or Christopher Luxen down.

Speaker 3 (26:33):
A little bit.

Speaker 2 (26:34):
We'll labors hipkins a little, you know, but at the
end of the day a big drop from him from
the start of yet but what of these poles? What
are these poles really matter?

Speaker 7 (26:43):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (26:43):
He's turned his big hybrid chain saw off as he
he has.

Speaker 3 (26:47):
Okay, well let's go and have a chat to him.
Have we got you there, big Jackie?

Speaker 8 (26:51):
There? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (26:52):
There we go on Harves Mackay.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
Here Jack we met earlier in the year at the
Rural Games in Parmeerston, North.

Speaker 3 (26:58):
How are you keeping your fit ready for the World Champs? Yeah?

Speaker 8 (27:02):
As really as I can do. I suppose going not
too bad.

Speaker 2 (27:04):
So yeah, now what sort of fine tuning have you
been doing of that wonderful physical specimen of yours Without
getting too much man love on the air, Well.

Speaker 8 (27:15):
It's been the odd season for us over here in
the zone as far as wood chopping and tim sports goes.
So I had a bit of a break and it's
sort of been getting back into it, trying to find
some form that I had at the end of last season.
So yeah, just been going over all the events again
and yeah, bit of gym stuff on top of that.

Speaker 2 (27:34):
Yeah, so you do the gym stuff, But I guess
a lot of this is muscle memory, isn't it. You're
sort of highly tuned and trained athlete, Jack. I mean,
it must come back to you pretty quickly, does it.

Speaker 8 (27:45):
Yeah? For sure. Like the best thing we can we
can do as far as tim sports nothing goes, is
just doing the events and the fitness that we get
from doing the sport. Nothing. Yeah, nothing sort of replicates
that to the same that can ben as wood chopping.

Speaker 3 (27:58):
Yeah, yeah, you got to do it to be good
at it.

Speaker 2 (28:01):
I mean, I don't know that anybody could go out
there and not share sheep and be prepared to be
at a competition through any sorts of other training. Same
thing I think for wood chopping. So you're going there
with Cleveland, Chris and Quentin. So what's the format like
at the STILL at the World Champs there in Milan.

Speaker 8 (28:18):
Yes, on the first first night we'll have a four
man teams race where we do the cut one disc
with the still m S six six one. It goes
to the underhand being across to the single buck where
they do the handsaw and the finishes with a stand
block whe you cut the log standing next to you.
So yeah, sort of elimination process through to the final starting.

(28:42):
What's the doubt? I think it's about sixteen countries we
start with yet.

Speaker 3 (28:47):
Okay, so how many days? What a couple of days
of competition?

Speaker 8 (28:50):
N So it's a it's supposedly getting there in all
the build up, that's what seems to take the most
on The actual competition only goes for about three hours,
So at about six o'clock over there, I think, and yeah, I'll.

Speaker 2 (29:07):
Tell you what that's a that's a lot of travel
and a lot of preparation. You got to get it
right in those three hours. You must be pretty focused.

Speaker 8 (29:14):
Yeah, for sure, it's it's it's obviously pretty hard flying
for so long and then getting up for such a
short period of time. But I guess that's what the
preparation goes in forward to be ready on.

Speaker 2 (29:27):
The night when it was jack, you're not a small carcass.
Do you get sort of further up the plane? You
got a comfortable seat so to speak?

Speaker 8 (29:37):
No, it were sort of in the kettle class as
far as I did see. On the way over there.
One time I was right up in front of the plane.
I thought, buddy, beauty, I thought it must have been
in business class sitting up there and throw number one.
But the plane was two stories, so I was still
in kettle class.

Speaker 3 (29:55):
Who are you flying up with?

Speaker 8 (29:58):
I think, well, well with Emirates this year, Well usually
with those, Yeah, so I think we got a boy
first and then across the Germany signing and we're actually
driving Germany to Italy this year, so we've a different one.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
Yeah, okay, ol you see a nice bit of country side,
and no doubt not that a bit of forest, raight forest. Jeez,
I can't even get the word not a forest or
too and you want to get out there get the
ax out. Hey, we might if the bound to be
somebody from the good team at Emirates listing for our
for our wonderful team going off to the World Championship,
our New Zealand still Timber Sports team that might be

(30:34):
able to look after Jack, Jack, Jordan and the team.
Thanks very much for joining us, Jack There, Jack is
off with Cleveland Cherry, Chris Lord and Quentin Force at
all the best in Milan, Italy for the World champs
for our Timber Sports are still Timber Sports team. You're
on the country, eleven minutes away from one on your Tuesday.

Speaker 11 (31:00):
Watching wedding.

Speaker 2 (31:05):
She said, fifty years ago since Hall and Oates released
their first album.

Speaker 3 (31:17):
How can that be fifty years ago? Still? I suppose
it's forty years.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
Since they had a pretty big hand and we are
the world. Yeah, they were both right in the thick
of that studio, done a few of us. Is there
a Netflix show or something on that. It's just brilliant.
You to get the opportunity to see it, right, I
speak of brilliant. Is Venison going a bit better at
the moment? That's tracking a really well good sales. So
let's let's have a look at this. So we're going

(31:41):
to head to Mount Summers, Canterbury deer farmer from Enzi
in farming.

Speaker 3 (31:46):
Duncan, Hum, kid, Duncan.

Speaker 7 (31:47):
How are you good, Homer? How are we?

Speaker 3 (31:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (31:50):
I'm fighting for the old Venison world, you know, going okay?
Things have certainly picked.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
Up a bit.

Speaker 7 (31:56):
Oh, we certainly can't complain. This year has been an
absolute doozy for us, like productivity wise and stuff that
they've done real well and yeh, prices and contracts and
stuff that we've signed up with, yeah, pretty decent as well.
So we always be good to see a few more bucks.
But everything's taken on nicely so part from the bloody

(32:17):
wind at the moment, it's yeah, good times.

Speaker 3 (32:21):
Oh yeah, that's that's the worst of all the evils,
isn't it? The wind? So who's picked up the slack?
Where's this gut?

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Where are the where are these sales of the venison
going to? And where are the sort of the bright spots?

Speaker 7 (32:35):
So I think, yeah, per our company we supply, which
is Mountain River. They yeah, they sort of diverse vy
and sort of send it all over really, so big
chunk goes to America, but into the local market and Scandinavia, China,
and then the traditional markets like Germany and places like

(32:55):
that as well. So it sort of, yeah, pretty good
spread out of customer and so I think that's sort
of where that consistency and confidence in the pricing comes from.
But yes, certainly the demand into the States. Yeah, the
sort of naturally produced venison, Yeah, they seems can't get
nothing of it, so we could probably send more there.

(33:16):
But it's just a case of keeping a pretty balanced approach.
So I quite like how a company goes about it.

Speaker 6 (33:23):
It's good.

Speaker 2 (33:24):
So is that going I can do basically being purchased
by supermarket shoppers through that brand in the US, or
because I know China that hit came with their sort
of silver service white tablecloth sort of backing off that.

Speaker 7 (33:40):
It's a bit of a yeah, that sort of spreads out,
so the Yeah, but it goes into into you know,
like the restaurant trade. But yeah, big chunks of it
goes into both online sales and into companies whole foods
under the Force of Nature brands. So yes, yeah, a

(34:00):
lot of it's sold online. Some of the specific cuts
more the more bespoken high end cuts, they can only
sell online. Because they can't get enough of it, and yeah,
the rest of it sort of goes into supermarkets like
whole foods where there's real good, strong demand for likes
of just good classic months and things like the ancestral

(34:20):
blends that have got organ meat and with the months
as well. So yeah, pretty good.

Speaker 3 (34:27):
They're good variety, good stuff, righty.

Speaker 2 (34:28):
Oh, well, what's happening in terms of the venicon industry
in regard to the proposed.

Speaker 3 (34:36):
Gene tech bill. What's the stance there.

Speaker 7 (34:39):
Well, I'm not really too sure where the likes of
their industry is on it exactly. I would have thought
they'd be a bit more prominent, but yeah, just for
most of us. Yeah, we've had to do it for
quite a few years where every loaded year we send away,
we're going to sign a declaration to say that I've
been said no G food or yeah later on now

(35:02):
GE food as well. So sort of like a big
part of that brand story and that whole yeah, that
whole New Zealand providence that yeah, we're all natural and yeah,
they they're taking customers are more interested in there and
like biodiversity and you know the whole bigger picture. So yeah,

(35:25):
Matt G. E three is a huge part of it.
So yeah, the consumers people actually pick it up, put
it in their trolley. Yeah, they just don't really want
a bar of anything that's modified. They want as natural
as possible, and they sort of love how we do
things down here as.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
Is okay, So you reckon that has a real cut
through with those in that export market.

Speaker 7 (35:49):
It's a real it's a complex picture, like it's not
like whatever one single attribute, but it's a huge part
of the whole story. So it's like an easy kind
of like an easy way and you get in the
door with these customers and you start talking to them
or when they come down to New Zealand, you're get
them out on the farm here and bah. You know,
one of the first things I'll sort of ask is, oh, yeah,

(36:10):
we've heard New Zealand's like GE three and you're like, yep, no,
well that's buddy awesome. And it's just sort of like
a huge box ticked and then you can move on
to more detailed stuff. So it's just like a big
big toe on the door, and yeah, they just really
like that.

Speaker 3 (36:28):
Just quickly.

Speaker 2 (36:29):
Duncan methane reductions fourteen to twenty four percent probably doesn't
go far enough, or does it?

Speaker 3 (36:34):
You're happy with that.

Speaker 7 (36:36):
I can appreciate the political side of it that they
can't go further, but yeah, they definitely need to go further,
like the science supports that, and what's going on here
in New Zealand we can, I guess we can. What
the positive is, we can already achieve those reductions with
the technology and the tools that we've got in our
hands today. So we don't need gene modified stuff or

(37:01):
any of these tools that are going to require a
fundamental shift of how we produce food to achieve it.
So I think it's a really kind of a good
news story. I guess it's a good way to mention
of meat in the middle. But yeah, we can always
be going further, and hopefully that will happen in due course.
Is more common sense prevails.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
Very good.

Speaker 2 (37:20):
We need a bit of that old common sense prevailing
meeting in the middle. Not too bad a idea at
the moment. That is a ented farming Canterbury. Dear farmer
at Mount Summers, the wind's annoying the hell out of them.
I can imagine that.

Speaker 3 (37:33):
Great stuff. Great to have your company today here.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
On Tuesday fourteenth of October, coming up towards news and sport,
top of the one o'clock. Thank you very much to
executive producer of the Country Michelle What DJ Michelle High
Watts and a bit of the old Hall and Oats.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Today fifty years since.

Speaker 2 (37:51):
They released their first album, Take us through to eat
of the show.

Speaker 1 (37:58):
Wudging.

Speaker 11 (38:00):
She said, when you.

Speaker 1 (38:04):
Catch all the latest from the land, it's the Country
Podcast with Jamie Mgue. Thanks to Brent, you're specialist in
John Deere construction equipment.